POST GAME Round 10 - Cowboys vs Broncos

[Nashy]

I enjoyed the game. I want Blair to get fucked. Why is Bennett persisting with the useless idiot?

 

[Danoz Direct]

I saw that, he was going for a 40/20 but didn't strike it properly and it propelled to high in the air and was caught on their 30 metre line on the full - that really killed us. Ben Hunt's chip and chase inside our own half didn't help either, I know he was trying but it just wasn't on. We clearly missed McGuire tonight, I thought Molo's defence was excellent but everything else he did was rubbish.

The thing that really ****ed me off tonight was our line speed. We were giving them 10 metres before they even hit our line and then once they hit it, they made another 5 metres or more, they just pinned us down there in the second half. I actually thought Ben Hunt's kicking game improved a fair bit, i.e. he had more kicks that were 8+ out of ten, but then he had a few kicks that were less then 5. Milford's defence was pretty abysmal, but his attack is starting to look hot. I can't believe they didn't go upstairs for Reed's offside....would have been so happy to see Maranta grab a hatrick! :P

The chip and chase was with five minutes to go and way really one of the only options.

 

[talanoa]

interesting game last night, a couple of things I noticed that were pretty obvious was the big hole that mcguire had left.. The big thing with mcguire is not his ball carries but its the clean up work he does through and around the middle. The cowboys really targeted the middle with inside balls and punch from dummy half and that is the stuff that mcguire really controls. I like wallace but laterally his foot speed is slow, and blair.. well i dont even know if i should bother even speaking about his rubbish...
There were 3 other glaring things which stood out as well, the slowness out of dummy half... Mcullough just doesn't offer front foot play like the other good dummy halves, he is too slow (granville has left him in his wake) The lack of pace out wide, we are freaking slow...
The last thing is the milford experiment, I said I would give him til later in the year but I cant wit that long. No doubting his attacking ability, but his ball carries are to loose, he doesn't like the contact and shifts side ways to much. The worst thing for milford though is his defense, he gets his body in the wrong position all the time and he looks so frightened in defense its a major problem... Im not sure what wayne is going to do, but to have 3 tries scored directly on you is very poor, his defense wasnt just a one off last night its a weekly issue..

 

[rnabokov]

interesting game last night, a couple of things I noticed that were pretty obvious was the big hole that mcguire had left.. The big thing with mcguire is not his ball carries but its the clean up work he does through and around the middle. The cowboys really targeted the middle with inside balls and punch from dummy half and that is the stuff that mcguire really controls. I like wallace but laterally his foot speed is slow, and blair.. well i dont even know if i should bother even speaking about his rubbish...
There were 3 other glaring things which stood out as well, the slowness out of dummy half... Mcullough just doesn't offer front foot play like the other good dummy halves, he is too slow (granville has left him in his wake) The lack of pace out wide, we are freaking slow...
The last thing is the milford experiment, I said I would give him til later in the year but I cant wit that long. No doubting his attacking ability, but his ball carries are to loose, he doesn't like the contact and shifts side ways to much. The worst thing for milford though is his defense, he gets his body in the wrong position all the time and he looks so frightened in defense its a major problem... Im not sure what wayne is going to do, but to have 3 tries scored directly on you is very poor, his defense wasnt just a one off last night its a weekly issue..

What a great analysis.

Milford? Now what is his best position?

I am also worried about what seems a real problem on our right hand side. Hunt ought to be doing more getting the edge and the outside backs working.

What did people think of Hodges last night as a centre? He seemed to be a dummy half for most pf the game, and Gillett ... 8 carries ... no quality ball.

 

[talanoa]

What a great analysis.

Milford? Now what is his best position? I really am not sure what his best position is to be honest, its a real tricky one with him. I hope he comes good in the 6 jumper but its hard to see that happening in the short to medium term .

I am also worried about what seems a real problem on our right hand side. Hunt ought to be doing more getting the edge and the outside backs working. good point, i think he needs to push to the line more, i hink though what hinders him on the right side is that hodges isn't a hard hole running type of player. So we may not see hunt push up hard to the line whilst hodges is out there. We seen last week that hunt will push up hard and direct when oates was coming on to the ball as that is his go... food for thought maybe???

What did people think of Hodges last night as a centre? He seemed to be a dummy half for most pf the game, and Gillett ... 8 carries ... no quality ball.

I think gillett is a bit of a victim of having hodges outside of him (im not having a crack at hodges but thats just how it is)

 

[rnabokov]

I think gillett is a bit of a victim of having hodges outside of him (im not having a crack at hodges but thats just how it is)

Despite a lot of the anti-Gillett brigade on this place, I rate him as good a back rower as there is. His skills are totally wasted. He did so much more last year when for some reason he got a lot more ball.

Hodges ... hmmm ... brilliant one minute, dummy half one-out the next. The opposition are onto Hodges at dummy half and for mine, it showed last night. He's a bloody centre, but then, is Hunt getting that right side moving as well as he ought to? I reckon Milford does a much better job on the left.

But then, Hunt's one-on-one defence is pretty good while Milford's is shite so far by and large as you said.

These are major issues for mine which Bennett could focus on ASAP.

