PRE-GAME [Round 7, 2024] Broncos vs Raiders

[007]

But if Willison starts?

Its not worth it long term. Reports say his best minutes are impact focused at the moment. Why throw him to the wolves so early?

 

[Mustafur]

Its not worth it long term. Reports say his best minutes are impact focused at the moment. Why throw him to the wolves so early?

But Baker is in the team, Willison is ready, it's mainly injuries that has put him back till now, he had his debut years ago, he is a good 3 years ahead of Te kura in development(though I think Te kura would only need 2 years to be at Willison level due to his massive body), look at his body composition, it's insane.

 

[McHunt]

I was excited at the prospect of injecting Sailor from the bench - all things considered - but we descended into a total rabble when he and Billy were on. I wouldn't lose my shit if Kevvie persists, but I'm going a different direction this week.

I don't care how much bed wetting goes on over this opinion, but nothing good ever happens when Billy returns from his siesta. Our attack goes to shit. One stint is more than enough.

Baker out. Te Kura in.
Madden was uninspiring but safe. He retains his position over Sailor.
Hunt will do.
And Oates, sorry mate, but you have to go back to the bench. Karapani/Pereira to the wing.

1. Walsh
2. Karapani/Pereira
3. Staggs
4. Cobbo
5. Arthars
6. Mam
7. Madden (sigh)
8. Jensen
9. Walters (sigh)
10. Willison
11. Hunt (best we have)
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Te Kura
16. Hetherington
17. Oates

18. Sailor

This team will trounce Canberra.

 

[Old Mate]

I was excited at the prospect of injecting Sailor from the bench - all things considered - but we descended into a total rabble when he and Billy were on. I wouldn't lose my shit if Kevvie persists, but I'm going a different direction this week.

I don't care how much bed wetting goes on over this opinion, but nothing good ever happens when Billy returns from his siesta. Our attack goes to shit. One stint is more than enough.

Baker out. Te Kura in.
Madden was uninspiring but safe. He retains his position over Sailor.
Hunt will do.
And Oates, sorry mate, but you have to go back to the bench. Karapani/Pereira to the wing.

1. Walsh
2. Karapani/Pereira
3. Staggs
4. Cobbo
5. Arthars
6. Mam
7. Madden (sigh)
8. Jensen
9. Walters (sigh)
10. Willison
11. Hunt (best we have)
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Te Kura
16. Hetherington
17. Oates

18. Sailor

This team will trounce Canberra.

I agree with this, 17 for Oates. He just isn’t safe enough on the wing. In saying that Madden has to show more otherwise I’d be looking at Mam/Sailor for the short term when Reynolds is out.

It hurt seeing play breakdown and Madden just taking tackles instead of passing on.

 

[Jedhead]

Canberra have changed quite a bit from last year. their backline has speed to burn. We will really miss Mariner's wheels this game. Baker went better than last week which means if he follows suit his next game is another 19M effort and a powder puff display in defence so hope that Haas is up for this game. Their forwards are not as flash but they are robust and as grubby as they come. This will be a real test for our boys if we continue to squander chances like we have done for the past few weeks. Also our inability to complete sets will be severely punished by the Faders. We need to start with a defensive mind set like last nights effort where we held the Fins for 6 sets of 6 in a row, but continue that effort well into the second half if we want to win this one.

I'd be tempted to give big Te Kura another stint of the bench as his size alone will pose a few questions of the Fader's defence.

I'd be willing to bet that Young and co will be targeting Walshy's face when he's lying vulnerable on the ground after a tackle. You just know it's coming from these grubby twats.

The first sign of this our boys need to rush in and cause a huge stink so the ref is forced to react, otherwise they'll get away with it all night.

 

[McHunt]

I agree with this, 17 for Oates. He just isn’t safe enough on the wing. In saying that Madden has to show more otherwise I’d be looking at Mam/Sailor for the short term when Reynolds is out.

It hurt seeing play breakdown and Madden just taking tackles instead of passing on.

