Who comes in for Copley?

Big Pete

Big Pete

International Captain
Mar 12, 2008
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Well it seems like the Broncos backline curse is alive and well and has claimed one of our best and brightest. Copley, 21, who was a star in the NYC and was making good strides in first grade is set to miss the season with a ruptured patella tendon leaving yet another gap in the starting line-up.

Copley's absence opens up a spot for another player to step in and the question is who will that be?

On the surface the options appear to be...

Denan Kemp
Lachlan Maranta
Jordan Kahu
Delroy Berryman
Josh Hoffman (with either Norman or Bond at fullback)
 
I think Kemp.

Been there, done it before ..... lots of speed, and not a bad defender.
 
Well with Yow Yeh out for a while two of those 5 will get a spot. For mine Maranta has to get first shot -- he did well last year and I don't think it would be wise to discount that and let someone else have a good ahead of him.

Personally, I'd stick Norman in the 1 Jersey with Hoffman and Maranta on the wings. Would be equally happy with Kahu at fullback though. That said, reports from last night suggest Hoffman has finally got his ass into gear, in which case I'd happily see Maranta and Kemp/Kahu/Berryman as the other winger.
 
I want Norman at fb with Kemp and Maranta on the wings. If Hoffman has to have a spot he can maybe take Reed's and have Reed off the bench as a secondrower.
 
Old Mate said:
I want Norman at fb with Kemp and Maranta on the wings. If Hoffman has to have a spot he can maybe take Reed's and have Reed off the bench as a secondrower.
Click to expand...

This being said I did just watch a Kemp highlights reel and have Kemp fever.
 
Let's get some explanations up in here.

Isn't Kempy a midget who can't run from dummy half and was a reject at two clubs who didn't make the 8?

Isn't Maranta really a fullback who only got game time because everybody and their dog was injured? Didn't he make dumb errors like running sideways around his own in-goal and failed to even play the ball correctly?

Why these guys?
 
Last edited:
Maranta and kemp. These two are at least somewhat proven at nrl level.

Maranta - has been very good so far and deserves the first spot. Plays with heaps of passion which is another thing I like about him.

Kemp - seems to have looked like regaining some confidence in these trials and has been very good at different stages of his career. Has good hands and blistering speed, with speed being something we have seriously lacked in the backline. If he gets put into an inch of space then it's try time
 
Big Pete said:
Let's get some explanations up in here.

Isn't Kempy a midget who can't run from dummy half and was a reject at two clubs who didn't make the 8?

Isn't Maranta really a fullback who only got game time because everybody and their dog was injured? Didn't he make dumb errors like running sideways around his own in-goal and failed to even play the ball correctly?

Why these guys?
Click to expand...

Maranta because from what he has shown, he plays like he has been in FG for years, not just weeks. Add to the fact that he was born and bred as a Bronco, and it just would be an amazing feel good story.

Kemp, because he's shown how good he can be in 2008. He's been terrible since, but it would also be a great story if he came back strong. And just looking at our side, it seems everyone only cares about beefing up, it's nice to have some variety and speed there.
 
Big Pete said:
Let's get some explanations up in here.

Isn't Kempy a midget who can't run from dummy half and was a reject at two clubs who didn't make the 8?

Isn't Maranta really a fullback who only got game time because everybody and their dog was injured? Didn't he make dumb errors like running sideways around his own in-goal and failed to even play the ball correctly?

Why these guys?
Click to expand...

Firstly in regards to maranta, if we ended the career of every rookie that made a few errors when having their first cracks at first grade we wouldn't have a bloody team.

With kemp I couldn't give a f*** if he can run from dummy half or not, he's a winger. Catch the ball and run fast that's what I want him to do.

Besides those two reasons the other three are completely untested after the way we finished last year I am loathed to chuck in a few q cuppers and cross my fingers. Berryman and bond etc may end up being fantastic nrl players but they can prove this over origin etc. capewell has proven being a q cup star does not always equal nrl success
 
I think the explanations are pretty valid. Of the rookies in the list, Maranta has had the most experience and looked comfortable in first grade.
Kemp gets the nod ahead of the other rookies because he's got experience, though he needs to recapture that form of 2008 which is 5 years ago now...which is longer than a lot of first grade careers.

Maranta I think you persevere with longer term.
Kemp I think has to work hard to justify his position, otherwise I'd look at giving Berryman first and then Kahu a go.
 
The whole backline is a toss up, with only Hodges guaranteed of a spot.
I'd still prefer Norman at the back, and the other centre is probably going to be Reed, but if he doesn't regain his 2011 form, Hoffman can take the spot.
The wingers... Toughie, Maranta showed heaps of potential and Kahu is a talent, and they would be my choice just ahead of Kemp, whom with his speed is certainly in the race as well. Berryman and Bond are unknowns at this level, but we'll probably see one or both at some point in the season and be able to judge more accurately...
 
Yeah, think Reed needs a big year or he's going to have to evolve to be a back row interchange IMO. And if that happens his position in the club becomes tenuous.
 
I thought this could have been a good year for Copley to push for a spot in the centres...
On the plus side, there's now probably less chance of someone stealing him from us.
 
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