What's Happened? Why the massive turnaround?

[Anonymous person]

depends which broncos team turns up.

2012 broncos or round 1-3 broncos = lose against rabbitohs, titans, bulldogs.
round 4-6 broncos = should win all except maybe rabbitohs.

 

[Morkel]

I don't see the Rabbitohs game as worrying as people are making it out to be.

 

[coreyh88]

I don't see it as too much of a worry either. They've had an easy run so far. I actually only see them as team number 5 I think both the roosters and us will be ahead of them by the end. I think we can win it.

 

[noisetheory]

the team is playing for each other and we look alot fitter. in the first two/three rounds we seemed out on our feet.

i sense the guys like reed/hoffman/etc are actually enjoying their footy now and it is showing on field.

attack is working better and the guys are actually getting some depth into their attack. its not perfect yet but its certainly improved. makes a huge difference when the outside backs are catching the ball on the run doesnt it.

as long as we maintain the confidence and keep our minds on the job as to what works then we can beat anyone. the thing that can actually work to our advantage is our lack of specific 'stars' that an opposition can target. ie shut down thurston shut down the cowboys. it doesnt really apply for us as long as everyone in the team is chipping in doing their bit.

 

[rnabokov]

the team is playing for each other and we look alot fitter. in the first two/three rounds we seemed out on our feet.

i sense the guys like reed/hoffman/etc are actually enjoying their footy now and it is showing on field.

attack is working better and the guys are actually getting some depth into their attack. its not perfect yet but its certainly improved. makes a huge difference when the outside backs are catching the ball on the run doesnt it.

as long as we maintain the confidence and keep our minds on the job as to what works then we can beat anyone. the thing that can actually work to our advantage is our lack of specific 'stars' that an opposition can target. ie shut down thurston shut down the cowboys. it doesnt really apply for us as long as everyone in the team is chipping in doing their bit.

Indeed yes.

But it is now time for a lot more right side attack.

I agree with AP - can't remember too many times the play went down that side without Hodges having to come in to look for the ball.

I think it's also time the 1st or 2nd receiver, hey maybe even the 3rd, turned the ball inside, to say Gillett, Glenn, Thaiday ... even Hodges, hard running an angle against the direction of play.

(We've done it before to great effect, albeit once or twice a season.)

That way, we would have both sides and the middle covered in some nice set plays. All the more variety = how to beat anyone

Keep on with the left side without much else and we become predictable and easily defended .... unless (see above).

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Top 4 is definitely an optimistic outlook, but if we can beat both the Tigs and Souffs and get a good winning streak going, we'll be knipping at the top 4s heels well and truly.

I'm not so worried about making the top 4 atm as much as insuring ourselves in the 8 going into Origin period. We all know what to expect when Origin comes to town. I honestly think the players who are certainties to make QLD (Thaiday and Hodges) should think about giving at least one game of the 3 a miss for the sake of club duties. There is plenty of depth in their positions to fill the roles.

As for our right side attack, Maranta is our weakest link. The only time he has scored is when Hodges or someone else has gifted him a perfect opportunity. He hasn't shown any sort of individual brilliance at all. However, with Jharal seemingly on the comeback trail at Norths over the next few weeks, that should solve that issue depending on how he comes up form wise.

Also, crucially, Reed cannot go back into his shell when it comes to passing. He just cannot. Our left side are our sharpest fangs at the moment because, almost exclusively, of his passes out to Hoffman. The Forwards are doing an amazing job but the first 2 rounds proved they can't do it on their own.

So, top 4, not that important to me at this stage, but if we can get through Origin season while maintaining our momentum and position on the ladder, I think we should make it a priority in the tail end of the regular season.

 

[Alec]

I think it's harsh to blame Maranta, when on his side Prince has been so ordinary and Hodges never passes. Hodges should take some lessons from Reed now. It's ironic how he was the one who joked that they taught Reed how to pass again.

 

[Son Edo]

I remember Hodges passed in the Manly game to send Maranta over to score.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I think it's harsh to blame Maranta, when on his side Prince has been so ordinary and Hodges never passes. Hodges should take some lessons from Reed now. It's ironic how he was the one who joked that they taught Reed how to pass again.

