DeVere making comeback with Broncos?!

[melon]

I certainly hope this comes to fruition.

Hodges, Hunt, Lockyer, Wallace, Folau, DeVere....WOOO BABY!



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

by Wayne Heming
AAP
</span>Brisbane is angling to re-ignite the NRL career of one of it's favourite players with former Australian centre Michael DeVere keen to pull on a Broncos jumper again in 2009.

Two weeks after ex-Kiwis star Stacey Jones announced he was coming out of retirement to rejoin the NZ Warriors, Brisbane chief executive Bruno Cullen is in crucial talks with NRL salary cap commissioner Ian Schubert about adding DeVere to his club's playing roster.

"I'm keen to play if the body holds up," said DeVere at Brisbane's first official training on Monday.

"I've got the desire back. Age is not a factor, I'm only three months older than Darren Lockyer."

DeVere, a fitness devotee, would be a wonderful asset for the Broncos during Origin time or if representative centre Justin Hodges was slow recovering from major off-season shoulder surgery.

With winger Darius Boyd following coach Wayne Bennett to St George for next season, DeVere could join an exciting Brisbane backline already boosted by the arrival of Israel Folau.

Folau is set to form a lethal right side combination with Queensland Origin teammate Justin Hodges.

Talented youngster Steve Michaels, recovering well from knee and wrist surgeries, and DeVere could form a defensive left side partnership in a back unit capped by halves Lockyer and Peter Wallace and classy fullback Karmichael Hunt.

DeVere left the Broncos in 2004 as the club's leading all-time scorer with 1,082 points from 64 tries and 413 goals, a mark since overtaken by Lockyer who recently celebrated 300 games.

A member of three premiership-winning sides in 1997 (Super League), 1998 and 2000, he was widely regarded as one of the best defensive centres in the world.

He played five State of Origins for NSW and four Tests for Australia.

Injury forced him back home after Huddersfield lost the Challenge Cup Final 42-12 to St Helens in 2006 and earlier this year he took up an offer to join Henjak's elite coaching roster because he always wanted to return to the Broncos who gave him his start after he wrote a letter to Bennett.

Bennett rated DeVere among the most committed trainers and most professional players he coached in his 21 years at the club.

"Nothing is set in concrete with Mick, we've have to work through the salary cap to see if it's possible but just having him around the players is fantastic," said coach Ivan Henjak.

"What he brought to this club we probably haven't seen since he left, his professionalism, his character and all the good examples he set.

"Hopefully we can work something out about him playing and if we can it will be a huge bonus for us."[/b]

 

[QLD]

This would be a great pickup for a few reasons.

Given Hunt will get injured and Hodges probably suspended lol and with those two, Lockyer, Wallace, Folau (just from the backs alone) on origin duty our backs would take a hammering through origin like it has previous years. Its a short term problem for our goal kicking. We've struggled for a goalkicker ever since he left, a bit like we've struggled for a halfback since Allan Langer left, another simililarity to that if Alfie come back from England for a year in 2002 and De Veres coming back for a year. Ennis was the goalkicker but he was pretty inconsistent and when injured Parker/Lockyer took them but they arent great goalkickers.. hopefully De Vere still has his touch. For someone from NSW, he sure does love the club after they gave him a chance in first grade afterall. The chance to play with the star studded backline the Broncos have atm plus the signing of Folau is a definete appeal for anyone. If we have more luck with injuries, added with the signing of Ben Teo and Lagi Setu, I think its safe to say Broncos will be in the top 8 for another season to come continuing our record streak of consecutive finals series appearances. Whether we're a threat to the premiership or top 4 material I'm not quite sure, we really need a decent prop to come through now Hannants leaving and we're still missing the presence of Civoniceva.

I'm really looking forward to some of the u20 blokes rising through the ranks next year. Watch out for the hooker, and a winger called Yoh Yea. oh and another talent called Ben Hunt, u20 Toyota cup player of the year, more unbelievable that hes only turned 18 this year.