Broncos V Dragons Match Thread Spoilers

[Major JW Hochstetter]

This is the type of game that in the past you could pencil in as a disappointing afternoon out for our lads. Sunday arvo, big crowd, big build-up, top team - we usually run out there and look as flat as a wall. But today they got into a grind and played very, very composed football for such a young side. For that reason alone I'm very pleased with this win, despite the obvious sub par showing in attack from the Chokers.

 

[Foordy]

we also need to remember that the Dragons are by far the best defensive team in the comp ... they have conceded 161 points less than their nearest rival (legal team) and have conceded 84 points less than the cheating scum

 

[Mister Wright]

Agree re: Kenny. I really don't see how he offers more than Sims... Sims is the kind of player we need heading into the finals.

 

[ningnangnong]

[quote="Kris Brisbane":3v1dkb11]I'm watching the replay right now. Holy crap, Glenn's made a couple of massive hits!

Yea, seeing them made we want to see him play in the middle of the park more often rather than the centres now.

I agree completely, but I love the fact we seem to be able to rely on him to play centre so solidly. He is becoming an increasingly valuable member of the side and IMO is a must for our 17 when we are full strength.[/quote:3v1dkb11]

Yep, I agree.

Honestly, I would love to see him get a consistent run at lock, but that's not going to happen any time soon! He's been doing a great job out in the centres. Starting to look a lot more dangerous with the ball in hand, as well.

 

[Porthoz]

Although they are not at the pinnacle of attacking footy, I think the Dragons did ask plenty of questions today and even when they broke our line, our scramble defence was very good, especially thanks to our backline! The attacking flair will come back with the talent we have, even more so if Hodgo does come back against the Eels and gets a few games under his belt before the finals.

Macca has improved a bit, but for someone his size it’s scary how slow he is, but then again, Smith is not the fastest either. His mistakes will get ironed out with time hopefully…
Hunt is losing terrain to Macca, his second poor game in a row.
Wallace improved a lot from a very poor 1st half and looks indeed like he’s trying too hard. He needs to regain confidence and let it flow naturally.
Although Locky didn’t have his best game, I’m really impressed with his running game and good kicking. He really seems to have that second breath!

All the forwards did a good job in defence, but Kenny was again nullified in attack. He doesn’t have the second phase play or the “wrap around” defence that justifies Tronc’s starting spot.
Dodds was more damaging going forward today, very good effort. Anderson and McGuire had great go forward and did a solid job defending.

Hoffman was magic, Yow Yeh solid, Folau did a fantastic job in both attack and defense, Glenn absolutely nullified Gasnier and belted anyone else coming his way and Winter improved dramatically from last week.

Gillett was really good, put on some fantastic hits and didn’t attempt the impossible offload. He must have been warned about it, because he wasn’t as threatening as usual. He’s still young and I’m sure he will eventually find a balance between holding on to the ball or go for that second phase play.

Thaiday and Parker are so consistently good, that you sometimes fail to notice how important they are.

Damm, this young team with another year, Hodgo and Inglis hopefully replacing Folau, will be something to watch!

Hornby was absolutely pathetic today, whining continuously to the refs about absolutely everything, while taking Folau out of the play irregularly several times, like he tried to do when he whinged about Izzy's second try!

What happened to Soward’s little dance? Was he coughing too much to do it? [icon_shru

Last but not least: Gordy, you are now officially a legend and deservedly so! (That video was really cool btw)

 

[Burg]

I am a little dissappointed with a few of the more notable long time posters here regarding the preformance today. A few of things stand out straight away:

1. This is the leading team in the comp, 4 points clear of second place before this round.
2. The leading team coming off a heartbreaking last minute (or so) loss to an underdog. (so they are fired up)
3. The Bennett factor - We knocked them out of the finals last year, payback anyone?
4. Defence - This is not the same team that started the year, our one of one tackling has improve out of sight.
5. We came of a heartbreaking game last week.

With out doubt the Dragons would have beaten us last year or even earlier this year. Personally I think this was a wonderful effort from a very young team.

The only few negatives I could find was

1. The Hooker spot is still up for grabs, both are making errors unacceptable in first grade and neither are making the spot their own. Certainly a major weakness at the Broncos presently.
2. Wallace, while doing so really good things defensively (saved a long distance try on Gasiner) has little variation in his attack. The Dragons defused every high ball and yet we didn't mix it up with a grubber or two close to the line. We seem to be a team od extremes, first of all we hardly put it in the air to Falou, now he's leaving it seems that's our only option....strange.
3. I agree with comments on our front row, lacks punch and agression. Still it has improved with Tronc.

All things considered I think this was a wonderful win and to beat the top team in an arm wrestle is quite an effort.

