What a huge effort that everyone at the club and the fans can be proud of. It's been a couple of years since I've finished a Broncos game and thought that the whole team could really hold their heads high... Great feeling.
I thought we were the better side and there were some really bad penalty calls / no calls that we had to overcome, as well as the fact that according to NRL HIA protocol, Cleary should have been off the field when he kicked the field goal and then scored a try... I'm sure the NRL will stay silent on that one.
This game goes to prove that it isn't a talent problem with this team - it's effort, heart, commitment and toughness. Tonight our boys showed all of them and its no surprise we looked like a completely different team. As many have said, if we play like that every week then we belt most teams in the competition. They have set a benchmark now and I'm really hopeful that the penny has dropped for a lot these guys and these young players realise that how they performed last night is now the expected, necessary level of intensity, commitment and effort week-in-week-out. These young players have seen that they can match it with the best and they should not only take a huge amount of confidence from it, but an understanding of the level expected of them on a consistent basis. With Staggs in the team we probably take that game.
After there's been some derision the last few weeks, I think Kevvie deserves recognition for getting the boys fired up for a big performance and also for his use of the bench, which I thought was very good (unlike other weeks).
In terms of players, Glenn was poor as usual and shouldn't be in the side at all. Oates showed huge heart and performed well - he offers more than Mead and should be in the team if he can consistently produce games like last night. Flegler was moronic and did us no favours - he needs a stint in reserve grade, because Bullemor deserves the game time more.
Dearden was quiet and uninvolved, still finding his feet perhaps? In his defence, he didn't once receive the ball out in front of him in attacking space - these sorts of little things which allow Walker to look like an instant star, Dearden doesn't have and he's struggled to make a mark without them yet, but I'm willing to give him time. Credit also to Croft, who was very good without being brilliant and proved he deserves a place in the team over Milford if solely for the fact that he truly cares and puts in 100% effort.
The standouts were, of course Lodge, TPJ and Haas. Each of them were excellent. Lodge as the tough, enforcer and on-field general, Haas as the constant, unstoppable forward momentum and TPJ as the x-factor looking to create opportunities and turn the game with special plays.
We were an experienced, calm spine player away from taking that game against a historically elite Penrith side. The boys proved to themselves, their coach and their fans that they can tangle with anyone in the comp, and with players coming back (Herbie, Staggs) and some money to throw around in the offseason, if we can continue to replicate that intensity, dedication and performance for the rest of the year, we will have an extremely solid base to get things right for next season and beyond.
Go the Broncs.
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