Round 1 - Broncos Vs Sea Eagles - Post Game Thread

[rnabokov]

Would naming Parker at prop really make a difference? He already plays in the middle of the field like a prop. The only change I can see it making is the order he takes a hit-up and honestly I believe he works best off a quick play the ball as opposed to creating them from nothing.

I actually thought he was a bit ineffective with the ball. Tackled himself to a standstill with a game high 43 tackles but his offensive stats. of 10 hit ups for 60m tends to support my opinion.

Parker can offload. That is an invaluable skill assuming you have a team coached with both an offloading mentality instead of one-out bash n barge, and of course, support play.

This team has neither except for the occasional glimpse. The game against Manly showed nothing really has changed from last year. But then, it was game 1. Hope remains.

For mine, Parker is now too slow for lock in a game which IMO is now more and more focused on mobile back rowers who run off a creative dummy half and halves who run with energy and are always looking to do something with the ball AND have support players, be they hard running props whose 1st priority is to look to offload rather than die with the ball, or back rowers positioned on the edges and ready for the ball they know is likely to come their way.

Parker has offloading skills in spades IMO, and that kind of prop is what we need. I am frankly getting bored with fat lumps or brainless muscle who think all they have to do is crash bash and barge with nary a thought to look around and see who they can off load to as first priority.

But then, equally, where are the support runners who are coached ALWAYS to support the ball carrier?

This team continues to lack consistent structure AND on-field leaders to keep the shape and the game plan from falling apart.

 

[Steve Renouf]

Normally it is the case that one, two or even a few players go through patches of bad form.

The problem that Brisbane has at the moment is that there are several players in that boat and the fact that they look tired and in some cases over weight, add to that the fact that there is still people trying to cement positions in the team it all adds up to a big cluster ****. And this imo is the fault of both the Captain and the coach.

The backrowers don't know each week if they are playing in the centres or in the front row or in second row, the fullbacks are unsure if they are wingers, halfbacks or fullbacks and the bench players don't know if they are starters or benchys for the year.

There is no consistency, permanency or structure it seems, and this has flowed on from last year. I thought in the off season many of these questions would have been answered but none of them have been and that is showing in the teams first performance of the year.

 

[rnabokov]

Normally it is the case that one, two or even a few players go through patches of bad form.

The problem that Brisbane has at the moment is that there are several players in that boat and the fact that they look tired and in some cases over weight, add to that the fact that there is still people trying to cement positions in the team it all adds up to a big cluster ****. And this imo is the fault of both the Captain and the coach.

The backrowers don't know each week if they are playing in the centres or in the front row or in second row, the fullbacks are unsure if they are wingers, halfbacks or fullbacks and the bench players don't know if they are starters or benchys for the year.

There is no consistency, permanency or structure it seems, and this has flowed on from last year. I thought in the off season many of these questions would have been answered but none of them have been and that is showing in the teams first performance of the year.

This. I think the question of form has 2 elements: one obviously is personal to the individual. The other is a question of creating a team with structures, and on field leaders.

Just as one example, give Gillett to Bellamy or Hasler, and you will end up with a world beating back rower BUT only 'cos he is in a team who knows how to use him.

I am having serious doubts about Hook in that he still seems to be looking for some kind of structure and hasn't found it. I was hoping with Prince in the side, the off season would have been spent in developing something concrete rather than as it seems, persisting with trying the same players in different positions.

The focus seems to be on individuals and not the team. Or am I missing something?

 

[OXY-351]

Geez, some people expect a lot for the first game of a season. it might sounds stupid, but I actually think a few losses in the early rounds may serve the team better long term than a few wins. Just to keep them on their toes, and fix any deficiencies early on, rather than having a few wins and being able to sugar coat the issues, which is what I think has happened in some recent seasons.