PLAYER Xavier Willison

[Mustafur]

Thought I would make a thread for this guy since his role is most likely going to be the one that changes the most for us.

Where do you see him playing?

For me his pre season has been nuts, you look at him physically and he looks like a Panzer Tank with speed, He is definitely above Baker for me and I honestly would gamble atleast in round 1 for him to start above Jensen, his pre season soo far deserves a reward.

 

[Fitzy]

Thought I would make a thread for this guy since his role is most likely going to be the one that changes the most for us.

Where do you see him playing?

For me his pre season has been nuts, you look at him physically and he looks like a Panzer Tank with speed, He is definitely above Baker for me and I honestly would gamble atleast in round 1 for him to start above Jensen, his pre season soo far deserves a reward.

I think his reward extends to bigger minutes from the bench and slowly move into that starting role if he holds up. I get the desire for him to be a one two punch with Haas but I think we are nearly better off replacing Haas size with another hard to contain big boy. I also think when Jensen starts at front row he isn’t that far off performing at an origin level and I truely mean that. I think he is hugely underrated and suits that role perfectly. Xavier will be starting by the end of the year I have no doubt about it I just think Kev will just play it safely here and let Xavier grow into his season and grow as the season goes on.

He could rack up 10 try line crash plays. Even if he doesn’t he needs to constantly be starting in a position to threaten that cause it will just suck defenders in and give everyone outside so much time.

8. Haas
10. Jensen
11. Riki
12. Piakura
13. Carrigan
15. Hetho
16. Baker
17. Willison

Baker and Jensen could have blinders on Sunday and all of a sudden he is back to 15-20 minutes a game I don’t think that will happen more just my point that anything could still happen. I think all 3 can comfortably start I think it’s just a case of how the team want to approach it, what they want to get out of who, when and alongside whom.

 

[Mustafur]

I think his reward extends to bigger minutes from the bench and slowly move into that starting role if he holds up. I get the desire for him to be a one two punch with Haas but I think we are nearly better off replacing Haas size with another hard to contain big boy. I also think when Jensen starts at front row he isn’t that far off performing at an origin level and I truely mean that. I think he is hugely underrated and suits that role perfectly. Xavier will be starting by the end of the year I have no doubt about it I just think Kev will just play it safely here and let Xavier grow into his season and grow as the season goes on.

He could rack up 10 try line crash plays. Even if he doesn’t he needs to constantly be starting in a position to threaten that cause it will just suck defenders in and give everyone outside so much time.

8. Haas
10. Jensen
11. Riki
12. Piakura
13. Carrigan
15. Hetho
16. Baker
17. Willison

Baker and Jensen could have blinders on Sunday and all of a sudden he is back to 15-20 minutes a game I don’t think that will happen more just my point that anything could still happen. I think all 3 can comfortably start I think it’s just a case of how the team want to approach it, what they want to get out of who, when and alongside whom.

I'm fine either way Jensen is a very reliable player and got hard done by last year imo as I have always thought he was a better starting prop then Flegs, having Willison play the ideal Flegs bench role would make alot of sense for me too.

but he is above Baker for me 100% from what I have seen, they both played similar roles last year for different sides but Willison is more of an impact than Baker for me he is a significantly larger human good for the battering ram role like Flegs was off the bench, knowing how Kev usually neglects the 17th man giving them 10- 15 mins max if injuries don't require more.

 

[Morkel]

IMO we don't need to rush him to a starting spot. He'll need to develop and will likely be used for his impact, meaning shorter but powerful stints. I'm on board with Jensen being Haas' starting partner, as he is super consistent and reliable.

 

[1910]

Willison has two great strengths, his quick play the balls which halves just lap up.

It's a great attacking weapon and since high school teams have scored on the back of it. Weaver used to go on the back of it then in Cup he's had Ahearn and Madden just waiting for it.

If he stays on his hand and knees you're stuffed. Teams can't get him down.

He doesn't have to be running wide either at halves, just needs to be on his hands and knees and he's straight up.

