2020 Top 30

[betcats]

I couldn't agree more with this comment. WTF were the NRL thinking? You would almost think the NRL are biased............

I think this incident really shows how much sway the broncos club does have in the game, even the media. By time Fifita was back in Australia there were certain media outlets reporting the story with a very sympathetic light put on Fifita, somme made him out like a victim almost.

 

[Big Pete]

Pomoz thinks Darius is better than our entire backline he wasn’t just comparing the fullbacks.

Edwards was the worst player in the comp for 8 or 9 rounds last season then he got dropped and got some confidence back and improved quite a bit, after that point there is no comparison between Boyd and Edwards, no disrespect but Boyd is past it, well past it.

I was aware of that, the Edwards comparison was just the easiest to draw from despite being the most controversial.

No disrespect taken, if you ask any Broncos fan they will tell you that Boyd hasn't been the same since he broke his hand in Origin II 2017. By the time he returned, it was the business end of the season and he was struggling to keep pace. Any chance he had of turning a corner came to an end when he destroyed his hamstrings against the Cowboys. It's clearly hampered his game but since he had just signed a four year deal, he's stubbornly played on.

Regardless, no club in the NRL would even entertain the idea of signing Boyd in his current state.

He didn’t finish the year though. Gillett did and played Origin so can’t even argue his standard dropped

The injury that ultimately forced him to retire happened while he was in Origin camp. He tried to play on like he did when he broke his neck in 2018, but he was clearly done.

As far as I know, the Broncos haven't offered him a job like Penrith did with Wallace or Souths did with GI.

 

[BxTom]

I think this incident really shows how much sway the broncos club does have in the game, even the media. By time Fifita was back in Australia there were certain media outlets reporting the story with a very sympathetic light put on Fifita, somme made him out like a victim almost.

Very much agree.

 

[franklin2323]

I was aware of that, the Edwards comparison was just the easiest to draw from despite being the most controversial.

No disrespect taken, if you ask any Broncos fan they will tell you that Boyd hasn't been the same since he broke his hand in Origin II 2017. By the time he returned, it was the business end of the season and he was struggling to keep pace. Any chance he had of turning a corner came to an end when he destroyed his hamstrings against the Cowboys. It's clearly hampered his game but since he had just signed a four year deal, he's stubbornly played on.

Regardless, no club in the NRL would even entertain the idea of signing Boyd in his current state.



The injury that ultimately forced him to retire happened while he was in Origin camp. He tried to play on like he did when he broke his neck in 2018, but he was clearly done.

As far as I know, the Broncos haven't offered him a job like Penrith did with Wallace or Souths did with GI.

No issue with taking it or the rule so much. How long did Matulino take to get cleared as opposed to Burgess or Gillett.

The rule is good just poorly excuted

 

[Big Pete]

No issue with taking it or the rule so much. How long did Matulino take to get cleared as opposed to Burgess or Gillett.

The rule is good just poorly excuted

I don't recall there being any dramas surrounding Matulino. From memory he suffered an injury against the Cowboys and initially he was expected to make a swift recovery. It turned out to be worse than expected and that's when it was suggested he may have to retire. They sat on that news only a few days before the new contracts rolled over, which seems to be pretty standard.

 

[Kilkenny]

The reality is the Broncos account for a very significant proportion of the TV rights deal and rightly or wrongly they are always going to be ‘looked’ after in many different ways.

We just need to suck it up basically, it’s never going to change.

 

[John Hamblin]

I couldn't agree more with this comment. WTF were the NRL thinking? You would almost think the NRL are biased............

What about the Rabbitohs Inglis medical retirement Burgess medical retirement. Inglis drunk driving Burgess phone scandal. Now we are led to believe that Latrell signed for unders when he had a meeting with Crowe and Packer at Crowe's Nana Glen property sounds like brown paper bags full of you know what!!!!!

 

[franklin2323]

I don't recall there being any dramas surrounding Matulino. From memory he suffered an injury against the Cowboys and initially he was expected to make a swift recovery. It turned out to be worse than expected and that's when it was suggested he may have to retire. They sat on that news only a few days before the new contracts rolled over, which seems to be pretty standard.

The length of time is that issue

 

[Kilkenny]

The Panthers brand is based around the epicentre of the city of Penrith. We don’t enjoy having a strong fan base outside our city.

The Bunnies, Dragons, Eels of the Sydney based clubs on the other hand enjoy strong support based on family generational support bases.