I drew a line through Madden last season. Anyone expecting him to suddenly blossom because he's only played a few NRL games needs to consider why he's only played a few NRL games at the age of 24. And how he's been doing in the lower grade. He's probably more rounded than Billy, which isn't much of a compliment, but I see people saying they'd prefer Billy at 7. That's the sorry state of our understudies.

I'm also tempted by dropping Sailor into the halves with either number on his back, with Ezra taking more control, but he didn't exactly set the team on fire last night.

Madden: safe, but boring
Sailor: risky, but exciting

Take your pick

 

[Big Del]

And Oates, sorry mate, but you have to go back to the bench. Karapani/Pereira to the wing.

1. Walsh
2. Karapani/Pereira
3. Staggs
4. Cobbo
5. Arthars
6. Mam
7. Madden (sigh)
8. Jensen
9. Walters (sigh)
10. Willison
11. Hunt (best we have)
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Te Kura
16. Hetherington
17. Oates

18. Sailor

This team will trounce Canberra.

Yes I won`t be surprised if Karapani gets a run soon .

 

[Big Del]

I agree with this, 17 for Oates. He just isn’t safe enough on the wing. In saying that Madden has to show more otherwise I’d be looking at Mam/Sailor for the short term when Reynolds is out.

It hurt seeing play breakdown and Madden just taking tackles instead of passing on.

Madden started Walsh`s try by passing to Arthars while being tackled .
When play broke down .
Did you miss that ?

 

[Xzei]

I drew a line through Madden last season. Anyone expecting him to suddenly blossom because he's only played a few NRL games needs to consider why he's only played a few NRL games at the age of 24. And how he's been doing in the lower grade. He's probably more rounded than Billy, which isn't much of a compliment, but I see people saying they'd prefer Billy at 7. That's the sorry state of our understudies.

I'm also tempted by dropping Sailor into the halves with either number on his back, with Ezra taking more control, but he didn't exactly set the team on fire last night.

Madden: safe, but boring
Sailor: risky, but exciting

Take your pick

think we have plenty of risky but exciting players all madden needs to be able to do is play to a game plan and let mam and walsh do the flashy shit imo

 

[Sproj]

I was excited at the prospect of injecting Sailor from the bench - all things considered - but we descended into a total rabble when he and Billy were on. I wouldn't lose my shit if Kevvie persists, but I'm going a different direction this week.

I don't care how much bed wetting goes on over this opinion, but nothing good ever happens when Billy returns from his siesta. Our attack goes to shit. One stint is more than enough.

Baker out. Te Kura in.
Madden was uninspiring but safe. He retains his position over Sailor.
Hunt will do.
And Oates, sorry mate, but you have to go back to the bench. Karapani/Pereira to the wing.

1. Walsh
2. Karapani/Pereira
3. Staggs
4. Cobbo
5. Arthars
6. Mam
7. Madden (sigh)
8. Jensen
9. Walters (sigh)
10. Willison
11. Hunt (best we have)
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Te Kura
16. Hetherington
17. Oates

18. Sailor

This team will trounce Canberra.

Have you had a chance to watch Canberra this season? They are playing exciting football, I have them as comp dark horses. Their team is basically full strength and as a result, have us covered fairly well in several positions in our patched up state. If we win, it will be a massive result. If we trounce them, that would be some statement.

 

[McHunt]

Have you had a chance to watch Canberra this season? They are playing exciting football, I have them as comp dark horses. Their team is basically full strength and as a result, have us covered fairly well in several positions in our patched up state. If we win, it will be a massive result. If we trounce them, that would be some statement.

Only a couple of matches, but they certainly looked decent against the Eels. I'm still sure we can put them away, if we don't get in our own way. I WANT this to be the turning point.

My lingering concern - chalk this down to what we learnt in the Grand Final - is how we fall apart in the last quarter, rather than go in for the kill. When we were humming last season, we'd physically break teams in the first half and then run riot right until the bell. We become the Storm. Who are back to being the Storm, unfortunately.

