PRE-GAME Round 3 - Broncos vs Cowboys

[Morkel]

Couldn't agree more.

and maybe add to that 2 missing ingredients: are the forwards in the middle standing deep enough and actually getting to top speed in the first place - depth being the issue, and, is the ball then being offloaded or passed to and by the halves, to equally at-speed back rowers running the right running angles.

Back to Macca, he just can't seem to adjust to the speed with which it is necessary to get the ball out where it counts

The bolded is the issue - I don't think they can stand deep enough, and therefore reach top speed, because it seems impossible to know when McCullough will be "ready" to pass the ball. So they have to amble up, hover a metre or two behind his line, then accelerate when the ball gets passed.

 

[Unbreakable]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...broncos-contract/story-fniabm4i-1227262524610

BRISBANE young gun Corey Oates is feeling in the best shape of his career after heeding a warning from Wayne Bennett to shun alcohol or risk losing his Broncos contract.

With Copley tipped to miss another week, Oates is expected to retain his spot for Friday night’s derby clash against the Cowboys. And he revealed some home truths from Bennett convinced him to brush booze for the sake of his Broncos career.

“I’m off the drink at the moment and I’m feeling massive benefits,” said Oates, who was briefly axed from the top grade last year for a code-of-conduct breach involving alcohol.

“Wayne has had a good chat to me. He said you are a young fella and if you want to play in the NRL, you need to mature. It’s just life lessons, it (drinking) was an easy thing to stop.’’

Bennett told The Sunday Mail he is showing Oates some tough love because he can see the special talent that resides within the Biloela product.

“He is quite a player, he isn’t without ability,” Bennett said.

“To be honest, Corey has got it all, but he needs to be more persistent. That’s his challenge.’’

 

[BroncosAlways]

I don't know why, but for some reason I can just imagine Maranta trying to finish a cup of hot chips and complaining they are too hot. And then he starts blowing on them trying to cool it down.

Hahahaha it's a shame I can only like this once.

 

[bazza]

I think moving forward, well at least until Boyd's back, this looks a pretty good side in my opinion.

1. Kahu
2. Oates
3. Reed (Unfortunately Copley is out)
4. Hodges
5. Vidot/Maranta (Probably based on who were playing)
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Parker

14. Nikorima/Ofa/Wallace/Dodds (Depending on who were playing i.e. if we need more forwards)
15. Thaiday
16. Wallace/Ofa/Dodds/Gavet (Gavet back in the side when he is back)
17. Garbutt

 

[coreyh88]

1 kahu
2 vidot (hopefully the form from the back end of last year where he was busting the line on kick returns)
3. Oates
4. Hodges
5. Maranta
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. Moose
9. Macca
10. Blair
11. Glenn
12. Gillett (long term view is Gillett off the bench round 1 he showed the impact he can have.)
13 parker (70-80 minutes please)

14 nikorima
15. Wallace (after being our first bench forward in years to make over 100m semi locked in)
16 garbutt (don't want to burn out Joe and pending round 2 form garbutt deserves a shot we need the metres)
17 thaiday ( in 2-3 rounds I want him starting we need gillett's impact)


Gavet may replace Garbutt pending form.
Copley will replace maranta and swap with Oates.
Reed to have his first chance in years to go to qld cup to find form.

 

[T-rent]

Parcel man of the match against Townsville very fast out of dummy half. Vidot was very strong had some great runs made heaps of meters and set up a great try. He is a must next week if we want to beat the Cowboys. Our forwards lack of go foward I think Oates and vidot coming off the wings will help us in that department

 

[CaptainHook]

I was tipping a Brisbane win now I'm more cautious. I didn't anticipate the Cowboys losing to the Knights. I'm a bit more concerned now because we have a nasty habit of playing struggling sides back into form (remember the Eels, Sharks games from last year are ones that spring to mind).

 

[CaptainHook]

Parcel man of the match against Townsville very fast out of dummy half. Vidot was very strong had some great runs made heaps of meters and set up a great try. He is a must next week if we want to beat the Cowboys. Our forwards lack of go foward I think Oates and vidot coming off the wings will help us in that department

I like your ideas, T-rent. Parcell was great - would be happy for him to get a start. Vidot was good as well. He played well and probably deserves a recall. Don't entirely agree with using them to make up for our lack of go-forward. Wingers shouldn't be doing too many hit-ups. If they can get our sets off to a great start then that's awesome but our lack of go-forward is a problem that needs to be addressed with changes in the forwards rather than relying on wingers to compensate for them.

 

[rnabokov]

I like your ideas, T-rent. Parcell was great - would be happy for him to get a start. Vidot was good as well. He played well and probably deserves a recall. Don't entirely agree with using them to make up for our lack of go-forward. Wingers shouldn't be doing too many hit-ups. If they can get our sets off to a great start then that's awesome but our lack of go-forward is a problem that needs to be addressed with changes in the forwards rather than relying on wingers to compensate for them.

As posted earlier, the lack of go-forward might have something to do with not just the speed of distributing from dummy half, but also some variety in tactics, as well as quick play the balls and forwards running onto the ball with some decent momentum.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

We need some set plays. Watching the Souffs/Roosters game today, it was glaringly obvious how far off the pace we are with organized attack

 

[Danoz Direct]

We need some set plays. Watching the Souffs/Roosters game today, it was glaringly obvious how far off the pace we are with organized attack

Those teams have been together for awhile now. Our attack will come with time.

 

[Tera]

With the garbage metres our forwards are making I don't get how it's not a no-brainer to pick Vidot. This is doubly true when we're against packs like the Rabbits, Sharkies and Cowboys.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't think the Broncos have any trouble getting it up field. I think where they're struggling is being able to control the ball and build pressure.

 

[Danoz Direct]

I don't think the Broncos have any trouble getting it up field. I think where they're struggling is being able to control the ball and build pressure.

I believe that will come with time.

 

[Porthoz]

I don't think the Broncos have any trouble getting it up field. I think where they're struggling is being able to control the ball and build pressure.

Stats tell a very different story so far this season.
Both Souffs and Cronulla beat us comfortably in that aspect, and although their form is pretty patchy, the Cows pack on song, is second to none, as they showed against the bunnies last year.

 

[broncos4life]

Stats tell a very different story so far this season.
Both Souffs and Cronulla beat us comfortably in that aspect, and although their form is pretty patchy, the Cows pack on song, is second to none, as they showed against the bunnies last year.

The cows pack is pretty different to the one that played the bunnies last year

 

[Porthoz]

The cows pack is pretty different to the one that played the bunnies last year

Yeah, it's better imo, even if they lost Tariq Sims.

 

[Big Pete]

Stats never tell the full story.

It wouldn't have mattered if we had Mat Scott and the Burgess boys out there - if you turn over the ball as much as we have, give away as many cheap penalties or fail to earn repeat sets it's not going to reflect well in the numbers.