PRE-GAME Round 17 - Broncos vs Storm

[Unbreakable]

Workload wouldn't be the issue; it'd be the same as playing half one step to the centres' left or right.

How do you know defensive workload wouldn't be the issue, when was the last time Nikorima played 80 minutes in the halves in first grade, or anywhere for that matter.

 

[1910]

How do you know defensive workload wouldn't be the issue, when was the last time Nikorima played 80 minutes in the halves in first grade, or anywhere for that matter.

Why would the workload be more than a half and if he was playing half you wouldn't be worried about the workload?

 

[Unbreakable]

Why would the workload be more than a half and if he was playing half you wouldn't be worried about the workload?

When did I say I wouldn't be worried about him defensively if he was in the halves? I absolutely would be, I don't think he's defensively capable of playing 80 minutes right now, in any position, primarily because I don't think he's played 80 minutes in any form of Rugby League since his debut, apart from maybe the odd trial or WCC game. He may be completely ineffective towards the end of the game, we don't know, there's no reference point.

It took Milford a whole off-season and about 2 months of NRL games to get game fitness capable of playing in the halves and not being completely useless at the end of the game.

 

[1910]

When did I say I wouldn't be worried about him defensively if he was in the halves? I absolutely would be, I don't think he's defensively capable of playing 80 minutes right now, in any position, primarily because I don't think he's played 80 minutes in any form of Rugby League since his debut, apart from maybe the odd trial or WCC game. He may be completely ineffective towards the end of the game, we don't know, there's no reference point.

It took Milford a whole off-season and about 2 months of NRL games to get game fitness capable of playing in the halves and not being completely useless at the end of the game.

He's played 80 minutes in ISC.

 

[Unbreakable]

He's played 80 minutes in ISC.

When?

 

[lynx000]

When?

He played the full game for us in the World Club Championship against Wigan from memory and also played the full game for NZ in the test both this year.

 

[Big Pete]

Kodi started the season in the Queensland Cup and went back there for a stint during the Origin period. I know that in a couple of those games, he didn't play the full 80, but looking back he did manage it once against Souths Logan. I'm unsure whether or not he managed to play the full 80 against the Sunshine Coast in Round 1 of that year, so there's that as well.

For the most part, I like the changes Wayne has made to the team. Namely, I like Blair coming back into the run-on side. I think Wallace has stamped himself as a bench forward, which is fine, but it's also a very expendable position in the team. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Darren Mapp who played for Brisbane in 2000, had a stint at the Raiders before coming back in 2004-05. Mapp was fairly solid off the bench but never anything spectacular. Although, Cronulla saw something in him and offered him a ridiculous contract in 2006. Something like 200K and he only managed to play two games for them. I thought last week, Wallace was a key reason for the loss. His inability to bend the line really hurt the Broncos early when they really needed to score points. He wasn't god awful, but still not good enough. Blair on the other hand allows the Broncos to play the expansive style and I feel like he's a better player when he doesn't feel the need to over-play his hand.

Nikorima in the centres is interesting. It says two things about Wayne and this current squad. Firstly, that he rates Nikorima as a versatile player and wants to get him involved in the side in some fashion. The other is that he doesn't believe Seve is ready to get the job done yet. As far as the latter is concerned, I haven't seen enough of Seve this season to really judge his performances. His numbers always look decent, not outstanding, but decent and unlike Isaako who had to be relegated to the NYC due to his form, Seve has been able to keep his place in a Magpies side that has had it's moments this year. When I watched a couple of Tigers NYC games, I thought Seve was the type of talent that would require a season in reserves just to gain some size and get used to the demands of first grade football. If he had have stayed at the Tigers, I thought Taylor would be better off giving him a go than going with a Rankin, Hunt or Addo-Carr, neither of whom I really rate but of course things changed and Seve found himself at Brissie. Watching the Bulldogs game back, I actually enjoyed Nikorima's performance in the second half. Granted, he was up against Holland who is a second rate player masquerading in first grade, but I thought he got his hands dirty, looked dangerous and added to the potential he displayed against the Cowboys six weeks ago. Ultimately, I believe Kahu will be a late inclusion, but it's some interesting food for thought none the less.

