What is happening at the Broncos?

[Porthoz]

As much as the conspiracy theories are entertaining, Bird was absolutely injured. He limped off, and he was obviously in discomfort from what i saw when he sat down. Like i mentioned in another thread, he was one of a few players who went into the game under an injury cloud. Just another stick to beat Bennett with for some

He wasn't limping when he was moved to the second row (so that Kodi could fail again at halfback), was he?
We certainly didn't improve once that happened, neither did Bird get better in the backrow... it was quite the contrary!

 

[Wolfie]

He wasn't limping when he was moved to the second row (so that Kodi could fail again at halfback), was he?
We certainly didn't improve once that happened, neither did Bird get better in the backrow... it was quite the contrary!

I'm not sure when I noticed it, but it wasnt long before he came off he seemed to be moving a bit gingerly. I thought it was an odd move to put him there anyway, Sua was really good.

 

[Porthoz]

I'm not sure when I noticed it, but it wasnt long before he came off he seemed to be moving a bit gingerly. I thought it was an odd move to put him there anyway, Sua was really good.

Well, we was replaced in the 69th minute of the game, after injuring himself in that slippage on the turf that led to the Dogs last try. He was moved into the backrow way before that all happened.

 

[Huge]

St George had the perfect roster for WB's conservative game plan. We don't even come close to that. We don't have an organiser like Hornby, a kicker like Soward, or the defensive steel to bash and grind the opposition into submission like the Dragons had.

They were superior by ensuring the opposition scored less points than them. Other than that, no Bennett team has been consistently superior or a benchmark in the NRL in this millennium. The problem is he doesn't seem to be capable (or willing to) change the plan to suit the players he does have.

Do you think we can pull a Dragons with our roster?

I was replying rnabakov and his unsubstantiated claim that WB had great rosters etc and that was why he won premierships. St George disproved that.

 

[rnabokov]

I was replying rnabakov and his unsubstantiated claim that WB had great rosters etc and that was why he won premierships. St George disproved that.

rnabokov to you Mr Huge :wave: and given the rosters Bennett had at the Broncos in the golden years I doubt that requires any further substantiation other than the bleedin' obvious.

As for the Dragoons premiership side he coached, Porthoz has answered that adequately. Bennett is a great manager of men. He ought to now extend that greatness into kicking our attacking coach up the arse, while working on Bird's confidence and self belief.

 

[Huge]

rnabokov to you Mr Huge :wave: and given the rosters Bennett had at the Broncos in the golden years I doubt that requires any further substantiation other than the bleedin' obvious.

As for the Dragoons premiership side he coached, Porthoz has answered that adequately. Bennett is a great manager of men. He ought to now extend that greatness into kicking our attacking coach up the arse, while working on Bird's confidence and self belief.

Look, I don't disagree that WB has his flaws and there's been a few times I've disagreed with his decisions but I cannot agree about his ability to coach a team of lesser lights. He totally disproved the notion that he only was successful because he had a team of superstars that anyone could have won premierships with. This point has been acknowledged by pundits and fans alike.

I think it's premature to write off our chances or to think that WB is not already working on both our attack and individuals confidence. I just don't get the notion that fans know with certainty what's happening in areas to which they have no access.

 

[pagey]

Regardless of how well TPJ is playing at lock, i think its time to move Bird there now. TPJ will play exactly the same at prop as he does at lock. I feel Bird will improve by playing lock.

Who do you drop for bird ? Who plays 7 ?

 

[pagey]

St George had the perfect roster for WB's conservative game plan. We don't even come close to that. We don't have an organiser like Hornby, a kicker like Soward, or the defensive steel to bash and grind the opposition into submission like the Dragons had.

They were superior by ensuring the opposition scored less points than them. Other than that, no Bennett team has been consistently superior or a benchmark in the NRL in this millennium. The problem is he doesn't seem to be capable (or willing to) change the plan to suit the players he does have.

