2022 Brisbane Broncos Thread Top 13 in our sights

If McFloggy hadn't blocked me on Twatter I'd love to ask him his thoughts on dropping FAC

Playing shit when it mattered most is just karma for signing the shittest human in Australia. Only way it could have been better is if week 1 of the finals was named Women in League round.

Played shit and got what we deserved. I think the Rabbits will roll through the Dragons next weekend which will further show how bad the performance was. Some of the play was worse than school boy stuff. Well done to the Dragons, could have easily folded at 10-2 down, but in the end we folded. We were never going to win this year with no halfback, but to be honest, on the back of some good form we ended up with the dream finals draw from 6th position yesterday morning - a home final against an out of form Dragons, then to make the GF would only have to go to Sydney and play a Rabbits team we have a great record against who had what was probably a really emotionally draining match against the Storm, then if we win that play a likely Mitchell-less Roosters, who are another team we always seem to match up well against. Then a GF against possibly the Sharks, who again, we always seem to match up well against. Just really disappointing.

Niko actually played better than I have given him credit for. Shame he couldn't hit a wide open Boyd to put him under the sticks and get it within 10 and all the momentum in the second half, but realistically, his running game made him about the only shining light yesterday.

Provided we don’t solve the problem in free agency and If birdy is sticking around and didn’t just use us for a make-shift surgery holiday, I’d be tempted to start him at five-eighth to start next year, I think a healthy bird has a lot more to offer that he showed this year, and as much as I like niko as a player, he’s a 14, not a 7.

That might be the last game Kahu plays for us depending on what happens with Oates, looked like Bennett wanted him out but wanted Boyd at fullback and wasn’t allowed to put Staggs there, I think he’s handy as a winger, especially outside Jimmy, but way too much of a speed bump at centre.

Dip wrote:Played shit and got what we deserved. I think the Rabbits will roll through the Dragons next weekend which will further show how bad the performance was. Some of the play was worse than school boy stuff. Well done to the Dragons, could have easily folded at 10-2 down, but in the end we folded. We were never going to win this year with no halfback, but to be honest, on the back of some good form we ended up with the dream finals draw from 6th position yesterday morning - a home final against an out of form Dragons, then to make the GF would only have to go to Sydney and play a Rabbits team we have a great record against who had what was probably a really emotionally draining match against the Storm, then if we win that play a likely Mitchell-less Roosters, who are another team we always seem to match up well against. Then a GF against possibly the Sharks, who again, we always seem to match up well against. Just really disappointing.

Niko actually played better than I have given him credit for. Shame he couldn't hit a wide open Boyd to put him under the sticks and get it within 10 and all the momentum in the second half, but realistically, his running game made him about the only shining light yesterday.

I think you are short-changing the Dragons mate - they played well on a fast track and quite frankly, I don't think we blew it I just think we couldn't match them.

Maybe we got ahead of ourselves (similar to your thoughts above) but I think, like the Panthers, the Dragons were hanging to get to the finals to reset and get away from the permutations and combinations associated with ladder position.

Agree about Niko but I can't get away from the fact that next season our forwards will be a year wiser and should be getting a Souths and Burgess-esque roll on, that someone like Niko would seriously be able to exploit from dummy half.

Otherwise, I think it's too easy to be fickle when it comes to our players and coach.
At the end of the day and since Bennett has returned we have finished at GF, prelim, semi and elimination final stages.
To be in contention each and every season is about all you can ask for as an NRL fan and with the best crop of young blokes coming through and seemingly happy with the current arrangement, why would you go away from that??

I think Niko will be fine to be honest. I don't really see any better options. I don't think Bird is the answer. If maccas service was sharper (and he was more dynamic in general) then our halves would be able to get on the front foot alot more often.

Niko's defense is a problem, need Gillo back though.

Pieman wrote:That’s it mate, only support them when they are winning. Like a true fan.

I watched until Leilua scored in the 68th minute and that was it for me. There comes a time where it becomes too much and I was already pissed off beyond belief so saw no need to watch the last 12 minutes of a side who (once again) didn't turn up against a team they should be flogging.

surmo13 wrote:Provided we don’t solve the problem in free agency and If birdy is sticking around and didn’t just use us for a make-shift surgery holiday, I’d be tempted to start him at five-eighth to start next year, I think a healthy bird has a lot more to offer that he showed this year, and as much as I like niko as a player, he’s a 14, not a 7.

That might be the last game Kahu plays for us depending on what happens with Oates, looked like Bennett wanted him out but wanted Boyd at fullback and wasn’t allowed to put Staggs there, I think he’s handy as a winger, especially outside Jimmy, but way too much of a speed bump at centre.

