1. Josh Hoffman
2. Denan Kemp
3. Ben Te'o
4. Israel Folau
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Ben Hunt
8. Shane Tronc
9. Alex Glenn
10. Mitchell Dodds
11. Dunamis Lui
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Corey Parker
Bench
14. Lagi Setu
15. Scott Anderson
16. Corey Norman
17. Steve Michaels
Another round of NRL action which means more changes to our side. The injury curse is still raging on as we see McCullough out with a torn pectoral muscle. This leaves us somewhat exposed at Hooker - even though he hasn't been playing 80 minutes recently he still provided a true hooking option for the majority of the game. Enter stopgap Alex Glenn - as usual he'll bust his gut out of position like a true utility. It's not a foreign position to him so I expect a solid performance from him. A quick mention about Tronc - glad to have him on board for his first home game and I'm sure he appreciated the week to acclimatise.
This week also sees the return of Denan Kemp and Steve Michaels. Kemp provides much needed attack power out wide and also gives us a bit of experience (yes he's young but more experienced than Winterstein) in defence. Anyone who knows myself or Jim will confirm that we are among the most vocal Michaels haters around. Many man hours have been spent hurling abuse at the sideline or the television about his complete inability to choose the correct option between passing and running. Most will expect us to continue with the trend. Sorry to disappoint - I'm happy to see his return. This is because, unlike Beale in my opinion, he actually knows how to defend at Centre. Agreed that he's a horror to watch in attack but we've been leaking way too many tries out wide and this has to stop.
The last thing I want to touch on is Henjak picking two backs on the bench. Not entirely sure what the go is here. I can only assume that it's a strategy to use when Te'o starts running out of puff. Personally I'd much prefer to see Michaels start, Te'o slot in to the back row and have Lui come in off the bench to hit the fringes. I haven't lost faith completely in Ivan yet so we'll see what happens.
My prediction? Tough game to predict. If the Knights play similar to last week we are in with a shot. With Pearce being out for the Roosters and probably NSW, maybe Mullen will turn it up but I can't see this happening. Home advantage to get us home, 24-18.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
NRL and Injuries - What's going on?
It’s a pretty well known fact that the Broncos have been sub-par this season for two reasons. Firstly, due to attrition over the years we’ve lost many solid players and have been required to rely on youth. Young players make mistakes, there’s no denying it. We have just been blessed for years with having rookies in small groups and having them for the most part excel. Lockyer, Hunt, Berrigan and Tuqiri come to mind.
The second reason is the injuries that we have suffered this year. Injuries are a part of football and it’s a given that they will occur. Over the years the injury count has slowly crept up and now we are seeing an unprecedented amount of players injured, not just in the Broncos but in the NRL itself. Why is this happening? Can it be explained?
Thankfully the NRL has finally aligned itself in recent times with the AFL and ARU and is now releasing formalised injury reporting. The report shows that the chance of a player to get injured enough to miss the following game increased from 5.5% to 6.9%. It’s also noted that this is a slight increase. I have to disagree here – slight increase? According to this report, at any given time during the 2009 NRL season, there would be 31 players injured each round from the NRL competition (2 a team roughly). The figures for the previous season had this number at around 25 players.
What could be the catalyst for such a sizeable injury count? I agree with the majority of punters that it’s the constantly evolving field of sports science. Due to perpetually improving training/nutrition/strength and conditioning, players are stronger than ever before. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, you were likely to be lining up across from a Brick Layer or Carpenter. Sure, a Brickie is just as likely to put on a monster hit as a professional athlete but let’s be honest – players are faster and stronger than they ever used to be. A by-product of this is that they are also more fragile. Let me make a comparison using automotive engines. Take a V8 engine – V8’s are powerful but stock models are designed to be long lasting as well. They are built for speed but also survivability. Now let’s look at a Formula One engine. On the edge of automotive engineering, these machines push the limits of what is possible for a combustible engine. Awesome stuff right? They also chew through transmissions like crazy and have a limited shelf life. Their potential to break is phenomenal. Over the last few decades, the NRL players have migrated away from the V8 style of physiology and now are heading down the path of Formula One machines.
So we’ve identified what the problem is. What’s the solution? Many voices in the NRL fraternity have asked for interchanges to be dropped from 10 to 8. Eight interchanges will force the forwards to get more conditioned and rely less on their bulk. It means that a Mick Weyman hit may only be 100kg of force instead of 112kg. 12kg less impact each time adds up when there is 15-odd hitups each game from him alone. Reducing the interchanges to 8 should solve help but it also addresses a greater underlying problem. Due to the corporate nature of the game, players are being pushed further and further towards their limits. Career length is at the expense of greater output for a shorter period of time. There are exceptions; Luke Priddis is the latest example of that. Look at the NFL – while a much more specialised sport, the amount of knee and spinal injuries is unbelievable. Why? Because the athletes are being pushed constantly by technology and scientific progress. The players have been forgotten and I honestly fear that the NRL is heading down that path albeit slowly. The fact is that if you push the limits of players, they are more likely to break down physically in a much shorter time frame.
Who does that benefit? Definitely not the fans or the players, that’s for sure.
The second reason is the injuries that we have suffered this year. Injuries are a part of football and it’s a given that they will occur. Over the years the injury count has slowly crept up and now we are seeing an unprecedented amount of players injured, not just in the Broncos but in the NRL itself. Why is this happening? Can it be explained?
Thankfully the NRL has finally aligned itself in recent times with the AFL and ARU and is now releasing formalised injury reporting. The report shows that the chance of a player to get injured enough to miss the following game increased from 5.5% to 6.9%. It’s also noted that this is a slight increase. I have to disagree here – slight increase? According to this report, at any given time during the 2009 NRL season, there would be 31 players injured each round from the NRL competition (2 a team roughly). The figures for the previous season had this number at around 25 players.
What could be the catalyst for such a sizeable injury count? I agree with the majority of punters that it’s the constantly evolving field of sports science. Due to perpetually improving training/nutrition/strength and conditioning, players are stronger than ever before. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, you were likely to be lining up across from a Brick Layer or Carpenter. Sure, a Brickie is just as likely to put on a monster hit as a professional athlete but let’s be honest – players are faster and stronger than they ever used to be. A by-product of this is that they are also more fragile. Let me make a comparison using automotive engines. Take a V8 engine – V8’s are powerful but stock models are designed to be long lasting as well. They are built for speed but also survivability. Now let’s look at a Formula One engine. On the edge of automotive engineering, these machines push the limits of what is possible for a combustible engine. Awesome stuff right? They also chew through transmissions like crazy and have a limited shelf life. Their potential to break is phenomenal. Over the last few decades, the NRL players have migrated away from the V8 style of physiology and now are heading down the path of Formula One machines.
So we’ve identified what the problem is. What’s the solution? Many voices in the NRL fraternity have asked for interchanges to be dropped from 10 to 8. Eight interchanges will force the forwards to get more conditioned and rely less on their bulk. It means that a Mick Weyman hit may only be 100kg of force instead of 112kg. 12kg less impact each time adds up when there is 15-odd hitups each game from him alone. Reducing the interchanges to 8 should solve help but it also addresses a greater underlying problem. Due to the corporate nature of the game, players are being pushed further and further towards their limits. Career length is at the expense of greater output for a shorter period of time. There are exceptions; Luke Priddis is the latest example of that. Look at the NFL – while a much more specialised sport, the amount of knee and spinal injuries is unbelievable. Why? Because the athletes are being pushed constantly by technology and scientific progress. The players have been forgotten and I honestly fear that the NRL is heading down that path albeit slowly. The fact is that if you push the limits of players, they are more likely to break down physically in a much shorter time frame.
Who does that benefit? Definitely not the fans or the players, that’s for sure.
Friday, April 23, 2010
After The Storm....
I'll touch on the Storm fiasco quickly. Firstly, I'm very glad that I'm no relation to Brian Waldron. I've had a strong dislike of the bloke for quite some time and this just reinforces that decision. Early indications pin Waldron as the ringleader of the scumbags involved with this. What really grinds my gears is the fact that Brian Waldron claimed that the NRL judiciary are cheats. The contempt of someone who allegedly was completely aware of the rorting occurring within the Storm calling someone else a cheat? Pot calling the Kettle black? What a joke.
Now that it's out of my system, let’s remind ourselves that there is indeed an NRL round this weekend.
The Broncos game promises to include a few decent matchups. The young buck halfback, Ben Hunt, taking on the wily veteran, Brett Kimmorely. Hunt's last dig at halfback resulted in the club's worst ever loss. Kimmorely was underdone in the pre-season and appears to be hitting his straps now. I'm a fan of Ben Hunt and hope he does well - my advice is to let Locky steer the ship and chime in where you can.
Jamal Idris lining up opposite of Ben Te'o is also interesting. Idris was the Rookie of the Year in 2009 and his size tends to undo many opponents. Te'o is no slouch though. A backrower by trade, he is capable of putting anyone on their behind at any time, regardless of reputation or ability. The problem that the left defence may face is the fact that Te'o, playing out of position, may not possess the communication skills required to be a solid defensive Centre. I think that it may not be an issue given we have Winterstein on his outside and Te'o is a renowned defender.
