Broncos
28
Match Complete
Bulldogs
6
| A. McCullough |  | 78 | ||
| C. Oates |  | 77 | ||
| K. Staggs |  | 74 | ||
| K. Staggs | | 61 | ||
| C. Oates | | 51 | ||
| K. Staggs | | 48 | ||
| J. Isaako | | 37 | ||
| 31 | | N. Meaney | ||
| 22 | | B. Wakeham | ||
| K. Staggs | | 13 | ||
| K. Staggs | | 11 |
| 5 | Tries | 1 | ||
| 1 | Conversions | 0 | ||
| 3 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
The Brisbane Broncos are as in what might as well be a must-win match when they take on the Canterbury Bulldogs during Round 19. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEST).
As it stands, the Broncos are just three points out of the top eight, but their for and against is poor and there is a major logjam around the edge of the top eight.
They will need to win an absolute bare minimum of five, and maybe six of their last eight if they are going to play finals rugby league in 2019.
Games like this – at home against one of the few clubs who are below them on the ladder – are absolutely must-win for the Brisbane-based club.
However, they appear a mess. They came away with a draw against the New Zealand Warriors, and have had major spine changes in the last couple of weeks with Darius Boyd moving to the halves, Jake Turpin joining him and Anthony Milford at the back.
Their attack has looked more potent with that structure than it has all year, but they still need to find a way to get their forward pack consistent at both ends of the park.
Goalline defence has struggled at times, as has their general management of the game, which is hardly a surprise with both of their halves falling into the category of makeshift.
However, this is the game for them to build some momentum and make things happen in the centre of the park.
The Bulldogs do come in off an upset victory over the Knights last weekend, but the re-building club’s season is over in terms of finals, and all they can do now is keep building for 2020, which in truth, is all 2019 has ever been about.
Their attack is the biggest worry. Last week was just the fourth time all year they have scored more than 20 points and they comfortably have the worst attacking record in the competition, scoring just 210 points for the season.
On their day, the defence can hold its own, but with a severe inability to score points and a lack of success at Lang Park as a club, where they have won just two of their last 11 matches, this will be an uphill battle for the blue and white.
Prediction
The Broncos are the stronger of the two sides, and need to make a statement here, building some momentum and confidence before a possible late, but difficult, push to the finals.
Broncos by 14.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the 2019 NRL season from 7:50pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Game information
Kick-off: 7:50pm (AEST)
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
TV: Live, Channel 9, Fox League 502
Online: Live, Kayo Sports, Foxtel App, Foxtel Now, 9Now, NRL Digital Pass
Betting: Broncos $1.37, Bulldogs $3.05
Overall record: Played 54, Broncos 30, Bulldogs 23, drawn 1
Last meeting: Round 21, 2018 – Bulldogs 36 defeat Broncos 22 at ANZ Stadium, Homebush
Last five: Broncos 4, Bulldogs 1
Record at venue: Played 18, Broncos 9, Bulldogs 9
Referees: Ben Cummins, Belinda Sharpe
Brisbane Broncos
1. Anthony Milford 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Darius Boyd 7. Jake Turpin 8. Matthew Lodge 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Payne Haas 11. Alex Glenn 12. Tevita Pangai 13. Thomas Flegler
Interchange: 14. James Segeyaro 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. David Fifita 17. Patty Carrigan 18. Rhys Kennedy 21. Keenan Palasia
Canterbury Bulldogs
1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2. Nick Meaney 3. Marcelo Montoya 4. Will Hopoate 5. Reimis Smith 6. Brandon Wakeham 7. Jack Cogger 8. Ofahiki Ogden 9. Michael Lichaa 10. Dylan Napa 11. Josh Jackson 12. Corey Harawira-Naera 13. Adam Elliott
Interchange: 14. Jeremy Marshall-King 15. Renouf To’omaga 16. Danny Fualalo 17. Chris Smith 19. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 21. Kerrod Holland
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Hasn’t really looked like it was by design though. Been plenty of games where the framework hasn’t even existed. Last night was probably the closest I recall (acknowledging I haven’t seen every game they played this year).
