Broncos Recruitment

[Big Pete]

Who may or may not be better. I would rather they take the 7 from him than be handed it. The 7 is Hunt's to lose. If he decides to leave then no need to panic sure, agree there, but we should be trying to keep him, Barba, Miflord and Hunt like every other player should need to perform to keep the next batch at bay and the next batch should need to be better to knock one of them out.

I agree we should be trying to keep him but I'm not overly concerned because right now our halves stocks coming through are the richest they have been in sometime and should only improve as the years go by.

Plus, there is always the chance that this is just a rich bit of form. He still has a lot to work on and cannot afford to get complacent.

who are they do you think BP?

Jayden Nikorima & Ash Taylor.

Duncan Paia'Aua & Will Brimson as rough outside chances down the line too.

Jayden is already training with the senior squad despite being 17. He won't see any first grade this season since he technically can't play due to being 17 but I know there's interest to play him asap and he's in the club's long term plans. He will play first grade, just a matter of whether or not he'll play in the halves. I've been told he may be blooded as a fullback or come in as a hooker.

Taylor is another with huge wraps on him. He's seen as a long term player too which is why he was signed to a long term contract asap. The only reason why he hasn't dominated the competition is because he had to have a shoulder reco late in the off-season which kept him out until the Titans game where he returned ahead of schedule and has had to play in a foreign position at fullback, before moving to the halves where he was understandably frail before stepping up in the second half against Manly to help the Broncos decimate them late in that game.

I reckon if it wasn't for that injury, Ash probably would have been partnering Hunt in the first grade side. The only problem is right now, the kid definitely needs a good feed.

Paia'Aua is a project player. I reckon he's the most ready of any of the boys coming through but is a bit rough around the edges. I hear he's not considered as good as the other options but he certainly has potential to play first grade.

Brimson was arguably one of the best players in the Mal Meninga Cup and really helped the Seagulls make it as far as they did before he was called into the NYC side where they got hammered by the eventual premiers the Stingers. He's still pretty raw but one of those talents that I think could age like a fine wine and play a bit of first grade.

 

[Kiwi]

Awesome read and it would certainly be good to see pressure being put on Milford and Hunt in the halves, and Barba at the back, because if he ain't performing and Ash or Jayden are you would hope Milford would be moved to the 1 to accommodate them.

the next piece is Kennedy coming good and performing to potential.

 

[hellteam]

Pete you're right on most things but you're off the mark on this one. Hunt HAS to be kept, there's no question about it. Over the past ten years we've had plenty of halves with promise, who have pretty much all amounted to nothing. What makes you think we will be right on these?

We finally have one, let's do everything we can to keep him.

 

[AceAv]

Good report on the Juniors Pete, you seem really in touch with the development of our future prospects.

Bring on Hunt's pay rise I say. This kid is our next superstar IMO whether or not any of you believe it now. I also think the stint at back-up hooker was very good for his defense. His attack really didn't seem to suffer when you consider some of the plays he manufactured in his first few runs at half-back when we finally gave Wallace the flick. -I wish it was sooner this all happened, but what's done is done.

Just happy we are going to ensure his future here without any rival clubs sniffing at our door step!

 

[Big Pete]

Pete you're right on most things but you're off the mark on this one. Hunt HAS to be kept, there's no question about it. Over the past ten years we've had plenty of halves with promise, who have pretty much all amounted to nothing. What makes you think we will be right on these?

We finally have one, let's do everything we can to keep him.

As I said, I'd like to see him stay and believe he will stay - despite what his selections may indicate, Hook is a fan of Hunt and the intention right now is for a 6. Milford 7. Hunt combination which has the potential to be one of the best in the game IF both develop at the rate they have shown.

With that said, the Broncos aren't exactly being forced over the barrel on this one. They have plenty of promising halves to choose from and I think they're going to have a hard time keeping them all and being able to see which ones have a long term future in first grade and which ones will merely be a flash in the pan. Regardless, compared to previous years where the choices in the halves were very slim, the Broncos are looking very good and I'd argue that some of these players have more upside than Hunt did at NYC level.

To sum up, we've got a lot of juniors coming through and I think fans should keep an eye on them and track their development. I wouldn't bank on them quite yet but we won't have to until around this time next year when the future of all these players comes into question.

 

[Bronco Rob]

Jayden Nikorima & Ash Taylor.

Duncan Paia'Aua & Will Brimson as rough outside chances down the line too.

Don't write off Kodi Nikorima, Jayden's older brother. Once Kodi learns to take control of a side and works on his defensive deficiencies he will be an asset. I really thought he should have been given a go at the start of the season, I thought Josh would be a stop gap but that has proven to be untrue.

Also Logan Spander is another kid coming through the ranks whose game has come along this year and is now less selfish than he has been in the past.

 

[League guru]

Being good in the school boys comp (NYC) and being a first grader are poles apart. if they are wanting to develop Paia'aua what's he doing playing NYC. He needs more then a few token appearances at the Capras.

 

[Dazzat]

Pete, you like having an each way bet don't you? You have been very firm on this forum that there are no up-and-coming halves anywhere ready for first grade. You have insisted that Hook should NOT blood any halves from the lower grades because, as you have continually insisted, they are not up to the task.

Now you're telling us that there's no drama if we loose our one and only halfback with first grade experience!

If we loose Hunt, it would be an absolute tragedy. Fans would be shattered. Why? Because of the HUGE investment the club has made in him, and the fact that he has come through a period of playing at No. 9 when arguably he should have been playing halfback all along.