The last matchup that I want to touch on is Ben Hannant vs. the Broncos forward pack. He's a machine, we all know it. Just look at his stats this season - the Bulldogs are in all sorts however he is topping Metres Gained and 2nd in Tackles for the Doggies. The Broncos pack need to aspire to his workrate and here is their chance to show they aren't a pushover. Let's not forget the Dogs have Andrew Ryan, David Stagg and Mick Ennis as well. Should be a good test.
As I've said a few times this season, the game will hinge a lot on the ability of both sides to complete their sets. If the Broncos kick on from last week, they will need to hone that killer instinct in the back end of the second half.
Prediction? 24-18 Broncos.
Now that it's out of my system, let’s remind ourselves that there is indeed an NRL round this weekend.
The Broncos game promises to include a few decent matchups. The young buck halfback, Ben Hunt, taking on the wily veteran, Brett Kimmorely. Hunt's last dig at halfback resulted in the club's worst ever loss. Kimmorely was underdone in the pre-season and appears to be hitting his straps now. I'm a fan of Ben Hunt and hope he does well - my advice is to let Locky steer the ship and chime in where you can.
Jamal Idris lining up opposite of Ben Te'o is also interesting. Idris was the Rookie of the Year in 2009 and his size tends to undo many opponents. Te'o is no slouch though. A backrower by trade, he is capable of putting anyone on their behind at any time, regardless of reputation or ability. The problem that the left defence may face is the fact that Te'o, playing out of position, may not possess the communication skills required to be a solid defensive Centre. I think that it may not be an issue given we have Winterstein on his outside and Te'o is a renowned defender.
The last matchup that I want to touch on is Ben Hannant vs. the Broncos forward pack. He's a machine, we all know it. Just look at his stats this season - the Bulldogs are in all sorts however he is topping Metres Gained and 2nd in Tackles for the Doggies. The Broncos pack need to aspire to his workrate and here is their chance to show they aren't a pushover. Let's not forget the Dogs have Andrew Ryan, David Stagg and Mick Ennis as well. Should be a good test.
As I've said a few times this season, the game will hinge a lot on the ability of both sides to complete their sets. If the Broncos kick on from last week, they will need to hone that killer instinct in the back end of the second half.
Prediction? 24-18 Broncos.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Storm slammed for cap breach
A little over an hour ago the NRL announced that the Melbourne Storm has been found guilty of major breaches of the salary cap. The club has been stripped of its 2007 and 2009 premierships, and fined a total of $1.6 million. You can read all about it in the link, and also Melbourne's statement here. But here's a quick list of the facts.
It’s a sorry day for the sport of Rugby League; the game just can’t take a hit at the moment. It seems to be one scandal after the next. But credit has to be given to the NRL for unearthing the fraud. We must remember that the NRL isn’t at fault here, rather those who were involved at the Melbourne Storm. The quote above is from this statement from the Melbourne Storm's owners; News Limited. It highlights the fact that we'll surely hear a lot more from this story over the coming weeks.
There’s no doubting that the salary cap has been the contributing factor to the most successful years Rugby League has had in Australia. It has improved our game remarkably. The competition is tighter, there’s no more ‘bunny’ clubs, and clubs are under considerably less financial pressure. No matter which way you look at it, the salary cap rule has brought far more good than harm to the sport. When a team decides to break this rule, the consequences need to be severe and I for one am happy with the punishment Melbourne have been given.
Every team, coach, player and fan deserves the right to feel cheated by what the Melbourne Storm has done. This is the team that has knocked us out of the finals 3 years in a row, and to learn that they have done this while pulling the wool over our eyes is infuriating. Bellamy is running his mouth off claiming that neither he nor his players had any idea of what was happening. I find this extremely hard to believe. Players talk about how much they are earning to one another. With such a substantial breach of the cap, it wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out that something fishy was going on. Like I said earlier, we'll learn about exactly who was involved over the coming weeks.
For now, it’s blown the league wide-open. The league is effectively down to 15 teams now, and a guaranteed top-8 finisher won’t be there at the end of the season. Obviously this improves a lot of teams' chances of a finals berth. It’s certainly all to play for now.
Stripped of the 2007 and 2009 NRL premierships
Stripped of the minor premierships of 2006-08
Stripped of all competition points for the 2010 season
Fined $500,000
Will be forced to return $1.1 million in prize money (prize money to be distributed evenly among the other 15 clubs)
Individual awards by players will continue to be recognised
Neither Manly (2007) nor Parramatta (2009) will assume the premiership titles in their respective years
Salary cap breaches amounted to at least $1.7 million over five years
Salary cap breach around $400,000 in 2009
Salary cap breach projected to be $700,000 in 2010
NRL says the Storm maintained a dual-contract system
“I regret we have probably not yet uncovered the full extent of this fraud.”
It’s a sorry day for the sport of Rugby League; the game just can’t take a hit at the moment. It seems to be one scandal after the next. But credit has to be given to the NRL for unearthing the fraud. We must remember that the NRL isn’t at fault here, rather those who were involved at the Melbourne Storm. The quote above is from this statement from the Melbourne Storm's owners; News Limited. It highlights the fact that we'll surely hear a lot more from this story over the coming weeks.
There’s no doubting that the salary cap has been the contributing factor to the most successful years Rugby League has had in Australia. It has improved our game remarkably. The competition is tighter, there’s no more ‘bunny’ clubs, and clubs are under considerably less financial pressure. No matter which way you look at it, the salary cap rule has brought far more good than harm to the sport. When a team decides to break this rule, the consequences need to be severe and I for one am happy with the punishment Melbourne have been given.
Every team, coach, player and fan deserves the right to feel cheated by what the Melbourne Storm has done. This is the team that has knocked us out of the finals 3 years in a row, and to learn that they have done this while pulling the wool over our eyes is infuriating. Bellamy is running his mouth off claiming that neither he nor his players had any idea of what was happening. I find this extremely hard to believe. Players talk about how much they are earning to one another. With such a substantial breach of the cap, it wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out that something fishy was going on. Like I said earlier, we'll learn about exactly who was involved over the coming weeks.
For now, it’s blown the league wide-open. The league is effectively down to 15 teams now, and a guaranteed top-8 finisher won’t be there at the end of the season. Obviously this improves a lot of teams' chances of a finals berth. It’s certainly all to play for now.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Lineup for the Bulldogs
Sorry it's been a little slow around here, my compatriot (or as I like to think of him, apprentice) has been moving house and unable to access the World Wide Web. Unfortunately he’s still been able to access things like Facebook via his phone, so there’s no fully escaping him. He tells me he’ll be back on the blog on Friday.
Right, here’s the team list for this weekend’s game against the Bulldogs
1 Josh Hoffman
2 Antonio Winterstein
3 Ben Te’o
4 Israel Folau
5 Jharal Yow Yeh
6 Darren Lockyer
7 Ben Hunt
8 Dunamis Lui
9 Andrew McCullough
10 Mitchell Dodds
11 Alex Glenn
12 Sam Thaiday
13 Corey Parker
- Interchange (One to be omitted)
14 Lagi Setu
15 Scott Anderson
16 Corey Norman
17 Gerard Beale
18 Steve Michaels
With Wallace and Gillet both out for 4-6 weeks with medial ligament injuries, we’ve been forced to make a few changes. Te’o moves into the centres to replace Gillet, while Ben Hunt slots into half-back for Wallace. The big news here is that Steve Michaels has made his way onto an extended bench, after impressing in his first game back from injury for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the QLD Cup. Many (myself included) are eager to see if he’s improved his fundamentals after a long stint out of first grade. With the injury to Gillet and Beale’s poor performances he may well get his chance this weekend. Either way, it’s an extended bench so one needs to be culled. I wouldn’t expect the first 17 named above to be our final team come Friday night.
The Bulldogs are in very much the same situation as us this year, except they haven’t had injuries to use as an excuse. Just like us, they won last weekend to drag themselves off the bottom of the table to find themselves sharing 10th place on 4 points with 5 other teams. One of them being us. So it’s a very big game on Friday night. Both teams will be desperate to win two in a row for the first time all season, and both will know that a win could possibly shoot them into the top half of the table. Its early days to be talking about table position, but it certainly eases the pressures on everyone knowing that you’re team are no longer cellar dwellers.
Regular ranting should return soon!
Right, here’s the team list for this weekend’s game against the Bulldogs
1 Josh Hoffman
2 Antonio Winterstein
3 Ben Te’o
4 Israel Folau
5 Jharal Yow Yeh
6 Darren Lockyer
7 Ben Hunt
8 Dunamis Lui
9 Andrew McCullough
10 Mitchell Dodds
11 Alex Glenn
12 Sam Thaiday
13 Corey Parker
- Interchange (One to be omitted)
14 Lagi Setu
15 Scott Anderson
16 Corey Norman
17 Gerard Beale
18 Steve Michaels
With Wallace and Gillet both out for 4-6 weeks with medial ligament injuries, we’ve been forced to make a few changes. Te’o moves into the centres to replace Gillet, while Ben Hunt slots into half-back for Wallace. The big news here is that Steve Michaels has made his way onto an extended bench, after impressing in his first game back from injury for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the QLD Cup. Many (myself included) are eager to see if he’s improved his fundamentals after a long stint out of first grade. With the injury to Gillet and Beale’s poor performances he may well get his chance this weekend. Either way, it’s an extended bench so one needs to be culled. I wouldn’t expect the first 17 named above to be our final team come Friday night.