Do you think we can pull a Dragons with our roster?

No but we don't need to, we got to the GF in 15' without playing that style. All his other premierships weren't that style either , but defence wins premierships right. You musn't have watched 95 , 97 or 98.

 

[Wolfie]

Who do you drop for bird ? Who plays 7 ?

Pretty simple imo, you drop one of Lodge or TPJ back to the bench to replace Haas currently as i think we always lose momentum when we start TPJ and Lodge together and they leave the field. The bench forwards will sort themselves out over the year with form and injuries ( we do have Gillo and Moose to come back, so we can switch things around )

Halfback is easy, its Nikorima whether we like it or not. I dont feel the other blokes are pushing him enough for it even to be an argument.

 

[pagey]

Pretty simple imo, you drop one of Lodge or TPJ back to the bench to replace Haas currently as i think we always lose momentum when we start TPJ and Lodge together and they leave the field. The bench forwards will sort themselves out over the year with form and injuries ( we do have Gillo and Moose to come back, so we can switch things around )

Halfback is easy, its Nikorima whether we like it or not. I dont feel the other blokes are pushing him enough for it even to be an argument.

How bout bird to bench. The more big bodies we have at the start the more momentum we have, bring bird on when fatigue is in play.

 

[Morkel]

I must be in the minority thinking that we looked better with Nikorima at halfback. Anything would have been better than Bird but we were noticeably sharper. We were also working them over better in fatiguing their forwards and using it to get better field position and ultimately crack them at the end.

 

[Wolfie]

How bout bird to bench. The more big bodies we have at the start the more momentum we have, bring bird on when fatigue is in play.

Honestly, i dont think he would have much use as a bench player unless its as a utility. Not so sure Bird is dynamic enough to play that role, but you could be right about it once we see what he is like when he is fitter.

I think a front row forward rotation with Moose, TPJ, Lodge, Offa balanced right is pretty good imo to keep momentum going.

 

[Number6]

Honestly, i dont think he would have much use as a bench player unless its as a utility. Not so sure Bird is dynamic enough to play that role, but you could be right about it once we see what he is like when he is fitter.

I think a front row forward rotation with Moose, TPJ, Lodge, Offa balanced right is pretty good imo to keep momentum going.

Egos aside I think is best hope of getting value out of Bird playing lock (unless he plays 6 with Milf at 1 and get a real halfback which at this stage Bennett will never allow) but starts on the bench for first 20 or 30. He isn’t fit enough to play 80 anyway for short to mid term. Let 3 of Moose, Lodge, TPJ (starting lock then prop) and Offa start then rotate them through prop for 45 to 60 mins or so each a game depending on form and fatigue so getting impact rather than just quantity. Sims while pulling his weight only is next in line at prop but if others are fit doesn’t get much game time. Leaves a bench spot for a second rower with KNik as spine utility. Once Gillo fit maybe Sims drops out if back to old ways and use bench of Offa (still have 4 props in 17), Bird (lock but centre and second row cover), Glenn/Sua (giving second row a break not a fan of 80 min backrowers for most part especially both of them as want more impact and tackles when on the field) and Knik (Macca a break, spine cover). Light bench with main risk is if lose 2 props but even in that unusual situation then all our props could play long minutes in a crunch. Alternatively if Bird can muscle up early then play him at Lock from the start and pull him off in last 20 so KNik can relieve Macca at 30-60 mins then last 20 play lock/dual hooker to take advantage of tiring forwards. Shorter mins for each of 4 props but ask them to really push when on. Bench of TPJ and Offa for prop, KNik and Glenn/Sua.

Would like to blood another young prop if can while injuries as would like Thaiday, Sims gone next year and may need to move on Glenn if Bird goes to lock despite his hard work and recent improved form to ensure keep Sua, Haas, Fifita etc.

