Our realistic chances?

[Broncos1995]

I'm glad alot of people on here 'support' the broncos, imagine if you 'supported' parra or some other useless side. The broncs have had a few poor games (like they always do after origin) and we are hearing everything from get rid of hoffman, wallace, norman, macca, the guy that runs the oranges, security guards and stadium cleaners to Hook is rubbish get rid of him. The sky isn't falling and we are in a much better place than anyone could have imagined the first year post locky. If some of you went for parra you would have necked yourself long ago.

I agree with you, It seems to be if the broncos lose a game it's alll over and they should just pack up and get ready for next season. The Broncos haven't been outside the top 4 all year, (correct me if wrong) and I believe Anthony Griffin is doing a great job with the club and will continue doing so. I always remember thinking if someone were to make a good broncos coach that guy who coaches redcliffe could do it, and he's proved me right. I mean people shouldn't hold to much expectation around this time the broncos have a tough time after origin and that'll only help them come finals time.

 

[OXY-351]

and stadium cleaners

I've never said they should be gotten rid of. They always seem to do an awesome job of cleaning up my 16 empty beer cups, even after having to clean up female urine when the petrie locals come to town.

 

[Anonymous person]

some of us are just being realistic though.

yes, some are being overly dramatic with all the 'drop player x, drop player y, sack the coach' calls - but not everyone is like that.

i personally cannot see us winning the premiership this year based on our season at this point. 6 weeks ago i could. its not just form that makes me think we are out of the running, its the injuries and the form of other teams. we've lost 3 of our top backs to broken legs of some sort, we've lost hodges for a few weeks and then inevitably a few more when he comes back before hes ready, we've now lost hoffman for a week and teo as well, and parker should be gone for a few even though hes been named this week. our halves are misfiring and being ineffective compared to their fantastic start to the year.

this year was always going to be a struggle. still have the youngest team in the NRL, and our first year without probably the greatest player to ever step foot on a rugby league field. then we lost yow yeh in a matter of weeks, then we lost half our team to state of origin, then more injuries.....

its not being a "bad fan" or anything, its being realistic.

 

[OXY-351]

The most stupid part about the whole compeition is as long as you make the 8 (which you can do without having a hugely successful season), you only need to hit a bit of late season form and string 4 games together, and you can win the comp. I don't think the broncos will win it this year, but I think the winner may also not be one of the red hot favourites (eg Bulldogs, Melbourne).

 

[Bull Shark]

The most stupid part about the whole compeition is as long as you make the 8 (which you can do without having a hugely successful season), you only need to hit a bit of late season form and string 4 games together, and you can win the comp. I don't think the broncos will win it this year, but I think the winner may also not be one of the red hot favourites (eg Bulldogs, Melbourne).

no the most stupid part of the whole competition is the way its structured around the representative period ... it's killed and or severely hampered Brisbane EVERY year for the past 25 years and its having similar effects on other clubs like Melbourne this year. And it allows certain other sides a cushy ride through the middle third of the season playing understrength or over-fatigued opposition.

Always has been the most stupid part of the NRL and always will be until something is changed.

 

[Big Pete]

Hasler owes his career to the Origin period.

 

[Old Mate]

I'm glad alot of people on here 'support' the broncos, imagine if you 'supported' parra or some other useless side. The broncs have had a few poor games (like they always do after origin) and we are hearing everything from get rid of hoffman, wallace, norman, macca, the guy that runs the oranges, security guards and stadium cleaners to Hook is rubbish get rid of him. The sky isn't falling and we are in a much better place than anyone could have imagined the first year post locky. If some of you went for parra you would have necked yourself long ago.

What are you talking about? If you look at other forums every team does the same shit.

 

[Ari Gold]

I actually think we have a chance for the moment. Not because our squad is going very well or showing the required improvement, but because everyone else is going backwards too. Storm - When did they even last win a game? Bulldogs - Kasiano, Keating injured now, joining a number of others. Manly - They've been anything but impressive. Even the Warriors, who I genuinely rate as a top 4 threat (not for a regular season finish but in terms of contenders for overall) have been going poorly. Tigers - Anyone still standing there? Cowboys - So inconsistent it's not funny. Sharks - LOLZ, no.

Outside of Souths, who in the Top 8 can you really say has been playing good, consistent footy worthy of a premiership. So if we can get our shit together, there's at least a chance of it being fruitful because right now most teams are in neutral.

 

[noisetheory]

I'm glad alot of people on here 'support' the broncos, imagine if you 'supported' parra or some other useless side. The broncs have had a few poor games (like they always do after origin) and we are hearing everything from get rid of hoffman, wallace, norman, macca, the guy that runs the oranges, security guards and stadium cleaners to Hook is rubbish get rid of him. T

come on mate. we're allowed to be constructively critical of the way our team performs. suggesting changes to the lineup IS part of that. we aren't the coach. everyones going to have different opinions. it doesnt mean we dont love the team.

i would love for nothing more than hoffy/wal/norman and the rest of the team to carve it up into the finals.

 

[rnabokov]

I just don't understand why we can't have someone running off our halves. TBH our team play has been shocking. Norman gets the ball everyone is flat footed and Norman ends up running it himself. Same goes with Wallace. The only play the do consistently is that inside ball to Hoffman. It is bollocks IMO. This is 90% what we are doing at training and 10% talent.

... and Gillett who ran a great angle off Macca to score ...

Yeah, I don't understand either. It's not rocket science. It's simple rehearsal of set plays, building a repertoire. By this time, one would think that NRL standard players would get it.

