Fitness In The Forwards

[ningnangnong]

Massive improvement this year.

Maybe it's because the players are younger and more hungry, maybe because we've had some new boys come in. Whatever it is, it's working a treat.

We looked like we could've played another 80 minutes after full time tonight.

Sammy Thaiday and Ben Hannant both racked up over 60 minutes which is a massive effort considering Hannant was all but knocked out in the first tackle and Thaiday isn't exactly a fitness machine. Of course we can't forget David Taylor, Nick Kenny and Greg Eastwood who really stepped up tonight in defence.

Then you have Stagg who goes along all night doing the same job, unnoticed by many. Combine that with Ashton Sims who hits just as hard as TC almost every tackle and you have a lovely second row pairing.

Add a dash of Tonie Carroll who was excellent tonight - pace and power - looking very strong so far this season big Tunza.

With a splash of PJ Marsh and Mick Ennis who were both superb out of dummy half, and you have yourselves a forward pack capable of winning the premiership.

They may not necessarily be the biggest names on paper, but as a team they all complement each other brilliantly.

And we still have Joel Clinton and Corey Parker yet to come back!!!

icon_smile

 

[kimlo_]

Well, idk but im seeing a HUGE drain of players come rep time. Hopefully they don't take peter wallace and darren lockyer

 

[ethos]

Yeah exactly, it all comes down to the enthusiasm of youth.

The challenge is keeping it up for the entirety of the season, there's still a long, long way to go.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Absolutely agree with you there ningnangnong and for me it comes back to having more players capable of playing for longer periods of time, for instance David Stagg needs to be in the side as far as I'm concerned, his cleanup work and workrate is too important to be left out as shown tonight, he won't get the wraps he deserves from some but his a vital cog in my side as far as I'm concerned.

And can I just say a big thank you to Ben Hannant, his effort's after suffering that head knock so early in the game was outstanding.

 

[ethos]

Hunt, Lockyer, Hodges and Thaiday will all be in the QLD team.

Hannant, Parker and PJ are probably on the fringe of selection.

 

[kimlo_]

Most teams would be proud of 3 origin players(not to mention our origin players are pretty much certainties for aus, hodges, lockyer, hunt)

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

Indeed Rocky. Even though we're playing well at the moment I don't think we'll be hurt this year like we have in the past. The difference now is that we haven't got a team full of superstars from 1 to 17 who will pick themselves for rep teams, but a team who for the most part are solid, honest NRL standard footballers who do what is required of them, back themselves and contribute greatly as part of a team effort. I'm sure they could handle rep duties quite well, but the reality is that alot of them will generally be considered fringe chances.

 

[Je$ter]

I don't think it comes down to fitness in the forwards - they are full of ****.

Everytime they are in defence they want to bash whoever is in front of them. I have been massivley impressed with Sims and Hannat, they don't stop and play with the aggression that the Brisbane pack has been missing for years imo. Plus we've still got clinton to come back and he is full of **** as well.

After 3 rounds I can confidentley say that the Broncos forwards are easily the most dominant in the comp.

 

[ALH]

Fitness plus the youth and enthusiasm of a young pack.

I love seeing them hunt in a pack going for big hits.

 

[Bucking Beads]

The Fitness has improved but I think it has more to do with the age of the pack and the aggression and domination that we are coming up with. The quick play the balls this season have been great too.

Thaiday will be a certainty for Origin this year. We will survive through Origin, Wallace will be there to lead us.

 

[mick]

Our forwards this year also have more diversity in their game - it's about stepping, speed, angles and off-loads as much as it is about just making the yards.

Honestly, I was one of the only people that I know who weren't worried with Thorn, Civo and Carlaw going. We needed a change of attitude and skill sets, and now we've got a young pack eager to get into it, and I couldn't be happier.

Ben Hannant also appears to have used that one season alongside Shane Webcke to his total advantage. What an inspirational bugger he is, I'm earmarking him as a future Broncos captain tbh eusa_think

 

[ALH]

The angle running has probably bene the most noticable change in the way our forwards play. Thaiday and Stagg have been doing this exceptionally well, and we don't look half as predicitable as we did last season.

Agreed and the forwards looking to pass.

 

[mick]

I think the offloading of Civo, Thorn and Carlaw has been probably the smartest evolutionary step in our club's history. The slow play the balls and predictable bash'n'barge approach is pretty much gorne.

We'd be struggling with a pack full of guys 30+ years old with only 10 interchanges per match IMO.

 

[666]

Well, idk but im seeing a HUGE drain of players come rep time. Hopefully they don't take peter wallace and darren lockyer

You are?

Hodges? Lockyer? Hunt? Carroll? Hannant maybe? Who else is going to make the QLD squad? Wallace MAY make it into the NSW squad.

Honestly, there won't be a drain on players this season at all. We will not suffer from post-origin hang over. Where have you been for the last 2 seasons kilmo, we haven't had a problem with it since 2005. We'll be fine!

Hodges, Lockyer, Hunt, Hannant and Thaiday all look to be certainties really. Marsh if he keeps going the way he is he'll get Berrigans utility spot in a canter. People will shoot me down for this but Boyd is a bolter if his form continues, Taylor could get the call up, he was close last year from all reports, and if he gets game time he will probably make it. Sims and Wallace on current form would be definate starters for the Blues. Finally Parker could be a bolter if he returns in time and shows top form.

A QLD starting line up of

1 - Hunt
2 - Folau
3 - Hodges
4 - Ingliss
5 - Boyd
6 - Lockyer
7 - Prince/Thurston
8 - Hannant
9 - Smith
10 - Civoniceva
11 - Thaiday
12 - Parker
13 - Johnson

 

[ethos]

I don't want to 'Boyd Bash' but there's no way he'll make the Origin team this year.

Slater,Tate and Bell (with Inglis on the wing) are all above him in the pecking order.

 

[666]

I don't want to 'Boyd Bash' but there's no way he'll make the Origin team this year.

Slater,Tate and Bell (with Inglis on the wing) are all above him in the pecking order.

SO far Boyd has been playing better than all three of those players.

 

[kimlo_]

I'm not bashing boyd or anything, but theres not a chance in hell that he'll make the origin side, inglis, falou, tate, bell, hodges, i find it extremely hard to belive that he would be selected over any one of them, especially considering that Queensland selectors are very loyal with their team selections. Tbh I don't think falou will make it origin either, qld selectors are pretty loyal unless theres injuries falou won't get chosen.

 

[Nashy]

I'm not bashing boyd or anything, but theres not a chance in hell that he'll make the origin side, inglis, falou, tate, bell, hodges, i find it extremely hard to belive that he would be selected over any one of them, especially considering that Queensland selectors are very loyal with their team selections. Tbh I don't think falou will make it origin either, qld selectors are pretty loyal unless theres injuries falou won't get chosen.

Out of those you can remove Falou, Bell and Hodges since they are centres.

I agree, I don't think this year Boyd will get a call up, but the chance of him being given a maroon jersey based on performance, and not loyalty is quite high.

I would feel quite comfortable slotting him on the wing next to Hodges. At least that way we have a player next to him who knows how he plays, and I'm sure has been somewhat of a mentor to him in his time in first grade.

Hodges could then lookout for him, and with his habit of not using his winger, it would certainly 'ease' Boyd into origin.