PRE-GAME Round 16 - Bulldogs vs Broncos

[Big Pete]

Riveting.

As enjoyable as it's been reading through these same tired arguments, surely PMs would be a better avenue to compare egos? Just a thought.

Back to the game...

Outside of Sam, has there been any other updates on our Origin players?

 

[1910]

You backtracked. Also I know it's more than Reed but Opacic has scored 4 tries from 12 games. Only two more than Sam Thaiday. His try scoring ability can't be too great if that's the case, especially considering he scored them in a much lower comp.

7 tries.

 

[Unbreakable]

Back on topic anyway boys, do we think that Wayne will opt to rest any of the Origin players? (Apart from Thaiday who obviously won't be there.) I wouldn't be surprised if he gave Parker the week off, which would see our forward / bench rotation resemble something like this..

8. McGuire
9. Waddell
10. Wallace
14. Su'A
12. Gillett
16. Blair

15. Pangai Jr
17. Nikorima
18. Ese'ese
19. Arrow

 

[broncos4life]

Edit: Quoted edited post

 

[Cult]

7 tries.

I just got my stats off the ISC website which were probably incorrect. I hope he kills it and replaces Reed permanent. That way the Dolphins can have someone who never ever misses a tackle and scores 30 tries a season*.







*because guessing is fun

 

[Super Freak]

Schick Hydro Preview: Canterbury Bulldogs v Brisbane Broncos
ANZ Stadium
Sunday 7.30pm

With both teams fresh off the bye (with the obvious exception of the heavy contingent of Origin representatives looking to back up from Wednesday night) we enter this fixture in the unexpected situation of having two NRL powerhouses combining for just two wins over the past month.

Early-season hotshots the Broncos lost three straight before beating the Raiders into last week's bye while Des Hasler's men had just one win in their three prior games (a last-start disposal of the Dragons) on the back of a late loss to the Sharks and an Origin-affected loss to Canberra before that.

What that all means is that even though both these clubs still sit in the top six on the ladder, each will be desperate to put some form on the board during a tricky period where several of their best players are dealing with Origin commitments.

Hasler has named both his Origin representatives to back up while, in desperate search of a win, Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has named all six to play their second game in four days.

Hasler has gone with a largely unchanged team from the win over the Dragons a fortnight ago, though Danny Fualalo and Lloyd Perrett feature on a five-man bench with Tim Browne dropping out.

Bennett hands an NRL debut to exciting young centre Tom Opacic due to Jordan Kahu's pec injury; Alex Glenn's shoulder injury means Sam Thaiday starts and Jaydn Su'A joins the bench to play his second NRL game. Herman Ese'ese has been added to a five-man interchange.

Watch out Bulldogs: The Broncos are too good a side not to break out of their recent slump and the fact up to six (injury permitting) of Brisbane's starting side will either be coming off a morale-boosting Origin series win or will be looking to hit back after a shock Origin loss probably doesn't make Canterbury's task easy. This will also be Corey Parker's first game since announcing his retirement so you can bet the Silver Fox will be primed for a big one.

Watch out Broncos: This big Dogs pack looks to have an extra bit of sting in it when maligned back-rower Tony 'T-Rex' Williams aims up as he did in his return to top-level footy a fortnight ago following a spell in reserve grade to rediscover his form. It seemed to make the one-time Blues and Kangaroos wrecking ball hungrier because his 182 metres in 51 minutes – with a try assist and two tackle busts – was vintage T-Rex and putting him on behind the likes of James Graham, Aiden Tolman, Dave Klemmer and Sam Kasiano means a whole lot of punch thrown at the Broncos on Saturday night.

Key match-up: Will Hopoate v Darius Boyd. While two of the NRL's best forward packs smash each other up front, two of the NRL's form fullbacks will look to put the finishing touches on whatever their sides can create. It shouldn't really be any surprising that either of these incredibly talented custodians are playing well but just how well has perhaps taken some by surprise. Boyd has been a good player for a long time but his efforts so far in 2016 – notably for the Maroons and Kangaroos in the absence of Billy Slater – have been truly elite. Meanwhile Hopoate never reached his potential at Parramatta after returning from a two-year Mormon mission so again, while it should surprise that someone of his ability is playing well, just how much he's improved under Hasler has been a sight to behold. Last start against the Dragons he was in everything both on and off the ball, racking up a try and a try assist to go with three tackle breaks, four offloads, 188 metres, three kick defusals and a try save.

The History: Played 48; Bulldogs 20, Broncos 27, Drawn 1. The Doggies got the chocolates in their previous meeting – 18-16 at Suncorp in Round 22 last year – but the Broncos won four straight prior to that.

What are the odds: The money is running 2:1 in favour if the Bulldogs in what's shaping as the best betting game of the round according to Sportsbet. Both teams have been backed to win 1-12 so we could be in for a tight one according to the punters.

Match officials: Referee: Ashley Klein. Assistant referee: Henry Perenara. Sideline officials: Russell Turner and Rickey MacFarlane. Review officials: Jason Robinson and Ben Galea. Senior review official: Bernard Sutton.

Televised: Fox Sports 1 – Live coverage from 7.30pm.

The way we see it: A tough one to tip, especially given how many players will need to get through Origin unscathed in order for the teams to run out as named. We can't split them but at home against a side that's in a rare form slump with six players under an Origin cloud we'll take the Bulldogs by six.

NRL Match Centre 2016

 

[mitch222]

any news if anyone is getting rested other than Thaidays enforced one?

 

[ivanhungryjak]

any news if anyone is getting rested other than Thaidays enforced one?

Courier Mail is saying Parker, Oates are playing. Moose is training alone but playing.

 

[charbel]

Courier Mail is saying Parker, Oates are playing. Moose is training alone but playing.

Daily telegraph reporting McGuire is training alone because of his ongoing feud with Hunt and the senior group (insert sarcastic tone here).

 

[Unbreakable]

Su'A starting, Ese'ese onto the bench, all Origin players except Thaiday are playing.

 

[mitch222]

Dogs have lost Eastwood, J Morris, Browne & Faitala-Mariner to injury this morning.

 

[big k]

Su'A starting, Ese'ese onto the bench, all Origin players except Thaiday are playing.

Could we see Su'a as Parkers replacement next year with Glenn shifting to lock?

 

[Mitch06]

Glenn isn't a middle forward

 

[Morkel]

Glenn isn't a middle forward

He was in the 20s.

 

[mitch222]

Adam Blair will most likely shift to lock next year

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Adam Blair will most likely shift to lock next year

This I'm ok with

 

[Waynesaurus]

For mine this is actually a pretty important game for us to win, beating the Dogs will push us 3 or 4 points ahead of fifth place depending on if the Titans help us out and beat the Raiders, it would be a nice little buffer and keeps us in the race for a top 2 spot.

A loss could very kill our chances or at least make it very difficult to finish in the top 2 if the Sharks and Storm both win this round.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

I agree..this is a great opportunity. A win here will keep us above for a while. If you look at it.. a loss last week and we drop out of the 8!