PRE-GAME Round 1 - Sharks vs Broncos

[Kyall]

NRL - ROUND 1
Thursday, 2nd of March, 2017​

[TABLE="class: brtb_item_table"][TBODY][TR][TD="align: center"]

Brisbane Broncos​

[/TD]
[TD]

Cronulla Sharks​

[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]1. Darius Boyd (c)
2. Corey Oates
3. James Roberts
4. Tautau Moga
5. Jordan Kahu
6. Anthony Milford
7. Ben Hunt
8. Korbin Sims
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Adam Blair
11. Sam Thaiday
12. Matt Gillett
13. Josh McGuire

14. Alex Glenn
15. Tevita Pangai
16. Herman Ese'ese
17. Jai Arrow

18. David Mead
19. Joe Ofahengaue
20. Kodi Nikorima
21. George Fai[/TD]
[TD]1. Gerard Beale
2. Sosaia Feki
3. Jack Bird
4. Ricky Leutele
5. Edrick Lee
6. James Maloney
7. Chad Townsend
8. Andrew Fifita
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Matt Prior
11. Luke Lewis
12. Wade Graham
13. Paul Gallen (c)

14. Jayson Bukuya
15. Chris Heighington
16. Sam Tagataese
17. Fa'amanu Brown

18. Tony Williams
19. Kurt Capewell
20. Daniel Mortimer
21. Valentine Holmes[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Coach: Shane Flanagan[/TD][TD]Coach: Wayne Bennett[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Referees: Matt Cecchin, Alan Shortall
Sideline Officials:Brett Suttor, Chris Butler
Video Referees: Luke Patten, Bernard Sutton[/TD]
[TD]Venue: Southern Cross Group Stadium
Kick Off: 8.05pm
Broadcast: Ch. 9 / Foxtel[/TD][/TR][/TBODY][/TABLE]

 

[pagey]

1 boyd
2 oates
3 kahu
4 roberts
5 mead
6 milf
7 hunt
8 offa
9 macca
10 blair
11 thaiday
12 Gillett
13 McGuire

14 glenn
15 Ese'ese
16 sims
17 pangai jr

 

[broncsgoat]

Both teams backing up after a trip to the UK.

Hopefully our experience with this will give us a slight edge.

We will have our spine from the last two seasons coming up against a new combination in their first competition hit out. Again, this should tip the scales in our favour despite playing away.

I just want the bloody season to start.

 

[Morepudding]

As much as I'd prefer the broncos to run a team without a proper Utility (being Niko/Benji) and using Glenn, I think a utility will be there come round 1.

1. Boyd
2. Oates
3. Kahu
4. Roberts
5. Mead
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. Sims / Offa
9. Macca
10. Blair
11. Glenn (I think Thaiday offers more impact off bench - If they don't use a utility, then Glenn bench)
12. Gillett
13. McGuire
BENCH: Niko/Benji, Thaiday, Offa/Sims, TPJ,
18th Man: Ese'ese (if no Niko/Benji)

 

[Danoz Direct]

Would have Ese'ese ahead of Ofahengaue.

 

[Morepudding]

Would have Ese'ese ahead of Ofahengaue.

They are a bit of a flip of the coin for me. Can get a higher work rate out of Offa I think, but more impact from Ese'Ese. I think it depends how many minutes players like McGuire and Sims are able to do, and what we need at the time. Personally I think a bench of Niko/Benji, Thaiday, Offa and TPJ is a pretty good combination of impact and work rate.

 

[Porthoz]

Offa to start, Ese from the bench imo... the first has the motor, the second more impact.

 

[Morepudding]

Offa to start, Ese from the bench imo... the first has the motor, the second more impact.

So with that, you wouldn't have Niko/Benji in team? I still think Sims is more likely to start than offa.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Can't see Ofahengaue starting.

Just can't see him going from not playing NRL for a while at all after being dropped half way through the season to starting.

 

[mitch222]

Can't see Ofahengaue starting.

Just can't see him going from not playing NRL for a while at all after being dropped half way through the season to starting.

Me either. I can see Sims getting the nod because of experience. Bennett doesn't like to throw rookies in the deep end

 

[pagey]

Offa to start, Ese from the bench imo... the first has the motor, the second more impact.

This is what I think too .Ese'ese for offa ,
Sims for blair , pangai for McGuire and glenn for sammy and utility. Would be nice to see how it works out. There is definitely more options with arrow, Su'A, fai etc.

 

[Black Philip]

Our depth is very impressive this year. I hope we can gel quickly and capitalise on it come rep season.

 

[Morepudding]

This is what I think too .Ese'ese for offa ,
Sims for blair , pangai for McGuire and glenn for sammy and utility. Would be nice to see how it works out. There is definitely more options with arrow, Su'A, fai etc.

I can't see Arrow sticking around and to be honest, from what i've seen of him, he seems sorta like a David Staff / Fensom type player and with his lack of size i'm not sure we need him. Even if Mcguire ends up taking a big offer somewhere else, we have TPJ whos preferred position is lock, as well as Su'a and Fai waiting in the wings.

 

[pagey]

Can't see Ofahengaue starting.

Just can't see him going from not playing NRL for a while at all after being dropped half way through the season to starting.

Pretty sure smokin joe said he got put in ISC for getting him ready for this year

 

[Morepudding]

Our depth is very impressive this year. I hope we can gel quickly and capitalise on it come rep season.

Issue will still be our halves, really hope they up it this year and both improve their kicking. We just always seem to be 10metres worse off than other teams in the kicking battle due to kicks not travelling far, or being caught on the full by the fullback.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Pretty sure smokin joe said he got put in ISC for getting him ready for this year

NRL is a whole different ball game compared to ISC.

 

[Morepudding]

Me either. I can see Sims getting the nod because of experience. Bennett doesn't like to throw rookies in the deep end

Exactly, We need to remember Offa wasn't in the team most of last year. Whether that was to get more minutes in reserve grade or not, matter of fact is Sims was playing 50min of first grade each week while Offa was in reserves. Remember two of our reserves (wallace and glenn/thaiday depending who started) were getting 40 minutes a game from the bench, so it's not impossible for him to have gotten those minutes if he was good enough.

 

[Morepudding]

Offa will likely do the 40 minutes a game from the bench that Wallace used to do. That's the way I see it anyway. Perhaps 2018 or 2019 when blair retires he will join Sims in the starting pack and be getting 50.