Round 13 - Dragons vs Broncos

[BRC088]

I don't understand the short kick off either, surely the odds are better just to drill it into touch - or can't you do that anymore.

 

[Sproj]

I feel a bit like I'm doing an @Huge here (and no one ever wants to do that) but I think Flegs is getting better. I am NOT saying he was great last night but again, remember how old he is and what he is being required to do that he isn't ready for. I am VERY aware he dropped a sitter as usual and had some poor defensive reads AGAIN but he made over a hundred metres, had some nice offloads and defending pretty well UNTIL he was gassed and then his defense went to total water. I put that more on the coach though for not getting him off when he started to struggle. Again, please just be patient with the kid, he is getting close to levelling up.

 

[broncsgoat]

I feel a bit like I'm doing an @Huge here (and no one ever wants to do that) but I think Flegs is getting better. I am NOT saying he was great last night but again, remember how old he is and what he is being required to do that he isn't ready for. I am VERY aware he dropped a sitter as usual and had some poor defensive reads AGAIN but he made over a hundred metres, had some nice offloads and defending pretty well UNTIL he was gassed and then his defense went to total water. I put that more on the coach though for not getting him off when he started to struggle. Again, please just be patient with the kid, he is getting close to levelling up.

He might be getting close to levelling up but if we’re waiting this long for him to be competent maybe his final form just won’t be worth it

 

[mrslong]

The brain explosion Isaako made just before half time in not making sure the ball went into touch wasn't just a critical error as a fullback. It was a critical error unacceptable by any first grader who should know that you don't take chances like that even more so when your just about to head into the sheds for half time. I'm a fan of Isaako but it's more then apparent he just isn't cut out as a fullback which demands more then just being an athlete. IMO he either plays on the wing or not at all.

And I'll be fair he isn't alone, Flegler, Turpin and Glenn really aren't justifying a spot in first grade either.

And if Lodge goes we sure as hell better have someone of quality lined up as replacement. But then this is the present day Broncos, we probably will go with Flegler.

I'd be pissed if my local opens team fullback made this mistake. The crowd would be heckling from the pig pen for sure. It was inexcusable. Even saying he grew up playing Rugby Union isn't enough of an excuse because it would be an unforgivable mistake in Rugby Union too. Actually, it would be unforgivable in AusTag, Touch Rugby and even Touch footy when you don't even kick the ball. Disgraceful.

 

[Financeguy]

I feel a bit like I'm doing an @Huge here (and no one ever wants to do that) but I think Flegs is getting better. I am NOT saying he was great last night but again, remember how old he is and what he is being required to do that he isn't ready for. I am VERY aware he dropped a sitter as usual and had some poor defensive reads AGAIN but he made over a hundred metres, had some nice offloads and defending pretty well UNTIL he was gassed and then his defense went to total water. I put that more on the coach though for not getting him off when he started to struggle. Again, please just be patient with the kid, he is getting close to levelling up.

The problem we have is that we are already babysitting the development of Riki, Piakura, Bullemor, Palasia, Hetherington, Carrigan and Robati before we even get to Flegler. It could even be argued that Haas is in that list but he has proven to be such a freak that he missed the 'development' stage and had to go straight to hardened first grader.

I think Flegler would be a gun at one of the good teams, Storm, Roosters, Souths or even the Eels who could use him sparingly off the bench and play him longer when on song and bench him when he is having one of his moments.

The current Broncos just don't have the resources to be patient with Flegler, he is a victim of too many forwards developing and not enough solid first graders. He is being asked to perform above his experience level like Haas, he just isn't up to it.

 

[winslow_wong]

I feel a bit like I'm doing an @Huge here (and no one ever wants to do that) but I think Flegs is getting better. I am NOT saying he was great last night but again, remember how old he is and what he is being required to do that he isn't ready for. I am VERY aware he dropped a sitter as usual and had some poor defensive reads AGAIN but he made over a hundred metres, had some nice offloads and defending pretty well UNTIL he was gassed and then his defense went to total water. I put that more on the coach though for not getting him off when he started to struggle. Again, please just be patient with the kid, he is getting close to levelling up.

He had some nice subtle plays that lead to two of our tries. Quick hands to Link with gamble who kicks for arthars’ try. And ran a beautiful decoy to suck in 2 defenders which lead to TC’s first try. But he gets tired in defence too often.

 

[Huge]

I don't think we would have. Turpin just fucked up trying to play it too quick.

What, do we get extra credit for not using it? The Captain's Challenge that is. He had regained his feet and was pulled off balance by a guy laying beside the ptb. Would have been given the penalty for sure. Oh, was that before Isaako played the ball on the guys foot? If it was, I retract my statement.

 

[Mustafur]

Mistakes in this game aside Flegler is definitely improving, but the real deal Is Lodge fully justifying his wage, his last two games have been blinders for him I honestly thought once last years injuries are behind him he is a borderline rep level prop but I think if NSW lose Game 1 he will be picked in Game 2, he is almost as good as Haas the way he is playing but is providing excellent 2nd phase opportunities that our non existent fullback would be craving for.

We can't lose this guy, don't care if it's for cap relief we need to find a way to keep him.