He also doesn't have to do a lot of work to have an impact, you don't want him becoming a 23 hit ups guy, he played 46 minutes against the Pride last season and made eight hit ups, which may look not much but all eight had great play the balls and Milson, Rogers and Madden attacked, and Wynnum won by 16 with 47% of the ball. He scored his own try with one of those eight too.

He's a bench weapon at this stage, 11 of his 29 Cup games have been off the bench and all his NRL games. Fatigued middles at the 30 minute mark won't hold him. His offload is the golden ticket he hasn't unlocked yet, but he needs to position his body into the tackle to be able to do it.

 

[big k]

Willison can be summed up in two words..... Flegler who?

 

[1910]

I will add defence in there too, he doesn't miss very many tackles and I have been saying this since 2020 that I don't know how he does it because he isn't an ideal defender shape but what he can do is get sucked into being involved in tackles he doesn't need to and then an offload produces a break where he should have been.

I don't have any doubt he can keep the defensive momentum going off the bench.

 

[BroncosFever]

Funny how it works out, I am sure Kevvie is sitting somewhere in a corner giggling to himself.

Dolphins thought they were poaching another big name and then we just unearth the next bloke on the conveyor belt.

 

[broncos4life]

Funny how it works out, I am sure Kevvie is sitting somewhere in a corner giggling to himself.

Dolphins thought they were poaching another big name and then we just unearth the next bloke on the conveyor belt.

How good is it to have the conveyor belt again? The work Kevvie, DD and Ikin have done to turn this club around is exceptional and doesn’t get enough credit outside of here.

 

[Jedhead]

How good is it to have the conveyor belt again? The work Kevvie, DD and Ikin have done to turn this club around is exceptional and doesn’t get enough credit outside of here.

If only we could now find a way to return to those days when the next up and coming star was virtually unheard of up until he made his first grade debut. This level of anonymity allowed players to develop without the weight and pressure of the world on their young shoulders.

Nowadays with social media we're close to getting highlight reels of kids playing five a-side in their after-school activities.

 

[Wolfie]

If only we could now find a way to return to those days when the next up and coming star was virtually unheard of up until he made his first grade debut. This level of anonymity allowed players to develop without the weight and pressure of the world on their young shoulders.

Nowadays with social media we're close to getting highlight reels of kids playing five a-side in their after-school activities.

Always annoys me how every single young player who is even remotely talented gets described as a " gun "

 

[Footy Fanatic]

All Willison needs is a good run with injuries this year.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

If only we could now find a way to return to those days when the next up and coming star was virtually unheard of up until he made his first grade debut. This level of anonymity allowed players to develop without the weight and pressure of the world on their young shoulders.

Nowadays with social media we're close to getting highlight reels of kids playing five a-side in their after-school activities.

It is a double edge sword. Because our kids get more media attention then any other club a smart player manager would advise their talent to take the broncos scholarship offers, then the world is their oyster for the next deal. The con is we lose a lot, the pro is we have a better chance to have them.

I think the big difference with DD and Walters is we seem to be saying "ou want a big deal, earn it", and "this is what we are offering you, if you don't like it bye, next please". They've obviously said, "these are our key players, these are our key positions and this is our limit in the cap for each position. Don't go outside this, we can develop a solution"..

In past years I have no doubt the management would have buckled to what flegler and farnworth were asking for. Why? Yes they will be big losses initially but in a year's time is there anyone who isn't a dolphins fan who thinks we will buy them back for even half of what they are on at the dolphins? Not saying they won't do well at the dolphins, just that they're gaps will be filled more then adequately. If we lost mam or haas, walsh or carrigan you are all of a sudden talking players that are hard to replace. And reynolds but he is nearing the end. The quality of your entire team drops, not the quality in 1 position for a year or 2.

And ps. I actually think we didnt release sailor just in case Walsh doesn't resign (I think he will)we have the budget version in back up while we develop someone and we'd give a deal to sailor moving forward.

 

[BroncsFan]

Here's a question... with the cap looking tight as ever for us as we move forward... if you can only have one of Willison or Te Kura who are you taking??

