So who do you think this tiger is that we have so called got for 2012 ?

[whykickamoocow]

Thurston signed a 3 year deal mid way through last year to stay at the cowboys which means he wouldn't be able to pull on a Broncs jersey until 2014, same with Cronk so you can give up any idea of those 2 being the solution. I can't believe all the doom and gloom coming from some people, oh the next few years are going to suck. All I can say to that is have a look at how well Manly are going with 2 youngsters in the 6 and 7. They have a combined games total of 58 games and they are absolutely killing it. Try and look things as if the glass is 1/2 full instead of 1/2 empty all the time.

 

[IBA]

STEP 1 for 2012 - Get Hannant a quality bash brother in the front row and rotate Hala consistently with them to develop a very special young talent..........I'll be pi--ed if he ends up another Leahroyd-Lahrs / Taylor episode.

STEP 2- If we persist with the notion Norman is our future no 6, which I definately feel he is, WALLACE MUST GO. The football department must engage in negotiations for Thurston or Cronk when and if the chance appears and spare nothing ( marquee player allowance etc. etc.).

I stated late last year the beauty of landing Inglis would have been the ability to take a lot of pressure off young Norman, alas it did not evenuate. The core of youngsters are very good, but we miss a couple of vital pieces to truly challenge for a title at this stage.

Step 1 - Agreed. We are short a starting prop. We have a fantastic contingency of backup props, but that is all they are; backups.

Step 2 - You are 100% out of your mind if you think Norman is more our future than Wallace. Wallace is 10000000% over Norman. Sure they are different positions but we are short a 5/8 and have a more than competent half back. Leave the number 7, let's look at who can fill the 6. It is not Ben Hunt, it might be Norman and it doesn't look like we want to sign someone else for the spot. The 6 is the position to replace....

Inglis has been weak this year and I, for one, am fairly happy we didn't land him.

 

[Mr Fourex]

I still think Norman is suss.......

and after watching him last night, nothing has made me want to change my mind.

 

[beads6]

Norman is certainly a 6 who likes to run the ball, he has a lot of Locky about him although not as special.

 

[IBA]

It'd be nice if Locky stuck around for the pre-season to mentor a little... Doubt it will happen.

 

[ponies 4ever]

Preferably, without any tantrums, we can develop our own Thurston or Cronk, which would be the best situation. However, I simply am trying to say I don't believe the partnership of Wallace and Corey Norman will;

a- Provide much in the way of attacking ingenuity or excitement

b- Be able to provide a premiership guile winning combination

c - Provide the sort of calm, stable assurance the others will need in tight games well into the back end of the season, when it truly counts.

I hoestly believe the core of our young group are extremely talented and are going places fast so where the glass half empty crap comes from...... well, all i am trying to state is there is an enormous opportunity for the football department to form a powerhouse team for the next decade possibly if they are shrewd enough to recruit a quality playmaker who can harness the potential of our youngsters and LEAD.

The win over the Eels was gutsy, gritty and really pleasing, but if you can sit and truly say Kenny & Anderson are even in the same ballpark as Hannant............just don't see it.

Watch the second Burt try and look who the missed tackle sare from ? It happens pretty regularly.

On a brighter note Alex Glenn just seems to be improving in leaps and bounds and is a shining example of all that is good in our youngsters.

 

[IBA]

You're right about the props. I don't think anyone is questioning that. It was props at fault that led to both tries. 1st one was McGuire out of position because he thought the tackle was over, 2nd one was Anderson and Kenny missing tackles. That said, it was a pretty good inside ball. When T'eo is back, I'm sure Thaiday will move to prop.

Back on the halves, I think Wallace can, and has, lead the team well. There has to be a good 6 floating around in development and I think being given the playmaker role outside a solid number 7 is going to give them a huge chance to shine. Wallace is only 25 and is improving and I don't know who else I would recruit to replace him. I'd take JT but that's about it, the number 6 is our problem. I think we should be saying, let's develop another Locky or (I hate to say it) a Soward. We have one of the better half backs in the competition and no number 6 (next year) so our attention should be there, not on the 7. Norman looks to be our best option so hopefully another 9 months of development will help him step up.

