Broncos Boot Bennett: Who will take the skeleton?

[Big Pete]

Hmmmm I can think of a few better.

GI is the Maroon Mitchell Pearce; only with a much better PR team.

And the capacity to lift for big games.

Among several, that's an awful comparison.

 

[gerg]

Definitely not.

But..... it could very well be a laugh a minute if they do stay at their current clubs and the pressure starts to build with a few early season losses. Then the media circus will start and it could all get extremely ugly for both coaches, clubs and playing groups. The media will go into hyper-drive and Wayno will just love that.

Pass the popcorn..........

Surely it can't work? Both coaches will be trying to coerce players into switching clubs, which could get nasty very quickly.

 

[Tommy Smith]

And the capacity to lift for big games.

Among several, that's an awful comparison.

You said he was a leader.

I'm just pointing out that the bloke has a domestic violence incident and now a drink driving incident to his name.

Oh and he's a lazy trainer.

Hardly leadership material.

Putting one good hit on in Origin doesn't make you a leader.

 

[King hit]

Inglis a leader? for inconsistent players probably. Only just has a few patches of form each year. Jamie Lyon was superior to Inglis as a leader in every way.

Inglis's position as the best centre is gone now. Mitchell, Roberts, Aitken and Manu straight off the top of my head had far better seasons.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

Lol@souffs

 

[Big Pete]

You said he was a leader.

I'm just pointing out that the bloke has a domestic violence incident and now a drink driving incident to his name.

Oh and he's a lazy trainer.

Hardly leadership material.

Putting one good hit on in Origin doesn't make you a leader.

I'm still not sure who I felt insulted by with that comparison - Inglis or Pearce. It was lazy Tommy, you Roosters fans have to forgive Mitchell at some point.

Inglis has blemishes, but he's still the Queensland captain, something very few players can boast. GI's best days are behind him and he certainly won't go down as one of the all-time great leaders. But in 2019/2020 will he be one of the best leaders in the game? Sure, the guy could still be Australian Captain.

He's the type of Bennett loves to have, for better or worse.

 

[AJB1102]

GI is only QLD and Australia(?) captain because Smith, JT and Slater aren't available.

 

[Big Pete]

Inglis was selected over Slater as captain. I agree on the first two, but JT is retired and Smith only has one season left in him. It's a diminishing list with Cronk & Gal soon to retire.

 

[AJB1102]

Inglis was selected over Slater as captain. I agree on the first two, but JT is retired and Smith only has one season left in him. It's a diminishing list with Cronk soon to retire.

Yeah its looking a bit bare. Give the Blues a little turn while QLD load back up for another dynasty.

 

[Big Pete]

Yeah its looking a bit bare. Give the Blues a little turn while QLD load back up for another dynasty.

Yep, now that they've got the monkey off their backs, I can see them blowing the Maroons away next series. It's up to this generation of Maroons talent to show some ticker.

There aren't a lot of quality leaders floating around the game anymore. Cameron Smith, Paul Gallen and Mat Scott aren't far off from retirement and the rest of the crop aren't that great. The only players who look likely moving forward (outside GI) are Tuivasa-Sheck, Widdop & Cordner.

The rest just haven't stepped up yet.

 

[Diesel]

Cleary’s off the bus

Source: Ivan Cleary texts farewell to Tigers players
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/10/27/ivan-cleary-texts-farewell-message-to-wests-tigers-players/

 

[billygilmore]

You said he was a leader.

I'm just pointing out that the bloke has a domestic violence incident and now a drink driving incident to his name.

Oh and he's a lazy trainer.

Hardly leadership material.

Putting one good hit on in Origin doesn't make you a leader.

Oh yes it does, did you not see Hodgson lassoed by Tallis and thrown out of the rectangular ring

 

[AJB1102]

Ivan seems surprised that it's hurt people and put everyone in an awkward spot. The whole thing makes him uncomfortable.

Did he see it playing out any other way?

 

[Big Pete]

As an onlooker, I could never understand why Cleary was let go in the first place. Sure he only made the finals one of his four years at the club, but he had to rebuild the side and injuries weren't kind to him. I thought he was entitled to one more season and couldn't understand the rush to oust him for Hook.

Hook wasn't a bad coach, but even as an apologist, I wouldn't describe him as an elite coach. I had a high opinion of the Panthers squad and didn't think a premiership was out of the question for 2016-18.