The Bulldogs are in very much the same situation as us this year, except they haven’t had injuries to use as an excuse. Just like us, they won last weekend to drag themselves off the bottom of the table to find themselves sharing 10th place on 4 points with 5 other teams. One of them being us. So it’s a very big game on Friday night. Both teams will be desperate to win two in a row for the first time all season, and both will know that a win could possibly shoot them into the top half of the table. Its early days to be talking about table position, but it certainly eases the pressures on everyone knowing that you’re team are no longer cellar dwellers.
Regular ranting should return soon!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sharks Review - Just what we needed
Isn’t it amazing what adding a few experienced players can do to a team? A 44-16 trouncing of the Sharks is just what the doctor ordered for the Broncos. Who knows how much we can take from it, the Sharks have been horrible this season, but it feels great to be celebrating a win again after losing 4 on the trot.
First of all, I think special mention has to be given to the 25 688 strong crowd that turned up in support. There aren’t many (any) teams in the competition who would get figures like that after the start we’ve had to the season. I’m sure the boys really appreciated it, and I’m sure it fired them up a bit. I imagine it would have lowered their spirits if say only 10 000 people showed up, but when they run out on to the field and look up seeing a massive crowd for a bottom of the table clash it would be really lifting. It’s a true testament to the support our Rugby League club has.
The game yesterday was in such stark contrast to the rest of the games we’d played this season. Everything we touched turned to gold and the luck of the bounce went our way on just about every occasion. The most telling improvement was our completion rate. We completed 23/24 sets in the first half, finishing the game on 33/39. We’ve been harping on about it all season here at Red Hill Rants HQ, so it’s a big relief that we can finally say something positive about it. Our missed tackle statistic is still cause for some concern; we managed to rack up 50 of them in a game where we didn’t have to do much defending. It’s something that urgently needs attention before this weekend’s game against the Bulldogs, who are sure to ask more questions of our defence than the Sharks.
We took the foot off the gas a little in the 2nd half, which was a little disappointing. It was a good opportunity to rectify our ‘for and against’ tally, which we couldn’t seize upon. Henjak revealed he was a little disappointed after the game too, saying we’d missed a chance to work on our ruthlessness. However a lot of that can be put down to the loss of Wallace, and the reshuffle caused by his absence. Early reports are that he’ll miss 4-6 weeks. A scan tonight will confirm, so we’ll have news on his situation tomorrow.
The game was well and truly wrapped up at half time, so we can’t read too much into the boys dropping the intensity a bit. It was still a fantastic win, and hopefully a showcase of things to come. We can’t get carried away though. One win isn’t going to resurrect our season, and it’s important that the team remembers this. We need to focus on stringing some wins together, and we have a good opportunity to do that against a struggling Bulldogs team this weekend.
One thing’s for sure though, it feels good to be off the bottom of the table!
First of all, I think special mention has to be given to the 25 688 strong crowd that turned up in support. There aren’t many (any) teams in the competition who would get figures like that after the start we’ve had to the season. I’m sure the boys really appreciated it, and I’m sure it fired them up a bit. I imagine it would have lowered their spirits if say only 10 000 people showed up, but when they run out on to the field and look up seeing a massive crowd for a bottom of the table clash it would be really lifting. It’s a true testament to the support our Rugby League club has.
The game yesterday was in such stark contrast to the rest of the games we’d played this season. Everything we touched turned to gold and the luck of the bounce went our way on just about every occasion. The most telling improvement was our completion rate. We completed 23/24 sets in the first half, finishing the game on 33/39. We’ve been harping on about it all season here at Red Hill Rants HQ, so it’s a big relief that we can finally say something positive about it. Our missed tackle statistic is still cause for some concern; we managed to rack up 50 of them in a game where we didn’t have to do much defending. It’s something that urgently needs attention before this weekend’s game against the Bulldogs, who are sure to ask more questions of our defence than the Sharks.
We took the foot off the gas a little in the 2nd half, which was a little disappointing. It was a good opportunity to rectify our ‘for and against’ tally, which we couldn’t seize upon. Henjak revealed he was a little disappointed after the game too, saying we’d missed a chance to work on our ruthlessness. However a lot of that can be put down to the loss of Wallace, and the reshuffle caused by his absence. Early reports are that he’ll miss 4-6 weeks. A scan tonight will confirm, so we’ll have news on his situation tomorrow.
The game was well and truly wrapped up at half time, so we can’t read too much into the boys dropping the intensity a bit. It was still a fantastic win, and hopefully a showcase of things to come. We can’t get carried away though. One win isn’t going to resurrect our season, and it’s important that the team remembers this. We need to focus on stringing some wins together, and we have a good opportunity to do that against a struggling Bulldogs team this weekend.
One thing’s for sure though, it feels good to be off the bottom of the table!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Welcoming...Shane Tronc
It's widely known that the Broncos are lacking grunt in the forwards department. Keeping this in mind you can imagine my excitement when I awoke yesterday to the news that the Broncos had signed Shane Tronc from Wakefield in the UK Super League.
Those of you who follow League closely will recognise the name instantly as he was a very solid part of the Cowboys side who made it all the way to the Grand Final in 2005. At 6'4" and 113kg, he has the size that we're lacking at the moment. Nick Kenny and Sammy Thaiday aren't exactly physically challenged but they aren't in the 'Big Bopper' category of people such as Carl Webb and Mick Weyman.
A little bit of history on Shane:
- Played for Wavell Heights as a schoolboy (a powerhouse in Schoolboy League in Brisbane and nationally, proud to say I was pummelled by them myself in my school days). Made the Wavell Heights Team of the Half-Century (1950-2000)
- Played for the Redcliffe Dolphins, a traditionally strong side in the QLD Cup. Won player of the year in 2003.
- Chalked up 125 games for the Nth Qld Cowboys including a Grand Final Appearance.
- Is 28 years old - approaching that prime age for Props which is the kind of experience we need.
- As of when he signed for Brisbane, he leads the UK Super League in metres gained by a forward (if that doesn't get you excited I don't know what will)
So as you can see from the above, this is a brilliant signing for the Broncos and I look forward to seeing him debut in what looks to be round 7. Combine that with the return of Corey Parker and the Broncos forward pack just got a whole lot stronger.
Those of you who follow League closely will recognise the name instantly as he was a very solid part of the Cowboys side who made it all the way to the Grand Final in 2005. At 6'4" and 113kg, he has the size that we're lacking at the moment. Nick Kenny and Sammy Thaiday aren't exactly physically challenged but they aren't in the 'Big Bopper' category of people such as Carl Webb and Mick Weyman.
A little bit of history on Shane:
- Played for Wavell Heights as a schoolboy (a powerhouse in Schoolboy League in Brisbane and nationally, proud to say I was pummelled by them myself in my school days). Made the Wavell Heights Team of the Half-Century (1950-2000)
- Played for the Redcliffe Dolphins, a traditionally strong side in the QLD Cup. Won player of the year in 2003.
- Chalked up 125 games for the Nth Qld Cowboys including a Grand Final Appearance.
- Is 28 years old - approaching that prime age for Props which is the kind of experience we need.
- As of when he signed for Brisbane, he leads the UK Super League in metres gained by a forward (if that doesn't get you excited I don't know what will)
So as you can see from the above, this is a brilliant signing for the Broncos and I look forward to seeing him debut in what looks to be round 7. Combine that with the return of Corey Parker and the Broncos forward pack just got a whole lot stronger.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Lineups for the Weekend
Brisbane Broncos vs. Cronulla Sharks
Sunday 2pm, Suncorp Stadium
1. Josh Hoffman
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Matt Gillett
4. Israel Folau
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Peter Wallace
8. Dunamis Lui
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Mitchell Dodds
11. Lagi Setu
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Alex Glenn
Bench (2 to be omitted)
14. Gerard Beale
15. Ben Te'o
16. Scott Anderson
17. Nick Kenny
18. Ben Hunt
19. Corey Norman
Well, talk about an interesting line-up. As Jim mentioned earlier in the week, the cavalry has arrived. It's great to see Jharal Yow Yeh, Israel Folau and Nick Kenny back into the fray. Winterstein and Te'o returning from their club-enforced exile will give a much added boost on the left hand side attack. Keep an eye out for Corey Parker - word has it that he may be a late inclusion.
Some will say that Corey Norman has it a bit rough by losing his spot to Hoffman and I agree somewhat. For a 1st season player defending behind a mis-firing Broncos team, he's done amazingly well. Several try-saving tackles have shown that he's got what it takes. His attack in round 1 was phenomenal but nothing much has come from him since. In my opinion Hoffman is a more natural fullback and should do well. As Hoffman has said, Norman may very well turn out to be Locky's successor but it's a bit too early to tell.
Henjak has surprised me this week with the naming of Gillett at Centre. Strange move - the kid is a weapon in the back row. He has the footwork and the hands to play centre but why not let him do what he's been doing so well? At least he's better than Beale. On that note, I'm ecstatic that Beale's on the bench and potentially dropped. He needs a reality check and hopefully this provides the uppercut that he needs.
Prediction for the weekend? Well, the Broncos have a legitimate chance of hammering the Sharks but they also have an equal chance of dishing it to us. Due to our recently returned players, Broncos by 18.