 

[ponies 4ever]

I have been impressed with a lot of Normans' long raking kicks, he seems to find space a lot more regularly than Wallace. As for our halves situation, it probably is the frustration that in the length and breadth of beautiful sunny QLD we have had to raid Penrith for our no.7. Look Wal is a good player, there's little doubt about it, but to carry and help develop a young 6 like Norman in the pressure cooker environment that is the Broncos, its a damn big ask of his abilities. I sincerely hope he succeeds bot I'm not holding my breath. Corey Norman along with Dale Copely need time to grow physically and mentally and I for one am glad they seem set to get the chance to further develop at the club, with Norman however, there is no room to hide at 6 and IS WAL THE RIGHT MAN TO HELP NUTURE HIM ?

 

[IBA]

I think he is definately our best option at the moment. He has a little seniority, is stable at the broncs, is a very good half back and he has been playing well. I hope like hell it does work out, as right now I don't see any better, available half backs for us. I'm really hoping Norman can step up...

 

[AceAv]

Ponies wrote " I simply can't fathom how Ben Barba was cut from the Broncos EDPS. wow what an almighty screw up "

After his performance tonight in defense/kick recovery I can see why....

I accept that we can't get JT or Cronk... I just wish the broncos saw this coming 5 yrs ago and started creating a prodigy.

Maybe they have some JT cross Scott Prince cross Benji Marshall cross Cam smith Frankenstien in their lab thats debuting next season :shock:

 

[no_try]

I thought Norman was quite good in defense last night.
Looks like he has been working on it.

 

[ponies 4ever]

Fair enough Benny Barba did have a shocker against the Panthers last night, but in all honesty, the kid has been scintillating in almost every department in 2011, hence being on the cusp of an origin start only weeks ago. The kid has pace and flair to burn.

 

[GoTheBroncs]

I'd prefer Hoffman over Barba. You know what you will get out of Hoffman. Consistent footy of pretty high quality.

 

[IBA]

Norman made 36 tackles the other night... Can't remember seeing a 5/8 do that in a while

 

[Mr Fourex]

I think he is definately our best option at the moment. He has a little seniority, is stable at the broncs, is a very good half back and he has been playing well. I hope like hell it does work out, as right now I don't see any better, available half backs for us. I'm really hoping Norman can step up...

No he's not. He's a solid halfback....only.

I think Wallace's best form that we will ever see is in the past. 2008 was a purple patch for him. We will never see that again.

I accept that we can't get JT or Cronk... I just wish the broncos saw this coming 5 yrs ago and started creating a prodigy.

I have long lamented how we let the likes of Cronk and Smith slip through our fingers. It still hurts.

Whoever decided to allow Melbourne to use Norths Devils as their feeder club has a lot to answer for.

In 2006 we were f*cking around with the likes of Brett Seymour and Shane Perry......:crazy: :crazy:

 

[IBA]

I guess it is just an agree to disagree situation. I think he is a very good half back, better than most in the competition. He isn't a superstar but I don't think we have a better option right now.

 

[Mr Fourex]

I guess it is just an agree to disagree situation. I think he is a very good half back, better than most in the competition. He isn't a superstar but I don't think we have a better option right now.

Agreed.

One reason why we should be looking.......and another reason to rue past recruitment decisions.

 

[Big Pete]

As ordinary as Wallace is he is one of the better halves in the game.

 

[ponies 4ever]

The recruitment of a player to lead us post Locky surely is a responsibility of the football department to all stakeholders (club, shareholders, fans alike) is it not ?

When certain factions decided to oust Bennett with their pearls of wisdom, they certainly seemed to have forgot one of the biggest intangibles involved, it's bad enough we punted the best coach.....ever......period ,but leaving along with it was the raft of contacts Bennett would have forged over decades in the game and his influence in not only seeing rare talent but the players who want to come and play for his teams.

On a side note when speaking of juniors, with the obvious links the Broncos have to Ipswich with Langer and the Walters boys, why the heck have they stood and let the Sydney bloody Roosters muscle in on a QLD nursery to take the likes of Martin Kennedy and Mossie Masoe. Surely the coin involved in developing a partnership with the IJRL is well within the Broncos scope and a well worthwhile investment for the club.

Pretty sad seeing QLD local juniors fields emblasoned with sydney club logos.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't begrudge the team for letting Bennett go, he'd already been a little sneaky and sorted out an offer from the Chooks and it was time to figure out the next step. Did they make the right option? In hindsight, no, because they ended up with a 3rd rate option who they had little confidence in but Bennett was always going to move on.

We've got a few Ippy juniors on our books but you're right, it's sad to see we're missing the players of that ability. O'Sullivan has always made us look a little foolish in the juniors department.