Is Khunt literally the last legit star spine player we unearthed??
I've been thinking about all the different spine combinations that have come through all the years.
So pre-NYC it was...
1. Rod Davies 6. Joel Moon 7. Jacob Fauid 9. Nathan Strudwick
Moon was supposed to be a gun and had his development fast-tracked in first grade but never really kicked on and left the club at 20. Davies went over to Rugby and was always more of a winger regardless. Fauid was a skillful enough player but QCup was his ceiling where he won a premiership and Struddy just seemingly gave up the game to focus on his career.
NYC 2008
1. Josh Hoffman/Gerard Beale 6. Jared Kahu 7. Ben Hunt 9. Andrew McCullough
Beale was supposed to be the second coming but suffered so many early set-backs that he lost his pace. Macca was highly rated as a footy player but came in as a utility 13 who could play 6. Hook turned him into a hooker and he was fast-tracked into first grade not long after. Hunt was the Australian Schoolboys captain, rated but really shocked everyone when he won the NYC player of the year. Hoffman was passed over by the Broncos until Hook brought him over from Reddy. He had a stand-out year and earned himself an NRL deal off the back of it. I think Hoffman gets this reputation for being entitled when if anything he just over-achieved. Jared was Jordan's older brother who was handy enough player and actually earned a pre-season with the Cowboys before giving the game away.
NYC 2010
1. Dane Gagai/Jordan Kahu 6. Corey Norman 7. Louis Frisby 9. Kurt Baptiste
The Wests Tigers were absolutely filthy when the Broncos poached Kahu. He had some huge raps on him coming through but he fell victim to his own versatility and really struggled to nail down a position at the club. They had him play 6, centre and wing but it really wasn't until the end of the season he started to show signs of class including a remarkable comeback win against the Raiders. He never really got a shot at 1 with Dane there who was a great talent but struggled positionally.
You all got to watch Norman's career play out and that's exactly what he was like in NYC. Capable of some huge plays but didn't quite have that athleticism to reach the next level nor did he have that competitive edge.
Baptiste I always had a rap on but I think he developed a reputation as a run first dummy half which wasn't in vogue in the NRL. Brisbane decided that Macca/Hunt was going to be their hooking combination going forward and the writing was well and truly on the wall when Capewell became the 14.
Frisby was a solid enough NYC half but he was never really spoken of for first grade.
NYC 2012
1. Lachlan Maranta 6. Kodi Nikorima/Bryce Hegarty 7. Louis Frisby/Cameron Cullen 9. Chris Binge
Maranta had a similar issue as Kahu where he came into the team and had to play wing to compensate for Gagai. Maranta was one of the stand-out fullbacks coming through, positionally he struggled on the wing and the few chances he got at 1 he looked like a completely different player. I think ultimately he didn't quite have the speed or skill to be an elite fullback but he probably should have got more of a shot there to build his confidence.
Hegarty was supposed to be this great talent and Renouf would constantly talk him up. I think he showed flashes, particularly in U/18s but he didn't really impress in 20s before he went to Rugby. Frisby was still leading the team around with Cullen struggling to break in. Cullen was the Australian Schoolboys half but just didn't quite have the skill-set required.
Binge was a good footy player but I just don't think he had the discipline required to make it in the NRL. He got another opportunity at the Dogs but failed to impress.
NYC 2014
1. Kodi Nikorima/Paul Byrnes 6. Duncan Paia'aua 7. Ash Taylor 9. Jayden Berrell/Jayden Nikorima
For mine one of the Broncos better spines coming through but we're all familiar with what happened. Paia'aua is a forgotten man, he ended up in Rugby but I remember him being really up and down for them which was true to his NYC form.
Berrell was a stand-out #9 but it seemed like a weak field and he didn't really quite have the skill-set to stand-out. Credit to him, he's stuck around and he's got an opportunity at the Sharks after a good year for the Seagulls.
I still wonder how Taylor's career would have ended up had he joined Brisbane in 2018 on a reasonable contract. The Titans were falling apart and he was expected to be a leader well before he was ready.
NYC 2016-17
1. Corey Allan/Elijah Alick 6. Will Brimson/Jamayne Isaako 7. Gerome Burns 9. Kalolo Saitaua
This was a rebuild year after a lot of mainstays graduated. Brimson is the older brother of AJ, he was a decent runner of the ball but one of those five-eighths who would likely wind up in the backrow if he played NRL.
Burns was an exciting eyes up footy player who got lost in the shuffle once the 20s ended. I don't think he was in our system that long but I think his footy really regressed once 20s finished up.
Saitaua is one of those players I'm surprised hasn't received that Brandon Smith type deal. A shocking dummy half who refused to pass it, but a really effective runner. Had some errors in his game but it seemed like the game really started to play to his strengths.
Allan has some aspects of his game that are absolutely class but his general play was just always lacking. We also had the next GI in Alick but he just kept suffering injuries. We gave him a pre-season when Bennett arrived but it wasn't long before he suffered another season ender and that was his career.
Under 20s 2018
1. Corey Allan 6. Gerome Burns 7. Cory Paix/Tanah Boyd 9. Kobe Hetherington
The Post-NYC years are difficult to track but this was my best guess at our spine. Allan was still with the Broncos but signed with Souths which essentially stalled his career otherwise he would have played NRL sooner. Paix/Boyd were impressive coming through but Boyd saw his future blocked at the Broncos and went to the Titans who signed him just to have him really. His game seemingly peaked in 2018. Kobe was a good talent, but his work around the ruck wasn't the best, the shift to 13 was a smart move and thankfully the modern game compensated for it.
Under 20s 2020
1. Tesi Niu 6. Tom Dearden 7. Josh James 9. Cory Paix
Birth by fire.
Under 20s 2022
1. Selywn Cobbo 6. Ezra Mam 7. Harrdyn Wilson 9. Blake Mozer
At a guess? That's something that I'm worried about at the moment, the Broncos don't really have a squad for the best U/21s so it's feast or famine on a couple of players.
The TL;DR is that the Broncos have had plenty of talent come through, some of which should have enjoyed more success in the NRL but failed for one reason or another. The other is that they don't recruit enough which is where a team like the Roosters and Melbourne have enjoyed their success.
www.broncos.com.au
