POST GAME [Round 1, 2025] Broncos vs Roosters

[McHunt]

• Tackling technique was the best I've seen in a Broncos jersey. When they started to get a roll on, someone would find a way to slow the play the ball with good technique and not a foul. Hit hard, forced mistakes. Turned them around, peel off properly.
• After 15 minutes, we just absorbed 110% effort from Roosters and we still looked up for the rest of the game. We'd be gassed historically after the initial arm wrestle and then concede a string of tries.
• BARELY ANY MISTAKES in wet weather football.
• Best 9 performance I've seen in a Broncos jersey in memory.
• Haas truly looked like value for money. Best game I've seen him play.
• From red zone to defense, we look the best coached we have in forever. Think theres less reliance on talent then ever. Like Penrith and Melbourne, it looks like we might have potential to make journeyman into superstars.

This side looks better coached then it ever has.

The cohesion of the team down to every man, and the lack of reliance of one player - namely Walsh - to conjure something out of nothing is something we haven't seen since I can't remember when. We looked pretty good in the run to that GF, but that was more like beautiful chaos than a drilled attack like this.

Reynolds looks like a massive weight has lifted off this chest.

I agree about 9 having never looked better. The most galling part is he's been available the whole time. Kevvie's coaching credentials took a nosedive last night.

 

[McHunt]

Here we go, for the first time in 2025 and probably some absolute howlers in the appraisal as well:

1. Walsh - He was a bit rocks and diamonds but I think the condition of the field really hampered him. That said, he still ran for 220m and had some real magic. He bombed a try by running in a really weird line but otherwise, plenty to build on. Most fullbacks would be happy with a game like that but most fullbacks aren't Walsh. 7

For me, this is what stood out. He was solid, but at no point did it look like the rest of the team was sitting on their hands waiting for him to conjure a miracle.

 

[HarryAllan7]

On rewatching,

I think people are right in saying this win should be viewed through the lens of the Roosters being terrible (which they were), but it wasn't the scoreline or piling points on weak opposition which impressed me and gave me hope, its the little things:

- Seeing the kind of feverish support play which resulted in Hunt's try (this kind of 110% effort was what carried us in 2023, and was obviously missing in 2024)

- Watching Haas elevate his game to a frankly unstoppable level - running with anger, looking for offloads, drifting to an edge

- Watching the structure and shapes was like night and day to last year - we look like a much better coached and organised team, with every player in position and knowing their role. The best example was Paix short ball to Gos for an easy try... Having a backline set wide, the dummy half look long then play short to a second rower running a perfectly timed, nice line close to the try line for an easy 4 pointer is the sort of thing we watch get done to us again and again, and yet the last time I remember us pulling it off was a trick play to Oates. That's a simple attacking shape, but something we aren't used to seeing consistently.

- Attitude and commitment in defence and working together to shut down the ball. We saw players swarming into tackles to lock up the offload and get the player to ground, rather than last year we saw lots of guys near the action standing idly, thinking the 2 in the tackle had it covered... Heaps more active and well-oiled in defence, including the ruck.

On a player level, Haas was unbelievable. Paix and Hunt were great too, and Cobbo had a really good game too (and also looks heaps fitter).

When you look deeper, heaps to like beyond just the massive score on an awful opponent.

 

[1910]

Pre contact metres- Broncos 1390m and Roosters 859m.

That's 6.9m to 6.4m.

That's fantastic defence enthusiasm and line speed. Roosters couldn't get any ruck speed.

In attack the Broncos run metres per play the ball didn't reveal much unless you compare it to the Dogs trial game.

Dogs game- 9.2m
Roosters game- 9.4m

20cm extra a run which ends up being 40m extra.

The other big push area has been support play which is getting back to 23 levels.

Shibasaki- 10
Hetherington-6
Cobbo- 5
Mariner-5
Hunt-4
Arthars- 3
Rikki -3
Reynolds-3

It's not Penrith levels yet but it needs to be. The highest Bronco last year was Sailor with an average of 6.3 per game.

 

[Mightybroncs2k17]

Can't ask for much more then Scoring 50 in round one. I actually thought the roosters were on top of us the first 10 or so minutes. They were winning the battle for field position and really sticking it to us so we did well to win back momentum.

I thought our edge defence looked a little flimsy and we still conceded three trys so definitely plenty to work on. I loved our line speed though and the fact we could maintain it for 80 mins shows we are fit.

I really think Mariner has to stay in the side, his speed causes so much trouble for opposition sides. Just the way he can get on the outside and slide through gaps and create opportunities will give us so many points this year.

I thought Hass looked to have more impact then he was having last year. Rather then just punching out numbers he was drawing in defender's, bending the line and the getting fast play the balls to work off. Also, Willilson does some serious damage with his hit ups. Having him and Jensen come off the bench means the opposition really don't get a break.

I also loved how we have 3 capable kickers in the side and we actually used all 3 of them. It makes it so much harder for the defence to pressure them and also for the fullback to position himself well if we have Reynolds one side, Hunt the other and then Walsh sweeping around as if we are going to run the ball.

McGuire, Teo and Barret must be kicking themselves seeing the team they've inherited.

 

[Jedhead]

As i suspected a very convincing win.

My biggest "oh yes" moment was when Cobbo managed to stay in the field of play by the margin of a bee's dick. In any other season he would have been out of play. It looks like he has learned the importance of staying in the field of play.

