Broncos vs. Roosters Team List
1. Corey Norman
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Alex Glenn
4. Ben Te'o
5. Gerard Beale
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Peter Wallace
8. Nick Kenny
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Scott Anderson
11. Ashton Sims
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Matt Gillett
Bench:
14. Lagi Setu
15. Ben Hunt
16. Mitchell Dodds
17. Josh McGuire
18. Mitch Rivett
(1 to be omitted)
Injuries to Folau and Kemp has forced a few changes in our side which isn't ideal obviously. The positive is that we have super-sub Alex Glenn and capable Ben Te'o running on at Centre and Sims in to cover Te'o in the back row. The most interesting inclusion is Ben Hunt - much has been said of this youngster and here is his chance to show what he's made of. He may provide some spark late in the game but let's hope it isn't needed. The Roosters lineup is predictable - Carney at fullback again will cause us a few headaches.
In other news, I'm sure everyone is aware of Alfie-gate (I'm as sick as you are of the Watergate references, trust me). Jim might disagree with me here but I think Alfie needs to take a look at himself - he's 43 and a Grandfather. Last time I checked, my Grandfather didn't get ripped at the Normanby and get up on a table in his jocks. Players are expected to avoid similar behaviour and while Langer can obviously have a drink and a good night out, hopefully this will be the last instance of it. I would hate to see him cut from the Broncos because of it (and I doubt he will) - as Bruno Cullen said, "It's not a good charge to be charged with but at the end of the day, we don't want to see him punished more severely than any other citizen". Let's hope the fact he's Alfie doesn't change any potential outcome.
Lastly, commiserations to Denan Kemp - it was pretty clear that he had a cracked rib or something along those lines but to find out that his lung collapsed is a horrible blow to not only the Broncos but himself. While he hasn't been stellar in the first three rounds we all know how devastating his pace can be and I wish him a quick recovery.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Too early for panic stations I know but...
Well wasn't the game hard to watch? It's never fun watching your team lose, but watching them cop an absolute drubbing is just painful. I thought we were right in it at half-time. The commentators were dribbling on about whoever gets first points after the break would go on to take the game, and for once I was agreeing with them. So you can imagine my delight when we crossed 2 minutes into the second half. Unfortunately that's about the last time I smiled for the remainder of the afternoon.
Two days on now, and I'm still scratching my head a little. We just seemed to give in, and it all started with the Warriors first try in the second half. Ropati was never going to be stopped down the left wing, but instead of at least making a hard conversion for them our players gave up the ghost, McCullough allowed him to run it right around under the sticks. It was a cardinal sin, and this laziness quickly spread to the rest of the team. From there we were sitting ducks.
As Waldo touched upon in his thoughts, we seemed to develop a 'don't care' attitude in that second half. It was always going to be tough when we lost so many players with injuries, but you have to put it at the back of your mind and get on with the game. I highly doubt what Henjak said at half-time was, "Okay sweethearts, just do your best. It's okay if we lose 'cos we don't have any reserves." But this seemed to be the mentality. Let's hope Henjak, Lockyer and crew can get that never-say-die attitude that we know and love the Broncos for instilled in the younger guys’ minds over the next few weeks at training, and we never see a performance like this again...
Speaking of training, I hope we're doing some serious work on our defence. The warning signs have been there, since last season even. There are holes everywhere, and communication is.. lacking to say the very least. 49 missed tackles last game speaks for itself. If we're going to climb back up the ladder, then it needs to start with our defence.
Moving on. There's mixed news on the injury front with Gillet possibly getting back in time for Friday's game. No fractures for Folau, but he will still miss 3 weeks. Kemp's facing a longer stint on the sidelines, broken ribs and a possible punctured lung will see him out for at least 8 weeks.
Quickly wrapping up the rest of the mid-week news, Tim Smith has been released to go and play with Cronulla. To be honest it's where he belongs, with a bunch of knuckle-dragging deadbeats. A good player, but as a supporter, he's just one of the ones you don't want at your club. More importantly, our beloved Alfie has been suspended from the club after being pinched for driving while under the influence of a few post-loss brews. Rookie mistake sure, but is it really worthy of a potential sacking?
