2018 Bronco season review.

[winslow_wong]

I’m sick of players being chummy with the opposition during the game.

FMD belt their play makers in defence, run over them in attack. Put some hits on their big boppers, preferably before they take a cheap shot on one of ours

Get some **** about ya

I think that's everything bennett hates. It's bennett culture. We always want to be the good guys and play by the rules. That's why we get dominated in the ruck. It's also a trend with the younger generation, likes foreskins, when things get hard they disappear.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

On field: Terrible. Nothing but bad attitude, weak defence and middling attack all year. Certain players need a huge rocket or the chop with the sharpest axe. 3
Strength & Conditioning: Probably the worst injury crisis the club has seen in some years coupled with generally lethargic and unfit looking players which reflected in our poor defence. Who knew we'd miss Corvo so quickly. 4
Coaching: A complete shitshow from the moment the Bellyache rumors gained pace and remains virtually unsettled. Wayne doesn't know whether he should start cleaning the office out now or not. A horrible look for the club. 3
Administration: I like Paul White, and generally speaking think he's a competent CEO, but he has made some questionable at best calls this year, not least of which believing for a second that Bellyache would leave his cushy job at Melbourne. 4
Juniors: The one shining light for the year. By virtue of the earlier mentioned injury crisis, we have unearthed a gold standard generation of young footballers and have retained the majority of them. Isaako is the top point scoring junior in League history and SHOULD, read should, win the Dally M Rookie of the Year. 9
Attendance & Membership: As usual, we made the rest of the comp look lazy at best and straight incompetent at worst. Our average crowd attendance is leagues ahead of 2nd place, and we did it with a very poor year on field. 9
Media: From a week before kickoff Round 1 all the way to our elimination last Sunday, it was nothing but relentless negativity. It began with Lodge, which they dragged on for over a month, continued through mid season and Origin with Bellyache vs Bennett then Bennett vs. White, and was topped off the very day we were sent packing with Andrew Gee in the coaches box. I'm giving the insufferable ***** a zero. Pull your fucking heads in. 0
Origin: Abandoned by Captain Immortal weeks out from Game 1, a Maroons squad made up of mostly wash ins who had no business being there (hello Cooper and McC) and predictably beaten by the Blues. The dynasty is surely over. 4
The comp at large: If you're feeling a tad disillusioned as a League fan, one could hardly blame you. Sometimes it feels like this elite sporting competition is operated by rank charlatans with no regard for the wellbeing of the game outside the hot news story of the day, which is usually the next big code in crisis story propagated by a shameless and indignant NSW media. The refereeing is a shambles, attendance in NSW is laughable bordering on crisis and once again all signs point to another leg up season for expansion in Melbourne. Greenburg has to go. 3

Overall: 3. An utterly forgettable year to be a Broncos/Maroons supporter, and that's probably being gentle about it. If it weren't for the quality juniors we've discovered, I would be chaining the doors shut and putting the Barn to torch along with everything inside.

Bring on 2019. Quickly please.

 

[Gaz]

Bring on 2019. Quickly please.

Much to be sorted.
Don’t want to see 2019 until it is.
Don’t want a repeat of 2018.

 

[Scorchie]

Some article about the evolution of the edge forwards and how its their job to protect the halves so they're not spent in attack.

How much do we miss Tonie Carroll these days!!!

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Some article about the evolution of the edge forwards and how its their job to protect the halves so they're not spent in attack.

How much do we miss Tonie Carroll these days!!!

Gillett and TPJ can be the new Carroll, with the right coaching. Lord knows Milf and Nikorima could really use it.

 

[Battler]

The comp at large: If you're feeling a tad disillusioned as a League fan, one could hardly blame you. Sometimes it feels like this elite sporting competition is operated by rank charlatans with no regard for the wellbeing of the game outside the hot news story of the day, which is usually the next big code in crisis story propagated by a shameless and indignant NSW media. The refereeing is a shambles, attendance in NSW is laughable bordering on crisis and once again all signs point to another leg up season for expansion in Melbourne. Greenburg has to go. 3

The thing with Melbourne is that a large portion of their fan base consists of band wagoners, including scum that don't even live in Melbourne (yes, if you support the Storm and have no real connection to Melbourne (visiting it for a few days or having an uncle living there doesn't count) I won't hesitate to judge you). The state produces no juniors whatsoever, and they have leeched from the NSW and Brisbane pool since inception. Their crowds aren't even flash hot for a dominate side, like we would average close to 50k if we had their results. I can see them getting Manly-esque crowds when they inevitably turn to shit post-Smith. They're going to be the NRL equivalent of the Brisbane Lions within 5 years.

May as well have stuck them in Brisbane or introduced a Perth side because at least WA has a very promising grass roots system.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

The thing with Melbourne is that a large portion of their fan base consists of band wagoners, including scum that don't even live in Melbourne (yes, if you support the Storm and have no real connection to Melbourne (visiting it for a few days or having an uncle living there doesn't count) I won't hesitate to judge you). The state produces no juniors whatsoever, and they have leeched from the NSW and Brisbane pool since inception. Their crowds aren't even flash hot for a dominate side, like we would average close to 50k if we had their results. I can see them getting Manly-esque crowds when they inevitably turn to shit post-Smith. They're going to be the NRL equivalent of the Brisbane Lions within 5 years.

May as well have stuck them in Brisbane or introduced a Perth side because at least WA has a very promising grass roots system.

The NRL are desperate to the point of nauseating to force success in Melbourne. The amount of shit that side and their coach have gotten away with since the salary cap bombshell in 2010 is a disgrace to the sport. They had a chance to bring them well back into line in regards to the wrestle and their grubby tactics like chicken wing tackles and leg pulls, but no, precious Melbourne can't be allowed to fail lest the club fold completely and suddenly Kunt and Slothfield have a festival of negativity to dance in for a year.