And irrespective of what Coxy (correctly) posted above about Norman's problems with vision to set up plays, surely he can execute a set play when it's called.

In any case, for such a young team in it's first post-Lockyer year, I am mostly happy with how it's gone so far, despite that urge to win every game and getting pissed off when we don't.

And maybe that "click" with our combinations and set plays will happen sooner than later ... always good to have something to look forward to.

 

[broncos4life]

some of us are just being realistic though.

yes, some are being overly dramatic with all the 'drop player x, drop player y, sack the coach' calls - but not everyone is like that.

i personally cannot see us winning the premiership this year based on our season at this point. 6 weeks ago i could. its not just form that makes me think we are out of the running, its the injuries and the form of other teams. we've lost 3 of our top backs to broken legs of some sort, we've lost hodges for a few weeks and then inevitably a few more when he comes back before hes ready, we've now lost hoffman for a week and teo as well, and parker should be gone for a few even though hes been named this week. our halves are misfiring and being ineffective compared to their fantastic start to the year.

this year was always going to be a struggle. still have the youngest team in the NRL, and our first year without probably the greatest player to ever step foot on a rugby league field. then we lost yow yeh in a matter of weeks, then we lost half our team to state of origin, then more injuries.....

its not being a "bad fan" or anything, its being realistic.

I get what your saying but I have been realistic from the start, I never thought this was our year to win the premiership. Everyone, including the media got excited about the prospects because they far, far exceeded any realistic expectations, but the fact remains its a long season and a premiership this year was always going to be a bridge too far.

I guess my point was for everyone to get some perspective and realise that if in the preseason someone told you that come round 21 with a completely new halves pairing, losing your international winger for the season after a couple of rounds, having at times 7 players involved in origin, the stack of injuries we have had especially in the backline, we would be just outside the top 4 by a very small points differential, you would have been stoked.

 

[broncos4life]

no the most stupid part of the whole competition is the way its structured around the representative period ... it's killed and or severely hampered Brisbane EVERY year for the past 25 years and its having similar effects on other clubs like Melbourne this year. And it allows certain other sides a cushy ride through the middle third of the season playing understrength or over-fatigued opposition.

Always has been the most stupid part of the NRL and always will be until something is changed.

100% its a complete joke, just like the administration of the NRL. Where would hasler be without Origin

 

[Anonymous person]

we would be just outside the top 4 by a very small points differential, you would have been stoked.

being just outside the top 4 isnt as important as how we're playing, and we're playing like a busted arse at the moment.

 

[IBA]

I just don't understand why we can't have someone running off our halves. TBH our team play has been shocking. Norman gets the ball everyone is flat footed and Norman ends up running it himself. Same goes with Wallace. The only play the do consistently is that inside ball to Hoffman. It is bollocks IMO. This is 90% what we are doing at training and 10% talent.

This is my problem one million percent. Where the players looking to create a little doubt in the defending players' minds? I don't think it's a specific player not being up to it, but an entire philosophy in attack. We never seem to have those plays where Hoffman is lurking inside one of our halves with a hard running Parker and T'eo outside. Hannant running at a gap between two defenders and Thaiday just outside him on the hope Hannant will draw in the extra defender. When Parker, Gillette or Thaiday hit it up, where is someone screaming into a gap on the very likely chance they can pop an offload? On one of those sweeping wide plays a second rower needs to be cutting back inside trying to drag the extra defender with him. We get a few every now and again but they're often pretty telegraphed so they are easy to defend. We need players looking to get involved in the attack outside of 100% structured plays and generally give our halves options. It gives the halves options.

Both Wallace and Norman get stuck with the ball with absolutely no one around them and neither of them are good enough to keep creating something out of nothing. I don't know of many people that have ever been able to consistently do that. I think it is what has helped Cronk become such a great halfback - the constant threat of Billy screaming through for a kick or inside ball. Creating gaps is all about putting the defence in two minds. We don't have that in our attack. I know some onus is on the halves to organise their runners, but they can't be completely responsible for putting all these players in motion. We don't have the organic feeling attack where options appear for our play makers and to me, that is a training issue. For us at least. We have a huge amount of talent which is not being utilized and a player shuffle isn't going to do much with out the training behind it.

 

[noisetheory]

Both Wallace and Norman get stuck with the ball with absolutely no one around them and neither of them are good enough to keep creating something out of nothing. I don't know of many people that have ever been able to consistently do that. I think it is what has helped Cronk become such a great halfback - the constant threat of Billy screaming through for a kick or inside ball. Creating gaps is all about putting the defence in two minds. We don't have that in our attack. I know some onus is on the halves to organise their runners, but they can't be completely responsible for putting all these players in motion.

this is spot on.

cronk has looked a bit lost at times lately without slater there.

as you said you wouldnt find many players able to beat the defense when they're all alone the way norman always seems to be.

if we are starting a set in the oppositions 50 then 3 of the 5 plays we get should be some kind of attacking play that threatens the defense. all this one out stuff is going to get us nowhere.

 

[noisetheory]

work just booked me on flights to the US from 7th sep to 27th sep.

so we'll probably make it to the GF pre lim final lol.

 

[IBA]

work just booked me on flights to the US from 7th sep to 27th sep.

so we'll probably make it to the GF pre lim final lol.

We all thank you for your sacrifice :)

 

[broncos4life]

being just outside the top 4 isnt as important as how we're playing, and we're playing like a busted arse at the moment.

Not even close to the point I was making, but thanks for playing