Lockyer/Hunt/Hodges + 2009!

[Professor47]

Look, the game against the dogs wasn't flash and there is probably a lot of doomsayers, but I think it is time to take the broncos goggles off and have a serious lookat 2009.

Lockyer/Hunt/Hodges - We have a serious problem where if one of these three doesn't play, we suddenly look like half the team we are. Lately Lockyer has been in all sorts. Look, his my favourite player and we all know what a champion he is but his age is showing and he just can't keep up with the young guns these days. I'm happy to have him to add finishing touches and whatnot but he's hardly doing that either. Dare I say, he's just letting in points now more than anything. He needs to work on his tackling, there is no argument there. I hope he goes OK this year. Hunt and Hodges, we need these two more than ever. I think Hodgo is the man. It's sad - because once opposition teams shut him down we haven't got much. My point? Too much on victory relies on these three players. A bit too much IMO. I think it will cost us.

2009 - Let's be realistic and honest here. Assuming we make top 8 - and I'm guessing we will be around the 5th to 8th position if we do. Do we seriously have the experience, maturity and professionalism to win the GF? Even with incredible form and a bit of luck to get there, I've never seen such a young and raw Broncos side. I would HATE to see the Broncs lose a GF but even more - I would HATE to see the Broncos crack under pressure in the GF and cave in. The 2009 team are a team capable of caving in, there is no doubt about that and that is fair enough - we have a very young and inexperienced side. It would just hurt a lot to see the Broncos in a GF and just crack that's all - I'd rather NOT be in a GF than LOSE it - If that makes sense.

Anyhow, just some food for thought. What do you guys think about 2009 and the reliance of Hodgo - And the skipper's form/role?

 

[Bucking Beads]

Every other side in the comp is the same when they lose one of there key players we just have to deal with it.....

 

[pennywisealfie]

I believe!!!!

and Hunt is our best player. If we lose him, im going on a rampage.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Has hodges played more than 5 games in a row over the last few years? Everyone always laughs at benji and SBW for being injury prone and a waste of money, well im beginning to think the same way about hodges. this bloke is always on the sideline. as for him being a saviour of sorts, i disagree. it was only a few weeks ago most on here including myself were wondering wtf he was doing since all he seemed to do was dummy half runs and argue with the ref.

i obviously agree with the OP about lockyer. i raised it in the other thread. hes barely doing anything in attack anymore and his defence is probably the worst in the NRL. if hes tearing sides apart, or even setting up a single try, i can usually ignore it, but now the whole of our attack is resting on hunt and wallace, so locky really has to pull his old finger out and do something.

 

[Kimlo]

I think Hodges is the most important player in the team atm tbh. When he's in the team the whole team just seems to have more confidence when he's out of the team firstly we suffer badly in defence down the right side and it also seems to affect our teams confidence when we're playing form behind. Hodges usually inspires the team to win atm unless Hunt has the game of his life there's no one who can really pull the broncos out of bad situations and Locky doesn't have the magical attack he once had.

Did everyone really think Lockyer was that bad though? I actually though he was one of better players, his kicking game was good, his attack albeit not setting up any tries had the bulldogs second guessing most of the time and in defence Folau and Yow Yeh were absolutely hopeless and Lockyer isn't a great defender to start off with up against Roberts who has bean tearing teams apart all year with his running game.

Folau on the other hand along with Yow Yeh were el-terrible, seriously, Idris and Hazem taught them a lesson in defence and Morris and Goodwin ripped em apart in attack. I think Henjak's coaching style is too attack focused, how many players do we have in this team who we could call "workhorses" or just great defenders. We're badly missing someone like Stagg who will play in the back row and tackle anything that moves.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Folau and Yow Yeh were constantly hung out to dry by there team mates due to bad defensive reads.. It is easy to look bad when it is 4 on 2..

 

[Chumbason]

Our Pack is crap! there's your trouble right there. Give Locky some room and he's fine.

 

[The Brizz]

Folau and Yow Yeh were constantly hung out to dry by there team mates due to bad defensive reads.. It is easy to look bad when it is 4 on 2..

Exactly! Nothing Folau or Yow Yeh could really do for any of those tries because Lockyer and Parker kept leaving them way too short.

 

[Kaz]

Folau and Yow Yeh were constantly hung out to dry by there team mates due to bad defensive reads.. It is easy to look bad when it is 4 on 2..

But are they looking or just waiting for things to happen.

 

[Professor47]

Chumba - most people aren't concerned about the attack compared to our worries in defense. Locky is NOT fine in D atm. It's as bad as 04/05 when he just started at 6 imo.

 

[rod78]

when you have a forward pack with not much go forward a second row that all they do is hit it up in the middle with no effect, no wide running forwards and a team that doesnt show any aggression or energy in deffence its hard to look past the coaching tecniques used by the coach. Also we have not one beach player that make a difference when they come on. Our bench have absolutly no impact . To be honest we have a team with little heart

 

[lyn]

Ben Te'o is a wide running forward. Just needs to be used more. Thaiday should be running wide aswell instead of being used as a prop workhorse.

 

[rnabokov]

Ben Te'o is a wide running forward. Just needs to be used more. Thaiday should be running wide aswell instead of being used as a prop workhorse.

Now that really nails a critical point IMO. Henjak should look at this. I mean, his mentor hasn't changed the way Creagh plays so effectively, and I reckon T'eo can be just as effective out wider.

Bring Parker in closer and have T'eo and Sammy running lines out wide. It's getting boring seeing Sam get the ball with little room to move and just get smashed by defenders after a few metres gained.

And please - I wish our structure in attack created some more space and depth.

IMO, that''s where the Dogs excel. Kimmorley seems to have acres of room to set up moves and players deep running onto the ball with room to get to speed.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

theres been a heap of us saying for months how ineffective thaiday is being used as a battering ram, its not new, its just never going to fucking happen while hes at the broncos

 

[Alec]

Someone has to run up the middle. Clinton and Kenny aren't good enough do it themselves. You guys want every player running wide. Parker would be even worse at it than Thaiday.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

how do other clubs do it then? creagh runs wide all the time, prior tends to as well. they seem to go ok with poore and weyman doing the hard yards. clinton and kenny need to step up if they cant do the same as those to nevilles.

 

[broncosil]

Ben Te'o is a wide running forward. Just needs to be used more. Thaiday should be running wide aswell instead of being used as a prop workhorse.

Yes definitely. Why the hell is Parker being used out wide and Thaiday isn't? Parker is absolutely crap at the moment, and has proven yet again that he is just weak. Always starts well and then it is just downhill from there. Thaiday isn't being allowed to make an impact when he does the hard yards.

Our pack is a very big problem and our defense needs serious work. We have far too many rookies and even if we did make the GF we would crumble under the pressure. Our wingers and centres, while good in attack, are very poor in defense and can't seem to read the play too well, but I believe they are being left way too short.

Locky is definitely out of form, as is Wallace.

 

[Ari Gold]

Anyone looked at the stats for Friday night? I know they aren't everything but according to nrlstats Thaiday only made 1m the entire game on friday night!