Nah, I disagree. I think Hodgeo is hesitant to pass to Maranta for a reason. Maranta has bombed a fair few tries by putting some part of his body over the touch line by accident. I'm not saying he's a bad player, it's just he's still too inexperienced to really make an impact that is required on our right.

 

[Alec]

I remember Hodges passed in the Manly game to send Maranta over to score.

Yeah, one time in the first game, and he almost blew it by going himself before miraculously flick passing.

 

[Alec]

Nah, I disagree. I think Hodgeo is hesitant to pass to Maranta for a reason. Maranta has bombed a fair few tries by putting some part of his body over the touch line by accident. I'm not saying he's a bad player, it's just he's still too inexperienced to really make an impact that is required on our right.

Yeah, he's only played 10 or 12 games so far, he's still inexperienced. He's looked fantastic under the high ball in defence though. I think his attack would improve if they actually gave him the ball with some space in front of him. He's part of the team, it's a team game, a centre should be passing to the winger.

 

[rnabokov]

Yeah, he's only played 10 or 12 games so far, he's still inexperienced. He's looked fantastic under the high ball in defence though. I think his attack would improve if they actually gave him the ball with some space in front of him. He's part of the team, it's a team game, a centre should be passing to the winger.

...if Hodges got the ball with some space in front of him, that would help, especially with an extra man on the right, inside Hodges, as it is so often now on the left.

 

[noisetheory]

Brisbane's forwards have found the aggressive mongrel lacking in the early premiership rounds with their starting pack grinding out more metres than the top four NRL sides in recent weeks.


http://www.nrl.com/broncos-find-some-forward-aggression/tabid/10874/newsid/71807/default.aspx

"The coach wanted us to take the job personally against the other front-rowers," said Hannant.
"The best way to make it tough for them is not to let them have an easy waltz into your half and to keep them down their own end of the field.
"It's not easy to do. It's actually very hard to do. It takes a lot of effort but it wins football games.
"We all know our roles a lot better, we believe in the game plan, we know it works and you can see blokes aren't waiting for other blokes to do the one percenters - they're lining up to do them."
Hannant said he'd realised this year more than ever the importance ruck forwards played.
"It's not just me. Sammy (Sam Thaiday), Coz (Corey Parker), Davey Hala, Scotty Anderson - all those boys have really bought in," he said.
"We've made it personal to get over the other pack and defend better than the other pack.

 

[vertigo]

Make it last the whole season boys.

 

[Son Edo]

Dat forward pack

 

[Alec]

We started really well last season too, also thanks to our forward pack dominating - keeping the opposition in their own half and continuously making 50-60 metres a set. But eventually the wear and tear of the long season and the Origin period took it's toll. After that we really had nothing.

Thankfully this season our backline looks a bit more deadly, but I'm still worried about our creativity once our forwards stop dominating as much.

 

[rnabokov]

We started really well last season too, also thanks to our forward pack dominating - keeping the opposition in their own half and continuously making 50-60 metres a set. But eventually the wear and tear of the long season and the Origin period took it's toll. After that we really had nothing.

Thankfully this season our backline looks a bit more deadly, but I'm still worried about our creativity once our forwards stop dominating as much.

I guess that's what we hope Prince in particular produces a lot more of, especially asking questions of the defensive line instead of the focus being mostly on set plays like our left side attack.

I love watching Cherry-Evans and Foran, and to a lesser extent, Cronk and Widdup attack the defensive line at speed AND have support options.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I guess we can call this thread bumpable, because if what we've been seeing for the past 3 rounds can't be described as a "massive turnaround", I don't know what could.

The question I'm asking is, who do we credit for this? Alex Corvo, for our ridiculous fitness that allows us to defend solidly for 70+ minutes? Griffin, the man we were all hoping wouldn't survive until Round 10 who is now a certainty to see out the season coming off of 3 incredible performances by us? Parker, for being an inspiring Captain who has the troops marching in step? What has changed in us?

I've been watching football, and specifically the Broncos for 15 years and I honestly haven't got a clue. Griffin seemed like a dead coach walking for all money and now he might lead us to a top 4 finish at the cost of other juggernauts like Melbourne, Souffs and Manly.