Latest Rumours

[aegean]

WB spoke about Illias future at Souths not too long ago and mentioned him at 9. That would put Ryan Gray behind 3 other players. Extremely unlikely him being called upon in 2025.

There are more variables than that. There could be an injury to Dodd in the halves which means that Humphries or Ilias is playing seven in first grade.

 

[Bruster]

There are more variables than that. There could be an injury to Dodd in the halves which means that Humphries or Ilias is playing seven in first grade.

Yes I am aware of that, especially after the injuries this season. You put PM and Humphreys infront of RG for the 9 spot. I think that since Wayne mentioned it, Illias is also ahead of RG for the 9 spot. I would throw Liva in as well. It's just my opinion but RG is 5th in the que for the 9 spot and unless we have an injury season like this year, unlikely to be called upon.

 

[Bruster]

Starting, interchange. No real difference anymore.

PM has 25 NRL starts plus 10 Internationals for Greece.

From what I have seen it's usually the starting 9 that gets the lions share of time. Like 60 mins to 20 mins. I would rather have an 80 min 9 like Cook then the interchange spot can be used for a backrower or prop.

 

[olBj]

There are more variables than that. There could be an injury to Dodd in the halves which means that Humphries or Ilias is playing seven in first grade.

To be frank,as far as hooker and halves go, I am confident that we will end up with great 6,7,9,14 with backup ... AND if reports about Trell are true, we coold be looking at a truly elite spine for the coming years.
Sure Trell and Cody and Illias have had their critics, but I think deep down, we all want to forgive and forget and just want them all to gel ..that would be their greatest gift to WB and co...imo

 

[olBj]

From what I have seen it's usually the starting 9 that gets the lions share of time. Like 60 mins to 20 mins. I would rather have an 80 min 9 like Cook then the interchange spot can be used for a backrower or prop.

I sort of agree with that, but if we are looking at an 80 minute 9, I dont think PM is in that space...at least not yet anyway.

 

[Bruster]

I sort of agree with that, but if we are looking at an 80 minute 9, I dont think PM is in that space...at least not yet anyway.

I don't think he is at this point either, but in 2025, he gets his best shot to make the spot his. At this point he is probably our best 9, just in front of Humphreys. It will be interesting to see how Wayne uses the bench rotation and if he wants to carry 2 hookers with an outside back or stick mostly forwards.

 

[olBj]

I don't think he is at this point either, but in 2025, he gets his best shot to make the spot his. At this point he is probably our best 9, just in front of Humphreys. It will be interesting to see how Wayne uses the bench rotation and if he wants to carry 2 hookers with an outside back or stick mostly forwards.

I cant mount a solid case against him for sure ... just feelings at this stage...

 

[Rabbits21]

I don't think he is at this point either, but in 2025, he gets his best shot to make the spot his. At this point he is probably our best 9, just in front of Humphreys. It will be interesting to see how Wayne uses the bench rotation and if he wants to carry 2 hookers with an outside back or stick mostly forwards.

I think we will start the year with 2 hookers. Whether that happens every week and going into the second half of the season I have no idea. Wayne will have a plan. But I do not think Pete or Humphreys can handle 80mins regularly at 9 at this level.

 

[Rabbits21]

Manly are considering making a play for Gold Coast’s Tanah Boyd, a move that could result in the playmaker auditioning as the long-term successor to Daly Cherry-Evans.

Boyd is contracted until the end of 2025, but the Titans have granted him permission to immediately explore other options given the club has halves Kieran Foran, Jayden Campbell, AJ Brimson and Carter Gordon at their disposal.

SMH

 

[Pplspoet]

I think we will start the year with 2 hookers. Whether that happens every week and going into the second half of the season I have no idea. Wayne will have a plan. But I do not think Pete or Humphreys can handle 80mins regularly at 9 at this level.

This seems a no brainer, but I think for the sake of interchange we might see a more even share of time.

With a dominant 9 like Cook last year, the temptation is to use 2 interchanges so you can finish your game with the starter. And 2 interchanges for a hooking replacement hurts.

A single swap at some point in the game feels more manageable.

Perhaps either side of half time depending how the game is going defensively.

Unless they decide to leverage Havili from the bench, so an interchange that can the shift to prop once their done at 9.

 

[brendan299]

This seems a no brainer, but I think for the sake of interchange we might see a more even share of time.

With a dominant 9 like Cook last year, the temptation is to use 2 interchanges so you can finish your game with the starter. And 2 interchanges for a hooking replacement hurts.

A single swap at some point in the game feels more manageable.

Perhaps either side of half time depending how the game is going defensively.

Unless they decide to leverage Havili from the bench, so an interchange that can the shift to prop once their done at 9.

I dont think it will hurt us too much if we have Murray, Keaon and Arrow punching out big minutes.

 

[Pplspoet]

I dont think it will hurt us too much if we have Murray, Keaon and Arrow punching out big minutes.

We had those guys this year and I feel we struggled to get the timing on the 2 hooker rotation right.

Interchanges are a finite resource.

Plus, I think I’m right in saying that every team that made week 1 of the finals this year had an 80 minute hooker?

For sides like the Broncos, Parra and Raiders who utilise a hooking rotation, did they generally make 1 change or 2?

 

[Bruster]

Much as I dislike using a bench spot for a hooker, but with the speed of the ruck now I can see the advantage of it. Over this offseason either PM or Humphreys will have to merge as the dominant hooker. Whoever that is, at this stage probably PM, will play 60 mins and start the game. Humphreys will then play the last 20 where a fresh dummy half can do some damage and also to use up only one interchange. This is where Liva is an advantage off the bench as he can join the prop rotation as well as rest our starting hooker, even in the middle of the game if needed. I still vote for an 80 min hooker though.

 

[Kent Brockman]

It’s pretty obvious Madge won 21 with us members and fans will always have a soft spot for Madge he came into our club wasn’t it at start of 2012 what a difference he made he will be in South Sydney folklore forever we are all so thankful to Madge. Comparing their demises for mine you can’t compare the 2 it’s stupid Madge is twice the coach JD will ever be and it’s not even close.

Of course Madge should be spoken up I think he will do well with the Broncos I think he will get the best out of that playing squad with his coaching style.

I agree with R95 points on the severe injuries we had in 2016 and 17 to people forget that. If we could ever have JD or Madge back I would take Madge in a heartbeat.

I'll have to check but my memory is we just missed the 8 on both occasions, and our form in the last 6 weeks of the regular season was very good. No one would have wanted to play us in the finals

 

[Duff]

I'll have to check but my memory is we just missed the 8 on both occasions, and our form in the last 6 weeks of the regular season was very good. No one would have wanted to play us in the finals

Your memory is a little off mate.

We lost our last 2 in 2017, we won only 9 games all season, and a team that had these players -

Cody Walker, Campbell Graham (albeit very young), John Sutton, Adam Reynolds, but more importantly, a forward pack of - Tom Burgess, Damien Cook, Zane Musgrove, Sam Burgess, Angus Chricton, Cam Murray with George Burgess on the bench got 64 put on us in the penultimate round of the competition proper. Conceding 11 tries along the way. Yes it was against Melbourne, but it was a dead-set embarrassment.

The players had stopped buying into Madge.

I'm forver grateful for 2014, I think he was one of the major catalysts for the club turning the corner from the laughing stock we were, and is still one of the major reasons we were attractive enough for Wayne Bennett to want to come back here, but let's not kid ourselves.

Injuries or not, 2016 and 2017 were disgraceful and his time with us was up.

Wish him a great life, but nothing but pain coaching the broncos.