PRE-GAME Finals Week 2 - Broncos vs Panthers

[Sproj]

You don't just slip over for no reason.

This guy disagrees.

 

[Alec]

Didn't Cordner slip over for no reason in the last game too?

 

[animal eater]

Didn't we beat the roosters with him starting earlier in the year and he also had a blinder winning himself a contract extension?

Ok ... so what one for 8 when a contract extension on the line? Not good enough in my book and it isn't that I got it in for the guy as he seems a top bloke. Just saying that when he starts we lose.

 

[1910]

Isaako is still training with the Broncos, he was a reserve last week.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the arrangement is that the reserves train all week with the Broncos until the squad is finalised and they all go their separate ways?

Yeah they'd normally train all week with Brisbane then go to their ISC team's last session- Redcliffe players are the only ones that applies to now.

Renegades are still there giving the NRL team opposition.

 

[Taylor1921]

I've been really impressed with them since Thursto got injured (not to mention Matt Scott). I think a lot of people were expecting them to fall away after origin. Morgan has really stepped up and I think they will be even harder to beat next year now that they don't have to rely on just Thurston to get them home.

To be fair they've been terrible on back end of the season, an amazing game by taumalolo and Morgan won them the game. I think they'll get tossed aside this weekend.

 

[Brotherdu]

To be fair they've been terrible on back end of the season, an amazing game by taumalolo and Morgan won them the game. I think they'll get tossed aside this weekend.

I'm not saying they'll get any further this year, my observation was that Thurston only played 7 games for them this season and they managed to limp into the finals. In the past you could write them off if Thurston went down. Morgan is getting things done and it bodes well for next year if they aren't so reliant on one player.

 

[bigmick]

I'm not saying they'll get any further this year, my observation was that Thurston only played 7 games for them this season and they managed to limp into the finals. In the past you could write them off if Thurston went down. Morgan is getting things done and it bodes well for next year if they aren't so reliant on one player.

I know everyone feels very sorry for the Cows given their terrible injury predicament but the stats show over the last 2 weeks they have won the penalty count something like 21 -7. This is far greater than any statistically anomaly and I don't know when any side has been on the good of a 21/7 penalty account over a 2 week period since I can remember ever. Even going back for half a dozen or so rounds before that they have won every penalty count - its about 46/28 the last 6 weeks or so. It's obvious the NRL has plenty of love for the Cows at the moment. Every 50/50 call in the second half on Sunday went their way except for the strip awarded to the Sharks on tackle 5 - both the Fensom and Gallen drop/strip incidents similar and should have received the same treatment not differing treatment - not to mention the alleged loose carry on Lewis when JT13 clearly knocked the ball out of his hands and was 2nd in tackle which should have been a sharks penalty.
The Cows looked shot in the first 20 on the weekend and any side that could have pieced together any decent attack would have racked up at least 3 tries against them by the 20min mark- it should have been game over by half time.
But in the modern game if you don't convert field position into points it will come back and bite you on the back side - look at the us in 2015 GF second half - we were more intent on field position / kicking for touch than actually scoring points. The Eels throw a lot more at you than the Sharks and will have far too much attack for the the Cows this weekend. Eels were very decent against the storm - I expect them to win comfortably this weekend even if they can play to about 75% to 80% of the level they played at against the Storm. Even a likely favorable penalty count for the Cows won't be enough this weekend (unless say 20/5)....
Furthermore I am interested to hear other opinions on the very favorable treatment the Cows have received from the NRL refs this year....

 

[Unbreakable]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...k=7f268a0ed1c8d0b3a5525fbf1b04cf6b-1505184177

THE Broncos are increasingly confident champion skipper Darius Boyd will overcome a hamstring injury to play in Friday night’s sudden-death finals clash with Penrith.
Boyd ramped up his recovery today at Red Hill, taking part in a series of sprints before joining the squad to catch high balls in the most promising yet sign he will be fit to face the Panthers.

 

[Brotherdu]

Furthermore I am interested to hear other opinions on the very favorable treatment the Cows have received from the NRL refs this year....

I had a look at the stats over that last few months and if you ignore the last 2 games it doesn't look toooo bad.

I haven't watched all of the Cowboys games, so I can't comment on the flow of the game or the 50/50 calls, but based on the penalties conceded, I made the following observations.

The Cowboys are in the bottom half (11th) of the ladder when it comes to penalties conceded, so they aren't top offenders to start with. They also played the Sharks (twice), Storm, Panthers and Roosters who concede more on average than they do. Storm, Sharks and Panthers are top 5 for penalties conceded.