Lastly, a shout out to Alfie - good to have you back on board. That's all for now, tune in on the weekend for the pre-game review!
Sunday 2pm, Suncorp Stadium
1. Josh Hoffman
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Matt Gillett
4. Israel Folau
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Peter Wallace
8. Dunamis Lui
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Mitchell Dodds
11. Lagi Setu
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Alex Glenn
Bench (2 to be omitted)
14. Gerard Beale
15. Ben Te'o
16. Scott Anderson
17. Nick Kenny
18. Ben Hunt
19. Corey Norman
Well, talk about an interesting line-up. As Jim mentioned earlier in the week, the cavalry has arrived. It's great to see Jharal Yow Yeh, Israel Folau and Nick Kenny back into the fray. Winterstein and Te'o returning from their club-enforced exile will give a much added boost on the left hand side attack. Keep an eye out for Corey Parker - word has it that he may be a late inclusion.
Some will say that Corey Norman has it a bit rough by losing his spot to Hoffman and I agree somewhat. For a 1st season player defending behind a mis-firing Broncos team, he's done amazingly well. Several try-saving tackles have shown that he's got what it takes. His attack in round 1 was phenomenal but nothing much has come from him since. In my opinion Hoffman is a more natural fullback and should do well. As Hoffman has said, Norman may very well turn out to be Locky's successor but it's a bit too early to tell.
Henjak has surprised me this week with the naming of Gillett at Centre. Strange move - the kid is a weapon in the back row. He has the footwork and the hands to play centre but why not let him do what he's been doing so well? At least he's better than Beale. On that note, I'm ecstatic that Beale's on the bench and potentially dropped. He needs a reality check and hopefully this provides the uppercut that he needs.
Prediction for the weekend? Well, the Broncos have a legitimate chance of hammering the Sharks but they also have an equal chance of dishing it to us. Due to our recently returned players, Broncos by 18.
Lastly, a shout out to Alfie - good to have you back on board. That's all for now, tune in on the weekend for the pre-game review!
Monday, April 12, 2010
In comes the cavalry
Well it’s been another ordinary week for me in my tipping league. I’m sitting on 3/7 before tonight’s game, and it’s got me thinking how unpredictable this season has been so far. Good signs for the NRL though, over the last few seasons the competition has definitely become a lot tighter. Look no further than the table for evidence of that, after tonight’s game we’ll be sharing last place with 4 other teams! Seriously though, there’s no easy beats in this competition anymore. Any team can beat anyone on their day, the bookies must be loving it at the moment.
Anyways, onto more relevant matters. As I mentioned yesterday, we’re getting a massive boost in player stocks this week. Israel Folau, Jharal Yow Yeh, Nick Kenny, Ben Te'o and Antonio Winterstein are all set to come back from injuries and/or slaps on wrist. Corey Parker was slated for return this week too, but it looks like that’s been pushed back a week which is a real shame.
Another player who is due to return this week is Steve Michaels. He’s out of favour with the coach at the moment it would seem, but he’s also been sidelined regardless with an ankle injury. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I have a serious dislike for Michaels - I was guilty of hurling him a fair chunk of abuse from the sidelines in 2009. But it might be time to give him a second chance. He’s on a big contract with the Broncos, and we’ve seen in the past that he can be a devastating ball runner. Surely he can’t do any worse than Beale, I’d like to see him given another go soon...
Phil Gould raised a good point during our game against the Dragons on the weekend. It was with regards to our attack, and how no one is running back on the inside of Lockyer, making our play quite predictable. Now I hate Gould just as much as the next, but he raises a good point. Our attack has been very predictable, and there just aren’t many options for Lockyer to go to. 9 times out of 10 it’s a flat pass to Thaiday simply because there’s nothing else on. Whether it’s inexperienced centres not running the right lines I’m not sure, but I hope it’s something we’re addressing in training this week.
While we’re on the subject of Lockyer, I really think he’s making the wrong decision prolonging his representative career. Watching how the Dragons ran rings around him on Friday night made me wonder if he’s really up for it. His defence has been questionable for years now, but I think it’s hit a new low. When he gave up chasing Morris in the Dragons 3rd try on Friday night it set my alarm bells ringing. Darren Lockyer is yet to prove this season that he is capable of going around again for the Maroons, and I hope the selectors are paying notice of that. I don’t want him to be selected just because of who he is, I want Queensland to win. I’m sure many of you will disagree though...
Wrapping up the early week news, Mr Langer’s suspension of duties has been lifted following his court appearance today. He copped a fine and a suspension of licence, and I think that’s all he deserved. You can read more about it by following the link. I’m sure the boys will really appreciate his presence back on the training paddock this week. Some punter with a lot more faith than me has backed us to win the Premiership with a large bet, standing to win over 250k. I’m not writing us off yet by any means, but that is a brave bet if I’ve ever seen one! And the Broncos have launched an official page for the girls of the Hogs Breath Cafe Cheer Squad, but none of us would be interested in the photos there right?
Right. Until next time sports fans.
Anyways, onto more relevant matters. As I mentioned yesterday, we’re getting a massive boost in player stocks this week. Israel Folau, Jharal Yow Yeh, Nick Kenny, Ben Te'o and Antonio Winterstein are all set to come back from injuries and/or slaps on wrist. Corey Parker was slated for return this week too, but it looks like that’s been pushed back a week which is a real shame.
Another player who is due to return this week is Steve Michaels. He’s out of favour with the coach at the moment it would seem, but he’s also been sidelined regardless with an ankle injury. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I have a serious dislike for Michaels - I was guilty of hurling him a fair chunk of abuse from the sidelines in 2009. But it might be time to give him a second chance. He’s on a big contract with the Broncos, and we’ve seen in the past that he can be a devastating ball runner. Surely he can’t do any worse than Beale, I’d like to see him given another go soon...
Phil Gould raised a good point during our game against the Dragons on the weekend. It was with regards to our attack, and how no one is running back on the inside of Lockyer, making our play quite predictable. Now I hate Gould just as much as the next, but he raises a good point. Our attack has been very predictable, and there just aren’t many options for Lockyer to go to. 9 times out of 10 it’s a flat pass to Thaiday simply because there’s nothing else on. Whether it’s inexperienced centres not running the right lines I’m not sure, but I hope it’s something we’re addressing in training this week.
While we’re on the subject of Lockyer, I really think he’s making the wrong decision prolonging his representative career. Watching how the Dragons ran rings around him on Friday night made me wonder if he’s really up for it. His defence has been questionable for years now, but I think it’s hit a new low. When he gave up chasing Morris in the Dragons 3rd try on Friday night it set my alarm bells ringing. Darren Lockyer is yet to prove this season that he is capable of going around again for the Maroons, and I hope the selectors are paying notice of that. I don’t want him to be selected just because of who he is, I want Queensland to win. I’m sure many of you will disagree though...
Wrapping up the early week news, Mr Langer’s suspension of duties has been lifted following his court appearance today. He copped a fine and a suspension of licence, and I think that’s all he deserved. You can read more about it by following the link. I’m sure the boys will really appreciate his presence back on the training paddock this week. Some punter with a lot more faith than me has backed us to win the Premiership with a large bet, standing to win over 250k. I’m not writing us off yet by any means, but that is a brave bet if I’ve ever seen one! And the Broncos have launched an official page for the girls of the Hogs Breath Cafe Cheer Squad, but none of us would be interested in the photos there right?
Right. Until next time sports fans.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Another disappointment
Afternoon everyone, hope you’re managing to keep cool this Sunday afternoon. I’m doing so by polishing off a few brews while watching Ricky Stuart and co. cop an absolute mauling. Good times.
Well, how about those Dragons? We started off solidly enough, but we notoriously gave away 2 tries in the last 10 minutes of the 1st half, our heads went down, and we never looked like getting back into it. Before the mood gets too sombre around here though, let’s start off with a few of the positives first.
Sam Thaiday had another monster of a game, keeping Ben Creagh very quiet and giving him a couple of bruises he’s likely to be feeling today. He’s been our best this season without a doubt. He should be inspiring those around him, but for whatever reason they are not feeding off it. Gillet had a great game too, with some outstanding offloads. Shame no one wanted to do anything with them. Dale Copley had a solid game, and it makes you wonder why we’ve been persisting with Beale while this guy has been around. Corey Norman made a good 1v1 tackle, saving a certain try to Brett Morris. Unfortunately it proved to be a rarity.
The first try we let in was very soft. A lack of communication seemed to be the problem as Beau Scott sent some weak defence (inc. Norman) skittling and crashed over the line. We responded well, with a good finish by Copley. But this seemed to be all we could muster. A ruthless Dragons side began to terrorise our right side defence. They had a try disallowed which left even the most die-hard Broncos fans scratching their heads. We hung in there, and put up a good fight for about 30 minutes but we couldn’t keep it up.
Soward threw a magic pass to put Morris in the clear. Line breaks happen in rugby league, and our cover defence really should have had this one covered. But somehow no one got close to him except Norman, who really needs to start doing better as our last line of defence. I’m really starting to miss our number 1 from the past few seasons. Not only would Karmichael Hunt have stopped him, he would have pushed him over the line, and danced on his face in the process. Instead Norman seemed to slip, and Morris went straight over the top of him to score and further stake his claim as the best finisher the NRL has at the moment. It was very weak, and even now as I watch the replay I’m still cringing.
