POST GAME PSC - Broncos vs Cowboys

[BroncosFever]

Billy must have had a reasonable game, we're back to talking about how Herbie can't pass

 

[tommy]

I posted this earlier - apologies - but if you need a reminder of why Herbie is problematic at centre, skip to around the 48:57 mark. This is exactly why I was riding his back in 2021. He has the top strike winger in the competition outside him but he opts to shun him, turn it back inside and completely kill the momentum. I would be seeing red if I were Oates in his position. This shit really gets on my goat:

Full Match Replay: Broncos v Cowboys - Round 2, 2023

NRL Preseason Trials 2023 Round 2 Broncos v Cowboys Full Match Replay

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Oates wouldn’t be that furious. He played outside moga for a couple of years. He has the patience of a saint.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

If I were Kev I would be asking Mozer's ISC coach to have him on field as much as possible for half the season then bring him straight onto the bench in the middle of the Origin period to play 30 minutes against tired/depleted opposition. If we have to rush him through just a little bit then so be it because I want him to be a regular for the Broncs while Reyno is still here to mentor him and play him into first grade.

 

[McHunt]

If I were Kev I would be asking Mozer's ISC coach

That would be Karmichael Hunt, who also coached him in Meninga Cup last year.

 

[Super Freak]

Nope. Not buying it. Seen Herbie do that too many times and it always goes the same way. A good centre would've set his winger up in the corner. Maybe Oates wouldn't have scored, but at least give him a go.

This isn't Rugby League Live.

 

[McHunt]

This isn't Rugby League Live.

He wasn't too deep. If he were any flatter he would've run the risk of overrunning Herbie if he stepped. Which Herbie did, and then turned around and ran the other way. And like every time he does this move, heads straight into a defensive wall and kills the play.

 

[kman]

Herbie isn't a fullback he never will be in my opinion. Center suits him just fine and I would leave him there for as long as his at the club.

 

[Big Del]

Maybe even learn how to spell his name, not like his dad was one of the Bronco greats or anything

Wendell Saylir .

 

[Big Del]

From what I've seen from Madden I think he is a 6 not a 7, he doesn't demand the ball which is a must for the role, say what you want about Gamble but he is the type of player you need to make sure you make the right decisions on the last.

I felt in the game before, Sailor would even be better suited to being a 7 if your pairing a second choice half with Mam.

Madden is a good player though and I can see a really good runner in him as he has alot of speed and footwork, but at this stage of his career he looks like more of a 6.

Yep , shirked his responsibility as #7 more than once .
It`s fcking 5th tackle Jock . Don`t pass the ball to the 2nd rower .

Obviously has the skills to play #7 but his counting to 6 needs work .

 

[Allo]

He wasn't too deep. If he were any flatter he would've run the risk of overrunning Herbie if he stepped. Which Herbie did, and then turned around and ran the other way. And like every time he does this move, heads straight into a defensive wall and kills the play.

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Herbie has always been hyper conservative with the ball in these situations

They're already headed for the sideline , if he gives the ball early and Oates gets forced out, he'd be crucified for that instead.

What Herbie needs to do is continue his line while straightening a bit, keep the ball but throw the dummy and break through and/or throw to Oates after getting past the defence instead of trying to step back against the grain. Or have Oates come back under and he passes inside to him

Both very simple plays, and Herbie needs to start doing it asap

 

[Manofoneway]

Billy must have had a reasonable game, we're back to talking about how Herbie can't pass

haha! I thought the same thing. I thought Billy was quite good. All but one of our tries came while he was on the field. Had some poor moments with the ball in hand but overall it was solid. Paix stiffened up our attack when he came on. I think our best hooker rotation is Billy starting and Paix coming off the bench.

 

[Organix]

Great result.

They started well but I was instantly reminded of the corresponding game from last year. Sure enough with their first real opportunity the Cowboys have the Broncos on their heels and they work a simple play to put Val over.

