What is happening at the Broncos?

[Cult]

After watching the Tigers game today and then watching us tonight one question comes to mind...

Why did we let Benji go?

The same reason we let everyone go. Other teams were able to offer them more. Why? Because we are paying undeserving players large contracts

 

[007]

The same reason we let everyone go. Other teams were able to offer them more. Why? Because we are paying undeserving players large contracts

No,
We had the money for Benji. The story so goes we let him go because he told Wayne he wanted to leave.

IMO benji is worth paying 400-500K for. Hes gone now.

 

[Cult]

No,
We had the money for Benji. The story so goes we let him go because he told Wayne he wanted to leave.

IMO benji is worth paying 400-500K for. Hes gone now.

We had the money for Benji if he just wanted the same contract. But fair enough. If he didn’t want to be here then why would we want players who don’t want to be here? Seems like we already have enough of them.

 

[007]

We had the money for Benji if he just wanted the same contract. But fair enough. If he didn’t want to be here then why would we want players who don’t want to be here? Seems like we already have enough of them.

I'm only going off what i have read, does not mean there isn't a back story or maybe some more detail though. IMO he was the reason for our success into the semis last year.

 

[The True King]

Have to wonder if he didn't want to be here because he knew he would have played second fiddle to Niko.

Not having a fall back option for the Niko experiment is seriously shortsighted by Wayne.

 

[Unbreakable]

The same reason we let everyone go. Other teams were able to offer them more. Why? Because we are paying undeserving players large contracts

Every team has 2-3 players that they're paying overs for, it's just the cost of doing business, sometimes you have to pay overs to keep or acquire the talent, sometimes you pay overs for someone who isn't as talented as you thought.

For us it's obviously Milford, Boyd & Bird right now, but that doesn't just mean that the rest of the team can't be held accountable because "there's not enough money under the cap for us to have 17 good first graders while we're paying overs for 3 players" which seems to be the mindset of some people right now.

While we're on the topic of the Tigers, they're paying overs for Reynolds & McQueen, neither of which has even played a game for the club, and yet the remainder of the roster, most of which are on peas, are outplaying everyone on our roster.

Whilst it's certainly a valid discussion to have regarding the contracts of Milford, Boyd & Bird, the Tigers have far less talent than us across the board and are a joy to watch week in and week out because they're well coached and turn up for each other. Our primary issue isn't salary cap management, it's coaching & mentality.

 

[heartly87]

Lumping Bird into the overs department in his 3rd game back is harsh. He is not getting good ball and is obviously out of shape.I do think Boyd is cooked and Milf is low on confidence. If we can get them firing we have a shot.

 

[Super Freak]

Have to wonder if he didn't want to be here because he knew he would have played second fiddle to Niko.

Not having a fall back option for the Niko experiment is seriously shortsighted by Wayne.

Benji always wanted to return to the Tigers.

It wouldn't have mattered what money we threw at him. Considering they were bringing in Reynolds, I don't think being second fiddle was a concern. He just wanted to be back there.

 

[Scorchie]

Is the issue with Bird condition, or is it more to do with him playing on the opposite site he's used to?

 

[Alec]

Is the issue with Bird condition, or is it more to do with him playing on the opposite site he's used to?

I think it's more hitting 2nd rowers or throwing cut out passes instead of getting the ball to him. Possibly still used to the Moga days, where they learned passing to him means the end of your set 70% of the time.

We don't really use Roberts well either - just the basic "throw him the ball and hope he does something out of nowhere".

 

[theshed]

I was very optimistic and defended Kniko at 7, and the purchase of Bird (I was excited by his inclusion though even then his price and fact we had far bigger holes to fill didn’t make sense to me) but I have to admit I was wrong on both.


Kniko is just never going to be a good full time half back. He is a very talented player but he has the Blake Austin curse of his talent and physical attributes not really fitting into any clear position. So as a defender of Kniko I have to admit I was wrong.