With Cleary back in the driver's seat, it's definitely not out of the question for 2019. I'd have them right up there with the Roosters as pre-season favourites.

 

[Canard]

As an onlooker, I could never understand why Cleary was let go in the first place. Sure he only made the finals one of his four years at the club, but he had to rebuild the side and injuries weren't kind to him. I thought he was entitled to one more season and couldn't understand the rush to oust him for Hook.

Hook wasn't a bad coach, but even as an apologist, I wouldn't describe him as an elite coach. I had a high opinion of the Panthers squad and didn't think a premiership was out of the question for 2016-18.

With Cleary back in the driver's seat, it's definitely not out of the question for 2019. I'd have them right up there with the Roosters as pre-season favourites.

Agreed. My only question mark would be depth of talent.

They've got two players in Merrin and Tamou on elite level salaries, that haven't been elite for a few seasons now.

Also Pete can I say it's refreshing to have a Broncos fan on back posting who isn't a one eyed lunatic.

 

[dogslife]

Cleary’s off the bus

Source: Ivan Cleary texts farewell to Tigers players
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/10/27/ivan-cleary-texts-farewell-message-to-wests-tigers-players/

Off 2 da Panthers k gtg ttyl xoxo

 

[Fire]

Aitken.

lol

 

[TheFrog]

With Cleary back in the driver's seat, it's definitely not out of the question for 2019. I'd have them right up there with the Roosters as pre-season favourites.

Need a good dummy half and are also a bit light up front, especially if Merrin leaves. And need to stay injury free, that would really help.

 

[King hit]

Yep, now that they've got the monkey off their backs, I can see them blowing the Maroons away next series. It's up to this generation of Maroons talent to show some ticker.

There aren't a lot of quality leaders floating around the game anymore. Cameron Smith, Paul Gallen and Mat Scott aren't far off from retirement and the rest of the crop aren't that great. The only players who look likely moving forward (outside GI) are Tuivasa-Sheck, Widdop & Cordner.

The rest just haven't stepped up yet.

Do you think that all the success that the Maroons have had over the last decade could mentally hurt the next generation of Queensland players since they now have to carry on the legacy of Smith, Slater etc? When I learnt about St George's greatness in the 50's and 60's later generations of Dragons felt mentally pressured by this considering they now had to continue what Raper, Gasnier and all of those legendary Dragons did and had to live up to that expectation when they weren't capable of performing like they did.

On a NSW side though I have a feeling that what will really drive this Blues team is watching QLD domination in their youth. The same way the Maroons of the 80's aimed for retribution as their upbringings just had NSW domination. The NSW team of this year (with a couple of exceptions) all watched the Maroons dominate the Blues and they are now out for revenge and some of the guys knocking on the door now have the same mentality.

 

[Big Pete]

Need a good dummy half and are also a bit light up front, especially if Merrin leaves. And need to stay injury free, that would really help.

The middle third is definitely a concern. The Panthers have the talent, it's just getting Merrin, Campbell-Gillard and Tamou to find their best form. I enjoyed the improvement I saw in Leota and Fisher-Harris' game, so they should continue to be valuable members of your rotation. I'm not too fond of the Tim Grant signing, but I presume he's just there to mentor the younger players.

Egan is going to be a player to watch out for. Was a stand out coming through the grades and showed some good signs in limited minutes. I didn't think much of his one and only starting game, but he suffered an injury early into the game which hampered him somewhat. With Wallace out of the picture, he heads into the pre-season knowing the position is his as long as he works for it.

Do you think that all the success that the Maroons have had over the last decade could mentally hurt the next generation of Queensland players since they now have to carry on the legacy of Smith, Slater etc?

It's not necessarily about living up to the legacy. When Lewis retired in '91 and the Blues went onto win five of the next six series, Queensland were still very competitive, they just didn't have the guidance or the class to match it with the Blues when it mattered. With this generation, I fear it could be worse and the next series could be a blow-out if some of these Maroons players don't come of age. The Blues have had the stronger team on paper since 2012 for mine, it was just when the game was there to be won, the senior players would find a way to win.

The Maroons don't have that going for them anymore, so something has got to give.

As an aside, Mal being promoted to Australian coach may have been the best thing to happen for NSW. The Australian teams have been much better under his coaching than Sheens and his selections have helped the Blues gel much better than they did in the past.