2022 Draw: Last Win Highlights

[theshed]

I have gone through Rugby League Project records to find our most recent victory over each team in our 2022 draw. In the cases where a team appears for the second time in our draw I have linked highlights to our second most recent win. I was surprised by how recent some of these victories were to be honest.

In this post I will share the first 10 rounds and then will continue with 5 rounds per week until I finish the season. This is to give everyone something to watch over the off season and to get optimistic for the upcoming draw.

I might even do a finals run highlights once I figure out the best way to chose which highlights to post.

I threw this together extremely quickly so please let me know if I made any errors.

Rd1: Rabbitohs
Round 2 2020 - Suncorp


Rd2: Bulldogs
Round 2 2021 - Suncorp



Rd3: Cowboys
Round 20 2021 - Suncorp



Rd4: Warriors
Round 23 2021 - Suncorp



Rd5: Roosters
Round 11 2021 - SCG

 

[theshed]

Rd6: Panthers
Round 22 2019 - Suncorp



Rd7: Bulldogs
*Round 9 2020 - Suncorp



Rd8: Sharks
Round 16 2021 - Suncorp



Rd9: Rabbitohs
*Round 23 2018 - Suncorp



Rd10: Sea Eagles
Round 9 2019 - Suncorp

 

[Accept]

Didn't the Broncos defeat the Bunnies in 2020? Just before the COVID break?

 

[theshed]

Didn't the Broncos defeat the Bunnies in 2020? Just before the COVID break?

lol ****. Fell at the very first hurdle. Thanks for reminding me, I’ll fix that up.

Staggs got a hat trick.

 

[Sproj]

Didn't the Broncos defeat the Bunnies in 2020? Just before the COVID break?

Yep.

 

[Santa]

This is awesome

 

[theshed]

A carefully optimistic point to note from above is that we beat 6 out of 10 of these teams during the 2021 season and 4 out of the first 5.

The bulldogs, Sharks, and Roosters will likely be improved but the bunnies will be vulnerable in round 1 without Gagai, Sua, Reynolds, Mitchell, and Wayne.

6 out of our first 10 games are at Suncorp too.

If the off season is kind to us most of these 10 matches are fairly winnable on paper.

 

[Jedhead]

You know if we can improve our abysmal defence we’ve got enough strike in us now to threaten a top four spot. Our youngsters are another preseason wiser and our pack is that much more solid.

 

[Sproj]

You know if we can improve our abysmal defence we’ve got enough strike in us now to threaten a top four spot. Our youngsters are another preseason wiser and our pack is that much more solid.

This is why I think we are outside chances at top 4. Capewell and James will help stiffen the defense immeasurably. This is also why I don't think Lee is as unlikely to be in the starting side as others might think, with him as well, you strengthen the inside backs' defense as well. We clearly have points in us but if we can stop them coming back with the frequency they were in 2020 and until mid-2021, we are a really, really good side.

 

[theshed]

This is why I think we are outside chances at top 4. Capewell and James will help stiffen the defense immeasurably. This is also why I don't think Lee is as unlikely to be in the starting side as others might think, with him as well, you strengthen the inside backs' defense as well. We clearly have points in us but if we can stop them coming back with the frequency they were in 2020 and until mid-2021, we are a really, really good side.

One of the big take aways from watching all those highlights is that Niu (or whoever is fullback) needs to learn to throw those signature Boyd early cut out passes to Oates 10m out. Even when nothing is on the big fella is so good at finding the line. With Reynolds digging in deep and giving the fullback enough space to throw them it doesn’t even take any vision because Oates just steamrolls over even if he’s marked.

I also think Herbie looks good on the wing. Lee (or Cobbo) at the left centre with Herbie on the wing outside Staggs isn’t a bad shout.

Also Reynolds just needs to throw Staggs early ball. The guy is a freak. Produces magic out of absolutely nothing.

 

[Sproj]

One of the big take aways from watching all those highlights is that Niu (or whoever is fullback) needs to learn to throw those signature Boyd early cut out passes to Oates 10m out. Even when nothing is on the big fella is so good at finding the line. With Reynolds digging in deep and giving the fullback enough space to throw them it doesn’t even take any vision because Oates just steamrolls over even if he’s marked.

I also think Herbie looks good on the wing. Lee (or Cobbo) at the left centre with Herbie on the wing outside Staggs isn’t a bad shout.

Also Reynolds just needs to throw Staggs early ball. The guy is a freak. Produces magic out of absolutely nothing.

I also thought Staggs' defense looked like it had improved in the few games he played last year as well, he's on track to be the best centre in the game.

 

[theshed]

I also thought Staggs' defense looked like it had improved in the few games he played last year as well, he's on track to be the best centre in the game.

I’m pretty confident the round 1 backline Should be

1. Niu
2. Oates
3. Lee/Cobbo
4. Staggs
5. Herbie

it kind of goes unmentioned but Herbie is 190cm 100+kg and registered the 6th fasted speed of the 2021 season (Cobbo 8th, Coates 3rd).

