PRE-GAME Round 9 - Broncos vs Bulldogs

[Thelmus]

I wouldn't worry about jersey numbers. Bennet doesn't like new players getting too comfortable, but neither does he care about accuracy for the press. He's named players before like that.
As for Macca playing, I wonder if it's smoke and mirrors to take the media focus off murphy.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I sourced this from over at r/NRL, and it perhaps sheds a bit more of an optimistic light on where we're at with our season:

Basically this chart shows 3 of our 4 wins have come from currently top 8 sides, alongside 3 of our losses. So we're squaring up well against quality opposition but also we're not losing to complete minnows (with the exception of the Titans. FMD that is an embarrassing loss).

As for the Bulldogs, well it doesn't make for very good reading. They've squared the ledger with the Panthers and belted the bottom feeding Cowboys up north, but other than that they've been beaten handily when presented with actual decent opposition.

 

[Dash]

I sourced this from over at r/NRL, and it perhaps sheds a bit more of an optimistic light on where we're at with our season:

Basically this chart shows 3 of our 4 wins have come from currently top 8 sides, alongside 3 of our losses. So we're squaring up well against quality opposition but also we're not losing to complete minnows (with the exception of the Titans. FMD that is an embarrassing loss).

As for the Bulldogs, well it doesn't make for very good reading. They've squared the ledger with the Panthers and belted the bottom feeding Cowboys up north, but other than that they've been beaten handily when presented with actual decent opposition.

Interestingly, we've had by far the hardest draw so far, with 6 games against top 8 sides, while by my count no other team has played more than 4. Our season actually isn't going that bad.

 

[WASSHHH]

I sourced this from over at r/NRL, and it perhaps sheds a bit more of an optimistic light on where we're at with our season:

Basically this chart shows 3 of our 4 wins have come from currently top 8 sides, alongside 3 of our losses. So we're squaring up well against quality opposition but also we're not losing to complete minnows (with the exception of the Titans. FMD that is an embarrassing loss).

As for the Bulldogs, well it doesn't make for very good reading. They've squared the ledger with the Panthers and belted the bottom feeding Cowboys up north, but other than that they've been beaten handily when presented with actual decent opposition.

Jokes aside - none of the teams we’ve beaten are perennial heavyweights aside from a terribly out of sorts Cowboys.

Granted, this season might turn out to prove the Warriors, Tigers or Rabbits as a good team - but you’d hardly be betting on that being the case.

By around the mid-point of the season, we would want to have strung together some wins and look to dominate teams before I’ll be thinking we’re more than just making up the numbers.

 

[_wwong]

View attachment 2912
Jokes aside - none of the teams we’ve beaten are perennial heavyweights aside from a terribly out of sorts Cowboys.

Granted, this season might turn out to prove the Warriors, Tigers or Rabbits as a good team - but you’d hardly be betting on that being the case.

By around the mid-point of the season, we would want to have strung together some wins and look to dominate teams before I’ll be thinking we’re more than just making up the numbers.

Until we can consistently beat the storm and I mean beat them convincingly, only then will we be a premiership force in my opinion. The storm seem to bully any sort of confidence and belief out of this current broncos squad. It's a huge monkey the broncos needs off their backs.

 

[Alec]

Until we can consistently beat the storm and I mean beat them convincingly, only then will we be a premiership force in my opinion. The storm seem to bully any sort of confidence and belief out of this current broncos squad. It's a huge monkey the broncos needs off their backs.

I'm pretty much resigned to waiting until Smith retires. Cronk and Slater are guns, but he's the real glue that holds them together as a godly side.

 

[Morkel]

Hahahahahha Raiders. They're not the worst, but Ricky feeling all warm about their 3 wins so far...

 

[Sproj]

Hahahahahha Raiders. They're not the worst, but Ricky feeling all warm about their 3 wins so far...

You could understand that table?

 

[Super Freak]

Broncos revelation Jamayne Isaako fighting for wing spot as Test star Jordan Kahu nears return

May 2, 2018

BRONCOS young gun Jamayne Isaako admits he has a fight on his hands to stay in the NRL as Jordan Kahu edges closer to a return.

Kahu made an appearance in a Broncos training session on Monday before copping a whack to his face and leaving the field.

The New Zealand Test international is on the comeback trail after breaking his jaw in Brisbane’s Round 2 win against North Queensland.

Kahu started the season at left centre, however many of his 82 NRL appearances have come on the wing.

The 21-year-old Isaako has been a revelation on the right wing for the Broncos this season, playing all eight matches after making his NRL debut under coach Wayne Bennett last year.

The goal-kicking ace has been inspired by fellow winger Corey Oates’ hot form and said he had to perform against the Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night to avoid losing his spot to Kahu.

“I’m working hard on playing consistent footy,” Isaako said.

“Jordie has got to come back and Wayne’s got to put him in the team somewhere.

“I’d like to keep my spot but there is a lot of experience that goes with Jordie coming back.

“This year has been a great experience and learning curve to come into a team full of superstars.

“I look to Oatesy and try to play like him with his tough carries.”

