PRE-GAME [THE BIG DANCE] BRISBANE BRONCOS Vs PENRITH PANTHERS - 2023 NRL GRAND FINAL

[Sproj]

Compare the below...and yes the head to head will come once squads are released but remember how close Souths got to Penrith two years ago with one Adam Reynolds at the helm (and of course Penrith are not the same team to an extent):

Penrith 2021 | Penrith 2023 | Souths 2021 | Broncos 2023
1. Edwards | Edwards | Taaffe | Walsh
2. Crichton | Turuva | Johnston | Arthars
3. Momirovski | Tago | Gagai | Staggs
4. Burton | Crichton | Graham | Farnworth
5. To'o | | To'o | Paulo | Cobbo
6. Luai | Luai | Walker | Mam
7. Cleary | Cleary | Reynolds | Reynolds
8. Leota | Leota | Nicholls | Flegler
9. Koroisau | Kenny | Cook | Walters
10. Fisher-Harris | Fisher-Harris | Tatola | Haas
11. Martin | Sorenson | Koloamatangi | Capewell
12. Capewell | Martin | Su'A | Riki
13. Yeo | Yeo | Murray | Carrigan

14. Kikau | Cogger | Marshall | Smoothy
15. May | Smith | Host | Hetherington
16. Sorensen | Leniu | Burgess | Palasia
17. Leniu | Garner | Arrow | Piakura

Penrith are not as loaded and I think we are better than Souths, I'm confident.

 

[nopatience101]

Named 1-17 no changes

 

[Super Freak]

 

[Jedhead]

Do the players listed 18 through 22 also get a ring on Sunday? I think the performance Tristan put in over in NZ to get us those two valuable points during origin deserves something.

 

[KateBroncos1812]

Well we have lots of motivation. Hope to stick it to these idiots!

We have Dumb Dumber and Dumbest I am backing the underdog which is us

 

[HarryAllan7]

On Gee as ref (Taken from Reddit):

Since 2011, Brisbane have won 54.01% of games and 48.39% (15 - 0 - 16) under Gee. Penrith have won 59.79% of games since 2011 and 65.63% (21 - 0 - 11) of games under Gee.

Brisbane have a penalty ratio of 0.76 (98.5F 130A) under Gee and Penrith have a ratio of 1.08 (158.5F 146.5A).

He awards an average of 3.1 Penalties for Brisbane per game and 4.2 against

He awards and average of 5 Penalties for Penrith per game and 4.6 against

Stats point towards Penrith in both Winning percentage and penalties for.

Stats gotten from: afltables.com/rl/misc/Adam_Gee.html

 

[mrslong]

Do the players listed 18 through 22 also get a ring on Sunday? I think the performance Tristan put in over in NZ to get us those two valuable points during origin deserves something.

And Oates.


Not that I think we’ll win or anything *looks suspiciously over shoulder*

 

[GCBRONCO]

It's actually a good angle if you read it.

The Broncos did improve everything this year, on-field and off-field and the Dolphins did motivate them.

Everyone at the Broncos was on notice and had to lift a gear.

They say competition is good in business and this couldn’t have been truer in the case of the Broncos.

“We always had the view that another close team – we’re the only Brisbane team – and having that rivalry would be a benefit to us,” Morris said this week.

“That has been the case.”

The Broncos’ off-field team was forced to work harder for the corporate dollar in town because the Dolphins hit the ground running with a commercially savvy CEO in Terry Reader, a former Brisbane executive who knows intricate details about his biggest rival.
On the field, the Broncos knew the Dolphins – albeit undermanned in their foundation season – were coming for them with Bennett at the helm.

The intensity lifted a cog at Red Hill heading into the pre-season after Brisbane’s dreadful 2022 fade out.

He's 100% right.

You never make a Grand Final because of one thing, and he doesn't say that, but I think the Dolphins did contribute.

Well to be fair they did give us 4 competition points.

 

[Johnny92]

And Oates.


Not that I think we’ll win or anything *looks suspiciously over shoulder*

Surely the 18th man would get one because If he gets on the field then someone would have to miss out on a ring. The winning club I believe can purchase extra rings for their players.

 

[Unbreakable]

The teams 1-17 are so absurdly evenly matched across the park. I can't pinpoint any major leg up for either team in the forward pack, spine, outside backs or benches.

Panthers have the advantage of experience in big games, we have the advantage of youthful exuberence and hunger.

 

[lynx000]

I hope that once we beat the Panthers, the boys follow Tallis' lead and have the entire team ring Gould giving him shit every hour during mad Monday

And Fifita and Coates as well.

 

[mrslong]

And Fifita and Coates as well.