There are so many fans who live in and around Penrith who follow the Bunnies or other Sydney based clubs based on family history. Shame really but it is what it is.

I think we have done particularly well with our membership base from the time Gus Gould returned to the club given I think last years number’s set another record. I’m not sure how this season is trending but given we predominately rely on a fan base solely in and around the city of Penrith we don’t do to badly.

The Bronco’s have a massive advantage over and above all other NRL clubs and they really have been underachieving in recent seasons although they currently have a beast of a forward pack which I think may be unleashed this season. There young forwards are a young older, bigger, fitter more developed and there my tip for the comp this year based on there forward pack alone.

 

[Big Pete]

The length of time is that issue

I don't think so, we don't know when Wests officially filed for a medical retirement or when they were granted it. For all we know they could have been sitting on it for awhile.

 

[Exsilium]

I don't recall there being any dramas surrounding Matulino. From memory he suffered an injury against the Cowboys and initially he was expected to make a swift recovery. It turned out to be worse than expected and that's when it was suggested he may have to retire. They sat on that news only a few days before the new contracts rolled over, which seems to be pretty standard.

In July 2019, after his injury, it was suggested in the media that he had played his last game.

The NRL and the Tigers were in discussion in October to have the final year of his $800k deal cleared off the cap citing medical retirement.

This was ultimately approved in Early November as per media reports.

My understanding is that Matulino made several attempts to recover but couldn’t.

 

[Kilkenny]

The medical retirement is just another grey area open to manipulation by the clubs, and certain clubs are always going to benefit more than others.

 

[betcats]

What about the Rabbitohs Inglis medical retirement Burgess medical retirement. Inglis drunk driving Burgess phone scandal. Now we are led to believe that Latrell signed for unders when he had a meeting with Crowe and Packer at Crowe's Nana Glen property sounds like brown paper bags full of you know what!!!!!

Forgot about the drink driving arrest re Souths, there is no way in hell the nrl ceo would ever provide a character reference for a Penrith player like that. What a disgrace that was, Inglis drives blind drunk across half the state and toddy helps him get off. Big difference between how the haves and have nots get treated by the nrl.

 

[Crashtest]

No disrespect taken, if you ask any Broncos fan they will tell you that Boyd hasn't been the same since he broke his hand in Origin II 2017. By the time he returned, it was the business end of the season and he was struggling to keep pace. Any chance he had of turning a corner came to an end when he destroyed his hamstrings against the Cowboys. It's clearly hampered his game but since he had just signed a four year deal, he's stubbornly played on.

Regardless, no club in the NRL would even entertain the idea of signing Boyd in his current state.

The decline of Boyd continues. Has just been sacked as captain and replaced by Glenn.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...1/news-story/8132e9bd1613beda5c45a1d887c652fc

 

[Whino]

The decline of Boyd continues. Has just been sacked as captain and replaced by Glenn.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...1/news-story/8132e9bd1613beda5c45a1d887c652fc

Makes it easier to drop him if his form continues to decline.

 

[betcats]

Makes it easier to drop him if his form continues to decline.

I get the feeling he won’t make the side

 

[Pomoz]

I was aware of that, the Edwards comparison was just the easiest to draw from despite being the most controversial.

No disrespect taken, if you ask any Broncos fan they will tell you that Boyd hasn't been the same since he broke his hand in Origin II 2017. By the time he returned, it was the business end of the season and he was struggling to keep pace. Any chance he had of turning a corner came to an end when he destroyed his hamstrings against the Cowboys. It's clearly hampered his game but since he had just signed a four year deal, he's stubbornly played on.

Regardless, no club in the NRL would even entertain the idea of signing Boyd in his current state.



The injury that ultimately forced him to retire happened while he was in Origin camp. He tried to play on like he did when he broke his neck in 2018, but he was clearly done.

As far as I know, the Broncos haven't offered him a job like Penrith did with Wallace or Souths did with GI.

Big Pete, thanks for your input. The debate about Boyd is an interesting side issue about whether our backline is any good (it isn't, at least it wasn't last year)). The actual point of this discussion has been lost. It was said that we are better than the Broncos and the Sharks and their teams chances were dismissed by making comments about their players. Panther fan though I am, it seems to me that it's easy to rubbish another teams players, Boyd being an obvious example, so I did the same to our players. The Panther fans on here got upset and responded with vigour saying why the Panthers players are really good etc. What I wrote was said in jest and I thought comments like "Tamou, built like Tarzan plays like Jane, Naden has a job as a turnstile at the SCG etc" made that obvious. Clearly I was wrong.

