PRE-GAME [Round 17, 2023] Broncos vs Titans

[ZTop]

Bloody love Riki, his latest presser is awesome

 

[Culhwch]

Is there any update on Mam?

 

[Sproj]

Is there any update on Mam?

Riki said he's fine, just soft and probably didn't stretch enough.

 

[Super Freak]

 

[Santa]

Since 2016, we have never lead this game at half time. Our defence has been shocking against them at Suncorp.

2010-2015 we conceded an average of 6pts v titans @ home
2016-2022 we conceded an average of 26pts v titans @ home

I reckon this would be similar for most teams that have played the Titans recently (Titans generally kill it in the 1st half and then go missing in the 2nd).

If we can hold them out for the first 40 we should be good. Problem is, we don't seem to be the best starters.

Foran back this week too ...

 

[McHunt]

1) Billy/Smoothy/Paix - is that our hooker hirechy now? What on earth is happenig with Corey? Is it a personalty clash, or he resents the apparent bias towards the coaches son? Its wierd. Paix is talented, and i saw some plays by Smoothy right out of the B Walters playbook on tackle five (no, its not a compliment).

Musical chairs with Billy until the finals is my prediction (rarely right). Expect to see Mozer in the next few weeks. No idea what the ranking is other than Billy won't get rested. No one else is likely to start or get decent minutes so you can't compare apples with apples. Only road apples.

2) What the hell is happening to our left edge? Honestly, last game it looked like they havent played together before? Herbie crashing in to allow 2 Kinghts tries and then Oates decides to do it too when Herbie was sliding in defence?

Also, Herbie never looks to Oates on attacking runs, always steps inside. The only time Oates get clear ball in good field position is when Walsh moves to the left edge. Its by far the most dysfunctional aspect of our team, and i cant work it out? Do you drop Herbie?

Again, that particular blowtorch is put away cause Kevvie is winning.

Nothing. It's how Herbie has always played. I copped a world of shit for pointing it out and now it's taken for granted. Sometimes it pays off, but mostly he's the end of the momentum. You just have to shout at the screen and then comfort yourself with his running metres. We probably don't have anyone better but maybe we will next season.

3) I dont want to say it, but given the current projectory, Walsh will be the best fullback prospect at this club since Lockyer. I dont want to add that kind of weight to the kid, but i also cant give higher praise than this.

He looked like our captain from the first trial he played for us. We are blessed to have him back.

4) I dont care who the opponent is, what the score is, but when i see Patty & Haas return to the field for their second stints, i'm confident we can win. What feeeling that is...

100%

 

[McHunt]

Capewell out this week and could be out for a few more weeks given the talk of two bye rounds being close together. Expected return is round 20 at this stage.

Also talk that he's been carrying the injury for a month or so now, which likely provides some reasoning behind Piakura playing the last few weeks out of nowhere.

If the injury was known and the byes were coming up in the distance, it gave Piakura an opportunity to get some NRL minutes under his belt in order to take over from Capewell whilst he recovers.

Would suggest that's been a good play by Kevvie if so.

Qscan Injury Update: Kurt Capewell

Broncos backrower Kurt Capewell will miss this weekend’s Macca’s Local Derby against The Titans with a quad tendon issue.

www.broncos.com.au

Yep, pumped to see Piakura get some big minutes. But I also suspect some folk here might not appreciate how much Capewell does for us. Big shoes to fill.

 

[Mustafur]

Yep, pumped to see Piakura get some big minutes. But I also suspect some folk here might not appreciate how much Capewell does for us. Big shoes to fill.

it's alot of Support play lost, but I did feel in the last game especially that Piakura put him self in very good positions to take advantage of any lapses.

Starting is a different ball game but very good for his development.

 

[Cult]

Musical chairs with Billy until the finals is my prediction (rarely right). Expect to see Mozer in the next few weeks. No idea what the ranking is other than Billy won't get rested. No one else is likely to start or get decent minutes so you can't compare apples with apples. Only road apples.


Nothing. It's how Herbie has always played. I copped a world of shit for pointing it out and now it's taken for granted. Sometimes it pays off, but mostly he's the end of the momentum. You just have to shout at the screen and then comfort yourself with his running metres. We probably don't have anyone better but maybe we will next season.



