PRE-GAME [Round 3, 2025] Broncos vs Cowboys

[Wolfie]

No need to panic just yet. Same side for me.

 

[HarryAllan7]

Don't think its fair or sensible to cherry-pick a scapegoat (even though Gos was awful) for the loss, given that the entire team was poor and switched off.

Team needs to learn to lift and bounce back all together or not at all, and switching out one player isn't going to change that.

This will be a tough game - form book always goes out the door the second we play the Cowboys, and they'll be every bit as fired up to 'stick it to big brother' as Canberra were.

First home game of the season after getting bullied and embarrassed - will be very concerning for our title hopes if we don't respond and win this one.

 

[BroncsFan]

I'd be holding firm with the same team... maybe consider Marty for Jensen, only because Jensen is playing sub 40mins, so if that's the game time expected for the bench props then it's primed for someone that can provide all impact and turn or maintain the momentum.

It was a big issue against the raiders where I was waiting for Willison and Jensen to come on and up the tempo after Patty and Payne held strong through the first 20 odd minutes.

Willison came on and immediately dropped the ball, and to be honest I didn't even notice Jensen on the field.

Their stats are below and for both of them they failed to really do anything to change the momentum

Willison: 38mins - 6 runs 58m (2 errors), 30 tackles 2 missed 1 ineffective
Jensen: 32mins - 7 runs 57m (0 errors), 32 tackles 1 missed 2 ineffective

 

[Sproj]

Both Willison and Jensen were disappointing but Willison has age on his side. I would definitely be swapping Taupau and Jensen. We need aggression.

 

[theshed]

I would say Patty has the capabilities to be our alpha, because he has done it in the past, notably during origin where he will come out of the line to put shots on.

On the weekend Starling was phenomenal in leading their linespeed and putting big shots on... to me that's what we need from Kobe, but it's also something that Billy done well last year.

He's very solid in middle defence and there's an argument to start him for that reason.

Paix can come on at 30min mark and still be playing the same minutes he has been to start the year, but at least he's not having to deal with that early onslaught from the opposition forward pack.

Kemp had a great quote on his recent podcast when talking about the difference between our pack and the raiders,

He wasn’t directly talking about our players, though the voice he put on sounded suspiciously close to Patty’s.,

Something like:
One team came to punch on, the broncos came to play football.
Before the game one team’s forwards are like “okay boys, make sure you find your front”, the other “let’s fucking smash these *****”

Every pack needs one big red headed psychopath.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Kemp had a great quote on his recent podcast when talking about the difference between our pack and the raiders,

He wasn’t directly talking about our players, though the voice he put on sounded suspiciously close to Patty’s.,

Something like:
One team came to punch on, the broncos came to play football.
Before the game one team’s forwards are like “okay boys, make sure you find your front”, the other “let’s fucking smash these *****”

Every pack needs one big red headed psychopath.

And we let ours go to the Dolphins…

 

[Lostboy]

Both Willison and Jensen were disappointing but Willison has age on his side. I would definitely be swapping Taupau and Jensen. We need aggression.

No we need the others to be more aggressive.... but I would consider Taupau.. instead of Piakura .....

Let the fun begin...

 

[BroncsFan]

Kemp had a great quote on his recent podcast when talking about the difference between our pack and the raiders,

He wasn’t directly talking about our players, though the voice he put on sounded suspiciously close to Patty’s.,

Something like:
One team came to punch on, the broncos came to play football.
Before the game one team’s forwards are like “okay boys, make sure you find your front”, the other “let’s fucking smash these *****”

Every pack needs one big red headed psychopath.

I 100% would agree with that comment... I was thinking that if any team came to play a 'normal' game of football against the broncos, then broncos probably win more than they lose, but if a team comes into the game just looking to bash them and rush them and play ultra physical, then broncos are in a much tougher position to win.

We just look like a team that doesn't have a next gear or can't do a plan B... Reynolds and Bhunt can definitely do a plan B, but can the rest of the team.

They look like a team that is going through the motions, but if you sit back and let them they'll make 50m a set and Reynolds will kick to the right corner with Riki chasing, etc. If you're the opposition you can't let us just go through the motions, because Patty and Payne will run down your throat and Reynolds will kick you to death.

Everything is really predictable with the broncos in yardage... if you're physical it's really easy to spot who's taking the next hit up and bash them when they get it... but they will just keep going through that process and keep getting bashed up.

They need to have a bit of variety, but the second they try to get out of the structure they're used to it seems to lead to errors or guys trying to take it on themselves.

In the raiders game I really just wanted to see them go for some really long and wide passes in yardage. Raiders were super condensed and killing our one out hitups... I would've loved to see a 20-30m pass to Reynolds and then another 20-30m pass to Bhunt who would then have his edges to work with and potentially an overlap.

You need a quick ptb to do it, but that's where you want the team ready to go if a quick ptb does happen, but we seem so rigid in those situations... where's the guys doing what they can to manufacture a quick ptb for the next guy, and then where's Reece when we do get a quick ptb or an offload.

It's something that Lockyer and PWall used to do... we were as dangerous as anyone inside our own 40m because 3 passes had the ball cover 60m of field and suddenly they're attacking the opposite edge and putting them under pressure.

Teams do it against us all the time... 2 long passes and our edges are on the backfoot trying to stop an overlap. Rorters did it multiple times in round 1

 

[KateBroncos1812]

Bag Packed for Friday Bring on Friday night football. A certain tabby wants to come to. Just imagine me holding her she is only a baby who predicts our team

 

[mrslong]

I’ve been saying this for years. We haven’t been the same since Tonie Carroll retired. He is the guy we need to find and replace. Gillett was a decent replacement, but he was still closer to the party footballer mode.

Go and find the next Tonie Carroll and we win the lot.

Probably agree with @1910 Liam Martin is Him.