POST GAME [Round 2, 2025] Broncos vs Raiders

[Jedhead]

One thing that I found a bit strange is that there was an obvious early game plan to run Haas out wide and target Fogerty.

He seemed to do this every run for the first 15-20 minutes. It didn’t really have much impact as they handled him well and Fogerty seemed unimpaired in attack.

I get the tactic, run a big guy at a half - it’s pretty straight forward. Kev did the exact thing once with TPJ on Sam Walker to great success. The strange thing is that it seemed to disappear after 15 minutes and never return.

Did Madge just give up on it? Did Haas stop following the game plan? Was it only ever intended to be the first 15 minutes?

It’s the kind of tactic that only bares fruit if you persist with it until the half is actually too tired to be effective in attack. i can’t see the desired outcome in making him tackle Haas for the first 10 to 15 minutes and then leaving him alone entirely the rest of the game.

Yeh I saw what you are saying, but it might have had some effect as Fogerty threw away two 'gimme' conversions and his overall kicking game was poor. This could have been caused by his energy being zapped by the extra workload in trying dealing to deal with Haas.

For all the talk of us now having a wealth of leadership on the field I felt there was no one really driving us to make sure (Whatever game plan) and those sort of tactics you mentioned worked.

I'm waiting to hear if there was any underlying reason as to why Reece had such a mare of a game. I'd like to think he's at the crossover stage of his mindset and they way he plays the game. That phase of change invariably leaves the person totally confused until his mind resets and gets used to thinking in a calmer fashion. Last night it was working (i use that term very loosely) in almost direct opposition to his body.

 

[theshed]

I rewatched the tries and highlights.

Walsh was Isaako like in defence too. There was more he should’ve done in a few other tries but rhe 2 biggest examples were the right to left kick on our try line where he just walked and ball watched - the ball hits the deck and he then starts to run but had he at least been jogging toward where the ball was going he would’ve easily been able to get there before Papali.

The next was the starling try where it ricocheted off a few feet, instead of playing to the whistle, Walsh starts complaining to the ref while the ball is still live and Starling scores. Regardless of what he saw, you play to the whistle and complain after.

It’s a real epidemic in this team. Willison bombs that try and everyone just stops and drops their heads, allowing Weekes to pick it up in goal and run it for about 30 metres before anyone decides to tackle him. We would get sprayed in under 9s for not playing to the whistle. The game doesn’t stop just because you’re sad about something.

Riki who is a serial offender for switching off in our own 20 has again got back to the line, and then assumed his job is done - raiders go short side and he just watches them pass to Tamele who beats Cobbo 1:1 to score. Might not have stopped it but was absolutely in a position to provide support.

The same weak mentality that plagued them all last year.

I know Madge has been hired to grow them a backbone but I think I’ve seen enough of some players to feel that they just aren’t capable.

 

[Big Pete]

Plenty to work on, particularly in defence. The Broncos could not get the Raiders on the ground to save themselves and it snowballed from there. Brisbane need to work more on their gang tackles, players need to be more comfortable in their roles and work for that driving tackle that's become a difference maker in the current meta.

Not a complete horror show. At 32-10, it could have easily been a season defining 50 point loss but they had a crack.

The exit sets need an overhaul. Mariner might be able to make something of himself, if he retires that 3m slow play the ball run he's in love with. I don't get the logic, he positions himself like a decoy, gets the ball flat footed and proceeds to get smashed like a pinata.

 

[heartly87]

I don't want to rewatch the game as I found it very chaotic to watch. But I will just retouch on the momentum thing.

We had a very poor start with a number of six agains, a couple of tries and the stupid dead kick off.
It saps energy and the boys never adjusted. They never decided to take the aggression up a notch, play a bit more conservative and earn the right to play their style of footy.

The fact we were within ten points at the end is a testament to our conditioning this year. With such low completions we actually didn't collapse like we would have in the past.

I know it seems odd to say that but we were behind this whole game. We managed to stay in it and if our completions were higher we could have turned the tide.

The modern game is very unpredictable and requires near perfection to win. The Raiders had around 90% completion and just ran hard and tackled hard to win. It was always going to be a hard one. Raiders home game, rub of the green, crowd behind them and Ricky providing what only he can on the side line.