McCullough is a nice inclusion, but I don't know if he'll be 100% right with that thumb injury of his. Even when he rushed back into play the Cowboys....I really wasn't impressed with his performance and thought he looked a little sluggish out there. However, at his best, he's clearly a better option than Waddell and he allows the Broncos to play the defensive brand of football Bennett enjoyes. Travis has done OK at filling in, but there are moments in each game where you can just tell the side is missing McCullough. Particularly in defence, Waddell got through a ton of work, but his technique isn't as good as McCullough's.

Pangai Jr being retained is interesting. I thought he was fairly poor against the Bulldogs, getting dominated in a lot of his carries and offering little in defence. I'd probably still have him over Ese'ese who really hasn't shown much since the Manly game but I thought it would have been a perfect time to call back Ofahengaue who has been killing it for the Magpies of late. Joe deserved to be dropped for his awful performances against the Warriors and Wests, but off the bench, he's shown he can be a real handful and the Broncos really missed his size. Tevita is going to be a gun, but I can't see him starring in the 2016 finals series and that's where the focus should be.

The other selection that concerns me is Maranta. His form at Norths hasn't been that great and he was dogshit against the Warriors. Melbourne like to pick on Maranta and I can just see Koroibete having a field day down his wing. To be fair, Wayne had little choice in the matter. Reed is out, Kahu is out, Anderson is out, Seve is a centre, Isaako isn't ready and Pearson struggles to involve himself at ISC level. I just hope Lachlan makes the most of it, because the combination of Roberts/Maranta is giving me bad flashbacks.

I think the Broncos will be better this week, but not enough to beat Melbourne who are playing their best brand of footy since 2012. I don't think it will necessarily be the end of the season if the Broncos lost this game, but they have to show some ticker and play the brand of footy we saw in Round 8.

 

[Unbreakable]

I'd say it's also reasonably plausible that if Kahu returns, Wayne will play him on the right wing, drop Maranta, shift Glenn to left centre, start Su'A on the left edge and bring Ese'ese or Ofahengaue onto the bench.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

I'd say it's also reasonably plausible that if Kahu returns, Wayne will play him on the right wing, drop Maranta, shift Glenn to left centre, start Su'A on the left edge and bring Ese'ese or Ofahengaue onto the bench.

Nail on the head there Unbreakable

 

[Super Freak]

Nail on the head there Unbreakable

Can Glenn even do contact work?

Courier Mail reported that he sat out the contact work Tuesday morning.

I hope we aren't bringing him back too early.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Can Glenn even do contact work? Courier Mail reported that he sat out the contact work Tuesday morning. I hope we aren't bringing him back too early.

I think there are a few smoke screens being thrown up this week

 

[Super Freak]

Broncos have been strong at home this season, averaging 28.62 points for pg and conceding an average of 10.12 points pg. Only losing 1 game at home this season.

Storm have an average of 21.62 points for pg and concede an average of 10.75 points per game away from home. Although, they have only lost 2 of their 8 games away from Melbourne.

 

[Super Freak]

Watching NRL 360, I thought this was interesting.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Watching NRL 360, I thought this was interesting.

Welp, stats don't lie. McC is underrated, if nothing else it seems

 

[Super Freak]

Schick Hydro Preview: Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm
Suncorp Stadium
Friday, 7.50pm

Football fans in Philadelphia garnered the reputation as the worst in American sports on the back of throwing snowballs and insults at Santa Claus way back in 1968 but this week the Broncos face the polar opposite problem: The captain of the opposition is a god to many of those who will fill the stands at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Nine days will have passed between when Cameron Smith led the Maroons on a victory lap in front of 52,000 crazed Queensland fans and when he leads the Storm onto the field and there is every chance he and fellow Maroon Cooper Cronk will be greeted by cheers instead of jeers.

In Queensland the Storm are most people's second team because of the success their players have helped bring to the state and their record in Brisbane shows it, with 10 wins from their past 11 visits to Suncorp.

Also of concern to the Broncos faithful is a run of form that has seen them lose three of their past four games and a Storm team that has spent a decade systematically breaking down opposition teams not able to sustain the arm wrestle.

For 18 months that was a feature of Wayne Bennett's team but having conceded 30 points on more than three occasions in the past month the steel edge has been significantly blunted.

The return of Andrew McCullough at hooker is a welcome one for Brisbane as is Alex Glenn who will add firepower on the left edge.