Team list tomorrow sports fans so until then, catch.
Two days on now, and I'm still scratching my head a little. We just seemed to give in, and it all started with the Warriors first try in the second half. Ropati was never going to be stopped down the left wing, but instead of at least making a hard conversion for them our players gave up the ghost, McCullough allowed him to run it right around under the sticks. It was a cardinal sin, and this laziness quickly spread to the rest of the team. From there we were sitting ducks.
As Waldo touched upon in his thoughts, we seemed to develop a 'don't care' attitude in that second half. It was always going to be tough when we lost so many players with injuries, but you have to put it at the back of your mind and get on with the game. I highly doubt what Henjak said at half-time was, "Okay sweethearts, just do your best. It's okay if we lose 'cos we don't have any reserves." But this seemed to be the mentality. Let's hope Henjak, Lockyer and crew can get that never-say-die attitude that we know and love the Broncos for instilled in the younger guys’ minds over the next few weeks at training, and we never see a performance like this again...
Speaking of training, I hope we're doing some serious work on our defence. The warning signs have been there, since last season even. There are holes everywhere, and communication is.. lacking to say the very least. 49 missed tackles last game speaks for itself. If we're going to climb back up the ladder, then it needs to start with our defence.
Moving on. There's mixed news on the injury front with Gillet possibly getting back in time for Friday's game. No fractures for Folau, but he will still miss 3 weeks. Kemp's facing a longer stint on the sidelines, broken ribs and a possible punctured lung will see him out for at least 8 weeks.
Quickly wrapping up the rest of the mid-week news, Tim Smith has been released to go and play with Cronulla. To be honest it's where he belongs, with a bunch of knuckle-dragging deadbeats. A good player, but as a supporter, he's just one of the ones you don't want at your club. More importantly, our beloved Alfie has been suspended from the club after being pinched for driving while under the influence of a few post-loss brews. Rookie mistake sure, but is it really worthy of a potential sacking?
Team list tomorrow sports fans so until then, catch.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Brisbane Broncos vs. New Zealand Warriors - Post-match Review
For the first time in a long time, I turned the Broncos game off around the 60th minute mark. It was too painful to watch. It takes some god awful football for that to happen - in fact the previous time was the mauling in the nations capital last year. So okay, it might not have been that long ago. What's scary is that we were in our usual post-Origin slump at that point, we've got no excuse this time.
I can honestly forgive the Broncos for the first two tries. The first one Izzy was down, the second Kemp was down, both game ending injuries. The Warriors ran the short side and got two easy tries. Where I start to get a bit disillusioned is the next 30 odd points we conceded.
I've played sport before when there were no reserves so I can totally understand how tired and worn out the players must have been. What I am struggling to get my head around is where our heart went. The Broncos are a club that was built on playing hard every second of every game. We shut up shop once the game became out of our reach. Success is ingrained into the Broncos history - 6 premierships in 21 years is the result of that, 18 consecutive semi-finals appearances as well.
I recognise that it's early in the season and all is not lost, I just hope that the Broncos heart didn't leave with Wayne Bennett.
I can honestly forgive the Broncos for the first two tries. The first one Izzy was down, the second Kemp was down, both game ending injuries. The Warriors ran the short side and got two easy tries. Where I start to get a bit disillusioned is the next 30 odd points we conceded.
I've played sport before when there were no reserves so I can totally understand how tired and worn out the players must have been. What I am struggling to get my head around is where our heart went. The Broncos are a club that was built on playing hard every second of every game. We shut up shop once the game became out of our reach. Success is ingrained into the Broncos history - 6 premierships in 21 years is the result of that, 18 consecutive semi-finals appearances as well.
I recognise that it's early in the season and all is not lost, I just hope that the Broncos heart didn't leave with Wayne Bennett.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Lock It Down?
