PRE-GAME [Round 20, 2022] Broncos vs Wests Tigers

[Big Del]

I'll be happy if we just win, 1 point or 31 points.. doesn't matter to me

The fact we can even sit here as a group thinking about our F/A is nothing shy of a miracle, 12 months ago if you said we'd be in a position where we are a live chance to finish in the top 4 of 2022, I would have sent you to rehab

Dunno about that .
The green shoots were there about this time last year remember ?

But top 4 is probably over achieving our expectations .

 

[Big Del]

I've been counting them out all year, even as recent as Thursday night. But they made a statement on that soggy evening on enemy territory where my wife and I had front row seats . They could easily go all the way.

On a rainy night in Stoke as the Poms say .

 

[BroncosFever]

Dunno about that .
The green shoots were there about this time last year remember ?

But top 4 is probably over achieving our expectations .

Agree, we were looking much better late last season with some of our efforts but the challenge was always going to be whether or not we can take down teams in the top half of the 8.

We did that earlier in the season against Cronulla and we just put Parra to the sword which most would've had as a top 4 side. Without getting those wins against top 4 calibre teams, we're probably in the ruck of teams on 20 points.

 

[theshed]

All the discussion around Walsh and Niu has highlighted to me just how impressive Mam has been. He is so well rounded for a 19 year old who’s only played 8 games. No doubt having Reynolds and Capewell guiding him has helped.

His defence has been fantastic and he has held his own when being targeted by much bigger and older players. His passing and decision making has been excellent too.

The most impressive thing though to me is his instinct for the game and intelligence. It’s not just in one aspect either. He always knows where to be and where how the play will unfold In attack and defence.

He predicts breaks from Niu and immediately puts himself in a position to receive a pass.

He feels Moses rushing him, straightens up and outs Capewell through a gap untouched.

He predicts the grubber in goals and rushes over to clean it up when Tesi isn’t there.

He notices the markers not being square, gets into dummy half and runs at them, earning the team a penalty - every game he does this. Macca has played 300 games at hooker and still struggles identifying this.

The kid has such an incredible read of the game. Im not at all comparing his ability to JT but I see what Sproj means. He has that JT like ability to know what’s about to occur before it even happens and put himself in a position to take advantage or shut it down.

When he made his debut I was ready to give him all the slack that a teenage spine player deserves (and there may come a time when he still needs this) but he is playing with a wisdom well beyond his age or experience.

 

[LittleDavey]

Agree, we were looking much better late last season with some of our efforts but the challenge was always going to be whether or not we can take down teams in the top half of the 8.

We did that earlier in the season against Cronulla and we just put Parra to the sword which most would've had as a top 4 side. Without getting those wins against top 4 calibre teams, we're probably in the ruck of teams on 20 points.

At our best, we don't even really give other teams a sniff. And decent teams, too - Manly, Souths (minus Latrell though, tbf), Cronulla, now the Eels... It's exciting and there is belief building in this squad that will be invaluable for the rest of this year and into the future. Melbourne and Penrith just aren't scared of any other team...I see that in the Cows this year, and it's building in the boys now as well.

All the discussion around Walsh and Niu has highlighted to me just how impressive Mam has been. He is so well rounded for a 19 year old who’s only played 8 games. No doubt having Reynolds and Capewell guiding him has helped.

His defence has been fantastic and he has held his own when being targeted by much bigger and older players. His passing and decision making has been excellent too.

The most impressive thing though to me is his instinct for the game and intelligence. It’s not just in one aspect either. He always knows where to be and where how the play will unfold In attack and defence.

He predicts breaks from Niu and immediately puts himself in a position to receive a pass.

He feels Moses rushing him, straightens up and outs Capewell through a gap untouched.

He predicts the grubber in goals and rushes over to clean it up when Tesi isn’t there.

He notices the markers not being square, gets into dummy half and runs at them, earning the team a penalty - every game he does this. Macca has played 300 games at hooker and still struggles identifying this.

The kid has such an incredible read of the game. Im not at all comparing his ability to JT but I see what Sproj means. He has that JT like ability to know what’s about to occur before it even happens and put himself in a position to take advantage or shut it down.

When he made his debut I was ready to give him all the slack that a teenage spine player deserves (and there may come a time when he still needs this) but he is playing with a wisdom well beyond his age or experience.

He is showing incredible vision. Even some of his things which haven't come off, the IDEA was right just the execution wasn't quite there. But that can be improved and I'm sure he will. You can't teach vision and this kid has it in spades. He is the real deal.