Hunt and Reynolds must have been quietly pissing themselves laughing after giving Teddy the run arond for 80 minutes. When ever he lined up on the left for the kick we'd shift it to Hunt and he'd kick and then when he lined up on Hunt he'd shift it to Reyno and he'd kick or feed it out to Walsh. He'll be feeling those legs this morning.

Walshy is still needing someone to slow his brain down he bombed a certain try by overplaying his hand last night.

Paixy was back in the fold where he always should have been. Don't forget he can also cover the halves in times of dire need. So our depth is beginning to look very reasonable.

Super psyched that we came through the game with ease and no major injuries.

Getting Canberra early in the season before the cold nights set in will also be a bonus for us.

Just need to get cyclone Alf out of the way and I'll be able to fully enjoy my footy again.

Finally, Shibasaki was held up very cleverly by Tedesco for their first try. Apart from that he was a changed version from when he first ran out for us. I still think he'll get dropped when Staggs is healthy though.

 

[FACTHUNT]

Getting Canberra early in the season before the cold nights set in will also be a bonus for us.

Could change of course but early forecast is 30c (25c at kickoff) Saturday night here in Canberra. Perfection for us.

 

[Swordfish]

Hey @Santa, we’re on track to get our +/- by 500 by R27 as per your prediction mate. You can cross off Penriff too during Magic Round. We will smash them.

 

[mitch222]

The binning for Piakura was a fair call. The dumb **** tackled someone off a quick tap. This is the shit he needs to work on. He has very limited football IQ

Whilst Paix was good last night, there was one thing that griped me about him. He took two forward hitups on the last tackle - one resulting in the Haas try and the other resulting in Jensen getting caught short - and both were bad options save for Haas' very lucky offload. He needs to get the ball to Reyno, Hunt and Walsh on those last plays when we are in an attacking position.

 

[Broncapz]

View attachment 31788

Sounds like this guy needs brail to "read the play"

 

[Fitzy]

I've officially seen it all.

Doesn’t count cause he was bragging about how close he was.

 

[McHunt]

The binning for Piakura was a fair call. The dumb **** tackled someone off a quick tap. This is the shit he needs to work on. He has very limited football IQ

Whilst Paix was good last night, there was one thing that griped me about him. He took two forward hitups on the last tackle - one resulting in the Haas try and the other resulting in Jensen getting caught short - and both were bad options save for Haas' very lucky offload. He needs to get the ball to Reyno, Hunt and Walsh on those last plays when we are in an attacking position.

Maybe taking the less obvious option occasionally can make you more volatile and unpredictable, and puts the defence in two minds. As long as you're not dudding tries, I guess.

 

[Fitzy]

Must have been heavily used, which is surprising, given it has been the off season for footy.

Waratahs have had 2 home games to start there season. Scrummaging from rugby ruins a shit deck even more than it already is. Been very noticeable that the turf there is not up to standard for either code since the Reno.

 

[McHunt]

My biggest "oh yes" moment was when Cobbo managed to stay in the field of play by the margin of a bee's dick. In any other season he would have been out of play. It looks like he has learned the importance of staying in the field of play.

Cobbo shines when he injects himself like an opportunistic assassin, which is better from the wing than at centre where he needs to pay more attention and interact with more players. He has such freakish skills but they're not easy to point in any direction and rely on him to save the day.

 

[Santa]

Hey @Santa, we’re on track to get our +/- by 500 by R27 as per your prediction mate. You can cross off Penriff too during Magic Round. We will smash them.

No real surprises.

I've never been wrong.

 

[Dazza 92]

Our two worst team stats from last year was our defence and metres gained per match.

Yeh....about that.

Clearly, these deficiencies have been identified, and at least for a game, fixed.

I'd like to give it a month of football before declaring anything grand..

But Madge (a.k.a. Mr Maguire) will do one of two things during his tenure here.

He will either win us a comp, or have the team set-up for the next guy to take us there...either is a success..

Ah shit....i DID say something grand...!

 

[BroncsFan]

For me, this is what stood out. He was solid, but at no point did it look like the rest of the team was sitting on their hands waiting for him to conjure a miracle.

There were times when Reece was trying too hard to make something happened.

It was like he was uncomfortable not being the main point of attack and was like I need to do something... I want to get in on this.

The play down the blindside to set up his try, was a little bit forced, because he double pumped and put Shiba under a little bit of pressure, but rorters weren't awake to it and a simple catch and pass put Jesse away.

I think there was an emphasis for Reece to run last night... I've never seen him take so many kick returns and then he was doing some work in yardage as well.

He also put the pass away for the most part and just ran... when he was fitting into the backline like a cog it was humming, and he will start to learn to be comfortable with that, which will make us even more dangerous... and if Reece is allowed to sit off the ball and fit in where needed he might be able to focus on supporting through the middle as well.

I thought there were some really good signs for Reece, buy still things to fix up... mainly kick defusal when contested... but for the most part he was dominating when he just let Bhunt and Reynolds put him in position

 

[BroncsFan]

Also, Willilson does some serious damage with his hit ups. Having him and Jensen come off the bench means the opposition really don't get a break.

That was so noticeable last night.

Haas and Kobe went off at the 30min mark and next set Jensen and Willison start rolling through the middle with Patty moved to lock and starting to do some ball playing with his forwards.

That middle rotation might end up being the best in the comp... it will be relentless.

Madge also worked it so we didn't have both Patty and Payne off at any point in time (I believe).

Haas off at 30mins and subbed for Patty at the 50min mark.. Patty came back on with 10-15 to go, but i think he probably could've left him off and brought Piaks on earlier.

Still it looks like a nice rotation of those two for the year