Off-Season 2008/09

[Big Pete]

I thought it'd be a good idea to create a thread dedicated to any news related to the Brisbane Broncos.

It can be anything ranging from comments from players and coaches, rumours or actual news. Just post it in here to keep this board nice and tidy.

 

[Big Pete]

2008 Broncos awards from tonight:

Defence player of the year- Ashton Sims
Most Improved- Nick Kenny
Rookie of the year- Denan Kemp
Most Consistent- Mick Ennis
Best Back- Karmichael Hunt
Best Forward- Sam Thaiday
Play of the year- Kemp and Lockyer
Clubman of the year- Matt Middleton
Players Player- Sam Thaiday
Player of the year- Sam Thaiday

Source: Hancock02 from RLeague

 

[salivor]

Ashton Sims defensive player of the year? How many tackles did he drop off this year trying to go for the big shot?

 

[JW]

Statistical BS aside, I would've given it to TC.

 

[Big Pete]

Amen JW, amen.

 

[Big Pete]

Sam Thaiday Broncos best

THE blow of missing Australia's World Cup squad has been softened for Bronco Sam Thaiday by being named Brisbane's best player this year.
The 23-year-old was a shock omission from the 24-man Kangaroos squad named on Tuesday after a stellar season but his form did not escape the attention of the Brisbane coaching staff and his peers.
In addition to the prestigious Paul Morgan Medal, named after one of the club's founding fathers, Thaiday took home the Players' Player award and the Best Forward prize.
He reclaimed his place in the Queensland State of Origin team this year and captained the Broncos in their Round 15 clash with Wests Tigers in a standout campaign for the former Test forward.
In other awards last night, fullback Karmichael Hunt won Best Back, departing hooker Michael Ennis won the Most Consistent award and prop Nick Kenny claimed the Most Improved and Encouragement Award double.
Warriors-bound winger Denan Kemp won Rookie of the Year and shared Play of the Year with captain Darren Lockyer for their match-winning heroics against Parramatta in Round 12.
Forward Ashton Sims took home the Defensive Play of the Year and club official Matthew Middleton was a popular winner of Clubman of the Year.
Up-and-coming hooker Andrew McCullough won the under-20s Player of the Year.

Source: Sunday Mail

 

[Big Pete]

World Cup snub gives Broncos pre-season bonus

BRISBANE coach Ivan Henjak says the record snub from Australian selectors will do the Broncos a favour.
Brisbane has only two players in the 24-man Kangaroos squad for the Rugby League World Cup – captain Darren Lockyer and centre Justin Hodges.
Fullback Karmichael Hunt and forward Sam Thaiday were shock omissions from Ricky Stuart's squad, which goes into camp in Sydney next Saturday.
Brisbane has traditionally provided a significant contribution to Australian squads, disrupting its pre-season.
The Broncos' record low representation for an end-of-season sqad could yet be halved, with results from scans on Hodges' shoulder injury expected in the coming days.
He could be ruled out as early as tomorrow with Dragons centre Matt Cooper the most likely replacement.
Henjak said he was surprised Hunt and Thaiday were overlooked but their misfortune would have a silver lining for the Broncos.
"I thought they (Hunt and Thaiday) would be there," Henjak said.
"In my own mind I figured we wouldn't be seeing them in the pre-season.
"I thought both of them were in pretty good form (but) those boys will be able to have a proper pre-season with us now, which will be a bonus for them and the club."
Brisbane's 2009 signings Israel Folau (Australia), Ben Te'o and Lagi Setu (Samoa) are in the World Cup alongside Ashton Sims, who will represent Fiji.
Henjak said while Brisbane's representation in the Australian squad was not the same quantity as previous years, he expected Lockyer and Hodges – if fit – to provide plenty of quality to the Kangaroos.
Hodges only played 14 games for Brisbane this year with injury and suspension sidelining him for extended periods, while Lockyer turned out 17 times for the Broncos.
"Both Locky and Hodgo haven't played a full season so they will be feeling nice and fresh going into the World Cup, which is a real bonus for Australia," Henjak said.
"I know Locky is quite enthusiastic about playing in the World Cup so I expect to see good things from him while we'll have to wait and see how Hodgo's shoulder comes up."

Source: Sunday Mail

 

[Twigg]

Defence player of the year- Ashton Sims

Wtf

Should have been given to either Carroll or Thaiday.

 

[Dazzat]

Congratulations to Clubman of the year - Matt Middleton. Bennett's often said he's the most valuable person in the club. He looks after all the players, and his great attitude keeps a lot of inflated egos in check.

Matt needs to do a couple of sessions with Hunt and Hodges over the off-season IMO.

For me Stagg was the defensive player of the year.