5 minutes later they were at it again, finding some depth in Darius Boyd who simply ran straight around a very out-paced Lockyer. Boyd put it on a platter for Morris to score his second of the night. The disappointing part was when Lockyer pulled out of the chase, allowing Morris to run it around under the sticks unchallenged. It was an unforgivable sin from our captain who simply should know better. For mine, it set the tone for the rest of the match. Just like when McCullough did it against the Warriors a fortnight ago. It’s putting up the white flag, and it spreads throughout the team like wildfire. From there it was a no-contest, Waldo was well within his rights to turn the TV off!
Given how hard we seemed to work for the first 30 minutes, it was almost heartbreaking to see us capitulate in such fashion. But I guess we have to look at those first 30 minutes as a positive, and try to build on it for next game. We should be getting 4-5 first team players back for the next game, which will be a massive boost. I'm already going over-time here, so I'll have more on our reinforcements and also some thoughts on Lockyer soon. Until then!
Well, how about those Dragons? We started off solidly enough, but we notoriously gave away 2 tries in the last 10 minutes of the 1st half, our heads went down, and we never looked like getting back into it. Before the mood gets too sombre around here though, let’s start off with a few of the positives first.
Sam Thaiday had another monster of a game, keeping Ben Creagh very quiet and giving him a couple of bruises he’s likely to be feeling today. He’s been our best this season without a doubt. He should be inspiring those around him, but for whatever reason they are not feeding off it. Gillet had a great game too, with some outstanding offloads. Shame no one wanted to do anything with them. Dale Copley had a solid game, and it makes you wonder why we’ve been persisting with Beale while this guy has been around. Corey Norman made a good 1v1 tackle, saving a certain try to Brett Morris. Unfortunately it proved to be a rarity.
The first try we let in was very soft. A lack of communication seemed to be the problem as Beau Scott sent some weak defence (inc. Norman) skittling and crashed over the line. We responded well, with a good finish by Copley. But this seemed to be all we could muster. A ruthless Dragons side began to terrorise our right side defence. They had a try disallowed which left even the most die-hard Broncos fans scratching their heads. We hung in there, and put up a good fight for about 30 minutes but we couldn’t keep it up.
Soward threw a magic pass to put Morris in the clear. Line breaks happen in rugby league, and our cover defence really should have had this one covered. But somehow no one got close to him except Norman, who really needs to start doing better as our last line of defence. I’m really starting to miss our number 1 from the past few seasons. Not only would Karmichael Hunt have stopped him, he would have pushed him over the line, and danced on his face in the process. Instead Norman seemed to slip, and Morris went straight over the top of him to score and further stake his claim as the best finisher the NRL has at the moment. It was very weak, and even now as I watch the replay I’m still cringing.
5 minutes later they were at it again, finding some depth in Darius Boyd who simply ran straight around a very out-paced Lockyer. Boyd put it on a platter for Morris to score his second of the night. The disappointing part was when Lockyer pulled out of the chase, allowing Morris to run it around under the sticks unchallenged. It was an unforgivable sin from our captain who simply should know better. For mine, it set the tone for the rest of the match. Just like when McCullough did it against the Warriors a fortnight ago. It’s putting up the white flag, and it spreads throughout the team like wildfire. From there it was a no-contest, Waldo was well within his rights to turn the TV off!
Given how hard we seemed to work for the first 30 minutes, it was almost heartbreaking to see us capitulate in such fashion. But I guess we have to look at those first 30 minutes as a positive, and try to build on it for next game. We should be getting 4-5 first team players back for the next game, which will be a massive boost. I'm already going over-time here, so I'll have more on our reinforcements and also some thoughts on Lockyer soon. Until then!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Broncos vs. Dragons review - Oh Dear.
Where to start....well, for those of you who saw, we were trounced by the Dragons at Kogorah. Not an unexpected result in fairness - the fact that in world sport's betting we were pretty much the 2nd biggest long shot from the major sports says it all. It was fairly painful again to watch but there were some positives that can be taken from the game.
Matt Gillett yet again justified his value to our side last night. A few handling errors crept into his game but the hard running rookie again showed why he is getting the wraps that he is. Given he's a Bribie Island junior, if he continues to develop then you might very well see him don a Maroon jersey in a few years.
Our defence in the middle was fairly solid last night. Setu turned up finally and made a few good runs and some damaging tackles. Looks like the Tronc rumours might have brought his head into the game. Locky was better and looked a bit more at ease and Sammy Thaiday showed the guts we know he has in playing on after a heavy run-in with Ben Creagh.
Here is where my praise stops. I've never been so disgusted with our right side defence. Some media outlets are saying that we managed to contain Morris and the real damage was caused by Boyd, Nightingale etc. Wrong. If that's containing Morris, I'll jump off a bridge. The Dragons made both outside defences look infantile. I feel sorry for Rivett to be honest. He's going to cop a fair bit of flak but keep these 2 things in mind - he was defending against arguably the best winger in the game at the moment and he has Beale on his inside. There were 2 breaks down the left for the Dragons and because Beale is seemingly clueless in regards to directing his winger, poor Rivett was left in no man's land. Great Centres (Hodges, Inglis, Folau, Cooper to name a few) work with their winger to shut down the opposing team. Beale was effectively a blind mute out there last night.
I never thought I'd ever say this but it might be time to give Michaels a run. He's average but that's better than the current situation. As a team I felt we took a few steps forward but there's still a marathon to go. I definitely haven't lost faith as it is only round 5 but I don't want to be saying "there's always next year" in a few weeks.
Matt Gillett yet again justified his value to our side last night. A few handling errors crept into his game but the hard running rookie again showed why he is getting the wraps that he is. Given he's a Bribie Island junior, if he continues to develop then you might very well see him don a Maroon jersey in a few years.
Our defence in the middle was fairly solid last night. Setu turned up finally and made a few good runs and some damaging tackles. Looks like the Tronc rumours might have brought his head into the game. Locky was better and looked a bit more at ease and Sammy Thaiday showed the guts we know he has in playing on after a heavy run-in with Ben Creagh.
Here is where my praise stops. I've never been so disgusted with our right side defence. Some media outlets are saying that we managed to contain Morris and the real damage was caused by Boyd, Nightingale etc. Wrong. If that's containing Morris, I'll jump off a bridge. The Dragons made both outside defences look infantile. I feel sorry for Rivett to be honest. He's going to cop a fair bit of flak but keep these 2 things in mind - he was defending against arguably the best winger in the game at the moment and he has Beale on his inside. There were 2 breaks down the left for the Dragons and because Beale is seemingly clueless in regards to directing his winger, poor Rivett was left in no man's land. Great Centres (Hodges, Inglis, Folau, Cooper to name a few) work with their winger to shut down the opposing team. Beale was effectively a blind mute out there last night.
I never thought I'd ever say this but it might be time to give Michaels a run. He's average but that's better than the current situation. As a team I felt we took a few steps forward but there's still a marathon to go. I definitely haven't lost faith as it is only round 5 but I don't want to be saying "there's always next year" in a few weeks.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Dragons preview, no excuses
Good morning folks. How about the weather? Wonderful isn't it. Forgive me; I'd rather talk about anything but the Broncos at the moment.
So we've all woken up to reports today suggesting that our club is in turmoil, spiralling out of control to which it may never recover. Some guy who gets paid far too much money for what he does had a tantrum and quit. Who in their right mind cares? All of a sudden he’s been accredited for our 2006 premiership. Funny, never heard the guys’ name mentioned once at the time. Dean Benton, farewell sir. I’m not sure if we can blame the 3 years of horrific injuries this club has had on you, but either way, don’t be under some false impression that your absence will be felt in any way. There’s the door mate.
I’m under no false illusions; it hasn’t been a great week for Broncos fans. 3 losses on the trot, staff troubles, player troubles, and a few injuries to boot. But there are some serious over reactions in the press at the moment, and I hope people aren’t buying in to it. People want Henjak to resign, people want Cullen to resign, but none of this is going to happen. As Waldo touched on, every club has their ups and downs. Our early season form is not the end of the world. We’re 2 points outside of the top-8 and the season is far from over.
Speaking of injuries, Nick Kenny has pulled out of tonight’s match because of back spasms. Let’s hope he can overcome this latest setback quickly. He’s one of those players that ooze consistency, and while he may never be a superstar he just keeps improving every game. We’ll miss him tonight.
Oh yes, tonight. Almost forgot we had a game tonight, it seems to have been pushed aside. We’re forgetting that we are coming up against a side coached by Wayne Bennet. Wasn’t he that guy that coached us for 20 years? There might be a story there Mr. Media. Anyhow, let’s focus on tonight’s game for a moment shall we.
I’m yet to make up my mind on Coach Henjak, I feel he has a lot to do to win me over. When he says things like this, he takes 3 steps back. There are a couple hundred thousand people who DO care about the winning and losing of this footy match. When you say something like that, you’re already excusing a loss. It’s fine for fans to expect a loss, that’s our nature! But it’s certainly not okay for a coach to be expecting a loss. There’s no reason why we can’t win this game, the side we’re fielding tonight would be similar to one we would have around Origin time. No one makes excuses for them then, and I’m certainly not making excuses for them now.