I wonder if those boys feel that feeling when you don’t know which lane of traffic to jump into, and you jump into the right lane because it’s the one that’s moving quickly but after a minute it stops and the left lane starts and doesn’t stop moving and the truck you overtook in a rage goes cruising past with a wave

 

[Renegade]

I wonder if those boys feel that feeling when you don’t know which lane of traffic to jump into, and you jump into the right lane because it’s the one that’s moving quickly but after a minute it stops and the left lane starts and doesn’t stop moving and the truck you overtook in a rage goes cruising past with a wave

Fifita has no excuses. We even (apparently) looked at him to gauge interest with the whole Titans contract thing and he chose money. I wanted him to rejoin badly but reality is we don't need him.

 

[Super Freak]

Do the players listed 18 through 22 also get a ring on Sunday? I think the performance Tristan put in over in NZ to get us those two valuable points during origin deserves something.

Pretty sure they don't.

 

[MrTickyMcG]

On Gee as ref (Taken from Reddit):

Since 2011, Brisbane have won 54.01% of games and 48.39% (15 - 0 - 16) under Gee. Penrith have won 59.79% of games since 2011 and 65.63% (21 - 0 - 11) of games under Gee.

Brisbane have a penalty ratio of 0.76 (98.5F 130A) under Gee and Penrith have a ratio of 1.08 (158.5F 146.5A).

He awards an average of 3.1 Penalties for Brisbane per game and 4.2 against

He awards and average of 5 Penalties for Penrith per game and 4.6 against

Stats point towards Penrith in both Winning percentage and penalties for.

Stats gotten from: afltables.com/rl/misc/Adam_Gee.html

This is a much better analysis than "since 2020"...

No shit that Brisbane lost a lot of games under Gee since 2020; we lost a lot of games

No shit that Penrith won a lot of games under Gee since 2020; they won a lot of games

 

[Sproj]

Alrighty, time for the official head-to-head:

1. Walsh (Broncos) - Totally different fullbacks, totally different but Walsh brings an X factor no other fullback comes close to at present
2. To'o (Panthers) - He has the runs on the board and is an absolute gun, best winger on the field
3. Crichton (Panthers) - He has levelled up this year and will be wanting to go out of Penrith on a high and we need to be on high alert about his intercept ability
4. Farnworth (Broncos) - He is right up there as best centre in the world, absolute gun and if he and Staggs swap a few times, Tago is in trouble
5. Cobbo (Broncos) - He is a more rocks and diamonds than any other winger out there but his diamonds are amazingly good, if we get good Cobbo and I think we will, he could be a game changer
6. Luai (Panthers) - I'm really tempted to have Mam here because I can't stand Luai and he is injured but I'm trying to be objective and Luai has the runs on the board
7. Cleary (Panthers) - Again, I love what Reynolds offers and I believe he is the one halfback that can truly challenge Penrith but Cleary is an absolute gun and so far above any other halfback in his age group it isn't funny
8. Fisher-Harris (Panthers) - I am basing this on reputation and trying to be objective but I think Flegler is a lot closer here now than he was even 12 months ago, Brisbane will be trying to knock him on his butt on his very first run to make a statement
9. Walters (Broncos) - Extremely underrated player, top 5 hooker this year and takes such good advantage of being underrated
10. Haas (Broncos) - Best prop in the game and by some distance, obliterated AFB and Barnett last week and will do the same this week, he will go down in folklore
11. Martin (Panthers) - He is grubby and basically the only NSW origin forward who can hold his own against Qld, extremely good player and Brissy will have to watch him, he is a gun
12. Riki (Broncos) - He has levelled up this year and his kick chase pressure is something to behold and has re-found his attacking mojo in recent times, is a weapon
13. Carrigan (Broncos) - Look I am really trying to be unbiased and Yeo is a gun, no two ways about it but Carrigan is just better and a proven big game performer on the origin and international stage

14. Smith (Panthers) - He has been fantastic for the Panthers off the bench and helps them keep their roll on, we will have to watch him closely
15. Leniu (Panthers) - I am genuinely worried about him from the bench as he has the ability to keep the momentum going from the starting middles, Hetherington needs to hit him hard again and again
16. Hetherington (Broncos) - The defensive starch he brings is an underrated weapon by anyone who isn't a Broncos' fan and keeps it tight in the middle until the big three come back, I am expecting him to have a big game
17. Palasia (Broncos) - Our answer to Leniu basically and we need him to do what he has been doing all season and keep the metres ticking over while Haas / Flegs get a break, if he does that, it will go a long way toward us winning

9-8 to Broncos but honestly, they have some holes that we can exploit. In every single position, seriously it is a coin flip, this will be so good.

 

[Sproj]

I like us being the underdogs, it is the Qld way.

 

[Bish]

Icing it would probably indicate immediate damage. Ice for reducing swelling. If they're strapping it they're more likely just trying to keep it firm and compressed.

(tho there is the theory floating around icing restricts bloodflow which carries oxygen which helps repair muscles)

So why do they say ice baths aid recovery? Just wondering?