The Wayne Bennett Super thread!

[Anonymous person]

I don't get how buying a lock/second rower allows Parker to move back to lock and Thaiday to play on the edge? He got rid of 2 actual props, and has now bought a numpty second rower/lock, and is going to play him at prop?

and people are happy about this? what a gee up. Blair is not a prop. If we needed a prop why did we buy a second rower?

 

[Splinter]

I don't get how buying a lock/second rower allows Parker to move back to lock and Thaiday to play on the edge? He got rid of 2 actual props, and has now bought a numpty second rower/lock, and is going to play him at prop?

and people are happy about this? what a gee up. Blair is not a prop. If we needed a prop why did we buy a second rower?

You are going to be excited when FPN signs on to play centre :takdir:

 

[Morkel]

I don't get how buying a lock/second rower allows Parker to move back to lock and Thaiday to play on the edge? He got rid of 2 actual props, and has now bought a numpty second rower/lock, and is going to play him at prop?

and people are happy about this? what a gee up. Blair is not a prop. If we needed a prop why did we buy a second rower?

Would you be pissed if we signed Nate Myles as a prop? He's followed the exact same path, being predominantly a middle-playing back-rower, to playing prop in rep teams, to being almost exclusively a prop at club level. Because if that's all you're cut up about with this signing, your fears shall now be allayed, it is possible!

 

[Anonymous person]

Would you be ****ed if we signed Nate Myles as a prop? He's followed the exact same path, being predominantly a middle-playing back-rower, to playing prop in rep teams, to being almost exclusively a prop at club level. Because if that's all you're cut up about with this signing, your fears shall now be allayed, it is possible!

I'd be fine with Myles as a prop because he's shown he can be a very good prop. Blair hasn't.

Him playing prop isn't all I'm worried about though. I'm worried because hes a shit player, and if we wanted a prop and had to make one break contract to come here then we should have gone after an actual prop, and a good player at that. Blair is pathetic. This season he did 10 or less hitups in 14 of the 24 games! He averaged ~7.5m per hitup! That wasn't even playing up the middle lol.

 

[Foordy]

so was the press conference just about Blairs signing or something else

 

[Ari Gold]

From what I could tell of the video it was all just about Blair's signing.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

I'd be fine with Myles as a prop because he's shown he can be a very good prop. Blair hasn't.

Him playing prop isn't all I'm worried about though. I'm worried because hes a shit player, and if we wanted a prop and had to make one break contract to come here then we should have gone after an actual prop, and a good player at that. Blair is pathetic. This season he did 10 or less hitups in 14 of the 24 games! He averaged ~7.5m per hitup! That wasn't even playing up the middle lol.

Quoted and bolded because this seems to have been overlooked by a lot on here. The guy isnt a prop and shirks the workload as much as he can. I went through a phase today where i thought "yeh, maybe he can work at prop" but then i revisited his stats and the guy cant even make 10m playing wide, how will he do it up the middle. Blair could work out, i doubt it, but he could. But if we were going to break a contract why didnt we do it for someone like JWH, Bromwich, Fifita, Tolman etc.

id like to LOL at the ppl saying Blair will bring a huge amount of offloads to the club. He avged 1 offload a game last year. Gillet had more than him. SO i dont know how blair is going to help us out in that department

 

[Danoz Direct]

I like the signing of Blair, shows good intent on getting all the elements to make a premiership winning team.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Good Article on what Bennett is trying to do.

Wayne Bennett completes Broncos overhaul by signing Darius Boyd

Wayne Bennett, second from right, at Brisbane Broncos training. Picture: Darren EnglandSource: News Corp Australia


WAYNE Bennett will never say as much publicly, but watching what happened to the Brisbane Broncos during his six seasons away from the club tore at him.