I said in the pre-game I was looking for the Broncos to turn it up after points scored. Instead, they folded, invited the Cowboys up their end, gave away penalties for dissent, and only got away with it when Robson made a mistake out of dummy half.

As well weighted as Madden's kick was, the try would never have been scored if Feldt didn't needlessly come running in to challenge it. I can't fault the Broncos for playing the percentages but for me that was another instance of the Cowboys making simple errors.

Then the try to Feldt was typical of the type of errors Brisbane would make. They do the hard stuff, but then they failed to defend the short kick off and to make matters worse, Nanai puts them on the attack because the team takes too long to respond.

I thought the Broncos did well to hang in during the second half. Still feel like the ball was in the Cowboys court for the majority of that half but some crucial errors and some low-key Trenting by the refs kept Brisbane in it.

I was mostly pleased with the final 15 and the players who came on during that period. Hoeter & Arthars in particular came up with some fantastic plays. Arthars is going to get a ton of credit (deservedly) but that effort from Hoeter to sum up the Dearden kick and just put position himself properly so he could make a clean play was big. Nobody wanted a piece of that but he put his hand up - that and his kick for himself won me over.

@BroncosAlways I'm not sure if I've ever seen Drinkwater's action pulled up, at least for a goal line drop-out. For whatever reason I think there was something involving Gutherson, in the Round 1 2021 game, but that may have been kicking it before it had touched the ground (and being pissed off the refs were so pendantic with Coates' borderline pass to start the game, but no Gutho kicking it on the mark).

It's rare for players to get called on a technicality for goal-line drop outs. The one that always comes to mind was DCE on debut where they called him for kicking off the mark (then seemingly only him as they quickly forgot about that agenda).

Finally I got exactly what I wanted out of Mozer. Blake didn't look out of place and was willing to create out of dummy half which is exactly what I wanted to see from him. If anything he out-did himself and I would have preferred he didn't go looking for goal-line drop outs - that nearly cost Brisbane the game.

What is Trenting? And how was it lowkey?

 

[Big Pete]

What is Trenting? And how was it lowkey?

It's code referees use to even up the calls.

Low key in that I'm begrudgingly acknowledging it after spending 60-odd minutes seething over the officiating.

 

[ZTop]

I've been thinking all day about the advantages of going for short dropouts in a trial, and it just doesn't make sense.

Why not back your defence and actually get a test? It's only going to help you? If you want to practice short kicks you can do that in training, and in the process you have literally made your intentions clear to everyone else in the competition.

I just think it's a really pointless arrogant move to make in a trial

 

[theshed]

Billy must have had a reasonable game, we're back to talking about how Herbie can't pass

I thought he was solid. He played roughly the amount of game time I’ve always said he should. I actually think all the hookers had better games than the last 2 trials. All agendas aside I do feel Paix had a better performance than Billy but not enough to matter.

I was impressed by Mozer who will hopefully be playing 60 minutes by the start of next season anyway so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Organix]

I think some of the criticisms of Staggs were harsh. Let's not forget he was defending outside all of the new test halves, plus he had Arthars there instead of Cobbo, which is also a new combination. The first try that went past him came from Madden closing a gap on Dondorn and Hess was running a line through the gap between Staggs and Madden. Hitting Valentine Holmes was the right play and Holmes had just enough speed to get past Staggs who slipped off the tackle.

A lot of the attack plays were aimed either through the middle or down the opposite side to Staggs. I do think he could have gone looking a bit more, but it's also good to have him threatening wide AND defensively supporting the halfback on that side.

 

[Organix]

Also, a big run from Staggs set up the break from Madden, then Riki flubbed the try.

 

[Organix]

Very frustrating to see how many Cowboys drop-outs were not taken from the centre of the goal line, but rather from nearer one post. Especially, the 10m grubber. If the refs will be pedantic about a 20m restart position, they ought to also be strict in this way too, particularly when it opens the angle for the cross-field short restart. The rules are there for a reason.