Pretenders or contenders?

[Rally Towel]

I'm still not convinced on us, but there are question marks over all the teams except the Storm.

Much has been made of our concession of 54 points against the Eels. Like others have pointed out, I wouldn't lean too much on this historical precedent in invalidating our chances, but it highlighted a definite lack of fortitude in our squad. That has to be addressed.

If we can get the attitude right then we're as good a chance as any of making it to the big dance. Probability is that the Storm will be there, which is a daunting task for whomever they play.

Truth be told, they are the best team this year, and it's not even close. That said, you only have to be better on the day to take home the trophy. We've shown we can beat them in the last few years but we really have to be on song, and I wouldn't count on doing it twice in one series. Our best shot is to avoid them until its sudden death (GF or otherwise). Can ambush them once but you can bet they'd do their homework and be a tough ask if they had another crack.

 

[Super Freak]

We are the perfect villains.


The salary cap redemption is a favourite of the NRL's. Canterbury 2004, Melbourne 2012. Could be the Eels year.

In that case it wouldn't be the Eels year until 2018 since Canterbury and Melbourne won it 2 years after being done.

 

[mitch222]

I'm still not convinced on us, but there are question marks over all the teams except the Storm.

Much has been made of our concession of 54 points against the Eels. Like others have pointed out, I wouldn't lean too much on this historical precedent in invalidating our chances, but it highlighted a definite lack of fortitude in our squad. That has to be addressed.

If we can get the attitude right then we're as good a chance as any of making it to the big dance. Probability is that the Storm will be there, which is a daunting task for whomever they play.

Truth be told, they are the best team this year, and it's not even close. That said, you only have to be better on the day to take home the trophy. We've shown we can beat them in the last few years but we really have to be on song, and I wouldn't count on doing it twice in one series. Our best shot is to avoid them until its sudden death (GF or otherwise). Can ambush them once but you can bet they'd do their homework and be a tough ask if they had another crack.

I think either the Eels or Sharks will really fancy themselves against the Storm.

 

[BroncsFan]

I think either the Eels or Sharks will really fancy themselves against the Storm.

The thing with the storm is that they are super consistent and very well drilled. The issue I believe they have is a lack of a next gear.

It's been shown many a times that if they fall behind a team playing at a high intensity they become unable to make up the points. They either continue with plan A and hope for the best before inevitably skipping through plans B-Z until the final whistle is blown

They just start chucking everything at the opponent but it's not all that well structured and it becomes a little erratic.

When it comes to finals and the GF you'd be hard pressed to find a team coming in with a poor mentality like we showed last week, which puts you on a similar pegging to how the storm play every week.

How many GF's have they been in and how many legitimate ones have they won in the last decade.

 

[Wild Horse]

I'm not saying the Storm are overrated - but we came pretty dam close to beating their asses at the start of this season. The Sharks beat them this season, the Roosters are getting closer to beating them. Hell... even the Tits beat em!

Like Arnie said in the movie "Preditor" - (If it bleeds we can kill it...)

Leigh Matthews used the same line to inspire the Brisbane Lions to beat the seemingly unbeatable Essendon Bombers in the 2001 AFL grand final.

I know it makes total sense that the Storm should win the comp this year but there is a lot of really tough footy left yet. My fingers are crossed they will again falter. I'd prefer anyone else to win premiership in their place.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Out of the last 10 years how many of the favourites going into the finals have actually won the premiership? 2, maybe 3? What about minor premiers.. 2/10

Every year fans act like the nrl season is some kind of barometer for what happens in the finals. It's not. You get in the top 4 and it's their for the hungriest team to win it.

Melbourne play 100% every week, the roosters are similar. It's simple, they have the cattle to do it .We have a team that is brilliant but too young in key areas to be consistent. Even the minor premiership winning 1998 and 2000 sides were paced throughout the season by Bennett. Those 2 teams could have honestly went undefeated if they wanted to but no one remembers the minor premiers...

Last week we got smashed, it was a wake up call that would normally take 3 losses to receive. People have written us off. We are in third and the season is just about to start. I am not saying we will but I am MORE confident we will win the gf this year then in 2015, we were a surprise packet then, now we are the hunted and paced our team with drops in form yet we are still in the top 4..

 

[porouian]

I had a dream last night that both our top side and our 20's made their respective grand finals. 20's won 40-35 but the top side lost 11-10 to Penrith in golden point. This is actually possible but the Panthers would more than likely be on Melbourne's side of the draw in the finals and would have to knock them out to make it through.

Anyway, I'm gonna be dead scared of this actually eventuating now until it can't possibly. If we got beaten in golden point in another grand final...

 

[Mr Fourex]

Sounds more like a nightmare than a dream.