Having forged an empire on a foundation of strong, decisive leadership on and off the field and an unrivalled stability in key departments, the pillars upon which Bennett had built the club during his 21 years at the helm were splintered.While never one to shy away from making tough calls on his coaching staff or playing group, Bennett established a way of seeing off long-serving contributors to the club and ensuring they were properly looked after.There was never any confusion about who was running the show. If a decision needed to be made, it was done swiftly and there was never any doubt about who made the big calls.
Bennett owned the decisions, and no player was ever under any illusion as to where he stood.Such honesty and clarity was simply not afforded to the likes of Ben Te’o, Peter Wallace, Scott Prince, Corey Norman, Josh Hoffman, Gerard Beale and Karmichael Hunt.The frustrations expressed by those stars who left led to Greg Inglis backing out of a deal which would have brought the game’s most devastating talent to Red Hill. And Bennett is desperate to alleviate the uncertainty those frustrations generated as quickly as possible. While the squad Bennett inherited from Anthony Griffin has undergone a radical revamp, the transformation has happened quickly. Both the players involved and the fans are thankful for the honesty afforded them by the new hierarchy.The additions this week of Test representatives Adam Blair and Darius Boyd has provided the finishing touches to a list which appears the equal of any in the NRL.Most importantly for Bennett, there is a better balance of strong leaders and young talent across the group, particularly up front, where the presence of Blair and fellow former Tiger James Gavet has given the Brisbane pack a new look.“There was plenty of talent, but one thing with the squad we had at the Broncos was that we probably have too many players who are too similar,” Bennett said.“(Blair) offers us a point of difference and that is really important to me. It is the same reason we went out and bought James Gavet. He’ll give us some real impact off the bench there and again just offers something a bit different to the side. And let’s be honest, it is something we need, with his size and aggression.“Good teams have a point of difference and both those guys play a bit different to the group of forwards we had here at the Broncos. We have a bit more balance now and that will benefit everyone. Guys like Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker, Matty Gillett — it will free them up to be able to concentrate more on doing what they do well.“We will get to play Sam out on an edge now, which is where he plays his best football. Certainly I think Corey is better at lock then playing in the front row.“Those two, Sam and Corey in particular, have carried an enormous load the past few years and I thought it was important to get them more help around them and that is what we have been able to do.”Boyd’s return was made official yesterday, the 27-year-old fullback inking a three-year deal with the club where he made his debut as a teenager in 2006. It completes a stunning off-season overhaul, one which Bennett hopes never to see again at the Broncos.“I am very happy with what we have got. Adam and Darius really provide the couple of things I was looking for and I believe we have a really strong base to work from now,” Bennett said.“It may be the case that a little more fine-tuning is required in 12 months’ time. We are not going to become a transit lounge. It is not something we have a reputation for but it has happened and my aim from here is really to settle the place down.“You cannot build a great club if there is insecurity among the playing group. We need some stability and that comes through having strong leaders who set the standard. That is what the history of this club is forged on and its where we want to get back to. We are on the right path.”

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/wayne-bennett-completes-broncos-overhaul-by-signing-darius-boyd/story-fnca0von-1227131238567

 

[Kimlo]

“We will get to play Sam out on an edge now, which is where he plays his best football. Certainly I think Corey is better at lock then playing in the front row.“

I like that.

 

[Porthoz]

As a critic of Bennett, I can certainly appreciate the clarity and transparency highlighted in the above article.

As many have said, he will stand or fall with his decisions, and while I still do not agree with offloading Barba for Boyd, or Blair for Kennedy for example, there is no doubt in my mind that Wayne has a plan going forward for what he sees as the best path for the Broncos.

As a Broncos fan, I hope my worst fears won't come true, and that he will deliver what we all want!

 

[I bleed Maroon]

“We will get to play Sam out on an edge now, which is where he plays his best football. Certainly I think Corey is better at lock then playing in the front row.“

I like that.

It's small stuff like this that harden my trust in Bennett. He knows what he's doing

 

[Broncoman]

Good to hear that Bennett is going to play Parker at lock and Thiaday back on the fringes. Thiaday hasn't played at his best for 3 years at least and a permanent switch back to the second row and some weight loss could do wonders for him.

