Pre-season

[holdzy]

People kill themselves for many reasons but when they think footy is life and you have no footy then they think they have no life. It’s a ridiculous thought, especially from a bunch of blokes who don’t play footy at a high level at all. Priority should be their family and their own head space. Which is exactly what both of these comments are referencing. It’s a fucking dumb conversation and if any coach is pushing that footy is life they are a shit coach.

Obviously family and good mental health are the priority in your personal life. It requires a different type of passion to that required to win at elite level sports.

 

[Thelmus]

All I hope is that footy isn't everything to the people posting here because after last season, even the toughest would need some "help".
As to "who said what", I think it's irrelevant. Like the constant interviews of last year promoting positivity, they count for nothing.
What counts is the work they are doing right now in pre-season, and how prepared and fit they are for round one.
I would draw a line across what anybody said or did last year (or any year before that, for that matter) because it counts for nothing.
Whether it be Palasia, macca or Haas, they best put their best foot forward now. We dropped Lewis after playing internationals the previous year and forced Langer into retirement despite being captains and legends both.
I think that's what Keviie will have at the back of his mind when round 1 team is picked.
Actions count, words mean nothing, except to pre-empt action. If Palasia trains the house down, gets his teammates listening to him and shows enough ability I'd expect him to be picked.
Likewise if Haas didn't, I'd hope the reverse is also true (I'm confident that won't be the case however).
Picking footballers based on what they say gives too much credence to their capacity to elucidate

 

[Cult]

Obviously family and good mental health are the priority in your personal life. It requires a different type of passion to that required to win at elite level sports.

Not every player at the Broncos is going to win at elite sport levels. Wasn’t the average career length for an NRL player like 28 games or something? How the **** do you expect those sort of guys to react when they believe footy is life and they have their careers cut short due to injury or cop it online due to poor performances to the point it affects their mental health? Footy isn’t life. It is just a game. If a coach tells them it’s their life then that coach is a bad coach and an even worse man manager. **** this entire conversation to be honest.

 

[Foordy]

I watched the whole interview.
He didn't say footys not everything? I don't care about the rest of the interview, he said those words did he not? Are you telepathic or an expert on body language? These players saying it shows their mentality, yes he was injured but he should be saying how he hated seeing the boys lose and that he was chomping at the bit to get back out there to help the boys win and he missed footy so much.

he did say that, right before he said the words:

"It's made me realize how much i really want to be in this sport"

so you don't need to be telepathic or an expert on body language to know where he's menatality is at ... you just need to know how to listen to what he says

 

[Foordy]

We only get 1 pre-season trial for 2021.

it will be against the Cowboys on Feb 27 at 7pm (venue TBC)

so how does everyone think we should handle the trial ...

i.e. do we go in with a full strength side to give the team some match fitness before round 1

or do we go in with a fringe side to give some of those guys the chance to press their claims for round 1

or do we go in with a mix.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

We only get 1 pre-season trial for 2021.

it will be against the Cowboys on Feb 27 at 7pm (venue TBC)

so how does everyone think we should handle the trial ...

i.e. do we go in with a full strength side to give the team some match fitness before round 1

or do we go in with a fringe side to give some of those guys the chance to press their claims for round 1

or do we go in with a mix.

I think we go in with a full strength side with an extended bench. 1snt team play the 1st half, swap about 8 or 9 players for the 2nd half for a chance to press their claims. Also really push the point that the qld cup trials may be a spot where a really good performance could see you squeeze in the 21 squad.
I think game day situations and intensity should be really pushed at training (ONCE a week in pre season only, not seibold levels obviously) to get a good feel also so we don't come out of the blocks slow.

 

[holdzy]

Not every player at the Broncos is going to win at elite sport levels. Wasn’t the average career length for an NRL player like 28 games or something? How the **** do you expect those sort of guys to react when they believe footy is life and they have their careers cut short due to injury or cop it online due to poor performances to the point it affects their mental health? Footy isn’t life. It is just a game. If a coach tells them it’s their life then that coach is a bad coach and an even worse man manager. **** this entire conversation to be honest.

