Holmsey
Bencher
If you take his speed away what does he have? Nothing, fast player but far from being a complete player, come back to me when he can tackle, is stronger and can pull off kelly passes.
James Roberts
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Watch the highlights and compare Roberts at the age of 18 with South's and Kelly at the age of 21 this year . There is no comparison to Roberts dynamic play . Roberts can change a game 100metres out with a blink of an eye .
StuBoot
Bencher
I don't remember many times we've been run down this year from a line break.
Roberts had a breakout season in 2015, his 4th in the NRL with his third club.
Ahh it's a no from me.
Kelly has played more games this year than Roberts played in his first three years and doesn't even look like putting a foot wrong discipline wise.
Catch_20_2
Reserve Grader
No doubting his abilities .... every team he's played for will attest to that. Gus waxes lyrical about what he can do on the field. Highlight tape after highlight tape shows what he can do. The facts show at NRL level, he's only lasted two years at any club - for a number of reasons. Four clubs will all guarantee what an outstanding talent he is .... but he's never lasted at any one of them (given Titans were exceptional circumstances). The Bronco's signed Jack Bird to a multi million dollar contract in preference to keeping Roberts - you have to ask why.
2012
On 25 July, Roberts was released by the Rabbitohs after breaches of his playing contract.
2014
On 14 March 2014, Roberts was released from the Panthers for off field misbehaviour and joined the Titans. On 30 October 2014, Roberts was investigated by the NRL after he was arrested for public nuisance in Surfers Paradise.
2016
On 17 August 2016, Roberts was again in trouble over another drunken incident after he allegedly abused a female bartender at the Normanby Hotel near the Brisbane CBD, when he was asked to leave by security, he was reportedly acting aggressive towards them and they were forced to put him in a "Sleep Hold" to restrain him until he was unconscious and an ambulance was called but Roberts regained consciousness and allegedly went to another pub to continue drinking for the rest of the night. On 24 August 2016, Roberts received a $20,000 fine from the NRL but escaped suspension, instead being ordered to undergo a wellbeing plan which includes community service on his days off for his public nuisance charge. In the Broncos Week 1 Elimination Finals match against the Gold Coast Titans, Roberts was placed on report for kicking Ryan Simpkins when he got up from a tackle during the Broncos 44-28 win at Suncorp Stadium. Roberts was later found guilty of the contrary conduct charge and was suspended for the do-or-die Week 2 Semi. On 30 September 2016, it was reported that Roberts was visiting Thailand with a close family friend and had checked himself into a rehabilitation facility in order 'to help him overcome multifaceted personal issues, including a battle with alcohol that has almost derailed his NRL career'. The Broncos were aware of this trip and are doing everything possible to help the 23-year-old, who has endured a troubled childhood. His manager and uncle stated 'I’m grateful for the support the Broncos have given James, and that everyone at the club cares about him as a person'.
His ability is undeniable and he can be a match winner on his day. There was one game we played against the Titans where he made our defensive line look like tissue paper. I can empathise with his troubled past and our team has a lot of second chance players who are repaying us many times over now, but he has a track record of not appearing to learn from his mistakes. We let Liam Knight go and Roberts makes him look like a saint. He reminds me a little of Ben Barba - indiscretions not as bad - but same kind of track record. Would you suggest we chase Barba as well .. maybe Todd Carney too ?
To be honest, if we take a risk on him I'll support him like I do every other Manly player. But understand you are paying a premium price for a package that may blow up in your face at any moment - and you only need to look at the damage done to the Titans and Storm to acknowledge the impact that has - on sponsors etc. I think playing for a Sydney team especially Manly he will be under pretty intense media and social scrutiny, I think much more than in a one club town like Brisbane where they can probably keep minor discretions hidden away better because of their connections.
I would like to go with stability - which is something we need at the moment after the last two off seasons where we have let something like 40 players go. While Kelly isn't as talented, I watched Ewan Aitken take him to school at Brookvale earlier this year - I'm hoping that he will blossom into a solid 1st grader and we spend our money else where.
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Hi StuBoot
You don't remember many times weve been run down this year from a line break you say ?
Well , Roberts HAS NEVER BEEN RUN DOWN IN HIS CAREER !!!
Roberts nick name is Jimmy the Jet ...
Just in case you didn't know
Taking Risks ??
Only the brave take risks
The Sharks took a risk with Ben Barber and he was responsible in tearing teams apart and helping them win their first ever grand final
There are a lot of bed press about players and there are also some good ones to balance things out ......
The evolution of James Roberts
Fri 21 Apr, 2017, 6:00am
By Eden Richards, Queensland Correspondent, NRL.com
Brisbane Broncos teammate David Mead has been amazed by what he has seen from Roberts since arriving at the club in the off-season, astonished by his turnaround off the field.
Mead played with Roberts at the Gold Coast Titans from 2014-2015 before linking up with him at the Broncos this year, but that Roberts from the Titans days was a different person to the one Mead plays with now.
Their time together on the Gold Coast saw Roberts involved in one of a few off-field incidents, with the star centre being arrested for public nuisance during a night out in Surfers Paradise late in 2014.
Before that, Roberts was released from the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a breach of his playing contract in 2012, and this was followed by a release from the Penrith Panthers in 2014 for off-field misbehaviour.
This brought him to the Titans for the next two seasons before he arrived at Red Hill in 2016 to be coached by Wayne Bennett.
Following another incident at the end of 2016, Roberts decided to take responsibility for his actions.
With the support of the Broncos, Roberts checked himself into a rehabilitation centre to help him overcome multifaceted personal issues.
