PRE-GAME Round 11 - Roosters vs Broncos

[Wolfie]

If he plays like he did against the Sea Eagles sure, but he was among the Broncos best in the prior couple of weeks.

He makes a hell of a lot of errors. I think they were saying on the weekend he has the highest error rate of any player going around currently. I'm not one who follows stats because i think they are a load of rubbish on the whole, but if thats true its a bit of a worry. I dont think he's played that great all year so far.

 

[nopatience101]

This side is never going to improve if the halves keep changing, atm Gamble is the best HB we have & Milford is the best 5/8 we have, give the side an opportunity to form combinations. The quick fixes won’t work, we have already tried it, this is it, the best we have, work with it and give it time.

 

[Big Pete]

He makes a hell of a lot of errors. I think they were saying on the weekend he has the highest error rate of any player going around currently. I'm not one who follows stats because i think they are a load of rubbish on the whole, but if thats true its a bit of a worry. I dont think he's played that great all year so far.

A lot of those errors are him competing for high kicks and since he genuinely competes for them despite being blocked it drives up that number.

 

[Alec]

We seem to be dead set on chopping and changing our halves. What about Coates? He isnt playing well, he isnt going to be our player next year yet he seems undroppable.

Who do you drop him for?
I definitely wouldn't drop him for Mead or Dropley, they likely won't be here next year either.

 

[Wolfie]

A lot of those errors are him competing for high kicks and since he genuinely competes for them despite being blocked it drives up that number.

Possibly, but i've certainly seen him drop the ball cold under no pressure plenty of times.

 

[Wolfie]

Who do you drop him for?

As harsh at it probably is on Coates probably somebody who wants to be here in 2022. I think a few of our players are lucky there arent many viable alternatives right now. I know he has played mainly as a center for Souths, But Tass has done pretty well. Then i guess you have the option of playing Copley at center and pushing Arthars to the wing.

If Coates was staying i'd probably be inclined to stick with him and hope we could develop him through it, but seeing as he is leaving i dont think we need to.

 

[Big Pete]

Possibly, but i've certainly seen him drop the ball cold under no pressure plenty of times.

Sure but he's still been one of the better players for the Broncos and one of the few attacking threats they have. He's got an error in his game but it's nowhere near as bad as the figure suggests and it's something I've been keeping an eye on.

Going back to our conversation about Bird, I believe at 2-8 Walters has to look out for 2022. The issue is there's very few options he has. Currently I wouldn't be against having Farnworth go to the wing with bringing in a centre but the Broncos don't have a lot in the way of choices. Ideally Staggs would go right centre and Arthars or Copley left but I get the feeling that Staggs will get a few games at 6 just to get him prepared for 2022 (hopefully enough time to convince Kev it should only be a part-time deal...).

 

[Wolfie]

Sure but he's still been one of the better players for the Broncos and one of the few attacking threats they have. He's got an error in his game but it's nowhere near as bad as the figure suggests and it's something I've been keeping an eye on.

Going back to our conversation about Bird, I believe at 2-8 Walters has to look out for 2022. The issue is there's very few options he has. Currently I wouldn't be against having Farnworth go to the wing with bringing in a centre but the Broncos don't have a lot in the way of choices. Ideally Staggs would go right centre and Arthars or Copley left but I get the feeling that Staggs will get a few games at 6 just to get him prepared for 2022 (hopefully enough time to convince Kev it should only be a part-time deal...).

In regards to Coates, i honestly dont know if the figures are true or not as i steer clear of them, i prefer to believe my eyes. My own opinion of him is he is a typical young player, he will do some good stuff, he will make some basic errors and i think thats exactly what we have seen from him since he got in first grade.

I have no argument if we have the players to do it to focus on 2022. We need to look out for and develop the players who will be here from 2022 as much as we can. Now Carrigan is out for 2021 thats our premiership window shut for this year so we might as well take our time and assess some of the younger guys like Hetherington and Tass, maybe Brendan Frei ( not sure if he is still on our books ) and see if they have some potential.

 

[Sproj]

Sure but he's still been one of the better players for the Broncos and one of the few attacking threats they have. He's got an error in his game but it's nowhere near as bad as the figure suggests and it's something I've been keeping an eye on.

Going back to our conversation about Bird, I believe at 2-8 Walters has to look out for 2022. The issue is there's very few options he has. Currently I wouldn't be against having Farnworth go to the wing with bringing in a centre but the Broncos don't have a lot in the way of choices. Ideally Staggs would go right centre and Arthars or Copley left but I get the feeling that Staggs will get a few games at 6 just to get him prepared for 2022 (hopefully enough time to convince Kev it should only be a part-time deal...).

You could take a risk and give Tass a go.

 

[Big Pete]

In regards to Coates, i honestly dont know if the figures are true or not as i steer clear of them, i prefer to believe my eyes. My own opinion of him is he is a typical young player, he will do some good stuff, he will make some basic errors and i think thats exactly what we have seen from him since he got in first grade.