Is it likely that we will win? Of course not. I'm tipping a 20-16 loss for us. The Dragons are the form team of the competition, coached by a master of the sport. But this doesn’t mean that we give-up, and put anything that goes wrong this season down to a “Rebuilding Phase”. We’re a team of professionals, and if we don’t win the next twenty-odd games left in the season, then we better break backs doing it. No excuses. If we fix our issues with missed tackles and completion rates, then we'll be right in the game.
But I'm starting to sound like a broken record on those two points...
So we've all woken up to reports today suggesting that our club is in turmoil, spiralling out of control to which it may never recover. Some guy who gets paid far too much money for what he does had a tantrum and quit. Who in their right mind cares? All of a sudden he’s been accredited for our 2006 premiership. Funny, never heard the guys’ name mentioned once at the time. Dean Benton, farewell sir. I’m not sure if we can blame the 3 years of horrific injuries this club has had on you, but either way, don’t be under some false impression that your absence will be felt in any way. There’s the door mate.
I’m under no false illusions; it hasn’t been a great week for Broncos fans. 3 losses on the trot, staff troubles, player troubles, and a few injuries to boot. But there are some serious over reactions in the press at the moment, and I hope people aren’t buying in to it. People want Henjak to resign, people want Cullen to resign, but none of this is going to happen. As Waldo touched on, every club has their ups and downs. Our early season form is not the end of the world. We’re 2 points outside of the top-8 and the season is far from over.
Speaking of injuries, Nick Kenny has pulled out of tonight’s match because of back spasms. Let’s hope he can overcome this latest setback quickly. He’s one of those players that ooze consistency, and while he may never be a superstar he just keeps improving every game. We’ll miss him tonight.
Oh yes, tonight. Almost forgot we had a game tonight, it seems to have been pushed aside. We’re forgetting that we are coming up against a side coached by Wayne Bennet. Wasn’t he that guy that coached us for 20 years? There might be a story there Mr. Media. Anyhow, let’s focus on tonight’s game for a moment shall we.
I don't care about the winning and the losing of the footy match this week. I want to see good attitude, I want to see some toughness and grit and I want to see us having a good old fashioned crack.
I’m yet to make up my mind on Coach Henjak, I feel he has a lot to do to win me over. When he says things like this, he takes 3 steps back. There are a couple hundred thousand people who DO care about the winning and losing of this footy match. When you say something like that, you’re already excusing a loss. It’s fine for fans to expect a loss, that’s our nature! But it’s certainly not okay for a coach to be expecting a loss. There’s no reason why we can’t win this game, the side we’re fielding tonight would be similar to one we would have around Origin time. No one makes excuses for them then, and I’m certainly not making excuses for them now.
Is it likely that we will win? Of course not. I'm tipping a 20-16 loss for us. The Dragons are the form team of the competition, coached by a master of the sport. But this doesn’t mean that we give-up, and put anything that goes wrong this season down to a “Rebuilding Phase”. We’re a team of professionals, and if we don’t win the next twenty-odd games left in the season, then we better break backs doing it. No excuses. If we fix our issues with missed tackles and completion rates, then we'll be right in the game.
But I'm starting to sound like a broken record on those two points...
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Possible arrivals, departures and the Team List.
What a week so far for news and the Broncos. Te'o and Winterstein dropped for being late to training. Lockyer continuing rep footy, Shane Tronc possibly arriving and yet another Folau rumour in regards to that inferior game, Rugby Union. Let's take a look at these a little closer.
Te'o and Winterstein
These two have been dropped for disciplinary reasons which appear to be arriving just minutes late to training. Dropping players for similar is nothing new to the Broncos and these players are no different. What we need at the moment, apart from a magic wand that heals all, is a sturdy ship. This decision should reinforce the seriousness that is being expected from all players.
Lockyer to suit up for QLD
A large portion of the media coverage as of late has been about Locky and his representative future. I won't harp on too much about it as it's almost been done to death - what I will say is that he's his own man and is allowed to make his own decisions. There's a chance he'll run rampant in Origin but there's an equal chance that he'll get massacred. The latter used to a minimal chance - nowadays I'm not so sure. He's still got the magic but hopefully he knows when to walk.
Shane Tronc incoming?
There isn't much on this topic at this stage but early reports are that the Broncos are willing to drop Lagi Setu if Shane Tronc can be secured from Wakefield in the UK. Setu has been average except for his attack in the second half against the Roosters - Tronc however has that tough streak about him that we appear to be lacking at the moment.
Folau and Rugger Rumours
It seems as if Brian Waldron (thankfully no relation) has been talking about Israel Folau migrating to Union. All I have to say is if you need a League player to excite people about a new provincial Union side, that says much more about the state of Union compared to League.
If Izzy decides to flip to Union, fair enough it's his choice. I strongly believe this rumour is rubbish and he'll see out his Broncos contract, if not more.
Anyway, on to the team list for the weekend game vs. St George!
1. Corey Norman
2. Gerard Beale
3. Dale Copley
4. Alex Glenn
5. Mitch Rivett
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Peter Wallace
8. Ashton Sims
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Scott Anderson
11. Lagi Setu
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Matt Gillett
14. Ben Hunt
15. Mitchell Dodds
16. Dunamis Lui
17. Nick Kenny
18. Josh Hoffman
(1 to be omitted)
Yet another very young side. I'm looking for Rivett to continue after his solid debut. Gillett has performed admirably this season, look for Matt and Sam Thaiday to lead from the front. Good to see Ben Hunt getting another bench spot - I thought he was fantastic playing out of position in Hooker last game. As Jim mentioned earlier, Hoffman gets a run - this kid has the potential to be absolutely amazing and just needs some game time to build that self-confidence.
Te'o and Winterstein
These two have been dropped for disciplinary reasons which appear to be arriving just minutes late to training. Dropping players for similar is nothing new to the Broncos and these players are no different. What we need at the moment, apart from a magic wand that heals all, is a sturdy ship. This decision should reinforce the seriousness that is being expected from all players.
Lockyer to suit up for QLD
A large portion of the media coverage as of late has been about Locky and his representative future. I won't harp on too much about it as it's almost been done to death - what I will say is that he's his own man and is allowed to make his own decisions. There's a chance he'll run rampant in Origin but there's an equal chance that he'll get massacred. The latter used to a minimal chance - nowadays I'm not so sure. He's still got the magic but hopefully he knows when to walk.
Shane Tronc incoming?
There isn't much on this topic at this stage but early reports are that the Broncos are willing to drop Lagi Setu if Shane Tronc can be secured from Wakefield in the UK. Setu has been average except for his attack in the second half against the Roosters - Tronc however has that tough streak about him that we appear to be lacking at the moment.
Folau and Rugger Rumours
It seems as if Brian Waldron (thankfully no relation) has been talking about Israel Folau migrating to Union. All I have to say is if you need a League player to excite people about a new provincial Union side, that says much more about the state of Union compared to League.
If Izzy decides to flip to Union, fair enough it's his choice. I strongly believe this rumour is rubbish and he'll see out his Broncos contract, if not more.
Anyway, on to the team list for the weekend game vs. St George!
1. Corey Norman
2. Gerard Beale
3. Dale Copley
4. Alex Glenn
5. Mitch Rivett
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Peter Wallace
8. Ashton Sims
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Scott Anderson
11. Lagi Setu
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Matt Gillett
14. Ben Hunt
15. Mitchell Dodds
16. Dunamis Lui
17. Nick Kenny
18. Josh Hoffman
(1 to be omitted)
Yet another very young side. I'm looking for Rivett to continue after his solid debut. Gillett has performed admirably this season, look for Matt and Sam Thaiday to lead from the front. Good to see Ben Hunt getting another bench spot - I thought he was fantastic playing out of position in Hooker last game. As Jim mentioned earlier, Hoffman gets a run - this kid has the potential to be absolutely amazing and just needs some game time to build that self-confidence.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Henjak looking for blood in the wrong place?
Afternoon sports fans. Today’s big story is that Darren Lockyer has decided not to pull the plug on his representative career just yet. He will be first picked for the Maroons, and Australia for that matter for the ANZAC test, which means he will be unavailable for at least 4 of our games this season. Given the way our season is going so far, its 4 games that we desperately needed him for.
His decision has surprised me to be honest. Now don’t get me wrong here, I still rate him the best player in our game at the moment, his passing game and the way he leads a side around the park is second to none. But he’s getting old. It’s evident in every aspect of the way he plays the game now. He relies on the 2nd rower to make first contact on 90% of his tackling. He rarely takes on the line, and when he does get tackled he looks prone to injury. I squirm in my seat every time I see him take a hit.
I think he’s barely coping with staying fit for club games at the moment so I was fully expecting him to make a smarter decision, retiring from the intensity of representative football, and prolonging his career as much as possible. But he’s decided otherwise, and good for him. He deserves a chance to leave the maroons in style and win, lose or draw this year he will be given the send off from State of Origin that he deserves. I’m sure Henjak is swearing under his breath, as am I, but at the end of the day its Lockyer’s choice and no one has the right to stand in the way of him. Here’s hoping the Maroons can send him out on a winning note.
