PRE-GAME Round 1 - Broncos vs Rabbitohs

[Brent81]

How am I exaggerating the post I quoted? I'm not saying u are all like that, but that one post I quoted is 100% blindly following. Read it again. This time last year, the selections were bad, but now Bennett is making them he will trust the selections? Jesus.

Well as my point was obviously too subtle (you may wish to read the point I made about improvement...I mean actually read it, not read what you think I said) I'll say it slowly.

Reed and Maranta were rubbish last year but if Bennett thinks they have improved and there is something to work with then I'll give him the benefit of the doubt....I never said this was for all time. But hey, if it suits your agenda, please keep prattling on.....

 

[Brent81]

Ps people before you read Queenslander's stuff you might want to look at his past posts.

Bennett could cure cancer, cancel third world debt, end poverty and have the Israelis and the Arabs agree on a two State solution and it still wouldn't be enough for our mate Queenslander....lol

Rant over...sorry mods

 

[tripleBroncos]

i think it is a good team on paper, lets hope they perform well

 

[Broncoman]

Very disappointed that Vidot was left out. I know that he isn't a good finisher and has problems under the high ball but his strength and powerful runs bring very good value to the team and it's what I like in a winger. Using a player like him gives you an extra forward and winning the yards battle against a team like Souths or any team will go a long way to winning a game. Just his strength brings more to the table than Maranta.

Copley is hopeless under the high ball and isn't really a speedy player. His best position is centre and he would've been there if I was picking the team.

Reed wouldn't have been there either he doesn't offer much anymore and I would've picked Oates at centre if Copley was on the wing.

Haven't seen Whitchurch and can't make an opinion on him. Good luck to the kid and best of luck.

On a positive note it's good to see Kahu at fullback and hope he can get a good run and stay injury free. He has some good potential and it would be nice to see him make the most of it.

Last but not least seeing Milford's name in the team brings a sparkle to the eye and will be a major improvement on Hoffman no matter how well he plays.

Good luck fella's best of luck for the season and we are behind you all the way.

 

[Hug-Pug]

I think Reed might surprise a few of you this year. His start to 2014 was woeful, but towards the back end of the season he was finding his feet again and playing really well. I think he's shed a few kilos this pre-season, so it would not shock me one bit to see him rip up this season. His combination with Copley could be seriously deadly.

Niko coming on in the 60th minute against some tired South's forwards could create some attacking opportunities, would much rather him in over Whitchurch, who I really can't see doing anything.

 

[Reidy87]

Honestly, some of you guys are just incredible.. imagine if Maranta, after (potentially) working his butt off all season to improve on his speed, handling, hitups and finishing... plays very well in the WCC, impresses the best coach in the game and wins his spot... only for you lot to crucify him based on a few poor games last year.

Let's be grown ups and consider a few things:

1) Maranta improved immeasurably between 2013 and 2014 and is only still what, 22?? Coming into his third year in first grade, maybe Wayne's mentorship, a bit of confidence and experience is all he needs to take it to the next level. But hey... maybe not... in that case Vidot and (when Boyd returns) Kahu are waiting to fill his spot. The best, most consistent performer will cement their spot. Each winger has their strengths and weaknesses.

2) Wayne, Kevvie and co have had a full off-season with these boys. Even putting aside attitude, performance, injuries etc... let's think about tactics... maybe they figured with a couple more big aggressive forwards we don't need Vidot's metres as much as we need safe hands and speed. Maybe, they just ran some numbers and worked out that xx% of South's tries come from Reynolds kicking to the corners in which case Maranta reduces their points by a fair margin. With all the sports science and full time training these days, he simply couldn't hide \ fake it if he wasn't in our top 3 o 4 wing options.

3) Reed - hasn't replicated his rookie season form... but again, we simply don't know if he has dropped some weight and picked up a bunch of speed... its too early to write him off before a ball has been played in 2015. I'd say they want a consistent defender while the likes of Milf, Dale and Kahu find their feet in scoring points.

Don't get me wrong, if I had to pick a side based on 2014 form I'd have Copley over Reed and Vidot over Maranta... but we aren't in 2014 anymore. The team dynamics have changed, the coaching staff has changed, the boys would have responded differently to these circumstances and challenges in the off season... some better for it, other not so much... so my suggestion is to make some sense\logic from these selections (of which there is plenty), enjoy the footy, assess how people play and see how Wayne and co respond. Sure we can discuss thoughts on selections but don't hate on anybody...

The only circumstance in which I'd be pissed is if Wayne's personal fondness of Lachlan or Barry Maranta swayed his decision slightly... but honestly the club and the man himself are too professional for that to happen.

We should be excited at how a team featuring Hodges, Hunt, Milford, Parker, Thaiday, Gillett, Blair, McGuire and so on and so forth is always going to be a good team, and with Wayne behind them, will give the reigning premiers a real run for their money. Stop the whining over which style of winger the coach picks FFS.

P.S I hope Maranta kills it.

 

[Unbiased Nostalgia]

Well I hope everyone has calmed down, and that everyone's heart rates are back to their normal beating. Let's focus on the game at hand.

 

[Strop]

Was looking forward to how this thread was going to go come the team announcement and it hasn't disappointed. Couple of surprises there, I guess - but I'm happy to get through this game and then be in a more informed position to make a call on it. For now, I'm comfortable with who is there and imagine Niko will slot in come Thursday night. Not long to wait to find out. Best thing is, I'll be down on the field shooting some pick up shots before and during the game so I'm hoping for a big crowd with an atmosphere to match. Feel free to chuck stuff at me... I know I would.

