Round 18 - Panthers vs Broncos - Pre-Match Discussion

[broncos4life]

While I agree with you about the potential for Hunt to stay in Wallace's shadow, I also think that Benny could've become a fantastic 5/8 with Peter as halfback, as long as he did so in a "Lockyeresque" way of taking charge of the attack when he saw an opportunity or in the last 20. The question really is whether he would've had been assertive enough to do it...

I agree and I also agree that there would be doubt over Ben would take charge while Wally was here. For whatever reason hunt would really go into his shell whenever partnered with Wallace. Even at the end of last season when hunt was showing real promise, when Wallace came off the bench hunt would shut down

 

[Big Pete]

Can you refresh my memory about what happened in the 08/09 off season?

Last Thursday week, Wallace was fined $300 in Maroochydore Magistrate's Court after pleading guilty to two charges of disorderly behaviour at a Sunshine Coast hotel.

Brisbane Broncos halfback Peter Wallace ready to behave - The Front Row Forum :: Rugby League

Only remember this because El D had a coronary when I moved one of his threads into a general thread, so he started spamming the board with Broncos related news for the entire off-season. :laugh:

 

[CaptainHook]

Credit where it's due. Wallace may be much maligned in Broncos circles but he has guided the Panthers to the top of the competition ladder. Who would have predicted that?

He's a big loss for them as no doubt he would have this date marked on his calendar. Still predicting a Penrith win without him, tbh.

Am reading over a lot of these posts...hearing things like we'll win as long as we play for 80 minutes, have good defense for the entire game etc...I agree with all of it but honestly we haven't shown that consistently all year/s...why would this week be any different?

Still gonna be barracking hard for the boys to get a win. If we can jag one over the competition leaders, it would do wonders for our confidence.

 

[Porthoz]

Yeah, it's not like we've beat the other competition leaders!

Oh wait...

 

[CaptainHook]

Yeah, it's not like we've beat the other competition leaders!

Oh wait...

As I said, credit where it's due. We beat Manly comprehensively but let's be honest... they were under-strengthed. That's not our problem though and it was a nice change as it's normally us coming up against a top side without all hands on deck.

I'm not letting the scoreline though fool me about that performance. Although we lead from start to finish it was not an 80 minute performance. Towards the end of the first half, we clocked off. There was no purpose to our running, our kicks were meh and we were damn lucky not to concede points...the Matai obstruction was a "spin the wheel" decision. If it had been given I daresay we would've been run down...like in the Sharks game.

 

[Porthoz]

Ah yes of course, the "they were under-strength" argument. Never seen it used as an excuse for us, but that's ok...

Btw, they were missing DCE, we were missing Hodgo... and they didn't have Hoggman!

 

[Big Pete]

:lol: I don't think CaptainHook came in here looking to bag the Broncos out but damn if he wasn't painted into a corner.

It's pretty easy to write the Manly game off as one of those strange Origin season type results. They happen all the time, the Rabbitohs FLOGGED us in 2006 and both teams ended up on two completely different ends of the totem pole. That's all that needs to be said. None of this hypothetical world crap which could be applied to any game.

Clearly this is going to be a different game and we're going to be against it because we've got players backing up from Origin duty while Penrith are virtually the perfect NRL side who don't have to concern themselves with it. It pisses me off how teams like Penrith are rewarded for being not Australia or not good enough but that's for another thread. I think the Broncos have more upside than the Panthers and if they can get everyone but Hodges on the park, they can definitely win but it's just a matter of where they're at after the Sharks game. It's a shame this game didn't happen a week earlier because I reckon the Broncos would have been that fired up they'd win the game comfortably.

 

[CaptainHook]

Ah yes of course, the "they were under-strength" argument. Never seen it used as an excuse for us, but that's ok...

Btw, they were missing DCE, we were missing Hodgo... and they didn't have Hoggman!

and Watmough and Glen Stewart...and I think Lyon and a few others were making their comeback from injury but let's not let facts get in the way of a good agenda-driven discussion...

 

[CaptainHook]

It's a shame this game didn't happen a week earlier because I reckon the Broncos would have been that fired up they'd win the game comfortably.

Agreed. The bye couldn't have come at a worse time really.

 

[Alec]

and Watmough and Glen Stewart...and I think Lyon and a few others were making their comeback from injury but let's not let facts get in the way of a good agenda-driven discussion...

