Under 19 Origin

[Aldo]

I thought it was a pretty entertaining game. Pretty competitive.

 

[JayPee]

Something needs to be done about Badger.

 

[Sproj]

Black looks like he loves it when the pressure is on too, that is what most impresses me. Bukowski also had some nice moments but right now, Mozer looks the better of the two but is also one year further in development. Leota has looked awful in every single game I've seen him play and that is about 5 or 6 now. Has no awareness either side of the ball.

But back to Black, the most exciting halfback we've had coming through in possibly over 10 years.

 

[JayPee]

Black looks like he loves it when the pressure is on too, that is what most impresses me. Bukowski also had some nice moments but right now, Mozer looks the better of the two but is also one year further in development. Leota has looked awful in every single game I've seen him play and that is about 5 or 6 now. Has no awareness either side of the ball.

But back to Black, the most exciting halfback we've had coming through in possibly over 10 years.

I said the same thing about Jake Clifford after an U19s origin game years ago at suncorp Best performance I had seen from a young guy at that level. Hopefully it turns out different for the Black kid. Strong kicking game is a great start. Hard to tell with his general play game because he was not surrounded by much else in the backline.

 

[Big Pete]

I thought the Maroons goal-line defence was pretty strong. Blues dominated all the field position and yet the Maroons kept getting their bodies infront and never lost touch with the game physically.

Broncos Watch

Israel Leota - If he didn't have an NRL contract, he wouldn't have been picked. I'm very concerned that he was 18th man against Souths. If he performs like that in the NRL, Kevie may not see 60!

Coby Black - If I was a Denver Broncos fan, I'd be satisfied with the way our punter is shaping up. As a Broncos fan, it was every other facet of his game that concerned me.

Beni Allen - Didn't embarrass himself like Te Kura did last year, but clearly out-muscled by his opposites. It's pretty concerning that Te'o had two interchanges left and didn't think to give him more than 14 minutes.

Cameron Bukowski - You ask him the time, he tells you how to make a watch. Too much finess at times but you can see the potential when he sticks with the basics. Nice sharp passing, even has a nice kicking game on him as well. Not bad for somebody who hasn't played a ton of footy this year.

Harry Armstrong - Toiled hard and was rewarded with a gem of a pass from the Maroons best playmaker - Lewis Symonds.

 

[Sproj]

I thought the Maroons goal-line defence was pretty strong. Blues dominated all the field position and yet the Maroons kept getting their bodies infront and never lost touch with the game physically.

Broncos Watch

Israel Leota - If he didn't have an NRL contract, he wouldn't have been picked. I'm very concerned that he was 18th man against Souths. If he performs like that in the NRL, Kevie may not see 60!

Coby Black - If I was a Denver Broncos fan, I'd be satisfied with the way our punter is shaping up. As a Broncos fan, it was every other facet of his game that concerned me.

Beni Allen - Didn't embarrass himself like Te Kura did last year, but clearly out-muscled by his opposites. It's pretty concerning that Te'o had two interchanges left and didn't think to give him more than 14 minutes.

Cameron Bukowski - You ask him the time, he tells you how to make a watch. Too much finess at times but you can see the potential when he sticks with the basics. Nice sharp passing, even has a nice kicking game on him as well. Not bad for somebody who hasn't played a ton of footy this year.

Harry Armstrong - Toiled hard and was rewarded with a gem of a pass from the Maroons best playmaker - Lewis Symonds.

You have seemed quite harsh on our kids in recent times, sticking to form I guess.

 

[Culhwch]

Coby Black - If I was a Denver Broncos fan, I'd be satisfied with the way our punter is shaping up. As a Broncos fan, it was every other facet of his game that concerned me.

Was wondering what I'd missed, reading some of the other responses on here...

 

[JayPee]

The first thing I would be doing as a coach for Israel Leota is sitting him down and making sure he knows what the offside rule is in rugby league. That was hilarious. Looked like he didn't know the rules tonight.

 

[JayPee]

It's hard to judge him and his ballplaying with the lack of structure. See it all the time. Great halfbacks need guys next to them that know what they are doing. Unless you have an electric running game it's hard to standout.

 

[Big Pete]

You have seemed quite harsh on our kids in recent times, sticking to form I guess.

 

[Tmac]

An entertaining game from two evenly matched teams with different strengths. A great effort by most QLD players but in the end I feel we beat ourselves in what was a very winnable game. Sorry to say but Leota was the worst player on the field by a country mile, and he cost us plenty. The Broncs need to get him off books asap.