Who even said anything about a coach saying that?

Of course players who have their careers cut short become depressed, because FOOTY WAS THEIR LIFE. A career pursued ostensibly because of passion. As others have said, if you don't have the drive to be able to overcome the nasty internet meanies and the desire to make the sacrifices that come with success, go play park footy. Don't waste the Broncos time.

It's funny how footy is 'just a game' when you're losing. When you're winning, it's a bit more than a game.

But imo, of course a persons individual well being comes first. If you can't hack it, for whatever reason, put yourself first and find something else to do.

 

[holdzy]

We only get 1 pre-season trial for 2021.

it will be against the Cowboys on Feb 27 at 7pm (venue TBC)

so how does everyone think we should handle the trial ...

i.e. do we go in with a full strength side to give the team some match fitness before round 1

or do we go in with a fringe side to give some of those guys the chance to press their claims for round 1

or do we go in with a mix.

Full strength.

 

[winslow_wong]

Yeah footy isn’t everything when you make the big league but while coming through school most of these players probably didn’t try because footy was their life

 

[The Strapper]

We only get 1 pre-season trial for 2021.

it will be against the Cowboys on Feb 27 at 7pm (venue TBC)

so how does everyone think we should handle the trial ...

i.e. do we go in with a full strength side to give the team some match fitness before round 1

or do we go in with a fringe side to give some of those guys the chance to press their claims for round 1

or do we go in with a mix.

Pick our best 21 and rotate as required particularly for any contentious positions.
Hope they play it at dolphin stadium.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Whatever they do....just WIN the trial FFS

 

[pagey]

We only get 1 pre-season trial for 2021.

it will be against the Cowboys on Feb 27 at 7pm (venue TBC)

so how does everyone think we should handle the trial ...

i.e. do we go in with a full strength side to give the team some match fitness before round 1

or do we go in with a fringe side to give some of those guys the chance to press their claims for round 1

or do we go in with a mix.

Mix full strength for majority though

 

[holdzy]

Whatever they do....just WIN the trial FFS

Who cares about winning a trial? Play some good attacking footy, don't get injured.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Who cares about winning a trial? Play some good attacking footy, don't get injured.

Winning builds confidence, you can't just hit the ground running with good attack instantly. Worrying about getting injured is how you get injured in the first place. Rip in and fight tooth and nail for the win.
Judging by last season, we were so half hearted it looked like we were in trial mode all year to the spoon.

 

[holdzy]

Winning builds confidence, you can't just hit the ground running with good attack instantly. Worrying about getting injured is how you get injured in the first place. Rip in and fight tooth and nail for the win.
Judging by last season, we were so half hearted it looked like we were in trial mode all year to the spoon.

Winning trials doesn't mean anything. Can easily get injured going too hard in a meaningless match.

 

[simplythebest]

But imo, of course a persons individual well being comes first. If you can't hack it, for whatever reason, put yourself first and find something else to do.

I agree. Dealing with the pressures outside of football (media and fan scrutiny, crazy fans etc) is part of the role of being a professional athlete.

It's a high pressure job that requires more than just being able to play football well. That's why they get paid so well. Every other high paying job in the world is also high pressure. People leave high paying jobs all the time to do something for less money because that also comes with less pressure.

Unfortunately, you can have all the skill and natural talent in the world, but if you can't handle the pressure cooker of professional sports then it isn't for you.

 

[Wolfie]

I still think its perfectly possible to handle the pressure of being an elite athlete without it being the be all and end all of your life. Its about balance.

 

[holdzy]

I still think its perfectly possible to handle the pressure of being an elite athlete without it being the be all and end all of your life. Its about balance.

Of course it is.

That said, the out and out champions of our sport and every other sport were/are obsessive. Sometimes to their own detriment, sometimes not.

And every single player in the game should aspire to be the very best in the game, imo.

It's just a game obviously means something very different to a Billy Slater as opposed to a Darius Boyd.