NEWS Pre-season Challenge 1: Broncos 24 drew Titans 24

NRL Pre-season Challenge 1: TITANS - Feb 12, 7:05pm (Sunshine Coast)

Broadcast on Fox/Kayo only.

Broncos v Titans

Brisbane Broncos versus Gold Coast Titans match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

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Broncos v Titans | Sunshine Coast Stadium

Catch the NRL pre-season trial between the Broncos and Titans on Sunday 12 February.

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[mitch222]

The amount we paid for Piakura is worrying. I would have expected him to be pushing for a starting spot this year and at this rate he might not even make our bench.

 

[McHunt]

All our hookers sucked. Smoothy was gassed after 2 mins. Paix looked like a slow robot trying to run. Walters had the vision to see markers offside but too slow. Hoping Mozer magically develops quickly and is ready very early. Hope he gets a run next week

I've noticed a few saying this about Smoothy, but I don't think it was the case. That's just how he always looks. He's more methodical than nippy, and that can work too if it comes with an elevated vision. Despite looking like he's wading in mud, he does manage to keep his forwards on a roll, get to the ruck in time and complete the perfunctory passes to half. If you were expecting to be blown away by his speed out of dummy half, you might want to watch a few of his highlights from the Cup or Melbourne appearances. That's not what he brings.

Reading around social media and other boards this morning, nothing much has changed on the opinion of Billy. Maybe unfairly, but he didn't change minds let's put it that way.

 

[Culhwch]

One thing's certain, we're flush with quality goalkickers.

 

[Foordy]

One thing's certain, we're flush with quality goalkickers.

Makes a nice change

 

[McHunt]

So it all depends on the resolution of the footage that the bunker has?

Awesome

yes I’m aware this has always been the case with the video ref over the years, but we’re in the age of 4K and super-duper slo-mo. The word ‘obvious’ shouldn’t come into it

If it's down to a microframe of a possible ball separation in grounding to save your team's arse, your team has bigger problems.

 

[mitch222]

One thing's certain, we're flush with quality goalkickers.

The Parker years still run deep

 

[BroncsFan]

All our hookers sucked. Smoothy was gassed after 2 mins. Paix looked like a slow robot trying to run. Walters had the vision to see markers offside but too slow. Hoping Mozer magically develops quickly and is ready very early. Hope he gets a run next week

Paix is looking heavy and I wonder if he's had to put on muscle in order to defend in the middle.

Doesnt seem explosive at all really.

To me the best form he's had across his career was 2021 (I think??) playing for Souths in Qcup. He became their go to man and a focal point of their attack.

I'd imagine that came off the back of consistency in a role... he knew he was playing week in week out as the hooker for 40 odd minutes a game in qcup.

If there's chopping and changing coming for the hooker role and one week he's playing 40min as the starter to next week getting 20min off the bench... and then starting in qcup.

I think it just becomes too complicated for a guy that is effectively learning his craft as a dummy half.

I'm hoping Kevvie just picks and sticks.

None of our hookers can play 80 so we need two... just come up with a gameplan for them and stick to it. If one drops out keep the same plan and have a next one up mentality.

I can see one week Mozer coming in and getting 20-30mins, but then that impacts on two guys who dont really know the position... and then Smoothy will get discussed, etc.

Just need a plan... it wont be perfect, but the hooking position is far from perfect in the current squad as it is.

 

[McHunt]

I'm hoping Kevvie just picks and sticks.

None of our hookers can play 80 so we need two... just come up with a gameplan for them and stick to it. If one drops out keep the same plan and have a next one up mentality.

I can see one week Mozer coming in and getting 20-30mins, but then that impacts on two guys who dont really know the position... and then Smoothy will get discussed, etc.

Just need a plan... it wont be perfect, but the hooking position is far from perfect in the current squad as it is.

Cartwright recently said they'll be rotating Paix and Walters like last year and the way Kevvie has done with his halves since he's had this job. Did you get the impression either of the two had progressed in the position over the off season?

Pre-Season

the playing group will plot their own course. Lol. Sounds like code for “kevvie is a good bloke but not a good coach” I'd read it more as putting it on the leadership group and playing group to establish where they actually want to go this year. Mentality in sport is 90% of the game... all...

broncoshq.com

 

[Sproj]

Obviously Walsh was in a class of his own and we saw flashes of brilliance from many of the second string, most notably that banana kick from Sailor. But I was more concerned with what we didn't see from our established stars.

