PRE-GAME Round 1 - Broncos vs Eels

[theshed]

The backup 9 is a concern, but we have the rest of the positions covered well enough. If a half goes down we send Asiata in. If it's an outside back we push Glenn or Riki to centre. Niu can cover fullback.

If it's purely to give Turpin a breather, Glenn will do fine. If he gets injured early in the game we're in trouble, but we would be even with Paix there because he kinda sucks.

The an injury to the 9 is a death sentence to our season let alone one game. We have no hooker depth, so why waste the bench spot.

 

[Midean]

As shit as last season was, and as underwhelming our side looks, i am so pumped for tomorrow, and then our game on Friday.

 

[ChewThePhatt]

I didn't think Croft was our main problem last year, in fact I don't see that he was a problem at all. I think if KW thought it was Croft who was poor he wouldn't have backed him. There was plenty of blame to go round last year and I don't believe Croft gave up for a second. I think he actually showed how much he hated losing . Anyway, time will tell.

I agree with this.
Something I noticed last year. Every time Croft played he was the most excited player on the ground whenever we did something well. Every try scored, every try saver, every good run & every good defensive play etc... Croft was over the fucking moon.
Equally as much, when we fucked up, when we lost. He was cut to the bone.
For mine, Croft, Lodge & Glenn are the only players we had last year that genuinely Hated losing.
.
Croft has KW as coach this year.
How'd our 6&7 go last time KW had his thumb in our spine?

How's KW gone Anytime he's had his thumb in our spine?

Tom is still a kid. The best way for him to turn his potential into brilliance is in Qcup.

I'm most happy to trust KW with our 6&7 atm.
I think he's getting it right.

 

[holdzy]

As shit as last season was, and as underwhelming our side looks, i am so pumped for tomorrow, and then our game on Friday.

This is the first year I can remember being more excited for the footy in general being back than the Broncos. A decent showing on Friday might change that. Not expecting a win, but not capitulating will go a long way towards rejuvenating my enthusiasm for this season.

 

[vertigo]

I’m actually terrified of what happens if Turpin is sidelined during the season.

 

[vertigo]

Looking at the Draw, we could quite easily be 1 win from 8 games. And that's if we beat the bulldogs.

2024 NRL Club Schedule Difficulty | Strength of Schedule

Get ahead of the game with our 2024 NRL Club Schedule Difficulty analysis. Find the Strength of Schedule for each team and plan your bets.

www.statsinsider.com.au

 

[Huge]

Well I'm expecting/hoping for a win. See no reason why we won't or cannot win. I won't be surprised in the slightest if we start the season with a bang.

 

[winslow_wong]

Well I'm expecting/hoping for a win. See no reason why we won't or cannot win. I won't be surprised in the slightest if we start the season with a bang.

Are you going to put $1000 on the broncos?

 

[Midean]

Well I'm expecting/hoping for a win. See no reason why we won't or cannot win. I won't be surprised in the slightest if we start the season with a bang.

I kinda feel the same, the team has a LOT to prove and after getting the first ever spoon, they are going to be out for blood.
I expect them to come out and be savage all night for a win, or at the very least, a super competitive game.

 

[LittleDavey]

As much as I'd love to see a win over those slippery fuckers, I can't see us staying within 16-20. If we do I'll be stoked.

Agree that Croft hates losing...that passion is something that seems to be missing a bit in this current squad. I mean, to get to the top level you have to be a competitor, no doubt about that...but I hope Kev can bring back a bit of pride in the jersey as well. Like that story Gus used to tell the Blues when he was coaching where he'd show the clip of Webcke running full tilt...in the last few minutes of a game we had no chance of winning. Sure, Origin is a different beast, but our jersey comes with the expectation that you leave nothing in the tank at the end of the game.

 

[Huge]

Are you going to put $1000 on the broncos?

Sadly, I am forced to be circumspect with my money as the future is uncertain. I've been foolish and it's all on the line as a result. I don't believe the Broncos are so bad, the team so poor that in an opening game of the season that they are $3.45 outsiders. I mean, opening rounds of any season will produce unexpected results. I don't give a **** what the experts and naysayers opine, I think it's a 50/50 game. I just wished I'd received a points headstart and a result paid after 80 mins.

 

[BroncsFan]

Does anyone know if the fly in fly out on game day is still happening this year?

Certainly favours the Shitney teams so I expect NSWRL will be looking to keep it

I'm guessing the bubble is gone as our players have been mingling with the old boys all preseason

 

[Allo]

Does anyone know if the fly in fly out on game day is still happening this year?

