The Broncos/Cowboys Rivalry

[Canard]

I wouldn't put my house on the Dragons winning either they really are struggling to find points. If it hadn't been for some Korbin Sims magic against Penrith they would be looking to next year.

All the Sims look the same.

PS Korbin Sims averages less then 80m a game as a starting prop. Wouldn't play first grade at any other club.

For mine thats the Broncos only glaring weakness, their front row.

 

[butchmcdick]

I hate them and wish all their players would get injured aye

2015

#neverforget

 

[butchmcdick]

Hey if manly beat the panthers by 38 points it's curtains for them

Being honest I reckon this year is Melbourne's to lose

The broncos were always going to win on Thursday given our injuries. I was proud of us for not giving up and the Broncos deserved to win it. They were streaks above us on the night.

The main thing pissing me off was Kevin Walters biased as f**k commentary

 

[davi]

We are 5th in the comp for points scored.

Last 5 games we've averaged over 20 points a game. It's not setting the world alight, but it's not bad. Our issues are a lot deeper then not being able to score points.

I'm not sure how korbin is going to be able to help that either. Not a bad player, but he doesn't play for our club.

Tariq Sims my mistake, but my points still stands. It was his individual brilliance that resulted in the Dragons grabbing the lead. Dragons had their opportunities to deliver the knock out blow, but looked out of ideas to crossing Penrith's line to deliver it.

 

[Jason Maher]

They're not exactly gone yet

Dogs beat Dragons and they finish 8th.

Penrith beat Manly, they finish in the 8 regardless.

 

[SBD82]

Tariq Sims my mistake, but my points still stands. It was his individual brilliance that resulted in the Dragons grabbing the lead. Dragons had their opportunities to deliver the knock out blow, but looked out of ideas to crossing Penrith's line to deliver it.

I think that has much more to do with this dragons team lacking game management skills. There's points in the team, but at key moments we have struggled to put the ball in the right places.

Last week was massively influenced by widdop putting his hand up and nailing the role of game manager. A bit more of that and points won't be a problem.

 

[Big Pete]

Does it really matter if the Cowboys miss out on 8th? Whether they go around another week or not, it doesn't make any difference one iota to their 2018 campaign where they'll be one of the top contenders along with the Sydney Roosters.

This isn't the McIntyre system anymore, the hope of an in-form wildcard is gone and the sooner the Cowboys can give their players a rest and get Johnathan Thurston and Mat Scott onto the field the better off they'll be.

Making the Top 8 isn't much of an achievement these days. I'd say anywhere below 5th, you're just making up the numbers and really you want to be a Top 4 side.

For mine if it turns out the Cowboys missed out on the 8, I wouldn't consider this season a failure for them. They still showed plenty of credibility in the face of adversity, a few players got a taste of first grade and others showed they were capable of handling the workload without a JT or a Cooper present.

 

[butchmcdick]

Does it really matter if the Cowboys miss out on 8th? Whether they go around another week or not, it doesn't make any difference one iota to their 2018 campaign where they'll be one of the top contenders along with the Sydney Roosters.

This isn't the McIntyre system anymore, the hope of an in-form wildcard is gone and the sooner the Cowboys can give their players a rest and get Johnathan Thurston and Mat Scott onto the field the better off they'll be.

Making the Top 8 isn't much of an achievement these days. I'd say anywhere below 5th, you're just making up the numbers and really you want to be a Top 4 side.

For mine if it turns out the Cowboys missed out on the 8, I wouldn't consider this season a failure for them. They still showed plenty of credibility in the face of adversity, a few players got a taste of first grade and others showed they were capable of handling the workload without a JT or a Cooper present.

Given Thurston' s injury I have my doubts if he'll he back next season

 

[King hit]

Does it really matter if the Cowboys miss out on 8th? Whether they go around another week or not, it doesn't make any difference one iota to their 2018 campaign where they'll be one of the top contenders along with the Sydney Roosters.

This isn't the McIntyre system anymore, the hope of an in-form wildcard is gone and the sooner the Cowboys can give their players a rest and get Johnathan Thurston and Mat Scott onto the field the better off they'll be.

Making the Top 8 isn't much of an achievement these days. I'd say anywhere below 5th, you're just making up the numbers and really you want to be a Top 4 side.

For mine if it turns out the Cowboys missed out on the 8, I wouldn't consider this season a failure for them. They still showed plenty of credibility in the face of adversity, a few players got a taste of first grade and others showed they were capable of handling the workload without a JT or a Cooper present.

Do you think it would better if we went back to a top 5 finals series instead of a top 8. No team has won a premiership from below the top 4 for 22 years.

 

[Big Pete]

Do you think it would better if we went back to a top 5 finals series instead of a top 8. No team has won a premiership from below the top 4 for 22 years.

