PRE-GAME Round 2 - Broncos vs Cowboys

[Battler]

Did Lodge play 50+ mins last night? McGuire plays 80 as well. I can see Lodge getting 60 odd with a few games in his legs, so what’s the downside to some aggression from taga for 20-25 mins and a brief cameo from Haas? It’s stupid leaving a talent like Haas or Fifita out when blokes like Thaiday, Sims, and Offa are playing like rubbish and need a wake up call (not saying drop all of them, but one or two gone couldn’t hurt).

On another note, I think offa is the sort of player who has to start to be worthwhile in the side.

 

[ethos]

It was round one. I'd pick the same 17 except drop Su'a for Murphy. If McCullough can't play 80 we need a playmaker there, no more Thaiday at hooker.

Hopefully it's a jarring check for Milford and Nikorima about what's needed from first grade halves, every week. They put together a good run last season though, they've got much better in them.

Keep in mind also Boyd's first game back. McCullough on comeback from ACL.

Biggest worry was lack of mongrel in the pack. When Roberts scored for 24-12 it was game on. Needed to roll through them but instead went sideways / offloads when we barely held the ball all game.

No throwing baby out with bathwater quite yet.

 

[1910]

Did Lodge play 50+ mins last night? McGuire plays 80 as well. I can see Lodge getting 60 odd with a few games in his legs, so what’s the downside to some aggression from taga for 20-25 mins and a brief cameo from Haas? It’s stupid leaving a talent like Haas or Fifita out when blokes like Thaiday, Sims, and Offa are playing like rubbish and need a wake up call (not saying drop all of them, but one or two gone couldn’t hurt).

On another note, I think offa is the sort of player who has to start to be worthwhile in the side.

Call me cautious but you don't want to see how Haas goes on Saturday with Carney running big guys at him before we scream for his NRL inclusion? Or the other side how he runs and impacts off Nona and Dobson?

Fifita a guy playing MM I wouldn't even consider an option.

 

[Kyall]

I see Su’A being suspended and Kahu dropped from centre. Macca isn’t fit enough yet so Thiaday will start again.
1.Boyd
2.Kahu
3.Roberts
4.Opacic
5.Issako
6.Milford
7.Niko
8.Lodge
14.Thiaday
10.Pangai jr
11.Glenn
12Gillett
13.Mcguire
9.Macca
15.Oates
16.Offa
17.Sims

 

[winslow_wong]

This is what I would like to see:

1. Kahu
2. Boyd
3. Roberts
4. Opacic
5. Isaako
6. Milford
7. KNik
8. Lodge
9. Macca
10. TPJ
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. McGuire

14. Oates
15. Joffa
16. Haas
17. Fai

It won’t happen I know but it is what I would like to see.

Boyd is way too slow for the wing. Roberts will be passing into thin air.

 

[Accept]

Boyd is way too slow for the wing. Roberts will be passing into thin air.

Boyd wasn't that bad anyways, he set up both tries and his role as a third half is vital when you have a #7 who is out of his element. He may be only 70% fit but is still the best FB option the club has. He is the least of Bennett's worries.

 

[theshed]

Thaiday was truly terrible at hooker. Awful passing, usually landing somewhere around the props chin. Hard to build momentum when you have to worry that much about the mistimed inaccurate pass you’re trying to run onto.

I am a Bennett supporter and don’t question him often, but going into a season with no depth hooker or halves while knowing your hooker is returning from a serious injury and your halves are untested is quite a bad position to find yourself in as a coach.

 

[Nashy]

Thaiday was truly terrible at hooker. Awful passing, usually landing somewhere around the props chin. Hard to build momentum when you have to worry that much about the mistimed inaccurate pass you’re trying to run onto.

I am a Bennett supporter and don’t question him often, but going into a season with no depth hooker or halves while knowing your hooker is returning from a serious injury and your halves are untested is quite a bad position to find yourself in as a coach.

Thaiday was useless.

I think it's got to the point in his career where he deserves a spot for loyalty and nothing else, but finding a spot for someone as useless as Thaiday outside of a new contract year, could be difficult. I think Left Right Out is his best position.

 

[Renegade]

Nah seriously if Thaiday has any involvement in hooker we will deadset lose this game, in his opening stint a few of our errors were caused by shithouse passes from DH.

We're already going to be up against it, if we give them easy possession we may as well not come out of the sheds after HT.

dont know where this idea even began, is it because he dicks around at training in every position and makes an impression?

 

[Super Freak]

Su'A won't be taking part in this game.