Certainly favours the Shitney teams so I expect NSWRL will be looking to keep it

I'm guessing the bubble is gone as our players have been mingling with the old boys all preseason

Bubble seems to be gone in general everywhere, masks are just about gone except for airports, and along with the vaccine rollout, provided there's no community transmissions (NSW is up to 50 days now), I don't think we'll see it again unless absolutely necessary

 

[McHunt]

Bubble seems to be gone in general everywhere, masks are just about gone except for airports, and along with the vaccine rollout, provided there's no community transmissions (NSW is up to 50 days now), I don't think we'll see it again unless absolutely necessary

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even though there's no community transmission in the country, should we have an outbreak - very likely - it will affect one of the major international ports, most probably Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne. And this will trigger a short lockdown, or some kind of restrictions, which will almost certainly impact crowds and players. Though vaccinating frontier staff will hopefully have reduced this risk substantially.

So while it seems grossly unfair that players should be placed in a state of quasi-quarantine when the risk is next to zero, the peak of the pandemic has passed, and the greater population is free to mingle, if they don't, they place their entire competition at the mercy of this wildcard.

In my opinion, the players should be given priority vaccinations, preferably with Pfizer (because the immunity kicks in sooner), and submit lateral flow tests once or twice a week, rather than the useless temp checks. And then be free of the bubble with acceptance of the low implied risk. At some point we need to start accepting some risk. Next year, COVID will be the flu, and Australia will be playing catchup with those refusing vaccination playing guinea pig.

There's another factor that's going to affect the season that no one is talking about: every player at some point will be immunized and a good percentage will go down with side effects (these are normal) for a day or two, maybe three. They'll have to do these early in the week so they don't affect their ability to play, but it will almost certainly take them out of training.

About half the people I know who've been vaxxed have had some kind of reaction (lethargy, low fever, headache, sore arm). It's nothing to worry about, but it's enough to take a day or two off work. Astrazeneca, it's the first jab; Pfizer, it's the second, unless you've had COVID, in which case it's the first. This is definitely going to **** up a lot of teams' preparation. You heard it here first.

 

[007]

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even though there's no community transmission in the country, should we have an outbreak - very likely - it will affect one of the major international ports, most probably Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne. And this will trigger a short lockdown, or some kind of restrictions, which will almost certainly impact crowds and players. Though vaccinating frontier staff will hopefully have reduced this risk substantially.

So while it seems grossly unfair that players should be placed in a state of quasi-quarantine when the risk is next to zero, the peak of the pandemic has passed, and the greater population is free to mingle, if they don't, they place their entire competition at the mercy of this wildcard.

In my opinion, the players should be given priority vaccinations, preferably with Pfizer (because the immunity kicks in sooner), and submit lateral flow tests once or twice a week, rather than the useless temp checks. And then be free of the bubble with acceptance of the low implied risk. At some point we need to start accepting some risk. Next year, COVID will be the flu, and Australia will be playing catchup with those refusing vaccination playing guinea pig.

There's another factor that's going to affect the season that no one is talking about: every player at some point will be immunized and a good percentage will go down with side effects (these are normal) for a day or two, maybe three. They'll have to do these early in the week so they don't affect their ability to play, but it will almost certainly take them out of training.

About half the people I know who've been vaxxed have had some kind of reaction (lethargy, low fever, headache, sore arm). It's nothing to worry about, but it's enough to take a day or two off work. Astrazeneca, it's the first jab; Pfizer, it's the second, unless you've had COVID, in which case it's the first. This is definitely going to **** up a lot of teams' preparation. You heard it here first.

Got my jabs through Pfizer last month. Both sucked, but was only half a day that you feel a little off. Was able to train the second day after each.

 

[McHunt]

Got my jabs through Pfizer last month. Both sucked, but was only half a day that you feel a little off. Was able to train the second day after each.

Lucky you. I know quite a few people who went down pretty hard from the second Pfizer jab.

How did you get them so soon?

 

[007]

Lucky you. How did you get them so soon?

PM'd. Dont want to share publicly

 

[Foordy]

something interesting from the NRL.com late mail article

Coach Kevin Walters will conduct his captain's run under lights at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday in a departure from Brisbane's usual training regime to get a better feel for game-day conditions.

Round 1 Late Mail: Dragons, Sharks finalise teams

Round one selection news, predicted teams and injury updates for all 16 clubs.

www.nrl.com

and you know what, it's a simple, yet good idea