PRE-GAME Round 17 - Broncos vs Storm

[Huge]

Just out muscled in the forwards again. It doesn't help that Hunt and Milford aren't playing that well. I think they are suffering without McCullough in at hooker. A real shame for Opacic too.

McCullough won't make a difference, it's not at hooker where we have floundered. Waddell has been excellent and put in another good performance last night following on from his previous two good performances. He made 57 tackles and only missed 5 which was way better than Gilletts 37 and 7 missed tackles. Considering he played 80 minutes I'd say it was every bit as good as McCulloughs efforts. When the fact that the Dogs have enormous forwards ,both starting and off the bench, is considered I'd have to say he was one of the Broncos best if not the best .

 

[Jason Simmons]

McCullough won't make a difference, it's not at hooker where we have floundered. Waddell has been excellent and put in another good performance last night following on from his previous two good performances. He made 57 tackles and only missed 5 which was way better than Gilletts 37 and 7 missed tackles. Considering he played 80 minutes I'd say it was every bit as good as McCulloughs efforts. When the fact that the Dogs have enormous forwards ,both starting and off the bench, is considered I'd have to say he was one of the Broncos best if not the best .

Oh good because the Storm pack is nothing to write home about...

Oh. Wait...

 

[Rico]

Is this a Melbourne Storm fan forum? They weren't that good today over 80 minutes today. Yep I'll agree last night was shit but with players coming back this week we'll put in a good showing - Carn boys we can beat this mob

 

[Sproj]

The Storm were very good today, if not for the refs really going to town on them in the second half, they would have put a cricket score on today. But watching live, it is imperative to shut down the Storm's offloads, something we've had trouble with against sides this year.

We need to attack their edges-wings all night, turn the ball inside where possible and offload. Yep, it will be a difficult game but win or lose, a massive step up in form is what is needed.

 

[winslow_wong]

Just a reminder that the storm are our ultimate bogey side regardless of who is available for both sides.

 

[Huge]

Oh good because the Storm pack is nothing to write home about...

Oh. Wait...

Err, I'm just a simple country lad so you best explain to me what the connection is between my post and what you wrote. Is there something in my post that somehow attempts to lessen the brilliant storm ? My point was that irrespective of who we may have played or will play, hooker is not where we have been struggling recently. I was only intent on highlighting the strong performance of Waddell who has been lambasted on this forum. Any fair minded judge could not have found much fault with his last three games for us and his service has been as good as McCulloughs, in my humble opinion.

 

[LittleDavey]

Err, I'm just a simple country lad so you best explain to me what the connection is between my post and what you wrote. Is there something in my post that somehow attempts to lessen the brilliant storm ? My point was that irrespective of who we may have played or will play, hooker is not where we have been struggling recently. I was only intent on highlighting the strong performance of Waddell who has been lambasted on this forum. Any fair minded judge could not have found much fault with his last three games for us and his service has been as good as McCulloughs, in my humble opinion.

I'd go so far as to say it's been slightly better. I'd still have Macca over him any day, as there's more to the role than getting the ball away, but Waddell has been very good IMO and I wouldn't be surprised if another club picks him up as a starting hooker soonish. I think he's too good to be languishing in Q-Cup, aside from his first half of his first game he's been great.

 

[Huge]

I'd go so far as to say it's been slightly better. I'd still have Macca over him any day, as there's more to the role than getting the ball away, but Waddell has been very good IMO and I wouldn't be surprised if another club picks him up as a starting hooker soonish. I think he's too good to be languishing in Q-Cup, aside from his first half of his first game he's been great.

Well that's a relief ! To know that someone else has followed his efforts and you've nailed it too. His very first half was nervous and underwhelming but since then he has been very good as you correctly pointed out.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Err, I'm just a simple country lad so you best explain to me what the connection is between my post and what you wrote. Is there something in my post that somehow attempts to lessen the brilliant storm ? My point was that irrespective of who we may have played or will play, hooker is not where we have been struggling recently. I was only intent on highlighting the strong performance of Waddell who has been lambasted on this forum. Any fair minded judge could not have found much fault with his last three games for us and his service has been as good as McCulloughs, in my humble opinion.

Sorry, posted in a hurry. It was the comment about the Dogs rather large bench forwards that I was responding to and the implication of us struggling to manage such is likely to continue with the Storm this week. I should have edited most of what you wrote out and just focussed on that point.

I agree, btw. I think Waddell has been much better than many would have credited him for in his role as a back up hooker. He hasn't been bad at all, let alone the 'flaw' in an otherwise excellent team that has let us down.

Fact is the team as a whole has been struggling / just plain ordinary for months...

I see some nonsense and excuse making is already coming out for Blair. Ooh, Tallis' barb about him being a dirty player has affected him... Well then stop being dirty pal!

Make a decent tackle with good front on contact for a change Blair and perhaps you won't need to chicken wing people?

 

[lynx000]

I'm on board as well Huge, I think Waddell has been more than serviceable in the last three games and the issues with the team do not lie with him either wholly or in part.

 

[Sproj]

Yeah I fear Blair has regressed from Storm-Boy Teddy to Tiger-Cub Teddy again this year. What a blight on the Broncos tradition of captains that he was one for a day. I hope he reads this and realizes how much he needs to pick up his game. I was critical of his signing last year and had egg put firmly on my face with his performance and attitude last year (and happily so) but the way he has been playing this year is really what I was worried about when signing him. I really hope he can turn it around to the form of last year because he was a very important cog in a very well drilled and functioning team.

 

[Porthoz]

Yeah I fear Blair has regressed from Storm-Boy Teddy to Tiger-Cub Teddy again this year. What a blight on the Broncos tradition of captains that he was one for a day. I hope he reads this and realizes how much he needs to pick up his game. I was critical of his signing last year and had egg put firmly on my face with his performance and attitude last year (and happily so) but the way he has been playing this year is really what I was worried about when signing him. I really hope he can turn it around to the form of last year because he was a very important cog in a very well drilled and functioning team.

My feelings exactly.

 

[mitch222]

hopefully we get macca back this week
anyone who doubts his position in the team needs to look very closely at how we go as a team with him in compared to the last 6 weeks

 

[mitch222]

Oh and if I'm Bennett, I'm telling Blair to not change a thing. I can live with him getting suspended a couple of times a year if he is a beast for us on the park for the full year. He is at his best when he is getting in peoples faces

 

[Sproj]

Oh and if I'm Bennett, I'm telling Blair to not change a thing. I can live with him getting suspended a couple of times a year if he is a beast for us on the park for the full year. He is at his best when he is getting in peoples faces

Agreed but like a fair chunk of the team this year, he has seemingly gone away from what he was doing so well last year.

 

[Super Freak]

Apparently the Tallis barb has been one reason why his form has been down.

His form has been down since Tallis lashed out in the media. Blair was seething over it because his family have been affected by it as well, he let it get to him instead of just ignoring it.

 

[Sproj]

Apparently Blair is soft then if he has let Tallis of all idiots get to him.

 

[Super Freak]

Apparently Blair is soft then if he has let Tallis of all idiots get to him.

Blair probably doesn't hold the same opinion of people on this board. He probably likes Tallis, and for someone you like to come out and blast you in the media for millions of people to see.. I imagine it wouldn't be something you could just ignore.