Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[TIGERS]

Agree 100%. I too still have nightmares about Farah insisting he should feed the scrum against the Chooks in 2010 semi. Threw it carelessly into a tangle of legs and lost the scrum!! He had one job - 35 seconds to go - don’t lose the scrum. And yet he did. And then blamed everyone else.

He did it again 12 months later against the Warriors. We were leading by 2 points with 2 mins to go in the semi and on the last tackle instead of kicking to their try line he ran a blind side play and got caught with the ball on half way line. I was at the game and everyone was screaming “kick it! Kick it!” So stupid. Just super dumb - total lack of smart leadership. So instead of having to run it from their own try line the Warriors got the ball on halfway and scored and we lost another unlosable game - all because of Farah.

Robbie’s brain melts under pressure. Always did. Yet he never took responsibility. He lost us 2 premierships. We should have won both 2010 and 2011.

Always? Does putting Boof through in the Grand Final mean anything to you?

 

[liltiger]

Yep but likely a termination fee will be negotiated. Bateman doesn't want to be here as much as the club doesn't want him. Bateman (or Moses) will say you owe my client 1.3mil. Richo will say if I'm going to pay that he can come play Reggie's. They'll agree on a value somewhere in the middle which will be included in the cap.

I'm assuming that would free up a top 30 spot.

 

[liltiger]

Defending alongside Doueihi?

What defence

 

[Moh]

Not that I think he's a chance here - but FWIW, I wouldn't go anywhere near Cobbo.

His heart isn't in it.

 

[diedpretty]

Don't see if Bateman doesn't find another club, how we're not stuck with him. Unless we just pay out his contract and release him. I'd assume in that scenario unless a third party provides the money his 1.3 million will come off our cap over the next 2 years.

He is 31. Maybe we should setup his transition to retirement plan and get half of that off the books.

 

[user118245]

He is 31. Maybe we should setup his transition to retirement plan and get half of that off the books.

Offer him a scouting role in England he’ll love it, think he’ll take that as scouting out ladies fresh out the plastic surgery office tho

 

[crazycat]

It is Brisbane so i am sure that the NRL will continue to give them a sweetheart deal just like they do with their games being on a friday night and the magic weekend always being an away game for them giving them an extra home game each year.The NRL will look after them

Heck, our own government gives money direct to the Broncos and Cowboys.
"NIAA gave $8.2 million to the AFL, $17.4 million to the Brisbane Broncos, $5 million to the (North Queensland) Cowboys, and $11 million to the NRL;" Quote Lidia Thorpe.

Lidia Thorpe questions $41million in federal Indigenous funding given to AFL and NRL

Senator Lidia Thorpe has shone a spotlight on more than $41 million in funding from the National Indigenous Australians Agency being given to the AFL and NRL.At a Senate Estimates hearing this week th...

nit.com.au

You have clubs like Souths and to a far lesser extent WT who really do some good engagement. Yet the Donkeys get direct funding and more then the Entire NRL!


TLDR, ofcourse the Donkeys have an unfair advantage.

 

[crazycat]

That's a fair assessment too.

I don't remember this being an issue prior to 2024, at least not at the level we have now.

I still believe better players around poor defenders, with an emphasis of removing the hero-ball mentality, would disguise the issue.

It's not as if every club has 17 great defenders on the field at any one time. You just can't have 5 guys manning one side of the field all playing different defensive reads, as it often feels like.

Agreed,

Although Doueihi's defense was ALWAYS an issue. 2022 it was mentioned quite heavily and he was clearly worse the Brooks who had improved a lot in that respect.

(sticking with AD).

His tackle count was actually quite good (75). But his missed tackles, 15 in 7 games is far too high.
Plus 11 errors. AD is no longer a Junior player. He has played enough first grade.

Our entire team needs to tighten and AD really is just too error prone. We can't carry him and he doesn't offer the try scoring power of Turuva or Bula which justifies us carrying him.

 

[king_sirro]

Agreed,

Although Doueihi's defense was ALWAYS an issue. 2022 it was mentioned quite heavily and he was clearly worse the Brooks who had improved a lot in that respect.

(sticking with AD).

His tackle count was actually quite good (75). But his missed tackles, 15 in 7 games is far too high.
Plus 11 errors. AD is no longer a Junior player. He has played enough first grade.

Our entire team needs to tighten and AD really is just too error prone. We can't carry him and he doesn't offer the try scoring power of Turuva or Bula which justifies us carrying him.

More significant than his missed tackles is the ones that don't get recorded. The total misreads in defence where he doesn't get close to the ball carrier to miss a tackle. His deliberate shooting out of the line into open air literally invites the opposition to run through.

 

[Spartan117]

That makes sense except Ezra is still on their cap.

But hey the Throughbreds will work out some kickbacks for Hunt.

