Round 13 - Raiders vs Broncos - Pre-Match discussion

[I bleed Maroon]

Always a tough ask going down to Canberra, especially so this year because I'm expecting an especially hostile crowd.

Confident we'll get up comfortably though. We have been doing alright away from home this year and Hunt, Barba and our outside runners are going to tear the Raiders edge defence a new arsehole. Our forwards should do alright up the middle as well.

 

[Broncoman]

A win in the capital would be fantastic and the pleasure of setting of the Furner's even more will be even better.

 

[Unbreakable]

And to make it even better, it's Round 13, just the icing on the cake when we defeat them that they've 100% lost Milford.

 

[Super Freak]

I always get extremely nervous when the Broncos play at Canberra. No matter what kind of form they are in, they always seem to struggle down there for some odd reason.

If they play like they did yesterday, it should be a win. However, I'm expecting a close and tough game.

 

[Huge]

I always get extremely nervous when the Broncos play at Canberra. No matter what kind of form they are in, they always seem to struggle down there for some odd reason.

If they play like they did yesterday, it should be a win. However, I'm expecting a close and tough game.

Allow me to endorse the above. I actually expected us to play well yesterday and said so but I am much more concerned with the let down effect after playing a highly fancied team and then travelling away to play a wooden spoon candidate. Should Hunt be talked up this week it will be even more of a concern as he's likely to be thinking it's his Origin ticket and possibly overplay his hand. Trying too hard ala Hodges. Canberra have found some new enthusiasm recently and their form is not too bad. An ambush is on the cards.

 

[Super Freak]

McCullough in a little bit of doubt for this game. Picked up a groin strain against Manly.

 

[Rally Towel]

McCullough in a little bit of doubt for this game. Picked up a groin strain against Manly.

Well that's a bummer. Guess Jake might get his first run on gig then?

As for our chances, not much to say that hasn't been said already. On paper we're the better team, but complacency is our biggest enemy. Can't go out there and play to their level.

Their defense out wide has been pretty suspect, so hopefully Hunt and Barba can get some quality ball to our backs early and often. Hopefully we see a repeat of this week's effort.

 

[Manbush]

Prediction: Mcrone starts you guys win, Cornish start Raiders win, looked so much sharper when he's been on the field.

 

[1910]

Well that's a bummer. Guess Jake might get his first run on gig then?

As for our chances, not much to say that hasn't been said already. On paper we're the better team, but complacency is our biggest enemy. Can't go out there and play to their level.

Their defense out wide has been pretty suspect, so hopefully Hunt and Barba can get some quality ball to our backs early and often. Hopefully we see a repeat of this week's effort.

Granville was outstanding yesterday.

 

[Brent81]

Well that's a bummer. Guess Jake might get his first run on gig then?

As for our chances, not much to say that hasn't been said already. On paper we're the better team, but complacency is our biggest enemy. Can't go out there and play to their level.

Their defense out wide has been pretty suspect, so hopefully Hunt and Barba can get some quality ball to our backs early and often. Hopefully we see a repeat of this week's effort.

If we stop Canberra's forwards, we'll stop them. The big forward roll is all they really have. Campese isn't the player he was and Milford can't do it all on his one'sy.

Tips for this week:

1. stop their go forward;

2. use short passess/offloads/changes of angle amoung the forwards; tire their big boys out;

3. attack the fringes with Barba as the second receiver with options outside and in (particularly inside; ala Gillett against the knights);

4. hunt, just keep doing what he's doing;

5. defensively, stay as a line, Milford tears apart ragged defensive lines......and

LET HUNT KICK GOALS......

 

[Morkel]

Hunt for GK for sure. Parker himself looks over it.

 

[broncos4life]

Hunt for GK for sure. Parker himself looks over it.

Yep, it needs to be taken off Parker and given to hunt.

 

[rnabokov]

Prediction: Mcrone starts you guys win, Cornish start Raiders win, looked so much sharper when he's been on the field.

Assuming the Broncos play as they did yesterday and build on it, and based on form in general, the Raiders are in for a very tough game. The Raiders form is sloppy. They have conceded over 100 points more than the Broncos.

Barba v Milford will be very interesting.

 

[Rally Towel]

Yep, it needs to be taken off Parker and given to hunt.

Yes please. Let Parker get back to doing what he does best. It's not like Hunt's any worse at this stage, and hopefully he'll get better with practice.

Regarding the Raiders, if we can muscle up in defence and get some ball movement amongst the forwards like we did this week, we'll make life extremely hard for them. Hannant and Thaiday make a huge difference to our performance in that regard.

I wouldn't mind if we rested Hodges.

 

[Manbush]

Assuming the Broncos play as they did yesterday and build on it, and based on form in general, the Raiders are in for a very tough game. The Raiders form is sloppy. They have conceded over 100 points more than the Broncos.

Barba v Milford will be very interesting.

If can get our defense and completion rate to where it was a month ago should be a cracking game, need Cornish to start though as he's our only half that seems to play what's in front of him rather than sticking to a set idea.

If I was the Broncs I'd be targeting Milf, his mind definitely didn't seem on the job on the weekend, he'll either be rocks or diamonds due to his contract and playing his future team mates. It's another reason to start Cornish, playing with his mate has seemed to lift him when Cornish has come on.

 

[rnabokov]

Yes please. Let Parker get back to doing what he does best. It's not like Hunt's any worse at this stage, and hopefully he'll get better with practice.

Regarding the Raiders, if we can muscle up in defence and get some ball movement amongst the forwards like we did this week, we'll make life extremely hard for them. Hannant and Thaiday make a huge difference to our performance in that regard.

I wouldn't mind if we rested Hodges.

I can't see any point in resting Hodges if he's fit to play. If we argue his fitness is always suss, then why bother? It is a shame though that Copley is playing so well at right centre although on song, I think Hodges has an awful lot to contribute. He has to play if he is fit

At least the right centre spot looks nicely sewn up when Hodges retires.

I agree Hunt ought to be our permanent goal kicker. Any sort of kicking and the more of it, can only benefit his game

 

[broncos4life]

I can't see any point in resting Hodges if he's fit to play. If we argue his fitness is always suss, then why bother? It is a shame though that Copley is playing so well at right centre although on song, I think Hodges has an awful lot to contribute. He has to play if he is fit

At least the right centre spot looks nicely sewn up when Hodges retires.

I agree Hunt ought to be our permanent goal kicker. Any sort of kicking and the more of it, can only benefit his game

Agree with all of this.

In regards to hodges they need to get the message through to him that we are no longer a one man team and he needs to just play his centre spot. I understand for him it must be difficult after all last year carrying us single handedly but at the moment he is hurting the team by his need to be in everything rather than just being the class centre that he is

 

[Brett]

If can get our defense and completion rate to where it was a month ago should be a cracking game, need Cornish to start though as he's our only half that seems to play what's in front of him rather than sticking to a set idea.

If I was the Broncs I'd be targeting Milf, his mind definitely didn't seem on the job on the weekend, he'll either be rocks or diamonds due to his contract and playing his future team mates. It's another reason to start Cornish, playing with his mate has seemed to lift him when Cornish has come on.

It boggles my mind how McCrone gets a start over Cornish. Cornish seems like a natural Halfback, while McCrone seems like Peter Wallace to me; plays okay in a structure, but has nothing outside of that. Cornish has real vision and knows how to use his outside backs.

Having said that, I don't see any way the Raiders beat the Broncos here, provided the Broncos turn up to play. If Brisbane turn up, we'll put 40 on the Raiders.