 

[Twigg]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24483735-23214,00.html

Disgraced Bronco back on track

By Laine Clark
October 12, 2008
THE bright lights of the Rugby League World Cup will be a far cry from the dark future Ian Lacey once stared down.
Lacey's whole world appeared to have derailed when he was promptly sacked by NRL club Brisbane late last year for an alcohol-fuelled assault.

If Lacey needs an indication that he is back on track, he need only look around the Sydney Football Stadium on October 26.

The diminutive utility has learned he will run out for the Indigenous Dreamtime team against New Zealand Maori as part of the Rugby League World Cup's opening ceremony.

After grasping a rare second chance at Queensland Cup side Ipswich, Lacey's form has earned selection alongside the likes of Cowboys enforcer Carl Webb and former Dally M Player of the Year Preston Campbell.

Led by Dally M Coach of the Year Neil Henry, the Indigenous team will tackle the Maoris in the curtain raiser to Australia's World Cup opener against New Zealand.
But wait, there's more.

The huge occasion will come just days before Lacey begins training with NRL club the Gold Coast Titans.

Titans coach John Cartwright extended the invitation just four months after Lacey was handed a suspended jail term for the bashing of a man outside a Brisbane pub.
Cartwright has made no guarantees to Lacey.

But the disgraced Bronco knows not to take anything for granted any more.

The man who launched Lacey's comeback at Ipswich - former international Kevin Walters - believes the ex-Brisbane player will embrace his NRL lifeline.

While Lacey played halfback to help the Walters-coached Ipswich make the 2008 Queensland Cup final, the pint-sized playmaker is seen as an able back-up for Titans hooker Nathan Friend.

"Even this year I thought he might have got an opportunity at some stage but he wasn't registered with the Titans and it didn't happen," Walters told AAP.

"But next year no doubt he will get a chance with them at some stage."

Walters said it was no coincidence that Lacey's on-field form had reflected his off-field happiness.

"Certainly his life off the field is in a very good place now," he said.

"He has a personal training business. He's turned it around off the field and it's indicative of what he has done on the field.

"I think he has learnt from his past, now good things are coming his way."

Impressed by Lacey's attitude, Walters gave a glowing endorsement to Cartwright after the Titans lost back-up hooker Clint Amos for next season.

"I just told him he had done everything asked of him this year. Regarding his attitude, I only had nice things to say about him," Walters said.

"When he first came to us he was very positive. He knew that for him to get back to the level he needed to be, he had to put in some hard work both on and off the field - he has given everything."

 

[Stizyler]

the defense award was actually for "hit of the year" not "best defense"

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,24491108-5016540,00.html

Broncos on the wagon

Exclusive by Dean Ritchie | October 14, 2008 12:00am


THE Brisbane Broncos have effectively grounded their entire playing roster for next season by preparing to implement the strictest anti-alcohol measures in rugby league history.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Brisbane's 10-point plan for next season, which includes scheduling Sunday morning training sessions to prevent weekend benders.

Brisbane's get-tough stance on boozing players comes after a two-day conference on the Gold Coast where incoming coach Ivan Henjak showed he will not tolerate any social ill-discipline. Broncos players will be told this week about the club's new stand against boozy behaviour.

Three Brisbane players - Sam Thaiday, Karmichael Hunt and Darius Boyd - remain under police investigation for alleged sexual assault at a Brisbane nightclub, while skipper Darren Lockyer is alleged to have tackled a bar owner in a separate incident.

While Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen denies the club has a drinking culture, the radical reforms indicate a deep concern about player behaviour.

The Broncos' anti-booze rules include:  PLAYERS to be stood down from first grade for failing to follow the rules;

 NO booze at all between Sunday matches and Friday night games;

 SUNDAY morning training sessions;

 SATURDAY night curfews with a limit on the amount of alcohol consumed and the time players spend drinking;

 TOTAL drinking ban for players with soft tissue injuries;

 FAMILY members to be encouraged to attend social functions;

 RECOVERY session on Saturdays after Friday night matches; and

 POSSIBLE total bans depending on how side is performing.

Cullen said of the tough new guidelines: "We won't ban drinking per se, but we will have control over when they should drink and how much they should drink. If we play on Sunday and again the following Friday night, there will be no drinking in a five-day turnaround.

"There will be an emphasis on player recovery. We don't want any players drinking until they have been assessed by the medical staff, all have had a substantial meal and rehydrated completely.

"It's about putting responsibility back on to the players.

"They will know what's required and what the punishment will be for not adhering to the club rules."

In a revealing interview, Cullen also spoke about his relationship with Wayne Bennett. "Wayne and I have been friends for well over 20 years - not the sort of friends that meet every weekend and go and have a beer, lunch or BBQ together," he said.

"It would be silly to say the Roosters story (in 2006) didn't put some strain on that relationship, but we got over that fairly quickly."