The Storm look set to be without Cameron Munster and Blake Green yet again and giant prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona is due to miss eight weeks with a knee injury, coach Craig Bellamy naming a six-man bench that includes Ben Hampton, Curtis Scott and Slade Griffin.

Watch out Broncos: For a boy who grew up in Logan supporting the Broncos Cameron Smith sure has dished out some pain to Brisbane fans in recent years. The Storm skipper took four cracks at the Broncos before tasting his first victory but in the past 25 games has been a winner on 21 occasions. At the height of his powers having won a sixth man-of-the-match award for Queensland in Game Two of the Origin series, Smith is just as comfortable at Suncorp Stadium as he is at his home ground of AAMI Park. If the Broncos forwards can't limit his influence in the middle of the field he'll be leaving a winner again on Friday night.

Watch out Storm: In Andrew McCullough and Alex Glenn there are two significant inclusions for the Broncos that will help to bring the best out of five-eighth Anthony Milford. After a blistering start to the season Milford's influence has been limited during a tough period for the Broncos but with McCullough back at dummy-half and Glenn by his side on the left edge Milford should be afforded more time and space to weave his magic. With Kodi Nikorima on his outside in the centres he also has speed to burn on his shoulder which should also help to thin out the Melbourne defence. He combined with Ben Hunt for a brilliant try late against the Bulldogs; that may be the spark he needs to get back to his best.

Key match-up: Corey Oates v Suliasi Vunivalu. Sure, the Ben Hunt-Cooper Cronk match-up might have broader implications to the result of this fixture but every opportunity that is created needs someone to finish it off and there are few better currently in the NRL than this pair. Oates scored his maiden Origin try in Game Two to go with the 10 he has scored in 11 games this season while Vunivalu is incredibly the leading try-scorer in the competition with 13 from just nine games. Two supremely gifted athletes, watching them go head-to-head will be a highlight and his brief history shows that if Vunivalu gets at least one try, he always gets another.

History: Played 38; Broncos 12, Storm 25, Drawn 1. The Broncos have more wins against Illawarra than they do against Melbourne and the Steelers haven't been in the competition for almost 20 years! Far and away Brisbane's worst record is against the Storm against whom they have just five wins from their past 26 meetings dating back to the 2004 Qualifying Final. The Storm have no fear of Suncorp Stadium either, winning 10 of their past 11 including a one-point win over the Cowboys in Round 10.

What are the odds: Broncos $1.65, Storm $2.25. The money is running four-to-one in favour of Melbourne and expect their price with Sportsbet to firm as we get closer to kick-off. The flying Fijians Marika Koroibete and Suliasi Vunivalu have upstaged perennial favourite Corey Oates in the first try-scoring department although Oates remains the $7.50 favourite.

Match officials: Referee: Ben Cummins; Assistant Referee: Matt Noyen; Touch Judges: Michael Wise and Chris Butler; Review Officials: Luke Patten and Steve Chiddy; Senior RO: Bernard Sutton.

Televised: Channel Nine – Live coverage from 7.30pm. Fox Sports 1 – Live coverage from 7pm.

How we see it: The Storm are the only team in the Telstra Premiership who can put a winger at fullback and a second-rower at five-eighth and not look the least bit weakened. They boast an incredibly dominant record over the Broncos and seem to enjoy Suncorp Stadium as much as AAMI Park. Footy's a funny game but against a Brisbane team looking for a shot of confidence it's hard to see the Storm giving the home side enough opportunities to play their way back into form. Storm by 10 points.

NRL Match Centre 2016

 

[Super Freak]

Broncos - $1.65
Storm - $2.25

This must be a typo. How the **** are Broncos favourites?

 

[broncos4life]

Watching NRL 360, I thought this was interesting.

Yeah nah Macca won't change a thing :rolleyes:

 

[Rally Towel]

I'd say it's also reasonably plausible that if Kahu returns, Wayne will play him on the right wing, drop Maranta, shift Glenn to left centre, start Su'A on the left edge and bring Ese'ese or Ofahengaue onto the bench.

I live and hope.

Kahu brings finishing ability, Glenn is familiar on that edge and has been passable when filling in at centre.

Su'a has shown himself to be ready and between the two of them that side should hold up defensively.

Hopefully we feed the ball with space whoever we can bring off the bench. TPJ wasn't great last week but we were quite flat in attack. If we can improve there and get our forwards running hard onto the ball, we can do some damage.