I reckon we'll know when we're back on track when we return to this pattern. When you feel like the final hooter is a mercy ruling. When Walsh, Cobbo and Mam are scoring at will.

I don't know to what extent our second hooker rotation is contributing, but it certainly correlates. Something is broken. We didn't fix it last night.

 

[Old Mate]

Madden started Walsh`s try by passing to Arthars while being tackled .
When play broke down .
Did you miss that ?

Nah, I caught the other 4 times he got tackled 10m out though.

 

[McHunt]

think we have plenty of risky but exciting players all madden needs to be able to do is play to a game plan and let mam and walsh do the flashy shit imo

It's not just flashy, it's having a football brain. I feel like having both Madden and Walters in the spine dumbs us right down to sub-8 tier. They're similar players. They go through the motions without making stupid mistakes, they make the odd break, and pull off a decent kick once in a while, but they don't create much out of nothing.

Sailor is a cut above this pair. He has that something extra you can't train. Maybe you can call it a football brain. But you only have to watch this Isaako try to see why not everyone's a fan.

 

[bazza]

Our attack looks better whenever Smoothy comes on, because he is able to get the ball to Mam and Walsh with crisp passes out of dummy half at the right times. He can also mix it up a little bit where he engages the markers before passing, which creates space around the edges.

I think Walters probably has the balance wrong of when to run and when to pass. I think in the opening 20mins, he can choose to run a fair bit which will expose some lazy defenders through the ruck and will help us roll up field with some cheap metres. But after that 20 minute mark, where we are now winning the forward battle and are making easy yardage, he needs to fire the ball to the likes of Walsh and Mam as early as possible to let them create the plays on the edges.

 

[1910]

Yes I won`t be surprised if Karapani gets a run soon .

He can't even complete an ISC game, Burt replaces him every game in the last 10 minutes, and I can't figure out why.

He's been average at best for Bears.

 

[Santa]

Our attack looks better whenever Smoothy comes on, because he is able to get the ball to Mam and Walsh with crisp passes out of dummy half at the right times. He can also mix it up a little bit where he engages the markers before passing, which creates space around the edges.

I think Walters probably has the balance wrong of when to run and when to pass. I think in the opening 20mins, he can choose to run a fair bit which will expose some lazy defenders through the ruck and will help us roll up field with some cheap metres. But after that 20 minute mark, where we are now winning the forward battle and are making easy yardage, he needs to fire the ball to the likes of Walsh and Mam as early as possible to let them create the plays on the edges.

Walters seems to get gassed if left on too long as well. The combo works, but I think Billy should come off after 20-25min, and then come back on at the end if needed (I dont think it works with him doing a full half - especially if we're defending all our errors). But we still need him to do all that early work. It's much easier for a 9 to come on and be impressive once everyone's a bit slower in the middle e.g. Turpin.

That run he did yesterday was pretty good. Smart to take the tackle too.

 

[Big Del]

He can't even complete an ISC game, Burt replaces him every game in the last 10 minutes, and I can't figure out why.

He's been average at best for Bears.

He was in the extended squad for this match ...
Is that not a recognition ? Or do they just do that so everyone gets a participation medal ?
I don`t take much notice of your Q Cup form guide . Guys you talk up can`t make the NRL squad and others you tell us are under performing , come into 1sts and do well .

 

[Mr Fourex]

I'm also tempted by dropping Sailor into the halves with either number on his back, with Ezra taking more control, but he didn't exactly set the team on fire last night.

Madden: safe, but boring
Sailor: risky, but exciting

Take your pick

Ezra.....taking more control. I'm yet to see it.....and there's been a few games now without Reyno, that he could/should have,
but didn't.

While Reynolds is out.......

7. Ezra
6. Walsh
1. Sailor

Could be pretty sexy.......but, I'm not sure Ezra can?

I think Walsh could easily make the switch. His defence in the front line, could be an issue.