Corey Parker's injury puts a dent in our forward pack that will not be easy to replace. Parker along with Thaiday lead the pack and will be sorely missed. It does present an interesting situation though - who do you replace him with?
Henjak has persisted with youth so far this season and in particular the forwards department, it has paid off. I'm sure you'll agree that Dodds and Gillett have been revelations in both attack and defence. Another potential option is to slot Ben Te'o in at lock, it's a position he is familiar with but honestly he was lethal down the left in attack last week so that's probably not the best way to go.
Let's not forget our players that have missed out on the 17 - Setu and Sims. Both have the ability and experience to easily lock the scrum but are they really the men for the job?
An absolute hail mary would be so slot McCulloch at Lock and give Smith a run at Hooker. Definitely left field I know but it would give us much more in attack. McCulloch doesn't really have the build for a backrower as yet.
If it were my call, I'd throw Gillett into the deep end and give him a crack. It may be a sink or swim situation, but why not see if he's got what it takes. Worst case scenario he learns a lesson that will benefit him for the future. Best case scenario - he rips it up.
Question: If you were Ivan Henjak, who do you put in at Lock?
Henjak has persisted with youth so far this season and in particular the forwards department, it has paid off. I'm sure you'll agree that Dodds and Gillett have been revelations in both attack and defence. Another potential option is to slot Ben Te'o in at lock, it's a position he is familiar with but honestly he was lethal down the left in attack last week so that's probably not the best way to go.
Let's not forget our players that have missed out on the 17 - Setu and Sims. Both have the ability and experience to easily lock the scrum but are they really the men for the job?
An absolute hail mary would be so slot McCulloch at Lock and give Smith a run at Hooker. Definitely left field I know but it would give us much more in attack. McCulloch doesn't really have the build for a backrower as yet.
If it were my call, I'd throw Gillett into the deep end and give him a crack. It may be a sink or swim situation, but why not see if he's got what it takes. Worst case scenario he learns a lesson that will benefit him for the future. Best case scenario - he rips it up.
Question: If you were Ivan Henjak, who do you put in at Lock?
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Reality Check
Amateur. Abhorrent. Average. All words used to describe that famous round 21 loss to Canberra last year. Unfortunately these words are equally applicable to Monday nights disgrace.
One-eyed fans may argue that the second half showed heart and determination and I'll agree to that somewhat. Sam Thaiday and Ben Te'o were outstanding in the second half with multiple line breaks between them. Our defence as a whole rushed up and closed in on the Raiders. Norman showed again why he is being touted as a future star. Those were the positives.
I've never seen such a disgraceful showing while going forward and holding our line. The left side defence needs to take a long hard look at itself - Beale alone let through 2 tries. Beale in attack was about as potent as Scott Minto in attack. Don't forget the right side - an error from Kemp led to the Raiders second try. Our forwards seem to overlook the fact that to gain metres one must move forward. Denan Kemp's runs from dummy half had a constant horizontal approach which was snuffed out every time.
I didn't give the Raiders much credit in terms of their backline in my last post but they were outstanding. Strong defending, strong backup running. They hit every hole that was presented to them.
Probably the most depressing fact of all is that there was so much dropped ball from the Raiders which we did not capitalise on. Twice in the first 10 minutes they dropped it cold on their own 10m line. Almost equally as depressing was the 5th tackle options - one cross field kick to a soaring Izzy Folau and one bomb that dropped 1m short of the end zone were the highlights. Too often we relied on our running game which clearly wasn't working against the Raiders wall of defence.
This was the reality check we normal face mid-season around Origin time. Henjak's half-time speech gave us a lift but you can't rely on these things against top level opposition. Let's hope the youth learn from this and become better for it.
One-eyed fans may argue that the second half showed heart and determination and I'll agree to that somewhat. Sam Thaiday and Ben Te'o were outstanding in the second half with multiple line breaks between them. Our defence as a whole rushed up and closed in on the Raiders. Norman showed again why he is being touted as a future star. Those were the positives.