Very True CCat, They need the veteran half to help out Reynolds.

 

[batboy]

More significant than his missed tackles is the ones that don't get recorded. The total misreads in defence where he doesn't get close to the ball carrier to miss a tackle. His deliberate shooting out of the line into open air literally invites the opposition to run through.

The use of the word deliberate interests me....

His reads can very often be that Poor when he shoots out (For a supposed half)
that it looks like he's intentionally running into space to avoid the tackle....
Of course, You'd have to think that would not be a reality....
But it's certainly how it looks.

 

[2041]

Could we somehow orchestrate a loan deal for Sullivan for 2025? Create a spot, free up $500K for the year and put him in the shop window?

I would have thought the last thing we'd want is for anyone to see him play. He took about $50k a year off his market value with every first grade appearance last season. 😱

 

[king_sirro]

The use of the word deliberate interests me....

His reads can very often be that Poor when he shoots out (For a supposed half)
that it looks like he's intentionally running into space to avoid the tackle....
Of course, You'd have to think that would not be a reality....
But it's certainly how it looks.

It has to be deliberate. He can't possibly be that dumb

 

[Curly_Tiger]

That makes sense except Ezra is still on their cap.

But hey the Throughbreds will work out some kickbacks for Hunt.

Im pretty Sure that Ben Hunt will be announced V Soon to rejoin the Broncos.

Ezra will be away from NRL for ages and deservedly so

Say Ezra is out for half the season does Hunt for two years make sense?
Replacement for Reynolds next season?
Interesting strategy given he’s older than Reynolds
I wouldn’t do it if I was the Broncs

 

[The Chad]

I reckon Hunt goes to the Dolphins.

I'd watch out for the Dolphins if he's there.

 

[Vicious]

Left field idea … we target Teig Wilton from Sharks for ‘26 onwards. Once he agrees, we offer Bateman as immediate swap with some cream on top in terms of $$$.

Sharks may be inclined to do that as they would get Bateman for 2 years rather than Wilton for 1, with Sharks in their premiership window.

I don’t think a coach like Craig Fitzgibbon would have any interest in John Bateman even if he played for free.
The fact virtually no club has any interest in him even at 350k with us contributing 300k says it all.
In saying that we desperately need to sign a good quality edge back rower for 2026 and Teig Wilton is virtually the only one that we might be able to sign without breaking the bank.
I still think we would have to offer around 600k to be a realistic chance of signing him and the question is can he play just as well on the right to allow Samuela to remain on the left ?
All in all Wilton fits the description of what we need, someone who can play on an edge, runs good lines, is big enough and mobile enough to break tackles, make line breaks score tries, while also being a good reliable defender.

 

[tigertragic]

I think we can only hope Bateman moves on and we free up a spot and $300,000, that we could possibly use to get Kobe H
and rely on and quality 2nd rower arriving in 2026. I’m sure there will be pay outs to free up a spot for Sione F

 

[Needaname]

don’t be surprised if Brisbane have to shed a player to fit Hunt in.

he can take a paycut all he likes, but the NRL determines a value of a player and that is the figure that is attributed to a club’s cap, not how much he is paid.

Ben Hunt is worth $700k at least, not $500k, which is roughly how much Brisbane have to spare currently.

I think there’s still a chance @teddy23 ’s rumour comes to fruition and Madge opts to swap Hetherington for Bateman at half price to give them an additional $200k to get Hunt across the line.

Half their Roster is uncontracted at the end of the 2025. They’ll be fine with cap money.
They have currently 5 halves + 2 Utility’s in Walters and Paix in their top 30. That’s almost a 3rd of their squad in halves / utilities.
Including Hunt will make this total to 10 halves utilities.
They are not moving on any forwards!

 

[Tucker]

Left field idea … we target Teig Wilton from Sharks for ‘26 onwards. Once he agrees, we offer Bateman as immediate swap with some cream on top in terms of $$$.

Sharks may be inclined to do that as they would get Bateman for 2 years rather than Wilton for 1, with Sharks in their premiership window.

If I was in a premiership window I’d want Wilton on squad

 

[Needaname]

I don’t think a coach like Craig Fitzgibbon would have any interest in John Bateman even if he played for free.
The fact virtually no club has any interest in him even at 350k with us contributing 300k says it all.
In saying that we desperately need to sign a good quality edge back rower for 2026 and Teig Wilton is virtually the only one that we might be able to sign without breaking the bank.
I still think we would have to offer around 600k to be a realistic chance of signing him and the question is can he play just as well on the right to allow Samuela to remain on the left ?
All in all Wilton fits the description of what we need, someone who can play on an edge, runs good lines, is big enough and mobile enough to break tackles, make line breaks score tries, while also being a good reliable defender.

I would be looking to move Samuela to the right to continue the combination with Galvin.