PRE-GAME [Round 2, 2025] Broncos vs Raiders

[Kooly87]

I think you’re stretching your credibility a bit there. The game went almost 100 years with very few changes over that period and the game was nothing like just kicking the ball out on the full and bickering for possession. Pre- super league wars the game was nothing like what you claimed it to be.

The problem (at least for me) was never closer to home. I’m not a fair weather fan and the lean years did not stop me from watching the games of other clubs on a regular basis as the game I.e. the product and how it was officiated if you will, was far superior to today’s slipshod standards.

The refs and the technology the bunker has at its disposal should effectively mean there are less mistakes in the game. To me there are more and some of them have been shown to be unequivocally biased towards our team. Many others are so inconsistent it highlights the sheer incompetence of those currently running the game.

I don’t see it improving anytime soon with the current used car salesman/dodgy bookie as its head.

To save the embarrassment they should reduce the comp to three teams. Penrith, Storm and Roosters. The first two can take turns each at winning the GF in a vain attempt to fight off the AFL’s expansion into western Sydney and to gain a toehold in Melbourne. Occasionally they can let the Roosters win to keep the number one big money backhander happy. Oh wait…..

It has become a farcical piss take.

Spot on, we're back where the game was in 1999. Expansion everywhere, barely enough quality players. A couple of 'Haves' who win every year, and a heap of 'Have Not's' who perennially struggle.

The only real difference is the Broncos aren't in the Haves' category anymore, so in that respect, the N(SW)RL are probably quite happy that it's all now mission accomplished.

One dominant Sydney team vs another Sydney team or an expansion team (as long as it's not the Broncos) playing each other year, after year, after year, with the Sydney team of course coming out on top, is literally the wet dream of the Sydney Rugby League powerbrokers and media sycophants.

 

[Fernando]

At least the talk of shifting our 35 year old half to hooker mid game for Mam has stopped (or never got started). Just not a very bright idea and there's a reason no side has won a comp messing with their halves like that. They rest can all battle it our for 14. I prefer Walters there, think he'll be better for playing 30 minutes and has utility value. Mozer will get a chance at some stage and might be too good to leave out though. I doubt Mam is up to 30 minutes there on both sides of the ball. Tough position that people can underestimate.

 

[Sproj]

I feel like Paix’s defense has improved out of sight, he is so much like Berrigan now it’s fantastic…I wonder if he can get up to speed to play 80, he could give a bit of flexibility to the 14 and 17 jersey where possibly, a game here or there, you could play both Mozer and Mam.

How exciting would a bench like this be for a game here or there obviously not all the time):

14. Mozer
15. Willison
16. Te Kura
17. Mam

 

[MrTickyMcG]

I feel like Paix’s defense has improved out of sight, he is so much like Berrigan now it’s fantastic…I wonder if he can get up to speed to play 80, he could give a bit of flexibility to the 14 and 17 jersey where possibly, a game here or there, you could play both Mozer and Mam.

How exciting would a bench like this be for a game here or there obviously not all the time):

14. Mozer
15. Willison
16. Te Kura
17. Mam

Does Paix then go full Berrigan and become our defender in the centres if one of the backs goes down?

 

[Kooly87]

Does Paix then go full Berrigan and become our defender in the centres if one of the backs goes down?

TBF, Berrigan was more of a Centre and 5/8 before Dummy Half became his role.

The ultimate Utility's Utility.

 

[heartly87]

We like to say that because it's why we wanted him, but it ended with the club being accused of carrying on like rockstars off the field while not giving a **** on the field. That's not fixing the culture. Changing it maybe, but not fixing it.

This team seems more serious. Not just Kevvie has gone. But other old boy hangers-on like Alfie and Darius. Maybe this is what it takes to be professional, rather than sentimental.

I wouldn't agree he fixed the culture. But I would say he got the guys to love the club again and each other. He was on the way with culture with Ikin at his side but he derailed that relationship and the culture suffered.

Madge doesn't need Ikin as shown with his trip to Cherbourg. That's an Ikin type thing to do, Kev not so much. Not because he wouldn't but because he would have thought that's Cobbo's time away from the game and he wouldn't want to interfere. Madge would have made the read that Cobbo is proud of where he is from and would love to see his coach come and experience it.

 

[Sproj]

Does Paix then go full Berrigan and become our defender in the centres if one of the backs goes down?

Well...yeah and I say this with confidence...because he went there last week when Shibasaki went down.

 

[Big Del]

Read it again I never said no changes. I said very few changes over. 100 year period. So- yes very true. Nowadays we get changes every season.

Yeah but those changes were pretty fcking dramatic .
Way you were talkin it was the same for a hundred years then Vlandys came along .
Been plenty more changes I didn`t list .

 

[1910]

Does Paix then go full Berrigan and become our defender in the centres if one of the backs goes down?

Berrigan only did that for 9 games and it was so he wasn't making 45 tackles and still could attack out of DH. I don't think you need to keep Paix attacking energy up to the same extent and hopefully he does it for more than 9 games.

I am not sure the modern player is cerebral enough to handle that many moving pieces.

Berrigan- hooker in attack, left centre in defence.
Staggs- wing in attack second row in defence on the left.
Hodges- left wing in defence left centre in attack
Hunt-fullback

That left a left side in defence of Staggs, Perry, Berrigan and Hodges.

But it never got exposed like it should have.