Prefer to move on Bird to Newcastle unless he goes to 6 (or maybe hooker still want to see that) and steps up. At moment he strikes me as another Boyd type signing. Good footballer but likely overpriced and not what we need to build a team around, position that had a more suited candidate and will cost us players we need in future both by salary cap and blocking opportunities. If we paid centre money for him would have been happy about that but would expect he turned up in something close to centre body size despite upper limb injury and accepting that was his place!

 

[Sproj]

It is very early but Bird so far is going the way of Barba, Kennedy and not the way of Lazarus, Priddis. Not good that he is even in the conversation.

 

[rnabokov]

No but we don't need to, we got to the GF in 15' without playing that style. All his other premierships weren't that style either , but defence wins premierships right. You musn't have watched 95 , 97 or 98.

In '15, IIRC, and I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong, I read that Bennett made a deliberate decision to let Milford in particular, and Hunt, and then both, play they way they wanted to, free of rigid structures, and to run the ball at will, play off each other, get the ball moving, and, at the same time, focus 200% on our defence. The result was a free flowing attack with Milf and Hunt doing some great stuff as a halves pairing, and our defence in '15 was stellar.

Since, as others have observed, Milf has had that freedom taken away from him and given the responsibility of game management (I hate that term), we have been going backwards. It's only in the last few weeks it seems Milf has again been let off the leash again and the results are pretty obvious. His game is a whole lot better.

Personally, I hope Bennett persists with Bird at half and focuses on working on our halves - combinations in particular, and getting Roberts into space with quality ball.

 

[Reyter]

So, St George's roster was stellar ? Anyone could have gotten them to the minor premiership and then backed it up with another great year, this time winning a grand final with the team of superstars that St George had ?

Cooper and Gasnier in the centers, Boyd (at his best) at fullback, Morris on the wing. Hornby and Soward were hardly reserve graders. That is a very good backline. I couldn't think who was in the forwards but doing due diligence, according to Wikipedia, Weyman, Young, Costigan, Scott, Creagh, Smith and Merrin and Prior on the bench. A very good team.

 

[Reyter]

Well stated argument based in logic and facts. All hail Lord Wayne. Can we please shut down the forum or at least rename it [emoji207] people! Bennett has a lot of good points that have meant he endured where many others failed but was never a great tactical attacking coach.

The way some posters flip out over the slightest criticism of WB is bizarre. Everyone but WB is fair game.

Great rosters helped. Sorry, I get sick and tired of hearing about Bennett's premiership record given the players he had to work with back then.

This year is a real test of his coaching skills, minus Lockyer, Hodges, Walters, Langer, Webcke, Renouf etc etc.

Not saying he's not a great coach, but I am still waiting to see structures and game plans other than give the to Milf and hope, give the ball to .... whoever and hope for some off the cuff brilliance.

Maybe I am missing the game plans and the structures, the planned, worked plays which release game breakers like Roberts into space regularly. Maybe next week ...

He was a good coach. Given the talent he had to work with for a long time, it's debatable how good he was. IMO he is still better than average but there are signs the game has progressed and he is no longer on top of it.

 

[Kimlo]

Cooper and Gasnier in the centers, Boyd (at his best) at fullback, Morris on the wing. Hornby and Soward were hardly reserve graders. That is a very good backline. I couldn't think who was in the forwards but doing due diligence, according to Wikipedia, Weyman, Young, Costigan, Scott, Creagh, Smith and Merrin and Prior on the bench. A very good team.

You could say any team that has won the premiership anytime in recent history is a "good team". Obviously if they win the premiership you've got a great bunch of players playing to their potential, that's pretty obvious.

Weyman, Young, Costigan, Scott, Creagh, Smith, all utter shit NRL players. What have they done in their careers outside of Bennett? **** all. Horny and Soward can also be thrown in that group.

Gasnier himself has said Bennett was the difference in them winning the premiership because he instilled belief and go the most out of the playing group.

Bellamy has had arguably the greatest spine in the history of the game for 10+ years, you know the guy you respect more than Bennett.