Corey Norman

[Coxy]

Absolutely. You only need to see how rushed our play seems to be when we attack the line. The number of times someone has to do a split second catch and pass to get it to the centres, who then can't possibly get it to the winger.

And of course the other big side effect of flat attack is the risk of intercepts...

 

[Dexter]

Even if Hoff ran the second man play perfectly he doesn't give you confidence he can put his outside men away.

I agree with most re the attack from 50 out and inside 20. Our attack inside 20 has to have that second man play happening or defences will just move up stop and slide.

Like most ppl I can't understand why we don't get Reed more early ball, he's deceptively quick, big enough to warrant a 2 man tackle and has proven he can get the ball to his winger. ( and will pass it as a first option not a Hodgo hail mary after he runs out of space.)

Also our kicking game goes missing sometimes, last Friday as an eg. Copley is a proven winner in the air but Wal just kept smashing it along the ground and dead.

 

[anzac7]

As Porthoz said, the Sharks were laying on even longer when they were on their line - many times even looking around to check their defence had been set. Other teams know this about the broncos and many expose it - if the ref doesn't blow the whistle they'll just keep doing. That part is out of Hook's control but he has to come up with something...

Some how Norman's physique and early playing style reminds me a bit of Sutton's.. don't know if it's just the appearance but can't put my finger on it.. if Norman beefed up a bit he would look like Sutton's brother.. lol

 

[Coxy]

I think it's about time our players fight more on the ground in tackles. Thrash around. I know it drains energy but it's the only way the nincompoops in pink will notice we're being held down.

Failing that, Macca needs to start whacking (well, maybe just pushing) the guys in the tackle.

 

[Steve Ward]

god we miss lockyer

 

[dukey]

god we miss lockyer

I was thinking this exact same thing the entire time.
In a situation where the Broncos are behind and chasing down a lead, Locky always kept the team calm. We always bided our time and just kept chipping away waiting for an opportunity. I really can't fault Wallace's effort or involvement; he was in everything and he was trying his hardest to get us over the line. But he tried just a bit too hard on too many occasions, and also made a few bad decisions. But he was carrying the team for the entire game. He's a great organiser, but too much was asked of him on Friday night.
Even with all the Origin players back in the side, and Hoffman and Reed fit, I can't see anybody in the team who can break a game open. I'm sure Norman will be able to, one day, but he's still cooking. If he can build his confidence and improve his decision making before the finals roll around, we might be a chance this year.
But as it stands, we've got two solid-at-best halves, a one-dimensional fullback, a hooker that reliably takes the wrong fifth tackle option on the line, and a bench hooker who sometimes turns up to play. I'm not sure what the solution is (I'd like to think it's as easy as moving Beale to fullback, and I do want to see this happen), but I'm beginning to think that we're going to crash and burn come September.

 

[ethos]

I think it's about time our players fight more on the ground in tackles. Thrash around. I know it drains energy but it's the only way the nincompoops in pink will notice we're being held down.

Should be including highlights of Michael Hancock in the video sessions.

 

[Dexter]

I was thinking this exact same thing the entire time.
.
, I can't see anybody in the team who can break a game open. I'm sure Norman will be able to, one day, but he's still cooking.

Gillett was the player who came on and made the difference so many times then we put him in the run on side and he lost form. I hope after Origin he goes back to the bench and he gets back to the way he was at the start of the year.

 

[Old Mate]

I was thinking this exact same thing the entire time.
In a situation where the Broncos are behind and chasing down a lead, Locky always kept the team calm. We always bided our time and just kept chipping away waiting for an opportunity. I really can't fault Wallace's effort or involvement; he was in everything and he was trying his hardest to get us over the line. But he tried just a bit too hard on too many occasions, and also made a few bad decisions. But he was carrying the team for the entire game. He's a great organiser, but too much was asked of him on Friday night.
Even with all the Origin players back in the side, and Hoffman and Reed fit, I can't see anybody in the team who can break a game open. I'm sure Norman will be able to, one day, but he's still cooking. If he can build his confidence and improve his decision making before the finals roll around, we might be a chance this year.
But as it stands, we've got two solid-at-best halves, a one-dimensional fullback, a hooker that reliably takes the wrong fifth tackle option on the line, and a bench hooker who sometimes turns up to play. I'm not sure what the solution is (I'd like to think it's as easy as moving Beale to fullback, and I do want to see this happen), but I'm beginning to think that we're going to crash and burn come September.

