PRE-GAME Round 11 - Broncos vs Roosters

[1910]

I think it's dobson , he was from the capras possibly

England, Knights and Raiders.

 

[1910]

What about a 7 , who do you think could step up 1910 ?

I'd err with Murphy- he's tougher and more durable.

 

[pagey]

I'd err with Murphy- he's tougher and more durable.

How is dargan going ? Surely wayne nees to give Murphy a shot then .

 

[Sanjit Joseph]

Could someone post the article on courier mail. Apparently bird may not play this week.

 

[Wolfie]

Hope Shibasaki gets a run, really rate him.

Wonder if this means Oates might move to back row.

Cant believe Mago is in front of Carrigan. Pat has been really strong.

 

[Unbreakable]

Jack Bird set to be sidelined for Broncos’ clash with Sydney Roosters

Peter Badel, Rikki-Lee Arnold, The Courier-Mail
17 minutes ago

JACK Bird’s nightmare season at the Broncos has continued with the struggling big-name recruit set to be sidelined for Friday night’s blockbuster against the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.
Bird has attempted to play through the pain barrier for the past eight weeks but the NSW Origin utility has finally succumbed to a sternum injury that has plagued him since the pre-season.
The $3.5 million recruit played a secondary role at Broncos training on Tuesday, running with the Renegades squad while wearing a red vest to signify he was off-limits for contact work.
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett will officially unveil his 21-man squad later today but hooker Andrew McCullough says the side is preparing to face the Roosters without Bird.
The loss of Bird, Alex Glenn (knee) and Payne Haas (shoulder) will pave the way for two more debutants in former Cowboy Patrick Mago and Queensland under-20s centre Gehamat Shibasaki.
The rookie duo trained with the main squad today and are likely to appear on the interchange bench for the showdown with the Roosters team which broke Brisbane’s hearts in last year’s finals series.
“Jack’s sternum has been giving him grief and injuries like that are pretty sore,” McCullough said.
“It takes the pressure off Jack to make sure he gets his sternum right and gets back into it. I’m not sure how long he is out but it gives someone an opportunity this week.
“They (Broncos medicos) are trying to manage him.
“There is still a lot of football this year and if he can have a break over the next few weeks, it will be a blessing for him.”
McCullough says Bird has fitted well into the group despite his below-par form.
“Mentally he is fine,” he said. “He just wants to do his best for the team and it’s hard to do that when you are carrying a niggling injury.
“You worry about your performance and being a key recruit ... he will be fine, we’ll see how he goes after this week.”
McCullough backed young guns Mago and Shibasaki, who is highly-rated by former Broncos centre Justin Hodges, to handle their Broncos baptisms.
“The club is doing a tremendous job to create some depth for ourselves to rely on those guys coming through,” he said.
“There’s a few interchange spots there and Patrick has been playing well in the Queensland Cup and that’s the reward you get.
“It’s popped up for Pat and he gets his chance.”
McCullough said the Broncos, languishing in ninth spot, were desperate to hit back after last week’s dismal 38-24 loss to the Sea Eagles.
“It’s a great challenge,” he said. “What the club needs at this stage is for myself, Sam (Thaiday) and Darius (Boyd, skipper) to stand up and the younger guys to step up.
“We were outenthused (against Manly), it shouldn’t come to that and to see our fans going home early is disappointing, you don’t like seeing that.”

Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/fbc8d8113b1bfe032c25cdc8ab682b9d

 

[Unbreakable]

So, by the sounds of it..

1. Boyd (c)
2. Oates
3. Roberts
4. Opacic
5. Isaako
6. Milford
7. Nikorima
8. Lodge
9. McCullough
10. Thaiday
11. Sims
12. Su'A
13. Pangai Jr

14. Shibasaki
15. Ofahengaue
16. Tagatese
17. Mago

 

[Wolfie]

So, by the sounds of it..

1. Boyd (c)
2. Oates
3. Roberts
4. Opacic
5. Isaako
6. Milford
7. Nikorima
8. Lodge
9. McCullough
10. Thaiday
11. Sims
12. Su'A
13. Pangai Jr

14. Shibasaki
15. Ofahengaue
16. Tagatese
17. Mago

I'd have Shibasaki in instead of Oates and put Oates in the back row. Dont really see why we need utility for the backs when none of them are really not under any injury cloud.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I don't buy this succumbing to injury rubbish. He's been dropped, and rightfully so. Get your shit together in ISC or bugger off, and I mean that both physically and form wise.

