Broncos forwards in grand final pact

[Super Freak]

BRONCOS stars have declared they can win the premiership, as chief enforcer Adam Blair revealed the pact by Brisbane’s forwards to bash rival packs out of the contest.

The Broncos are producing the type of late-season surge that propelled them to the 2015 grand final, emerging as genuine title contenders with their 32-10 rout of premiers Cronulla on Friday night.

Brisbane have now won six of their past eight games and Blair later detailed the Broncos’ forward-driven tactical blueprint to break the longest premiership drought in the club’s history.

Blair knows what it takes to win a title. He was a member of Melbourne’s 2009 premiership victory and helped the Broncos to the 2015 decider in his first season at Red Hill, only to watch the Cowboys snatch glory in an epic grand final.

Now Blair believes the Broncos’ class of 2017 can go one better, armed with a game plan built around Brisbane’s forwards ambushing their rivals and winning the midfield arm wrestle.

Cronulla’s big-name pack led by Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen, Wade Graham and Luke Lewis were left floundering as Blair, Josh McGuire and Matt Gillett led the forward assault.

“We are building something special here – it’s a lot like 2015 (when Brisbane made the grand final),” Blair said.

“As a forward pack we have actually made a pact to each other.

“The aim is to start well for the first 25 minutes and try and take the game away from other teams.

The last few weeks we have been doing that really well.

“We are just enjoying our footy and that comes from the hard work we are putting in as a forward pack in the first 25 minutes.

“By doing that (winning the early forward exchanges), it gives us the chance to play some football at the back end of halves.”

On Friday, Wayne Bennett’s players charged for 1660m, a whopping 418m more than the Sharks, who ran just 1242m as Brisbane took charge of the middle-third.

Makeshift hooker Ben Hunt, filling in for the injured Andrew McCullough, is a key plank in Brisbane’s forward blueprint.

He is entering the fray at the 20-minute mark to lift the tempo and is adamant Brisbane have the roster to deliver the club’s first premiership since 2006.

“I definitely think we have the team to win it,” Hunt said.

“After the first 20 minutes, if you keep turning a team away like we did (against the Sharks), you get the feeling things will keep rolling for you.”

http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/nrl/...t/news-story/e62ef6eb4655f741069962c2c42d85b1

 

[winslow_wong]

With the way the results are going lately there's definitely something brewing.

 

[Huge]

So when was this pact agreed upon ? We sure as shit didn't see it in the Parra game.

 

[Rally Towel]

So when was this pact agreed upon ? We sure as shit didn't see it in the Parra game.

Perhaps that was the catalyst?

Stark contrast there to the last two. Parramatta game surely emphasised we were lacking in that department. Prior to that we were only matching it with teams. What struck me was that the Eels were winning every contact on attack AND defence.

If we can replicate that intensity, and it seems we're aiming to, that will be huge for us.

Still, talk is cheap. Last two weeks have been good, let's see them live up to challenge. If they can put that forth against top tier teams like the Roosters, Storm and Cowboys, we can dare to dream...

 

[BroncsFan]

Big test this week against the dragons and their pack... JDB, Vaughan and Frizzell. Even Tariq will be keen given broncs are his former team.

 

[heartly87]

The way they gave it Cronulla forwards makes me believe.

 

[broncsgoat]

Next year, start the pact in round one. Thanks

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Next year, start the pact in round one. Thanks

Insert "Why can't we have both" meme here.

 

[john1420]

Perhaps that was the catalyst?

Stark contrast there to the last two. Parramatta game surely emphasised we were lacking in that department. Prior to that we were only matching it with teams. What struck me was that the Eels were winning every contact on attack AND defence.

If we can replicate that intensity, and it seems we're aiming to, that will be huge for us.

Still, talk is cheap. Last two weeks have been good, let's see them live up to challenge. If they can put that forth against top tier teams like the Roosters, Storm and Cowboys, we can dare to dream...

Am I the only one that wouldn't put Cowboys as a top tier team? Without Thurston and Scott I don't have them in the same class as Storm or Roosters

 

[lynx000]

Am I the only one that wouldn't put Cowboys as a top tier team? Without Thurston and Scott I don't have them in the same class as Storm or Roosters

Cowboys have lost way too many cattle to injuries. It would not surprise me if they slide out of the 8 before the finals.

 

[Accept]

Cowboys have lost way too many cattle to injuries. It would not surprise me if they slide out of the 8 before the finals.

They will sneak into the playoffs but not much more. As you said, too many key members missing and this season will be a year to forget for them.

 

[Sproj]

Make the finals or not, this is an incredibly memorable and important year for the Cows. They have shown that there is life without JT, they have shown they are extremely well coached, they have shown that they have fantastic depth and will most likely start as favorites next season and rightly so. This year could be the making of a club culture that will put hem in good stead for years to come.

 

[Rally Towel]

Am I the only one that wouldn't put Cowboys as a top tier team? Without Thurston and Scott I don't have them in the same class as Storm or Roosters

Maybe not, but you can't deny their forward pack is still doing the business week in, week out.

They'll be hungry and desperate when we play them, it will take up commitment up front to open the game up for us.

 

[CaptainHook]

The way they gave it Cronulla forwards makes me believe.

Agreed. Cronulla have a more highly rated pack but we never gave them a sniff all night. Glenn and Gillett were particularly impressive.

We also looked a lot fitter for the first time in months.

That being said, I can't see us winning a comp with blokes like Moga in the team. Too many errors in their game that lead to squandered opportunities.