PRE-GAME Round 4 - Broncos vs Titans

[talanoa]

It’s a hard one isn’t it. The bigger, faster, more athletic kid will always get the contract at that younger age, which is a shame.

But for every one of those athletic kids we pick up (and there are a hell of a lot of them!), there is a not-so-athletic kid, who is smaller, not as robust and not as developed, who is developing other skills like resilience, toughness, game awareness etc. This type of kid is the one that we haven’t done enough recruiting. The footballer. Not the athlete. This is where the Storm are miles ahead - they identify a footballer first, not the athlete.

We go to junior carnivals and sign all the biggest and fastest kids. The ones running over the little kids, and scoring all the tries. Which is great to some extent (think Haas, Fifita, Corey Allen etc), as there is some real talent there.

But it doesn’t get you a “footballer”. A Lockyer, Thurston, Smith, Slater type player. We need to start developing the kids that aren’t the biggest and fastest, but can read a game, can play tough, can be a footballer - not an athlete. That’s what we lack.

That’s what the game as a whole really lacks at the moment.

quality post mate, well put

 

[Morkel]

It's pretty obvious where the Titans' issues are. While Elgey and Taylor both missed 4 tackles each (Taylor with a further 2 ineffective), there's a great big fucking WTF pointing right at their #13. Cartwright with 9 missed tackles. That's just a fucking killer, especially at lock. I honestly don't know why the Titans bought him - despite being a talented ball-player, he just doesn't want to do the hard work and refuses to make tackles.

They'd be so much better off putting Arrow at lock and having Cartwright come off the bench at the end of the halves. No surprise why Penrith dumped Bryce - they've got Peachey who is being used in exactly that way.

They really need one more no-frills toughnut in that pack to allow James to move back to prop. He's trying his best on the edge to protect his half but his strength is smashing and running in the middle, not having to babysit.

08 Wallace
09 Peats
10 James
11 ?
12 Proctor
13 Arrow

That just seems far more logical.

Anyways, for our sake, I hope Cartwright gets picked again in the #13.

Broncos by 34 points.

 

[WASSHHH]

It's pretty obvious where the Titans' issues are. While Elgey and Taylor both missed 4 tackles each (Taylor with a further 2 ineffective), there's a great big fucking WTF pointing right at their #13. Cartwright with 9 missed tackles. That's just a fucking killer, especially at lock. I honestly don't know why the Titans bought him - despite being a talented ball-player, he just doesn't want to do the hard work and refuses to make tackles.

They'd be so much better off putting Arrow at lock and having Cartwright come off the bench at the end of the halves. No surprise why Penrith dumped Bryce - they've got Peachey who is being used in exactly that way.

They really need one more no-frills toughnut in that pack to allow James to move back to prop. He's trying his best on the edge to protect his half but his strength is smashing and running in the middle, not having to babysit.

08 Wallace
09 Peats
10 James
11 ?
12 Proctor
13 Arrow

That just seems far more logical.

Anyways, for our sake, I hope Cartwright gets picked again in the #13.

Broncos by 34 points.

I don’t think it’s possible for me to have any less respect for James - so glad he didn’t come to the Broncos.
Smashed a blokes jaw in ISC with an awful tackle, then laughed about it.
Goes down like a sack of you know what any time something brushes his face and carries on like an absolute knob.

 

[Stix]

Even though we are missing some key players I see this game as an opportunity to try and play themselves into some sort of form. If our forwards play with intensity and our spine get it together not only can we win this game but could set us up to go on a bit of a run.... Shit gets real in about round 6 and it will be very tough going from there on if we don't find our feet over the next couple of games.
Macca needs to be constantly testing the markers and Milf and Niko need to be on point.

 

[Brent81]

It's pretty obvious where the Titans' issues are. While Elgey and Taylor both missed 4 tackles each (Taylor with a further 2 ineffective), there's a great big fucking WTF pointing right at their #13. Cartwright with 9 missed tackles. That's just a fucking killer, especially at lock. I honestly don't know why the Titans bought him - despite being a talented ball-player, he just doesn't want to do the hard work and refuses to make tackles.

They'd be so much better off putting Arrow at lock and having Cartwright come off the bench at the end of the halves. No surprise why Penrith dumped Bryce - they've got Peachey who is being used in exactly that way.

They really need one more no-frills toughnut in that pack to allow James to move back to prop. He's trying his best on the edge to protect his half but his strength is smashing and running in the middle, not having to babysit.

08 Wallace
09 Peats
10 James
11 ?
12 Proctor
13 Arrow

That just seems far more logical.

Anyways, for our sake, I hope Cartwright gets picked again in the #13.

Broncos by 34 points.

Problem is that Taylor doesn't get anywhere near making a tackle and this isn't caught by the stats.

Watch the game on the weekend, he continually shoots up and comes up with fresh air. Leaves his side short.

Run numbers at him, and we'll score a thousand.

Dragons second and fifth were prime examples.

 

[Morkel]

I don’t think it’s possible for me to have any less respect for James - so glad he didn’t come to the Broncos.
Smashed a blokes jaw in ISC with an awful tackle, then laughed about it.
Goes down like a sack of you know what any time something brushes his face and carries on like an absolute knob.

In the GF wasn't it?

 

[Super Freak]

It's pretty obvious where the Titans' issues are. While Elgey and Taylor both missed 4 tackles each (Taylor with a further 2 ineffective), there's a great big fucking WTF pointing right at their #13. Cartwright with 9 missed tackles. That's just a fucking killer, especially at lock. I honestly don't know why the Titans bought him - despite being a talented ball-player, he just doesn't want to do the hard work and refuses to make tackles.

They'd be so much better off putting Arrow at lock and having Cartwright come off the bench at the end of the halves. No surprise why Penrith dumped Bryce - they've got Peachey who is being used in exactly that way.