I don't really rate Stewart, but yeah, Watmough is half of their go forward, he's a huge loss too.

 

[Porthoz]

and Watmough and Glen Stewart...and I think Lyon and a few others were making their comeback from injury but let's not let facts get in the way of a good agenda-driven discussion...

Agenda-driven, excellent rebuke!

We beat Manly comprehensively by 36-10 (7 tries to 2), while carrying Hoggman in the halves and missing one of our best players, but apparently we were lucky Manly were understrength (I forgot Watamong, but Buhrer is as good as Stewart imo) and a 50/50 call didn't go their way, otherwise they would've rolled us...

And I'm the one with the agenda. :laugh:

 

[Ari Gold]

Of our 8 wins, 6 were against teams currently sitting 10th or worse. Only teams we've beaten are the Dogs and Manly. I think the Manly win was excellent but the Dogs win came well before they hit their stride.

Our losses against the top sides were all by a narrow margin though (biggest loss to a Top 8 team was 9pts against the Warriors). The other losses were against the Roosters and Rabbits. The refs fucked us against the Rabbits and we were the better team against the Roosters for 75mins. We dominated 1st half against the Warriors too but on the whole they were the better team over 80mins -- something Roosters and Souths were not.

In all honesty, the most depressing thing about all of this is just how much Hoggman is bringing us down.

 

[winslow_wong]

Of our 8 wins, 6 were against teams currently sitting 10th or worse. Only teams we've beaten are the Dogs and Manly. I think the Manly win was excellent but the Dogs win came well before they hit their stride.

Our losses against the top sides were all by a narrow margin though (biggest loss to a Top 8 team was 9pts against the Warriors). The other losses were against the Roosters and Rabbits. The refs fucked us against the Rabbits and we were the better team against the Roosters for 75mins. We dominated 1st half against the Warriors too but on the whole they were the better team over 80mins -- something Roosters and Souths were not.

In all honesty, the most depressing thing about all of this is just how much Hoggman is bringing us down.

agreed. hoffman at 5/8th and anthony griffin are amongst the worst things to ever happen to the brisbane broncos.

 

[Big Pete]

Basically I think we can all forget about what happened these past 15 or so games. To me, the only point they've served is that they've given us a shot at this point in the season but the team is going to have to find another gear if they want to be there come September.

I think they have that extra gear IF Barba, Kennedy & Hodges can find form but that's a pretty big if, especially in Barba and Kennedy's case.

At the end of the day, I just think the Broncos defence and kicking game is going to be their downfall. They have enough weapons in offence but not enough to carry that side of the equation.

It all begins next week, if the Broncos don't beat Penrith, I'd dare say that's curtains for 2014.

 

[Ari Gold]

That's the key word right there, another gear. It's the one thing all along this year that has killed any temptation for optimism. With Hunt having a Dally M worthy year he realistically can't do much more (kicking game aside). Despite that it's really hard to see where we can improve. Statistically we have a very solid defence and we score our fair share of points but when the key moments roll around we lack the resolve in defence and the composure and organization with the ball to make any real inroads on a premiership.

 

[vertigo]

It all begins next week, if the Broncos don't beat Penrith, I'd dare say that's curtains for 2014.

That's the feeling I get too, our draw after this is full of teams capable of belting us with the only gimmie (on paper, although the Sharks were too but look how that turned out) being the Knights.

 

[Broncoman]

Want to drop my thought in about Peter Wallace

I always thought of him as a good and loyal club player that always put his head down, worked hard, gave good service and was a good clubman. He started of very well for us and was rewarded with NSW selection and did well in his first game from memory but never performed in any other Origin after that from memory and wasn't really the same after he was dropped after the 2nd game in 2009. He left at the right time and it's been a win for both Brisbane and Penrith.

 

[Brett]

Official team:

1. Ben Barba

2. Daniel Vidot

3. Jack Reed

4. Justin Hodges

5. Dale Copley

6. Josh Hoffman

7. Ben Hunt


8. Josh McGuire

9. Andrew McCullough

10. Corey Parker

11. Alex Glenn

12. Matt Gillett

13. Sam Thaiday


Interchange.


14. Ben Hannant

15. Dave Hala

16. Corey Oates

17. Todd Lowrie

18. Jake Granville

19. Jarrod Wallace

20. David Stagg

Interesting to see Gillett back to Second Row. No way Thaiday can play 80 mins at Lock though.