What's Happened? Why the massive turnaround?

[Coxy]

I wouldn't get too carried away. The wins against the Titans and Cowboys, while well-deserved, were not enough to prove that we can be a top-four side.

We have a long way to go yet. I still don't believe any side thinks, "Oh crap, we've got the Broncos this week". I still don't believe we're good enough to challenge the likes of Melbourne, Manly or Souths, but we're improving every week.

A two-game winning streak is a good platform to jump into premiership contention, but in the present, we're a long way from top-four status.

Also, what if Thurston converted the Cowboys' first try? We might be ruing a golden-point loss. We were the better team, but far from 100%.

And what if Prince converted all 3 of our tries? We'd win by 6 (if Thurston converted both of theirs).

Ifs. Buts. Maybes. We won.

 

[Kimlo]

I'm going to call it right now and I'm happy to be quoted on this if I turn out to be wrong.

We will be a top 16 team this season.

 

[redbur95]

And what if Prince converted all 3 of our tries? We'd win by 6 (if Thurston converted both of theirs).

Ifs. Buts. Maybes. We won.

That's the main thing.

 

[rnabokov]

On 2nd thought, maybe I should have added to this thread's title: Why the massive turnaround since 2012.

As I have watched each of our matches again this year, I see not losses, but a systematic progression of steps to much bigger and better things.

That set play with Prince and Gillett was something I haven't seen for a long time, nor the lead up to, and Hodges offload to Gillett.

The right hand side .... it's as lethal as the left, when it's used, and we are using it. That's different.... as long as it stays and increases, especially the set plays.

 

[hayseed]

Something's happened to the Broncos. For mine, we are looking top 4 material. A few matches ago, it was time for people to go, sack the coach, sack players then ... a great comeback v Storm, and good wins v Titans and Cowboys, and not such a bad loss to the Roosters who i think will join us in the top 4 with Manly and the Storm.

What's happened?

We finally seem to have a FB who has the right instincts for his best (and only) position, and Hook seems to have got the team to realize that passing the ball to support runners = tries, and the rest seems to be falling into place nicely. Dominant forwards, great defence.

Now, is all we need some more depth and ball to our right hand side attack?

Or do we drop Prince, sack Hook, make Parker captain, Gillett to the bench, put Hoffa back to FB, Norman to pasture and Hodges to FB?

Lol, not quite a top 4 side yet nabakov but I admire your enthusiasm. Mind u, a few tweaks here and there and I don't think they r far off. A new coach, a different halfback, a big bopper of a forward and possibly a smarter hooker and I think we would be in business. Unfortunately, it would take a couple years for all those things to fall into place. But, this is why I follow RL because u can't predict what will happen tomorrow, momentum and confidence are golden attributes. I hope u r right and I am horribly wrong. Probably not though.

 

[Kimlo]

No I agree with Fourex. I think we can beat both if we're at our best, it would be very tough but I definitely think it's possible.

 

[jarro65]

Listening to MMM radio while driving around this morning, and Matt Johns said he spoke with Hannant earlier this week.

He asked what's been happening at the club, and Hannant said they had all made a pact to run harder, tackle harder .... do everything with more enthusiasm.

We certainly look like a side that's had a rocket.

Whatever works i suppose.

 

[Ari Gold]

I think we can beat Souths. We just need to pressure the kicking game of Reynolds and we'll take away a key part of their game plan.

The Storm on the otherhand are metronomic. Short of hiring someone to kneecap Cronk or Slater I don't see us beating them -- we'd be absolutely no chance in Melbourne. They are a machine and you can bet your bottom dollar that Bellamy will shut down the Reed and Hoffman combination so we'd have to find another way to score whilst controlling the Big 3. It's a nice dream to think we can, but the reality is they are too good.

 

[Porthoz]

I think we can beat Souths. We just need to pressure the kicking game of Reynolds and we'll take away a key part of their game plan.

The Storm on the otherhand are metronomic. Short of hiring someone to kneecap Cronk or Slater I don't see us beating them -- we'd be absolutely no chance in Melbourne. They are a machine and you can bet your bottom dollar that Bellamy will shut down the Reed and Hoffman combination so we'd have to find another way to score whilst controlling the Big 3. It's a nice dream to think we can, but the reality is they are too good.

Yeah, I agree we can beat Souths and I reckon we will. They're not a scarier proposition than the Cowboys (when on song) imo!

As for the Storm, they will be tougher to beat, but we definitely showed we can!
And while Bellamy may prepare his troops for our left side attack, it will leave the Storm a bit more vulnerable through the middle and on their left side defence, which could be taken advantage of by our pack and right side attack, especially if Prince, Gillett and Hodgo are at their best.

 

[jarro65]

I dunno guys, we'd have to be playing out of our skins and they'd have to have a very off night for us to beat the Storm.

They were fantastic last night.

 

[rnabokov]

Yeah, I agree we can beat Souths and I reckon we will. They're not a scarier proposition than the Cowboys (when on song) imo!

As for the Storm, they will be tougher to beat, but we definitely showed we can!
And while Bellamy may prepare his troops for our left side attack, it will leave the Storm a bit more vulnerable through the middle and on their left side defence, which could be taken advantage of by our pack and right side attack, especially if Prince, Gillett and Hodgo are at their best.

Not just at their best, just get them the ball and work set plays with Gillett and Hodges. The Prince-Gillett move v Titans was a gem and there is NO way the Storm can defend that.

The way to beat the Storm? Their entire game plan is a beautifully drilled repertoire of set plays. Time we did it too.

As Four-(I love Wallace)-Ex observed, We did it in the 2nd half in that game and from memory, we didn't really use the right side hardly at all.

If Bellamy wants to stack the defence on our left side attack then great ! More gaps up the middle for a dummy wide and turn it in to Glenn at speed, or a long ball to Gillett > Hodges or Hodges > Gillett

As long as the commitment and determination (and support play) stays, we are as good as any side going around. I stick to my view. Top 4.

 

[rnabokov]

We won't go anywhere until the right side attack set plays are sorted and implemented, and we start the wide attacks then turn it inside - at which Lockyer was a master.

 

[Anonymous person]

Come to think of it, have we even really tried any attacking raids down Hodges' side since reed and Hoffman found out that they can score trys? Only times I see Hodges get it is when he comes looking foe it.

 

[Porthoz]

We scored on both sides against the Titans and Cows, all pretty good constructed tries too!

 

[tkday]

Yeah, we can score tries through the right side, easier than the left I reckon. It's just that everyone's defense has been protecting themselves against hodges leaving the other side weaker. The problem is they can't do that at the moment because of Hoffman and Reed finally getting upset enough about people calling him on his lack of passing ability. Next game Storm would've definitely fixed up their defensive structure against us, we won't be scoring easy tries on our left side next time against them. Hopefully we've got some plays being worked out for the middle. Maybe involving Glenn, Gillett or a forward?

 

[coreyh88]

Don't underestimate how much go forward the forwards are getting yes its still one out but they're running around the markers and have support players

 

[subsbligh]

Hoffman summed it up pretty well in his post match interview:

"So long as Reedy remembers how to pass, we'll be right".

Yessir.

 

[subsbligh]

PS I think we can win the next 6.

Rabbits will tell us where we're at.

Tigers (A)
Rabbitohs (H)
Eels (A)
Titans (H)
Bulldogs (A)
Warriors (H) - Origin week though