PRE-GAME [Round 2, 2026] - Broncos vs Eels

Broncos vs Eels

Broncos

Kickoff In:

Suncorp Stadium

Thursday
Night
19:00

Eels

Team Lists

# Broncos Eels #
1 R. Walsh I. Iongi 1
2 J. Karapani B. Simonsson 2
3 K. Staggs J. Samrani 20
4 G. Shibasaki S. Russell 4
5 D. Mariner J. Addo-Carr 5
6 E. Mam J. Pezet 6
7 A. Reynolds M. Moses 7
8 C. Jensen J. Williams 8
9 C. Paix R. Smith 9
10 P. Haas J. Paulo 10
11 J. Gosiewski K. Tuilagi 11
12 J. Riki K. Kautoga 12
13 P. Carrigan J. De Belin 13
14 B. Hunt D. Walker 14
15 X. Willison S. Tuivaiti 15
16 B. Talty M. Doorey 16
17 A. Tawha T. Da Silva 17
18 G. Anderson C. Guymer 18
19 J. Hunt J. Papalii 19
 
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theshed said:
Hard for me to bag the Mam tactic because it was exactly what I suggested a couple weeks ago.

Obviously it didn’t work but no X factor strategy could work in a game like that.

I think in the 6 bench era, having a true X factor on the bench that you can ignore if the game doesn’t require it is a massive strategic advantage. The issue is, it needs to be someone like a Tristan Slater or a debut season Milf/Barba, and not a guy like Mam who’s now in his 5th season.

I’m a massive fan of having something exceptional on the bench. There’s nothing more disheartening to be losing the arm wrestle all game, absolutely no more gears to go up, and then looking to your bench and it’s 4 plodders who are just there to do a job.

You need something in the back pocket that gives you some semblance of hope that the game could get turned on its head.

Didn’t work this in this game.
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The biggest issue was that Paix and Bhunt were ****ing awful at 9 and 6.

We handicapped ourselves waiting for the 30mins mark to tick over to finally end that shitshow.

It was basically just giving up that we would lose the first 30mins, but trying to limit the damage as much as possible and hope that Ezra comes screaming off the bench
 
BroncsFan said:
The biggest issue was that Paix and Bhunt were ****ing awful at 9 and 6.

We handicapped ourselves waiting for the 30mins mark to tick over to finally end that shitshow.

It was basically just giving up that we would lose the first 30mins, but trying to limit the damage as much as possible and hope that Ezra comes screaming off the bench
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I also suggested that Hunt should get a rest when Ezra comes on. Basically Paix plays the full first 40, so Hunt can finish the game fresh with our best team.

Regardless, Hunt is actually kind of shit and outside that field goal, he has consistently been making dumb mistakes in defence and attack. Half the GF watch video they did on Fox was Hunt cringing at his own mistakes.

I just assume that his experience makes up for his lack of execution. Similar boat to Reynolds but not as good and less of a leader.

I actually would prefer a fit B Walters over Hunt - at 6, 9 or utility
 
theshed said:
Hard for me to bag the Mam tactic because it was exactly what I suggested a couple weeks ago.

Obviously it didn’t work but no X factor strategy could work in a game like that.

I think in the 6 bench era, having a true X factor on the bench that you can ignore if the game doesn’t require it is a massive strategic advantage. The issue is, it needs to be someone like a Tristan Slater or a debut season Milf/Barba, and not a guy like Mam who’s now in his 5th season.

I’m a massive fan of having something exceptional on the bench. There’s nothing more disheartening to be losing the arm wrestle all game, absolutely no more gears to go up, and then looking to your bench and it’s 4 plodders who are just there to do a job.

You need something in the back pocket that gives you some semblance of hope that the game could get turned on its head.

Didn’t work this in this game.
Click to expand...

Why was Ezra taking hit ups one out , one off the ruck ?
That surprised me . He`s now a 2nd rower ?
 
