Pacific Championship 2023 Week 1 Discussion

[BroncsFan]

Deserving try that for Staggs... I reckon he's had a good game.

A lot of work for him, some linebreaks and powerful running.

Defence is Staggs biggest issue... if he can fix that then he can become just about the best centre in the game

 

[Big Pete]

Trademark try for Kotoni to round the night out. It got scrappy towards the end as the rust and the conditions came into it but in the end that early onslaught allowed the Australians to ride home comfortably.

 

[Foordy]

I'm not saying dropping Reynolds, I want him to replace him.

That's just as stupid

 

[BroncsFan]

Haas probably man of the match for me, but getting competition from Hammer and Staggs I'd say.

Thought the Aus spine was pretty quiet overall and didn't really need to do much to get the win.

Hammer in the mix because of his two tries and one of them being a length of the field effort... Staggs in the mix due to his overall workload, power and also getting the try at the end, but could've had two... he was probably best of the back 5 for me

 

[Johnny92]

Walsh would of had a day out in this game.

 

[BroncsFan]

Walsh would of had a day out in this game.

Could you imagine the level of cramping he would've had playing in those conditions... His legs might've cramped up just watching at home

 

[TimWhatley]

Haven't posted since the GF, that staggs try and conversation made me happy

 

[Sproj]

This talk of Faalogo, look he may become a superstar but remember when Niu looked outstanding on debut for Tonga?

 

[Mustafur]

I have to admit while the end result wasn't a disaster for him and he definitely belonged there on form, Cobbo looked like he was playing at 80% last night, he might get dropped for the next game but he needs to run fucking hard if he gets another go, his stroll running off ball returns didn't look good.

 

[McHunt]

This talk of Faalogo, look he may become a superstar but remember when Niu looked outstanding on debut for Tonga?

No. I got the same vibes (or more) from Faalogo in his debut for the Storm, and confirmed last night, that I got from Walsh in his first trial. He will give Reece a run for his money next season. The kid looks like a superstar already. Something will have to go wrong, or very right for someone else, for him not to be rookie of the year 2024.

 

[McHunt]

I have to admit while the end result wasn't a disaster for him and he definitely belonged there on form, Cobbo looked like he was playing at 80% last night, he might get dropped for the next game but he needs to run fucking hard if he gets another go, his stroll running off ball returns didn't look good.

Cobbo has dopey games like that. It's an ongoing concern.

I wonder about shifting him to centre. I know he wants to move there, and I can understand why we'd want to give him more ball. But he's currently the Kangaroo incumbent in that position, and frankly, he'll be lucky to hold his spot. If I were him, I might think about hunkering down and making it my own.

 

[Sproj]

I thought Cobbo was pretty good without being game breaking, maybe I need to watch it again but I feel like people are being harsh on his debut and I don't really understand why. There is nothing wrong with a solid debut.

 

[Sproj]

No. I got the same vibes (or more) from Faalogo in his debut for the Storm, and confirmed last night, that I got from Walsh in his first trial. He will give Reece a run for his money next season. The kid looks like a superstar already. Something will have to go wrong, or very right for someone else, for him not to be rookie of the year 2024.

He may well go on to be a superstar and it would be nice for the Storm to have produced one local star after 25 years of doing jack all but in that debut he was up against a Broncos' B grade side who were already tired when he came on. He also looked good against an Australian side that had clocked off after 20 minutes.

He looks really good but so did Niu on debut and look how that has turned out, I'm just trying to temper expectations, particularly when you have blokes calling for him to replace Reynolds or something which is just silly.

I am very interested to see what Bellamy does with him and Paps though. Paps looked like he had lost that spark on return but maybe he will look good after some preseason (depending how he is recovering from that injury). Bellamy can't use either of them as an impact bench player because neither is big enough to play in the middle. Something will have to give there, particularly given desperate clubs will no doubt throw ridiculous money at him on the back of one decent performance.

 

[McHunt]

He looks really good but so did Niu on debut and look how that has turned out, I'm just trying to temper expectations, particularly when you have blokes calling for him to replace Reynolds or something which is just silly.

In my hazy recollection, Niu failed to live up to his next-Darren-Lockyer hype on debut, or at least didn't exactly blow us all away. He did have a handful of spectacular moments, all related to his turn of pace, but he was always suspect under the high ball and missing in defence.

Faalogo didn't seem to have any obvious shortcomings beyond inexperience, at least that I noticed. I know it's only a couple of games, but so far, so good.

 

[BroncsFan]

Lam putting on some nice passing so far this game

 

[Sproj]

In my hazy recollection, Niu failed to live up to his next-Darren-Lockyer hype on debut, or at least didn't exactly blow us all away. He did have a handful of spectacular moments, all related to his turn of pace, but he was always suspect under the high ball and missing in defence.

Faalogo didn't seem to have any obvious shortcomings beyond inexperience, at least that I noticed. I know it's only a couple of games, but so far, so good.

Like most young fullbacks including Walsh, Fa'alogo was caught quite a bit out of position defensively.

 

[Santa]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/australian-rugby-league-players-called-out-over-national-anthem-snub/news-story/5589612b07df981ad6486b9b66f75f31?amp

 

[Foordy]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/australian-rugby-league-players-called-out-over-national-anthem-snub/news-story/5589612b07df981ad6486b9b66f75f31?amp

I don't recall these sorts of calls when JAC or Latrell Mitchell refused to take part in the national anthem ... now that 3 of the 4 are Broncos (with the 4th a QLDer) that they call for a stand down

interesting