 

[mr_camo]

Hard fought win. Well done Broncos! My thoughts:
- Anderson and McGuire have to be in the team
- Kenny to Q-cup (he has potential but needs to regain confidence)
- Hoffman is awesome
- Can we try anything other than bomb to Folau on the last? Make the opposition guess at least once a game!
- Hornby is the biggest whinger in the game - he even whinged when he was awarded a penalty!! What a sook [icon_thumbs_do

 

[Astroboy]

Some of you are harsh. I can only see positives from that one. A win in a MASSIVE game points-wise (never have 2 points been more valuable in terms of position on the ladder) against the leading team, and to make it more satisfying, against those self-aggrandising poxy dragons. Hope Wayne Bennett is wishing he stayed with the winners tonight. Defence was great, all they got was a freaky try at the end from one of their many sodding low-percentage speculation plays. That made the call on Izzy's 2nd try pretty important, thank goodness they got that one right - or did the coin just come down with the right side up? Seems that's how a lot of video refs make their decisions. I have to ask the question regarding where that defensive effort was last week. But all in all a great win, thanks boys for putting a big smile on my face [eusa_clap.gi [eusa_clap.gi [eusa_clap.gi

One more thing I've got to add - the dragons look good when they're ahead and all is going according to their plan and they can beat most teams and rack up premiership points with that game plan, but get in their faces and get ahead of them and they go to pieces when they realise they need points and apart from their patient grinding field position game plan which will not necessarily provide the points, they've got nothing but lottery plays like short chip kicks. When they're in a tight spot, they run out of ideas pretty quickly, just like last year. Reminds me of a little song some bloke at a radio station came up with, last year. Once more, with feeling...

Puff the St George Dragon lives at Jubilee
He hasn't won a premiership since the 1970's
Looks so good on paper, does that rascal Puff
And he folds like paper too whenever the game gets tough!

[icon_evillaugh [icon_evillaugh [icon_evillaugh

 

[Anonymous person]

Remember when 90% of posters on here didn't want folau because a winger/centre couldn't be worth that much?

Lolz.

I had a feeling we'd beat the dragons. It's getting to that time of the year where the Bennett coached team just keeps playing like it's round 5, not nearly finals time, and as such is cannon fodder for the other good teams. And we haven't been playing poorly apart from a few players, so we were always going to be in with a chance.

 

[guppy]

Remember when AP posted something that wasn't in a snotty "I told you so" tone?

Me either, because it never happened.

 

[Anonymous person]

Remember when AP posted something that wasn't in a snotty "I told you so" tone?

Me either, because it never happened.

And what does the fact that it happens so often tell you? Lol

 

[guppy]

That you need constant approval from random people on the internet?

 

[Coxy]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 111ge.html

Yesterday's match between Brisbane and St George Illawarra was about as exciting as watching paint dry on the back fence. Perhaps it was a case of being too familiar with each other's style of play. These two teams look alike, play alike, attack alike and defend alike. If they swapped jerseys at half-time, I doubt anyone would have noticed.

For the players it must have felt like they were looking in the mirror as each side knew exactly what the other team was doing on every play of the match. This was one of the most uneventful games of rugby league between two quality football teams I have seen in a long, long time.

Is it just me or was it not that boring? Maybe Gould has got sucked into the Hayne Plane style of scoring lots of points and that's what makes footy entertaining? I remember he used to mourn the lack of defensive arm wrestles in the game.

Or maybe he's just dirty that it was the Broncos vs Wayne Bennett's Dragons?

 

[user_nat]

Had we lost I may have rated it about that lowly.

 

[guppy]

Is it just me or was it not that boring? Maybe Gould has got sucked into the Hayne Plane style of scoring lots of points and that's what makes footy entertaining? I remember he used to mourn the lack of defensive arm wrestles in the game.

Or maybe he's just dirty that it was the Broncos vs Wayne Bennett's Dragons?

He mentioned it on the telecast just before half time. He and Rabbs had another one of their arguments which resulted in Gus saying "I didn't say I wasn't enjoying it!!" I doubt he was though.

He seems to require a theme to latch on to so he can repeat it during the telecast and then write about it on Sunday night. The "two teams are a mirror image of themselves" was it this round.

I think he was clutching at straws.

 

[Coxy]

Yeah sounds like Gus. One might say he develops an "agenda".

 

[jarro65]

I've long come to realise that a Channel nein coverage is best enjoyed with the volume turned down.

 

[tkday]

Certainly Ennis and hannant, but with hoffman there we don't need Boyd. I'd much prefer hoffman. It worked out well. To be honest I think if we managed to keep all of those 3 then it would've still been even.

Anyways, I thought the game was great. Loved it. We did so well to win this one. I can't believe Glenn's performance, it was fantastic. Someone mentioned moving Wallace to hooker and I think that might be a great idea, except for the fact that anyone who replaced him would be much worse than him in that position. If we had a replacement for him then I say hell yes move him to hooker, but we don't. Either Norman, Hunt for Macca in that position scares me.

This was a good win for us and we certainly needed it. Let's hope we can get rid of all those stupid mistakes that we keep making. There was a time when the Broncos were so disciplined and hardly ever made stupid mistakes. I definitely think Setu and or Sims need to come into the side and get rid of Kenny.