I believe you'd get a better product, but since it doesn't make any business sense it will never happen.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

#penaltybrisbane

 

[some11]

 

[Shorty]

Does it really matter if the Cowboys miss out on 8th? Whether they go around another week or not, it doesn't make any difference one iota to their 2018 campaign where they'll be one of the top contenders along with the Sydney Roosters.

This isn't the McIntyre system anymore, the hope of an in-form wildcard is gone and the sooner the Cowboys can give their players a rest and get Johnathan Thurston and Mat Scott onto the field the better off they'll be.

Making the Top 8 isn't much of an achievement these days. I'd say anywhere below 5th, you're just making up the numbers and really you want to be a Top 4 side.

For mine if it turns out the Cowboys missed out on the 8, I wouldn't consider this season a failure for them. They still showed plenty of credibility in the face of adversity, a few players got a taste of first grade and others showed they were capable of handling the workload without a JT or a Cooper present.

I would prefer they get slip in just to give the boys a bit of confidence.
To make the finals in spite of a huge injury toll and your main play maker out is a big achievement, even if they are bundled out.
But I'm proud of them regardless.

With regards to the top 8, last year I'm pretty sure in the AFL 5th won the premiership didnt they? Records can be broken.
Broncos are likely making the GF against Melb and I honestly cannot pick a winner.
But if Broncos win they'll break records as well etc.

I noticed in the game the other night Feldt I think shoved Milford over the dead ball line but immediately put his hand down to help him up, this happened a few times throughout.
Sort of shows how special the rivalry is that there is this sort of respect between the two clubs.

 

[Canard]

Why would the Broncos winning this year's GF "break records"? @Shorty?

PS for mine the Storm are unbackable favourites.

 

[Danoz Direct]

I noticed in the game the other night Feldt I think shoved Milford over the dead ball line but immediately put his hand down to help him up, this happened a few times throughout.
Sort of shows how special the rivalry is that there is this sort of respect between the two clubs.

Yeah Milford put his hand down to help Feldt up.

Easily the best rivalry in the NRL.

 

[Shorty]

Why would the Broncos winning this year's GF "break records"? @Shorty?

PS for mine the Storm are unbackable favourites.

I mean they conceded 50 points right? Nobody's won after conceeding that many.

I think it's rare but the lower teams can get on a roll and do it, not this year.
Melb look solid but they are traveling almost too well.

 

[davi]

Cowboys will be playing finals football, but there busted and some of their players are exhausted. I really think the Sharks will put them to sword next week and no this is not taunting but the injuries they have racked up really has got them stretched. Antonio Winterstein was virtually playing against the Broncos on one leg.

 

[King hit]

I mean they conceded 50 points right? Nobody's won after conceeding that many.

I think it's rare but the lower teams can get on a roll and do it, not this year.
Melb look solid but they are traveling almost too well.

It's Melbourne's to lose this year. Could be Cronk's last season at Melbourne, Slater is undecided, they won the minor premiership convincingly, they were beaten in last years big one and will be fired up to make up for it.

 

[wibble]

Do you think it would better if we went back to a top 5 finals series instead of a top 8. No team has won a premiership from below the top 4 for 22 years.

Teams 5 to 8 have to win 4 rather than 3, but after the first week the two left from 5-8 are no worse off theoretically than the two losers from top 4 (well, they play "away" but that doesn't mean much, especially if it is a Sydney home game).

The teams that skip a week rarely both make the GF (last year and 2012 I think are about the only times in recent history), but it is usually the other top team that lost that makes it through (Warriors a noticeable exception a few years ago, though the finals system was a bit different then).

Since the top team that lost is not really any better placed than the bottom team that won, I'd say mostly the teams outside the top 4 don't win is that they are just not very good, most years, compared to top 4 teams (most years there are 2 or 3 dominant teams, sometimes 4).

So I think a top 5 would give better games and skip the crud, but certainly would not be commercially viable in the modern TV sales era.

This year, one team is dominant, but the rest are all similar IMHO, so there is a reasonable chance any of 2 to 8 could make the GF, though obviously 2 - 3 still have one less win to make and should be favoured.

I just don't think there is a gulf between say, 4th placed Eels and 7th placed Panthers, this year. I guess this means this year, most finals should be sufficiently unpredictable, which I guess is a plus for a top 8 system, if you can have a lot of finals that are not pointless walk overs.

 

[blaza88z]

You'd think something would have to go wrong for Melbourne not to be winning it this year, would've been interesting had Cronulla gotten that 4th spot and not Parra (as they have the pack to seriously trouble them and the style of game too), unfortunately the way Melbourne play negates sides who like to play that free flowing fast paced game, especially in the big games when the refs put the whistle away

I like Arthur's approach though, getting into the media nice and early, making the refs very aware that they're coming to play some footy. Bellamy can say what he wants but it's there for everyone to see, Melbourne like to wrestle and dominate the speed of the ruck and then control the game with their world-class spine, they're near unbeatable with a lead