POST GAME [Round 6, 2024] Broncos vs Dolphins

[bazza]

Unfortunately for Jock Madden, he has rarely had the luxury of being the starting halfback in a full strength team. He has also not played many games consecutively to build combinations or find consistency. It is also hard to stand out or command the ball when players like Walsh, Mam, Walters take on more ownership of the team In the absence of Reynolds.

Before I give up on Madden, I would like to see him get a string of consecutive games where he can find his feet a little bit. It will also be easier to see if there is improvement week to week, rather than having a game here and there.

 

[Swordfish]

This "battle of brisbane" desperately needs a Dolphins win.

It never was & never ever will be battle of Brisbane.
“WE” are Brisbane & the rejects are Redcliffe. Period!

 

[Mustafur]

Unfortunately for Jock Madden, he has rarely had the luxury of being the starting halfback in a full strength team. He has also not played many games consecutively to build combinations or find consistency. It is also hard to stand out or command the ball when players like Walsh, Mam, Walters take on more ownership of the team In the absence of Reynolds.

Before I give up on Madden, I would like to see him get a string of consecutive games where he can find his feet a little bit. It will also be easier to see if there is improvement week to week, rather than having a game here and there.

I think we should be getting another backup half option at this point who stands between Madden and Black, because right now Madden gets it by default due to Black still being at the Maninga level, Rogers is a left side 6 and not really viable as a challenge to that as it stands.

7 is the hardest position in the game to replace, we should have atleast two 7s playing Qcup regularly.

 

[007]

The team really lacked direction in attack. Mam played his regular style - yet restricted.

Madden just did not provide to be a prem half (better than BW still). For me its time to make plans for someone else beyond him to replace Reynolds. Maybe he has a light switch moment, but he looks too submissive to be a top 4 team leading half. Tonight was the perfect opportunity for him to break out.

The rest of the game was stifled by errors/penalty. Thankfully a deviation from the hail Mary type errors that we are used to.

Hunt and Baker, i really don't know. This was a game for them to step up completely. Stats wise they were "O.K" but impact and moments wise is a worry.

 

[Mustafur]

The team really lacked direction in attack. Mam played his regular style - yet restricted.

Madden just did not provide to be a prem half (better than BW still). For me its time to make plans for someone else beyond him to replace Reynolds. Maybe he has a light switch moment, but he looks too submissive to be a top 4 team leading half. Tonight was the perfect opportunity for him to break out.

The rest of the game was stifled by errors/penalty. Thankfully a deviation from the hail Mary type errors that we are used to.

Hunt and Baker, i really don't know. This was a game for them to step up completely. Stats wise they were "O.K" but impact and moments wise is a worry.

tbh, I'm not convinced he was better than Billy was in the second half against Storm, that was honestly the best halves performance from Billy I have ever seen, his kicking game has clearly improved since he went to hooker and it was a point of trouble when he was there, the rest of his game at half needs work but his kicking game is actually better than Maddens imo.

Keep in mind that was against Storm full strength, not Dolphins with a backup fullback.

 

[bazza]

I think we should be getting another backup half option at this point who stands between Madden and Black, because right now Madden gets it by default due to Black still being at the Maninga level, Rogers is a left side 6 and not really viable as a challenge to that as it stands.

7 is the hardest position in the game to replace, we should have atleast two 7s playing Qcup regularly.

Agreed. I've been hopeful that we would go out and buy a halfback because I don't think Madden should automatically be handed the halfback position after Reynolds retires. He still has to earn that position. Plus having multiple players vying for the one position would be a good thing.

However, I also don't think we should put a line though him completely either after a few games here and there. He just has to keep improving in certain aspects of his game. This is a big year for his career. I am hopeful for his sake that he can show us what he can do.

 

[Mustafur]

Agreed. I've been hopeful that we would go out and buy a halfback because I don't think Madden should automatically be handed the halfback position after Reynolds retires. He still has to earn that position. Plus having multiple players vying for the one position would be a good thing.

However, I also don't think we should put a line though him completely either after a few games here and there. He just has to keep improving in certain aspects of his game. This is a big year for his career. I am hopeful for his sake that he can show us what he can do.

It's noticeable how the talk in the team has moved from Madden being the future 7 to Mam being that(which I think isn't going to happen), there has clearly been a loss of confidence in madden lately.

 

[Skathen]

It's noticeable how the talk in the team has moved from Madden being the future 7 to Mam being that(which I think isn't going to happen), there has clearly been a loss of confidence in madden lately.

Same thing happened with Milford - forcing him out of a running 5/8th role to take over from Hunt. That turned out well.

 

[bazza]

It's noticeable how the talk in the team has moved from Madden being the future 7 to Mam being that(which I think isn't going to happen), there has clearly been a loss of confidence in madden lately.

I personally don't see Mam as a halfback either, but it doesn't necessarily mean Madden is out of the picture all together. They could be thinking of a Mam and Madden partnership, and the numbers in their back then becomes a bit meaningless.

 

[bazza]

Same thing happened with Milford - forcing him out of a running 5/8th role to take over from Hunt. That turned out well.

Agreed. That was a bad decision from whoever did that. Milford never had any of the attributes of a top halfback, and it completely stripped away any of his strengths. Not sure why they thought that was a good idea.