 

[Cult]

Apart from last weekend the Storm have been winning games but have been making un-Melbourne like errors and looking very beatable. They've also been blessed with a pretty easy run over the last 5 or 6 rounds that has made them look a lot better. Smith has been playing some of his best football but Cronk hasn't been at his best.

 

[Morkel]

Out of the last 10 years how many of the favourites going into the finals have actually won the premiership? 2, maybe 3? What about minor premiers.. 2/10

Every year fans act like the nrl season is some kind of barometer for what happens in the finals. It's not. You get in the top 4 and it's their for the hungriest team to win it.

Melbourne play 100% every week, the roosters are similar. It's simple, they have the cattle to do it .We have a team that is brilliant but too young in key areas to be consistent. Even the minor premiership winning 1998 and 2000 sides were paced throughout the season by Bennett. Those 2 teams could have honestly went undefeated if they wanted to but no one remembers the minor premiers...

Last week we got smashed, it was a wake up call that would normally take 3 losses to receive. People have written us off. We are in third and the season is just about to start. I am not saying we will but I am MORE confident we will win the gf this year then in 2015, we were a surprise packet then, now we are the hunted and paced our team with drops in form yet we are still in the top 4..

I agree to a certain extent, but how many years has there been a team that's just at a whole other level like Melbourne this year? I can't recall any.

In saying that, the difference isn't that Melbourne have looked almost unbeatable. In other seasons there have been a few teams that have seemed unbeatable. This year the difference is that the remainder of the top sides have all looked vulnerable at times where they needed to show steel.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

I agree to a certain extent, but how many years has there been a team that's just at a whole other level like Melbourne this year? I can't recall any.

In saying that, the difference isn't that Melbourne have looked almost unbeatable. In other seasons there have been a few teams that have seemed unbeatable. This year the difference is that the remainder of the top sides have all looked vulnerable at times where they needed to show steel.

Parramatta in 2001.

 

[Harry Sack]

Sounds more like a nightmare than a dream.

Especially if Wallace kicks the FG right?

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

I agree to a certain extent, but how many years has there been a team that's just at a whole other level like Melbourne this year? I can't recall any.

In saying that, the difference isn't that Melbourne have looked almost unbeatable. In other seasons there have been a few teams that have seemed unbeatable. This year the difference is that the remainder of the top sides have all looked vulnerable at times where they needed to show steel.

Melbourne 2006 is a perfect example, and we know how that ended. I'm not saying Melbourne don't deserve to be big favourites but writing off anyone in the top 4 is absurd. It's like people's memories get wiped at the start of each year. Sharks were written off last year with Melbourne and possibly the cowboys the only chance.

Every year the minor premiers plus or minus the 2nd placed team has dominated the way Melbourne has, that's how you win a minor premiership. People just forget. You don't win one by losing 10+ games....

 

[BroncsFan]

I agree to a certain extent, but how many years has there been a team that's just at a whole other level like Melbourne this year? I can't recall any.

In saying that, the difference isn't that Melbourne have looked almost unbeatable. In other seasons there have been a few teams that have seemed unbeatable. This year the difference is that the remainder of the top sides have all looked vulnerable at times where they needed to show steel.

Melbourne 2007??

Might be time to check the books again...

 

[Stix]

If this full strength Broncos side can't flog the shit out of a very depleted cowboys tonight we are most certainly pretenders. I keep making excuses, but last weeks complete lack of heart is a real worry. If they are serious about this season, tonight needs to be the tune up. They need to be ruthless and start to build.

 

[BroncsFan]

If this full strength Broncos side can't flog the shit out of a very depleted cowboys tonight we are most certainly pretenders. I keep making excuses, but last weeks complete lack of heart is a real worry. If they are serious about this season, tonight needs to be the tune up. They need to be ruthless and start to build.

Conspiracy theory but we may be better off finishing at 4 as it automatically puts us on the opposite side of the draw to the storm during sudden death.... buuuut we should also be annihalitng the cows for a few years of payback

 

[Foordy]

Melbourne 2007??

Might be time to check the books again...

doesn't count they were in the vicinity of $1 million over the cap

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

If this full strength Broncos side can't flog the shit out of a very depleted cowboys tonight we are most certainly pretenders. I keep making excuses, but last weeks complete lack of heart is a real worry. If they are serious about this season, tonight needs to be the tune up. They need to be ruthless and start to build.

Because it's the cowboys I would like them to hammer them and knock the cowboys out of the 8... but, from a broncos point of view I don't really care about the result. Why is everyone acting like if we lose this, or even next week for that matter, our season is over. It doesn't mean anything! Last year the sharks were in atrocious form just before the finals, they switched on DURING the finals, cowboys lost to us in 2015 in the 1st week after finishing 4th.

If you have an experienced team (rep games & big game wise), which we do, form is pretty much irrelevant until the finals series kicks off...