We were clearly the better side with Haas, Farnworth, Staggs and Mam on the field, but I was underwhelmed by all. I was expecting more from Herbie, in particular. Maybe all the post world cup got to me, but he was pretty much as I remember him from 2021, not a progression from 2022. I'm not saying he did anything wrong or let us down. But I was expecting to be blown away by his awesomeness. I wasn't.

I wasn't expecting to think this, but it's possible Mam's grasp on 6 mightn't be as strong as I presumed. Neither Staggs nor Haas elevated beyond the most muted expectation.

Despite bagging a couple of tries, and being one of our most endearing players off the field, I'm not sure we'll see much more of Jordan Pereira. Particularly with Mariner in the wings, literally. Quai-Ward didn't press his case strong enough for me.

Al that out of the way, the scoreline would've looked massively different with Oates and Cobbo looming wide, particularly on the end of Reynold's boot. Of which, it's worth mentioning the Titans were sharper than expected. Boyd, particularly along with some of the young talent like Kini and Jojo Fifita.

The hooker dilemma is exactly as it was last year. We can argue all which ways, but we don't have a satisfying fix. Or at least we're not being presented one by this coaching setup.

It was the first game most of them have played in months and they played about 30 minutes. If you were expecting fireworks / the players to be at their best, that's on you for unrealistic expectations.

 

[McHunt]

It was the first game most of them have played in months and they played about 30 minutes. If you were expecting fireworks / the players to be at their best, that's on you for unrealistic expectations.

What were you hoping to see then?

 

[Sproj]

What were you hoping to see then?

Players blowing cobwebs out and some new combinations being tried, exactly what we saw.

 

[Big Del]

I may go against the grain a bit here, but I think Piakura might be our most overhyped junior in the last decade. I've seen absolutely nothing from him that says he'll be anything more than a middling first grader.

Te Kura has more promise .
Very mobile for a big fella . Put some more muscles on him and he will be a weapon .

 

[Sproj]

Te Kura has more promise .
Very mobile for a big fella . Put some more muscles on him and he will be a weapon .

Te Kura is SUPER promising. To be dragging adults around as much as he was at his age and still clearly not yet bulked is exciting. I wonder if he might be a round 1 bolter.

 

[McHunt]

Players blowing cobwebs out and some new combinations being tried, exactly what we saw.

And were you happy with the new combinations? I saw a lot of poor discipline including two of our players put on report. I saw a lot of whinging about the refs. I saw a lot of us not being pinged for high shots.

 

[Sproj]

And were you happy with the new combinations? I saw a lot of poor discipline including two of our players put on report. I saw a lot of whinging about the refs. I saw a lot of us not being pinged for high shots.

Yes I was because I wasn't expecting a well oiled machine, no one should be in the first preseason game (the week before doesn't count because basically no / very, very few best team players were in it).

I mean, I don't think it is a coincidence that aside from Smoothy, most of the other guys who looked decent against Wynnum, looked decent again here because they had an extra game in their legs.

 

[007]

And were you happy with the new combinations? I saw a lot of poor discipline including two of our players put on report. I saw a lot of whinging about the refs. I saw a lot of us not being pinged for high shots.

It was a Team thrown together from depth players. IMO if there's any comment to be made - its that we have a lack of quality depth in the middle. A lot of the errors were from players who are not NRL standard.

 

[WASSHHH]

My few observations.

Walsh did what we know Walsh can do, but he will really need Reynolds out there with him to stop him overplaying his hand.

I didn’t think any of our 9 options put their hand up. I also don’t think any of them were really provided much opportunity to do so. I know it’s only a trial and that’s sort of what it’s for, but at least give them each 25mins straight in the role. Chopping and changing and having 2 (or even 3, I can’t recall) out there are the same time was strange. Surely Walters knows who his preferred option is, so I hope he gives the other 2 a half each next week to see who performs better.

Herbie and Staggs looked good in the little time they had, but were both a little rusty in D at times. Understandable given the injury they’re each coming back from.

I just don’t see the organising 7 in Mam that others see. At the moment he is a 6 and one that relies heavily on his 7. His defence was great at times though, which is super pleasing.

Mariner looks ready, but at who’s expense I don’t know.

 

[Big Del]

And were you happy with the new combinations? I saw a lot of poor discipline including two of our players put on report. I saw a lot of whinging about the refs. I saw a lot of us not being pinged for high shots.

The report on Frie was trivial .
He stuck his leg out to deflect a grubber kick and the kicker fell over it . Nothing to see here .

Shalom will get a cpl of weeks for the swinging arm I expect .