The same could happen to Mam, minus the weight gain and laziness. It would be completely unnecessary.

 

[Broncorob]

I think its debatable to say they were good tbh. As a team pretty much we were bang average, but we took advantage of the Dolphins errors.

I'm actually struggling to define this display tbh.

We made more mistakes. Have big guns coming back. Didn't look like losing. That definition will do ne

 

[Broncorob]

I reckon some of that criticism of staggs was unfair back then. He had just returned from an ACL and probably didn't have huge confidence to be pushing past defensive lines. He's been a revelation this year staggs. No need to put him in space he will bowl over the defenders and create some himself!

Also willison with far more minutes tonight. Even if baker starts next week, I think his role has been replaced by willison and will eventually be behind him in the pecking order

If you had to make a choice between Sraggs or Cobbo...Staggs every time

 

[Mustafur]

If you had to make a choice between Sraggs or Cobbo...Staggs every time

I would pick Cobbo right now imo, Staggs is a better defender but Cobbo's potential is barely at the start of what we will see in the future, He very much can be the next Inglis or even better, it's easy to forget how young he is.

He has a higher ceiling when it comes to ball play ability plus he is faster than Inglis ever was, he just needs to work on his body composition a bit, Staggs strongest ability is his fend, but Cobbo might even be better than him already in attack from what I have seen him at centre, finally being able to use his right fend at left centre.

if he can grow as a person as his career grows he will be our next Hodges from what I have seen, he has grown each year soo far.

 

[Broncorob]

Baker average, very average. Won’t say completely shithouse but just average. Doesn’t belong in a full strength 17 and I’d be picking Te Kura on the bench before him as well. Whilst Payne is out I do think he is the most appropriate to start so no criticism on Kev in that regard for now.

Xavier is fucking awesome great game. That’s about as good as I have seen a 10 gamer chuck up 40 minutes. He has looked awesome in both games now after backing up a good pre-season and all-stars. He is the real deal.

Cobbo looked dangerous thought it was a relatively good game despite the error or two. Don’t think he was motm at all.

Reece was very rough around the edges but he will be better for the game back.

Madden leaves a lot to be desired, ALWAYS. Not the guy imo.

Staggs had a very good game without being special.

Hetho beast.

Carrigan MOTM leaps and bounds over the next best crop of players.

Arthars not great, don’t think that’s the edge for him imo. Would consider playing Pereira on the right, Arthars left and Oates 17.

As you can guess Oates very average.

Walters has his moments like always but he has some very painful decisions as well. He is a solid presence defensively and he has his moments. Smoothy always comes on and plays really smoothly (pun intended). Still would keep it like this though.

Riki average

Hunt think is copping a bit of a tough time. If you gave me these 3 performances as an option 3 weeks ago I would have run off laughing ecstatically. Nothing remotely amazing about his game but I think he has chucked up 2 fairly solid games and a very average game. I don’t ever sit watching the footy concerned about what he is going to do and that’s as much as I could ask for a back up second rower in our current shortage.

Ezra pretty good. Last year with Reyno out and Walsh having a poor game I would say it’s impossible for Mam to have had a good game himself but that hasn’t been the case at times this year. Doesn’t need his hand held which is what you want from your young half as he develops.

Loved being at the game because I never as intensely analyse and get worked up by things so nowhere near as negative as you lot. I saw a game that had some rusty shit but got me so siked for our full side.

Hard to disagree with anything...but I thought Xavier outstanding and Hunt more than servicable. Jensen great!?

 

[Broncorob]

The only worry with Weapon X is the head-knocks. He's been concussed multiple times already in his short career.

has he
...i don't think so

 

[Johnny92]

First game In a long time I went and seen live and you definitely notice alot more compared to the TV.
Watching Reece Walsh you can see why other teams have such a hard time defending him, the positions he comes from to run those sweep plays if he wasn't wearing white headgear you wouldn't see him, he always wants the ball there was times he was yelling to Jock for it but didn't get it.
Cobbo looked alot leaner than he does on the TV and there was abit of talk from him. After the game he was interviewed by the Broncos media team and spoke alot better than he does on Fox and Nine
Willison is a machine, he gives me Tawera Nikau Vibes. Not sure if it's the hair and the fact he's a kiwi or the way he plays. He has a huge future, we need to lock him down long term now.
Out of all our forwards that played tonight Bakers the only one I have confidence I could tackle one on one and I'm only a 80kg council worker, so that's saying something.
Jock needs to get alot more height out of his bombs and I thought he did okay but was hoping to see more from him.

 

[pennywisealfie]

Xavier is fucking awesome great game. That’s about as good as I have seen a 10 gamer chuck up 40 minutes. He has looked awesome in both games now after backing up a good pre-season and all-stars. He is the real deal.

40 minutes wasn't the only thing Xavier was chucking up. Had a good spew on the sidelines while warming up.

 

[Swordfish]

Watching Madden tonight has just reminded me how good Reyno actually is.

Totally agree.
On the opposite side, the rejects 7 was real aggressive in defense in addition to his kicking.
Not sure if he was always aggressive in defense or he just put in the extra effort today.

Hoping that Jock would improve the next 2 weeks.