PRE-GAME [Round 19, 2024] Broncos vs Dragons

[Galah]

Alright, I'm back in Aus which means back to boredom, so here we go, pre-game head to head. Strap yourselves in:

1. Sloan (Dragons) - But let's be honest, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel here, Sloan is a winger but he is a regular first grader so wins here by default
2. Oates (Broncos) - I am partial to the guy, he's a club legend and I want him to come out and prove the doubters wrong
3. Staggs (Broncos) - He is the best centre out there by a distance...will he prove it?
4. Suli (Dragons) - Total rocks and diamonds player but has the ability to make our lives very difficult all night
5. Arthars (Broncos) - Let's be honest, Jesse has been very underwhelming since coming back in, I'm backing him to come good this week
6. Mam (Broncos) - Flanagan is better than he gets credit for but he's a Flanagan, so forget everything I just said
7. Marschke (Dragons) - Goodness me who the heck knows, this is a battle royale of two blokes who really would not have been expecting to play this year, so whichever screws up least will win it
8. Molo (Dragons) - Jensen is massively underrated but so it Molo, should be a good battle
9. Liddle (Dragons) - Walters is perhaps in career worst form right now, Liddle is going ok
10. Willison (Broncos) - Harsh on De Bellin but its De Bellin, he deserves nothing and Xman has been great all year
11. Piakura (Broncos) - He's come good again since ditching the head gear, a real weapon in a team of nobodies
12. Su'A (Dragons) - Great, he will have a massive point to prove being dropped from origin AND against his old team, he's going to tear us to shreds
13. Eisenhuth (Dragons) - I fully suspect Hetherington will actually start here but if Smoothy holds his own, that might be a sneak peak at where his future lie - replacing Hetherington on the bench, even so Eisenhuth is a proven first grade forward

14. Sele (Dragons) - I am expecting Mozer to come out and make a statement but in games where he has been expected to do so in lower grades, he hasn't really done it, Sele always plays well against us so this is a no brainer
15. Leilua (Dragons) - Honestly Hetherington is going so badly right now, he is lucky to be in the team anywhere and Leilua is destructive on his day
16. Couchman (Dragons) - Well he's a forward and Karapani isn't but that said, I expect Semu will come in here for us on game day
17. Taupau (Broncos) - Has had a second wind since his recall to the starting side

10-7 to the Dragons but there are a couple of caveats. One is that the halfback is a default win to the Dragons but I think Rogers will really impress now he has got the multi-week shot he has never had before. I also think Semu comes on to the bench probably for Karapani and I think Bird also slots in somewhere, maybe centre.

Your point about piakura and his ditching the headgear is an interesting one, I grew up playing defence first footy on the edge and was a great tackle but then my mum forced me into wearing a headgear and my defence went astray. My coach put it down to the headgear and losing my peripheral senses, sure enough I took it off and I stopped missing tackles.

Now obviously there have been great players who wore them “Thurston” being a future immortal being one
But everyone is different and I kind of lost where I was positionally. I know he has concussion issues but this could be the missing link, will be interesting to see if his sliding/ cover defence keeps improving.

 

[1910]

Your point about piakura and his ditching the headgear is an interesting one, I grew up playing defence first footy on the edge and was a great tackle but then my mum forced me into wearing a headgear and my defence went astray. My coach put it down to the headgear and losing my peripheral senses, sure enough I took it off and I stopped missing tackles.

Now obviously there have been great players who wore them “Thurston” being a future immortal being one
But everyone is different and I kind of lost where I was positionally. I know he has concussion issues but this could be the missing link, will be interesting to see if his sliding/ cover defence keeps improving.

He missed 10 tackles last week.

 

[Santa]

He missed 10 tackles last week.

Why do you have to ruin a feel good story with your stupid facts!?

 

[Big Del]

He was looking great last year until his jaw was smashed.

It was the 2nd game of the season .
Not a great sample size .

 

[Big Del]

Your point about piakura and his ditching the headgear is an interesting one, I grew up playing defence first footy on the edge and was a great tackle but then my mum forced me into wearing a headgear and my defence went astray. My coach put it down to the headgear and losing my peripheral senses, sure enough I took it off and I stopped missing tackles.

Now obviously there have been great players who wore them “Thurston” being a future immortal being one
But everyone is different and I kind of lost where I was positionally. I know he has concussion issues but this could be the missing link, will be interesting to see if his sliding/ cover defence keeps improving.

Head gear and prevention of concussion is a myth !
Might stop you getting a cut on your head . Does fck all to stop your brain colliding with your skull .
It`s a phsycological crutch more than a preventative .

 

[Big Del]

He missed 10 tackles last week.

Missed ?
He didn`t get run over or around 10 times that I can remember ?

 

[Galah]

He missed 10 tackles last week.

I started drinking early, stats vs the eye test seemed different. Honestly thought he looked like he was reading the play better. Just my opinion.

 

[Galah]

Head gear and prevention of concussion is a myth !
Might stop you getting a cut on your head . Does fck all to stop your brain colliding with your skull .
It`s a phsycological crutch more than a preventative .

Yep

 

[Volvo Driver]

Missed ?
He didn`t get run over or around 10 times that I can remember ?

He did try to pull off some big hits and they/him just bounced off. That would be classed as a missed tackle.

 

[Foordy]

Dang, this is a home game.

Now I have to make the choice between going to watch our reserve grade side (so affected by Origin and injury, that we couldn't even name a full squad of 22) ... Or watch it from the comfort of my couch with my bottle of scotch close by.

 

[Renegade]

Dang, this is a home game.

Now I have to make the choice between going to watch our reserve grade side (so affected by Origin and injury, that we couldn't even name a full squad of 22) ... Or watch it from the comfort of my couch with my bottle of scotch close by.

Don't be a puss. Go to the game.

 

[Galah]

Dang, this is a home game.

Now I have to make the choice between going to watch our reserve grade side (so affected by Origin and injury, that we couldn't even name a full squad of 22) ... Or watch it from the comfort of my couch with my bottle of scotch close by.

What your win loss record at the game?

 

[1910]

I started drinking early, stats vs the eye test seemed different. Honestly thought he looked like he was reading the play better. Just my opinion.

He hasn't been great the last three weeks, up too early too late and timing is way off. Penrith's first try came about when Leota went past him at marker.

 

[Foordy]

What your win loss record at the game?

Same as the Broncos home record ... I go to every game

 

[Galah]

Same as the Broncos home record ... I go to every game

I have no opinion then

 

[Strop]

The Women’s team are having a trial against the Tigers before the main game apparently. More time to put away some overpriced beers.

 

[FACTHUNT]

Piakura has cooked his ankle at Queensland training today anyway

 

[Mustafur]

He's 29.

His knees are 60.