In saying and despite that I'm very critical of what Bennett has done recruiting wise in a short term here. He cut Barba who was starting to find his feet and settle to accommodate his love child Boyd who has been terrible at club level for 3 years at least. He has now signed Blair who has been a hack for the Tigers and is just another Storm player who only looked good because of Smith etc. We've got some very good young props in the ranks and I feel there is a possibility that it will backfire like what happened to the Tigers when they released Fifita. He also tried to sign Russell Packer that would've turned away fans, sponsors, public etc and Packer isn't that much of a player anyway and isn't thought of as a highly Bennett would rate him.

 

[broncos4life]

Good to hear that Bennett is going to play Parker at lock and Thiaday back on the fringes. Thiaday hasn't played at his best for 3 years at least and a permanent switch back to the second row and some weight loss could do wonders for him.

In saying and despite that I'm very critical of what Bennett has done recruiting wise in a short term here. He cut Barba who was starting to find his feet and settle to accommodate his love child Boyd who has been terrible at club level for 3 years at least. He has now signed Blair who has been a hack for the Tigers and is just another Storm player who only looked good because of Smith etc. We've got some very good young props in the ranks and I feel there is a possibility that it will backfire like what happened to the Tigers when they released Fifita. He also tried to sign Russell Packer that would've turned away fans, sponsors, public etc and Packer isn't that much of a player anyway and isn't thought of as a highly Bennett would rate him.

I disagree with most of that and to be honest I stopped reading with any great attention once it got to 'boyd has been terrible at club level for three years'. You lost all credibility right there. He was terrible last year, in equal doses as barba was but 2012 and 2013 he was good, not a world beater but definitely not terrible.

As has been said many times I really don't know why people have to resort to hyperbole to make their point. If it's such a sound point the facts will speak for themselves

 

[Ari Gold]

Obviously I'm not a fan of some WB decisions but unlike some I also don't have an agenda against him. I would love to cream myself over WB's recruitment, I just can't.

However, I do absolutely agree with him that we did need some variety in our pack. Blair obviously isn't my pick but I liked a lot of what I saw from Gavet and together with Garbutt could really add that different dimension. However, what I am most looking forward to (based on that article) is WB freeing up Gillett to do what he does best. Gillett at his best is a fucking champion. Last year, that was only once every 3 games or so. If this change in forward pack make up allows Gillett to be awesome every week then that's better than just about any other forward pack signing we could make. He's a real threat down that right hand side, and with Milford also a better ball player down the right and Justin Hodges outside too, there should be a lot of action down that side (unlike the previous WB years, where I swear our left winger scored all the tries)*.

* Not a criticism of a WB. I honestly just remember constant sweep playing using Lockyer, Hunt and Tame Tupou.

 

[Socnorb]

I can understand people being against Bennetts appointment even though I'm not. But a coach should have control of his roster, and have the team he wants. I think griffin suffered through a lack of control.

 

[Broncoman]

I disagree with most of that and to be honest I stopped reading with any great attention once it got to 'boyd has been terrible at club level for three years'. You lost all credibility right there. He was terrible last year, in equal doses as barba was but 2012 and 2013 he was good, not a world beater but definitely not terrible.

As has been said many times I really don't know why people have to resort to hyperbole to make their point. If it's such a sound point the facts will speak for themselves

Boyd was almost dropped from the QLD team in 2012 and was a breath away from it from memory and was also the public enemy of Newcastle fans that year. I remember reading comments on other forums from Newcastle fans that criticised Boyd and the Knights about their failure to live up to expectations. I might've been hard saying he has been terrible but he has been a shadow of what he once was. He was one of the best players in the competition in 2010.

 

[Foordy]

I can understand people being against Bennetts appointment even though I'm not. But a coach should have control of his roster, and have the team he wants. I think griffin suffered through a lack of control.

No arguments here, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with his recruitment.

And obviously in this instance I don't.

Blair and Boyd in particular.

Gavet, I'm reserving judgement on as I don't know much about him.