PRE-GAME [Finals Week 1, 2023] - Broncos v Storm

[McHunt]

I'm also pumped for the head to head once the sides are released this afternoon, stay tuned!

I'll be genuinely surprised if there are any surprises.

1. Walsh
2. Arthars
3. Staggs
4. Farnworth
5. Cobbo
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
8. Flegler
9. Walters
10. Haas
11. Capewell
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Piakura
16. Hetherington
17. Palasia

 

[mrslong]

I can not begin to tell you how nervous I am with each passing day it gets worse.

I’m gonna need some beta blockers.

 

[Super Freak]

I can not begin to tell you how nervous I am with each passing day it gets worse.

I’m gonna need some beta blockers.

Sitting through 15 years of floggings and especially being there for that '08 game, the nerves are bad.

I really don't see how people can be so confident that this is a guaranteed win. When Melbourne come up against us, it's personal for them.

 

[BroncsFan]

I'd also like to see us try and work NAS over. Storm like to play him out wide and if he also defends out there then we need to get Walsh 1 on 1 with him and test the lads lateral movement. If we have Walsh out the back of shape getting the ball around NAS i think the outside man will come in knowing Walsh has him for speed and create an overlap. Alternatively if walsh sweeps out the back the inside men could over comit in coming across to try push us over the sideline so i like the idea of a stags or second rower cutting back on the inside to find a hole.

This is a great point... if NAS is spending any decent time on the field then we need to ensure he's making at least 40 tackles.

Spot the prick up in the line and send traffic at him all game.

He's their most effective forward in terms of go forward and also represents an attacking threat... on top of all that he becomes a liability defensively when he's fatigued.

Find him in the line and run bodies at him... double and triple up his efforts, run support players around him to make decisions even when he's not tackling... make Bellmay pull him off the field because he's been run ragged

 

[KateBroncos1812]

My PTSD when the broncos play the storm

 

[Morkel]

This is a great point... if NAS is spending any decent time on the field then we need to ensure he's making at least 40 tackles.

Spot the prick up in the line and send traffic at him all game.

He's their most effective forward in terms of go forward and also represents an attacking threat... on top of all that he becomes a liability defensively when he's fatigued.

Find him in the line and run bodies at him... double and triple up his efforts, run support players around him to make decisions even when he's not tackling... make Bellmay pull him off the field because he's been run ragged

This is the Storm. I agree with this tactic of wearing NAS out, but you just know with him that the moment he's fatigued he'll get a 15 minute rest via a fake HIA and be back again with none of their interchanges used...

 

[McHunt]

This is the Storm. I agree with this tactic of wearing NAS out, but you just know with him that the moment he's fatigued he'll get a 15 minute rest via a fake HIA and be back again with none of their interchanges used...

What if the HIA is real?

 

[Morkel]

What if the HIA is real?

Then we don't have to complain about his tunnel-ball bullshit.

 

[BRC088]

Sitting through 15 years of floggings and especially being there for that '08 game, the nerves are bad.

Was also there, could have ran out onto the field and dropped Sims myself.

 

[Sproj]

I'll be genuinely surprised if there are any surprises.

1. Walsh
2. Arthars
3. Staggs
4. Farnworth
5. Cobbo
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
8. Flegler
9. Walters
10. Haas
11. Capewell
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Piakura
16. Hetherington
17. Palasia

You are right but I'm not sure what the Storm make up will be. I have a feeling Olam will be back for instance and just have a sneaking suspicion that Paps will be the 1.

 

[Harry Sack]

Sitting through 15 years of floggings and especially being there for that '08 game, the nerves are bad.

I really don't see how people can be so confident that this is a guaranteed win. When Melbourne come up against us, it's personal for them.

Confidence is different to guaranteed though. The only people guaranteeing a win are the usual suspects that think we will put 100 on them. We have the right to be confident but I'm fairly certain that every person who is, has a fair bit of nervous energy as well.

This is a great point... if NAS is spending any decent time on the field then we need to ensure he's making at least 40 tackles.

Spot the prick up in the line and send traffic at him all game.

He's their most effective forward in terms of go forward and also represents an attacking threat... on top of all that he becomes a liability defensively when he's fatigued.

Find him in the line and run bodies at him... double and triple up his efforts, run support players around him to make decisions even when he's not tackling... make Bellmay pull him off the field because he's been run ragged

Great in theory but he's also one of the great actors. He'll fain an injury of some sort and one of our guys will end up in the bin for being within 5m of him. He'll go off for 5mins and come straight back on as if nothing happened.

 

[Harry Sack]

You are right but I'm not sure what the Storm make up will be. I have a feeling Olam will be back for instance and just have a sneaking suspicion that Paps will be the 1.

Paps is my concern. I can see them naming him at 14 and just bringing him on in a roving role of some sort. Him and Munster together in the middle isn't that different to him and that Fua'lago(?) kid from last week.

 

[BroncsFan]

This is the Storm. I agree with this tactic of wearing NAS out, but you just know with him that the moment he's fatigued he'll get a 15 minute rest via a fake HIA and be back again with none of their interchanges used...