 

[Ari Gold]

What a great analysis.

Milford? Now what is his best position?

I am also worried about what seems a real problem on our right hand side. Hunt ought to be doing more getting the edge and the outside backs working.

What did people think of Hodges last night as a centre? He seemed to be a dummy half for most pf the game, and Gillett ... 8 carries ... no quality ball.

The only person who can say they got quality ball last night was Maranta. We simply didn't have enough footy for any of the forwards to get on top. Only Parker in our team topped 100m, and even then, he only had 102m. When was the last time we only had 1 player make 100m in a game?

 

[4evaBroncs]

Jack Reed's slow acceleration cost us the game

 

[heartly87]

Both Glenn and Parker made just over 130 meters, where do you go for stats

 

[rnabokov]

Jack Reed's slow acceleration cost us the game

Reed belongs on the wing

Hmmm .... someone letting in 3 tries by his opposite didn't help either.

And for all the good stuff Hunt does, when you see how Thurston controls a game, you realize the difference between a great half and a good one.

Thurston is so like Lockyer: general and director, aside from play making on BOTH sides.

 

[rnabokov]

Both Glenn and Parker made just over 130 meters, where do you go for stats

Good point. Only problem is, from another angle, they are back row.

Our front rowers made: Thaiday - 37m; Blair - 56m; Wallace - 39m and Molo 43.


Of course game time is a factor but still, our metres sucked.


Scott 171m and Tamou 204m ???


That is a MASSIVE difference and points to a lot of problems which need work.


Even Thurston ran for 115m compared to Hunt's 40


Momentum momentum ... and possession

 

[subsbligh]

That first 20 minutes though... Unreal. That there was 90s Broncos playing with flair.

Milford's try assist - brilliant. He's getting better every week.His defence is terrible. Morgan exposed it again. Watch every other team catch on.

20 all with 10 to go we were well in it. Lots to take away from this one. Boyd/kahu/maranta what a back three they are going to make over the coming rounds.

 

[Ari Gold]

Both Glenn and Parker made just over 130 meters, where do you go for stats

I got them from NRL stats, but I was going off the live tally. surprised how big an upgrade was in the final cout.

 

[Socnorb]

interesting game last night, a couple of things I noticed that were pretty obvious was the big hole that mcguire had left.. The big thing with mcguire is not his ball carries but its the clean up work he does through and around the middle. The cowboys really targeted the middle with inside balls and punch from dummy half and that is the stuff that mcguire really controls. I like wallace but laterally his foot speed is slow, and blair.. well i dont even know if i should bother even speaking about his rubbish...
There were 3 other glaring things which stood out as well, the slowness out of dummy half... Mcullough just doesn't offer front foot play like the other good dummy halves, he is too slow (granville has left him in his wake) The lack of pace out wide, we are freaking slow...
The last thing is the milford experiment, I said I would give him til later in the year but I cant wit that long. No doubting his attacking ability, but his ball carries are to loose, he doesn't like the contact and shifts side ways to much. The worst thing for milford though is his defense, he gets his body in the wrong position all the time and he looks so frightened in defense its a major problem... Im not sure what wayne is going to do, but to have 3 tries scored directly on you is very poor, his defense wasnt just a one off last night its a weekly issue..

That's garbage. Milford defence this year has been a pleasant surprise and much better than expected. Why was he left to defend morgan on our goal line on his own. He needed support . You think if he's a fullback he magically makes those tackles.

 

[1910]

That was one tough game, boys came home really early this morning at 5 and said they felt like after a semi.

 

[Broncoman]

Looked at the Fox Sports stats and it said that Blair only ran the ball up 6 times. That's useless for a starting front rower.

 

[bingale16]

Come on give me some credit I have been Against maranta since 2012 but I have conceded he has been proving me wrong recently

Hate to rain on your parade here but what has he done well? Sure he scored 2 tries but he didnt have to do much (like all his tries). I expect all wingers to be able to score them, its their job. He offers nothing in attack and does not look threatening with the ball. Would prefer Vidot/Copely anyday. Vidot at least makes metres and Copely looks more dangerous in attack.

And i dont mind if Hodges runs from dummy half, but not on tackle 4! It just ruins the set, instead we should spread it wide.

Our first 20 was perfect. Intensity, throwing the ball, offloads but then we go in our shell and just do direct hitups with no emphasis in second play which makes us easy picking and we cant get no metres at all. I only recall 1 offload in the 2nd half from Gillo; he was our best. Didnt run the ball as much but tackled his heart out and made some crucial ones at times. Milford looking more dangerous at 6 and i think he should kick more to get some confidence in him.

Our goal line D is great and improved out of sight, but we cant slide on our line 5 metres out especially against quick players like Morgan, there is no room for error and it showed all with the same play.

 

[Huge]

That was one tough game, boys came home really early this morning at 5 and said they felt like after a semi.

Hey 1910... I'm not sure if you are in a position to answer but with WB publicly supporting Blair, is that a true reflection of his stance or is he somewhat disappointed ? I also feel pretty certain that WB is scouting for a couple more for next years squad with ID imagine the front row a priority ? Any thoughts ?