POST GAME [PREMIERS, 2025] Broncos vs Storm

GotheBroncs said:
Can anyone post the CM article where Barrett talks about questioning Madges tactics?
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I’ve compressed it to the important parts of the article…..



Seven months later, after a famous NRL grand final win, Barrett told this masthead:

"Without the work the players did earlier this year, we probably wouldn't have survived the last month. 'Madge' was proved to be right."

Maguire was condemned - yet later vindicated - for his demanding early-season army camps and spew buckets.

Now Brisbane players spoke glowingly about Maguire's torrid training techniques after winning Sunday's NRL epic grand final over Melbourne.


"There was no secret motto or potion, they just worked hard," Barrett said. "There were times in the pre-season when I said to Madge: 'You're going to kill one of these blokes.'

"We had a couple of really hot days but they got through it. 'Madge' always says how amazed you can be at what the body can do. It's all in your mind.

"It was proved that it works. 'Madge' was proved to be right. You can be surprised what your body can do - it's all mental.

"They trained hard and that is what
'Madge' is used to - that's his background coming from Melbourne. Without the work those players did earlier in the year, we probably don't survive the last month.

"For us to go so deep in games as we did, and the 94 minutes against Canberra, probably proved what you've got to do.

And they were repaid for doing it in the end.

"I learned a lot of Madge, particularly over the past month. He is very, very good at knowing what buttons to push and getting teams and individuals up for big games.

Ultimately, it's not what we did, it's what the players did. I wouldn't expect next year's pre-season to be any easier."

Maguire was unconcerned about the criticism he attracted this season.

"I've been questioned all my life as a coach," Maguire said. "It doesn't really worry me. These blokes bought into exactly what I've seen work at the clubs I've been with.

"They didn't flinch, they didn't go away from it. As much as people talk about it, the players stayed the course and now they (are premiers) off the back of all the work they have done. It's a credit to them."

Talking about the army camps, star fullback Reece Walsh added: "We were in the trenches together as a team, running through the bush."

After coaching Canterbury, Manly and Parramatta, Barrett can now attest to being a grand final winning coach.

And he was full of praise for his players, saying: "I'm just over the moon for the players and club. And to do it in the fashion that we did over the past three weeks, where we looked dead and buried for a while, is testament to how far they have come as a group.
 
Just watched the replay for the first time.

I don't know what happened but I found myself getting really emotional as the final siren went. I became a bit of a blubbering wreck.

I was positively jumping all over the place on Sunday.

Today i was just sitting here with tears of joy.

I think it was the fact i was able to witness just how many times the ref gave the storm opportunities to snatch it right at the death but we still held on to deny him and the storm. I mean that tackle on Uit (the door) where he knocks on into Walshy's head and Shiba makes a break upfield. Arkin is calling a knock on by Melbourne you can hear him plain as day. So it should have been play on. Why did he stop play and then allow Melbourne to do a challenge? That needs explaining to me.

Also the bunker then says Ezra does a high tackle. Again, it's plain to see he hammers Uit (the door's) shoulder and his head buckles with whip lash. It was not even close to a high shot.

Anyway, despite all that bullshit it was a truly epic finish from our boys when you consider just how dis-jointed our defensive line was. Sure we had 13 players in the line but there were so many filling in positions that melbourne should have been able to waltz through.

That was some effort to hold them out for so long.
 
1910 said:
I don't think I have ever seen a finals series of matches fall like that. Normally a team will have a few comebacks, but you reach the prelim or Grand Final and it all catches up with you. Bulldogs in 98 style- they won four sudden death games in the finals.

There are about 12 things in the Broncos finals games that I think if you played those three games again next month you don't get the same series of results. Everything just fell perfectly.

In 1989 the Raiders experienced the same thing, five games in a row to even make the top five then three sudden death finals and an extra time Grand Final coming back down by 10 and ankle taps and field goals hitting cross bars that would never all happen again.

Or 2005 Ashes, McGrath stepping on a ball, Warne getting 40 wickets in a losing series, Warne stepping on his stumps.
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You know, 2020-2023 I would just watch games and be completely dumbfounded how often things went against us. It was like for a full three seasons or so, everything that could go wrong, went wrong. We never got the bounce of the ball go our way it seemed.

Perhaps this year we just finally had some luck go our way...

Losing the raiders game three times and then somehow winning was evidence enough.
 
Manofoneway said:
You know, 2020-2023 I would just watch games and be completely dumbfounded how often things went against us. It was like for a full three seasons or so, everything that could go wrong, went wrong. We never got the bounce of the ball go our way it seemed.

Perhaps this year we just finally had some luck go our way...

Losing the raiders game three times and then somehow winning was evidence enough.
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'The harder you work, the luckier you get'

No disrespect to Kevvie, but he was letting players who live on the GC leave training early to beat the traffic and have an arvo surf.

This year wasn't a fairytale miracle 'everything goes right' run like 2023 was, this premiership was the direct result of the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of the team under Madge. We had plenty of bad luck this season too, we just overcame it through sheer will to succeed.
 
Harry said:
'The harder you work, the luckier you get'

No disrespect to Kevvie, but he was letting players who live on the GC leave training early to beat the traffic and have an arvo surf.

This year wasn't a fairytale miracle 'everything goes right' run like 2023 was, this premiership was the direct result of the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of the team under Madge. We had plenty of bad luck this season too, we just overcame it through sheer will to succeed.
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Yeah but 2023 we did have things go our way. I think we were the best defensive team in the comp that year and we looked more consistent than what we did this year thats for sure. With exception of course to the finals series this year (gf in particular).