Also, fans would be shattered because it would be just another player lost to the club, one in a long, long line. It's about time the club starts getting back to where it used be - when players stuck with the club because it was a club they wanted to play at, not just for the money.

This has been lost over the past three years, and if Hunt stays, maybe it will be the start of the renaissance.

 

[Big Pete]

Daz if you actually spent five seconds to read over what I said instead of trying to have a go at me, you'd realise my point, especially since I spelt it out.

 

[Shane P]

Hi All
I've just discovered this site and this is my first post. I've been a huge Broncos fan from day 1, so I remember the good "old" days and I hope some of these kids can develop into the next Lewis, Langer, Renouf etc.
I don't know if this has been discussed anywhere in the forum before, but I think Barba and Hoffman should swap positions. Barba has probably the best short kicking game in the team and with his speed off the mark, his passing ability, nimble footwork and ability to read the game would make him an ideal no.6. I know what he used to do at fullback but that aint happening now. He isn't tall enough to compete for the high ball and not big enough to run it back at forwards who just smash him or push him back into the in-goal.
On the other hand Hoffman seems to be a bit of a dud at five-eigth but was a very good fullback. Does anyone else agree?
I might be mad, but I was saying the same thing about Darren Lockyer switching to five-eigth three years before it finally happened, and I think I may have got that one right.
And didn't it feel good to smash Manly.....it brought back some good memories.

 

[Dazzat]

So Pete, if Hunt left for another club, you wouldn't be over-concerned, as you have indicated, "I'm not overly concerned because right now our halves stocks coming through are the richest they have been in sometime ..."

 

[Big Pete]

I wouldn't be writing Hunt a blank cheque or think it's the end of the world, no.

I'd like to keep him but he doesn't have the Broncos over a barrel either. Regardless, it's a moot point because if he was going to leave, it would have been last year.

 

[GoTheBroncs]

BP is the defence of Duncan, Ashley or Jayden any good?

I noticed on Sunday they are all very small in stature.

Personally I think we need to hold onto Hunt. How many times do we hear that so and so is going to be the next big thing then nothing comes of it? Hunt has runs on the board now.

In saying that it is really nice to finally have some prospects in the halves.

 

[Big Pete]

BP is the defence of Duncan, Ashley or Jayden any good?

Well, most halves aren't good defenders at the best of times, even Hunt ranks right up there for missed tackles but at this stage, it's certainly one department they're all lacking in.

In fairness, Paia'Aua has shown some nice improvement in that department since last season, Taylor is returning from a shoulder reco while Jayden is only 17. All of them with the right off-season and conditioning could be adequate defenders.

I think all 3 are better than Kodi in that department where he seems almost alergic to defence.

 

[Dazzat]

I wouldn't be writing Hunt a blank cheque or think it's the end of the world, no.

I'd like to keep him but he doesn't have the Broncos over a barrel either. Regardless, it's a moot point because if he was going to leave, it would have been last year.

I think the club needs to do all they can to keep Hunt and there is an urgency. Right now Brisbane has the shallowest depth of any club in the league when it comes to halves, and also I believe props. Things are very skinny in both these key areas. Go through each club and see for yourself.

And what makes these two key areas different, is that players in both of these positions generally take years to develop to maturity.

We may very well have promising halves in the under 20s, but it could be years before they develop. And of course compounding the problem is the club's current attitude to developing young player (my hobby horse, from which I have now dismounted).

Hunt must be our No. 1 priority (assuming that there are now established halves currently in our sights).

 

[Kiwi]

Pete, you like having an each way bet don't you? You have been very firm on this forum that there are no up-and-coming halves anywhere ready for first grade. You have insisted that Hook should NOT blood any halves from the lower grades because, as you have continually insisted, they are not up to the task.

Now you're telling us that there's no drama if we loose our one and only halfback with first grade experience!

If we loose Hunt, it would be an absolute tragedy. Fans would be shattered. Why? Because of the HUGE investment the club has made in him, and the fact that he has come through a period of playing at No. 9 when arguably he should have been playing halfback all along.

Also, fans would be shattered because it would be just another player lost to the club, one in a long, long line. It's about time the club starts getting back to where it used be - when players stuck with the club because it was a club they wanted to play at, not just for the money.

This has been lost over the past three years, and if Hunt stays, maybe it will be the start of the renaissance.

there is a big difference in right now and the end of next year in terms of time to be ready.

 

[beads6]

I think we should be aiming to sign Ben Hunt for $400K. he is fast becoming a fan favourite in Brisbane so getting extra $$ through 3rd party payments from outside the club should be easy.

 

[Bretto]

Duncan, Taylor and either of the Nikorimas are years behind Hunt and his development. If you threw any of those guys into first grade right now, it would be a disaster. Even in the next 2 years, from what I've seen, they're just not ready. They would need extensive work on their defense and resolve.

Ben Hunt is the future of the club, in the same way Lockyer was our future when Langer retired.

Having said that, Hunt loves the Broncos. Lockyer is his hero and he will be a one team man, much like the champion, for his entire career.

 

[Kiwi]

part of his new contract should be having to keep the 80's porn star moustache

 

[Dazzat]

there is a big difference in right now and the end of next year in terms of time to be ready.

At the current rate, no half will be getting first grade experience this year other than Hunt. If Griffin keeps on his current trajectory, one half (maybe Darren Nichols if we're lucky) will get one or two games.

Hoffman doesn't count. He won't be playing 5/8 going forward - for any club.

So we will start 2015 with Milford and Hunt in the halves. Milford has had very limited time at 5/8. Even next year, barring any major signings, we will STILL be starting with one experienced half on our books.

If Hunt leaves, at the end of 2015, the club will be back to square one.