Round 5 - Broncos vs Eels - Pre Game Discussion

[Alec]

Yeah, their back 5 seem to all be firing (even bloody Tonga), and unfortunately our defence there has been our biggest weakness too.

I see no reason why we can't win if our pack fires up again, we need to make the most of it until Origin comes and it starts to fall apart a little bit.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Yeah, their back 5 seem to all be firing (even bloody Tonga), and unfortunately our defence there has been our biggest weakness too.

I see no reason why we can't win if our pack fires up again, we need to make the most of it until Origin comes and it starts to fall apart a little bit.

I don't see Origin as that much of a threat to us this year. Parker and Thaiday are certainties, that much is a given, but I can see Hodgeo giving it a miss this year. He must realize we have too much to lose at club level.

 

[Socnorb]

Broncos will need to control the football. Put pressure on the Eels as we've done all season so far. Experience and professionalism in the pack should see us home.

 

[Huge]

Good to see amongst my fellow posters a genuine respect for what the much maligned Eels can produce. Like I wrote earlier it'll surprise no one if Parra get us. Having written that I still expect a Brisbane win in a close contest. I totally agree we need to match or overcome their forwards before we can win the contest. I hope we mix it up a little on the fifth ( or fourth )tackle with a chip over the top instead of the spiral bomb. Just something to make us a little less predictable even running it on the fifth, spreading it wide and trusting people like Reed to drop it on the toe.

If we can create a little doubt about our plans it has got to be a plus. That statement last season from one of the opposition players that Brisbane were easy to defend against really really pissed me off and heightened my disgust with the Griffin play book. It looks like he has changed his ways or someone is influencing our plays behind the scenes, whatever the cause it has made me a lot more content and for the first time in several years I can see real progress.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Channel 9 is reporting Hodgeo is a big chance. Will be a massive in for us.

 

[Super Freak]

I'm not entirely happy about Hodges playing in the Eels game. We all know his track record with injuries, we've all seen what happened when he came back earlier than expected. I am hoping this time will be different, but I still have my doubts.

To be honest, I have absolutely no faith in his body holding up.

Maybe they could do what they did with Lockyer and bring him off the bench?

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I'm not entirely happy about Hodges playing in the Eels game. We all know his track record with injuries, we've all seen what happened when he came back earlier than expected. I am hoping this time will be different, but I still have my doubts.

To be honest, I have absolutely no faith in his body holding up.

Maybe they could do what they did with Lockyer and bring him off the bench?

Well we've got plenty of Centres to cover him, so I guess easing him back into it wouldn't be too bad. A waste of a bench spot though.

 

[Foordy]

I'm not entirely happy about Hodges playing in the Eels game. We all know his track record with injuries, we've all seen what happened when he came back earlier than expected. I am hoping this time will be different, but I still have my doubts.

To be honest, I have absolutely no faith in his body holding up.

Maybe they could do what they did with Lockyer and bring him off the bench?

it has been reported that he has been back in full training for a couple of weeks at least ... its not really rushing him back. and at a point keeping him on the sidelines won't improve the injury if it is at 100%

they were trying to have him play in round 1 ... that would have been rushing him back

 

[Socnorb]

There is no way they would rush Hodges back.

 

[Super Freak]

I don't recall saying Broncos were rushing him back...

 

[Rally Towel]

Well, the win over the Panthers makes 3/4 solid performances for Parra. Two comprehensive wins, pushing Manly to the wire, and a belting at the hands of the Roosters.

Evidently, they are more than capable of putting on the points, though I've seen some examples of pretty porous defence from them.

Not as confident so was prior to their last win, but if we continue our current form and level of effort, we'll get the job done. Aggressive line speed in defence, run big boppers at their little guys, and watch the cracks appear.

On the other side of the coin, let's see some practice in defence under the high ball and mark up properly out wide, to limit their opportunities. Also, if Hayne starts drifting across field in our red zone, don't wait for him to make his move. Mug the SOB!

 

[Financeguy]

Really impressed with the Broncos so far this season, they seem to be getting better and better and i'm very confident we will beat the Eels, who should also get a bit of credit for improving.

The only team i fear after four rounds are the Eagles.

I think i had the Broncos around 10th place this year, early days but i'm proud to say they look very much like a top 4 team.

 

[rnabokov]

Channel 9 is reporting Hodgeo is a big chance. Will be a massive in for us.

Well, this is the first of 2 conundrums. If Hodges plays, who gets dropped? Let the debate begin, or rather continue

(The 2nd one is what happens when Kahu returns.)

 

[jarro65]

Well, this is the first of 2 conundrums. If Hodges plays, who gets dropped? Let the debate begin, or rather continue

(The 2nd one is what happens when Kahu returns.)

Decisions decisions :rolleyes:

 

[Morkel]

Well, this is the first of 2 conundrums. If Hodges plays, who gets dropped? Let the debate begin, or rather continue

(The 2nd one is what happens when Kahu returns.)

It's bloody tough, because Hodges & Copley are both right-side players. Vidot is good on both sides but most recently (until this year) been on the right too. Maranta has spent his whole NRL career on the right, but being technically a FB he can presumably cover both. Reed again can do both sides but is the weakest of our backline so far.

So I presume we go to the Union formula ;) One left winger (Vidot, though having him outside Hodges would be tempting), inside centre (Copley), outside centre (Hodges), right winger (Maranta). Solved!

 

[noisetheory]

hodges will play this week im sure of it.

i'd drop reed personally. copley vidot and maranta have been too good.

 

[Bucking Beads]

If Hodges comes back one of the wingers gets dropped IMO. Hodges rushes back almost every time he is coming back from injury.

 

[subsbligh]

Decisions decisions :rolleyes:

I'd honestly prefer that Hodges plays 1 or 2 QCup games to get his fitness back, rather than us carry him for a couple of games.

Nothing against Hodgo, but he can push himself underdone into games.