 

[pagey]

Hope Shibasaki gets a run, really rate him.

Wonder if this means Oates might move to back row.

Cant believe Mago is in front of Carrigan. Pat has been really strong.

I hope both of those happen to ! maybe it's a size thing seen as he would be replacing haas.

 

[Maroon4life]

I don’t buy the injury too Bird either. Bennett used the same thing with Kodi when it was convenient

 

[Morkel]

Called it ;)

 

[Mitch06]

Called it ;)

Hopefully we can be the 34 point win as well.

 

[mitch222]

With our backrow stocks very thin, i think Wayne just needs to pull the trigger and start Oates there and grab either
Pearson or Shibisaki and play them on the bench.

 

[WASSHHH]

With our backrow stocks very thin, i think Wayne just needs to pull the trigger and start Oates there and grab either
Pearson or Shibisaki and play them on the bench.

Please not Pearson, I can’t handle the anxiety.

Any chance one of the greats might be interested in coming out of retirement.

Does the name Minto get anyone else excited?

 

[Super Freak]

Roberts ready for Mitchell in Blues Origin audition

May 15, 2018

James Roberts has the palm print of Latrell Mitchell etched on his body and in his mind as he prepares for a NSW Blues audition at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

The Brisbane centre, who has been moved back to his favoured right side for the clash, will be marking Mitchell and has not forgotten the ferocious fend he had planted on him by the Roosters left centre in last year’s semi-final at Suncorp Stadium.

Mitchell ran over the top of Roberts to score the match-winning try on that occasion but the Brisbane flyer has improved his defence and is ready for a big performance with a State of Origin jersey on the line.

St George Illawarra centre Euan Aitken is favoured for NSW's right centre position and Mitchell is in the frame to play on the left, but Roberts can make a case for his own inclusion with a game-breaking performance.

"They do have a good backline and especially Latrell. I think I have still got a palm print on my chest from last year,” Roberts said on Tuesday.

"He is a class player and he will be looking to have a big one. He is very tall, he’s very strong and he’s got some speed as well so I’ve got my hands full this week.

"Look man, it would be great to play for NSW and it is obviously a career dream of mine and would be a good box to tick.

"It would mean a lot and I think I’m good enough for it, but whether I am in the side this year is up to Brad Fittler
“I am doing all the little things. I’m not scoring as many tries but I am trying to really work on my defence and I think that is slowly paying off. I’m doing all the little extras at training.”

Fittler contacted Roberts at the start of the year to let him know he was in the frame for the Blues and to check on his progress.

Roberts confirmed Jack Bird was set to miss the Roosters clash with an injured sternum.

"Right centre is my preferred [position] and I’m back there," Roberts said.

"Jack is taking a week off to get his sternum right so I’ll shifting back to the right and I think Tom [Opacic] will come back on the left.”

Roberts said he struggled during his first year at the Broncos in 2016 so understood what Bird was going through after arriving in the pre-season from Cronulla.

"I spoke to Jack about it before. In my first year I struggled a bit with form trying to overplay my hand," Roberts said.

"That’s what I was saying to him, to chill out and give it time and it will come.

"I think Jack will fit in anywhere. He just needs to get the confidence back that he is lacking at the moment, but I think he will get that back sooner rather than later once he gets his sternum right, and hopefully that is in the next couple of weeks."

Roberts is struggling to get the early ball to create the open space he requires to cut loose and he said it was something he had discussed with his Broncos teammates.

"It is good to get the early ball but it is up to the halves and the middle forwards,” he said,

"If they are not winning the middle then it is hard to shift the ball around and play our footy."

Source: NRL.com

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Please not Pearson, I can’t handle the anxiety.

Any chance one of the greats might be interested in coming out of retirement.

Does the name Minto get anyone else excited?

Pearson on the Lang Park sandpit - anything could happen...

 

[WASSHHH]

Pearson on the Lang Park sandpit - anything could happen...

Don’t you mean anything except him staying perpendicular to the grass?