Travis Waddell signs with the Broncos for 2015

[Unbreakable]

May as well start a thread for the discussion, it hasn't been confirmed by the club, but the fact that Bennett said he was coming with him is official enough for me.

What do you guys think? My first reaction was "yuck".. but I've had a few hours to digest it now, I think it's still a mediocre signing, but not the worst I've seen.

Pros:~

~ Reasonably young (25)
~ One of the last remaining specialist Hookers on the market for 2015
~ Cousin of Josh Hoffman & Dane Gagai
~ Will be cheap

Cons:~

~ Average player
~ Below average bloke (Source: Andy Raymond)

-

I can see the thinking from Wayne, he grabs a replacement for Granville at the back-up Hooker position, whilst also grabbing the only relative of Dane Gagai at the Knights.. I'm not sure how tight the two are, but something as small as that could be the difference in Gagai returning back to Brisbane or staying in Newcastle for 2016, it may also help us convince Hoffman to stick around on the wing.

 

[Alec]

Hoffman has like 80 cousins or something, doesn't he?

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Good depth signing but nothing more. Maybe Bennett reckons McC is ahead of Jake Friend as Smithys replacement for the Maroons.

 

[Unbreakable]

Hoffman has like 80 cousins or something, doesn't he?

[RACISM]Don't they all?[/RACISM]

 

[Behold]

Good signing I think. He is definitely second string but none of the u20s look quite up to NRL yet. He is not a game changing hooker to come off the bench but someone you could get 60 mins from if McCullough gets injured. I fully expect Barba to be the bench utility next year.

 

[Painin the Haas]

Someone needed to replace Granville we only had Cullen as back up for next year so not a bad signing, was hooker of the year in u20's when he came through, wouldn't be on much either

 

[broncos4life]

I really don't think that Raymond tweet can be about Waddell. If he was such an average bloke you would think you would have heard at least one negative off field thing about him

 

[Bucking Beads]

I really don't think that Raymond tweet can be about Waddell. If he was such an average bloke you would think you would have heard at least one negative off field thing about him

Yeah.. no way would Bennett sign an average bloke.

 

[broncos4life]

Yeah.. no way would Bennett sign an average bloke.

C'mon mate I didn't say that at all. In fact from what I can tell he has signed plenty over his time. I just find it amazing that we have never heard about him getting into any off field trouble.

That's all I meant by my comment, I was more wondering is Raymond was talking about someone else.

Why does everything have to come back to Bennett? If Waddell signed at any club and Raymond made the same comment I would say the same thing

 

[jarro65]

As others have said, a good depth signing.

If anything happened to Macca next year, i'd rather Waddell get thrown into the dummyhalf role than one of the young guys (Taylor)

 

[1910]

May as well start a thread for the discussion, it hasn't been confirmed by the club, but the fact that Bennett said he was coming with him is official enough for me.

What do you guys think? My first reaction was "yuck".. but I've had a few hours to digest it now, I think it's still a mediocre signing, but not the worst I've seen.

Pros:~

~ Reasonably young (25)
~ One of the last remaining specialist Hookers on the market for 2015
~ Cousin of Josh Hoffman & Dane Gagai
~ Will be cheap

Cons:~

~ Average player
~ Below average bloke (Source: Andy Raymond)

-

I can see the thinking from Wayne, he grabs a replacement for Granville at the back-up Hooker position, whilst also grabbing the only relative of Dane Gagai at the Knights.. I'm not sure how tight the two are, but something as small as that could be the difference in Gagai returning back to Brisbane or staying in Newcastle for 2016, it may also help us convince Hoffman to stick around on the wing.

Jacob is at the Knights.

 

[1910]

Parcell is my tip to win the Courier Mail Medal in a few weeks, he is up to NRL.

 

[theshed]

I'm happy enough with the signing. Not exactly an exciting signature to have on our books but I'd rather have Waddell come in if Macca is unavailable then moving someone like Alex Glenn to hooker.

 

[Porthoz]

As others have said, a good depth signing.

If anything happened to Macca next year, i'd rather Waddell get thrown into the dummyhalf role than one of the young guys (Taylor)

Taylor is a half-back, why would you ever put him there unless it was to harden him a bit and improve his defense (like with Ben Hunt, but please shorter)?

We have Cullen and Berrell coming through, who may struggle initially, but have so much upside compared to Waddell, it's not funny!
There are also a couple of guys in ISC that seem capable enough to fill in at a pinch.

I really hate this type of recruitment, because it seriously dents the path of our youngsters into FG, because you have these guys, who are just good enough to put in there without taking a risk on a rookie, but without the upside of that rookie.

I just hope that WB doesn't use him as the bench hooker/utility, but only got him as a backup for a serious injury to Macca.

 

[jarro65]

Taylor is a half-back, why would you ever put him there unless it was to harden him a bit and improve his defense (like with Ben Hunt, but please shorter)?

We have Cullen and Berrell coming through, who may struggle initially, but have so much upside compared to Waddell, it's not funny!
There are also a couple of guys in ISC that seem capable enough to fill in at a pinch.

I really hate this type of recruitment, because it seriously dents the path of our youngsters into FG, because you have these guys, who are just good enough to put in there without taking a risk on a rookie, but without the upside of that rookie.

I just hope that WB doesn't use him as the bench hooker/utility, but only got him as a backup for a serious injury to Macca.

I realise Taylor is a halfback.

My point being, let a player like Waddell play in the tough role of backup hooker, rather than throw a young guy like Taylor in there so he can gain experience in a position he'll more than likely never play again.

ben Hunt was almost ruined by Hook, by getting him to play short stints in a physically demanding position. He'd have been better off playing ISC at halfback .... learning his craft there, rather than being punted into the fray for 15 minutes a game at hooker in the NRL.

I think Bennett might be a bit smarter about such things.

 

[noisetheory]

lets not forget waddell probably wasnt going anywhere else, and bennett just realises he could be useful if needed. doesnt necessarily mean he'd be the automatic choice to come into FG if macca took an injury half way through next year.

imo you want three capable hookers on a squad. look at what happened to manly, ballin gone, backup in buhrer also gone... they dont really have a backup now at the most crucial time of year and someone like horo is going to play alot of time there..

 

[Porthoz]

Hunt as the backup hooker was a very good move imo, and a lot of RL gurus think the same. It toughened him up and got his defense up to scratch, while allowing him to experience FG.

The length of time he spent there is an entirely different thing though... I agree he should have played a lot more Qcup to hone his skills as a half. I personally believe he will eventually be our 5/8 of the future with Taylor at halfback...

 

[Rabbir]

Should someone who is an experienced media campaigner really be tweeting like that?