 

[Old Mate]

When was the last time Walsh has had a good game? 2023?

 

[_wwong]

When was the last time Walsh has had a good game? 2023?

He’ll tear apart the bottom sides but the top sides have figured him out.

 

[Brett Da Man LeMan]

One thing that really stood out to me in this week's game is how the 6 agains seem to favour and fall on the team with momentum. They were getting multiple 6 agains in a row in our line, yet later when we had the ball they were allowed to lay all over us for an eternity.
A set restart on the last for a dodgy offside call is so frustrating to see as a fan

 

[Mr Fourex]

I know Madge has been hired to grow them a backbone but I think I’ve seen enough of some players to feel that they just aren’t capable.

GenZ's aren't noted for their ability to check themselves in their self entitled mirrors.....

 

[BroncsFan]

Plenty to work on, particularly in defence. The Broncos could not get the Raiders on the ground to save themselves and it snowballed from there. Brisbane need to work more on their gang tackles, players need to be more comfortable in their roles and work for that driving tackle that's become a difference maker in the current meta.

Not a complete horror show. At 32-10, it could have easily been a season defining 50 point loss but they had a crack.

The exit sets need an overhaul. Mariner might be able to make something of himself, if he retires that 3m slow play the ball run he's in love with. I don't get the logic, he positions himself like a decoy, gets the ball flat footed and proceeds to get smashed like a pinata.

The defence was completely off from the start.

The catch and wrap garbage was back and we went away from those gang tackles to pick them up and drag them backwards, which has been evident since the trials.

 

[BroncsFan]

When was the last time Walsh has had a good game? 2023?

He destroyed knights in round 20 last year for his return game from injury

 

[McHunt]

I’m blown away that we only lost by 10. We were that shithouse that I swear we should have lost by 40.
Couple of suss calls in there too. Not that we deserved to win that one but honestly we really could have.
Hopefully Madge is genuine when he is saying he learnt a lot tonight. Sounds like he may have given them too much freedom off the back of last week. I expect this week won’t be fun for the boys and wouldn’t be shocked to see a couple of changes in the 17.

We looked in trouble within the first ten minutes. Even by the time we'd levelled up, the Raiders looked like the better team. And in the end the best team won. Can't blame anyone else for that one.

Can't say I'm not concerned.

 

[Nashy]

Who is more overrated? Walsh or Ponga?

 

[thenry]

Who is more overrated? Walsh or Ponga?

Is this a trick question.

 

[Brocko]

Walsh has to be a confidence thing. The running threat is gone and everyone knows the pass is coming. He is just expecting to get whacked and doesn't know how to handle that.

Hopefully game time will cure it, but as of right now the Suallii hit appears to be hindering him big time.

 

[thenry]

I think Madge's, "I've learned a lot tonight" comment was focused on Walsh. As in, "I've learned he hasn't learned anything about picking his involvements".

 

[_wwong]

I think Madge's, "I've learned a lot tonight" comment was focused on Walsh. As in, "I've learned he hasn't learned anything about picking his involvements".

He said that last week too. Something along the lines of I’ve learnt a lot about how certain players like to play.

 

[Fernando]

I think Madge's, "I've learned a lot tonight" comment was focused on Walsh. As in, "I've learned he hasn't learned anything about picking his involvements".

or positioning or defence

 

[BroncsFan]

Walsh has to be a confidence thing. The running threat is gone and everyone knows the pass is coming. He is just expecting to get whacked and doesn't know how to handle that.

Hopefully game time will cure it, but as of right now the Suallii hit appears to be hindering him big time.

The running game was there last week vs rorters... he had 23 hit ups for 220m and cut straight through the line when he bombed that try by trying to run around Teddy.

This game there was no opportunity because of the initial onslaught from the raiders, but they then didn't allow themselves to get into the grind after surviving the first 20-30mins... they were behind on the scoreboard and went Hollywood mode.

Needed the halves and the leaders to calm everyone down, but Patty was out there throwing terrible offloads and Bhunt was panicking on kicks going dead.

They just had to survive the first 10mins of the second half and Payne would've been back out there and raiders energy would've been further sapped... instead they conceded 2 tries in that period to allow the lead to blow out to 16 points.