Bird is still very unfit and isn’t getting much good ball, but if he finds form he is a great centre. However, he had a lot of runs tonight where he go mosntered by the defence. He just does not have the physicality to play as a forward and I really don’t see him being a good lock based on what I’ve seen so far this year. So again, I think I was wrong.


Lodge and TPJ are playing great for how little experience they have but it’s a real problem that they are expected to lead our pack at this stage of their careers. It doesn’t make sense.

Milf showed that he can still be a great running 5/8th and his kicking game is improving. If he had a controlling half next to him he could still be very good. Look at how good Green has allowed Johnson to play.


I would not miss Thaiday, Boyd, or Sims. They are all stinking. There are plenty of good forwards around and we have some good juniors but I have no idea where we are going to find a good fullback if Boyd retires, and I have even less idea of where we can find a half.

 

[winslow_wong]

Bird is a gun but not getting the bullets to fire at the moment. I'm sure he's frustrated as hell. We do the same with Roberts who is equally frustrated as hell. our halves don't know how to use the back rowers but they are even more clueless with the centres. Any other team would kill to have our centre pairing.

 

[the_next]

Why is it as soon as we let players go they start firing?
Look at Benji & Hunt..
Hunt hasn't shown the form he is in at the Dragons since 2015, and if it continues he will outplay that year, this year. Obviously has Widdop next to him, but with $1.2mil comes a lot of expectation, and he is delivering.
Looks as though they have the weight of the world off their shoulders and are allowed to play their natural game..
On the other hand Milf and Kodi are playing with no confidence whatsoever, yet Milf is on $1mill p/yr and is playing like someone who should be on 250k..
At the time, and still now I am surprised that Milf didn't end up at the Melbourne Storm when last year when they were interested in him. I think he would have really flourished down there, I don't see him currently playing anywhere near his potential, the money mustn't have been as enticing.

 

[Viti]

Why is it as soon as we let players go they start firing?
Look at Benji & Hunt..
Hunt hasn't shown the form he is in at the Dragons since 2015, and if it continues he will outplay that year, this year. Obviously has Widdop next to him, but with $1.2mil comes a lot of expectation, and he is delivering.
Looks as though they have the weight of the world off their shoulders and are allowed to play their natural game..
On the other hand Milf and Kodi are playing with no confidence whatsoever, yet Milf is on $1mill p/yr and is playing like someone who should be on 250k..
At the time, and still now I am surprised that Milf didn't end up at the Melbourne Storm when last year when they were interested in him. I think he would have really flourished down there, I don't see him currently playing anywhere near his potential, the money mustn't have been as enticing.

I’d give you whatever odds you wanted that if either Hunt or Marshall stayed on this year they wouldn’t have been playing as well as they currently are.

Hunt is playing behind a pack that is going forward and doing all the little things right while Marshall is benefitting from the reduced pressure because the tigers defence is firing so well.

 

[winslow_wong]

I’d give you whatever odds you wanted that if either Hunt or Marshall stayed on this year they wouldn’t have been playing as well as they currently are.

Hunt is playing behind a pack that is going forward and doing all the little things right while Marshall is benefitting from the reduced pressure because the tigers defence is firing so well.

All of that comes down to coaching and culture at a club. There is something very wrong at the broncos.

 

[bronx89]

I have said it before and I will say it again Thaiday, Boyd, Nikorima and Sims all need to go and very quickly

 

[BrentTatesChin]

We're spending close to a million a season for a dud centre, haven't got a good forward pack, got shit halves and a fullback whos playing injured.
lol our prem window is firmly fucking shut.


I can't even see us improving our squad for 2019 or 2020? Who on the market that we can buy (or afford)

 

[winslow_wong]

We're spending close to a million a season for a dud centre, haven't got a good forward pack, got shit halves and a fullback whos playing injured.
lol our prem window is firmly fucking shut.


I can't even see us improving our squad for 2019 or 2020? Who on the market that we can buy (or afford)

What exactly have you expected bird to have achieved by now with his short time at the broncos? Does getting his salary equal length of field tries every game?