2022 Brisbane Broncos Thread Top 13 in our sights

That is just who McCullough is as a player and it didn't seem to affect the teams performance when we made a GF. Unfortunately he has declined rapidly since then and we need to sign another hooker or start grooming a younger player (whoever we have available)

seggy? lol

MilfordTheMagician wrote:That is just who McCullough is as a player and it didn't seem to affect the teams performance when we made a GF. Unfortunately he has declined rapidly since then and we need to sign another hooker or start grooming a younger player (whoever we have available)

2 words


Michael. Lichaa.

No team is better than the Wests Tigers at producing hookers who can't quite make the grade. Who's our Canterbury Cup hooker ? Sign him .

Tom Dearden is the future. Might still be a soon though.

Didn't hate that from a performance standpoint, we hung around until the death against a very good team with our 2 best forwards missing, but in our current situation, close enough is nowhere near good enough, we need to start winning yesterday.

a couple things that are bugging me -

- We're a very one-out team for a coach that was very expansive with his forward pack last year, surely the blokes in our forward pack can't have worst ball-handling skills than the Burgess boys.

- For the 2nd week in a row our halves went missing in a do-or-die set that needed organization, a whole bunch of nothing to set up for a ugly game of hot potato, none of our backups are kicking down doors in QLD cup but something has to give, supposedly Tanah Boyd has looked the more NRL-ready out of the 3, just throw him in there and see what happens, we're fast approaching the stage where we have nothing to lose.

at least Macca and Boyd were better today, which to be fair is a low bar to clear, the attempt by Boyd on Leilua was comical, but there aren't many fullbacks that would've stopped him from that position and at least there was some sort of attempt.

EDIT: while i'm thinking about it, the fuck happened to Isaako?! his wing defence last year was terrible but he made up for it tenfold by being a dangerous runner who was safe as houses under the high ball and an even safer bet at goal-kicking, through these 6 rounds, his wing defence is still shit, but now he also can't run for shit, can't catch for shit and can't kick for shit.

leaguegod wrote:

2 words


Michael. Lichaa.

2 words

He's worse

surmo13 wrote:Didn't hate that from a performance standpoint, we hung around until the death against a very good team with our 2 best forwards missing, but in our current situation, close enough is nowhere near good enough, we need to start winning yesterday.

Agree with this.

The effort is there and we could have quite easily snatched the game.

We were out-muscled across the park, both edges in defense are a constant issue. The size of our halves makes them an easy target and neither Glenn nor Gillett are big enough presences to make up for it. They try hard but teams just roll down the field.

There is no chat on the field. Both Milford and Nikorima aren't the type of guys to assert themselves. Boyd is on a walking frame, and Macca just seems to drone about the field making tackles and throwing bad passes.

I was going to mention how bad the tackle 5 options were. But after the Tigers performance I'm glad I didn't

No Worries wrote:I was going to mention how bad the tackle 5 options were. But after the Tigers performance I'm glad I didn't

I think the change of coach has set us back in some ways, its obviously a struggle to adjust at the moment. I'm not bagging Siebold but the halves seem to be starting over.

Towards the end of 2018, Milford took on the "7" role and things improved, but this season, Siebold has tried to put more ownership back on Niko, and now they just end up getting themselves confused/neither here nor there.

These guys just aren't leaders, they aren't organisers. They don't appear to talk on teh field or have any real direction or plan to what they're doing. It's going to continue to be an issue.

Milford is a one, not a 6/7, I just can't believe they continue to play him away from his best position, and asmany have said, Niko is an out and out 14. Make those changes and the season turns quickly. Boyd to 6 and SOS to 7 and inmy view the team is instantly stronger. FAC is aiming up as a 60min. Hooker, not 80,so Niko off the bench makes lots of sense. I can't come at the guy, don't ratehim and the Broncos won't win shot with him as a starting half,  it he could be one of the best utilities in the game almost for certain.

surmo13 wrote:Didn't hate that from a performance standpoint, we hung around until the death against a very good team with our 2 best forwards missing, but in our current situation, close enough is nowhere near good enough, we need to start winning yesterday.

a couple things that are bugging me -

- We're a very one-out team for a coach that was very expansive with his forward pack last year, surely the blokes in our forward pack can't have worst ball-handling skills than the Burgess boys.

- For the 2nd week in a row our halves went missing in a do-or-die set that needed organization, a whole bunch of nothing to set up for a ugly game of hot potato, none of our backups are kicking down doors in QLD cup but something has to give, supposedly Tanah Boyd has looked the more NRL-ready out of the 3, just throw him in there and see what happens, we're fast approaching the stage where we have nothing to lose.

at least Macca and Boyd were better today, which to be fair is a low bar to clear, the attempt by Boyd on Leilua was comical, but there aren't many fullbacks that would've stopped him from that position and at least there was some sort of attempt.

