PRE-GAME [Finals Week 1, 2025] - Broncos vs Raiders

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Sproj said:
Look I’m not bringing Reynolds back unless Bunt gets injured. Reynolds is a walking injury risk, not worth it when Bunt is killing it.

Mam on the other hand is a really tricky one. I’m bringing him in, no question on that if he’s fit but where? He would already be a CC medalist if not for a Cleary all time epic. So we know Mam steps up in huge games and he offers another huge weapon for other teams to think about if they quadruple team Walsh. The problem is, Billy has been phenomenal at 6, doesn’t deserve to make way. That said, he’s equally amazing at 9 or 14.

If it’s up to me and all players are fit, I’m going:
1. Walsh (it’s his team now)
2. Karapani
3. Staggs
4. Mariner
5. Cobbo
6. Mam
7. Bunt
8. Jensen
9. Walters
10. Haas
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Hetherington
16. Willison
17. Talty

18. Gibasaki

Harsh on Gibasaki and Reynolds but too bad. This is a team that can win it all.
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Reynolds doesn't make my team, even if he's deemed 100% fit (unlikely). Neither does Cobbo. Karapani and Mariner are locked in, unless suspended.

I would consider Reynolds at 14, but selecting him anywhere but 7 might be even more disruptive. He's lost 7, in my opinion.

I'm with @theshed now. Hunt is a 7, not a 9.

I think Ezra could be a substantial boost, even if not quite 100% 100%, because it would mean we'd have vector of uncertainty that isn't Walsh. If Walsh goes down, Madge's Billy plan might not be so potent. I'd like to add, I'm loving Madge's Billy plan.

I would select Smoothy over Paix, and - this is a tough one - I'd have Billy at 14 because he seems to lift a notch and exploit holes later in the game. Smoothy's tougher in defence, and can shift into the forwards if necessary. Billy's shown he can play 80 minutes. That was a massive concern for me.

I'm bringing Shiba back. Mariner and Jesse worked well last night, but they were flattered by Hughes' injury.

Talty in front of Hunt, if Willison returns. I mightn't even protest at Talty over Jensen. We should extend him now.

1. Walsh
2. Karapani
3. Staggs
4. Shibasaki
5. Mariner
6. Billy (Mam, if fit)
7. Hunt (over Reynolds, even if fit)
8. Jensen
9. Paix (Smoothy if Mam fit)
10. Haas
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Patty (captain for the entire finals)

14. Smoothy (Billy if Mam fit, Reynolds only because I can't seen him being dropped)
15. Willison
16. Hetherington
17. Talty

18. Reynolds
 
Santa said:
The bigger thing for me is Walters defence at 6 (noting that he's killing it in attack too). He was epic against Melbourne tonight, and Mam can have some shockers.
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Mam also lands bone rattlers, and is better at chasing, particularly the kick chase. Billy did let in one try last night - in the corner - but in fairness, he did well to even be there. They're such different players I think you have to consider their combination with the rest of the spine, chiefly Walsh. It's not out of the question we make the GF with Cobbo at 1. Who would you want at 6, then?
 
McHunt said:
Mam also lands bone rattlers, and is better at chasing, particularly the kick chase. Billy did let in one try last night - in the corner - but in fairness, he did well to even be there. They're such different players I think you have to consider their combination with the rest of the spine, chiefly Walsh. It's not out of the question we make the GF with Cobbo at 1. Who would you want at 6, then?
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Mam may be able to hit, but he gets exploited badly on his reads.

Billy's edge was the most at risk last night with Piaks, Mariner and Karp... but for the most part it looked extremely solid.

Mariner was really good in defence as well... Shiba in recent weeks has been getting beaten on his outside, but thats not happening with Mariner, and his reads were good as well... saved us on a lot of dangerous situations, including the early one where he and Billy pushed Warbrick over the sideline
 
BroncsFan said:
Mam may be able to hit, but he gets exploited badly on his reads.

Billy's edge was the most at risk last night with Piaks, Mariner and Karp... but for the most part it looked extremely solid.

Mariner was really good in defence as well... Shiba in recent weeks has been getting beaten on his outside, but thats not happening with Mariner, and his reads were good as well... saved us on a lot of dangerous situations, including the early one where he and Billy pushed Warbrick over the sideline
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Warbrick scored in his one on one with Billy. He stepped inside.

Like I said elsewhere things might have been different if Hughes had been hammering that edge.

We did great though. I'll take that win.
 
I think Madge is in the best position to know who to select. Who knows how much input Reno has had in game plan etc.

We’ll all be interested in who he picks, but as long as they’re 100% healthy - in Madge we trust
 
McHunt said:
Warbrick scored in his one on one with Billy. He stepped inside.

Like I said elsewhere things might have been different if Hughes had been hammering that edge.

We did great though. I'll take that win.
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was that the try karapani had him covered but copped a push in the back from walsh?hard to pin that on walters if thats the one.
 
I think give Reyno one more week off... Bhunt has earned this opportunity and they've been playing well.

If they get the job done then we've got a week off and everyone can be integrated back in over the week off.

If they lose then Reyno coming back can be a bit of a boost to the team
 
Xzei said:
was that the try karapani had him covered but copped a push in the back from walsh?hard to pin that on walters if thats the one.
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It did end up being a one on one:

 
So we make the Grand Final, it's 15 to go, scores are locked, and Redcliffe knows all it takes to beat us is to take out Walsh. They think they can do it with 12 men.

Our spine remains:

1. Walsh
7. Hunt
6. Walters
9. Paix

Who would you want at 14?

1. Smoothy
2. Reynolds
3. Cobbo
4. Arthars
 
Last night was euphoric.
But if I'm a realist, we can't win 3 consecutive finals games with
6. Billy
7. Hunt
9. Paix

They've done admirably but Walsh will get targeted & we need more weapons in do or die mode.
That 2nd half against Storm we were struggling for yardage and kicking game of Reynolds would've helped.
 
McHunt said:
So we make the Grand Final, it's 15 to go, scores are locked, and Redcliffe knows all it takes to beat us is to take out Walsh. They think they can do it with 12 men.

Our spine remains:

1. Walsh
7. Hunt
6. Walters
9. Paix

Who would you want at 14?

1. Smoothy
2. Reynolds
3. Cobbo
4. Arthars
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who is our 18th man?
 
McHunt said:
So we make the Grand Final, it's 15 to go, scores are locked, and Redcliffe knows all it takes to beat us is to take out Walsh. They think they can do it with 12 men.

Our spine remains:

1. Walsh
7. Hunt
6. Walters
9. Paix

Who would you want at 14?

1. Smoothy
2. Reynolds
3. Cobbo
4. Arthars
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Ezra... I think carry him as a super sub
 
Xzei said:
who is our 18th man?
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Coverage for Walsh - unless he's already on the bench. We don't even have another back who can play fullback. Cobbo is it. Arthars at a pinch.
 
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