[2025 Trial] Broncos vs Bulldogs

[BroncsFan]

JAC? He’s at Parra.

JAC plays for the Eels now ... he got sacked for making Gould look foolish

Yes that's right... I didn't bother looking through the extended just remembered seeing JAC in the extended on teamlist Tuesday and was thinking he will be replacing one of the starters.

Was also remembering that one of the dogs wingers would be replaced... but just now realising it will be Kiraz that comes in when he returns

Total fail from me... been looking at too much supercoach / SVRL in recent days and players no longer have teams in my head

 

[Skathen]

Shibisaki has failed to make it at 3 different clubs, and this is his second stint in Brisbane, he is 27 now, Madge trying to out think the room, if mariner doesn’t work his way back into this side, a lot of clubs will be licking their lips - he will be elite , hopefully it’s just a short term thing and his defence is top notch when he gets a run

Yeah, I'm highly dubious. We've done this experiment - he was widely classed as a bit of a hack with terrible hands and poor positioning. Unless something has DRASTICALLY changed, Mariner offers a lot more - just needs to mature and keep focus on the game for the full 80.

 

[BroncsFan]

Mariner needs to work on his defence and various things, but is it best for him to do that in the NRL or in Qcup where the stakes are lower.

I don't think Madge considers Shiba a better player than Mariner, I don't even think it's a kick up the ass for Mariner, I think it's a plan for the long run. If it's better for Mariner to fix up his issues in Qcup then that's where he should do it, and then come back into the NRL when he's ready.

I'd say that Shiba and Gos are both placeholders until Mariner and Piakura sort their games out and are ready for NRL week in week out... making sure they're in the best possible position to succeed before giving them the jersey.

I think both are signed to at least 2027 and both are in the broncos plans long term... does it matter if they spend the first half of the year (or however long it is) sorting out their game and earn the jersey.

Even when it comes to Piakura I feel like a trend that is picking up is running with 3 backrowers in the 17 and having them split minutes. Maybe 1 plays 80, but the other plays the first 30 (Gos) and then the bench forward plays out the game. Gos is then on the bench if anything else happens.

It's better if one of the 3 is a bit of a hybrid and able to play in the middle... which is where Riki has been for me... but Big Pete has suggested Piakura could pop up in the middle as well. Robinson has recently been making sure his forwards can play edge and middle, to give him flexibility across the squad.

Cows have been running 3 topline backrowers in the 17 for a few years now (Nanai, Finefeuiaki, Luki, Luciano and now Bateman) and having them split minutes.

It's a similar concept to your better hooker starting on the bench, but ends up playing longer minutes... you just take them out of the line of fire to start the game and then bring them on when they can impact the game... or if they can't play the full 80.

 

[NSW stables]

I like having Hunt and Paix in the team, gives us an unpredictability factor. Defense can’t just expect Billy will run it at inopportune times or that everything will go through Walsh.

Both Hunt and Reynolds are capable of organising and being dominant as well, something Mam can’t do. We do lose a lot of speed though without Mam there but Paix replaces that somewhat.

Basically, if oppositions put all their time into shutting down Walsh, Hunt or Reynolds will tear them to shreds. My big concern though is Shibasaki. The bloke is a journeyman for a reason and is super slow.

Without Mariner and Mam, we lose a lot of speed in the backline and so while we might be a bit more unpredictable, we will also be slower and oppositions will have more time to react.

Hopefully it doesn’t matter though and our forward pack performs as well as paper suggests and no pack can stop them.

I mean if the 2024 grand finalist teams show anything, it is that game busting centres are not essential.

Penrith: tago and alomoti
Melbourne: meaney and howarth.

Not particularly fast, big or strong that create something out of nothing. They are just role players, dependent upon the creative players to put them into position to score points etc.

 

[Harry]

Mariner needs to work on his defence and various things, but is it best for him to do that in the NRL or in Qcup where the stakes are lower.

I don't think Madge considers Shiba a better player than Mariner, I don't even think it's a kick up the ass for Mariner, I think it's a plan for the long run. If it's better for Mariner to fix up his issues in Qcup then that's where he should do it, and then come back into the NRL when he's ready.

I'd say that Shiba and Gos are both placeholders until Mariner and Piakura sort their games out and are ready for NRL week in week out... making sure they're in the best possible position to succeed before giving them the jersey.

I think both are signed to at least 2027 and both are in the broncos plans long term... does it matter if they spend the first half of the year (or however long it is) sorting out their game and earn the jersey.

Even when it comes to Piakura I feel like a trend that is picking up is running with 3 backrowers in the 17 and having them split minutes. Maybe 1 plays 80, but the other plays the first 30 (Gos) and then the bench forward plays out the game. Gos is then on the bench if anything else happens.

It's better if one of the 3 is a bit of a hybrid and able to play in the middle... which is where Riki has been for me... but Big Pete has suggested Piakura could pop up in the middle as well. Robinson has recently been making sure his forwards can play edge and middle, to give him flexibility across the squad.

Cows have been running 3 topline backrowers in the 17 for a few years now (Nanai, Finefeuiaki, Luki, Luciano and now Bateman) and having them split minutes.

It's a similar concept to your better hooker starting on the bench, but ends up playing longer minutes... you just take them out of the line of fire to start the game and then bring them on when they can impact the game... or if they can't play the full 80.

I honestly think it is a ‘challenge’ for Piakura and Mariner.