Kahu won't be best 17 next season if our backline is fully fit (unlikely). I don't think he had a very good season tbh and I agree he's better as a winger. He's kind of just... there as a centre and doesn't do much.

my tv broke wrote:I think Niko will be fine to be honest. I don't really see any better options. I don't think Bird is the answer. If maccas service was sharper (and he was more dynamic in general) then our halves would be able to get on the front foot alot more often.

Niko's defense is a problem, need Gillo back though.

Milford may as well be the halfback next season allowing Bird to play 6. Niko had some good games this season but he got exposed badly yesterday. Bird is a better defender and a much bigger body so that should stop teams attacking that side of the field so often.

Gillett back into the defensive line next season cannot be underestimated. I love TPJ but he should not be starting ahead of Gillett purely for defensive purposes.

TPJ wont be on an edge, he was only there late this season out of necessity.

No page 51 party? Now your out, page 55 and still no party?

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

Agree with most of that mate.

Crushing defeat but at the end of the day, the Dragons actually wound back the clock to the start of the season and played really well.
Full credit to them.

I said it earlier in the week but I really think we missed Alex Glenn.
Also agree with your thoughts on Milf - he added a few strings to his bow this year and it will pay dividends over the next couple of years.

Going forward happy with how the team is shaping up by and large and hope we re-sign Bennett in some capacity to put an end to all the outside media speculation.

As you said the biggest question mark is around the halfback.

Looking at how Cook played this season, I can't help but think Niko is almost a carbon copy and would flourish if given a similar opportunity.
Having said that, I'm reluctant to write off the FAC and blokes in general that are playing injured.

Hooker/halfback a tough call and our biggest conundrum going forward.

You think Niko, if given the chance, could be the next/a deserved Aus hooker?

Ice wrote:

You think Niko, if given the chance, could be the next/a deserved Aus hooker?

yeah talk about over estimating your own players
Nikorima is closer to a Chris Sandow carbon copy than a Cook.

The rumour I'm hearing is TPJ is going back to Newcastle based off the way the Broncos have treated Wayne Bennett.

One wonders if this is because Wayne will still be there next year. Treating him well by honoring a contract.
I'll bet Wayne isn't heading back to Newcastle based on the way the Broncos have treated TPJ.

Honeysett wrote:The rumour I'm hearing is TPJ is going back to Newcastle based off the way the Broncos have treated Wayne Bennett.

If we add him, with the signings we have for next year - I would be shattered if we didnt make the 8 and we should possibly be pushing for a top 4 spot..

The irony of leaving an club because of the way they are treating a coach, to play for an organisation who have spent the last 5 years slagging off that very same coach for all their problems.

Either way, I severely doubt he’s going anywhere, between saying he wanted to be a bronco for life, having a handshake agreement to sign on when the management issue resolved, and saying as recently as a week or so ago that he was staying loyal to the club, it’d be a dog act to turn around and sign somewhere else the moment it hits November.

surmo13 wrote:The irony of leaving an club because of the way they are treating a coach, to play for an organisation who have spent the last 5 years slagging off that very same coach for all their problems.

Either way, I severely doubt he’s going anywhere, between saying he wanted to be a bronco for life, having a handshake agreement to sign on when the management issue resolved, and saying as recently as a week or so ago that he was staying loyal to the club, it’d be a dog act to turn around and sign somewhere else the moment it hits November.

Will be interesting to see where Wayne plays him if he does. Wayne wont be there in 2020, dumping him to blood a future young player wouldn't benifit him, playing him for a final tilt at the premiership would.

Trying to work out what you’re insinuating there, but you’ve lost me, why on earth would Wayne drop Pangai? He’ll most likely be at prop, where he started this year before he spent the rest of the year plugging the holes in our back row

surmo13 wrote:The irony of leaving an club because of the way they are treating a coach, to play for an organisation who have spent the last 5 years slagging off that very same coach for all their problems.

Either way, I severely doubt he’s going anywhere, between saying he wanted to be a bronco for life, having a handshake agreement to sign on when the management issue resolved, and saying as recently as a week or so ago that he was staying loyal to the club, it’d be a dog act to turn around and sign somewhere else the moment it hits November.

has the club done that or has some of their fans? The only reason it was ever brought up in the media this year was when bennett had a jab at Brown early on in the presser.

There is no disputing that bennett left the knights in a bad state - and it will be interesting to see what happens with the broncos. He might very well do the same to them if he gets a gig somewhere else. I still think that its all media bullshit, bennett / white gate etc was all just fabricated to draw attention away from the side's performance.