The Broncos thus far.

[Charmamba]

Team's winning so therefore all players are exempt from constructive criticism? Right.

thats how it worked here in 2006 though, wasnt it?

I wouldnt say that wallace is playing up to scratch yet. hes playing BETTER, but hes still not scoring us enough points or creating enough opportunities. as a playmaker, thats his job. no doubt hes 100000000% better than he has been over the last 3 years, but hes still not within coooieeee of being a top half of the competition.

While only 1 game on Saturday night Imo he was only out played by Cronk. Noone else on the field match those 2.

If Wallace can take the confidence from that game and carry it on we have ourselves a game winner.

 

[gUt]

Now that Wallace is playing up to scratch, BHQ needs someone to hate. Throwing a dart at the dartboard... it hit Macca!

Seriously he's played hooker for a team that has won a million games straight but he's to be punted. BHQ you never disappoint.

Team's winning so therefore all players are exempt from constructive criticism? Right.

I haven't seen any constructive criticism. I've seen "drop him forever, put Norman at hooker" and this sort of rubbish. It's the BHQ way.

 

[gUt]

Now that Wallace is playing up to scratch, BHQ needs someone to hate. Throwing a dart at the dartboard... it hit Macca!

Seriously he's played hooker for a team that has won a million games straight but he's to be punted. BHQ you never disappoint.

Have you watched Macca play at all??? [icon_drun

Yeah. He has good stats, really good. He should pass from the ground because his timing sometimes puts his runners off and he's vulnerable to having his arm slapped and the ball dislodged.

=

Let's drop our hooker from a winning side.

 

[Bucking Beads]

ah yes his Stats are good because he defends well. Lets keep him in the side regardless of how poorly he really is playing. He needs a rocket to be dropped, not forever but just to learn how to be a hooker.

 

[Bull Shark]

Team's winning so therefore all players are exempt from constructive criticism? Right.

thats how it worked here in 2006 though, wasnt it?

I wouldnt say that wallace is playing up to scratch yet. hes playing BETTER, but hes still not scoring us enough points or creating enough opportunities. as a playmaker, thats his job. no doubt hes 100000000% better than he has been over the last 3 years, but hes still not within coooieeee of being a top half of the competition.

right on re Wallace .. he's still too much of a 'before the line' halfback imo, ie he doesn't take on the defense himself enough or certainly not very effectively at the moment. A couple of times he tried on saturday night he virtually dummied to nobody in an attempt to fool the defense and of course no one on the storm side bit.

I think Scott Prince falls into a similar category in terms of becoming a "dinner suit" number 7 over the last couple of seasons. He took the line on a lot more in the Titans' first couple of years and actually scored quite a few tries himself and was far more potent all round.

Maybe its a case of being 110% confident in their fitness for these guys to be where we want them to be as halfbacks. Certainly Wallace has had to overcome surgery and rumours abound that Prince has been carrying something for a while.

 

[gUt]

ah yes his Stats are good because he defends well. Lets keep him in the side regardless of how poorly he really is playing. He needs a rocket to be dropped, not forever but just to learn how to be a hooker.

I disagree. I think he's going well, or at least he's going well enough. He's still young and still learning but he's playing in the second or third most important position on the field in a team that's sweeping away all opposition. I don't mind a hooker that's a tackling machine. It's their main job.

Teams with a dud hooker don't win thousands of games in a row.

 

[Anonymous person]

Teams with a dud hooker don't win thousands of games in a row.

they can win 7 though, as shown by the Broncos.

look, i was happy to give mccullough a chance - hes the only real hooker we have. but last year and this year hes just shown that hes like wallace - able to put in a competent/above average game in here and there, but mostly just plays below average.

his service out of dummy half has got to be the joke of the NRL at this stage. markers seem to know that as soon as you see him at dummy half, just step to the side when he picks the ball up and slap at the ball/arm. its happened like 5-6 times in the last 3 weeks alone! a decent dummy half would NOT let the marker anywhere near them before they got the pass away.

also, his stats arent really that good. i know cause i had him in my fantasy league team for like the first 6 weeks [icon_lol1.

 

[gUt]

Can't argue about his service needing to be better. He doesn't yet have the speed off the mark to take a couple of steps then pass. Plus he takes his eye off the marker. Plus it flattens the attack and puts the runner under pressure. But I like that he's trying to "do a Smith" with that kind of play, getting the forwards rolling forward. Difference is that Smith is able to do it off the back of quick play the balls, which partly come off the back of good service... rinse/repeat.

But I just don't see how he's playing as badly as many are saying. The Broncos are noticeably better when he's on the field, imo.

 

[Anonymous person]

But I just don't see how he's playing as badly as many are saying. The Broncos are noticeably better when he's on the field, imo.

thats because when hes off the field theyre replacing him with a half whos trying to play hooker, not because of the quality of mccullough.

 

[Porthoz]

ah yes his Stats are good because he defends well. Lets keep him in the side regardless of how poorly he really is playing. He needs a rocket to be dropped, not forever but just to learn how to be a hooker.

I disagree. I think he's going well, or at least he's going well enough. He's still young and still learning but he's playing in the second or third most important position on the field in a team that's sweeping away all opposition. I don't mind a hooker that's a tackling machine. It's their main job.

Teams with a dud hooker don't win thousands of games in a row.

A hooker's main job is to service his halves or running forwards timely and properly, as well as being a good defender. He's fulfilling the defensive part well, but is well short of what's required with the ball in hand!
I've liked what I've seen from Macca since his U20's time, but this year has been really bad. He's the team's weakest link imo.

Having said that, we need to have someone who will fill the position better than him, and the question is whether we have someone to do it. I would drop Macca to Qcup temporarily and give Baptiste a go. Hopefully, it will be what Macca needs to step up to the mark, while it may supply us with a good alternative. If none of this works, keep Macca in there for his defense, and look for a replacement for the seasons to come.

 

[gUt]

Last thing I will say about it. If I was coach there's no way in the world I would drop my starting hooker from a side that's all but unbeatable and is among the top defensive sides in the league, just because there's things he needs to work on.

 

[Mister Wright]

Last thing I will say about it. If I was coach there's no way in the world I would drop my starting hooker from a side that's all but unbeatable and is among the top defensive sides in the league, just because there's things he needs to work on.

Agree.

We have some pretty short memories on this forum.

I know Macca didn't have a cracking year last year, but towards the end of the season he was asked to pick up his game in the absence of Lockyer, and I remember two distinct games where he started awesome and was hooked by Henjack after only 20 minutes on both occasions. I think the game against Newcastle was the best game to highlight this. I think he set up 2 tries, or 2 big line breaks and was then replaced.

 

[Anonymous person]

so 2 games out of how many? i can recall about 5 this year where hes been the worst player on the field.

 

[Charmamba]

i can recall about 5 this year where hes been the worst player on the field.

With how well everyone is going, Thats easy

 

[Big Pete]

AP - What are the 5?

I can see Cowboys, Tigers and Bulldogs.

 

[Jeba]

Storm is another

 

[Anonymous person]

i can recall about 5 this year where hes been the worst player on the field.

With how well everyone is going, Thats easy

i didnt just say worst player on the field for the broncos though [icon_wink

 

[Big Pete]

Storm is another

Are you kidding me?

Lui did nothing but concede a try.

Apart from that clanger in the first half, Macca wasn't THAT bad.

Wasn't good either and that's the issue.