POST GAME Round 20 - Broncos vs Panthers

[I bleed Maroon]

Milford is still pissed at Bennett for banning him from playing for Samoa, isn't he.

 

[Wolfie]

I can't support a team that has gone out and bought a successful squad instead of raising juniors. The sharks put even the rorters to shame with their current squad (not saying that they have the same quality of players as Sydney did in 2014, but they have purchased more established players to get to where they are). It's fine to make the odd signing here and there, but some sides overdo it.

Plus they have pantomime grubs in Gallen, fatfita, Graham, and Ennis. Edit: add Maloney to that list.

Yep, they have the masters of the grubby sly attacks. Look at Maloney in origin, didnt even have the balls to go at Parker face to face. Mind you, they are NSWelshmen. I hope they dont win it, but i have to admit they are looking the goods.

 

[Rabbir]

Re watched the game and re-read this thread. Can't be bothered quoting and copying pasting various posts but just some things I noticed

- I wonder if the rap on Oates around the NRL that if he makes a mistake early he can fold under the pressure
- People will look at the try Roberts scored but I wonder what posters think about his entire 80 minute performance. Obviously taking over Hodges is no easy task matching Hodges' leadership, dummy half running and defensive reads but is the one piece of individual brilliance each week good enough.
-Syprised by comments that Hunt has been superior to Milford these past few weeks. Hunt looks deadset cooked.
-Parker also looks cooked. His comments earlier this season made it seem like he was going to play on past 2016. I wonder if Wayne gave him the 'tap on the shoulder'
-Thaiday is a fat useless merkin. Remember when he would run into the ball at pace? I know it was 2011 and all but still.
-Why was Blair picked as a 3 wide back rower when he's usually a prop or lock?
-Bench is too young at the moment and gets dominated

 

[Huge]

Just watching the Raiders belting the Warriors and the bulk of the Raiders forwards, I mean their actual individual mass is what we lack in our team. Big man after big man hitting the defence and pushing the defence line back. We simply cannot match that and for years I've said that McGuire is a pop gun forward. I'm not saying he isn't a good forward, he most certainly is but as a prop he is simply too light. I know I might be seen as being clever after the fact but I've asked many times before, where are our two giants ?

 

[Maroon4life]

Just watching the Raiders belting the Warriors and the bulk of the Raiders forwards, I mean their actual individual mass is what we lack in our team. Big man after big man hitting the defence and pushing the defence line back. We simply cannot match that and for years I've said that McGuire is a pop gun forward. I'm not saying he isn't a good forward, he most certainly is but as a prop he is simply too light. I know I might be seen as being clever after the fact but I've asked many times before, where are our two giants ?

People have been asking that since last year only they were shouted down because the team was making it work.

This year it's been as clear as day we're bringing a knife to a gunfight. A rotation of Thaiday/Blair & McGuire will never win a battle through the middle. Hard to believe that so far it's only going to get worse with the departure of Wallace next year but at least we're grooming some young back rowers to cover for it right?

As I look at our pack I find myself for the first time unsure of Bennetts ability to coach, I just hope he knows something we don't about next years roster.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Canberra flying high while we plummet out of the 8. 2016 turned to shit in a real hurry

 

[Super Freak]

Why was Blair picked as a 3 wide back rower when he's usually a prop or lock?

To be fair, Blair played a lot of second row for the Storm and it paid off. He was one of the best forwards in the comp. He provided an extra bit of attack which helped them quite a bit and he was very good at protecting their half on that side.

In hindsight, it wasn't the right call to move him because it just weakened us in the middle, but I can understand why Bennett did move him.

 

[Huge]

People have been asking that since last year only they were shouted down because the team was making it work.

This year it's been as clear as day we're bringing a knife to a gunfight. A rotation of Thaiday/Blair & McGuire will never win a battle through the middle. Hard to believe that so far it's only going to get worse with the departure of Wallace next year but at least we're grooming some young back rowers to cover for it right?

As I look at our pack I find myself for the first time unsure of Bennetts ability to coach, I just hope he knows something we don't about next years roster.

That's true, a few others have lamented the lack of size but I'd have to say it's been even longer than just last year. I just don't think we've had two great props since Webcke and Civo but my memory is not what it used to be. I know some will argue that Webby wasn't huge, not by today's standards at least but he was heavy set. McGoo just looks like he's a middleweight bulked up. I just like a side to have two 120 kilo props with at least one more that size on the bench. They don't have to be super quick or have exceptional ball handling, just hard and scary mean. A bloke similar to Matt Scott but no, not necessarily quite that good as I realise blokes that good are few and far between.

 

[Alec]

Just watching the Raiders belting the Warriors and the bulk of the Raiders forwards, I mean their actual individual mass is what we lack in our team. Big man after big man hitting the defence and pushing the defence line back. We simply cannot match that and for years I've said that McGuire is a pop gun forward. I'm not saying he isn't a good forward, he most certainly is but as a prop he is simply too light. I know I might be seen as being clever after the fact but I've asked many times before, where are our two giants ?