 

[Foordy]

Wait.. Bennett named the 17 and Todd Lowrie, David Stagg & Travis Waddell weren't in it?..

But.. the Anti-Bennett crew said they would be..

Hang on a minute ... I was reliably informed by the Pro-Bennett crowd that Reed and Maranta wouldn't be selected by Bennett, but i could gave sworn i saw their names on the team list.

 

[T-rent]

Maranta is a muppet worst winger in the comp. I can't believe Dodd is in the team he got smashed and lost ground on every hit up against Wigan. Whitchurch has hands like feet couldn't catch a cold. Besides those 3 selections the team looks very good. Would be even stronger with Vidot, garbutt and oats in the team

 

[Morkel]

Thank you [MENTION=8632]Reidy87[/MENTION], not kissing Wayne's ass, nor claiming his past success was a fluke. Simply supporting the team and having faith that there are reasons for each selection that we as fans simply aren't privy to.

I will add that with Oates, JoO and Nikorima, Wayne obviously knows the value of incremental development. Same probably for Whitchurch. Sees enough in them to plan for their future but right now QCup, 20s or the bench is the way to go. The way our "talented" squad of youngsters was thrown in the deep end in early 2010's and never recovered suggests slow blooding is best.

It's not like this game is a Grand Final and we need to blow our load. I'd rather lose this game and have better developed players at the end of the season and in the future than see every game as a must-win and compromise their development.

 

[winslow_wong]

i'm just praying copley has been doing a mountain load of catching practice. his hands last season came pre soaked with butter. i will be nervous every time a bomb goes his way. on a positive note i'm just glad jarrod wallace has disappeared from contention for a bench spot, that guy offered nothing.

 

[Morkel]

Am I the only one that assumes that Reed will be taking the high balls?

 

[noisetheory]

Am I the only one that assumes that Reed will be taking the high balls?

playing centre in defense i doubt he will be.

 

[Morkel]

playing centre in defense i doubt he will be.

I get that part, but I'm trying to think of an unobtrusive way for Reed to be back there for the high balls. He's safer than Copley, that's for sure, unless Bennett is willing to risk Copley being peppered just so he can get game-experience. But that wouldn't make sense, seeing as Bennett also sees him as a future centre anyway.

Simply having Reed drop back on the 5th exposes the team to potential 4th tackle high balls, especially if Copley gets isolated and they're on our line anyway (so no ground-making advantage to one more set). But in any case, I like to think of the centre & wing pairing as a unit, the same way you can extend that unit to a full side (like the classic Lockyer - Thaiday - Hodges - JYY with the fullback chiming in). So in that case, I wouldn't be surprised to see a tactic that isn't just black & white, Copley attack centre, defend wing. The same as I don't think Hodges will attack at fullback every time we're in the opposition half. I suspect it'll be more fluid, and they'll adjust their formation to whatever Souths throw at them.

 

[broncsgoat]

I would have preferred one of maranta or reed not both. Either Copley at centre with maranta on the wing or reed at centre with Vidot on the wing. Having both is pretty ugh.

 

[FaithinHook]

Honestly, some of you guys are just incredible.. imagine if Maranta, after (potentially) working his butt off all season to improve on his speed, handling, hitups and finishing...impresses the best coach in the game and wins his spot... only for you lot to crucify him based on a few poor games last year. P.S I hope Maranta kills it.

Fantastically well said Reidy, its a pity some others on here didnt have your sense of loyalty and positivity. I think Maranta does get a bad rap on here at times, but in saying that, i stillwould not have him in the team as i think his just not ready yet and needs more time to develop. I actually seen Maranta, Reed and a couple of other lads at Chermside shops yesterday and i expected him to be taller. His looked to have trimmed down some what though and hopefully that means his picked up some extra speed.

Wow just checked the latest sports tab odds and his actually equal 3rd favorite (same odds as Ingles) at 11-1 to be the first try scorer. Might be worth a few spare bucks at that price just in case the ball comes hes way.

 

[Ari Gold]

I will add that with Oates, JoO and Nikorima, Wayne obviously knows the value of incremental development. Same probably for Whitchurch. Sees enough in them to plan for their future but right now QCup, 20s or the bench is the way to go.

Oates has never, ever looked out of place in first grade. He was exceptional as a rookie and though he was limited in his appearances last year I never thought he looked out of place. To put him back into QLD Cup now doesn't really strike me as being incremental development. More like backwards. With our backrowers, I can understand why he might not give our 17 the best balance, but I don't agree that this is helpful to his development. IMO he's well and truly proven he is above QLD Cup.

Bennett seems to me to have a blanket policy of not playing forwards under 21 in the first team. His initiation of Thaiday into the team was far too slow for mine and I don't really need to go on about how stubborn he was in playing any young forwards at the Knights. In fact, I can only ever recall him successfully developing two forwards in the last 5 years - Merrin and McKinnon.

As for Reed, I don't think he's that bad a players. He's slow and falls over his feet too often but he's safe under the high ball, scores the tries he should and even occasionally scores a try he's no right to. Add in his defence and he makes for a strong squad player if nothing else. Frankly, he's everything that Maranta should be but isn't (save for being safe under the high ball). For the life of me I've never seen Maranta show speed or confidence in anything except defending kicks.