2017 Brisbane Broncos Thread - we hate them for their freedom

Dip wrote:Fox reporting Jack Bird has signed a 3 year $2.1m contract with Bennett planning to play him at lock.

I read he was guaranteed a spine position

No Worries wrote:

I read he was guaranteed a spine position

Yeah weird. Everything I heard in the last week has been that he wants to play 5/8 to get his hands on the ball more. Then fox has quotes from Bennett saying something along the lines of "Moving Milford from 5/8 hasn't been part of my thinking". You wouldn't think Hooker or Half suit Bird, and I can't see Boyd being anything other than Fullback or 5/8, so that doesn't seem consistent with the discussions of the last week.

Maybe Bennett intends to play him in a Bryce Cartwright type of role (only Bird can tackle). Or maybe Supercoach is lying. Who knows. Apparently Kahu is close to resigning also, so I wouldn't be surprised if Roberts is not resigned when his contract is up.

The other left field possibility is that Milford is not going to be resigned. Talk was he was offered a $900K/Yr contract. Maybe instead of Bird and Milf in the halves, they intend to use Bird and another half, and use the savings from Milf elsewhere. The headline would then presumably be "Milf dumped for a younger Bird".

Gutted. This supercedes TPeachey and TFrizell as players lost from the Sharks in recent times. Pissed off here.

Dip wrote:

Yeah weird. Everything I heard in the last week has been that he wants to play 5/8 to get his hands on the ball more. Then fox has quotes from Bennett saying something along the lines of "Moving Milford from 5/8 hasn't been part of my thinking". You wouldn't think Hooker or Half suit Bird, and I can't see Boyd being anything other than Fullback or 5/8, so that doesn't seem consistent with the discussions of the last week.

Maybe Bennett intends to play him in a Bryce Cartwright type of role (only Bird can tackle). Or maybe Supercoach is lying. Who knows. Apparently Kahu is close to resigning also, so I wouldn't be surprised if Roberts is not resigned when his contract is up.

The other left field possibility is that Milford is not going to be resigned. Talk was he was offered a $900K/Yr contract. Maybe instead of Bird and Milf in the halves, they intend to use Bird and another half, and use the savings from Milf elsewhere. The headline would then presumably be "Milf dumped for a younger Bird".

So MILF is suppose to be on $200K a year more, you would say he doesn't move. Don't really see Bird as a 1/2. Only leaves hooker and fullback, and unless the prodigal son is rootin Bennett's ex missus, it only leaves hooker. Or is it Lockyer mark 2 - Boyd to 5/8, fullback to 5/8, MILF to half and Bird to fullback ?

I reckon Bird plays like Bryce Cartwright, and the props are told not to get in the way like Paul Gallen does.

The rich get richer hey.

Amazing.

I"ll state up front that I have no idea how it's going to pan out.

But... thinking on Boyd - he's got a good passing game, and a number of players have mentioned in interviews he's an organiser, barking instructions, etc, etc.

I get the "Lockyer mkII" tag will be hard to avoid, but he's got the skills to transition to the halves. On top of which, since his spectacular character resurrection, he's shown the temperament needed to lead on the field. Kicking would be the biggest unknown, for me.

Beginning to think a move to the halves wouldn't be unreasonable. Not saying it's a lock, or that he'll do well there, but.......

Souths getting absolutely Anus raped by the refs tonight

I said earlier this year when we lost to the Cowboys and Storm that we'd play worse than that and win this year. Well the last 2 weeks we've done just that. Gee we had to get bloody lucky both weeks though.

Pieman wrote:Souths getting absolutely Anus raped by the refs tonight

How? On fields were fine and bunker couldn't have stepped through his decisions any more clearly.

Sims decision was clearly correct though probably a shit rule. Same with the Moga try. Milford knocked on before the field goal. Burgess was definitely "active" in Souths disallowed try in the first half. If only the Origin video ref knew the rule properly when a Jennings did that in Origin last year. I can live with McCullough's no try being overturned though on another day they'll go with the on field call there.

The Godwin no try was correct, but I do think it's a shit rule that a penalty overrides a knock on when when it is not a penalty that can cause injury like a high tackle. While I'm comfortable in the no try ruling I'd prefer they played the first infringement of the Mead knock on and Souths getting the feed. In this case Roberts couldn't even play at the ball since he was offside.

Moga try - Milf is 100% held.
Milf field goal, knocked on.

Couple of other ones.

Pieman wrote:Souths getting absolutely Anus raped by the refs tonight

For once they went our way that's as rare as seeing Loch Nessy

Pieman wrote:Moga try - Milf is 100% held.
Milf field goal, knocked on.

Couple of other ones.

I think this is another example of a shit rule but probably the correct interpretation. Every game players get as long as they want to try and ground the ball and the ref should call held earlier. BUT, if you are going to rule that they can keep trying to ground the ball then you are really saying the tackle isn't complete yet, so you must be able to pass the ball as well. If they rule held up then the play is dead and the ball being lost is inconsequential as they'd be on their way back to the 10m line for the play the ball.

I see where people have a problem with it, but video refs have always given players an eternity to try and ground the ball when being held up in goal, it gets raked out by a Souths player in the struggle, play on, fair try.

the knock-on is a bit more dubious, but his right hand never actually leaves the ball, not well versed enough to know what that means for a ruling.

should note that i'd prolly be a bit more sympathetic if it was any team but Souths, i haven't forgotten how far Rusty's millions got them with the referees in the years leading up to their premiership win.

It'll be lost in the controversy, but how tasty were Boyd's try assists to Oates. They were footy at its best.

Apperantly Klein starting going to the video ref before mogo even scored haha. Which I'm sure would make what ever happens after that null and void

I don't understand how a fullback diving out of their own in goal is held with a finger touching him but
Milford being held on the ground by 3 guys is play on, terrible call imo

Ditto the milf knock on, think all the close calls before that were right but those 2 were really poor and certainly had a big say In the result

If i was on the other end of those calls tonight i would be absolutely fuming. Especially the field goal. Ill take the 2 points and run.

^this

Exactly @B/L @mearcats

Those 2 calls in particular were terrible IMO.
Milf was clearly held then he chucks it out the back, you watch that in real time and its a penalty.
I thought that was pretty obviously a knock on. But again, refs too scared to make the right call when the game is on the line.

Also, what was with the Korbin sims try?