PRE-GAME Round 23 - Broncos vs Dragons

[Super Freak]

Once again, we're going up against a side desperate for a win as a loss could see them out of the 8.

We'll have Blair back, and that should move Oates back to the bench where I think he has been more useful this year. I'm hoping he is alright and will play next week.

If we fire up and perform better next week, we win.

I'm not expecting much changes to the side.

1. Boyd
2. Maranta
3. Reed
4. Hodges
5. Kahu
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. Thaiday
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Parker

14. Wallace
15. Dodds
16. Oates
17. Nikorima

 

[ivanhungryjak]

I'm willing to write off the Manly game as the "loss we had to have", Dogs was an improvement on that except for all the mistakes but anything less than a win here would be unacceptable IMO.

 

[Morkel]

Much more positive about this game.

 

[vertigo]

Hodges may cop a week depending on how the MRC sees it.

Having Blair back and another forward on the bench should help.

 

[Stix]

Not phased about losing Hodgo at all... Might do him and the team good to sit one out. We need to really dominate this Dragons team and play ourselves back into the right frame of mind

 

[Unbreakable]

Must win game, despite our standing on the ladder, 3 losses in a row would really dent our confidence coming into the finals.

 

[Huge]

My fears are sadly being borne out as I have suspected for some time that we were punching above our weight and the ladder flattered us. Losing McGuire and then Blair rammed home to me the fact that we were two experienced forwards short. I don't necessarily mean big boppers but tough and uncompromising tackling machines. I know some will disagree but in the one game this year that Stagg played I watched him closely and he was great. He is the sort of guy I would like to see on the bench who comes into the middle and reliably knock everything down and keeps the middle tight.

I don't know if he was injured or unavailable or not considered but I think he would have been useful. Mind you I haven't seen the game so I could be way off base.

As for our next game we would be expected to win it but the Saints have always troubled us . Terrible as it may seem but we could lose all our matches coming into the finals.

 

[broncos4life]

2 losses and it's all over and we have been punching above our weight this whole time... **** me some people are soft as butter

 

[Harry Sack]

I blame the elitist ***** lording it over the rest of us in their corporate box personally....

 

[Porthoz]

I blame the elitist ***** lording it over the rest of us in their corporate box personally....

 

[Huge]

2 losses and it's all over and we have been punching above our weight this whole time... **** me some people are soft as butter

Actually I wrote the same thing or at least a very similar thing 6 weeks ago so the losses are not the catalyst for my comments. Most would not consider me soft although tis true with age I'm heading that way....It has been my view for sometime that we would be found out at some stage.

 

[Big Pete]

If the Broncos fail to pull ahead of St George Illawarra, you may as well stick a fork in them. Not because they won't try, or won't turn up but because they won't have that belief there when the times get tough to pull out the win.

Last night reminded me way too much of 2014. Especially the part where Hodges tries to pull a bunch of rabbits out of the hat, only to find nuggets of disappointment.

 

[tommy]

Dragons giving the Warriors an absoloute hiding . Just what we need .

 

[abashii]

Hodges may cop a week depending on how the MRC sees it.

He'll probably get the Broncos special - two weeks for a shoulder charge. Unless we cross out "Broncos" and put "Roosters" on the top of the charge sheet instead, and maybe staple an old photo of him in the tricolour jersey to the front of it. Then he'll get off without a doubt.

 

[morganmorgan]

Hope bennet drops reed for coply. It's now or never

 

[Broncoman]

Will be in for a much harder game then I thought. The Dragons did very well although the Warriors were weak as water. The Dragons held out raid after raid from the Warriors in the first half before finishing over the top of them after the break. They've also scored 82 points in their last 2 games.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Now that Blair is back in, our weaknesses in the middle should be sorted out. Hopefully that gives Hunt and Milf time and space to get the backline together again

 

[vertigo]

Benji will either be out or limping on a dodgy hamstring.