Pre-Season

[Allo]

If Riki is dropping balls at the line, maybe stop throwing flat bullets at him a millisecond before he hits the line

does my head in when we continue to do things that aren’t working. Either find a player it can work with or change the play to work with the player.

 

[OXY-351]

Yeh, if they were going to make a big deal over anything, it should have been Pat for his jeans and purse.
View attachment 20802

The guy taking his glasses off to get a better look at his phone ...... I imagine the thought going through his head ....... "is that really a trout?"

 

[Big Del]

You are imagining Riki has a high error rate:

POST GAME - [Round 24, 2022] Broncos vs Eels

When you say "solid defensively" what you're actually saying is only one other second rower (Josh Jackson) has made more tackles than Riki this season. And, of course, he's made more tackles than any other Bronco. As for errors, he's made 19 in 22 games, that's less than 1 per game. By way of...

broncoshq.com

Riki had a cpl of rough games with his handling .
Probably accounted for the majority of his errors . The chest injury mid season wrecked his attack . No grunt when in contact .

I can remember thinking . Let D Fafita go . We have got Riki anyway .

We are expecting more of that hit the clear , run past the full back type play we all saw in his 1st season . Hasn`t happened . Yet ...

 

[McHunt]

I don't know how much rugby league Robert Craddock watches, but his latest column is even more dialled in than usual. He asserts that the Broncos MUST re-sign Kevin Walters for the following two reasons:

1. Taupau about-faced and agreed to terms with the Broncos very quickly, apparently when on the verge of signing with the Eels after being hounded by them for months.

2. He laughed off Selwyn Cobbo's comments.

He then adds:

1. Losing Karl Oloapu was a mere blip.

2. Herbie Farnworth is about to extend. Which he read in the paper.

Besideswhich, who would they replace him with, and do they really want to start from scratch again?

Hand him the contract. It's settled.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/broncos-2023-why-kevin-walters-must-stay-on-as-coach-despite-selwyn-cobbo-criticism/news-story/adabd3412be9f2284f046b08d7e7edbd?amp

 

[WASSHHH]

If Riki is dropping balls at the line, maybe stop throwing flat bullets at him a millisecond before he hits the line

does my head in when we continue to do things that aren’t working. Either find a player it can work with or change the play to work with the player.

Catching flat balls at the line is a pretty fundamental and important part of a second rowers job though, is it not? As an example; I've seen Oates run second rower lines numerous times over the years and he hasn't played the position, sans a moment here and there, for the best part of 10 years.

I do totally agree we shouldn't keep rolling out the same plays when they aren't working and fully support dropping players that continue to be the weakest link in such plays, but suggesting we don't run a pretty stock-standard play, rather, change the play to work with the player is sort of like saying our fullback can't catch bombs, let's swap him with our winger on the 3rd play of every set.

I actually believe (or perhaps it's hope) Riki's handling would improve if he learned to run better lines. At least some of the time, the pressure he is under is his own doing because he insists on running at the defence, rather than hitting holes and / or adding some footwork before the line.

What's most annoying is that it's probably in there somewhere, as I seem to recall seeing it. For some reason or another though, he's changed how he plays. Either he is being coached to do it, or he is the second row version of Isaako.

 

[McHunt]

Catching flat balls at the line

Speaking of flat balls:

 

[McHunt]

Whats the internal word on how Mozer is pencilled to progress into the NRL?

 

[McHunt]

Festering

 

[BroncosFever]

Just on Riki, his biggest flaw is that he gets lazy from time to time and doesn't cover tackle from the inside so teams know if they throw a ball targeting the spot he should be defending there's always the chance he won't be there to make the tackle, or not in a great position to make the tackle.

 

[Blindside Bronco]

I feel sorry for him.
Nobody loves Walters little Willy.
Even with a lot of pussies in our team everything could change though if he gets hard and doesn't mind his head getting into a compromised position.
But not sure if he has the stamina to finish the job.
He will have to pull out and let someone else slide into position.

Such as the curse of Wee Willy Walters.

 

[WASSHHH]

Speaking of flat balls:

Like I said, it’s probably in there somewhere.

Given this video is from 2020 at the latest, sort of goes a long way to proving the point I was making.

I’ll happily eat my words if you can find one from 2022 though.

 

[McHunt]

Like I said, it’s probably in there somewhere.

Given this video is from 2020 at the latest, sort of goes a long way to proving the point I was making.

I’ll happily eat my words if you can find one from 2022 though.

Start eating:


Another try from a grubber:


Best forgotten:

 

[WASSHHH]

Start eating:


Another try from a grubber:


Best forgotten:

You got me.

If I stayed in line with my original post, I should have asked for second half of 2022, as it was such a rapid decline in form (and probably confidence).

And whilst it’s good eyes up footy, the grubber try isn’t really what I’m interested in TBH.

Don’t get me wrong, I think there is a decent footballer in there. But unless he returns to his good form, I’m not sure he’s the answer for our right side second row. I also worry, if his form continues as it was in 2022, he’ll end up following a similar path to the 2018 NRL ROTY.

It’s almost as though he’s started playing more like a FRF, but on an edge. We don’t need that, that’s one area where we actually seem to be coming together well.

 

[Wolfie]

Our whole right side need work defensively. They are decent defenders, but they don't work as a unit. That's where they get caught out.

 

[Unbreakable]

Walsh just posted a story of himself in a moon boot on his insta

 

[Big Del]

Speaking of flat balls:

That`s the try I was talkin about .
I think K Knick , Gambler and Dearden are all better at the short pass on the right side . They are a greater threat as runners in their own right which creates more spaces for the receivers .

Trying to recall raids on the right side involving short passes from Captn Coach Reynolds ?
Kicks yes , passes no .

That shot that Olam put on was caused by Riki over running Reynolds then giving him a hospital pass . LOL .

 

[GCBRONCO]

Walsh just posted a story of himself in a moon boot on his insta

It's suspected to be a prank Capewell's head on the skeleton doesn't seem right

 

[theshed]

It's suspected to be a prank Capewell's head on the skeleton doesn't seem right
View attachment 20812

This photo explains Capewell’s late-season defensive efforts