PRE-GAME [Round 17, 2024] Broncos vs Warriors

[nopatience101]

It’s hard because we are short on depth, but Piakura has to go back to the bench, you can’t keep rewarding some of his lazy efforts. There has to be some accountability for performance.

 

[BroncsFan]

It’s hard because we are short on depth, but Piakura has to go back to the bench, you can’t keep rewarding some of his lazy efforts. There has to be some accountability for performance.

Maybe send him to Souths for next week as well... does he need the bye?

He can barely get through 80mins as it is... and last bye he had a holiday on the Gold Coast wondering around with Qld team... he needs to be playing and focussing on his game at the moment, not pretending to be an origin player, because he should be nowhere near that squad at the moment.

 

[Totally Unr3al]

Kevvie clearly doesn’t know what’s wrong or how to fix it
Our errors are diabolical, until that is sorted it won’t matter who is on the field

 

[Super Freak]

If Riki wasn't suspended, I would go for Kobe back to QLD Cup because he's been shit, Hunt to start at backrow and Piakura coming from the bench.

He's not an 80 minute backrower at the moment and he's becoming too much of a liability the longer he plays.

Last year when he came from the bench he killed it because of his leg speed and late footwork against tiring forwards.

 

[Totally Unr3al]

If Riki wasn't suspended, I would go for Kobe back to QLD Cup because he's been shit, Hunt to start at backrow and Piakura coming from the bench.

He's not an 80 minute backrower at the moment and he's becoming too much of a liability the longer he plays.

Last year when he came from the bench he killed it because of his leg speed and late footwork against tiring forwards.

Piakura played 69 mins, only made 26 tackles and missed 7

He’s not even a 1st grader

 

[Broncos Maestro]

Unless there is a dramatic change in attitude, we can’t beat anyone

I agree. Right now we can’t even fight Milford lining up for Maccas

 

[Sproj]

I agree. Right now we can’t even fight Milford lining up for Maccas

Dude not even Penrith in the prime would have a hope there.

 

[winslow_wong]

I agree. Right now we can’t even fight Milford lining up for Maccas

and we never did

 

[Bucking Beads]

Our forward pack is gonna be pretty rank next week.

Jensen
Walters
Willson
Hunt
Gosiewski
Hetherington

Piakura
Tapau
Baker
Smoothy.

I think I’m gonna throw up.

 

[lynx000]

I'm reverting to my thoughts on Madden earlier in the season. I think he's already pretty close to terminal velocity, and won't mature in a substantial way, enough to supplant Adam Reynolds. His deficiencies in game management have been papered over by Reece Walsh, only winning one game without him. And that was against Manly, where he kicked the winning field goal. Notable in that game was Cobbo at fullback and MOZER at hooker, when Billy was injured. He has no "spark."

I doubt Kevvie will drop him, but I would bring back Josh Reynolds, who has a superior kicking game. I don't say this with massive confidence.

Without Reynolds or Walsh's direction, we flounder relying on effort and skill alone. Our spine is rudderless. Billy and Tyson can get the job done when everything else is firing, when there's a leader in the spine, but without they bring only perfunctory dummy half duties. Ezra does his own thing, usually brilliantly, but he's no leader. Sailor appears destined to the file that contained Niu and Isaako.

It's time to elevate Mozer. If you think he hasn't done enough, I give you Jock Madden. Give him a few weeks to find his feet.

I recommend we all watch the U'19's Origin on Thursday night, and pay attention particularly to Black and Bukowski. They may very well be our not too distant future.

Mate, I don't think grub is signed to our club, plus you have the other issue that he is actually retired, so I doubt he will be much of an upgrade on Madden to be honest. Now, I think Josh Rogers could potentially be a marked improvement over Madden and he has the advantage that he is signed to us.

 

[Super Freak]

Warriors are all over Melbourne.

They are playing with a lot of confidence.

 

[lynx000]

Our forward pack is gonna be pretty rank next week.

Jensen
Walters
Willson
Hunt
Gosiewski
Hetherington

Piakura
Tapau
Baker
Smoothy.

I think I’m gonna throw up.