The whole point of sending traffic at him is to get him off the field... I don't care if it's because of HIA or because he's vomitting on the field from 70 tackles by halftime.

Him going off for a HIA is still him off the field... that makes storm weaker.

When he comes back on from his HIA get Alfie to spot him up and start sending traffic back at him

 

[Fatboy]

Not sure if this is the right place... but... I've just purchased another 2 tickets to the game (closer to half way), so I have 2 adult tickets available in the Broncos Supporter Bay. Paid $118, and more than happy to let them go at that price. Anyone still need some tickets? PM me.

 

[Johnny92]

Paps is my concern. I can see them naming him at 14 and just bringing him on in a roving role of some sort. Him and Munster together in the middle isn't that different to him and that Fua'lago(?) kid from last week.

If Paps comes off the bench we need to run someone at him constantly, if he's at fullback bomb for a Riki kick chase on him. Even if Reyno can land it 5 metres out Riki and Staggs could put paps into the ingoal from there.

In attack Coates wing needs to be a target for creating a overlap.

 

[thenry]

The big thing when playing the storm is they're a 110% effort for 80 minutes type of football team. They know that anything less will be met with a bellmay size 10 boot up the ass.

What does that mean for us? It means simply compteting for 80 mins isn't enough. It means one slack tackle will lead to Storm line break. One half assed hitup will result in a heavy tackle and likely turn over. Any tired or not committed player they'll find and do a number on. That's why so many of our games have the same script. Brisbane on top, 5-10 minute period of dropped intensity, game over.

I'd like to see us send alot of traffic towards Hughes. Not because he's a poor defender but because he orchestrates so much of their attack. Yes munster is a game changer but its Hughes pulling the strings. Grant as well BUT if they don't play him for 80 mins its harder to wear him out. If we send our big boys at Hughes all day then hopefully the fatigue causes his passes to just me that half a second off. Hopefully his set plays are just that tiny bit off perfection. I firmly believe that across the whole competition key play makers arent made to work enough in defence so when it comes to attack they're fresh as a daisy. I'll back out fitness so i want that ball in play as long as possible Friday.

I'd also like to see us try and work NAS over. Storm like to play him out wide and if he also defends out there then we need to get Walsh 1 on 1 with him and test the lads lateral movement. If we have Walsh out the back of shape getting the ball around NAS i think the outside man will come in knowing Walsh has him for speed and create an overlap. Alternatively if walsh sweeps out the back the inside men could over comit in coming across to try push us over the sideline so i like the idea of a stags or second rower cutting back on the inside to find a hole.

Footy can and should be a simple game. But there's room for tatgeted game plans and i hope there has been some long video sessions showing our boys exactly what the Storm do and don't do well. We need a game plan that plays to our strengths and that is a fit, strong mobile forward pack paving the way for our electric backs. Even if it means wearing them down for 50 minutes our boys can outlast them.

On Walsh and NAS... I don't think it matters who is on Walsh when we run shape. He stresses even the best defenders and creates holes for himself or centre/winger. The bigger issue will be getting into good ball positions to run the plays.

 

[Culhwch]

You are right but I'm not sure what the Storm make up will be. I have a feeling Olam will be back for instance and just have a sneaking suspicion that Paps will be the 1.

I hope if Paps is named at fullback they lose, and it causes a great big selection furore for the next game.

I also hope if Paps isn't named at fullback they lose, and it causes a great big selection furore for the next game.

Mostly I just hope they lose.

Paps is my concern. I can see them naming him at 14 and just bringing him on in a roving role of some sort. Him and Munster together in the middle isn't that different to him and that Fua'lago(?) kid from last week.

If they bring him on for a forward, that should give our pack an advantage and we should look to roll over them in that period. He'll be on before halftime, so I'd be tempted to keep Haas and Pat on as long as possible, and maybe even start Flegs off the bench to bring on at the same time Paps comes on. Send all three of them at him every set.

 

[BroncsFan]

Further to the Nelson chat and his influence on the storm...

Nelson has played 17 games this year for 11 wins and 6 losses.

In games where Nelson has played at least 49 mins their record is 7 wins and 2 losses... where he's played less than that they are 4 wins and 4 losses.

The two losses where Nelson played more than 49mins were against Penrith in Melbourne and then Knights in Newcastle.

In the game against penrith he made his second most tackles in a game this year of 33... his most tackles in a game is 36... so not all that much for a forward. i.e. run traffic at him and make him work, because he's not used to it.

Against Knights they started him at 2nd row and Kalyn went straight after that edge until Bellamy pulled him after 21mins ... he had a tackle efficiency of 76.47% for the game. His tackle efficiency for the year is 89.2% ... i.e. run shape at him if he is on the edge and he can be caught out.

Basically storm are at their best when Nelson is on the field and is able to be on the field for a long time... but if you can get at him and make him work then he can become less effective.

In the game last year where Nelson tore us a new asshole straight through Ezra's side of the field he played 70mins on the edge and only had to make 19 tackles... that needs to change otherwise we will be in for a repeat of last year.