Broncos best attack in NRL

[Nashy]

We still have the Origin slump to get through yet. And we're not in the best position on the ladder to put up with 8 weeks of loses.

 

[Kimlo]

We still have the Origin slump to get through yet. And we're not in the best position on the ladder to put up with 8 weeks of loses.

I have a feeling this year might be different. You're right though we can't afford it.

 

[Porthoz]

We still have the Origin slump to get through yet. And we're not in the best position on the ladder to put up with 8 weeks of loses.

I have a feeling this year might be different. You're right though we can't afford it.

We won't loose as many players to SOO (Lockyer, Folau, Thaiday) as we normally do, although I do think Parker deserves a spot.
We definitely need Norman/Hunt to step up in the halves and our wingers need to be in better physical shape to supress Izzy's loss. And although no team can go without Thaiday in this form, that is probably the spot we have the best cover for, especially since Gillett's return.

If NSW decide they want Wallace again after loosing game one, we might get in trouble with positions 1, 6, 7 and 9 all filled with rookies.

 

[Foordy]

We still have the Origin slump to get through yet. And we're not in the best position on the ladder to put up with 8 weeks of loses.

however, i think this will be our lowest representation in an origin series ever.

 

[tkday]

It's scarey thinking about how the Broncos are going to go come origin time.

 

[Coxy]

It's scarey thinking about how the Broncos are going to go come origin time.

Why? We'll only likely be missing Lockyer, Folau and Thaiday.

Sure, Thaiday and Folau are in great form right now, but Hunt, Glenn, Lui, Sims, Setu...lots of adequate cover.

Plus the only game we will definitely be without Thaiday and Folau is Souths, before Origin 2.

I don't think Origin will have anywhere near the impact on us it has in the past.

 

[jarro65]

It's scarey thinking about how the Broncos are going to go come origin time.

Why? We'll only likely be missing Lockyer, Folau and Thaiday.

Sure, Thaiday and Folau are in great form right now, but Hunt, Glenn, Lui, Sims, Setu...lots of adequate cover.

Plus the only game we will definitely be without Thaiday and Folau is Souths, before Origin 2.

I don't think Origin will have anywhere near the impact on us it has in the past.

Also add in the fact that the young guys (Norman, Beale, Gillett, Hoffman, etc) have had a lot of game time recently and will be more settled ...... not thrown into the fire so to speak.

I'm expecting us to do well post origin this year icon_thumbs_u

 

[Coxy]

Exactly.

And Sam Thaiday didn't skip a beat last Sunday after playing 60-odd minutes against NZ 2 days earlier, in what was a fairly tough forward battle on a wet night.

He's super fit this year.

 

[Coxy]

I would certainly rest him against the Sharks.

I really hope QLD don't pick Te'o though.

 

[lynx000]

The other advantage that we have for origin and post origin, and it has been a mixed blessing, but a fair proportion of the team have been out with injuries and therefore having an enforced break, we should be no where near as physically tired as a team as in previous seasons post the origin period. Whether that is the case pscyhologically, I don't know.

 

[tkday]

One minute you are all saying in the Locky thread that we can't do it without him, the next you are saying we are going to be fine. I think we are going to struggle without him and Thaiday.

 

[Anonymous person]

I think a lot of that comes from how emphatic our wins have been over top level sides - we have been stepping up all year against premiership contenders (& the storm) and now we are starting to win themn

our wins have been good and all, and im not one of the people who thought the sky was falling to begin with, but does anyone actually truly believe the Titans are premiership contenders? i honestly dont even give them the slightest chance of winning the premiership. even when they finished 3rd last year, they just always seem to be playing to make up the numbers. like saints, they won enough to get to the finals, but come finals time they just dont have that little something extra.

i know we can be real premiership contenders, and if we can get out of our injury rut and stay out, we'll be right up there again in or near the grand final. we went within a whisker last year with virtually the same team, so we can do it again. id go so far as to say that this team has the potential to be better, with tronc there to get the hard yards done and with players like Thaiday and Te'o stepping up, and Folau turning into quite the centre instead of just jumping for a ball once or twice a match.

i dont think we have anything to worry about come origin time, as like others have said, we only have 3 people who realistically are a chance of making the team, at least for game 1.