Isaako has been one of Brisbane’s success stories this season after securing a regular berth in the NRL team.

He made his sole first grade appearance for the Broncos in Round 19 last year, spending the rest of the season with Souths-Logan to be crowned the Intrust Super Cup’s best fullback of 2017.

Isaako is making the most of his time outside James Roberts on Brisbane’s right wing, however he dreamt of playing for the All Blacks as a kid.

A First XV rugby star in Christchurch, Isaako was scouted by Cronulla and moved to Australia as a 14-year-old.

He grew homesick at the Sharks and returned to New Zealand in late 2014 before approaching the Broncos about resurrecting his career in Brisbane.

“I was playing my junior development at Cronulla Sharks and wasn’t really happy with the way I was living,” he said.

“I was living in a house with other players and missing family all the time.

“I moved over here on my own. I went back home at one point but I wanted to have another crack at it and spoke to manager (Jim Banaghan) about coming to the Broncos.

“He helped me out with something here and I’ve been going good ever since.

“I never knew much about rugby league growing up, I was always a union boy.

“Growing up in New Zealand, the Broncos are big over there. The Broncos have always been a club I wanted to play for.”

The Broncos will on Wednesday finalise their preparations for the Bulldogs clash with a training session at Red Hill where they will unveil sponsored balls.

Local business TradeTools has joined Brisbane’s blossoming sponsorship stable and will have its logo plastered on training balls.

Source: Courier Mail

 

[Super Freak]

Macca has been declared fit to play.

 

[Super Freak]

Milford didn't train this morning. Ankle injury.

Expected to play, though.

 

[Sproj]

The Broncos will on Wednesday finalise their preparations for the Bulldogs clash with a training session at Red Hill where they will unveil sponsored balls.

Anybody else have a little giggle at this?

 

[Brent81]

Anybody else have a little giggle at this?

Sell anything now won't they.

I remember someone years ago shaving ASICS into their head, is how it's going to be done in this instance.

I think Nightingale might have been the first to try this form of sponsorship (remember the game against us when he lost his dacks and had to play a set or two in his reg grundies?)

 

[Brent81]

You could understand that table?

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who couldn't....just the colours did my head in.

 

[Unbreakable]

Lichaa has been dropped from the Dogs.

Word is that they're going to move Marshall-King to Hooker & play Frawley at Five-Eighth.

 

[Super Freak]

Bennett hails 'remarkable' McCullough after thumbs-up text

May 2, 2018

Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough sent his coach a welcome text on Monday saying he was right to return from injury a month ahead of schedule, the same day Josh McGuire was ruled out long term.

McCullough has trained all week leading into Thursday night's clash with Canterbury after suffering elbow ligament damage in the round-seven loss to Melbourne, an injury medical staff thought would keep him out for up to six weeks.

McGuire filled in at hooker in the win over South Sydney last week but suffered an ankle injury that could result in him also missing up to six weeks.

"He sent me a text on Monday," Bennett said when asked how soon after the prognosis of McGuire's injury that McCullough had put his hand up to play.

Bennett said he was surprised McCullough had recovered so quickly.

"I am, but that's the making of the bloke. He is confident about being able to play and he volunteered himself. He's remarkable," Bennett said.

"He does everything right, and that's half the battle. From the moment he gets an injury he does everything he possibly can to get himself ready to play again.

"We've taken all the precautions and done all the tests and no one can see a reason why he can't play. He has been a career player here and is a real important part of the organisation."

The Broncos have won eight of the 15 games McCullough has missed in the last three years at a winning rate of 53%, compared to the 29 wins from the 47 he has played, a favourable strike rate of 63%.

His presence will allow Bennett more scope with his forward rotation and with using strike weapon Kodi Nikorima off the bench.

McCullough's early return has also come at just the right time for the Broncos as they target making the most of four games at Suncorp Stadium in a row before their round-13 bye.

Bennett has shown faith in a cavalcade of young stars this season, including 18-year-old giant Payne Haas, back-rower Jaydn Su'A, rookie winger Jamayne Isaako and wrecking ball forward Tevita Pangai jnr.

"You get them to that point where they are getting more competent, more self-belief and more comfortable around the team and we are reaping the benefits of that now," he said.

While Haas had a stellar debut against the Rabbitohs last week, Bennett said how he would use him in future weeks was not set in stone.

"I have no plans with Payne right now. We have two of our top forwards [McGuire and Matt Gillett] injured and we need some back-up and we've got that," he said.

"If they are back in six or eight weeks and we are injury free I'll make other decisions but right now it is week by week."

Source: NRL.com

 

[_wwong]

Milford didn't train this morning. Ankle injury.

Expected to play, though.

Did he injure it when he karate kicked someone's balls ?

 

[Unbreakable]

It kind of sucks that McCullough isn't captain to be honest, I think he deserves it, and I also think he'd thrive on it and it'd take his game to the next level.

He always leads by example, never gives any less than 100%, puts pride in to the jersey and does everything right off the field, attitude & work ethic wise.