PRE-GAME [Round 11, 2022] Knights vs Broncos

[BroncosFever]

Alright, updated head-to-head:

1. Ponga (Knights) (purely based on reputation and that once every two months great game and you know he'll pull it out tonight)
2. Oates (Broncos) (he's in origin form, good luck Edrick)
3. Staggs (Broncos) (let's be honest, Gags is a gun but he is showing serious signs of wear and tear and might be underdone and Staggs is in ominous form)
4. Best (Knights) (I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible, personally I think Herbie is neck-a-neck here but Best is also a gun - the centre battles will be great out there tonight, four really, really good ones)
5. Cobbo (Broncos) (I don't know here because obviously Cobbo is a freak but although far less plaudited, so too is Young, I really, really, really rate both kids and hey, with Young and Farnworth, England are starting to have two amazingly gifted young backs to call on)
6. Milford (Knights) (again I'm trying to be unbiased because the reality is, Milford is a FAR better player than Gamble based on talent but Gamble is a FAR better player than Milford based on effort and I feel putting Milf over Gamble is a bit unfair but it is what it is)
7. Reynolds (Broncos) (it isn't even close)
8. Klemmer (Knights) (Jensen is having a wow of a season but Klemmer is proven and is still pulling out consistent strong games, no idea why he isn't getting a look in for NSW either, he is a great player but this is closer than you would have thought at the start of the season)
9. Walters (Broncos) (this is a toss of the coin really, neither of them are much to write home about but I really like how Billson has been growing into the role)
10. Haas (Broncos) (Saifiti is good of course but Haas is on another level to almost every other middle in the game)
11. Capewell (I am putting up again Fitzgibbon but again, both backrows are solid and Capes has the runs on the board)
12. Frizell (Knights) (Frizell at his best is on another level to every other second rower on the field including Capes but how close to his best is he coming back from injury?)
13. Carrigan (Broncos) (he is in career best form and has a Qld jersey with his name on it, having an amazing return from injury)

14. Paix (Broncos) (he is impressing more and more each game and offers spark off the bench we haven't really had since Segeyaro or even Berrigan years ago)
15. Flegler (Broncos) (it isn't even close when you have a Qld level forward on the bench in great form)
16. Hetherington (Broncos) (this kid's trajectory is great and he has been hurting blokes all season long, highlighted by his work over of Murray a couple of weeks back)
17. Saifiti (Knight) (just trying to be unbiased because I think Palasia is better but trying to be fair here and Saifiti is ok)

Broncos take it 10-7 but some of those are a real roll of the dice.

So clearly, the exciting battles are in the centres, Cobbo and Young plus the backrowers. In the middles and bench, we have a distinct advantage and on the back of that, it should be enough for Reynolds to once again capitalise but will complacency be a factor?

Interesting thoughts, I couldn't come into your reasoning for Milford though.

His talent has hit it's ceiling and now he needs to work hard to get to the next level and with us, he proved that he's not prepared to do that. If you loaded up youtube and he has just signed for your club, you'd be entitled to think you just signed a genuine match winner but we as Bronco fans all know he's not that.

He's not the kid who dazzled us with his footwork anymore, he needs to evolve into a smarter player and a harder working player. He never did that.

 

[bazza]

I sometimes like browsing through the opposition's forums. Poor bastards think Milford is there saviour

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS V BRISBANE BRONCOS Thurs. 19th 7:50 PM EAS Newcastle

marathonstadium.com

He could be if him being there gets O'Brien sacked.

 

[Huge]

The wolves come out when the team is losing, they are more accepting of a mediocre performance when we're winning.

If we lose tonight, half the team will be on notice, the supercoaches on BHQ won't stand for it.

Having said all of that, no I don't rate RK. He's a bench/depth option at best.

Yes, as I said, he's done his job. Still, good enough to play first grade for a high quality nrl team and likely to again. Might get picked for Origin

 

[lynx000]

Milford has not played a game for 7 months. We simply must direct as much traffic at him as early as possible and we will exhaust him. This will help nullify his attack. Plus, as he gets tired there is more prospect of a wide forward or a centre slipping past him to open up a scoring opportunity.

