PRE-GAME [Round 5, 2026] - Broncos vs Titans

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Brocko said:
Hunt and Reynolds both leaving at the end of this season in all likelihood, why would we get rid of Ezra completely?

His short kicking is fine, as on the weekend, albeit he gets trigger happy on early tackles, and it sometimes doesn't pay off.

If we didn't fold like a cheap suit, he is a 2023 Clive winner, and if he doesn't play in the finals last year, I dare say we don't get to or win the GF either.

I get people want more from him this season, it's warranted, but getting rid of him completely for a slow start to the season imo is crazy.
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I am not sure Ezra's future is as a 5/8 anymore. I think there is a footy player there, but is it a 5/8? I'm not sure. His contact has always been excellent so it may be a ball playing roaming lock in the same way as a Dylan Walker. He comes up with some good involvements from time to time but these are as a footy player not as a half. I am not dropping him for anyone at the minute but I do seriously believe that our future halves are Duffy and Pezet to be honest and I think we would be insane not to be angling that way. That's my honest to god opinion. I am more so angling that way because I don't know if Pezet is quite refined enough to be the man at 7 and I think Duffy is just in tremendous form in Q-Cup and you'd be insane to hand a talent like that to another team just to keep Mam playing some fairly bog average football. He has filled out in maturity and bulked up a bit as well and has completely lost his zip and potency as a result. We just aren't playing the same high support play style of footy we once were. Duffy is an out and out 7 and Hunt and Reyno just haven't worked together so it has to get a whole lot worse to drop him but I am not convinced his future is as star studded as we would like. He competes and has an element of danger and natural ability about him, but his skills and ability to unlock his outside men and have a contributing kicking game is very poor and the development in these areas have been quite disappointing. And all of this is before we get to his putrid defensive reads on the edge. Walsh is doing most of his job for him and hiding a lot of deficiencies in his game.

Mam had a great performance in the prelim and Final as a competitor. He tried hard, brought the energy and ruffled feathers. There is a player there but I'm just not sure he is a 800k 5/8 anymore and that's over a 2 and a bit year sample of footy now and I think Madge has well and truly caught onto that fact by trying to force the Reynolds and Hunt combo. The contrast when Walters was 6 was quite telling to be honest and it really highlighted his deficiencies even more.

Fortunately for him Duffy isn't really a 6 or he would be about to lose his spot. Potential is there, I'm giving him a decent run in that 6 jersey before he is getting dropped but I do seriously believe he is in a career defining period in his Broncos journey of sorts.
 
Fitzy said:
Am I the only one who would be dropping Karapani for the weekend? He has turned a corner in his career the last 12 months and there is no question on his place in the team but I do think we need to continue to drive standards and there is no better game to do that then against the Titans where it won't bite us on the ass. Get Jesse a game in the process.

I could care less about what he has done but I think it will be important to Madge and it should be important to us as fans that standards are high and there is consequences for not meeting them.

Josiah sits on the sidelines or extended bench this weekend for mine.
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He has to sit out a week IMO. Club sanctioned suspension.
 
Fitzy said:
Am I the only one who would be dropping Karapani for the weekend? He has turned a corner in his career the last 12 months and there is no question on his place in the team but I do think we need to continue to drive standards and there is no better game to do that then against the Titans where it won't bite us on the ass. Get Jesse a game in the process.

I could care less about what he has done but I think it will be important to Madge and it should be important to us as fans that standards are high and there is consequences for not meeting them.

Josiah sits on the sidelines or extended bench this weekend for mine.
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MMMM Maybe ?

Brocko said:
Shiba sat out a crucial game last year.
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Shiba came to training in the morning, pissed from the night before celebrating his b day .
Josiah was on his own time .Out celebrating Ben Hunt`s B Day .

Had a cpl too many and got told by the cops to go home .
Not the same thing .
 
Morkel said:
at the moment he is clearly hampered but the effort is there.
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Averillo , how fast do you reckon he is ?
I`d say one of the fastest in the comp . Yet Ezra managed to catch him up and ankle tap him .
Ezra got squashed under a tackle mid game and came up limping . I think he got a cork in his thigh in that incident .
 
Big Del said:
Averillo , how fast do you reckon he is ?
I`d say one of the fastest in the comp . Yet Ezra managed to catch him up and ankle tap him .
Ezra got squashed under a tackle mid game and came up limping . I think he got a cork in his thigh in that incident .
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Yeah that was impressive speed. If he does have a problem with his knee, it could be hampering his lateral movement more than his straight line running.
 
Big Del said:
Shiba came to training in the morning, pissed from the night before celebrating his b day .
Josiah was on his own time .Out celebrating Ben Hunt`s B Day .

Had a cpl too many and got told by the cops to go home .
Not the same thing .
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Which is what I actually said in the message, but you cut it out.

"I know it's not the exact same situation, but Shiba sat out a crucial game last year".
 
Fitzy said:
Am I the only one who would be dropping Karapani for the weekend? He has turned a corner in his career the last 12 months and there is no question on his place in the team but I do think we need to continue to drive standards and there is no better game to do that then against the Titans where it won't bite us on the ass. Get Jesse a game in the process.

