PRE-GAME [Round 1, 2026] - Broncos vs Panthers

[Brocko]

Eels should definitely improve, and be tough to beat, especially if Moses can put together a good chunk of games without injury. I don't love their outside backs though as a whole. Fox is going to score you tries and Iongi is promising, but we'll see. Halves and pack are good, maybe depth if they get some injuries will be the test as with a lot of teams.

Roosters should definitely improve on last year but agree with @Santa on Sam Walker being more important than DCE. DCE will be a good signing though. Might even see more Sam Walker brilliance due to having DCE next to him. They've got a lot of games to start the season without Radley and their first choice 9 now though, which will be tough. Teddy is also a year older but still seems to be going well, and they have a very good pack.

I just want us to worry about us to start the year though. If we play to our strengths we should go well.

 

[Sproj]

Parra were the only ones who beat us on our run when we were pretty much at full strength (Melbourne doesn't count because we had so many injuries in game). They are a completely different side with Moses and even without him now, they have Pezet.

I do think though that the Dolphins are the top four smoky. They are strong everywhere and if Katoa builds on last season, they have the final piece of the puzzle. Whether they are well coached enough or not remains to be seen by Woolf seems pretty good.

I think (on paper), there's a pretty clear top five:
Penrith, Brisbane, Easts, The and Parramatta

 

[JayPee]

There is no crying here - just having fun with calling out your hypocrisy. For example - says that he doesn’t live in an ecochaber, but spends plenty of time in this one.

How is it hypocrisy? Its not an echochamber to me. That is the point. And I don't spend plenty of time in this one at all. I spend most of my time in the rugby league section.

 

[Allo]

In a way we want Parra to be going well so long as Pezet is involved in that as much as possible

 

[MrTickyMcG]

In a way we want Parra to be going well so long as Pezet is involved in that as much as possible

Parra will definitely be my second most followed team this year for this reason.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Got my ticket for the match, going to be a hell of a crowd real struggle to get a decent seat.

 

[Big Pete]

I remember the 2016 titans broncos finals game. That was one of the most one sided refereeing performances I have ever seen. Thats where the Gerard Sutton broncos shit started. He was canned the next week. Everyone gets their turn. You just hope its not in the biggest games which it rarely is.

Wasn't that the game where Hurrell gave away one of the most blatant penalty tries ever and it caused everyone to lose their minds?

 

[Dash]

Wasn't that the game where Hurrell gave away one of the most blatant penalty tries ever and it caused everyone to lose their minds?

Yes, and Brisbane should have had another penalty try too.

But the penalty count was lopsided therefore it was the worst refereeing performance ever.

 

[Super Freak]

The outrage was Broncos getting a penalty for Oates contesting a kick and ending up landing in an awkward position.

That was really the only outrageous call and oppositions latched onto that and the penalty try which was a blatant penalty try and came up with this bullshit narrative that Sutton was against the Titans.

It's ridiculous.

 

[Big Pete]

That's right.

It was a tough call on Mead, but it was hardly unprecedented and typically they call in favour of the defensive side.

If memory serves a similar call happened later that weekend in the Raiders/Sharks game.

However, I think it was the call against Hurrell that put everyone off. Sterlo was irate in commentary and I think that gave fans the impression that the Titans were hard done by when in the cold light of day, that's the rule.

 

[FaceOfMutiny]

I'd rather we play against Cleary because I don't think the team gets much from beating an understrength side besides 2 points. I still think we win regardless especially if we start well(surely this is the year we learn to start well and finish well?).

I have no issue with Cleary getting off if it is adjudicated like that through the whole year(but it won't be).

 

[Harry]

I dunno (re: Eels) - they were getting much better towards the end of the year, especially with Moses back. They won 7 of their last 9 (including that win against us) after his return.

I think them and Penrith have the most potential to spoil our run. They seem to be the only teams who have any (limited) success in stopping Walsh - and that's were the rest of our spine needs to stand up.

Roosters I'm not so sure on. People are thinking way too much of DCE. It's Walker that will be the key for them.

If we have our season ended by Parra with Jonah Pezet playing a hand in our demise while Reynolds (the reason Pezet isn't in our team already) sits injured on the sideline .... It's going to erase a lot of the good will he's earned here.

 

[Astro]

If we have our season ended by Parra with Jonah Pezet playing a hand in our demise while Reynolds (the reason Pezet isn't in our team already) sits injured on the sideline .... It's going to erase a lot of the good will he's earned here.

He's lucky that Premierships do earn quite a lot of goodwill though.

However this will be an excellent Broncos doomsday tabloid / sound bite if it eventuates. The writers for WomensWeekly will be tucking this one away in their purse for a rainy day.

 

[GCBRONCO]

 

[GCBRONCO]

Seriously this and the Storm home game were the most vocal/active from the Bronco home crowd in years, maybe even decades.

 

[Bucking Beads]

That penalty on Staggs was a stitch up

 

[GCBRONCO]

That penalty on Staggs was a stitch up

I hate how players just purposely lose the ball trying to milk a penalty I wish referees would call knock on in those situations.

 

[broncos4life]

That penalty on Staggs was a stitch up

Dylan Edwards is such a cat.