It'll be interesting to see how he goes over the rest of the season (no doubt he has that #6 stitched up if he keeps playing the way he is) and in tougher games where we're right on the back foot.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

All the discussion around Walsh and Niu has highlighted to me just how impressive Mam has been. He is so well rounded for a 19 year old who’s only played 8 games. No doubt having Reynolds and Capewell guiding him has helped.

His defence has been fantastic and he has held his own when being targeted by much bigger and older players. His passing and decision making has been excellent too.

The most impressive thing though to me is his instinct for the game and intelligence. It’s not just in one aspect either. He always knows where to be and where how the play will unfold In attack and defence.

He predicts breaks from Niu and immediately puts himself in a position to receive a pass.

He feels Moses rushing him, straightens up and outs Capewell through a gap untouched.

He predicts the grubber in goals and rushes over to clean it up when Tesi isn’t there.

He notices the markers not being square, gets into dummy half and runs at them, earning the team a penalty - every game he does this. Macca has played 300 games at hooker and still struggles identifying this.

The kid has such an incredible read of the game. Im not at all comparing his ability to JT but I see what Sproj means. He has that JT like ability to know what’s about to occur before it even happens and put himself in a position to take advantage or shut it down.

When he made his debut I was ready to give him all the slack that a teenage spine player deserves (and there may come a time when he still needs this) but he is playing with a wisdom well beyond his age or experience.

Oh yeah. He's got a huuuge career ahead of him, that young man. We should seriously lock him up for as long as we sensibly can. We don't want another Milford.

 

[Santa]

I'll be happy if we just win, 1 point or 31 points.. doesn't matter to me

The fact we can even sit here as a group thinking about our F/A is nothing shy of a miracle, 12 months ago if you said we'd be in a position where we are a live chance to finish in the top 4 of 2022, I would have sent you to rehab

Exactly this. At the start of the year, I was desperately hoping that they'd still be in the hunt for a playoff spot at this stage of the season. Top 4 wasn't reality and after 6 rounds, a finals berth didn't seem to be realistic either.

Then in round 7, Matt Dufty scores early in the second half to put the Dogs up 14-6 and the Broncos looked dead and buried in more ways than one. Then out of nowhere, the Broncos pile on 28 consecutive points to end up big winners.

They followed that up with a gutsy win over high flying Cronulla and then big wins over Souths and Manly and here we are. A 10-2 run which has totally caught everyone by surprise considering the three horrid seasons that preceded.

And make no mistake, the Broncos are in this up to their eyeballs. I keep waiting for the bubble to burst but that isn't going to happen. The media are talking up Penrith and rightly so but if the Broncos can nab a top 4 spot, they are as capable as anyone.

They'll have momentum on their side which is invaluable come September. They have to take advantage of this run of form because there are no guarantees that they'll be in this position in the years to come. They look to have a great roster moving forward but RL doesn't work that way. There are too many variables that can **** things up. The future isn't assured which is why they need to win it this year.

I've been counting them out all year, even as recent as Thursday night. But they made a statement on that soggy evening on enemy territory where my wife and I had front row seats . They could easily go all the way.

I don't know what drugs you both are on, but everyone here knew we were locks to win the premiership this year.

 

[winslow_wong]

Mam just seems so strong for his size and age. Hopefully this means we don’t need to bulk him up too much as his speed is such an asset. Makes you wonder why milford needed to add size at the detriment of his pace. Maybe it was the hamburgers too.

 

[Fitzy]

like all fullbacks especially young ones will always have issues with the better kickers of the comp , he's played 30 games and not all at fullback.
most young guys have trouble with defence but it’s how they progress is what you want to look at , and imo with some consistency and confidence he'll come good.
how many tries did gutherson let in the other night? it's not an easy gig at the back and i think he's coming along nicely.

Yeah but the reality is Tesi is never going to be our long term fullback. That is the reality that is faced. Blind Freddy could tell you that (unless his last name is Fitler). We have to rely on him against the top teams in the comp in this final series and I don’t have the faith in that. He has done his job the past 3 weeks and some more in attack but whilst his attack has been nice I am not confident going into any finals game with incompetency in defence at the back. If we are sitting in 9th, 10th or 8th and a premiership is as unrealistic as they come fine, give the youngster a run. But, we have to be able to beat the good teams and with our attack that will be done with a rock wall for defence. Our organisational structures goal line defence and frantic defence is better with TMM in the side. Yeah we don’t get those runs down the middle but I argue we don’t need it with Oates, Herbie, Staggs and Cobbo as well as Mam using their potency to be a dangerous force anywhere on the field.

