PRE-GAME Round 5 - Titans vs Broncos

[GCBRONCO]

Ryan James free to play after being found not guilty.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Ryan James free to play after being found not guilty.

Not specifically about this incident but the MRC and judiciary really need to get their shit together. It's becoming embarrassing to the NRL.

 

[Foordy]

Not specifically about this incident but the MRC and judiciary really need to get their shit together. It's becoming embarrassing to the NRL.

What do you mean "becoming ..." the MRC and judiciary have be embarrassing for years ...

 

[Mitch06]

What do you mean "becoming ..." the MRC and judiciary have be embarrassing for years ...

Exactly my thoughts. At least they are consistent though.

 

[austin71]

Exactly my thoughts. At least they are consistent though.

Seems like this year they have been worse then ever. The consistency is good..Been terrible since week 1... I can just see in a few weeks a Broncos player going down there to fight a charge and them wacking on another week or two. Always happens.

 

[austin71]

Can someone copy and paste the McCullough story in the courier mail please.

 

[Foordy]

Kahu turned up to training today wearing a Brent Tate style neck brace

 

[tommy]

Can someone copy and paste the McCullough story in the courier mail please.

[h=1]Andrew McCullough’s game time drops as Broncos coach Wayne Bennett pledges to develop Kodi Nikorima[/h]March 30, 2016 5:23pmTRAVIS MEYN, PETER BADELThe Courier-Mail

[h=3]Koroibete cops one week ban[/h]

BRONCOS hooker Andrew McCullough has admitted he struggled watching Brisbane’s thrilling golden point win from the sideline as coach Wayne Bennett pledged to develop Kodi Nikorima.
McCullough has been averaging less time on the field this season with the NRL’s reduced interchange rules impacting on his involvement.
The tireless No. 9 averaged 70 minutes a week in Brisbane’s run to the 2015 grand final but is down to 62.3 in the opening month of the season.

Andrew McCullough’s game time has dropped in 2016. Picture: Darren England.With the interchanges dropping from 10 to eight, it has become increasingly difficult for coaches to juggle a dummy-half rotation given the demands placed on forwards.
McCullough played 56 minutes against the Cowboys last Friday night as the 21-year-old Nikorima was on the field during the crucial closing stages of the gripping contest where North Queensland mounted a late surge.
“I didn’t play golden point. It is (hard to watch) but that’s what Wayne wanted to do and what the team needed so I’m happy for that,” McCullough said.
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“We got the win. I did my job when I was on and that’s all you need to do.
“We’re still getting a bit of a balance with how we’re going to work it.
“It’s a juggling act. It depends on how certain games are going.
“He’s either going to throw Kodi on at certain times or keep Kodi and I on at the same time.
“We’re working on it. It’s good to be flexible.”

Andrew McCullough played 56 minutes against the Cowboys.McCullough is now a veteran of 179 NRL appearances and has been a pillar of consistency for the Broncos in the middle of the field.
While Bennett praised the No. 9, he admitted leaving the exciting Nikorima on the sideline would do nothing for his development.
“I honestly don’t know why (he’s playing less minutes), I really don’t,” Bennett said.
“I don’t have a set policy at the moment, I am just playing it by what we are seeing on the field and what I need at a particular point of the game.
“Macca never lets the team down, he always does his best and I’m happy with him.
“But we also have another guy here, Kodi Nikorima, who can play a bit and I’m trying to make it all work.
“Kodi won’t learn anything by sitting on the bench every week and not getting game time.
“I want to develop Kodi into an NRL player on a regular basis and that’s the process we are going through now.”

Kodi Nikorima during Brisbane Broncos training. Pic Darren England.At 26, McCullough is continuing to develop and has kicked two 40-20s this season which is a crucial skill for being a top-shelf hooker.
He will battle against one of the most experienced rakes in the game, Titans veteran Nathan Friend, on Friday at Cbus Super Stadium and said he was looking to further build on his game.
“It’s a pretty big momentum changer in a game. They’re pretty crucial,” McCullough said.
“If you can nail a few throughout the year at a good time they benefit the team.
“It can be a big play. It’s something I’m trying to put into place.
“I like kicking but you’ve got to pick the right time.
‘I’m slowly working it into my game. It takes a bit of pressure off the other boys too.”

 

[GCBRONCO]

Reed Oates and Kahu all passed fitness tests will play tomorrow

 

[austin71]

Thanks Tom

 

[broncoboy]

finally good to see broncos field there full strength field and have kahu reed and oates on the field at the same time, looking forward to a good win by broncos and also keen to see if we have a big lead maybe starting ofahengaue as a prop or giving him more minutes same goes for kodi, maybe if we get a big enough lead rest hunt and play kodi nikorima in the halves for a little bit. i just hope bennet experiments a little bit

 

[austin71]

finally good to see broncos field there full strength field and have kahu reed and oates on the field at the same time, looking forward to a good win by broncos and also keen to see if we have a big lead maybe starting ofahengaue as a prop or giving him more minutes same goes for kodi, maybe if we get a big enough lead rest hunt and play kodi nikorima in the halves for a little bit. i just hope bennet experiments a little bit

The combinations are just starting to gel again. Not sure trialing another half would help anything at this stage of the season?

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

finally good to see broncos field there full strength field and have kahu reed and oates on the field at the same time, looking forward to a good win by broncos and also keen to see if we have a big lead maybe starting ofahengaue as a prop or giving him more minutes same goes for kodi, maybe if we get a big enough lead rest hunt and play kodi nikorima in the halves for a little bit. i just hope bennet experiments a little bit

No way. Consistency. We are lacking it at the moment. We need the team playing a full 80min. Restimg players we don't usually rest so early in the season can spell suicide for later in the year. Getting them to work collectively as a team priority number one right now. Bennett is still trying to find the right balance with the new interchange. No way he'll just put the que in the rack at the 60min mark. Ludicrous

 

[Kimlo]

I'm pretty happy Kodi is getting more minutes. The kid has big potential, sure he's looked a bit off at time but he's still relatively new to first grade and the extended game time will do him a world of good. Much better than what Griffin used to do giving guys like Granville (I'm still pissed we let him go!) 7 or 8 minutes.

Also happy Macca mentioned he's going to try to work some kicking into his game, he looks like he has the potential to be a pretty good kicker of the ball, so him doing it a lot more (like Cam Smith) would really benefit the team.

 

[Broncoman]

I was looking at the year stats in Big League when doing my tips and the Titans have actually scored more points and tries than us.

 

[mitch222]

Titans have also played more weaker teams than we have to

 

[tommy]

Now there's a story up about wayne bennett slamming the titans over the James Roberts signing. I can't access it. Could someone else put it up.

 

[Cult]

I like Kodi a lot but we have looked worse with him on the field. I hope he fixes that, but we definitely miss McCullough when he's not on.