He looked like our captain from the first trial he played for us. We are blessed to have him back.


100%

You’re right. But what we can compare is how good Billy is playing at NRL level vs how good Paix is playing in the QLD Cup. Or how Turpin is playing at the Roosters. Or how Segeyaro is playing at, I don’t know, Instagram? Or how Levi is playing in the Super League. And Walters is winning on almost every metric.

 

[kman]

My happy Jensen is back, I'm happy Walters picked him over Palasia, Jensen is definitely the better player.

Smoothy deserved another run and I hope we see him play bigger minutes this week, around the 30 to 40 mark.

 

[Thelmus]

My happy Jensen is back, I'm happy Walters picked him over Palasia, Jensen is definitely the better player.

Smoothy deserved another run and I hope we see him play bigger minutes this week, around the 30 to 40 mark.

Walters varies the minutes billy does depending on how much he is giving. On days when the broncos have been asked to do a lot of defence first half he gets subbed early.
When they havent and he is playing well, he tends to leave him on.
Before anyone gets upset about nepotism with his dad, it worth remembering that paix got nearly equal time at the seasons beginning and was even left on a few times last year and one time this year.
Paix is still young and has plenty of time to get that first hooking role. And whilst mozer sounds pretty good, he still has to do the hard yards building into an NRL hooker.
There are things q cup cant prepare a toung player for. In short paix had to show some patience and we have to show patience for both mozer and paix. For what it is worth i think they are two young prospects that will both be fine players.
I dont know if billy goes beyond this contract with us but if he does it will be the macca type role of gradually reducimg minutes as the new generation takes over.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Chris "potato legs" butler is the ref for this one with kasey "they can't sack me becsuse it would look bad" badger the video ref...

This will be "vlando-ball-close-game-fluctuating crackdown- entertaining" I'm guessing

 

[McHunt]

Paix is still young and has plenty of time to get that first hooking role.

He's 23.

 

[Mustafur]

He's 23.

That's not Young?

I still consider Arthars a Young player that is still developing and he is 24.

Not every player has linear growth in their ability.

 

[McHunt]

That's not Young?

I still consider Arthars a Young player that is still developing and he is 24.

Not every player has linear growth in their ability.

Well yes and no. Same age as Payne, Herbie, Flegs, Tommy Dearden and Riki. This is the age they're starting to hit their straps, win games for their club team, make their way into Origin. Meanwhile, David Fifita is looking past his prime at 23.

 

[Sproj]

Well yes and no. Same age as Payne, Herbie, Flegs, Tommy Dearden and Riki. This is the age they're starting to hit their straps, win games for their club team, make their way into Origin. Meanwhile, David Fifita is looking past his prime at 23.

Cody Walker didn't debut until about 26? Gamble has been a late bloomer as well. I think even Damian Cook was a bit of a late bloomer too, had bounced around until 2018 when he took off at 26 - note he is a hooker. Look how late Billy Walters has burst on to the scene.

Others arguably include Scott Prince 26, Jeremy Smith 26/27, Nicho Hynes 24/25, Soni Luke (this will be another inconvenient truth for you as he is a hooker you rave about) 27, Scott Sattler 26, Nathan Brown 26, Michael Gordon 25/26, Scott Sorensen 27/28, Jamal Fogarty 26/27, Zac Hosking 25/26, Greg Marzhew 25, Scott Drinkwater 25, Liam Knight 26 and there are many, many more.

Some of these have become superstars of the game, especially the likes of Walker, Cook, Hynes and Drinkwater.

 

[theshed]

Oh yeah, T-Smooth

 

[Culhwch]

You’re right. But what we can compare is how good Billy is playing at NRL level vs how good Paix is playing in the QLD Cup. Or how Turpin is playing at the Roosters. Or how Segeyaro is playing at, I don’t know, Instagram? Or how Levi is playing in the Super League. And Walters is winning on almost every metric.

But they just didn't get a chance because of nepotism (which is definitely not a conspiracy because only other people have those...). We'd be even more on top of the ladder if anyone but Billy was hooker.