This is assuming a large piece of our cap is with Haas and Patty as middles, and the same situation we had with Flegler... you can only keep investing in middles so much.

I'm leaning towards Willison... he looks NRL ready and looks like he can be a beast straight off the bat.

BTK is still in signing on potential at the moment.

 

[Footy Fanatic]

Here's a question... with the cap looking tight as ever for us as we move forward... if you can only have one of Willison or Te Kura who are you taking??

This is assuming a large piece of our cap is with Haas and Patty as middles, and the same situation we had with Flegler... you can only keep investing in middles so much.

I'm leaning towards Willison... he looks NRL ready and looks like he can be a beast straight off the bat.

BTK is still in signing on potential at the moment.

Right now I'd go Willison as well, but its not really a fair comparison at this stage, as Willison has had longer to develop.

 

[BroncsFan]

It is a double edge sword. Because our kids get more media attention then any other club a smart player manager would advise their talent to take the broncos scholarship offers, then the world is their oyster for the next deal. The con is we lose a lot, the pro is we have a better chance to have them.

I think the big difference with DD and Walters is we seem to be saying "ou want a big deal, earn it", and "this is what we are offering you, if you don't like it bye, next please". They've obviously said, "these are our key players, these are our key positions and this is our limit in the cap for each position. Don't go outside this, we can develop a solution"..

In past years I have no doubt the management would have buckled to what flegler and farnworth were asking for. Why? Yes they will be big losses initially but in a year's time is there anyone who isn't a dolphins fan who thinks we will buy them back for even half of what they are on at the dolphins? Not saying they won't do well at the dolphins, just that they're gaps will be filled more then adequately. If we lost mam or haas, walsh or carrigan you are all of a sudden talking players that are hard to replace. And reynolds but he is nearing the end. The quality of your entire team drops, not the quality in 1 position for a year or 2.

And ps. I actually think we didnt release sailor just in case Walsh doesn't resign (I think he will)we have the budget version in back up while we develop someone and we'd give a deal to sailor moving forward.

Around 2020 I think we were definitely having FOMO with the players coming through.

We re-signed guys that were Broncos or marketting, but didnt really have a plan for them... Kodi, Macca, Roberts, TPJ, Lodge, etc.

Then we also wanted to keep all the kids that were coming through Herbie, Staggs, Piakura, Tesi, etc. and I think we ended up running out of money.

We still wanted to keep Dfifi, Coates, etc. on top and were going to invest a crap ton of money into them as well.

All these guys were mostly role players, but not the essential core group we should've been focussing on. The conveyor belt was churning out athletic young guys, but not spine players.

We got seriously lucky Reynolds popped up on the market and wanted to come to the Broncos.

 

[BroncsFan]

Right now I'd go Willison as well, but its not really a fair comparison at this stage, as Willison has had longer to develop.

Yeah a comparison isnt possible yet, but we might have to make a decision on Willison vs Te Kura pretty soon.

Unless they're happy to take a reasonable upgrade and not be chasing Flegler $800k contracts

Willison's value is going up and he'll be due an extension this year or next... if we go that way it might squeeze out BTK.

Do we go with what Willison is showing or trust the conveyor belt.

I really like what Willison is looking like to be honest

 

[Footy Fanatic]

Yeah a comparison isnt possible yet, but we might have to make a decision on Willison vs Te Kura pretty soon.

Unless they're happy to take a reasonable upgrade and not be chasing Flegler $800k contracts

Willison's value is going up and he'll be due an extension this year or next... if we go that way it might squeeze out BTK.

Do we go with what Willison is showing or trust the conveyor belt.

I really like what Willison is looking like to be honest

Yeah that is true, very much hoping that we can lock up Willison soon on a reasonable wicket.

The thing that makes him so impressive is how well rounded at this stage he is for a guy of his age and size.

As 1910 has said, his defence is fantastic, both aggressive and methodical. And his offence speaks for itself and I feel like once he develops his offload, he will be even harder for the defences to deal with.