The Broncos have enjoyed a successful home-and-away season. They finished in second spot, leaving them with a home final on Saturday night.
With the likes of Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford getting deserved praise, it seems Adam ‘Teddy Bear’ Blair has flown under the radar.
His off the ball defensive efforts are second to none. If you watch the field goal Cooper Cronk slotted in the 15-8 win over Brisbane, Blair was the only player read the play and applied pressure to Cronk.
It’s the little things like that effort that get unnoticed by the supporters and media.
I’ve seen numerous comments from fans about Adam being a ‘lazy’ player, who doesn’t put in all that he has. If you watch the games again, you will see the trusty prop nearly always puts pressure on the opposing kicker.
Not only do his pressure plays blow me away, but his knack for shutting big props down right on the try line. He often makes the pivotal tackle on the charging big man trying to cross the white line.
Another attribute impressing me is his passing game. Adding yet another string to his bow, Blair can lay on a pass just as good as any half in the game.
An example being in the hammering of South Sydney, after Corey Oates’ massive 95-metre try, the Broncos laid on one of the best tries off a kick-off you will ever witness. Watch the replay closely as Adam holds the ball up before putting Milford into a gaping hole in the defence inevitably setting up the try.
Yes I know Milford ran a good line and is quick on his feet however, without the inch-perfect pass from Blair the try would not have been possible.
In my opinion, Adam Blair is a key player for Brisbane and is central to their grand final hopes.
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