They really need one more no-frills toughnut in that pack to allow James to move back to prop. He's trying his best on the edge to protect his half but his strength is smashing and running in the middle, not having to babysit.

08 Wallace
09 Peats
10 James
11 ?
12 Proctor
13 Arrow

That just seems far more logical.

Anyways, for our sake, I hope Cartwright gets picked again in the #13.

Broncos by 34 points.

I’m not sure why they don’t play Greenwood. He was one of their better forwards last year. A real workhorse.

 

[mrslong]

It's been one of the crazier team selections of the season: Why they have Arrow with the ball skills and footwork in the front row and James who is nothing but a battering ram in the back row.

It reeks of Hook and trying to "out clever" everyone. I'm not sold on this new Titans coach, even though he did get rid of Hayne.

Also, imo, Elgey is the worst half in the comp. Has been since he came back from his knee reco. Something of a poor man's Sam Williams/Josh McCrone.

If we lose to them I will need to be medicated.

 

[WASSHHH]

In the GF wasn't it?

I can’t quite recall to be honest - but I just remember thinking he was such a **** about it.

 

[1910]

In the GF wasn't it?

No, finals. Redcliffe won 32-16 and James was cleared.

Tweed lost the next week to Wynnum anyway.

 

[1910]

It’s a hard one isn’t it. The bigger, faster, more athletic kid will always get the contract at that younger age, which is a shame.

But for every one of those athletic kids we pick up (and there are a hell of a lot of them!), there is a not-so-athletic kid, who is smaller, not as robust and not as developed, who is developing other skills like resilience, toughness, game awareness etc. This type of kid is the one that we haven’t done enough recruiting. The footballer. Not the athlete. This is where the Storm are miles ahead - they identify a footballer first, not the athlete.

We go to junior carnivals and sign all the biggest and fastest kids. The ones running over the little kids, and scoring all the tries. Which is great to some extent (think Haas, Fifita, Corey Allen etc), as there is some real talent there.

But it doesn’t get you a “footballer”. A Lockyer, Thurston, Smith, Slater type player. We need to start developing the kids that aren’t the biggest and fastest, but can read a game, can play tough, can be a footballer - not an athlete. That’s what we lack.

That’s what the game as a whole really lacks at the moment.

I agree, I think that is where the Storm have a big edge. Recently discussed about Croft not being seen by Brisbane in the same team they took other guys.

Bunn has become the master at finding those missed players. 12 of the starting Grand Final 17 he found for Storm before they were 19.

Suliasi Vunivalu- Playing for Easts six times last year- 19 in total in 2015/2016.
Tim Glasby- Playing for Capras and Easts 98 times.
Felise Kaufusi- Playing for Pride and then Easts and Falcons 45 times now including three ISC games just last year.
Dale Finucane- Dogs released him two years early they didn't want him.
Josh Addo-Carr- six tries in nine games last year- Storm this year 20 in 25.
Kenny Bromwich- 42 ISC games from 2012-2015 trying to get a run for Storm.
Slade Griffin- 10 ISC games in 2016.
Jordan McLean- 11 ISC games in 2015.

Even Munster was still playing ISC in 2015- 46 games in total.

Just guys no one else saw too much in. I would not have picked a single one of those to be an NRL player of note. Maybe Munster once he started to really play well and of course that try against the Bears.
Maybe that’s where clubs are falling down, they are not finding those missed players so well. Focusing on the star.
Even Smith- playing 20’s for Cowboys. Who cared about him. Now he’s in line to replace Smith along with Grant- missed all of 2016 with his knee- Thudnerbolts captain last year and one ISC game.

 

[Morkel]

I can’t quite recall to be honest - but I just remember thinking he was such a **** about it.

Yeah, IIRC he got sent off in that game and was mouthing off the whole way.

Still, even though he’ll never be s player I view favourably, he does a good job for the Titans. When used correctly anyway. I have no doubt he’s been moved to the edges to make the opposition think twice about running at the half beside him, but it weakens them in the middle.

 

[Broncos Maestro]

I'm not sold on this new Titans coach, even though he did get rid of Hayne.

I thought Hayne left when Parra basically threw themselves at him and after chasing the money (as advised by his cronies).

 

[1910]

Broncos have two all ins a year and yesterday was the first one. Few were asked about the cricket but interesting a few were asked about Haas and said he's ready.

I think they're jumping the gun having watched his last three games.

 

[Dash]

Broncos have two all ins a year and yesterday was the first one. Few were asked about the cricket but interesting a few were asked about Haas and said he's ready.

I think they're jumping the gun having watched his last three games.

From what I understand he's been playing 45-50 minutes in Q Cup. Is he ready for 15-20 in the NRL?

If he does get a crack at first grade that's all he'll be getting, similar to TPJ prior to this year.

 

[Waynesaurus]

My fear about this game is that we still seem (and have been for the last couple of years) to be happy dropping our intensity and only playing at the same level as our opposition.

If we play with the passion and energy like we did against the Cowgirls then we roll right through the Titans and a lot of other teams.

I think this is where we are a level below the Storm. Bellamy doesn't just ask for that commitment each week he demands it.

 

[winslow_wong]

My fear about this game is that we still seem (and have been for the last couple of years) to be happy dropping our intensity and only playing at the same level as our opposition.

If we play with the passion and energy like we did against the Cowgirls then we roll right through the Titans and a lot of other teams.

I think this is where we are a level below the Storm. Bellamy doesn't just ask for that commitment each week he demands it.

We don't have a leader on the field that shows the way either. Boyd and Milford whinge and stare at refs too much on the field rather than getting on with the job. It kinda kills the intensity sometimes

 

[Cult]

McCullough is our leader. He gives everything he’s got every single game