I have no argument if we have the players to do it to focus on 2022. We need to look out for and develop the players who will be here from 2022 as much as we can. Now Carrigan is out for 2021 thats our premiership window shut for this year so we might as well take our time and assess some of the younger guys like Hetherington and Tass, maybe Brendan Frei ( not sure if he is still on our books ) and see if they have some potential.

What will make it difficult for Walters is that Coates will likely be the right winger for the Maroons and I just can't see him dropping his lone Origin winger. The Broncos will be without him against the Dragons which will be their most likely chance of picking up a win and a good opportunity for his replacement to make a name for himself.

I'm with you on giving the emerging players an opportunity. It's one of the few things holding my interest at the club and whether Walters will use the opportunity to bring some train and trial players for the rest of the year. Kobe Hetherington, Brendan Frei, Isaiah Tass are some obvious candidates but I hope they're looking at other clubs and their emerging talent as well.

It's not just Brisbane either, I hope a few struggling teams like Cronulla, Canterbury, Newcastle etc. reward some of the form talent in the QCup and NSW Cup. I think it would breathe some more life into those competitions and help expand the talent pool as a result.

 

[ZTop]

Changing our halves is such a bad idea, it's never going to end well, try and grow some combinations.

The chopping and changing makes our defence worse, try and grow some trust between the boys. There is no sense of familiarity for the players. Questioning kevvie

 

[Sproj]

What will make it difficult for Walters is that Coates will likely be the right winger for the Maroons and I just can't see him dropping his lone Origin winger. The Broncos will be without him against the Dragons which will be their most likely chance of picking up a win and a good opportunity for his replacement to make a name for himself.

I'm with you on giving the emerging players an opportunity. It's one of the few things holding my interest at the club and whether Walters will use the opportunity to bring some train and trial players for the rest of the year. Kobe Hetherington, Brendan Frei, Isaiah Tass are some obvious candidates but I hope they're looking at other clubs and their emerging talent as well.

It's not just Brisbane either, I hope a few struggling teams like Cronulla, Canterbury, Newcastle etc. reward some of the form talent in the QCup and NSW Cup. I think it would breathe some more life into those competitions and help expand the talent pool as a result.

The problem for these clubs though is if some kid comes in and absolutely kills it, they will either need to pay overs to re-sign or some other club will come in and pick them off with huge offers.

 

[Big Pete]

You could take a risk and give Tass a go.

I wouldn't be against handing him a debut but I'm anticipating Shibasaki 2.0 given how raw he is.

The problem for these clubs though is if some kid comes in and absolutely kills it, they will either need to pay overs to re-sign or some other club will come in and pick them off with huge offers.

I'm thinking more about the older player who happens to be playing good footy and would provide better value than whoever they have on their roster. They wouldn't necessarily be the bright young prospect every club wants a piece of but just a handy stop-gap. Not only would it be better for the NRL but it would encourage the reserve grade players to lift their game knowing there's a real chance they could play NRL and make a career out of it.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

It's a very rare occasion when I'm leaning more towards not watching at all rather than hardening up for the mess, but this is one of those times. It's incredibly depressing.

 

[Scorchie]

It's a very rare occasion when I'm leaning more towards not watching at all rather than hardening up for the mess, but this is one of those times. It's incredibly depressing.

Harden up. It'll make when we start winning so much sweeter.

 

[Fitzy]

Is Copley available?

I wonder if we might see something like:

1. Isaako
2. Mead/Copley
3. Farnworth
4. Arthars
5. Oates
6. Hunt
7. Gamble
8. Haas
9. Turpin
10. Lodge
11. Bullemor
12. Pangai Jr
13. Hetherington

14. Levi
15. Flegler
16. Kennedy
17. Piakura

With Carrigan, Glenn, Riki and Teo out, we are definitely light on for backrowers.

Yeah I think that’s what we will see... maybe not Hetherington starting and probably still Coates unless their is some reason he is out that I’m unaware of

 

[Kooly87]

He was terrible because he’s not a fullback

also I initially thought you were talking about the 2019 season not 2020 which Pete mentioned. I totally forgot about milf being forced to play there on one leg last year and being out for the season as a result.

That was classic Broncos. I remember @NRLPhysio jumping up and down at the time and saying that if Brisbane bought Milford back two weeks into what at absolute minimum would require 4 weeks to heal then his chance of reinjuring it seriously was all but guaranteed.

This is why the club was rotten at it's core far beyond just Seibold, because presumably the Broncos Medicos should have been aware of that but were like "Shit...hold my beer, this'll be a laugh..."

Gross incompetence, bordering on outright medical negligence.

 

[Kooly87]

I have to confess, the chopping and changing of Halves is one thing I really didn't expect from Kevin Walters and it's caught me totally by surprise.

I get in some instances he's almost had no choice, but I'd figure he knew better than anyone the value of not being too trigger happy on guys trying to form combinations and relying on building some confidence and understanding in one another.