Round 1 - Broncos Vs Sea Eagles - Build Up Thread

[hayseed]

Few surprises there but is probably the best side that "Hook"" can come up with, it won't exactly have Manly stressing out though. Would rather have Kemp instead of Maranta and hopefully Anderson will play at the expense of Hannant (whose pre-season form was very poor) and Ben Hunt has to consider himself very lucky. Only a week away, very exciting time of year.

 

[Bronco bob]

I like the team, I heard from within the club that Kahu was very close to getting reeds spot.

I really hope Griffin told Norman from day 1 of pre season that there is a possibility he will play fullback. Norman could have used all that time getting his game ready for fullback. I wouldn't be surprised if he just sprung it on him this morning.

 

[Kimlo]

I'm really happy with the team TBH. I can understand Kemp missing out, he'll get his shot if Maranta doesn't play well.

I amongst others have always liked the idea of putting Norman at fullback because he offers attacking skill in that position where as Hoffman is nothing but a safe player, suitable for the wing or centre.

1. Norman
2. Hoffman
3. Reed
4. Hodges
5. Maranta
6. Prince
7. Wallace
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Thaiday
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Parker
14. Hunt
15. Hannant
16. Dodds
17. Stagg
18. Anderson

I also like Thaiday at prop. That allows Glenn/Gillet/Parker to play lots of minutes with Stagg giving them a rest and Thaiday will be that extra prop that we're missing with Civo gone.

 

[Big Dave]

Whoa the backline is woeful so is the bench

 

[Splinter]

I love the way the media says their are a few surprises. I cannot see one
This is the most obvious team he should select with only Kahu an outside chance but he will get his go. He had to have a prop on the bench to provide go forward when he comes on and this left only two. Hannant or McGuire and Hannant was not performing as well as McGuire. Really the only lucky player there is Hoffman, he was lucky Copley got injured
I am liking this team and can't wait to see them play

 

[coreyh88]

I really prefer parker to thaiday in prop. I actually really like prince in 5/8 and Wallace in 1/2 it never really occurred to me. Prince's natural position is half and Wallace is a five eight but we really need quality ball going to right side. So I'm guessing it will look like Gillette, prince, Hodges, maranta, with prince and Gillette interchangeable and Norman slotting in between the first two or second two. Could be dangerous. I don't know if it's just because he was in woeful form or if Hoffman sucks on the wing though.

 

[Splinter]

Whoa the backline is woeful so is the bench

I am so glad you are not the coach Big Dave. Where we're you going to pull a better back line from, another club

 

[Splinter]

I really prefer parker to thaiday in prop. I actually really like prince in 5/8 and Wallace in 1/2 it never really occurred to me. Prince's natural position is half and Wallace is a five eight but we really need quality ball going to right side. So I'm guessing it will look like Gillette, prince, Hodges, maranta, with prince and Gillette interchangeable and Norman slotting in between the first two or second two. Could be dangerous. I don't know if it's just because he was in woeful form or if Hoffman sucks on the wing though.

I would say woeful form as he should be able to play on the wing. Defense being the area that may hinder him but catching the ball and running shouldn't be a problem

 

[Big Dave]

I am so glad you are not the coach Big Dave. Where we're you going to pull a better back line from, another club

Huh?

Norman didn't trial at all at fullback and the coach expect him to do well with no trial form behind him? Deadset maatttteee. Stupid decision.
Hoffman is an average winger and would've prefer Kemp.

 

[Alec]

I hope Norman has trained at least a bit at fullback during the off-season.

 

[Big Dave]

Norman will always be an average footballer. The only position he might do ok is at prop. He doesn't need to think and just tuck the ball under his arm. He needs to hit the protein though

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Interesting squad. Does everyone else think Thaiday will start at prop then move to second row after 20 or so? I see glenn playing 80, and parker and stagg sharing lock.

 

[Alec]

I can see Thaiday being the first subbed off (for Hannant), then coming back into the second row. Stagg will probably go into lock later on to add mobility and technique in defence, pushing Parker into the front row.

 

[Coxy]

Lack of spark on the bench, but having Glenn and Gillett on the fringes is great IMO.
Prop rotation is good, but I do have reservations of Thaiday in the front row. It's never worked well before. I agree with Porthoz that it'd be better to have Glenn and Thaiday on the fringes, Gillett up the middle and Parker playing prop. But I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt initially.

Of the 5 on the bench, I'd probably drop Dodds out, albeit I haven't seen or heard much about his trial form. He seems to offer very little in attack, but he's a very good defender. If what I keep hearing about Anderson's hard work in the offseason and promising trial form is true, then I think he deserves a bench spot.

The backline is a worry because only Hodges you could really say has no pressure on his position. Reed, Hoffman and Norman were poor last year and showed little in the trials, and Maranta while promising is nothing but a rookie.

Such uncertainty over the long term make up of the side can be positive, or negative. If it motivates players to lift to a new level, it's positive. If it psyches them into poor form and then motivates chopping and changing from the coach, then that's negative.

Let's hope we get the positive reaction!

 

[Old Mate]

Norman will always be an average footballer. The only position he might do ok is at prop. He doesn't need to think and just tuck the ball under his arm. He needs to hit the protein though

He can't do any worse than the shit Hoffman served playing fullback last year, you could play petero at fullback and it'd be an improvement.

 

[noisetheory]

i think its a good team. norman to the back is a good move. this can work well. hannant has been good off the bench in the past.

my only worry is who makes the big metres early in the set out of our own end. i see mcguire taking two hit ups a set.

im surprised there arent more people keen on this lineup.

 

[Bull Shark]

"It was important for Corey that we kept him in the side" - Griffin

 

[Coxy]

"It was important for Corey that we kept him in the side" - Griffin

Agree, that's a god awful statement. I'm all for keeping players confidence up, but not at the expense of the team. And that's what the quote makes it sound like, that Norman was picked to protect his confidence and ego rather than being the best man for the position.