Okay, let’s acknowledge an extraordinary game by Ryan Papenhuyzen in Friday night’s contest with the Melbourne Storm defeating the Brisbane Broncos.
A total of four tries to Papenhuyzen. It was an outstanding effort and I bet he was absolutely stoked. Brilliant.
So the Broncos lost 40-6 to last year’s premiers. It’s not the Broncos’ biggest loss, but it sure is a reality check as they only competed for the first 20 minutes. It was alarming how easily the Storm recorded massive individual efforts and team cohesion to demoralise the Broncos. For the last 60 minutes, it was a whitewash.
After the Broncos’ win 24-0 against the Bulldogs last week in Round 3, fans were excited to see a win and holding the opposition to nil was really encouraging. Broncos shares went up a cent.
The shape Melbourne displayed was a Craig Bellamy masterpiece. Copybook shape with lightning-quick players in the backline. So they have all the attributes to make it happen again in 2021 without the GOAT.
It was said that Cam Smith was missing and Melbourne would need a recovery period to adjust. Brisbane had their two first-choice props in Payne Haas and Matt Lodge on the field. The two teams are miles apart.
Jake Turpin was impressive at hooker with good dummy-half service and he was very solid in defence. Alex Glenn was everywhere and had professional numbers in attack and defence but what does a captain say to his team at the end of the game?
So what does the top four look like today? Penrith, Parramatta, South Sydney and Canberra with the Roosters coming for them in fifth.
And the last four teams today are Manly, Canterbury-Bankstown, North Queensland and Brisbane.
So are the Broncos good enough to finish in the top eight in order to make finals footy? It’s well reported the halves 6 and 7 are out of favour and below par. If Round 4 was any indication, it’s going to be another long season.
Crow
Roar Pro
I hope they don’t get used to loosing.
Crow
Roar Pro
He is tying up a lot of money under the cap and not earning it.
Crow
Roar Pro
Massive shoes to fill. Will he become the Broncos coaching director.
Crow
Roar Pro
Carrigan has taken an early guilty plea and will miss a week.
Crow
Roar Pro
I think you made a good observation of a team not adjusting to the new rules despite having a full pre-season to prepare. Tenth would be great and likely achievable. Fingers crossed
Crow
Roar Pro
The Storm have been a bogie team for the Broncs forever. Great Coach, good roster and Premiers
Crow
Roar Pro
The halves are terrible. It’s not all their fault but seriously......
Crow
Roar Pro
That’s a good point. Big shoes to fill.
Crow
Roar Pro
Haha. There is the central Queensland Comets.
Crow
Roar Pro
Defence was a circus really. Hard to attack when the forwards have not payed a solid platform.
Crow
Roar Pro
Your correct. Having a half on the bench is a curious move. The game was well done before Croft got his time.
Crow
Roar Pro
Perhaps the Broncos goal for this season is to pass off the spoon. Finals are likely unachievable.
None
Roar Rookie
Milford lacks one thing. Consistent confidence. It is well past the time to make the hard call; Milford should be released. Talent was never a problem for Milf. But it is simply not enough.
None
Roar Rookie
Brisbane need to have a "fuck it" season: Give the lads the freedom to just go and have fun, and find what works for them. Sure, it's a professional league, but let's look at the options: 1. Flog a dead horse, and have a roster that's resentful of the club system and second guessing their own every move. Finish last. 2. Grind out a stressful season, win a few, but leaving no one happy or inspired. Finish last or somewhere around there. Or just throw caution to the wind. Sure, will likely finish last or close to it, but there will be no excuses then. What's better than finishing last? Finishing last and knowing that you the players are why that's the case. A lot has been made of the Broncos culture. Let them find and build their own.
None
Roar Rookie
Nah. That's the beauty of sport.
Kambians
Guest
Kevie must replace the halved: there was no confident in both halves. They must be replaced before round 5 or 6.
Jock
Guest
Very good analysis. The spine cops so much criticism. Overall, they haven't been so bad this year. It's the team defence which is so crucial. It's hard, painful and often unheralded. The guys that do it well possess a combination of godgiven physical attributes and a very tough mentality. If your defence dominates then your halves can look world beaters. A Storm centre running over a Broncos paper thin prop was really demoralising and it's a blessing to all he's suspended this week. But he's young and I don't question he's heart. Besides the Storm have been a bogey side since 2006. So everyone should delete the night and move on, with the desire to hit and stick against the Rabbits !! Heck, why not even push them back and lock up offloads? Who knows what might occur ????
Rellum
Roar Guru
Given how poor some teams are I think 7 or 8 wins will he enough. Still need some upsets
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
You've got 11 games against last season's Top Six so no wins there. That leaves the Broncos needing to win 10 of their other 13 games to get to 10th...... can't see it happen.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Melbourne is going to really be tested when Bellyache retires. On the Broncs, were are not a team that was built for the new rules and it seems most of the players aren't able to get to the level to play required under the new rules. Our middle forwards are not up to it. People have called our "list management" horrible, I don't think it is that bad but we have made critical mistakes in not getting experience to replace all the experience we lost in quick succession. The experienced players they did keep did not lead or maintain standards. Thankfully they mostly seem to have all gone but there are still a few in the team that will need to be let go unless there is a massive turn around. We have also, to me, have retained the wrong players in the wrong order to. Tying up Carrigan, Lodge and Flegler before Fifita was a mistake and in my opinion made it harder to retain Fifita. He probably would have gone anyway but those three guys have shown to me at least they are not up to NRL standard under the new rules, especially in defence. Maybe Carrigan and Flegler can turn it around but they have to do it quick. I would be looking to offload Lodge as soon as possible and sign a top experienced prop. The other massive fail so far in not adjusting to the new rules is not finding a mobile lock. We have to find one fast, two even in case of injury. In the current roster as an emergency measure I would be tempted to give Tyson Gamble a go a lock to get some mobility and ball playing there. We have little in the NRL squad to pick from. Maybe a QRL guy can step up. Lastly, those army camps Benny and Bellyache send their teams on during pre-season have a purpose and our team sorely needs to have that sort of test and experience to show them how to carry on under duress and to work together. Kevie has to find a way to make them accountable to each other and put in that extra effort, They can get fit all they want but they need to train the mind and the team as well. We need about 8 wins to finish 10th and I am hoping for a few upsets later in the year to get there but defensive effort is so far from what is needed I am starting to doubt us getting to 10th.