Such an old fashioned coach approach… you’ve got 2 young guys with huge potential and already receiving enormous praise (and big money, in Piakura’s case) that don’t match what they’ve produced on the field. Both pretty much walked into a starting spot, and while some elements of their game (attack) have been good, both need to work on defence and consistency. Both these guys want and expect to be starters.

Then… It’s dress rehearsal for the main season and all the big stars are back and the team is full of starters.. and Mariner and Piakura aren’t in the team. They’re told that these other 2 journeymen are ahead of them as of right now and they have 2 weeks to earn back that spot or they’ll be playing QCup. Imagine the shock and sting and disappointment and the fire that would light under these 2 young players, who would likely otherwise be cruising at this point of the season to suddenly feel like their spot was in danger.

I don’t think Shiba and Gos will start (or were ever meant to)… they are just the warning shot / wake up call to show these 2 young developing stars that nothing is easy, nothing is promised and motivate them to really get stuck in and take their game to the next level and earn that spot. Also consolidates the point that defence an attitude is the foundation of the team, not flashy attack.

Great approach.

 

[broncos4life]

I hope the Shiba and Gos picks are just a wake up call thing. If Shiba is genuinely starting of Mariner I have big concerns.

 

[Big Del]

I have a good feeling those dark days are over.

I still think Billy is the starter .
Paix doesn`t have the aggresive defence like Billy . Paix to take advantage when players fatigue a little .

 

[Big Del]

Imagine the shock and sting and disappointment and the fire that would light under these 2 young players, who would likely otherwise be cruising at this point of the season to suddenly feel like their spot was in danger.

Or , resentment that they were established and reserve graders from other clubs were brought in to replace them .

All this talk about Mariners defence ? I don`t remember too many missed tackles by him . Lack of metres coming out of defence yes , lack of awareness at times yes . But ,,, he was the comps leading try scorer at one stage . I doubt you trade that strike power for Shiba .
And don`t forget he broke his back early last season . That may have affected him more than we know .

 

[kman]

I still think Billy is the starter .
Paix doesn`t have the aggresive defence like Billy . Paix to take advantage when players fatigue a little .

Billy won't be starter why would Mage put him so far down the line and not play him. Why would he wrap Billy Walters in cotton wool?

 

[McHunt]

Billy won't be starter why would Mage put him so far down the line and not play him. Why would he wrap Billy Walters in cotton wool?

What if Kevvie is still pulling the strings behind the scenes?

 

[theshed]

I must be blinded by bias. Billy is mostly solid in defence but people talk about him like he’s Cameron McInnis or Andrew McCullough in defence.

I really don’t see it

 

[McHunt]

I must be blinded by bias. Billy is mostly solid in defence but people talk about him like he’s Cameron McInnis or Andrew McCullough in defence.

I really don’t see it

He's not terrible, but he's no Jake Turpin.

 

[theshed]

He's not terrible, but he's no Jake Turpin.

Billy’s defence is the same as his attack. Highly enthusiastic, moderately effective

 

[Mum-the-meatloaf]

What is interesting with Paix, he was touted to be great when he first came in. He came in an era where we sucked.

He got pushed down the pecking order by Walters, and by certain version of events there was a clash there.

He didnt kick stones, he dug in, won hooker of the year in cup and has taken a new opportunity with both hands.

You have to respect that mentality. It would have been easy for him to slag the team off and be a real problem child.

 

[beaseagull]

Or , resentment that they were established and reserve graders from other clubs were brought in to replace them .

All this talk about Mariners defence ? I don`t remember too many missed tackles by him . Lack of metres coming out of defence yes , lack of awareness at times yes . But ,,, he was the comps leading try scorer at one stage . I doubt you trade that strike power for Shiba .
And don`t forget he broke his back early last season . That may have affected him more than we know .

He was the leading try scorer on the wing. Only 3 tries after we moved him into the centres.

 

[BroncsFan]

What is interesting with Paix, he was touted to be great when he first came in. He came in an era where we sucked.

He got pushed down the pecking order by Walters, and by certain version of events there was a clash there.

He didnt kick stones, he dug in, won hooker of the year in cup and has taken a new opportunity with both hands.

You have to respect that mentality. It would have been easy for him to slag the team off and be a real problem child.

He was touted as a halfback coming through (think they compared him to Cronk... guessing because he didn't have blonde hair).

He was transitioned to hooker as we had halfback prospects in front of him... think this was guys like Milf, maybe Dearden, maybe Tanah Boyd and maybe some others (cant remember when Paix came onto the scene)... but we had no hookers ie. Business as usual at the Broncos for about 20yr.

It was a move probably out of necessity... but also FOMO. Broncos invested time into a young prospect coming through, but don't have a spot in the team for him when he inevitably becomes origin calibre, so better figure out how to squeeze him in to future top 17 lineups.

 

[BroncosFever]

Billy won't be starter why would Mage put him so far down the line and not play him. Why would he wrap Billy Walters in cotton wool?

He's the best 9 at the club and you know it too.

Also, what sort of a mage is he? Frost mage, fire mage? What are we talking about here.

 

[McHunt]

He's the best 9 at the club and you know it too.

Also, what sort of a mage is he? Frost mage, fire mage? What are we talking about here.

He's not even the fourth best hooker:

Hunt > Paix > Mozer > Smoothy > Walters > Bukowski

He might be the best 14 available in round one.