The thing is, moving Beale is a short term answer to a long term problem. I see Hunt in the halves as an immediate solution with Norman playing centre, I feel Normans half assed ball playing ability would be better utilized if he was to play fb (despite not really wanting that switch to happen) as he wouldn't be relied upon as a chief ball player.

 

[Mr Fourex]

I'm not sure what the solution is (I'd like to think it's as easy as moving Beale to fullback, and I do want to see this happen), but I'm beginning to think that we're going to crash and burn come September.

Congrats on your courage to even suggest such a thing. Tbh, I have a similar feeling at the moment......still it is origin time after all

and it's notoriously tough for us.

I'm not dropping my pants just yet.

My version of the "solution"

1. Hoffman
6. Norman
7. Hunt
9. McC

14. Wallace

 

[dukey]

Congrats on your courage to even suggest such a thing. Tbh, I have a similar feeling at the moment......still it is origin time after all

and it's notoriously tough for us.

I'm not dropping my pants just yet.

My version of the "solution"

1. Hoffman
6. Norman
7. Hunt
9. McC

14. Wallace

No thanks. Wallace is not an impact player; he's better used for 80 minutes as a traditional halfback.
However, you just gave me an idea.

6. Norman
7. Wallace

9. Hunt

13. Macca

McCullough was a 5/8th in the lower grades and it was there that he actually caught Brisbane's eye. He's shown a willingness to get physical, and played pretty well out of position on Friday night while Hunt was on the field. Let Andrew attack as a second pivot and give Hunt the hooker role fulltime (thereby preventing any of Macca's "fifth tackle scoot straight into the defence" specials).

 

[Son Edo]

My version of the "solution"

1. Hoffman
6. Norman
7. Hunt
9. McC

14. Wallace

Sorry, but this has weakening one position for another written all over it

 

[Old Mate]

I don't like Macca anywhere but hooker, maybe filling in at lock in a pinch. If Norman just played deeper he wouldn't be putting himself under so much pressure the **** and actually be giving our outside backs a chance of beating their marker rather than catch and hit. Shit is just ridiculous, I'm a slender, fast young man who can kick pass and tackle. Give me a chance in the six and we'll be dynamite.

 

[barker]

McCullough was a 5/8th in the lower grades and it was there that he actually caught Brisbane's eye. He's shown a willingness to get physical, and played pretty well out of position on Friday night while Hunt was on the field. Let Andrew attack as a second pivot and give Hunt the hooker role fulltime (thereby preventing any of Macca's "fifth tackle scoot straight into the defence" specials).

It aint gonna happen this year but I'm starting to wonder if McCullough might be suited to playing at Lock forward. I think I read somewhere a couple of years ago that he grew too big to be a 5/8th at senior level but with his ball playing skills and his great defence he could do good things at Lock.

I am a huge fan of Kurt Baptiste at Hooker and I think he could offer a lot in attack with his darting runs out of dummy half. If he improved his defence in the off season, I think he could become a similar sort of player to Isaac Luke from the Rabbitohs. He could take a lot of pressure off Peter Wallace and offer a lot more variety in attack, especially close to the tryline. He gets down low and drives out of dummy half and has scored quite a few tries in the Qld Cup.

The problem is, there's nothing too wrong with the rest of our forward pack so I don't know who we would drop out to accommodate McCullough at Lock. We need to improve our attack somehow but I can't see Hook sacking Wallace or Norman. We just don't have the attack to score a lot of points against Manly or Melbourne when we get to the finals.

 

[Alec]

Baptiste is a classic quick service and support hooker. As great as he could be, he just isn't what we need right now. McCullough is more creative, even if he lacks some other hooker skills, so it would be like having another Hoffman in the side. But then McCullough is inconsistent as hell anyway, and pulls out beyond retarded plays just as often as he pulls out good ones. He needs to step up, and develop better ruck awareness.