Emcie
Roar Guru
dunno if you could've called much of the broncos paterns overly structured this season
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Where is the example of that style of play in the last season and a half?
Farkurnell
Guest
She had a cracker of a game
Emcie
Roar Guru
Not sure where Seibold being all about structure has come from, he's been pretty vocal about how he prefers to set up a basic framework to give the players freedom to play what's in front of them.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Yeah, let's just keep going with what's been working. Gotta say though, he's quite the good luck charm. Five games in and I don't think he's lost a game in what's been a pretty rough year.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
You're not going to get much sense about comparisons between union teams and league teams here charly. This site is full of league supporters who have no appreciation for union. The Brumbies were clearly the best union team in Australia in the past season - streets ahead of the Waratahs. The Brumbies just happened to face a Jaguares team in Buenos Aires that were red hot in front of a crowd of 31,000 passionate Argentians. The Jaguares team had 730 international appearances between them compared to 317 for the Brumbies (higher than I thought). The fact that they had to travel 11,700 kms to get there wouldn't have helped. There was no shame in the Brumbies losing to a better team that night. But I welcome you to watch a few league games and give us some feedback on how you rate these games compared with union. The Melbourne Storm in our NRL comp would probably rank alongside the Canterbury Crusaders in Super Rugby. There is then a huge gap to the rest of the competition.
Nat
Roar Guru
Can't agree with that. Segs is explosive in short bursts but tends to have brain fades if out there for extended periods. It's a credit that he wants to attack so much but sometimes it's not warranted.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Either that or your grandkids will shift their attention to Halley's Comet in 2062. ;-)
Medic
Roar Rookie
Watching Seibold's press conference he talked about not wanting to play structured footy in a attack.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
At least he has learned how to use a thesaurus or google synonyms. That's a step in the right at least. Exemplars, what a classic! In that context that's like someone wearing a Cambridge tie in a T-shirt, shorts and thongs. It just doesn't feel right somehow. Pity he didn't use that word in connection with the Knights though. "The Knights Exemplar", how funny! And I bet he thinks there was a Thesaurus somewhere in the "Jurassic Park" movie. LOL
BA Sports
Roar Guru
I have visited Cambridge and Cambridge University to the north of London when I lived in the UK and I have been to Cambridge in Massachusetts where I have visited Harvard University on a couple of occasions. Wait does that all fit in with whoever Milton the Toaster, a passionate Canberra Raiders fan, is? Insider has been spruking that I am a Raiders fan as some sort of fact...
Insider
Roar Rookie
I’m hear (lol) to entertain BA your here because it’s all you have
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Don't get me wrong, I make plenty of spelling and grammatical errors which I don't correct before hitting submit. But I love that even after you edited that post it still has at least 4 or 5 errors and makes no sense what so ever... Great stuff. :)
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Did you go to Cambridge too Milton? How many Uni visitor shops are on your shopping list exactly? At least you have plenty of ties! LOL
Insider
Roar Rookie
BA your Raiders are exemplars I this Nation Rugby League competition lol I prefer Camembert personally, Cambridge is dull on the palette, you still collecting garbage? Add your post and the other to your growing pile
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
I agree - marketing was probably the main reason to bring them across. But they all had the playing ability to justify the experiment, even if they might have been overpaid. Wendell underperformed and never really ‘got it’. Rogers, I agree had the most rugby skills - he played flyhalf at The Southport School growing up. I think Tuqiri was the most successful of the three based on having more athletic ability than Rogers and a better footballing brain than Sailor.
Nat
Roar Guru
I don't think their skills were the main reason to bring those guys over. Leading into the WC, that strategic move garnered significant interest in the wider community - much to the disgust of the RU community. Between those 3, I would say Rogers had the biggest skills set with the least profile. Loti was up there in getting across the line but couldn't kick to save himself.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Next Broncos game, try Segeyaro for 80 minutes please.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
In the early 2000s, Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Matt Rogers we’re lured to rugby union. They probably would have all been playing state of origin for Queensland at least, and probably would have been selected for the Kangaroos, or at least would have been in the mix, if they had remained in league. They were all selected for the Wallabies, but were never really standout players. As outside backs, their skills in rugby league were the most easily transferable to rugby union.