I admire the fact that Tesi has improved significantly despite the injury but we aren’t here for handouts and the best this side has looked was back around round 10 when the team was flying and TMM was fullback. I seriously don’t see significant benefit to be had out of gambling on Niu with no long term or even really mid term duration in that position to exist. We have the forward pack, we have the halves and we have the outside backs to win it all. Hooker staying fit, a firing fullback in all aspects and outstanding defence is what is in the road.

Tesi whilst as good as he has been in offence can’t produce the reliability, consistency or performance in my opinion to warrant our side being considered a premiership threat. If it was rd. 1 and the last 3 games were trial performances and you ask me which one I would go with it’s probably Tesi as by the end of the year he would hopefully iron out those defensive kinks. But we are at the end of the year and it cannot be risked. We have to be clinical aginst every team to make sure we are in the best position possible and able to win come finals time. This team needs a reliable bloke at back to string it all together I would take TMM over 85% of fullbacks in this competition at the moment to finish out the season. Tesi isn’t in that 15%. Neither is Reece neither is almost every other fit fullback playing in the comp. Probably 3 at the moment I would rather Edwards, Teddy and Latrell. We have a point of difference on a lot of threats at the moment and it is a reliable fullback who will get the job done.

My opinion completely but I just don’t think this is the time of the year to be playing the development card on a bloke who really doesn’t have much future in that jersey (which is another argument that seems to be occurring but my opinion again).

 

[simplythebest]

Broncos by 34. Lets smash these fuckers.

 

[Accept]

I don't know what drugs you both are on, but everyone here knew we were locks to win the premiership this year.

I do a bit of crack sometimes but that doesn't affect my thought process and as you can see, it hasn't affected my appearance.

 

[McHunt]

All the discussion around Walsh and Niu has highlighted to me just how impressive Mam has been. He is so well rounded for a 19 year old who’s only played 8 games. No doubt having Reynolds and Capewell guiding him has helped.

His defence has been fantastic and he has held his own when being targeted by much bigger and older players. His passing and decision making has been excellent too.

The most impressive thing though to me is his instinct for the game and intelligence. It’s not just in one aspect either. He always knows where to be and where how the play will unfold In attack and defence.

He predicts breaks from Niu and immediately puts himself in a position to receive a pass.

He feels Moses rushing him, straightens up and outs Capewell through a gap untouched.

He predicts the grubber in goals and rushes over to clean it up when Tesi isn’t there.

He notices the markers not being square, gets into dummy half and runs at them, earning the team a penalty - every game he does this. Macca has played 300 games at hooker and still struggles identifying this.

The kid has such an incredible read of the game. Im not at all comparing his ability to JT but I see what Sproj means. He has that JT like ability to know what’s about to occur before it even happens and put himself in a position to take advantage or shut it down.

When he made his debut I was ready to give him all the slack that a teenage spine player deserves (and there may come a time when he still needs this) but he is playing with a wisdom well beyond his age or experience.

All obvious in the trials. It was only ever a matter of weeks before he got the jersey. He already has all the core skills, the rest is the wisdom that comes with experience. He's fortunate to have the wisest half in the league next to him. We're in good hands.

 

[007]

So whats the verdict? Niu the next immortal?

 

[Kimlo]

So whats the verdict? Niu the next immortal?

Next Lockyer, next Cameron Smith, best NRL athlete ever, fittest guy at the club, best work ethic at the club and that's just some of it.

Walsh will be playing reserves.

 

[Harry Sack]

Dunno about that .
The green shoots were there about this time last year remember ?

But top 4 is probably over achieving our expectations .

Yeah, this. I never really doubted we'd make the 8, thought we were a chance of top 6 but never thought we'd be top 4 at this point in the season. Roosters, Eels and Melbourne playing like absolute anus has definitely helped though.

 

[winslow_wong]

Next Lockyer, next Cameron Smith, best NRL athlete ever, fittest guy at the club, best work ethic at the club and that's just some of it.

Walsh will be playing reserves.

Will Walsh have a tantrum this time?

 

[Super Freak]

Wests are currently giving Cowboys a good fight.

We need to not take this team lightly. They will pull your pants down if given the opportunity.

 

[Santa]

Wests are currently giving Cowboys a good fight.

We need to not take this team lightly. They will pull your pants down if given the opportunity.

Yea just saw the score and was about to post this. Would be nice if the Cowboys lost though, would put us with a chance of making top 2.