 

[Allo]

Seems like we always need a broncos kid to have an absolute ‘mare in one of these junior Origins

Leota carrying on the tradition

 

[Mustafur]

Idk if it was a coaching decision but QLD really didn't want to spread the ball wide during the game, it made the attack very dull with most of our game centered around counter attacks and kicks while all the ball stays in the middle.

 

[Old Mate]

I thought the Maroons goal-line defence was pretty strong. Blues dominated all the field position and yet the Maroons kept getting their bodies infront and never lost touch with the game physically.

Broncos Watch

Israel Leota - If he didn't have an NRL contract, he wouldn't have been picked. I'm very concerned that he was 18th man against Souths. If he performs like that in the NRL, Kevie may not see 60!

Coby Black - If I was a Denver Broncos fan, I'd be satisfied with the way our punter is shaping up. As a Broncos fan, it was every other facet of his game that concerned me.

Beni Allen - Didn't embarrass himself like Te Kura did last year, but clearly out-muscled by his opposites. It's pretty concerning that Te'o had two interchanges left and didn't think to give him more than 14 minutes.

Cameron Bukowski - You ask him the time, he tells you how to make a watch. Too much finess at times but you can see the potential when he sticks with the basics. Nice sharp passing, even has a nice kicking game on him as well. Not bad for somebody who hasn't played a ton of footy this year.

Harry Armstrong - Toiled hard and was rewarded with a gem of a pass from the Maroons best playmaker - Lewis Symonds.

The kicking from Black seemed excellent and I think that’s a great foundation to build on. Give him two or three years and he’ll be a gun. Do agree with you though, he was pretty limited in attack. Did show some footy smarts at times though.

 

[winslow_wong]

Something needs to be done about Badger.

will get a promotion I’m sure.

 

[LittleDavey]

I don't want to be too rough on the kid but Leota has looked truly awful in every game I've seen him in. He's a big body but that seems to be about the end of what he offers. He was well outpointed by smaller, harder-working and smarter boys out there lastnight, even ignoring his errors...and you can't teach effort. There must be something there for the club to be persisting with him but I just can't see it from any of the games I've seen.

 

[Aldo]

I don't want to be too rough on the kid but Leota has looked truly awful in every game I've seen him in. He's a big body but that seems to be about the end of what he offers. He was well outpointed by smaller, harder-working and smarter boys out there lastnight, even ignoring his errors...and you can't teach effort. There must be something there for the club to be persisting with him but I just can't see it from any of the games I've seen.

Yeah, pretty concerning if he's the best the club can come up with from all the junior stocks out there. Zero game awareness and no football smarts whatsoever. How did he even make that Queensland side?

 

[1910]

Leota
Named at 18th man last week and into camp late, he's still pretty rough and not sure his future is winger I just don't know he reads and understands the game well enough. He will get caught out of position and just drifts through games. Five Cup games now.

Black
Had some underwhelming finals form in the last 12 months but played well his Cup debut for Souths. Best things about him are his support play and bombs. Needs a first set like he did for Souths on debut. Just something that settles him.

How were my pre-game notes?

Leota has a lot of work to do, I keep saying his time out of the game is very telling and last night was another lighthouse performance.

Lewis Symonds was easily Queensland's best player.

Queensland defence, I thought on the goal and scramble was excellent. That is probably the big tick for Te'o.

Attack wise I think Queensland were pretty poor, they didn't show or threaten at all. How many runs from the outside backs? Blues ended up with twice as many tackle-breaks 56-25. The one ball movement they scored easily.

Black, I have seen that performance 30 times now and I was hoping he'd do something other than kick. Queensand's two tries had nothing to do with the half.

It's worrying that his performance doesn't stand up in bigger games. Alf Finals, Meninga finals, Meninga Grand Final, City v Country and now Origin. My comment for two years has been has to do more than kick and pass.

I have been saying bomb out of the right corner and support play are his two strengths and he just bombed out of the right corner last night.

Did he play badly, no he just did his standard thing the only time he slightly went out of the lines was to chip and chase and it was not the right kick.

Stewart was Man of the Match and returning every kick with interest and no one decided let's mix it up and make him do something other than bomb catch practise?

Black had the advantage of a strong relationship with Symonds from Marsden, Bukowski, Allen, Armstrong from Wynnum and Milford Bears

I don't think he linked with them once or took the line on with them running with him.

I think Queensland's defence kept them in the game but their attack was where they lost it. Should have been able to score three or four tries and win it.