 

[Coxy]

Exactly. Titans won't win a premiership anytime soon. But they are friggin' hard to win 2 points against. So it's very valuable to have done so.

 

[lynx000]

I think a lot of that comes from how emphatic our wins have been over top level sides - we have been stepping up all year against premiership contenders (& the storm) and now we are starting to win themn

our wins have been good and all, and im not one of the people who thought the sky was falling to begin with, but does anyone actually truly believe the Titans are premiership contenders? i honestly dont even give them the slightest chance of winning the premiership. even when they finished 3rd last year, they just always seem to be playing to make up the numbers. like saints, they won enough to get to the finals, but come finals time they just dont have that little something extra.

i know we can be real premiership contenders, and if we can get out of our injury rut and stay out, we'll be right up there again in or near the grand final. we went within a whisker last year with virtually the same team, so we can do it again. id go so far as to say that this team has the potential to be better, with tronc there to get the hard yards done and with players like Thaiday and Te'o stepping up, and Folau turning into quite the centre instead of just jumping for a ball once or twice a match.

i dont think we have anything to worry about come origin time, as like others have said, we only have 3 people who realistically are a chance of making the team, at least for game 1.

Good post AP

 

[lynx000]

I agree, Titans are not premiership material BUT they are very good during the regular season and they can win games with no problems. Tough team to beat during regular season and we beat the comfortably. That's why I like our win against the Titans.

And yes, no reason why we can't make the GF if we keep out form up. We have a BETTER team than last year IMO, Kemp and Tronc on board, and like you said, Thaiday and Teo stepping up...

If we could get consistent football of the quality we have been seeing out of Thaiday, Teo and Setu, anything is possible. With those three playing the way they have been and Tronc and Kenny doing the up the middle carries, our forwards can set a good platform for our backline. I think it all comes down to our attitude in defence though.

 

[Coxy]

It's that attitude in defence that has turned around completely in the last fortnight. It's now not so easy for teams to rumble their way out of our half (the Titans on a few occasions had to resort to spreading the ball wide on the 4th tackle because we had them trapped inside the 20...admittedly on all occasions they made breaks, but still....)

And now when opposition are making breaks there are 3, 4, 5 Broncos chasing them, which means if we do get them, there's actually SOME defence there for the follow up play.

Total attitude reversal.

 

[Anonymous person]

the change has almost been like the one late last year when the players decided to pull their socks up and actually play football. heres hoping they can keep going with it.

 

[Coxy]

the change has almost been like the one late last year when the players decided to pull their socks up and actually play football. heres hoping they can keep going with it.

I think it's inevitable there'll be another dip in form. But I hope it's not as disastrous as early 2010 or the 3rd quarter of 2009.

If form dips for say 3-4 weeks from round 18-22, and then they pick it up heading into the finals, peaking in time for the prelim final...that'd be sweet.

But I think we'd want to lose only 1 more game before round 18 (our second bye) if that's the case, leaving us at say a 9 win, 7 loss record and 22 points, so long as they can win 5 of the last 8 that should leave them on 32 points and circa 4-6, which is an adequate position to attack the title from.

I see the next 8 weeks as the deciding factor in whether we're contenders or making up the numbers though. I'm not convinced either way.

Round 11: Bye
Round 12: Sharks (away)
Round 13: Manly (away)
Round 14: Souths (home)
Round 15: Penrith (home)
Round 16: Parramatta (away)
Round 17: Wests Tigers (home)
Round 18: Bye

To me the only real danger games, assuming we continue our present form, are the away visits to Manly and Parramatta. I'd be happy if we won one of those, and picked up all the home wins and the Sharks.