Broncos in action last night.
Aublix Tawha
Played the opening twenty minutes before coming off. Tried to make an impact early in defence but couldn't follow through. He could hit, but couldn't stick so the Capras were getting quick play the balls.
Lost the ball while trying to poke his nose through the Capras line just inside his half. Capras took advantage of the opportunity and scored when the Magpies failed to clean up a grubber.
Tawha looks noticeably fitter than his team mates but is largely ambling and struggling to get involved. He did run a nice decoy for Milford but Coburn dropped it when something was brewing down the right.
Too passive for my liking. Of all the forwards for the Magpies he's easily in the best shape but he's not putting himself in the picture.
Back on in the 50th minute. Looks more involved early but a few sets in and he's struggling. Comes out the line, the Capras player gets outside him and he ambles back to the line. Had he been involved in the tackle he could have stopped the offload and the Capras are skating down-hill at this point. The Capras are getting around him easy and he's pretty ineffective when he does get there. Capras are getting around the Magpies easy and Walker dots down in the corner.
Around 19:00 in the game clock Magpies are working it out from their own 10m. Takes a tough carry on tackle two and does fine. Then spends the rest of the set behind the play. Petterson-Robati comes off the back fence shrugs off his opposite and gets an offload away. The ball finds Tawha (wrong target, Aubrey was right behind him) and he ambles up the line and loses the tackle.
Magpies with an opportunity after a bad mistake at the back from the Capras. Eggerling works a play with his two forwards and cuts out Petterson-Robati and finds Tawha. Tawha slows up on his run and gets turtled. It doesn't matter anyways because the Magpies set up a deep backline to their left and they work the play to score in the corner.
Tawha with the kick-off carry and he does well - gets it to the 20. Goes looking for more work - this is what I like to see - and finds his front. Good tackle on John, worked him onto his back and then applies kick pressure - this is more like it. Then the Magpies fullback spills the ball cold.
Better second stint so far. Not a night and day difference but I'm seeing more effort plays. Capras allow the ball to bounce inside their own half and Tawha gets involved in three tackles. He's actually making decent contact as well.
Still ripping in defence at 6:20 and combines with Eggerling to force a mistake off the Capras winger Tenza. Magpies look like they're about to score the exact same try as earlier, but Johnson hits the centre and the outside in defence forces the mistake. Oof!
Crazy finish with Magpies getting a penalty shot to lock up, the ball coming off the uprights, Magpies securing the ball and flinging it around until the Capras finally secured it.
Better second stint from Tawha but didn't have as big an impact as he should have.
Waqa also in action. He seemed a step behind the play and lost. Seems like he's regressed since his debut - granted the Clydesdales think they're playing touch.