 

[Foordy]

I’m pretty confident the round 1 backline Should be

1. Niu
2. Oates
3. Lee/Cobbo
4. Staggs
5. Herbie

it kind of goes unmentioned but Herbie is 190cm 100+kg and registered the 6th fasted speed of the 2021 season (Cobbo 8th, Coates 3rd).

I'd probably go

1. Herbie
2. Oates
3. Lee/Cobbo
4. Staggs
5. Cobbo/Lee

 

[Sproj]

I’m pretty confident the round 1 backline Should be

1. Niu
2. Oates
3. Lee/Cobbo
4. Staggs
5. Herbie

it kind of goes unmentioned but Herbie is 190cm 100+kg and registered the 6th fasted speed of the 2021 season (Cobbo 8th, Coates 3rd).

I think you are right. I wouldn't be surprised to see Niu get first go at fullback and Cobbo given a few more weeks in Q Cup. If he comes back as well as he finished the season, Niu won't be there long. I just think Lee offers a lot of structure and solidifies that edge defensively. That said, Cobbo certainly didn't look out of place there either, more than held his own defensively.

 

[theshed]

I think you are right. I wouldn't be surprised to see Niu get first go at fullback and Cobbo given a few more weeks in Q Cup. If he comes back as well as he finished the season, Niu won't be there long. I just think Lee offers a lot of structure and solidifies that edge defensively. That said, Cobbo certainly didn't look out of place there either, more than held his own defensively.

To be completely honest i never really paid too close attention to Lee. I know he played above his pay grade at Melbourne but he was a meme prior to that. I don’t really know what people criticised him for. Whenever an outside back I don’t really follow is shitted on I usually just assume their defence is bad. Is Lee a solid defensive player?

 

[Sproj]

To be completely honest i never really paid too close attention to Lee. I know he played above his pay grade at Melbourne but he was a meme prior to that. I don’t really know what people criticised him for. Whenever an outside back I don’t really follow is shitted on I usually just assume their defence is bad. Is Lee a solid defensive player?

Yep he is.

 

[McHunt]

Here is the team that finished the season on a convincing high note. In light of that, I think all who are still with us should be considered favourites in these same positions. They should be able to carry that into the trials, and then we talk about what we saw after that.

1. Tesi
2. Corey
3. Selwyn
4. Herbie
5. Xavier
6. Mudfrog
7. Albert
8. Ethan
9. Jake
10. Payne
11. Alex
12. Jordan
13. Kobe

14. Cory
15. David
16. Rhys
17. TC

18. Brodie

Let's now lock in the replacements and certs.

1. Tesi
2. Corey
3. Kotoni
4. Herbie
5.
6.
7. Adam
8.
9. Jake
10. Payne
11. Kurt
12. Jordan
13. Kobe

14.
15.
16.
17. TC (unless he has some kind of suspension)

So that's a wing, 5/8th, prop and three bench positions up for grabs.

I'm Herbie's biggest critic and even I wouldn't be dropping him from centre, if for no other reason than he was the Broncos back of the year in that position. On top of that, his strength is making busts up the middle of the field, something that would be wasted on the wing. Lest he become another Xavier Coates and desert his wing constantly. He's also, for whatever reason, been unable to find the line or do much with the yards he makes. That's going to be Kevvie's biggest challenge: getting these fuckers to support each other. Herbie certainly isn't a lost cause, but there's a lot about his ball skills and game awareness that troubles me.

Whatever, Herbie will stay put.

Tragically, that relegates Selwyn to the vacant wing. Where he also will be wasted. But that alas is where he is in the pecking order. He will have to fight Tesi in the trials if he wants to bag fullback. Most of us expect him to end up there eventually. It's a matter of when, and what to do with Tesi.

I haven't locked in Albert because Tyson was out injured, and would've started had he been fit. Most would be locking Tyson into 6, but I'm retaining Albert and relegating Tyson to the bench. Again, that's a fight for the trials, but for me Albert has a touch more of the spark Adam lacks, while Adam brings everything else we've been missing.

Kevvie will be losing a lot of sleep over 6. He won't want a rerun of the last five years of musical chairs. He's going to have to make his choice and stick with it.

Tom will still be suspended so he's out of consideration for starting Prop. Patty or Ryan will take the number 8. The other will take the bench.

So that leaves two bench spots. I already have Tyson there as a utility, with Cory Paix dropped to the Reserve. If Tyson takes 6, then Cory is better suited to utility and Albert gets dropped from the squad. This is the more likely scenario.

The remaining bench spot goes to whichever forward is the fittest. My hunch is Ryan or Keenan. Xavier Willison is still recovering. Brendan Piakura duffed his one chance and will have to fight his way back into contention. Or it goes to a centre like Mead or Lee. Depends how many forwards Kevvie wants to carry.

The only other player I can see upsetting the cart is Jamayne. I have no idea where he ranks in the bigger scheme of things.

 

[lachyy]

turpin is far from a cert imo