Big Del said:
Why was Ezra taking hit ups one out , one off the ruck ?
That surprised me . He`s now a 2nd rower ?
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Because he would’ve been instructed to come on and bring energy with his running game but no one could hold the ball long enough to get past one out runs.
 
There are heaps of broncos articles on fox sports but it looks like the usual dribble so not clicking on them. Anything worth noting? Im guessing madge is under pressure, anonymous ex player/broncos hater/walters mate quoted and inside source of course anonymous and no quotes from them?

Followed by mentioning haas, gently hinting he was desperate to leave due madge or culture
 
Lockysillegitimatechild said:
There are heaps of broncos articles on fox sports but it looks like the usual dribble so not clicking on them. Anything worth noting? Im guessing madge is under pressure, anonymous ex player/broncos hater/walters mate quoted and inside source of course anonymous and no quotes from them?

Followed by mentioning haas, gently hinting he was desperate to leave due madge or culture
Click to expand...
I dont even go to Fox Sports anymore
 
Parra unfortunately is one of those teams that can just get hot and everything goes their way and they put 50+ on anyone, and they’ve done it to us specifically a few times in recent memory.

Starting the season 0-2 with a huge negative differential isn’t season over, but it’s a big hole to climb out of considering as the premiers every single team we play is primed for a big game.

Both teams have plenty to prove, should be a cracker.
 
I heard a rumour the entire team is ON NOTICE.

But seriously, it's not unusual for incumbent premiers to start the season slowly. Penrith and the Storm, notoriously. It's also usual to reward your premiership players with a free pass for x weeks.

For those reasons alone, I expect Madge will trot out much the same team for the next week or two before tweaking.

I'm more troubled by all the errors than I am with the loss, especially from Reece whose form denotes whether we win.

I'll be relieved to see Reynolds in the stands, by whatever means, with Hunt at halfback.

Our best halves combo last season - to my astonishment - was Hunt and Walters, but I'm not counting on Billy continuing that streak. Apart from his injury and lack of match fitness, everyone seems to forget he's no kid either.

All eyes on Pezet now. So far, not so good, unfortunately.
 
This from the CM. (not giving them the click to see the rest of the story though)

Screenshot 2026-03-08 213842.jpg


Really toughest test of his career ... he lost one game to a team that has won 4 of the last 5 premierships.

so this is a tougher test than when he missed the finals at Souths and got sacked ... or a tougher test than his entire stint at the Tigers
 
vertigo said:
Brother it's mostly AI generated these days.

The few humans still writing articles do it under the Code Sports banner. And yeah, I'm not paying News Corp for that shit.
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I haven't seen anything in Code Sports that's not in one of the other Murdoch publications. The Brisbane content is mostly Courier Mail Badel.
 
It was ping pong who was on who was off. I want to know what is going on Madge's brain
 
Lockysillegitimatechild said:
There are heaps of broncos articles on fox sports but it looks like the usual dribble so not clicking on them. Anything worth noting? Im guessing madge is under pressure, anonymous ex player/broncos hater/walters mate quoted and inside source of course anonymous and no quotes from them?

Followed by mentioning haas, gently hinting he was desperate to leave due madge or culture
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One of them about Carrigan potentially leaving because the guy that apparently wants to be our next captain gave them all the quotes they need to keep pouring fuel on the fire. True leadership.
 
I'm sure Gosiewski will be picked because Piaks is apparently close to returning but I really think he and Tawha should be on notice to lift their games. Staggs, Paix and Reynolds should be too but they have runs on the board obviously, especially Reynolds and Staggs.

In any case, we need to hold the ball. It has been an issue in both games so far this year. You aren't winning games with these ridiculous six again rules if you have 40% of the ball or less.

I know this won't happen but I'd go:
1. Walsh
2. Karapani
3. Anderson
4. Shibasaki
5. Mariner
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
8. Jensen
9. Bunt
10. Haas
11. Staggs
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Mozer
15. Willison
16. Semu
17. Arthars
18. Junt
19. Duffy
 
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