Breaking it down game by game (ignoring the last 2 games), they had 3 home games, winning the penalty count by +3 (2-0, one split). Of the home games they only won 1 game by 12 pnts with a +1 penalty count. They lost the other 2 by -28 pnts combined with a +2 penalty count. Looks okay to me, points gap wasn't too close and neither was they penalty count gap....and they lost more games than they won.

They had 4 away games winning the penalty count by +4 (3-1). They won 2 and lost 2 of those games. The wins were by +13 and +8 and the penalty counts were +3 and +1 respectively. The losses were by -6 and -8 points and the penalty counts were -2 and +2. So again, nothing too obvious. The closest loss they had, they also lost the penalty count, so no conspiracy here.

Vs Season | Pen. Cnt | H/A | Pen. Cnt | W/L | PD
Sharks (186 - 1st) A 11-5 Cowboys +6 W +1
Broncos (141 - 14th) H 9-2 Cowboys +7 L -10
Tigers (134 - 15th) A 7-6 Cowboys +1 W +8
Sharks (186 - 1st) H 9-9 Split 0 L -10
Panthers (173 - 5th) A 8-6 Cowboys +2 L -8
Storm (183 - 2nd) H 9-7 Cowboys +2 L -18
Roosters (160 - 9th) A 7-9 Roosters -2 L -6
Warriors (147 - 13th) H 8-7 Cowboys +1 W +12
Rabbits (149 - 12th) A 8-5 Cowboys +3 W +13

Cowboys (151 - 11th)

Having said all that, the last 2 games, the penalty counts did blow out. They were fairly soundly beaten by the Broncos and then just won against the Sharks, some could argue that they wouldn't have won without the one sided penalty count, but the Sharks are the highest penalised side in the comp and they did have one player sin binned (another possible argument over whether he should have been sinbinned to start with).

As I said, numbers don't tell the whole story, but it's hard to make much of a case for it from this. They did win a lot of penalty counts, most by 1 to 2 penalties, but they also lost more games than they won.

I do agree with you though, I think they'll need another penalty count blowout in their favour to win this weekend. That would make 3 blowouts in a row and then maybe I'll have to reassess my findings :P

PS, i apologise for the formatting and clarity of my points. I confused myself a few times.

 

[ZTop]

I hope that Wayne decides to start Ese. We need to start one of our young front rowers and I would prefer to keep Ofa on the bench to provide impact. And Ese ain't bad so he needs to start
That's what I call backing up my arguments with solid points and yeah

 

[Mitchell_Broncos]

Boyd is on the extended bench same with Tevita

 

[Big Pete]

No Moylan for Penrith.

 

[Mitchell_Broncos]

I wonder if a late change will happen with Boyd is mostly unlikely though. Or will he change Kahu to fullback again.

 

[winslow_wong]

I hope that Wayne decides to start Ese. We need to start one of our young front rowers and I would prefer to keep Ofa on the bench to provide impact. And Ese ain't bad so he needs to start
That's what I call backing up my arguments with solid points and yeah

Blair doesn't deserve run on the way he's been playing but being that this could be his last ever game for the broncos he'll probably turn in a big one. If not then thanks for the memories, cya bye.

 

[Big Pete]

1. Kodi Nikorima 2. Corey Oates 3. James Roberts 4. Tautau Moga 5. Jordan Kahu 6. Anthony Milford 7. Benji Marshall 8. Sam Thaiday 9. Ben Hunt 10. Adam Blair 11. Alex Glenn 12. Matt Gillett 13. Josh McGuire 14. David Mead 15. Jai Arrow 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Herman Ese'ese 18. Darius Boyd 19. Jaydn Su'A 20. Jamayne Isaako 21. Tevita Pangai Junior	1. Dylan Edwards 2. Josh Mansour 3. Tyrone Peachey 4. Dean Whare 5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 6. Tyrone May 7. Nathan Cleary 8. James Tamou 9. Peter Wallace 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Corey Harawira-Naera 12. Isaah Yeo 13. Trent Merrin 14. Sione Katoa 15. Bryce Cartwright 16. Moses Leota 17. James Fisher-Harris 18. Jarome Luai 19. Viliami Kikau 20. Sitaleki Akauola 21. Jed Cartwright
Coach: Wayne Bennett	Coach: Anthony Griffin
Referees: Touch Judges: Video Referees:	Venue: Suncorp Stadium Kick-Off: 7:55pm Broadcasters: Channel 9 and FoxLeague

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Kyall]

O thank you sweet baby Jesus no Mead not even on extended yes. O no wait he's there kill me now Bennett.

 

[winslow_wong]

O thank you sweet baby Jesus no Mead not even on extended yes.

He's there dude. If Boyd doesn't play he'll be fullback again.

 

[Fozz]

O thank you sweet baby Jesus no Mead not even on extended yes. O no wait he's there kill me now Bennett.

He's on the bench. Number 14.