He has been charged. It's only a Grade 1 but it's enough for him to miss a week.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

You know things are bad when some fans are calling for Tagatese's inclusion. All summer, I have been reading from Bronco fans about how much better this side is compared to the 2017 version. Many a time I have looked at the roster and wondered how fans would come up with this claim. Granted, there are still some very good players but there are too many unknowns, the forward pack is still ordinary and the halves are beyond woeful. This may be the weakest roster in the Bronco's history. Will this side finish 3rd or better? Will they make the GFQ? Not a chance which makes them weaker than 2017 which is already suggested on paper. They will make the playoffs despite last night's debacle but you can sugarcoat it all you like but this team aren't title contenders. Jack Bird will help but not enough to save this current bunch.

I still stand by that the roster has improved. Lodge and jack bird are massive improvements on blair and moga-MASSIVE. We have more depth in the forwards this year and isaako this year is a better option then mead ever was last year. The only way we went back is at halfback depth-and benji was rocks or diamonds. One performance won't change my mind with 3 of the spine having their first game back from surgery and the media doing a 24/7 assault on the club and we played away at kograh. And just on hunt, he has played that well for us many a time-and our ex players always play best vs us, but dragons fans are living in fairy land if they think he will consistently produce that-that was his main issue with us, he's a great talent but he lacked the mental toughness to produce the goods on a consistent basis. Particularly in big games

 

[Sproj]

Boyd wasn't that bad anyways, he set up both tries and his role as a third half is vital when you have a #7 who is out of his element. He may be only 70% fit but is still the best FB option the club has. He is the least of Bennett's worries.

No, no he isn't 'the least of Bennett's worries.'

He threw a clearly forward pass at the start of the game that should have been a try and Bronc in front, a very different game after that. His lack of hunger (at least the appearance of a lack of hunger) is hurting this side. Other sides (read JT and Smith) complain to the ref every chance they get, regardless of whether a penalty is dubious or not. Where is Darius when that happens?

If he is the 'lead by example' kind of leader, he isn't leading by a very good example. He doesn't seem to talk to his side much and has not looked his best since 2016. He isn't fit, fine but will he ever be 'fit' again? Those injuries, particularly to his legs, are starting to mount up. He looks slow, he looks disinterested and he looks like he is lacking in hunger and willingness to put his body on the line. If he is starting to mess up the one sweeping play he is good at as well, well this is a massive problem.

A lot of a team's problems start at the top. Bennett has favourites, he always has and that is usually fine but in this case, it isn't. Boyd has been sub-par for some time. Given he is the captain, he is one of the biggest current problems with this team. He is by no means the only problem but his attitude and possibly a positional switch is not the worst idea, at least in the short-term.

 

[Unbreakable]

Morgan out for the Cows with a stomach strain, could easily miss a couple of weeks. Hopefully for us he does.

 

[Alec]

Boyd is way too slow for the wing. Roberts will be passing into thin air.

Is he slower than Kahu?

 

[Dee]

I highly doubt we will beat the Cowboys.

We looked dreadful, we can use the excuses of Round 1 blah blah blah & I'm okay with copping a loss, but it's the WAY we lost that bothers me. We got embarrassed. The Dragons were all over us, at one point we only made 15 metres in a set of 6, WTF?

We were clunky, giving away silly penalties, handling errors & we just didn't look like we wanted to be there. The entire 80 minutes was poor so we have alot to work on, yes it's early in the season but it's going to be interesting to see how we come out and play against the Cowboys.

 

[Huge]

Because he is a 30 yo journeyman on minimum wage whose career is littered with inconsistency. How would he have improved the situation last night? I wouldn't protest his inclusion because the lineup needs at least a slight shakeup. And because of Sua's "dogshot", he is a chance of being selected but he certainly won't make the side any stronger.

180 games for an inconsistent player, not bad hey. I didn't say he would have improved last nights performance. Most on here thought we dropped off after the first rotation, I'll say now that won't happen in the next match if he's selected. Laugh at me next week.

 

[winslow_wong]

Is he slower than Kahu?

I think he is by a couple of lengths.

 

[Sproj]

The Broncs made a huge tactical error last night but it is the fact it is the same tactical error over the last two seasons is the big concern. The team does not have the massive forwards other sides do, so they should be spreading the ball every tackle, play an expansive game. They have the players to do it...but they rarely if ever do. This team cannot play like a traditional team, they can't bash and barge up the middle, they are too easily tackled and driven back. They can't kick for field position, they don't have the halves for it. They can't do what traditional sides do, so why not try something different? play wide and play risky football. No one in the comp will expect it and some nights (since they rarely play in the day) it definitely won't come off but it can't be any worse than watching that horror show last night can it?