EDIT: while i'm thinking about it, the fuck happened to Isaako?! his wing defence last year was terrible but he made up for it tenfold by being a dangerous runner who was safe as houses under the high ball and an even safer bet at goal-kicking, through these 6 rounds, his wing defence is still shit, but now he also can't run for shit, can't catch for shit and can't kick for shit.

I was travelling on the weekend, so only listened to the game and haven't seen the replay as yet (and not sure I will even put myself through it TBH)....but from all reports FAC was a lot better and ran the ball a lot more, which in some way explains why we were able to draw level with one of the best teams in the comp.

I've said before I'd love to see Niko at hooker but I'm not sure throwing in an untested rookie half into our current team, does anyone any favours.

Probably not what most Broncos fans that are used to success want to hear...and it sort of goes against the grain in terms of what 'experts' are suggesting; but I almost think we need to suck it and see how we go with the team we have.

They have played all the top teams up until now and granted our next 3 or 4 games are fairly hard too but being a young team, one impressive win against some good opposition in the next few games could well be the catalyst required to get on a significant roll.

I'm punting we'll be better this week, which will set the scene for a season defining win against Souths.

Ice wrote:Milford is a one, not a 6/7, I just can't believe they continue to play him away from his best position, and asmany have said, Niko is an out and out 14. Make those changes and the season turns quickly. Boyd to 6 and SOS to 7 and inmy view the team is instantly stronger. FAC is aiming up as a 60min. Hooker, not 80,so Niko off the bench makes lots of sense. I can't come at the guy, don't ratehim and the Broncos won't win shot with him as a starting half,  it he could be one of the best utilities in the game almost for certain.

Nah, 100% disagree. Milford at 6 is his position, its the lack of an organising 7 that hurts him. He's not cut out to be the one to steer the team around. The reality is though that between the four of them in the spine, they need to figure out how to make it work.

Boyd to 6 is a terrible idea, imo.

Niko to 14 helps with the Macca issue, but it doesn't solve the 7 issue. From what I've heard from people with a better footy knowledge than myself, O'Sullivan isn't really setting the world on fire in ressies.

Oz Sport Mad wrote:but I'm not sure throwing in an untested rookie half into our current team, does anyone any favours.

I agree with this. Throwing a rookie into 7 would hurt us more in the short term than it would help.

The young guys we have aren't leading their teams around the park in Q CUP.

Dearden may be the long term solution but he's played 3 games of Q cup. Its not the time to throw him in the deep end. We have players all over the park that need to lift their games (Isaako, Oates, Glenn, Macca, Boyd, Gillett (to an extent), Roberts, Bird, etc)

I think we win tomorrow. I am hoping to see improvement in areas we have struggled in though. One win then a shit performance the week answer isn't good enough. We have a fully fit squad now so there's no excuses.

MilfordTheMagician wrote:I think we win tomorrow. I am hoping to see improvement in areas we have struggled in though. One win then a shit performance the week answer isn't good enough. We have a fully fit squad now so there's no excuses.

I thought we were going to win last week, but yeah, I think we will win tomorrow.

We will be desperate, at home, and that should be enough to get us over the line. Lodge and TPJ back will be a big help.

It's not your forwards that are the problem, so not sure Lodge and TPJ will help that much

We have a couple of problems:
1. In attack we have no organisation and passes either aren't being thrown to the right place, or players aren't standing in the right place.
2. We have no line speed in defence so are constantly playing in our own half. We'll defend well on our line for a few sets then let in a try where you'd be disgusted at the tackle if it was done by 10 year olds. Like the Bateman try from dummy half on Sunday.

my tv broke wrote:

Nah, 100% disagree. Milford at 6 is his position, its the lack of an organising 7 that hurts him. He's not cut out to be the one to steer the team around. The reality is though that between the four of them in the spine, they need to figure out how to make it work.

Boyd to 6 is a terrible idea, imo.

Niko to 14 helps with the Macca issue, but it doesn't solve the 7 issue. From what I've heard from people with a better footy knowledge than myself, O'Sullivan isn't really setting the world on fire in ressies.

Totally agree about Milf.

A lot of people lately, merely looking at old footage and joining dots from when Milf was playing F/B at Canberra.
I mean, he also made a GF and was playing even better than his Canberra form in 2015 when he was 5/8th....

Wouldn't be keen on Boyd at 6.
In fact, I would prefer FAC and Niko to do some interchanging throughout the match.