 

[Sproj]

He might be getting close to levelling up but if we’re waiting this long for him to be competent maybe his final form just won’t be worth it

It is easy to forget he is still only 21. Very, very few props are guns at 21. He needs time and guidance which he isn't getting at our club but he will be an absolute star. This is one reason why it would be good to keep Lodge even just one more season, give Flegs, Bull and The Cyclone times to mature a bit more. Even Carrigan only started looking good at 22ish. I also doubt Flegler is on 600k+, not even our former CEO would have been that stupid...I think

 

[GCBRONCO]

Isaako - 6 runs for 55 metres (Lodge was looking for a runner all night, so those stats are just unforgiveable)
Arthars - 6 runs for 45 metres
Turpin - 2 runs for 16 metres (I reckon 15 of those were on the first try to Mead, he just offers us nothing from the 9)
Glenn (c) - 6 runs for 33 metres (This isn't a one off by any means)
Asiata - 9 runs for 50 metres

There are out issues right there. We get nothing from our fullback and nothing from three of our 6 starting forwards.

I don't rate Flegler but it's pretty sad when you combine Your fullback, hooker and a starting secondrower/captain metres they barely beat a nuffie like Flegler.

 

[broncsgoat]

It is easy to forget he is still only 21. Very, very few props are guns at 21. He needs time and guidance which he isn't getting at our club but he will be an absolute star. This is one reason why it would be good to keep Lodge even just one more season, give Flegs, Bull and The Cyclone times to mature a bit more. Even Carrigan only started looking good at 22ish. I also doubt Flegler is on 600k+, not even our former CEO would have been that stupid...I think

Yeah I did not know that to be honest

 

[Huge]

Whilst we had one in the bin we received a penalty. The camera was on Alex. I watched closely as I wanted to see him doing or saying something to tell the team to slow it down. Take a heap of time to kick the ball out...

Nothing, he didn't say anything, no hand gestures, nothing.

Sums up our leadership.

I've been thinking about what you said about wasting time. Since we regularly play with 12 or less I think it'd be prudent to have a strategy to help cope with it. Once again I think that after we get the ball back we should be doing everything in our power to limit the time the opposition has the ball. A set usually takes 50 -60 seconds but we could easily double that.

Two sets like that takes another two minutes out of the opposition advantage. I'd certainly have a plan and instruct my onfield captain to gather the troops and make the call, my choice would be 'And we're walking' . That would mean every tackle there'd be no fighting to rise quickly , a stand and check there's a marker, a long look at the ref, and plenty of passing sideline to sideline. Remembering how the Ipswich Jets used to have the ball twice as long as the opposition makes me think this would be a solid tactic when we have a binned player.

We only have to think about the way a team plays when leading by a couple of points in the final 30 seconds of a match and replicate that. It's amazing how much time you can deprive them of.

 

[Mustafur]

Fullbacks should be making the most meters in the team as they float all over the field, half of Isaakos meters last night where from kick returns, no wonder it looked soo foreign when Herbie was hovering around the middle looking for ball Isaako seems to only get involved on edge attacks and often the other outside backs will run more:

 

[thenry]

I've been thinking about what you said about wasting time. Since we regularly play with 12 or less I think it'd be prudent to have a strategy to help cope with it. Once again I think that after we get the ball back we should be doing everything in our power to limit the time the opposition has the ball. A set usually takes 50 -60 seconds but we could easily double that.

Two sets like that takes another two minutes out of the opposition advantage. I'd certainly have a plan and instruct my onfield captain to gather the troops and make the call, my choice would be 'And we're walking' . That would mean every tackle there'd be no fighting to rise quickly , a stand and check there's a marker, a long look at the ref, and plenty of passing sideline to sideline. Remembering how the Ipswich Jets used to have the ball twice as long as the opposition makes me think this would be a solid tactic when we have a binned player.

We only have to think about the way a team plays when leading by a couple of points in the final 30 seconds of a match and replicate that. It's amazing how much time you can deprive them of.

It's a fair call. It would require pre planning and someone to call it tho....

 

[McHunt]

i still find it hard to get a read on the coaching at the moment. There’s game plans that have been executed that show that good tactics are being planned for - v Panthers, v Roosters, as examples. But the there is also how shit the team looks most the time.

I just can’t blame Kev that Isaako let that Dufty try happen, or Turpin and Isaako play the ball errors. It just seems like total incompetence from some of the players, in areas they shouldn’t need coaching in. TPJ’s no lock offload on our 30m line that lead to a try last week. The list is endless.

There's not much a coach can say about those two clangers. Isaako will have nightmares about that on his death bed. And Turpin's play the ball was in the shit happens category. If there's some nugget of remedial advice someone in the club can offer so that neither ever happen again, great, but it's a bit like being told to watch your step after you trip.

As for Turpin not running the ball, I would think if Walters wanted him to run and kick more, he'd be running and kicking more. My guess is he's playing the way Walters wants him to play. If you go back and watch reels of Kerrod and Steve, you'll notice they weren't big runners and kickers either.

 

[WASSHHH]

We need someone like Blair, who is prepared to do the 1% shit that no one in this side likes to do. Might not get big numbers but is always covering on the inside or cleaning up someone else's **** up.

Whoever the new version of Blair may be, the poor prick would just about have to retire after his first week from pure exhaustion / mental breakdown if he was tasked with cleaning up the defensive flaws or unforced errors in our clusterfuck of a team.

 

[Waynesaurus]

Well, two days later and I'm still annoyed with that effort..............the perfect opportunity to move forward and build on some of the good things this year but instead they decide they can't be bothered to show up.

 

[Sproj]

Well, two days later and I'm still annoyed with that effort..............the perfect opportunity to move forward and build on some of the good things this year but instead they decide they can't be bothered to show up.

In fairness, they aren't the strongest group mentally and something as simple and as stupid as Isaako's 5 seconds before half time and five seconds after is enough to knock them out of a game.