Round 4 - Broncos v Dragons - Pre Game Discussion

[Danoz Direct]

People aren't concerned about the fact that Broncos middle defense is still average and Dragons have been taking advantage of teams with average ruck and middle defense?

I wouldn't get so ****y.

I'm confident of a win, but they still have some very classy players capable of getting them the win.

It will be a high scoring game imo. If Broncos can play at their best, they can come away with it. They still haven't been able to play at the top of their game for the whole 80, that's when Dragons can hurt us and they've been doing it to every other side.

I still think at this point, the Dragons are bit overrated.

 

[broncos4life]

Hunt is far better than Williams, even on his worst day. Widdop is far better than Hoffman as a half. Their halves are not far superior.

Yeah this. Sam Williams is a joke of a first grade halfback.

 

[Super Freak]

I will admit, Hoffman was a little more dangerous and a bit better in that game. However, he needs to pass the fucking ball more. He has been in the game long enough to know how to pass properly and when to pass the ball. It's not something you have to learn all over again when in a different position. You just do it in a different part of the field, that's all. Griffin needs to get him to start doing that more often. He is improving slowly, and I would be happy with him there if he just learned basic ball playing.

I was very proud of that performance regardless of the result. Roosters were the best side in the comp, and we gave them a real match. That's all I ever wanted from the boys, to just not lie down. To take it to them and really challenge them. They did.

There are still a lot of things they need to work on before they can become a genuine premiership threat, but everything is going to plan so far. We still have Hodges coming back and he will add that extra x-factor in attack, and he adds more leadership.

Hunt is coming along nicely, that was an outstanding performance by him. One thing I love about him, he puts grubbers in. I've been wanting to see that for years, but we always chose the high bomb. He still does high bombs, but he has been opting to put more grubbers through to try and get the best possible outcome.

I'm happy with the effort. I knew full well that they weren't going to be premiership contenders this year, but I just wanted them to improve on last year and they have been doing that so far.

 

[Super Freak]

And I posted that in the wrong thread, shit..

It was supposed to be in the Roosters post-match thread.

 

[vertigo]

Something tells me Vidot is gonna have a big game this week.

 

[Morkel]

Something tells me Vidot is gonna have a big game this week.

If he's on the left he'll be up against Florence, who is very capable on either side of the ball. Not a superstar but very capable.

Edit; just realised the Dragons connection. Duh. Yeah he'll have something to prove, but TBH he's already very motivated, I can't see him pushing any harder than he already has so far.

 

[noisetheory]

im confident we win this.

hunt will continue to get better. bit of a breakthrough game for him against the roosters and the confidence will do him a world of good.

hoffman is improving. he threw two passes on friday and we scored off both of them.

i hope hala can fit in the 17 and also oates.

i'd still prefer two big men up front to start the game with gillett on teh bench.

 

[Donald]

Barba got a lot more involved against the chooks.

I hope he does the same against the dragons. He just needs to keep putting in the effort and try to get his hands on the ball as much as possible. The form will come on the back of that.

 

[Super Freak]

I've just been watching the Dragons game against the Sharks, and I really hope Copley and Maranta are on their game.

Beale and Morris have been doing very well, Morris especially.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I've just been watching the Dragons game against the Sharks, and I really hope Copley and Maranta are on their game.

Beale and Morris have been doing very well, Morris especially.

Morris is only as good as Widdop allows him to be. Shut down Widdop and the Dragons attack is virtually nonexistent.

 

[Financeguy]

Really interested to see how the Broncos back up after the Roosters match. If they play like last week they should win this game. I think Dragons having won the past 3 games helps us as it takes a bit of desperation out of their game, hopefully they will spend this week at training patting themselves on the back.

On the other hand, over the past season and a half this is the kind of game the Broncos have dropped which has led to 3 or 4 losses in a row. It was easy to find motivation for the Doggies game coming off the Warriors trial and first game of the season, easy to be motivated for the Cowboys derby at the first game at home and easy to motivate against the Premiers at home, can they find that same energy against a relatively star powerless Dragons side away at Woollongong.

I've been really impressed with the Broncos so far this season, not perfect but no team is and certainly better than what i imagined after the trial form. I think this game, even though its only the Dragons, is important to show we are not the same side as last year and we can win these les glamourous games.

Be nice to get and maintain a +13 lead, these close games are killing me.

 

[noisetheory]

sounds like hodges likely back next friday according to chris garry

 

[Porthoz]

sounds like hodges likely back next friday according to chris garry

Hopefully Reed will be the one making place... he's clearly been the backline's weakest link so far this season. And that has to pinch when Lachlan Maranta is a part of that backline!

 

[noisetheory]

i would agree. i love reedy but he's been a bit below par so far. the others in the backline have all been excellent.

 

[jarro65]

sounds like hodges likely back next friday according to chris garry

I hope they give him a couple of weeks extra to make sure he's really right.

 

[noisetheory]

how do you know they havent already 'given him a couple of extra weeks'? he's apparently training strongly with the full squad, may have been for a couple weeks? you cant just hold off forever. hodges was wanting to play from rnd 1 so rnd 5 seems pretty reasonable to me.

 

[Super Freak]

Sounds about right.

BRISBANE’s early-season hopes have been dealt a blow with Broncos doctors ordering star centre Justin Hodges to delay his comeback from an achilles injury.

The Maroons ace was hopeful of returning before round four, but Broncos coach Anthony Griffin said today Hodges was still an estimated six weeks away from an NRL comeback.

Should Hodges return in round seven against the Knights at Hunter Stadium, he would have just a handful of games to prove his fitness for the Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium on May 28.

Hodges participated in wrestling drills this morning with rookie Corey Oates, who is also on the comeback trail from shoulder surgery, but the Broncos are taking no risks with the 31-year-old.

“Hodgo is still a way off,” Griffin said.

“He has done a great job rehabilitating himself with our staff.

“He is still getting used to the week in, week out training.

“Hodgo is a while away, he is only now getting back to doing a full week of training so he will need to do more.”

Hodges told News Limited on Tuesday his initial plan of being fit for the season opener against the Bulldogs was a little ambitious.

“We have pretty clear landmarks which need to be ticked off over the next few weeks before I can really start thinking about getting back into games,” Hodges said.

“I think I was probably a little too optimistic early on.

“The reality is I am probably looking at late April or early May for a return date. That could change, but that is the likely time-frame.”

The news on Oates is more promising, with the boom rookie set to be cleared to resume full contact. He could be available for Brisbane’s round three clash against the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

“Corey Oates is getting close ... maybe round three or four,” Griffin said.

Asked where Oates, a back-rower or winger, would play this season, the coach added: “Corey scored eight tries on the wing last year, I’ll wait and see what he does.

“He might need a few games in the lower grades to get confidence back in his shoulder. He’s only 18. He can play wing, centre or back row.”

No Cookies | thetelegraph.com.au

 

[Kimlo]

That article is oollddd