I really believe that this is a significant part of our woes at the moment. We lack and have lacked 2 or 3 really hard, tough and intimidating forwards. I believe that we are consistently losing the forward battle which then places excessive pressure on our key playmakers to get us out of trouble. When you don't have those experienced and/or brilliant playmakers available, it just compounds the issues.

Look at our pack for the 98 GF - Webcke, Andrew Gee, Tallis, Thorn, Carroll and on the bench Kevin Campion and Petero. Each one of those players is the type of player we are missing.

Our 2000 GF pack - Webcke, Tallis, Thorn, Campion, Harvey Howard.

Our 2006 GF pack - Webcke, Petero, Thorn, Tonie Carroll.

Now look at the successful sides of recent history:
Panthers - Leota, Fisher-Harris, Liam Martin, Spencer Leniu (until this year) - aggressive, tough, hard forwards
Roosters - JWH, Leniu, Radley, Collins
Sharks - Talakai, Hazelton, Nikora, Rudolf, Royce Hunt
Storm - NAS, Kamikamica, Katoa, and in the past the Bromwich brothers and Kaufusi.

The two players that we did have that had a hint of that intimidation factor, Flegler and Palasia, they allowed to sign elsewhere and did not replace them with like forwards. Instead they replaced them with pillows.

I think we are too soft, and we are getting dominated which is causing issues for our playmakers.

 

[BroncsFan]

My lineup thus far assuming no origin players back up... although Cobbo might if he's selected from the bench and doesn't play a whole lot in game 2

1. Sailor (although I would have him play Qcup next week... he needs game time... and he's had some shockers.)
2. Arthars (I'd be tempted to have him play a game in Qcup next week if he's fit)
3. Staggs
4. Karapani
5. Mariner
6. Mam (should not be in origin camp... we need him training with the team as much as possible)
7. Madden
8. Jensen
9. Billy
10. Willison (although starting him has me worried about how bad the bench looks)
11. Gos
12. Piakura (another one that should not be in origin camp... if anything he should be playing a game of Qcup to sort his shit out in defence)
13. Kobe

14. Smoothy
15. Baker (because we have no one else)
16. Taupau
17. Hunt

18. Oates

That bench does not look like it has enough minutes in it though... maybe we have to start Taupau and have Willison on the bench? Taupau can basically only play 20mins so have him start and then see if you can get a second stint out of him later in the game.

I'd be tempted to start Hunt as well and Piakura back to the bench... not necessarily for anything other than hoping it keeps Piakura fresh enough to get through a game.

Kevvie can't be going into this thinking he can carry a player across our forward pack intending to play him for 20mins he needs to be getting minutes and impact out of his whole bench ... keep them rotating and fresh.

I'm not sure how we will use the bye either... do we train through the bye (because they're shit and need to work on their everything desperately) or do they need a break from footy (because they're busted and fatigued)? Did they rest or train over the first bye?

I think we need to use the Qcup next weekend though... would be a temptation to not play in case of injuries and suspensions, but some of these guys need minutes and/or confidence in their game.... Arthars (after 6-7 weeks off needs miles in his legs), Sailor (to get some confidence), Piakura (to work on his shit defence and lazy efforts).

 

[Broncapz]

Oof. They've named our bench early.

 

[McHunt]

Mate, I don't think grub is signed to our club, plus you have the other issue that he is actually retired, so I doubt he will be much of an upgrade on Madden to be honest. Now, I think Josh Rogers could potentially be a marked improvement over Madden and he has the advantage that he is signed to us.

Josh Rogers, dammit.

 

[McHunt]

How can you possibly think that Mam has done anything brilliantly? He has been really really ordinary the last few games. Cobbo to FB is also a stress, he dropped more than Sailor did last night. Both are shit options if they cant catch the high ball. IF we held the ball win the last two games.

Well he must've done something okay. It was a tossup between him and Tommy D for Origin, and it went to Tommy purely on seniority. Admittedly, he hasn't had the strongest season, and those with "very very low IQ's" are fixated on his missed tackles, without taking the nature of the attempts into context. But he's scored more tries and had more try assists this season than DCE and Tommy. And they killed it in Origin one.

But speaking of being "really really ordinary" and "shit options" how do you feel about persisting with Billy at 9?

 

[mrslong]

Let’s sign Brandon smith

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Let’s sign Brandon smith

What could go wrong?