While I do agree that we need a prop who can bend the line, I've got no problem with McGuire being the other one. Or the lock. He can take a later hit up, hopefully getting a quick play the ball to put us on the attack or use his passing game more. But you do want someone who can just bend the line when the defence has time to get back into position.

 

[Huge]

While I do agree that we need a prop who can bend the line, I've got no problem with McGuire being the other one. Or the lock. He can take a later hit up, hopefully getting a quick play the ball to put us on the attack or use his passing game more. But you do want someone who can just bend the line when the defence has time to get back into position.

Absolutely, my call two years ago was for McGoo to play second row but quite rightly others pointed out that he would be good at lock. I was happy with him to play anywhere in the pack except front row but that's just my opinion and he has played some really good games at prop. While a prop who bends the line is good, three who do is way better ! Watching the Raiders big guys I thought that's all they had , props ! When a big team like the Warriors start to look smallish in the middle it really rams it home.

 

[rnabokov]

Didn't we make and nearly win the Grand Final last year with pretty much the same pack?

Size does matter, sure, but as they say, it's what you do with what you've got ... just like we did last year.

It's a lot more than size, boys

 

[Mr Fourex]

That's true, a few others have lamented the lack of size but I'd have to say it's been even longer than just last year. I just don't think we've had two great props since Webcke and Civo but my memory is not what it used to be. I know some will argue that Webby wasn't huge, not by today's standards at least but he was heavy set. McGoo just looks like he's a middleweight bulked up. I just like a side to have two 120 kilo props with at least one more that size on the bench. They don't have to be super quick or have exceptional ball handling, just hard and scary mean. A bloke similar to Matt Scott but no, not necessarily quite that good as I realise blokes that good are few and far between.

I've been lamenting the lack of size, it seems like...... forever.

More so since Webke and Petro left the scene.

I'd love to get our hands on one of the Bromwich brothers......or a disciplined Kasiano (will there ever be such a thing?)

Dylan Napa...?

 

[Super Freak]

Didn't we make and nearly win the Grand Final last year with pretty much the same pack?

Size does matter, sure, but as they say, it's what you do with what you've got ... just like we did last year.

It's a lot more than size, boys

Yeah, and took down the best packs in the comp along the way.

To me, we aren't dominating this year because we just don't have the same attitude as last year. We don't have the hunger like we did last year, we don't want to win as badly as last year.

To me, it's all about attitude. If you're hungry and you want to win, you'll always make the extra effort which is what they did last year and we made a Grand Final as a result of that.

 

[Porthoz]

Our pack is not that small. In fact, all our props but McGuire, are bigger than Matt Scott or James Graham for example.
And we have our own Jason Taumalolo in TPG too.

 

[rnabokov]

Watching Cronk put Proctor over again.

Damn I'd like to see Hunt/Milford put Gillett/Glenn over for tries like that.

Sorry, I forgot ... it's rocket science

 

[winslow_wong]

Not only are those monster forwards other clubs have powerful and fit, they are also quite skilful with ball in hand and footwork. Of course they are gonna smack us around.

 

[Morkel]

Yeah, and took down the best packs in the comp along the way.

To me, we aren't dominating this year because we just don't have the same attitude as last year. We don't have the hunger like we did last year, we don't want to win as badly as last year.

To me, it's all about attitude. If you're hungry and you want to win, you'll always make the extra effort which is what they did last year and we made a Grand Final as a result of that.

Absolutely. Wonder why the Raiders are so hot & cold? A big pack is great when you have the majority of possession. But an absolute liability if under fatigue. 66% completion rate last night compared to 79% for the Panthers. 42% possession compared to 58%. With a bigger pack under that fatigue we would quite simply have just leaked more points.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Last night was the first time I questioned my love for this sport and it was only half because the Broncos didn't give a shit. The refs have been terrible in almost every game this year. Not just for us but obviously we notice it more and want to make threads about it when we are on the receiving end

For me, there has been a whole lot of little things that have me losing interest in the game.
The club treating their members like cash cows by trying to make money in making cheap and nasty members merch. I also thought it was pretty poor the last few years in making the annual fan day a members only affair so that fans were forced into buying memberships to go along (& I'm a long term member). Half the time is spent standing in a line anyway.
The imposition on the comp of State of Origin.
The pathetic state of refereeing - Archer trying to justify the Jennings Origin try was a farce so the fish is rotting from the head.
Lack of consistency at the MRC and judiciary.
Friday nights - all the frickin time. Wanker Sydney journos like Rothfield like to whinge about it and claim how advantaged we are but how about some Sunday's?
Highly paid players who seem like they have lost interest and aren't putting in.
I'm sure there's other things as well.
I'll support my team through good times and bad but I think I'll be giving my 12 game membership a miss from here in. It's cheaper to buy a box and sit in the lounge where you can swear at will.