 

[Big Pete]

Great initiative by the club, lets just hope they enforce it!

 

[JW]

Can't argue with it. A great way to weed out those who aren't fair dinkum about their job and the position they hold.

 

[Twigg]

UK paper The Sun wan*ing over Lockyer for 2010.


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/rugby_league/rlworldcup/article1818313.ece

DARREN LOCKYER is set for a sensational switch to Super League in 2010.


The Brisbane Broncos superstar, who will skipper Australia at the Rugby League World Cup this month, has always fancied a stint in England.

Wigan were thought to be interested in bringing Lockyer to the JJB Stadium next season as a replacement for fellow Aussie ace Trent Barrett.


But the 31-year-old insists he wants to spend another year with his beloved Broncos in the NRL before making the move.


Lockyer, who was named the world's best player in 2003 and 2006, told SunSport: "I am interested in a playing stint in England.

"I won’t be making a decision on my career till the middle of 2009.


"If I leave the Broncos, I won’t play for another NRL club."


"I am going into my 15th year playing in the NRL and have stayed with the one club.


"But I have always been interested in the game in England and it is something that I would like to do before I retire from rugby league."

 

[JW]

LOL

These articles have been churned out on a timetable for 5+ years, yet every time they make it sound like the biggest scoop in the game.

Not that i'm fussed at all if he does have a season or two over there, but it would be a touch amusing if he decided to spend his last days as a player with us.

 

[DeeJ]

He should stay on as long as he likes. He still has all the skills and vision.

 

[Big Pete]

Bennett takes swipe at Broncos
By James McCullough
October 18, 2008
WAYNE Bennett revealed the bad blood that boiled through the Broncos' controversial season by taking a swipe at legendary half-back Allan Langer and club CEO Bruno Cullen.
The former Broncos coach told a packed lunch in Brisbane yesterday that chief executive Cullen "did not get it" when it came to creating a good working environment while also suggesting "Alfie" Langer was not a good leader.

The barbs underlined the tension at the Broncos as Bennett's farewell season ended in disastrous fashion last month.

Three Broncos players remain under investigation for sexual assault over an incident in a Brisbane nightclub toilet while captain Darren Lockyer admitted to manhandling a bar manager during a drunken incident earlier in the finals series.

Bennett confirmed speculation that his association with his long-term friend Cullen had deteriorated when he questioned his leadership style during an address at an accounting lunch in Brisbane.
The incoming St George-Illawarra coach said leaders had to create an environment that made employees happy to come to work.

"My ex-CEO did not get it, he just did not get it," Bennett told the crowd of about 500 Certified Practising Accountants.
"You have to create a good work environment for people and make sure they want to come in the next day." Bennett went on to compare true leaders to eagles -- "they do not flock, they fly solo."

In that regard he insinuated that league legend and assistant Broncos coach Langer was not a true leader because, although he was a great guy, he liked to be popular and "surrounded by people".

For the first time since announcing his departure, Bennett also talked about his plans for the Dragons but he did not discuss any elements of the sexual assault investigation into three of his former players.

He said he was not going to St George-Illawarra with aspirations to radically change the culture or the team.
"It is a big challenge," Bennett said. "They probably do a lot of things that are right, but I will change the things that are not right. However, I am not going to turn the organisation on its side."

He said he was not going to the Dragons to copy what he did at the Broncos because that was simply history.
"I am going down there with an open mind. I am not trying to recreate the Broncos because that is past tense and I am really looking forward to the challenge," Bennett said.

The long-serving Broncos coach said he had few regrets leaving the team and was not looking for a Hollywood-style send-off, but rather a private, quiet, departure.

"So as I leave the Broncos after 21 years I am not looking for accolades and speeches or pats on the back," he said.

"I do not need someone to tell me whether I have done a good or a bad job because I know that I did the best job I could.
"I cannot tell you the amount of mistakes I have made over the years. But I managed to carry the day because people knew when a decision was made, it was made for the right reasons

Source: Foxsports

 

[Twigg]

Here we go...

 

[JW]

What a scoop.

No direct quotes regarding Langer, and a nearly an entire article devoted to the issue involving Cullen that everyone's been aware of for years. Probably a topic that 0.1% of his talk would've been devoted to.

Having said that, i'd hope this doesn't become a habit and the publicly displayed bitterness doesn't become more widespead in the future. Throwing barbs - even in small amounts - once you've moved on from an organisation generally gives off a petty impression with really nothing to be gained. Not fair on the 99% of people within the club who've repected Wayne for many years.

He's a great man, but I just hope that if he continues to feel the need to harp on about certain people at the club that it doesn't reflect badly on the club as a whole and all the good people within it. That'd be poor form from a bloke who i'm sure is well above that.