Kevy focused on the mentality of the players and its impossible to disagree that it worked for us in 2023, there was a winning formula with what kev did that year thats for sure and I think that was the spark that lit the flame of our premiership in 2025. Fitness and mental resolve was the missing piece of the puzzle.

The 2024 season we had a very short preseason due to the GF/rep footy and even shorter because of Vegas. The boys lacked fitness and got injured and it was impossible to turn it around.

It will be interesting to see if the world club challenge is overseas, how madge gets the lads into shape this year. Its going to be similar to 2024 for us. Hopefully they do some work over the off season to make sure we dont repeat what happened in 2024.
 
thenry said:
2 things I want to mention before I attempt to focus back on my actual work and normal life again 😂:

1. I feel like I can now actually watch the 2015 & 2023 Grand Finals again and appreciate how good the actual games were, safe in the knowledge that there's a happy ending now.

2. Ricky Stuart was right. After their round 1 win in Vegas, he was asked about facing the Bronx in round 2. He said, "They have a side that should win the Premiership". Thanks Stick!
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Isn't it amazing how this premiership has changed how we view 2015 and 2023?!! I feel so different about them now.
 
Waynesaurus said:
I feel a bit sorry for dopey, he was young and it was the Storm farks who got in his ear at State of Origin camp, they got him drinking the Bellamy cool-aid and convinced him to turn his back on us.
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Yeah, I've given him a lot of shit in the past for leaving but now that we've won a GF before him I couldn't care less that he left.
 
1910 said:
It wasn't in game tactics it was training in the heat over summer- Barrett was worried about their health.

Buzz gets piled on but what he wrote was right there was plenty of robust discussion about the best way to do things and the best way for Madge to react to those discussions.

Sunday night doesn't mean those discussions didn't happen.
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Its interesting to hear what went on within those walls. Hence the media saw the smoke and assumed fire.

I don't mind Barrett questioning Madges methods, challenging people IMO can lead to building solid relationships, providing mutual respect is a foundation when challenging others.
I actually think there has been that respect, as Madge kept these trainers on when he arrived and honored contracts. Not sure if he had any options there anyways.

Same with the players, I think the premiership was not only won by their physical prowess and never die mentality, but in the back\front office. Every one played their part, and it didn't seem like there was too much wrong with the place (from the outside, and ignoring some of the media beat up).

Madge & Co. deserves soooo much credit here. Both players and trainers grew, learnt and had a cohesive & unified approach this season....executed from mid-year roughly. :embarrased:

To be a fly on the wall.................:licklips:
 
Manofoneway said:
Yeah but 2023 we did have things go our way. I think we were the best defensive team in the comp that year and we looked more consistent than what we did this year thats for sure. With exception of course to the finals series this year (gf in particular).

Kevy focused on the mentality of the players and its impossible to disagree that it worked for us in 2023, there was a winning formula with what kev did that year thats for sure and I think that was the spark that lit the flame of our premiership in 2025. Fitness and mental resolve was the missing piece of the puzzle.

The 2024 season we had a very short preseason due to the GF/rep footy and even shorter because of Vegas. The boys lacked fitness and got injured and it was impossible to turn it around.

It will be interesting to see if the world club challenge is overseas, how madge gets the lads into shape this year. Its going to be similar to 2024 for us. Hopefully they do some work over the off season to make sure we dont repeat what happened in 2024.
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Yep the Vegas trip completely ****ed us... I think it ****ed penrith this year as well as they started extremely slow.

For this upcoming preseason I think Madge will focus on the extended squad guys.

His big name players will have a ****ed preseason due to all the disruptions, but the key guys like Walsh, Patty and Payne will be rock hard fit regardless.

There is a concern to me about a GF hangover though... all the insta posts and everything post GF has shown that these guys have held onto a lot of receipts and they've cashed them all in. They'll feel that a major weight has been lifted off them and there is potential that they drop ever so slightly... but all those receipts means that the rest of the comp are keen as **** to pay them back again now.

In the extended squad Madge will have guys like Mozer that have a ton of hype around them and will want to be part of the 17 and get their chance at a ring now... he's going to have a pack of young guns on development deals looking to force their way into the 17.

And now Madge has the evidence that working your ass off in the preseason brings success.

We've got a few holes in the 17 to fill now as well... Kobe played every game so his spot is there. Smoothy played 11 games and got a spot in the GF team, but he's gone and we desperately need another ball playing middle... BTK has some very silky skills for a big man, but conditioning and injuries have been a concern... he could be primed to get that spot.

Talty will want his spot back and gets an opportunity for a full preseason under Madge.

Then you've got the halves battle with Duffy and Black, and seeing Bhunt and Reynolds getting older.

Billy is injured, but having him and Bhunt being there as utilities got them in the 17 because of their versatility. Can someone like Black up his versatility and get himself some games on the bench as they can provide halves cover during a game.

Mariner and Karapani both forced their ways into the 17 from the position that these younger guys are now looking at.

There's a lot of opportunity for the extended guys to push their way into the team if any of these guys have a GF hangover... and that's where Madge can push this team to get them back up again for 2026.
 
McHunt said:
I can't even tell if this is a controversial opinion: but I have peak Walsh (that's right now) ahead of peak Lockyer and peak Langer as the best player to ever don a Broncos jersey.
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I can't recall a more dominant display by a Bronco in a big game? That's about as far as I'm willing to go with that tbh.
 
mrslong said:
Momentarily throughout the day I stop and think about how with seconds left on the clock Munster turns the ball back on the inside for a big dumb forward, after Hughes laid down trying to milk a penalty being down by 4 allowing us to reset our defensive line instead of a quick play the ball.

They really bottled it.
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Melbourne did Melbourne things.....trying to win by pushing the rules to breaking point, rather than trying to do it with skill.
 
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