 

[Big Del]

At most you’d consider a 14 jersey going to him or Mozer but Mozer would make more sense, injury aside

Mozer is blue sky .
Done very little . More hope than accomplishment ATM .

 

[Jedhead]

I feel like Paix’s defense has improved out of sight, he is so much like Berrigan now it’s fantastic…I wonder if he can get up to speed to play 80, he could give a bit of flexibility to the 14 and 17 jersey where possibly, a game here or there, you could play both Mozer and Mam.

How exciting would a bench like this be for a game here or there obviously not all the time):

14. Mozer
15. Willison
16. Te Kura
17. Mam

If only he'd run when the chances were there. He's a converted half and it's still fairly obvious that he does not see running from dummy half as part of his game. If he could add this to his bag of tricks he'd be quite sensational.

 

[Kooly87]

Berrigan only did that for 9 games and it was so he wasn't making 45 tackles and still could attack out of DH. I don't think you need to keep Paix attacking energy up to the same extent and hopefully he does it for more than 9 games.

I am not sure the modern player is cerebral enough to handle that many moving pieces.

Berrigan- hooker in attack, left centre in defence.
Staggs- wing in attack second row in defence on the left.
Hodges- left wing in defence left centre in attack
Hunt-fullback

That left a left side in defence of Staggs, Perry, Berrigan and Hodges.

But it never got exposed like it should have.

Hodges and Berrigan individually had more football IQ than our entire current backline probably have combined.

 

[Kooly87]

Mozer is blue sky .
Done very little . More hope than accomplishment ATM .

Not a lot of Dummy Halves who looked absolutely elite at his age. It's arguably the most intensive and complex position to master in the modern game, both physically and mentally, and outside of Cam Smith, you'd struggle to name another guy in recent decades who looked like a rolled gold superstar from the moment they hit first grade, and Smith is basically an Immortal in waiting and perhaps the best ever player of the modern era.

 

[Sproj]

If only he'd run when the chances were there. He's a converted half and it's still fairly obvious that he does not see running from dummy half as part of his game. If he could add this to his bag of tricks he'd be quite sensational.

Yeah that's fair but he offered a lot even without running. We have so many weapons in the team, I'd prefer him getting the ball to our 1, 6 and 7 than overplaying his hand as Walters tends to do. Paix will get better as he gels with the team.

 

[Johnny92]

Well, seems my eyes didn't deceive me.

Thanks to those brilliant folk at Rugby League Writers, who also saw the same thing.

Haas is running a wider line than usual, engaging the centre and edge forward and setting up a short side mismatch in numbers.

Note both the mess at marker + the quick play-the-ball...

Three in the tackle here. Now we see why Paix is returning to 2023 form. In and away and steps back outside the markers to find Hunt with the cut-out pass.

The modern game demands a hooker that is always scanning, looking for mismatches in the defensive line to send his forwards to, and identify opportunites at the ruck to exploit.



Now, notice how Paix doesnt even look towards Haas as he approches Kobes play-the-ball. He's looking left the whole time. He's coaching the defence to "expect" something that actually doesn't come.

Steps left, then pivots back under the markers to find Haas who here is playing post to post. The ruck is again a bit of a mess and leaves Watson isolated on Haas. Not much a smaller man can do but the pass is superb. That gap "should" have been covered by Roosters number 10 (Wong) but he's walking there...

Last tackle of the set too...another reason why the defence didn't read this well.


Finally, heres Paix engaging the A defender before finding Paddy on a angled run...

Thats three tries in 10 minutes.

I had Kobe as my breakout player of this seaosn - is it Paix instead?

Be Interesting to see as the season progresses if these are all planned moves.

The Shiba try Paix has 3 runners on his right and one out the back but Hunt reacts perfectly to what Paix does.

The Paix try Payne looks a lot more ready for the ball but nearly over runs it.
The reaction from Hunt not getting the ball on the 5th tackle looks as though he never wanted or expected it.
Would like to see how similar this try was to the trial one off the Jensen offload.

Having both Reynolds and Hunt out there, we've got 2 guys now getting the boys to points on the field to run plays.

 

[Big Del]

Not a lot of Dummy Halves who looked absolutely elite at his age. It's arguably the most intensive and complex position to master in the modern game, both physically and mentally, and outside of Cam Smith, you'd struggle to name another guy in recent decades who looked like a rolled gold superstar from the moment they hit first grade, and Smith is basically an Immortal in waiting and perhaps the best ever player of the modern era.

Well . I watched him in kids origin .
Didn`t do shit . Seen him have a cpl of nice touches in NRL . But far from Cam Smith form .
Then he missed 2 tackles against the Phins that lead directly to tries . Now he has busted his shoulder again .

Hasn`t done enough to back up his hype and his future is uncertain IMO .

 

[Big Del]

overplaying his hand as Walters tends to do. Paix will get better as he gels with the team.

Playing for an offload on the 6th tackle when the halves are calling for the ball was a ballsy move .
He would have been criticised if Payne had died with the ball .

 

[Dazza 92]

Playing for an offload on the 6th tackle when the halves are calling for the ball was a ballsy move .
He would have been criticised if Payne had died with the ball .

Well, theres another point to make here too.

The way Madge is handling Paynes minutes. It takes concerntration and energy to accurately throw those passes, to recognise he can get 1v1 against a smaller, leg tacking opponent...

Shorter spells with 100% effort.

This is the Payne Haas you get...