I will be really suprised if he sees out the game without a break.

 

[BroncosFever]

Milford has not played a game for 7 months. We simply must direct as much traffic at him as early as possible and we will exhaust him. This will help nullify his attack. Plus, as he gets tired there is more prospect of a wide forward or a centre slipping past him to open up a scoring opportunity.

I will be really suprised if he sees out the game without a break.

I dare say strategy #1 would be to run an edge backrower at Milford.

Won't need many tricky over the top kicks tonight.

 

[bazza]

I hope Milford is defending on Staggs' edge. If we don't get to witness Staggs launch Milford into orbit, like Yow Yeh on Marshall, I'm gonna be disappointed. Hopefully Staggs destroys their left edge defence, which will then hopefully force O'Brien to switch Milford to the right hand side, only for Gamble to taunt him for the rest of the game.

 

[Huge]

Milford has not played a game for 7 months. We simply must direct as much traffic at him as early as possible and we will exhaust him. This will help nullify his attack. Plus, as he gets tired there is more prospect of a wide forward or a centre slipping past him to open up a scoring opportunity.

I will be really suprised if he sees out the game without a break.

Same thoughts really. Milford will be quicker than when we last saw him but that won't last long if we've worked him over from the start. He looks quite a few kilos lighter which doesn't help his pitiful defence.

 

[Sproj]

Interesting thoughts, I couldn't come into your reasoning for Milford though.

His talent has hit it's ceiling and now he needs to work hard to get to the next level and with us, he proved that he's not prepared to do that. If you loaded up youtube and he has just signed for your club, you'd be entitled to think you just signed a genuine match winner but we as Bronco fans all know he's not that.

He's not the kid who dazzled us with his footwork anymore, he needs to evolve into a smarter player and a harder working player. He never did that.

Oh I don't disagree and I LOVE Gamble's competitiveness and so if you take potential out of it, it is hard to argue Gamble isn't a better overall player but the reality is, Milf has those games in him where he can destroy teams, albeit it few and far between. I just worry tonight is one of those games because he has a few points to prove.

 

[Cult]

Ezra starting tonight? They really wanted him out of that South’s Logan system

 

[Cult]

Oh I don't disagree and I LOVE Gamble's competitiveness and so if you take potential out of it, it is hard to argue Gamble isn't a better overall player but the reality is, Milf has those games in him where he can destroy teams, albeit it few and far between. I just worry tonight is one of those games because he has a few points to prove.

Potentially Gamble could be Lockyer-like. Potentially Milford could be getting a staff discount at Maccas. When does potential stop being a thing for Milford?

 

[mitch222]

So has Reynolds been ruled out?

 

[Culhwch]

So has Reynolds been ruled out?

Ruled all the way in, I heard.

 

[Fernando]

So has Reynolds been ruled out?

Mmm the NRL.com late mail says Kevvie has confirmed Reynolds will play, but Ezra is named in the team list directly underneath.

NRL Late Mail: Round 11

All the Late Mail for Round 11 of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership.

www.nrl.com

 

[Galah]

Don’t be injured don’t be injured

 

[LittleDavey]

No Reynolds would certainly change the equation somewhat. I hope Mam is ready if so.

I'd rate this Knights team below the Rabbits' Round 1 team though, so we should still win it.

 

[Super Freak]

However, Newcastle have been very very poor lately and beating the Canterbury Bulldogs (who need I remind you, just sacked their coach) is not what is going to kickstart their season.

Don't bet on it.

You don't need to beat a top team to get back in form. It's just all about getting a win, regardless of who and how, to get some happiness back in the side and build from there. There's a very long history of teams finding form after a scrappy win against a lowly side and if we go into this game taking the Knights lightly at a venue we have a history of struggling at, then we'll lose.

 

[Galah]

This is a danger game now.

 

[Super Freak]

Yeah he's out.