And now we have a young man in a wheelchair for life and players continue to be sidelined for extended periods with dislocated shoulders or **** knows what else. You could be praised for still having hair left that hasn't been ripped out.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Some article about the evolution of the edge forwards and how its their job to protect the halves so they're not spent in attack.

How much do we miss Tonie Carroll these days!!!

Gillett, sua, bird, and glenn for the finals were biger losses then first thought in hindsight. 2 of them still available and we have our edge defence vastly improved, especially gillett obviously

 

[1910]

There is too much focus on defence when it comes to halves. Most halves aren't that good defensively, they are tackling blokes much bigger and stronger than them.

James Maloney is one of the worst defenders in the comp, but he has been in 3 GF's and won 2. He also improves every side he is in.

Forwards are taught from a young age to protect their halves. It's part of their job.

If that's going to be your thing than you need more than two try assists for a finals series and out in two games with one extra time win by a kick and a loss.

Five games out of nine without a try assist. 11 try assists from nine games and five of them in one game is pretty inconsistent. 29 missed tackles in nine games.

Like I said he was sensational in the Residents so I am clinging to that for the time being and I have factored in those other things like hard at half when it's nine games and not your team.

He was enthusiastic and kicked well just need the Residents running game not his ISC running game.

 

[Broncs1459]

The thing with Melbourne is that a large portion of their fan base consists of band wagoners, including scum that don't even live in Melbourne (yes, if you support the Storm and have no real connection to Melbourne (visiting it for a few days or having an uncle living there doesn't count) I won't hesitate to judge you). The state produces no juniors whatsoever, and they have leeched from the NSW and Brisbane pool since inception. Their crowds aren't even flash hot for a dominate side, like we would average close to 50k if we had their results. I can see them getting Manly-esque crowds when they inevitably turn to shit post-Smith. They're going to be the NRL equivalent of the Brisbane Lions within 5 years.

May as well have stuck them in Brisbane or introduced a Perth side because at least WA has a very promising grass roots system.

Melbourne will continue to be dominant post smith. More dominant than we will be

 

[winslow_wong]

Gillett and TPJ can be the new Carroll, with the right coaching. Lord knows Milf and Nikorima could really use it.

Don't forget sua too. Guy can hit

 

[Number6]

Melbourne will continue to be dominant post smith. More dominant than we will be

Might be ok but wouldn’t bet the farm. A lot will depend on Smith staying on to assistant coach. But realistically lose 4 once in a generation with greatest hooker all time is a huge hole to fill. Don’t think they’ll be bottom 8 too much but might not be consistently top 4. Their spine may only have 1 international in Munster who isn’t a natural leader. Maybe just make c Smith the most overpaid water boy in history of the game to run the team for a couple of years then coach post Bellamy. Their systems however do seem much better than Broncs so maybe they will maintain an edge under coach Smith. Might have the next 3 Australian halves in pipeline while Milf will be still ‘developing’ on 2 mill a year at age 30!

 

[Wolfie]

Cam Smith is such an influence along with Slater ( who from what i have heard from a couple of players who have played with him has the best football brain in the business ), i think the Storm are going to collapse big time personally as Smith makes the difference time and time again. If Queensland had Smith playing this year, we would have won the origin series he is that influential, and he has the same effect on the storm.

 

[Battler]

Melbourne will continue to be dominant post smith. More dominant than we will be

They're about to invest big time in Munster as their primary playmaker. He will be completely exposed without the best player of all time able to jump into HB at will when needed and direct play. Even in Origin this year Munster was totally hopeless most of the time in games 1 and 2 because he was demanding the ball and doing nothing with it because his kicking game is sub-par at best. He's a FB/ support 5/8 exclusively (maybe a centre in rep footy) with a dynamic, devastating running game.

Croft looks good, but again with Smith around to take pressure off of him and suitable refereeing allowing for his forwards to give him room with wrestling (I refuse to believe that the NRL won't eventually crack down on this). Could you imagine how good Milf would be with Smith able to rotate into first receiver and stop the defence singling out Milf because he's our sole kicking option?

If the NRL lets them do what they want in the ruck they'll still finish top 8, but they won't be top 2 locks every season. Even this year with Smith and Slater they were in that log jam at the top, lose 2-3 games and they're eighth. I'm willing to bet that those two win them more than 2-3 games with their presence on the field.

 

[Kimlo]

You don't even have to look much beyond this year. Melbourne have lost a heck of a lot without Cronk. It was basically them this year, with perfect execution every 5th tackle which made them pretty much unbeatable. Take Cronk out, and while they're still very, very good, they are also very beatable.

Take Slater out next year, they'll lose an edge again like they did with Cronk, Smith the year later and they're going to have a long period of being pretty average.

 

[Stix]

Melbourne will continue to be dominant post smith. More dominant than we will be

Lol, I remember someone trying to tell me about how the Broncos won't miss Locky... He's only 1 player... You don't just replace guys like that. For Storm to lose Cronk, Slater and Smith over a couple of seasons will be fucking massive.

 

[Super Freak]

Watching the games again, it's amazing just how much Ofahengaue has improved. It seems he has really put in the hard work off the field and it's paying off on the field.

A couple of years ago, he was good but you just got the feeling that that's all you were going to get from him, that he didn't have a higher ceiling.

But I feel like he has gone to another level this year. Losing him against the Dragons really hurt us in the middle.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Yeah...agree. Good shout out for Joe.