Also making news was Henjak’s decision to stand down Winterstein and Te’o for this weekend’s game against the Dragons for turning up late to training. I’m a big fan of making examples about of poor behaviour, but this couldn’t have come at a worse time for us. We'll need all the help we can get, the Dragons are in red-hot form this season, and coming off a loss they are going to be on their toes for their clash against us. Rumour has it they were only minutes late, but Henjak was looking for blood and found it.
It’s a big call dropping these two players. They’ve been two of our best so far this season and given the calibre of the players we’re already missing, this is going to hurt us. Obviously we don’t know the truth on the specifics, but I’m going to go ahead and say that I don’t agree with this decision. It’s not what we need right now. Morale is already low, and this isn’t going to help that situation. I’d sooner see people dropped to the Queensland Cup for poor performances, rather than being a few minutes late to the first training session of the week. We’ve got players who have already racked up double figures in handling errors this season, and our missed tackle figures so far literally resemble that of a cricket score - 184 in 4 games. When do we stop accommodating terrible performances?
If one good thing is to come from dropping these two players to the Queensland Cup, it’s that Josh Hoffman should get a run for us finally. I have a lot of time for this kid, when he learns to start putting his body on the line he could be a real superstar. The more time he spends on the paddock in the NRL, the better.
We’ll know for sure tomorrow, as team-lists start tricking through tonight. So until then all.
His decision has surprised me to be honest. Now don’t get me wrong here, I still rate him the best player in our game at the moment, his passing game and the way he leads a side around the park is second to none. But he’s getting old. It’s evident in every aspect of the way he plays the game now. He relies on the 2nd rower to make first contact on 90% of his tackling. He rarely takes on the line, and when he does get tackled he looks prone to injury. I squirm in my seat every time I see him take a hit.
I think he’s barely coping with staying fit for club games at the moment so I was fully expecting him to make a smarter decision, retiring from the intensity of representative football, and prolonging his career as much as possible. But he’s decided otherwise, and good for him. He deserves a chance to leave the maroons in style and win, lose or draw this year he will be given the send off from State of Origin that he deserves. I’m sure Henjak is swearing under his breath, as am I, but at the end of the day its Lockyer’s choice and no one has the right to stand in the way of him. Here’s hoping the Maroons can send him out on a winning note.
Also making news was Henjak’s decision to stand down Winterstein and Te’o for this weekend’s game against the Dragons for turning up late to training. I’m a big fan of making examples about of poor behaviour, but this couldn’t have come at a worse time for us. We'll need all the help we can get, the Dragons are in red-hot form this season, and coming off a loss they are going to be on their toes for their clash against us. Rumour has it they were only minutes late, but Henjak was looking for blood and found it.
It’s a big call dropping these two players. They’ve been two of our best so far this season and given the calibre of the players we’re already missing, this is going to hurt us. Obviously we don’t know the truth on the specifics, but I’m going to go ahead and say that I don’t agree with this decision. It’s not what we need right now. Morale is already low, and this isn’t going to help that situation. I’d sooner see people dropped to the Queensland Cup for poor performances, rather than being a few minutes late to the first training session of the week. We’ve got players who have already racked up double figures in handling errors this season, and our missed tackle figures so far literally resemble that of a cricket score - 184 in 4 games. When do we stop accommodating terrible performances?
If one good thing is to come from dropping these two players to the Queensland Cup, it’s that Josh Hoffman should get a run for us finally. I have a lot of time for this kid, when he learns to start putting his body on the line he could be a real superstar. The more time he spends on the paddock in the NRL, the better.
We’ll know for sure tomorrow, as team-lists start tricking through tonight. So until then all.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Ben Hannant - coming home?
News has emerged recently that Ben Hannant, former Bronco, is seeking an exit from his current Bulldogs contract and wants to return to Queensland. He has cited family reasons for this and the Bulldogs appear to be willing to release him. Initially I was excited to hear about this - Hannant is just what we need in our forward pack as he provides go-forward and starch. His asking price? $450,000.
It's a widely known fact that the Broncos have a bit of space under the cap to work with. Cutting Clinton, losing Hunt, Boyd, Stagg and co. assisted in that department. Finding the $450k shouldn't be a stretch I don't believe (Bruno Cullen has said discussions can be held but that's about it). The Titans are also keen on him but do they really want to have spent a potential $800,000-$900,000 in the Prop position? Strong Props are a must but not at that price.
My only concern with Hannant is his asking price. The Broncos can afford it and word has it that the Titans can as well. Hannant is 25 - Props don't hit their peak until 29 or 30 usually. If he's asking $450,000 now, what will he ask when he's 28? $550,000? $600,000? That's getting into ridiculous wages for a Front Row Forward. Don't get me wrong - Props are vital to a side and provide the groundwork for the backs to weave their magic. $500,000 contracts were once reserved for your Andrew John's and Darren Lockyer's - is Hannant of that ilk and influence?
Ultimately, I think the Broncos need to sign Hannant. He has an incredible work-rate for a big man and has that never-say-die attitude that we've been lacking. Let's hope for our sake that it's a mid-season transfer!
It's a widely known fact that the Broncos have a bit of space under the cap to work with. Cutting Clinton, losing Hunt, Boyd, Stagg and co. assisted in that department. Finding the $450k shouldn't be a stretch I don't believe (Bruno Cullen has said discussions can be held but that's about it). The Titans are also keen on him but do they really want to have spent a potential $800,000-$900,000 in the Prop position? Strong Props are a must but not at that price.
My only concern with Hannant is his asking price. The Broncos can afford it and word has it that the Titans can as well. Hannant is 25 - Props don't hit their peak until 29 or 30 usually. If he's asking $450,000 now, what will he ask when he's 28? $550,000? $600,000? That's getting into ridiculous wages for a Front Row Forward. Don't get me wrong - Props are vital to a side and provide the groundwork for the backs to weave their magic. $500,000 contracts were once reserved for your Andrew John's and Darren Lockyer's - is Hannant of that ilk and influence?
Ultimately, I think the Broncos need to sign Hannant. He has an incredible work-rate for a big man and has that never-say-die attitude that we've been lacking. Let's hope for our sake that it's a mid-season transfer!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Brisbane Broncos vs. Sydney Roosters Match Review
Well, that was painful again wasn't it. Friday night's game reeked of the same errors that we've seen all year. Slumps are nothing new to the Broncos but they are usually Origin related. Let's take a look at the crucial factors that led to our demise.
Errors. 12 of them in fact. Pressured passes led to knock-ons, also a few instances of dropping the ball cold. It's pretty rare that I agree with Phil Gould but he was spot on - we're trying to play above our ability at the moment. Flat bullet passes are a low percentage play and we saw us yet again go for that option. It used to work with people like Tonie Carroll hitting the line with speed. One of the reasons St George are doing as well as they are is error-free football - they made 13 errors this week and look what happened. In the first 2 rounds they made 10 total. Pretty obvious stuff.
Missed Tackles. Probably the most frustrating thing about the Broncos at the moment is the lack of structure and gusto in defence. The premiership in 2006 was built around strong defence and frustrating opposition into either a mistake or rushing their play. Our line is struggling to maintain itself because our tacklers aren't making ball and all tackles. They also aren't wrestling - while I believe wrestling is a blight on the game it's also here to stay. Wrestle in the tackle well and the line gets back quickly.
Injuries. I hate to rely on it but injuries are seriously limiting the output of this side. You only need to look at our attacking options to see this. Centres are so crucial to the modern game - big running games and offloads to their wingers lead to tries. Instead of Israel Folau and Justin Hodges, we are forced to use Ben Te'o and Alex Glenn. Both aren't natural centres - Hodgo and Izzy both have the ability to find the line, make line breaks and enable their wingers to cut loose. There is simply no substitution for quality.
The formula for success (or at least competitiveness) is quite simple - cut out the under 9's errors and dominate the ruck and we'll be back on track.
Errors. 12 of them in fact. Pressured passes led to knock-ons, also a few instances of dropping the ball cold. It's pretty rare that I agree with Phil Gould but he was spot on - we're trying to play above our ability at the moment. Flat bullet passes are a low percentage play and we saw us yet again go for that option. It used to work with people like Tonie Carroll hitting the line with speed. One of the reasons St George are doing as well as they are is error-free football - they made 13 errors this week and look what happened. In the first 2 rounds they made 10 total. Pretty obvious stuff.
Missed Tackles. Probably the most frustrating thing about the Broncos at the moment is the lack of structure and gusto in defence. The premiership in 2006 was built around strong defence and frustrating opposition into either a mistake or rushing their play. Our line is struggling to maintain itself because our tacklers aren't making ball and all tackles. They also aren't wrestling - while I believe wrestling is a blight on the game it's also here to stay. Wrestle in the tackle well and the line gets back quickly.
Injuries. I hate to rely on it but injuries are seriously limiting the output of this side. You only need to look at our attacking options to see this. Centres are so crucial to the modern game - big running games and offloads to their wingers lead to tries. Instead of Israel Folau and Justin Hodges, we are forced to use Ben Te'o and Alex Glenn. Both aren't natural centres - Hodgo and Izzy both have the ability to find the line, make line breaks and enable their wingers to cut loose. There is simply no substitution for quality.
The formula for success (or at least competitiveness) is quite simple - cut out the under 9's errors and dominate the ruck and we'll be back on track.
Brisbane Broncos vs. Sydney Roosters Player Ratings
Player Ratings:
Corey Norman - 5 - Kept fairly quiet in attack however his defence is improving from week to week.
