POST GAME Round 5 - Bulldogs vs Broncos

[MPC]

I blame Bennet. This game was so pre conceived about how slippery the ball was going to be we looked to really hold back on second man plays and just hitting the line hard and playing the ball quickly. We are not the storm we dont have a kicking game so we need to focus on our strengths and thats our defense and also attack which was sadly missing. To me its seems our game plan was to hold the ball make no mistakes finish sets but without decent plays we made no yards. The biggest issue we still have is not having a kicker. We had so many opportunities for second sets in goal but dont have a confident enough player to make it happen. Same with high balls always too short and not high enough.

 

[talanoa]

wayne might need to spend more time training and prepping the offense rather than swanning around town wining and dining with the new bird on his arm.

 

[jd87]

wayne might need to spend more time training and prepping the offense rather than swanning around town wining and dining with the new bird on his arm.

sorry but that is a low blow. as angry as i am u cannot stoop to that garbage journalism level of dribble

 

[winslow_wong]

So does anyone else feel Kahu's running game is abysmal?

He's a centre. We need someone like mead or Pearson on the wing. Much better speed and acceleration

 

[Super Freak]

A desperate and disciplined Canterbury Bulldogs side has overcome a saturated ANZ Stadium pitch and a series of disallowed tries – not to mention a powerful Brisbane Broncos line-up – to prevail 10-7 on Thursday night.

Badly needing a vastly improved performance following last week's thrashing by Manly, Des Hasler's men produced a greatly improved defensive showing.

Debutant halfback Matt Frawley's deft kicking game created four goal-line drop outs and was unlucky not to create two or three tries with poor execution from his teammates proving costly on a few occasions.

It ended up not costing them the match though as the Dogs overcame a 7-0 half-time deficit to find two try-scoring plays in the second half while refusing to concede further points.

Skipper James Graham was simply inspirational with 180 metres and 56 tackles – including one late try-saver – while Josh Reynolds had his best game of the year, hooker Michael Lichaa one of his best in Canterbury colours and rookie fullback Brad Abbey easily his best NRL game in his three so far.

Josh Jackson (130 metres, 40 tackles and a try assist) and David Klemmer (a massive 295 metres) also produced easily their best efforts of 2017.

Brisbane weren't bad by any stretch but some poor errors and leaky edge defence from Anthony Milford and Tautau Moga proved costly.

The Broncos ground their way to a 7-0 half time lead but profited from some poor plays from Canterbury, who were twice caught offside on try-scoring opportunities.

The first try came in bizarre circumstances as Milford spotted Bulldogs fullback Abbey defending in the line and kicked downfield on play two in the eighth minute with Sam Thaiday outpacing Milford to dive on the ball and slide along the sodden ANZ Stadium turf into the in-goal.

A possible Josh Reynolds try from a Frawley kick was spilled by the five-eighth but penalised for offside anyway while a clear-cut try to Reynolds – again off a Frawley kick – was disallowed when Brenko Lee was penalised for being offside.

The Dogs created some sustained pressure late in the half via Frawley's accurate boot helping them to three consecutive goal-line drop outs but they weren't able to capitalise. Instead a Jordan Kahu field goal right on the half-time siren was the only further addition to the first half score.

The first 15 minutes of the second half saw some resolute defence from both teams with both being forced into goal-line drop outs and Canterbury's short drop outs produced a pair of interesting results.

One kick failed to go 10 but jagged off its point just past the 10-metre line and into touch to earn the Bulldogs possession back while their second barely travelled five but rather than receiving the penalty, Brisbane winger Jordan Kahu – clearly forgetting the relevant rule – scooped the ball up while it was still live to instead give up a penalty and let the Dogs off the hook.

It proved a massive play with Canterbury surging downfield, getting in attacking range via another penalty and scoring through the sheer determination of Reynolds who got his team back within a point.

The Bulldogs looked re-energised and when Josh Jackson scorched through Anthony Milford and Tautau Moga on Brisbane's left edge four minutes to send Abbey over the blue-and-whites had a well-earned 10-7 lead with 20 to play.

Reynolds came up with his third disallowed try of the game – all from Frawley kicks – when video inspection found he had knocked on in the lead up to what was an otherwise excellent grounding.

The next set saw skipper James Graham produce an inspirational try-saving cover tackle on flying Broncos winger Corey Oates to earn him the adulation of his teammates.

It was the closest Brisbane got to a possible match-winner until some razzle dazzle off the final play of the game but Darius Boyd's desperation kick out wide was batted dead by winger Marcelo Montoya to cap a fine win.

