THE COACH Kevin Walters

[McHunt]

Not that any of you care what a Bunnies fan thinks lol, but from an outsiders point of view, it is hard to believe the slide you blokes have had from last year when you looked like world beaters. (And yes I know I can't talk as my team has been utter shite for a couple of years now and counting).

But wasn't there some blow up pre-season between Reyno, Carrigan and Oates after your fan day or some function where they were wrestling and fooling around? Yes, not the crime of the century, but to me an indication that maybe the players' heads were/are somewhere else this season and they lost their focus.

It's probably not the kind of behavior you would wish to see as a fan a few weeks out from kick-off. It is also something you probably wouldn't see happening at Penrith or Melbourne where that type of behaviour would be less likely to be tolerated. I think they have last that hard edge and their focus from last year. It doesn't take much at all and you are suddenly back with the pack instead of at that elite level required to challenge for a premiership.

No. Carrigan was drunk and making a dick of himself, and Reyno tried to bundle him home in a taxi. Next thing they're goanna wrestling in a nature strip. Blokes doing blokes shit. I'd be more worried if they didn't do bloke shit.

 

[Morkel]

100% this is on injuries, not Kev.

I don't care that the going wisdom is "next man up, they just have to do their job". If that truly was the case, get rid of the salary cap, all players are equal on paper and should be able to do an equal job should injuries occur. Which is, of course, bullshit.

What also proves how important injuries are to teams is that, when you look back at premiership teams, they are almost always full strength or only missing one or two of their top 17 at most (and any that have lost more will normally have been balanced out by a rookie coming in and blazing through as an x-factor).

Next man up is used to make sure players that step up aren't over-awed and think that need to do anything beyond what they are capable of. It is better to have them playing to the best of their (often limited) ability then to have them trying (and failing) to play like the player they are replacing.

Our middle forwards and outside backs have been torn apart by injury, not just to those in the top 17, but just as crucially to the 18 - 25 positions. The back row, I'd concede, was an issue we created, so maybe 20% recruitment / retention, 80% injuries. But I don't think Capewell was the answer either, if he didn't get the better deal at the Warriors he would have been helpful to help transition Piakura (who could have been eased in further from the bench as he for sure is not ready to play big minutes). But Capewell himself has regressed and been injured a lot himself (his Origin call-up is a huge surprise), the limited assistance he would have had was outweighed by us doing the right thing by him. But a suitable replacement should have been sought immediately, we know that now.

 

[Broncapz]

100% this is on injuries, not Kev.

Never an excuse for Bellamy. Those guys truly have a next man up mentality. Storm are still scary missing 3 key players.

 

[Johnny92]

Never an excuse for Bellamy. Those guys truly have a next man up mentality. Storm are still scary missing 3 key players.

Bellamy's been in charge of the same team for 21 years.. in the past players used to struggle once they left that Storm system.
Not a lot would have changed in those 21 years with how Bellamy coaches his players, that's why their next man up is so good. He's always had a steady team and recruits players that do the role in the system.

Penrith have all their lower grades probably running the same structures.

Kev took on a basket case team 3 years ago with no halfback, hooker, fullback or 5/8,. He's put those pieces together and had to try create some sort of structure with a team that's changing and still learning. Our next man up isn't going to work as well as other teams ATM.
And no second stringer will do the job of Walsh and Reynolds.

 

[Foordy]

Never an excuse for Bellamy. Those guys truly have a next man up mentality. Storm are still scary missing 3 key players.

although let's compare systems.

Bellamy has been in his position able to develop his systems and pathways for 20 years.

Cleary got handed a team and a pathway that Gould started at least 5 years prior ... and probably about 8 years before it was effective.

by comparison, Kevvie is in only his 4th year of developing his systems and the next man up mentality. which IMO, not only needs to be instilled in the fringe players ... but also the first string players they would be playing with

 

[BroncosFever]

It entertains me how people are going with this "the buck stops with the coach" attitude but are prepared to discredit in as many ways as possible when it comes time to acknowledge he got us to a GF.

Yes, crediting someone else and not the coach is discrediting.

 

[McHunt]

100% this is on injuries, not Kev.

Was last season because we weren't hit by injuries, or did Kev get the credit?

Same logic here.

The buck stops at the coach.

 

[Big Del]

Maybe we need an asshole to start unleashing on players that keep making potato brain decisions. Such an asshole that you never, ever want to make the same, or another mistake again.

Micheal Maguire ?
He can abuse blokes like a fcking champion . He did a lot of getting angry and ranting in that Tigers doco .

 

[Big Del]

Do you really think we've had an unfair draw? Not sure I can use that as an excuse.

Two of our draws coincide with Origins. That's handy.

We play several games (even Magic Round) at home, as an away.

And as for us playing the harder teams more times than some other teams. Who is harder is completely subjective. We just lost to the two bottom placed teams in the Titans and Souths, and played the Sharks minus their best player. We might feel fucked over at times in the season, but I bet every team does.

It's not hard to find other teams' fans whinging about us:

Questions about Magic Round!

I find this whole magic round is bullshit. Why? Because every damn year (that I can recall anyway) Brisbane Broncos are listed as an 'away' team when the damn round is held in their venue early year. In addition, this year, co-tenants of Suncorp, the Dolphins, are also listed as an away team...

www.thekennel.net.au

STFU Bulldogs supporters .
During magic round the Broncos put their jersey and boots on in the away sheds . So not the home team at all . LOL .

 

[Big Del]

And no second stringer will do the job of Walsh and Reynolds.

Tyron Wishart can play 6 / 7 / 9 pretty bloody well .

 

[broncos4life]

Was last season because we weren't hit by injuries, or did Kev get the credit?

Same logic here.

The buck stops at the coach.

Not the same logic, even the best coaches need a healthy squad to get to the grand final, this isn't a contentious point. A healthy squad is where is starts but you need a good coach on top to get to the grand final.

 

[Sproj]

Tyron Wishart can play 6 / 7 / 9 pretty bloody well .

He can and I would love to see if he can replicate it outside the amazing Storm system. Bellamy is the best coach ever (in my opinion) for a reason.

 

[McHunt]

Not the same logic, even the best coaches need a healthy squad to get to the grand final, this isn't a contentious point. A healthy squad is where is starts but you need a good coach on top to get to the grand final.

Nope. The buck stops at the coach, including roster management in the event of injuries. We don't have ANY depth in the second row.

Last season, we were all marveling at how the coaching staff got us through the season so disciplined and injury free. Credit was going all in all directions.

Cuts both ways.

 

[Mr Fourex]

So you're saying it's KW's fault the players are getting injured.....?

 

[McHunt]

So you're saying it's KW's fault the players are getting injured.....?

I'm saying we (partly) credited Team Kevvie with the players not getting injured or suspended last season.

I gather you understand the difference between cause and credit.

 

[Broncapz]

So you're saying it's KW's fault the players are getting injured.....?

It's his fault when the players replacing them under perform so massively.
When teams are just kicking our ass in every stat.
When discipline and line speed are no where to be seen for a whole game.

 

[Santa]

Too much gloom and doom - we were 5 minutes of winning the whole thing last year. In a bit of a slump this year, but still only 2 points off 4th place. We'll bounce back once origin is done and Reynolds and Walsh are playing together again.

Even the best coaches go through a slump now and then. Kevvie's got this (and he's earned some time to get us back to our best).

 

[Manofoneway]

I mean, the team made a grand final last year and mchunt still complained about the nepotism and a conflict of interest from the coach and his son.

The people who are blaming the coach are the ones that have never supported them to begin with. At least now they can say we have lost a few games to justify their stupidity.