Antonio Winterstein - 4.5 - Not enough delivery to have an impact. Caught out of position twice in defence but ran hard and closed the gap each time.
Alex Glenn - 5.5 - Did what he could in attack and defended well.
Ben Te'o - 5.5 - Hard running in attack and for a player defending out of his normal position, held the line very well.
Mitch Rivett - 5.5 - Solid debut, like the rest of the outside backs he didn't get enough ball to be effective in attack. Made a few rookie mistakes but showed enough positive signs for the future.
Darren Lockyer - 5 - Quiet game from Locky. Fifth tackle options were poor and it looks like he's rushing the game. Probably feeling pressure fielding such a young side. Quality kicks in the last 20 mins reminded us of what he can do.
Peter Wallace - 6 - Quiet game as well however his defence was what we have come to expect from our number 7.
Scott Anderson - 6.5 - Good game from the prop, defended well and ran hard when he was on the field.
Andrew McCullough - 5.5 - Will be remembered for some awful handling errors in the first half. To his credit he came back in the second half to score our only points - quite a good dart from dummy half.
Nick Kenny - 6.5 - Another solid game from Nick, ran hard and defended hard.
Ashton Sims - 6 - Quiet game from Sims, possibly needed some more game time I felt as we needed experienced heads on the field.
Sam Thaiday - 7.5 - Man of the Match for the Broncos. Busted his gut in work rate and had no luck whatsoever. Might be playing himself into a starting QLD jersey.
Matt Gillett - 7 - Worked hard and continues to impress with his footwork and gusto in attack.
Gerard Beale - 4 - Came off the bench and did nothing.
Lagi Setu - 4 - Brain explosions from Setu were awful to say the least. Needs to be reminded that if you break the line to make a hit, you NEED to actually put a hit on. Redeemed himself slightly with hard running in second half.
Ben Hunt - 5 - Brought off the bench to play as Hooker and did quite well. Error free game and also provides an additional attacking option.
Josh McGuire - 6.5 - Great game from the young forward. Got himself involved and was fairly dangerous in attacking runs.
Review to come soon.
Corey Norman - 5 - Kept fairly quiet in attack however his defence is improving from week to week.
Antonio Winterstein - 4.5 - Not enough delivery to have an impact. Caught out of position twice in defence but ran hard and closed the gap each time.
Alex Glenn - 5.5 - Did what he could in attack and defended well.
Ben Te'o - 5.5 - Hard running in attack and for a player defending out of his normal position, held the line very well.
Mitch Rivett - 5.5 - Solid debut, like the rest of the outside backs he didn't get enough ball to be effective in attack. Made a few rookie mistakes but showed enough positive signs for the future.
Darren Lockyer - 5 - Quiet game from Locky. Fifth tackle options were poor and it looks like he's rushing the game. Probably feeling pressure fielding such a young side. Quality kicks in the last 20 mins reminded us of what he can do.
Peter Wallace - 6 - Quiet game as well however his defence was what we have come to expect from our number 7.
Scott Anderson - 6.5 - Good game from the prop, defended well and ran hard when he was on the field.
Andrew McCullough - 5.5 - Will be remembered for some awful handling errors in the first half. To his credit he came back in the second half to score our only points - quite a good dart from dummy half.
Nick Kenny - 6.5 - Another solid game from Nick, ran hard and defended hard.
Ashton Sims - 6 - Quiet game from Sims, possibly needed some more game time I felt as we needed experienced heads on the field.
Sam Thaiday - 7.5 - Man of the Match for the Broncos. Busted his gut in work rate and had no luck whatsoever. Might be playing himself into a starting QLD jersey.
Matt Gillett - 7 - Worked hard and continues to impress with his footwork and gusto in attack.
Gerard Beale - 4 - Came off the bench and did nothing.
Lagi Setu - 4 - Brain explosions from Setu were awful to say the least. Needs to be reminded that if you break the line to make a hit, you NEED to actually put a hit on. Redeemed himself slightly with hard running in second half.
Ben Hunt - 5 - Brought off the bench to play as Hooker and did quite well. Error free game and also provides an additional attacking option.
Josh McGuire - 6.5 - Great game from the young forward. Got himself involved and was fairly dangerous in attacking runs.
Review to come soon.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Roosters Preview
Merry Good Friday, or something. Hope you are all enjoying the day off work. I know I am. Our boys are down in Sydney preparing for tonight’s game. I hate to say things like this, but if this game isn’t going to shape our season then it’ll go bloody close. Either way, I’ll be watching very, very closely for a number of reasons.
It’s a big test for us in a lot of ways. Firstly and foremost, it’s a massive test of our depth. It’s a very makeshift backline that we’ve named; we’re missing 3-4 very good players from these positions (depending how highly you regard Steve Michaels). While a lot of the spotlight will be on how our new kids perform tonight, it’s also a big checkbox for our coach Mr. Henjak. What he’s done during the week with regards to bonding this new backline together will be evident tonight. Given that his assistant coach was suspended mid-week, I’ll be very interested to see how well he has handled things.
We’re coming off a big loss so it’s also going to be a big test of our resolve. We copped a flogging last week, and I’m sure a lot of questions have been asked of individual players during training this week. They need to bounce back and prove themselves, and stop hiding under the ‘baby broncos’ blanket. I’m sure Henjak has said to a few of the boys that they are running out of chances to prove themselves. There’s no bigger opportunity for them to do this than tonight.
Thirdly, tonight’s game will be a test of how well our players deal with the media circus. The Broncos are arguably the most followed team in the NRL, so when Mr Assistant Coach decides to have a few pints and table dance in his underwear there is going to be a bit of a media buzz around the club. When he decides to then drive home and gets done for drink driving, it starts a media frenzy. Then when your Captain announces he’ll be making a decision about his representative future in the post-match press conference, they hype surrounding the game kicks into overdrive.
I doubt 80% of our team have been involved in a game that has so much interest surrounding it. To be honest I don’t think they are going to handle it too well. Last week we let a couple injuries and a lucky try or two completely derail us. I can’t imagine what sort of effect this week has had on them, and I don’t think they are mentally strong enough to deal with it yet. These kids need to put it all at the back of their minds, get on with the game as professionals, and our leadership-group needs to guide these boys from the front.
We haven’t lost at the Sydney Football Stadium since 2005, and have won the last 6 Good Friday clashes against the Roosters. But for mind, this one isn’t looking good. The Roosters are also coming off a big loss. They have a strong side, and will be very keen to bounce back. Their coach Brian Smith also has our number, boasting one of the best win ratios of all coaches against our club. Both teams have plenty to offer in attack, but like Braith Anasta has said in the build up, “You've got to win games on the back of your defence and your attitude in defence.” If our figures in defence and completion rates don’t improve on last week, we’re in for another pummelling. We simply must improve in those areas.
After the week we have had, I’m predicting a loss. 28-10. Please surprise me boys!
It’s a big test for us in a lot of ways. Firstly and foremost, it’s a massive test of our depth. It’s a very makeshift backline that we’ve named; we’re missing 3-4 very good players from these positions (depending how highly you regard Steve Michaels). While a lot of the spotlight will be on how our new kids perform tonight, it’s also a big checkbox for our coach Mr. Henjak. What he’s done during the week with regards to bonding this new backline together will be evident tonight. Given that his assistant coach was suspended mid-week, I’ll be very interested to see how well he has handled things.
We’re coming off a big loss so it’s also going to be a big test of our resolve. We copped a flogging last week, and I’m sure a lot of questions have been asked of individual players during training this week. They need to bounce back and prove themselves, and stop hiding under the ‘baby broncos’ blanket. I’m sure Henjak has said to a few of the boys that they are running out of chances to prove themselves. There’s no bigger opportunity for them to do this than tonight.
Thirdly, tonight’s game will be a test of how well our players deal with the media circus. The Broncos are arguably the most followed team in the NRL, so when Mr Assistant Coach decides to have a few pints and table dance in his underwear there is going to be a bit of a media buzz around the club. When he decides to then drive home and gets done for drink driving, it starts a media frenzy. Then when your Captain announces he’ll be making a decision about his representative future in the post-match press conference, they hype surrounding the game kicks into overdrive.
I doubt 80% of our team have been involved in a game that has so much interest surrounding it. To be honest I don’t think they are going to handle it too well. Last week we let a couple injuries and a lucky try or two completely derail us. I can’t imagine what sort of effect this week has had on them, and I don’t think they are mentally strong enough to deal with it yet. These kids need to put it all at the back of their minds, get on with the game as professionals, and our leadership-group needs to guide these boys from the front.
We haven’t lost at the Sydney Football Stadium since 2005, and have won the last 6 Good Friday clashes against the Roosters. But for mind, this one isn’t looking good. The Roosters are also coming off a big loss. They have a strong side, and will be very keen to bounce back. Their coach Brian Smith also has our number, boasting one of the best win ratios of all coaches against our club. Both teams have plenty to offer in attack, but like Braith Anasta has said in the build up, “You've got to win games on the back of your defence and your attitude in defence.” If our figures in defence and completion rates don’t improve on last week, we’re in for another pummelling. We simply must improve in those areas.
After the week we have had, I’m predicting a loss. 28-10. Please surprise me boys!
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