Canterbury Bulldogs 10 (Reynolds, Abbey tries; Abbey goal) defeated Brisbane Broncos 7 (Thaiday try; Kahu goal; Kahu fiald goal) at ANZ Stadium. Half time: Brisbane 7-0. Crowd: 7,421.

http://www.nrl.com/desperate-dogs-down-broncos-in-the-wet/tabid/10874/newsid/105224/default.aspx

 

[MPC]

He is good defensively but I'm not really seeing it. Opacic would be straight back in as soon as he is fit if I were coach. Moga has Super League written all over him

I dont get Moga unless he proves me wrong hes not to NRL standard. Hes slow and made many defensive errors to date. Hes improving but I dont see him breaking tackes or making try assists.

 

[BroncsNBundy]

Oates is really fucKing playing like shit

As for Oatesy being shit .... I say go defog your glasses.

Who said this? Oates was our best tonight. I think he needs to be in the forwards though to give us better grunt and speed in middle of ruck

Right here

 

[winslow_wong]

Even though we were totally outplayed by a team that was supposedly on the ropes the media still call us a powerful side. There needs to be some heat aimed towards Bennett, enough is enough.

 

[CaptainHook]

The Broncos earned three goal line drop outs, and Canterbury ended up getting a result on two of them at a pivotal time in the game. Again the majority of the match was played down Brisbane's half and the majority of the Broncos sets were exits which Canterbury easily dominated.

I hate watching them lose as much as anyone but they weren't as bad as what some of you are saying. A tough loss but given the way the game played out excuse me I'm not as pessimistic as some of you.

I'm not sure if you're serious or not mate.

The Bulldogs earned 9 repeat sets in the first half alone...

Canterbury got a result from ours because one of our players didn't know the rules and another was asleep to the possibility of a short drop out.

 

[Cult]

wayne might need to spend more time training and prepping the offense rather than swanning around town wining and dining with the new bird on his arm.

Jeez, is that you Lurker?

 

[Pushkin]

Which player need to drop?

 

[Big Pete]

I'm not sure if you're serious or not mate.

The Bulldogs earned 9 repeat sets in the first half alone...

Canterbury got a result from ours because one of our players didn't know the rules and another was asleep to the possibility of a short drop out.

Do you think Abbey intentionally came up with those kicks?

And I'm sure they did, which is what I meant by the game being played in Brisbane's half.

 

[badyon]

For the rest of the year - we should just tell the boys they are behind by 4 and it is 15 minutes to go -- right from the starting kick off.

What was the story with Roberts?

That left foot snap from Kahu was pretty impressive, but that drop-out brain snap though.

Milf needs to put his body on the line in defence, but he also misses a Jack Reed type outside him as in 2015. And if he's defending 3 in from touch -- then you really want a highly mobile backrower sliding across and smashing. Alex Glenn did it in 2015, but he looks way too slow now, and Sammy is no spring chook.

Still not a fan of Josh McGuire touching the ball on 4th or 5th tackle.

 

[Jason Simmons]

So the press conference is up and Bennett has just thrown Kahu under the bus...

'He has played enough football, he should know the rules...'

That will do me. So the complete lack of an identifiable gameplan or the slightest clue of what to do in attack is I suppose Kahu's fault too, is it Wayne?

 

[uptheguts]

The worse thing about tonight's performance is that it was dead boring to watch. I am just getting tired of watching four or five ups or props running off halves. We deserve better then that rubbish.

Surely everyone knows by now that it is impossible to grind out a successful season in the NRL and I even if you could I would just not want to watch it.

Moga could still be a weapon but really needs be given some direction from the halves. We are in despaeate need of some off loads in the forwards. The backs are just hopeless at the moment

 

[CaptainHook]

Do you think Abbey intentionally came up with those kicks?

And I'm sure they did, which is what I meant by the game being played in Brisbane's half.

Didn't he?

I wasn't listening to the commentary so he may have just mistimed his kick but kicking short from a drop out is usually deliberate. I thought he was trying to get the ball back.

 

[talanoa]

sorry but that is a low blow. as angry as i am u cannot stoop to that garbage journalism level of dribble

have you heard of slapstick humour?? obviously not

 

[Mitch06]

I know everyone's down and being negative but I'd just like to say that Hunt and Roberts defence tonight was exceptional. If Milford was on Hunts side defending we would get fucked. Hunts contact is consistently strong and even if he bounces or slips off he does enough to notshut it down. Some of his tackles are unreal though.

Roberts absolutely owned Morris tonight. He has quite a lot of upperbody strength for his shape and size and exerts with sheer aggression.