I've never seen such a disgraceful showing while going forward and holding our line. The left side defence needs to take a long hard look at itself - Beale alone let through 2 tries. Beale in attack was about as potent as Scott Minto in attack. Don't forget the right side - an error from Kemp led to the Raiders second try. Our forwards seem to overlook the fact that to gain metres one must move forward. Denan Kemp's runs from dummy half had a constant horizontal approach which was snuffed out every time.
I didn't give the Raiders much credit in terms of their backline in my last post but they were outstanding. Strong defending, strong backup running. They hit every hole that was presented to them.
Probably the most depressing fact of all is that there was so much dropped ball from the Raiders which we did not capitalise on. Twice in the first 10 minutes they dropped it cold on their own 10m line. Almost equally as depressing was the 5th tackle options - one cross field kick to a soaring Izzy Folau and one bomb that dropped 1m short of the end zone were the highlights. Too often we relied on our running game which clearly wasn't working against the Raiders wall of defence.
This was the reality check we normal face mid-season around Origin time. Henjak's half-time speech gave us a lift but you can't rely on these things against top level opposition. Let's hope the youth learn from this and become better for it.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Brisbane Broncos vs. Canberra Raiders - Preview
Last time Brisbane ventured down to Canberra Stadium, they were absolutely destroyed. Sure, we beat them on the return leg at Suncorp but that flogging would still be burned into the memories of the players and fans. Things have changed since then and this week will show what we're made of both offensively and defensively.
We head down with an unchanged lineup (Setu is likely to be omitted pending injury/Corey Parker's pending child birth) which means that youth is being retained and that is a positive sign. The baby Broncos repaid Henjak's faith last week and looking to do it again.
I'll reserve my opinions on our ability to be top 4 contenders until we face Melbourne or the Gold Coast (both of which are grinding out wins without setting the world on fire) but this Monday will still provide a stern test. Canberra's pack is smaller and more mobile than most and while their backline are generally no-namers, their work ethic is solid and they possess class in Campese and Tongue which might get them across the line.
Defence out wide will be the biggest test as far as I'm concerned. We're a young side who's centres and wingers could be facing a torrent of attacking play should Canberra manage to hold on to the ball long enough. Beale, Norman, Winterstein and Folau aren't renowned defenders as last week proved. Aerial attacks down the Beale/Winterstein side could prove successful as Thurston had them in trouble on the odd occasion he did head down that path. Folau's defensive flaws have been widely documented however signs are that he's improving as one would expect from a player of his ilk.
Canberra's record at home was a bit varied last year but they did manage to string impressive victories over the Broncos, St George and Newcastle at the tail end of the season. Their Monday night record was also a bit suspect but generally if they were at home on a Monday, they turned it on.
This game will be decided on completion rates and the ability to convert ball inside the opponent's 20 into points. The Broncos have the edge here with Lockyer/Wallace but cannot dismiss the Raiders entirely. Should be a solid game.
Prediction: Broncos 24 Canberra 10.
We head down with an unchanged lineup (Setu is likely to be omitted pending injury/Corey Parker's pending child birth) which means that youth is being retained and that is a positive sign. The baby Broncos repaid Henjak's faith last week and looking to do it again.
I'll reserve my opinions on our ability to be top 4 contenders until we face Melbourne or the Gold Coast (both of which are grinding out wins without setting the world on fire) but this Monday will still provide a stern test. Canberra's pack is smaller and more mobile than most and while their backline are generally no-namers, their work ethic is solid and they possess class in Campese and Tongue which might get them across the line.
Defence out wide will be the biggest test as far as I'm concerned. We're a young side who's centres and wingers could be facing a torrent of attacking play should Canberra manage to hold on to the ball long enough. Beale, Norman, Winterstein and Folau aren't renowned defenders as last week proved. Aerial attacks down the Beale/Winterstein side could prove successful as Thurston had them in trouble on the odd occasion he did head down that path. Folau's defensive flaws have been widely documented however signs are that he's improving as one would expect from a player of his ilk.