It was a step in the right direction for Roberts who did something so many young men struggle to do – seek help.
It's a decision that has paid dividends on and off the field, with Roberts equal top try-scorer in the NRL and the happiest he's ever been.
It's evident at Brisbane's training sessions, with smiles and laughter coming from a man who looked a shadow of himself just 12 months ago.
Titans fullback Tyrone Roberts spoke of the change he has seen in his cousin.
"He's in a great place. His head's right and he's fit," Tyrone Roberts said.
"His family is there. It's the best I've seen him.
"We're all happy for him. He's enjoying it and loving football. I'm just happy that he's in a good headspace."
Brisbane teammate Matt Gillett has watched 'Jimmy the Jet' develop into a world-class footballer, and the two shared a special moment on Friday night when they single-handedly got the Broncos over the line against the Gold Coast Titans.
Trailing 22-20 with three minutes to go, Gillett charged down a clearing Kane Elgey kick, with the second-row forward recovering the ball 40m from the try line.
He passed to Roberts who had rushed up in support, with the lightening quick centre then beating three defenders to score and win Brisbane the game.
For Gillett this extra effort from Roberts was proof of the change in attitude he has made in recent times.
The extra hard work, determination and heart all showed in that one play, and that made Gillett proud to call Roberts a teammate.
"His transformation over the last few months has been incredible. He has a bit of a troubled past but that is the past," Gillett said.
"What Jimmy is doing now is great. He's doing a great job for himself and it's showing both on and off the footy field.
"He has the right people around him and his footy is showing that. He had his best game against the Titans.
"If he keeps that up with hard work then he'll be a great player for us going into the future. We are around here to support him and that's what the club's about."
The club has done wonders for Roberts, offering support services to help him continue to develop on and off the field.
The Broncos have always stood by their centre, through both the good and the bad times, and sometimes this unbridled support is all someone needs to turn their life around.
"I think he's changed a lot as a person," Mead said.
"We have some great staff at the club who are looking after Jimmy, especially our welfare officer Adam Walsh who has taken him under his wing and looked after him.
"Jimmy has grown into a leader, especially on the field. The talk and experience he brings is invaluable for the team."
He was one of the reasons why I signed. It was nice to know Jimmy was here."
patorick2010
Mr BPD
Stick with Kelly. Better, tougher, more reliable and cheaper.
StuBoot
Bencher
Bozo, I know what his nickname is, it's a wank nickname that Vossy loves to use to make him sound exciting. I get that he's fast but it's not like we are lacking in speed, I just don't get the jizzfest that is Jimmy the jet.
I'd prefer a hard nosed footballer - ask yourself honestly, would you have swapped Matai, Killa, Robbo, Wolfie for Roberts?
As per the other post above, his off field indiscretions clinch the deal for me anyway.
Catch_20_2
Reserve Grader
Why didn't the Broncos keep him then ?
From the Courier mail
Broncos fight to keep Roberts
BRISBANE speed demon James Roberts has become the most in-demand centre in the NRL
Brother , We don't have a Matai Killa Robbo or Wolfie any more and our depth for speedy backs is low .
Catch_20_2
Reserve Grader
Plenty of cheap buys out there that are returning big dividends for their clubs .... Crichton, Cotric, etc. I'd take either of them over JJ any day.
I hope we do sign some speedy backs because our depth is low
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manlyfan76
There is no A.I. Just better computers
We have scored the MOST long range trys in the competition this year.
yokahontas
Bencher
Dude, settle down. Nobody is denying Roberts has S-P-E-E-D, it's his penchant for C-O-K-E and being a tool that's the reason people don't want him at Manly.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion as much as you are, even if we don't punctuate everything with random hyphens and weird pictures
HoldenV8
Journey Man
Just on that point.....while true, its also true to say that a few times if the run had been 10 metres longer (often his long runs are about 70 metres at best), he would have been caught.
In the World Club Series against Warrington, Wolves centre Rhys Evans came from the far side of the field and almost ran him down on the line. If he'd been on the same side of the field he would have had him by 20 metres out. And in the game earlier this year against Melbourne when Roberts took an intercept, Addo-Carr was taking metres off him in a 70 metre run. He started about 10 behind (and had to turn and chase) and almost had him on the line. I know carrying the ball slows you down a bit, but Addo-Carr took around 8-9 metres off him and Evans took more than that.
I know that they didn't run him down, but the fact is that both Evans and Addo-Carr showed that "Jimmy the Jet" isn't as fast as some fans and the media make him out to be.
Roberts is fast over the first 40 or 50, probably faster than anyone in top level rugby league over those distances. After that though he starts to die in the arse, its just that usually by then he's gapped his chasers and they've backed right off. But over the full length of the field he's not the fastest in the game.
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| Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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10 | 9 | 1 | 124 | 20 |
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10 | 8 | 2 | 81 | 18 |
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10 | 7 | 3 | 70 | 16 |
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10 | 7 | 3 | 69 | 16 |
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11 | 7 | 4 | 59 | 14 |
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10 | 6 | 4 | -10 | 14 |
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11 | 6 | 5 | 107 | 12 |
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11 | 6 | 5 | -9 | 12 |
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10 | 5 | 5 | -56 | 12 |
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11 | 5 | 5 | 30 | 11 |
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10 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 10 |
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11 | 5 | 6 | -12 | 10 |
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11 | 4 | 6 | -7 | 9 |
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10 | 3 | 7 | -103 | 8 |
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10 | 2 | 8 | -81 | 6 |
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10 | 2 | 8 | -91 | 6 |
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10 | 1 | 9 | -186 | 4 |