Anyhow, I just don't think we are better than the Broncos and Sharks. I really hope we are, but I just don't think Cleary has a clue and our new spine is up to the job, because, well, they are new and inexperienced, relatively speaking. Fingers crossed, I am wrong and we have a great year.

That said, I do rate Boyd and hope his hamstring gets better so he can finish career with a flourish and not limp out like many injured players have to (TMM the latest example, poor bugger). If he is fit, he would be useful addition to our backline which can't score points very easily and has very little football nous. I hope the new/young players like Edwards, Naden and Crichton improve rapidly in the off-season because we are going to struggle to score points again if they don't. On last years form, Mansour, Whare and Edwards are not going to deliver enough points and Too can't do it on his own.

 

[franklin2323]

Big Pete, thanks for your input. The debate about Boyd is an interesting side issue about whether our backline is any good (it isn't, at least it wasn't last year)). The actual point of this discussion has been lost. It was said that we are better than the Broncos and the Sharks and their teams chances were dismissed by making comments about their players. Panther fan though I am, it seems to me that it's easy to rubbish another teams players, Boyd being an obvious example, so I did the same to our players. The Panther fans on here got upset and responded with vigour saying why the Panthers players are really good etc. What I wrote was said in jest and I thought comments like "Tamou, built like Tarzan plays like Jane, Naden has a job as a turnstile at the SCG etc" made that obvious. Clearly I was wrong.

Anyhow, I just don't think we are better than the Broncos and Sharks. I really hope we are, but I just don't think Cleary has a clue and our new spine is up to the job, because, well, they are new and inexperienced, relatively speaking. Fingers crossed, I am wrong and we have a great year.

That said, I do rate Boyd and hope his hamstring gets better so he can finish career with a flourish and not limp out like many injured players have to (TMM the latest example, poor bugger). If he is fit, he would be useful addition to our backline which can't score points very easily and has very little football nous. I hope the new/young players like Edwards, Naden and Crichton improve rapidly in the off-season because we are going to struggle to score points again if they don't. On last years form, Mansour, Whare and Edwards are not going to deliver enough points and Too can't do it on his own.

Broncos are where we last year. Guys being shopped around getting in the way of building the roster the coach wants.

Lets stack them up.

The Broncos pack we match given their lack of consistency

Their spine looks likely to be:

Isakko
Milford
Croft
Turpin

We get them there. Outside backs both have 2 past it and 2 up and comers

We have better depth which is the key difference.

Now Sharks:

Outside backs they win hands down as it stands right now.

Their spine.
New hooker hasn’t played big minutes before.
Moylan/Dugan always injured.
Read the Sharks forum here for what they think of Townsend
Johnson the 4-6 games he shows up for is best player in the game. Outside of that is ordinary

Their pack. Lost Gallen, Prior, Capewell and a few others. Likely to have a bench full of rookies.

A reduced salary cap sees them very light on depth wise.

When you break down every team like that most are just as bad as us in certain parts. I see it as which ever team’s rookies come on better and quicker to how 5-16th falls

 

[Kilkenny]

Broncos are where we last year. Guys being shopped around getting in the way of building the roster the coach wants.

Lets stack them up.

The Broncos pack we match given their lack of consistency

Their spine looks likely to be:

Isakko
Milford
Croft
Turpin

We get them there. Outside backs both have 2 past it and 2 up and comers

We have better depth which is the key difference.

Now Sharks:

Outside backs they win hands down as it stands right now.

Their spine.
New hooker hasn’t played big minutes before.
Moylan/Dugan always injured.
Read the Sharks forum here for what they think of Townsend
Johnson the 4-6 games he shows up for is best player in the game. Outside of that is ordinary

Their pack. Lost Gallen, Prior, Capewell and a few others. Likely to have a bench full of rookies.

A reduced salary cap sees them very light on depth wise.

When you break down every team like that most are just as bad as us in certain parts. I see it as which ever team’s rookies come on better and quicker to how 5-16th falls

it’s all comes down to opinion. The Broncos forward pack is going to take them a long way even if there spine is a work in progress.

 

[franklin2323]

it’s all comes down to opinion. The Broncos forward pack is going to take them a long way even if there spine is a work in progress.

on their day yes but consistency was the issue and no reason to think that changed