PRE-GAME Finals Week 1 - Roosters vs Broncos

[Sproj]

if they were smart

Hence it would never happen.

 

[holdzy]

Just watched the '15 Prelim, now I'm filled to the brim.

 

[PerthBrissy987]

Blair the captain ?

 

[ZTop]

Blair the captain ?

yah

 

[Broncs_Fan]

There was a headline in the daily telegraph online: "Sydney clubs get off at judiciary" or something like that... I think that sums it up for me. It's like the panel in Sydney is worried they'll bump into them on the street so they downgrade every time

They let Hodges off for the Grand Final when he spear tackled Guerra. Now that was a joke.

 

[Mitchell_Broncos]

Who do we reckon the first try scorer will be?

 

[winslow_wong]

Who do we reckon the first try scorer will be?

Gillet. $$

 

[PerthBrissy987]

They let Hodges off for the Grand Final when he spear tackled Guerra. Now that was a joke.

Guerra actually admitted to jumping in the tackle

 

[Horseheadsup]

Guerra actually admitted to jumping in the tackle

I think Guerra was being a good egg.

 

[winslow_wong]

I think Guerra was being a good egg.

The qld brotherhood. I doubt a blues player would have done the same.

 

[Horseheadsup]

The qld brotherhood. I doubt a blues player would have done the same.

There's the difference.

 

[mitch222]

A little bit off topic but I think the NRL has missed a trick here (no surprise).

They have 3/4 games in Sydney this weekend and I'm a little shocked they haven't tried to line up a double header for any of them.

I'm pretty sure their finals format allows some flexibility in terms of scheduling and I feel they could've lined up two games for a double header in Sydney.

We all know the crowds in Sydney will be dead set abysmal especially with them being moved away from suburban grounds.... but if you're going to have them all playing out of allianz you may as well take the opportunity to put on a show and entice some fans to come along.

Maybe it is difficult to arrange a double header in the limited preparation but it will be an ugly look to see 10k (if that) rock up to some of these games over the weekend when they're meant to be the pinnacle of the season.

As usual they've thrown us on Friday but we could've played Saturday with sharks/cows (2 interstate teams) or manly/Penrith (manly are notoriously poor travellers) to bump up crowd numbers

They played us on Friday because they didn't want Melbourne to match up to the AFL finals on Friday night in Melbourne. We theoretically should have been playing on Saturday night

 

[ZTop]

Just started re-watched the 2015 prelim final against the Roosters, I'm 10 minutes in but wow, the intensity and aggression of the Broncos. I'm hoping for a repeat of the aggression and intensity this friday night.
A moment in that game that is really unheralded is the Oates 1 handed catch on our try line. The roosters had received a penalty and had completed their set never really looking dangerous but Pearce sent up a decent bomb into our corner. Oates leapt from inside the line so we got a 7 tackle set and a couple tackles into that set we received a penalty. We marched up field and at the end of the set Hunt scored. Roosters had just started to wrestle back the momentum and this just killed off that momentum
Oh and I really want old Ben Hunt back for the final series this year. He was so damn good

 

[Foordy]

They played us on Friday because they didn't want Melbourne to match up to the AFL finals on Friday night in Melbourne. We theoretically should have been playing on Saturday night

they could have played Melbourne on the Sunday

 

[Super Freak]

They let Hodges off for the Grand Final when he spear tackled Guerra. Now that was a joke.

Geurra jumped to milk the penalty.

Common sense prevailed and the right call was made.

 

[Cult]

They let Hodges off for the Grand Final when he spear tackled Guerra. Now that was a joke.

He lifted slightly, Guerra jumped and dived. It was obvious when watching it and happened once a week in 2015.

 

[winslow_wong]

Channel 9 sports report just showed Nikorima dropping catches at training lol. He'll be right by game time.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Roosters skipper Jake Friend warns Brisbane’s forwards to expect fireworks

ROOSTERS hooker Jake Friend has warned Brisbane to brace for “fireworks” from front-row enforcers Dylan Napa and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in Friday night’s finals opener at Allianz Stadium.
Premiership-winning rake Friend believes the Roosters have the forward muscle to dominate a depleted Broncos pack missing injured duo Andrew McCullough and front-row firebrand Korbin Sims.
The Broncos and Roosters have waged some fierce forward battles, with Waerea-Hargreaves and Brisbane warhorse Sam Thaiday famously squaring off two years ago at Suncorp Stadium.

Waerea-Hargreaves always fires up when he plays Brisbane.
Now the duo are set for another engine-room stoush, with forward Mr Fix it Thaiday, who has been having stints as hooker, pitchforked into a starting role at prop to cover for the loss of Sims.
Maroons hitman Napa and Waerea-Hargreaves are arguably the NRL’s most feared front-row alliance and Friend believes their aggression can break Brisbane’s spirit in midfield.
HAVE A GO: Why Titans must back the Walker brothers
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“I think that’s definitely our strength,” Friend said.
“With guys like Dylan and Jared, that gives us firepower upfront.
“It (the forward showdown) will be the biggest area of the game. Whoever wins that battle is most likely going to win the game.
“They have some quality forwards but I’ll always back our guys, Jared has been running into his best form and Dylan was outstanding in this year’s Origin series.
“He was rested last week (in their final-round defeat of the Titans) with a few niggles but he’ll be fit and raring to go and there will be some fireworks this week no doubt.”
Broncos back-rower Alex Glenn lauded the Roosters pack but said Brisbane, led by Thaiday, would not be intimidated by Napa and Waerea-Hargreaves.
“I can predict those two (Thaiday and Waerea-Hargreaves) will be going head-to-head this week,” Glenn said.
“Those two going head-to-head, the fans love it. As players, we love it when we see them giving it to each other, it gives you goosebumps, that’s why we play the sport. We go out there for the big hits and aggressiveness in this game.

Dylan Napa is the cornerstone of a fearsome Roosters pack.
“The Roosters have an experienced pack. They know what wins games, they are big and versatile with the way they play.
“We’re not the biggest team, so we’ll try and tire them out as best we can. We have a plan in place. We have to make sure we are limiting their time and getting in their faces.”
Friend dismissed concerns over the Roosters’ form after requiring two late tries to avoid an embarrassing boilover against the Titans last week.
“We can go up another gear, we’re back in the finals where we want to be,” Friend said.
“The Titans stuck it to us and we weren’t on our game in the first 60 minutes. But to finish the last 20 well and get the win gives us confidence we can lift this week.”

Oh, it's on like Donkey Kong ...

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/cdc0a0a30a467401ca846eae918712da