Canberra's record at home was a bit varied last year but they did manage to string impressive victories over the Broncos, St George and Newcastle at the tail end of the season. Their Monday night record was also a bit suspect but generally if they were at home on a Monday, they turned it on.
This game will be decided on completion rates and the ability to convert ball inside the opponent's 20 into points. The Broncos have the edge here with Lockyer/Wallace but cannot dismiss the Raiders entirely. Should be a solid game.
Prediction: Broncos 24 Canberra 10.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Brisbane Broncos vs. North Queensland Cowboys - Post-match Review
Well, the time is finally here. As much as I love cricket, there is nothing like NRL season to get the adrenaline pumping. 2010 is slated as an interesting year in the Broncos history. 2009 was meant to be the year of failure - Wayne Bennett's departure was sure to leave the Broncos a shell of a team. With the loss of Special K, many pundits had written off the Broncos and many had touted that we'd miss the finals this year.
Lets take a closer look at Friday's game and see what the future may hold and also touch on some interesting topics...
- Gambles
There was 2 omissions which raised the eyebrows of the most ardent of supporters. Ashton Sims and Lagi Setu left out and Dodds and Gillett in. Considering the relative youth of the side, this was definitely a gamble. Both had a solid pre-season but nothing prepares you for the rigor of the NRL.
Thankfully they did quite well so there's a solid chance we may not need to see the the fumble machine, Ashton Sims. Lagi Setu needs to enforce his will on opponents before he is likely to see a bench position.
- Karmichael 'Who'?
Many media outlets spruiked 'Karmichael Who?' after the victory over the cowboys. Wonderkid Corey Norman put a stamp on the fullback jersey with a dominating performance. A brilliant try-saving tackle on Michael Bani and a seamless addition to the Broncos attack were just some of the highlights of a fantastic debut. The next major test will be facing a Melbourne-style attack who will continually put Norman under pressure.
- The Fountain of Youth..
Friday night saw the average age of the Broncos hit 22 - the youngest Broncos side in memory. Corey Norman, Mitchell Dodds and Matt Gillett were all on debut; Beale, Winterstein and Anderson all second year players. Much has been said about the Baby Broncos but Friday proved that all is not lost - the renowned Broncos youth system is still as healthy as ever. If you have any doubt about this, watch a replay of the defence from Dodds or the solid back play from Winterstein and Beale. While not a Webb, Folau or Sailor display, watch these young bucks in the coming weeks and years as they have the potential to be great footballers.
- Defence...Defence...
The main area of concern for many Broncos fans will be the defensive lapses that occurred Friday. While our set plays and overlapping running game hasn't skipped a beat over the years, the lack of hard hitting defence was a clear sign that we may well be showing our age. A defensive lapse from Beale in failing to shut down a Thurston cross-field kick was the first sign that the wheels may have been coming off. Another blunder from Wallace gives this theory a bit more momentum. Admittedly they won't be the first or the last to be deceived by a bit of Thurston magic but it's not as if JT had done anything worthy of a highlight reel.
- Referee's...
Sadly the inclusion of two referee's has improved the state of officiating however there were a number of oversights which is worrying. Two particular incidents come to mind, both well within the attacking area of the park for the Broncos. Two crucial turnovers assisted with the momentum swing towards the Cowboys. In the referee's defence, the 10m was monitored well and the ruck fairly incident free. One step at a time I think.
- The return of Denan Kemp
When Denan Kemp left the Broncos, he departed as part of an exodus from the Broncos. The backline was an Australian-quality line and one could argue that even Georgie Rose could get 20 tries a season on the end of that. Kemp has 2 qualities in particular that set him apart from your average winger - genuine pace and lateral movement. Both these allow him to outmaneuver fullbacks with ease.
Upon his return, one would imagine that it would be an awkward feeling being one of the more experienced in the backs department. While his time in NZ may have been less than ideal, I'm glad to report that he didn't skip a beat and thanks to some great vision from Locky, he blitzed down the sideline and sealed the game for the Broncos.
- Lastly but definitely not least...