I could care less about what he has done but I think it will be important to Madge and it should be important to us as fans that standards are high and there is consequences for not meeting them.

Josiah sits on the sidelines or extended bench this weekend for mine.
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I dont mind the thought, but the club need to do their checks and balances to confirm that Karp did something that others didnt.

Was he just the unlucky one that security pulled up or was he being a dick and it's all warranted.

Don't want to just separate him out if half the squad were also still out following on from Dozer's bday or something
 
Brocko said:
Hunt and Reynolds both leaving at the end of this season in all likelihood, why would we get rid of Ezra completely?

His short kicking is fine, as on the weekend, albeit he gets trigger happy on early tackles, and it sometimes doesn't pay off.

If we didn't fold like a cheap suit, he is a 2023 Clive winner, and if he doesn't play in the finals last year, I dare say we don't get to or win the GF either.

I get people want more from him this season, it's warranted, but getting rid of him completely for a slow start to the season imo is crazy.
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Fair point but he as not been in form in four games yes he has flashes of brilliant but he done some silly stuff too just need to go back get some form and consistency then he be back in the side in no time.
 
Brocko said:
I'd be pretty surprised if Karapani is picked for this weekend yeah. Madge and hopefully the leadership group are trying to drive pretty high standards. I know it's not the exact same situation, but Shiba sat out a crucial game last year.

We have Arthars there, give him a game or 2 for sure.
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Shiba supposedly turned up to training still hungover... that was more he knew training was on but stayed out anyway and then compounded it by getting sloshed.

Karp was after the game and potentially he was out celebrating with others
 
Sproj said:
Ethan Strange
AJ Brimson
Fletcher Sharpe
Blaize Talagi
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Strange - I'd say similar, not worse
AJ - Not a half, never has been. Only named there because Titans squad is gross.
Sharpe - 100% a fullback, Knights just have 3 fullbacks a 5/8 so have to play him there
Talagi - As per Strange.

I'll give you 2 of those 4, but it would be arguable.

The fact is, Mam is in the bottom handful of 5/8s for defence, kicking and ball playing, and he's being paid in the top bracket for the position.
 
Fitzy said:
I am not sure Ezra's future is as a 5/8 anymore. I think there is a footy player there, but is it a 5/8? I'm not sure. His contact has always been excellent so it may be a ball playing roaming lock in the same way as a Dylan Walker. He comes up with some good involvements from time to time but these are as a footy player not as a half. I am not dropping him for anyone at the minute but I do seriously believe that our future halves are Duffy and Pezet to be honest and I think we would be insane not to be angling that way. That's my honest to god opinion. I am more so angling that way because I don't know if Pezet is quite refined enough to be the man at 7 and I think Duffy is just in tremendous form in Q-Cup and you'd be insane to hand a talent like that to another team just to keep Mam playing some fairly bog average football. He has filled out in maturity and bulked up a bit as well and has completely lost his zip and potency as a result. We just aren't playing the same high support play style of footy we once were. Duffy is an out and out 7 and Hunt and Reyno just haven't worked together so it has to get a whole lot worse to drop him but I am not convinced his future is as star studded as we would like. He competes and has an element of danger and natural ability about him, but his skills and ability to unlock his outside men and have a contributing kicking game is very poor and the development in these areas have been quite disappointing. And all of this is before we get to his putrid defensive reads on the edge. Walsh is doing most of his job for him and hiding a lot of deficiencies in his game.

Mam had a great performance in the prelim and Final as a competitor. He tried hard, brought the energy and ruffled feathers. There is a player there but I'm just not sure he is a 800k 5/8 anymore and that's over a 2 and a bit year sample of footy now and I think Madge has well and truly caught onto that fact by trying to force the Reynolds and Hunt combo. The contrast when Walters was 6 was quite telling to be honest and it really highlighted his deficiencies even more.

Fortunately for him Duffy isn't really a 6 or he would be about to lose his spot. Potential is there, I'm giving him a decent run in that 6 jersey before he is getting dropped but I do seriously believe he is in a career defining period in his Broncos journey of sorts.
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It looks like Ezra is double guessing himself at the moment.

It's like he wants to follow what the coaches are saying and be in structure, but they'd also be telling him to run it or play what he sees, but he's probably thinking too much off the back of it.

And what we end up with is what looks like going through the motions in structure (he's not going through the motions I just think he doesnt process as quick or something) and his eyes up footy leans on the kick too much.

I think the coaches need to create situations for him or really simplify his game.

At the moment he's popping up on the right trying to catch defenders out or waiting on his edge for his turn to get the ball from Reyno.

I'd just like him to really work on getting his second rower 1v1 and then work from there... just master one thing instead of them opening up the entire play book... hit Piaks short wrap around and attack that edge again.

He doesnt seem to attack on back to back plays... he'll get the ball on his edge and then the team resets... so he gets one shot a set and he's usually got Reece wrapping around (likely calling for it) and then that's it for the set... or they might call him to the right and give him a run there.

I think he's also a right arm carry??

I think that affects his running game a bit... he cant use a fend as well as a leftee, but I'd imagine he'd have a great fend... so he's trying to outspeed the opposition and it gets too sideways.

Need to get him working on straightening up and then he has options for run, pass out the back or cut out.
 
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