Broncos Recruitment

[Dazzat]

All I'm saying is that our front row rotation next year is looking decidedly shaky.

It drives me crazy when its suggested otherwise and everything's peachy. I deal with reality.

Hannant while not a world beater this year, at least gave us some experience, and some classic front row playing options. His departure is a big blow, and short of signing Willie Mason, I can't see how he's going to be replaced for 2015. There are no quality props on the open market - not here or England.

 

[Bronco18]

speculation Oates could walk out the door for a huge money offer in sydney

He's got to be the kind of player who would stay for below his market worth you'd hope.

Similar frame and role to Alex McKinnon who was one of Bennett's favourites.

 

[Kiwi]

Graham has more heart and ability then most.

I think he is more refering to guys like JWH, Klemmer, Burgess boys, Kasiano are all monster blokes to bend the line out, tire the defenders etc.

Hannant doesn't really fill this bill either. Though he certainly was a better prop then all bar McGuire in my opinion. Parker is not a prop and agree he should play lock. He killed it for years doing so. Playing prop really took it's toll on him I think. He isn't getting younger either.

He mentioned graham so pete was well within his right use him.

 

[Dazzat]

He mentioned graham so pete was well within his right use him.

Although not as big as the others, Graham displayed in the grand final that's he's an impact-style front rower.

I'd add Jason King, Sam McKendry, Tim Grant, Nigel Plum to that style of front rower in the successful teams this year. Also experienced guys.

Really, we're not talking rocket science here. As mentioned, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The demise of the big front rower has been predicted for years - but they stick keep truckin' on.

Kennedy is big, but by his own admission needs to get his head together. Maybe Bennett is the man to do that. Let's hope so. But he still has only a handful of NRL games under his belt and needs to get serious game time to improve.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

speculation Oates could walk out the door for a huge money offer in sydney

Nope - he's locked up for at least another 3 years:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...woyear-extension/story-fni3gv4u-1227085019155

Would've been a shame to lose him.

 

[Kiwi]

Nope - he's locked up for at least another 3 years:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...woyear-extension/story-fni3gv4u-1227085019155

Would've been a shame to lose him.

just saw that, happy the rumours were wrong.

 

[Bronco18]

Future is looking good

The best thing about Wayne Bennett finishing with us is that he'll give us a succession plan and not screw us over like he did to us last time and like he's done with the Dragons and Knights.

I can see him going high up in the hierarchy and even becoming a board member in a quasi-retirement.

 

[Dazzat]

And how did Bennett "screw us over" pray tell? Just a tip ... leaving a club doesn't count.

 

[Dazzat]

just saw that, happy the rumours were wrong.

Player Management 101: To assist in achieving the best bang for your buck, while negotiating a new contract for one of your players, circulate rumours in the press that they are about to sign with another club.

 

[Ghoulies]

I don't really buy into the argument that it's Bennett's responsibility to establish a succession plan for when he leaves. The coach should only be worrying about putting us in the best position to win a premiership during his time with us.

Let management worry about who's to replace Bennett when he retires.

 

[Dazzat]

I don't really buy into the argument that it's Bennett's responsibility to establish a succession plan for when he leaves. The coach should only be worrying about putting us in the best position to win a premiership during his time with us.

Let management worry about who's to replace Bennett when he retires.

Exactly. And sometimes (in fact often) succession plans fall through - which may have happened with Bennett.

Who knows, perhaps Kevin Walters and Glenn Lazarus were part of his succession plan, but at the time, Bennett put the value of the team above keeping those guys which was the right thing to do.

And let's not forget that in all cases, the three clubs promoted internally after Bennett left, so the argument is a falsehood. Henjak, Price and to a lesser degree Stone, were all apart of the clubs' existing systems.

 

[u4er]

In Bennetts book he says the plan was for Lockyer to spend a season as his assistant coach before taking over the main job when Bennett was ready to retire. Might be back on the cards in 3 years time.

 

[gUt]

And how did Bennett "screw us over" pray tell? Just a tip ... leaving a club doesn't count.

Gave Griffin a good reference?

 

[Dazzat]

Gave Griffin a good reference?

Ha ha ... indeed.

What the heck are we getting him back for ...!!! LOL

 

[Big Pete]

I don't really buy into the argument that it's Bennett's responsibility to establish a succession plan for when he leaves. The coach should only be worrying about putting us in the best position to win a premiership during his time with us.

Let management worry about who's to replace Bennett when he retires.

It wasn't like Wayne didn't think ahead during his last stint either.

According to Lockyer, Henjak assumed a lot more responsibility in 2008 (Wayne's last season at the club) and it felt like Wayne was making the transition.

It wasn't like Wayne took a bunch of star players with him to St. George either. Boyd wasn't wanted by the club for whatever reason and he brought Nick Emmett down with him as well, that was the extent of it.

Even so as it was pointed out, Wayne had his own transition plan and the club didn't want a bar of it. The club wanted to sign Craig Bellamy and then Neil Henry - it was clear that Henjak was a third-rate choice so the Broncos ended up with third rate results when in all honesty, they should have been challenging for a premiership.

The only reasonable argument that could be made of Wayne would be his involvement in the Civoniceiva mess. I clearly love this club and often defend it to a fault but that's one decision where they got it wrong and I reckon everyone involved in that could agree. I don't care about the logistics of the deal or the innuendo, Civoniceiva should have been a Bronco for life.

Regardless, not that Wayne has any obligation to worry about the Broncos after his retirement, I'm sure he'll be concerned about the long term prosperity of the club.

 

[Kiwi]

the way Wayne Bennett speaks about the Broncos it's obvious he cares about the long term prosperity of the club long after he is gone, he will be a Bronco till the day he dies, it's a shame the Broncos went in a direction that made him want to leave the first time, but very satisfying that we are moving or have moved in such a direction that he wanted to return.

 

[Dazzat]

So Big League predicts Ofahengaue will make his debut next season. They also mention that he's needed due to the shallowness of the front row talent at the club.

Let's hope he can mature quickly and offer an option for us. He certainly has some impressive statistics in terms of the under 20 competition with specific mention of his making huge metres after first contact in the tackle.

Jarrod Wallace made an average of 4.5 runs per game he played. Hardly preparation for a young front rower is it?

 

[Big Pete]

Not that I would blame him given deadlines and the workload he had but Bailey's guess was as good as anyone's and is essentially formed by statistics.

Take his predicted line-up for the Broncos heading into 2014 - he thought Maranta should be ahead of both Copley & Vidot. Thought Strasser would definitely play five-eighth and thought we should have both Stagg & Lowrie come off the bench. No wonder Ikin rated the side 13th!

Maybe he's come to educate himself more on the club and through his various interactions with players, coaches, staff etc. that he's expanded his knowledge. Then again, he only thinks the Broncos have four feeder teams in the QRL.

I wonder what he'd be saying if he looked at Wallace's stats in the Q Cup?

 

[Dazzat]

Many thought Strasser would be 5/8 before the season started. Let's face it - we didn't have too many options. I thought it would be Strasser or Cullen - certainly didn't think Hoffman.

Yes, Lowrie and Stagg coming off the bench is like a Hamish and Andy show with two Andy's!

 

[Big Pete]

Indeed, which is why I'm pointing out that his guess was as good as ours.

If he followed the club news he would have known that Kahu was the front-runner before injuries and then based on the trials it'd come down to Hoffman or Nikorima.

Strasser was virtually no-hope after the Cowboys trial.

I'm not having a go at him because he has to write about 4-6 different clubs, I'm just pointing out that his guess is as good as ours.