Darren Lockyer approaches his 16th season at the pinnacle of his powers. While the pace he had as a youngster is well and truly gone, his vision and passing game remains rock solid and you'll be pushed to find a better 5/8th in the game. While Friday night wasn't a game that he will be remembered for, he showed why he is rated so highly - his leadership kept a relatively level head for his young side, he created the match-winning try and his kicking game was effective as always.
While the game was a roller-coaster of emotions, the Broncos may not be dead and buried after all.
Lets take a closer look at Friday's game and see what the future may hold and also touch on some interesting topics...
- Gambles
There was 2 omissions which raised the eyebrows of the most ardent of supporters. Ashton Sims and Lagi Setu left out and Dodds and Gillett in. Considering the relative youth of the side, this was definitely a gamble. Both had a solid pre-season but nothing prepares you for the rigor of the NRL.
Thankfully they did quite well so there's a solid chance we may not need to see the the fumble machine, Ashton Sims. Lagi Setu needs to enforce his will on opponents before he is likely to see a bench position.
- Karmichael 'Who'?
Many media outlets spruiked 'Karmichael Who?' after the victory over the cowboys. Wonderkid Corey Norman put a stamp on the fullback jersey with a dominating performance. A brilliant try-saving tackle on Michael Bani and a seamless addition to the Broncos attack were just some of the highlights of a fantastic debut. The next major test will be facing a Melbourne-style attack who will continually put Norman under pressure.
- The Fountain of Youth..
Friday night saw the average age of the Broncos hit 22 - the youngest Broncos side in memory. Corey Norman, Mitchell Dodds and Matt Gillett were all on debut; Beale, Winterstein and Anderson all second year players. Much has been said about the Baby Broncos but Friday proved that all is not lost - the renowned Broncos youth system is still as healthy as ever. If you have any doubt about this, watch a replay of the defence from Dodds or the solid back play from Winterstein and Beale. While not a Webb, Folau or Sailor display, watch these young bucks in the coming weeks and years as they have the potential to be great footballers.
- Defence...Defence...
The main area of concern for many Broncos fans will be the defensive lapses that occurred Friday. While our set plays and overlapping running game hasn't skipped a beat over the years, the lack of hard hitting defence was a clear sign that we may well be showing our age. A defensive lapse from Beale in failing to shut down a Thurston cross-field kick was the first sign that the wheels may have been coming off. Another blunder from Wallace gives this theory a bit more momentum. Admittedly they won't be the first or the last to be deceived by a bit of Thurston magic but it's not as if JT had done anything worthy of a highlight reel.
- Referee's...
Sadly the inclusion of two referee's has improved the state of officiating however there were a number of oversights which is worrying. Two particular incidents come to mind, both well within the attacking area of the park for the Broncos. Two crucial turnovers assisted with the momentum swing towards the Cowboys. In the referee's defence, the 10m was monitored well and the ruck fairly incident free. One step at a time I think.
- The return of Denan Kemp
When Denan Kemp left the Broncos, he departed as part of an exodus from the Broncos. The backline was an Australian-quality line and one could argue that even Georgie Rose could get 20 tries a season on the end of that. Kemp has 2 qualities in particular that set him apart from your average winger - genuine pace and lateral movement. Both these allow him to outmaneuver fullbacks with ease.
Upon his return, one would imagine that it would be an awkward feeling being one of the more experienced in the backs department. While his time in NZ may have been less than ideal, I'm glad to report that he didn't skip a beat and thanks to some great vision from Locky, he blitzed down the sideline and sealed the game for the Broncos.
- Lastly but definitely not least...
Darren Lockyer approaches his 16th season at the pinnacle of his powers. While the pace he had as a youngster is well and truly gone, his vision and passing game remains rock solid and you'll be pushed to find a better 5/8th in the game. While Friday night wasn't a game that he will be remembered for, he showed why he is rated so highly - his leadership kept a relatively level head for his young side, he created the match-winning try and his kicking game was effective as always.
While the game was a roller-coaster of emotions, the Broncos may not be dead and buried after all.
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