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Round 13 vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Brisbane Broncos
ANZ Stadium, Friday 7 August 2020
Kick Off 7:55pm

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1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Campbell Graham 4. Dane Gagai 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Thomas Burgess 11. Jaydn Su'A 12. Bayley Sironen 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14. Mark Nicholls 15. Liam Knight 16. Patrick Mago 17. Keaon Koloamatangi

Reserves: 18. Jack Johns 19. Corey Allan 20. Troy Dargan 21. Kurt Dillon

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1. Darius Boyd 2. Richard Kennar 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Xavier Coates 6. Brodie Croft 7. Tom Dearden 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Jake Turpin 10. Payne Haas 11. David Fifita 12. Tevita Pangai Junior 13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange: 14. Issac Luke 15. Rhys Kennedy 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Ben Te'o

Reserves: 18. Cory Paix 19. Ethan Bullemor 20. Matthew Lodge 21. Jesse Arthars
 

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
After months of waiting, David Fifita finally makes his return for the Broncos. The return reminds me of a Looney Tunes skit where Wile E is desperately trying to get the parachute to launch, smashes into the ground only for it to then go off. Not only is the season over, the Broncos are essentially giving the Gold Coast Titans a sneak preview into their 2021 season.

It will be a boost for the Broncos who have really missed that penetration out-wide. In recent weeks, Pangai has played a lone hand and while he's come up with some good plays for the Broncos, at times he has been guilty of trying too hard or letting his frustrations get the better of him.

Fifita is set to be joined by Matt Lodge who returns after tearing his MCL against the Gold Coast Titans. As fans will remember, that saw the Broncos down to 11 players in the final moments against the Gold Coast Titans in one of the most embarrassing moments in an awful season. Lodge admitted that he rushed his return from an ACL strain and was underdone at the relaunch of the season. It remains to be seen how much he's been able to improve his fitness considering he's been rehabbing his knee, but at the very least it strengthens the Broncos rotation through that middle.

However, it wouldn't be the 2020 season without another injury. This week it's Anthony Milford who has reportedly suffered a Grade 2 Hamstring strain and is set to miss 4-6 weeks. Milford has been carrying the injury since the Wests Tigers game and it has noticeably affected his performances in recent weeks. This allows Brodie Croft to come into the side presumably into that right edge role, while Dearden will keep the #7 jersey.

According to coach Anthony Seibold, Dearden will 'manage' the team while Croft will be given a license to run the ball. It's speculated that under Seibold that this is his ideal halves combination moving forward, so we'll get a chance to see how they perform.

In other news, Kotoni Staggs was involved in a revenge porn scheme. There were some concerns this would see him suspended, however, it's a police matter and the NRL won't make a decision until they've carried out their investigation. It's believed that Kotoni will have no case to answer.

Tevita Pangai Jr is reportedly the next player to leave the Titanic. FoxSports released a report that Pangai had personally called up rival clubs in a bid to sell himself. Reportedly one of those clubs was the Roosters who denied any interest in signing him for 2021. Pangai Jr responded to the report via an instagram post where he confirmed having a conversation with Roosters CEO Nick Politis but it was on a different matter.
 

DeeJ

Bench
Messages
3,119
That's probably our best starting pack. You could make an argument with Lodge for Flegler, but I think Lodge has come back too soon from his injury.

It will be interesting to see how Fifita goes after such a long lay off. I am worried about those halves though. For all of Milford's faults, he is still the man to go to and his long kicking game is relatively reliable. I thought Croft looked completely lost in his most recent game.
 

Nerd

Bench
Messages
2,825
Same again, rinse and repeat. Too many unforced errors, fell apart when a few admittedly dud calls went against us. When you make a very ordinary team like Souths look good you know your going bad. The only highlight was Dearden having a go and Flegler having another good game. Our in and up defence on the try line is still a disaster and the one out run after one out run from the forwards is just painful to watch. I don't know who will be our coach for next year but there is no way they could be worse than Siebold.
 

Nerd

Bench
Messages
2,825
Seems like it will be either Walters or Green? I don't see the point in risking another season with Seibold, even if there is a long term plan, I'm not a fan of how we've been playing the past 2 seasons (the floggings, and the general mess he's put together).

https://wwos.nine.com.au/videos/green-to-broncos-speculation-grows/ckd4kagsx002n0gmwytzhili1
My heart says Walters but my head says Green as he has NRL head coach experience and Walters doesn't. Saying that I would be happy with either as long as Siebold is gone. With CEO White gone at the end of the year that will give the new CEO (Ikin?) the chance to sort out the recruitment disaster that White has left behind. Darius retiring also helps out immensely with the salary cap and also will strengthen the playing roster.
 

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
Nerd said:
the one out run after one out run from the forwards is just painful to watch. I don't know who will be our coach for next year but there is no way they could be worse than Siebold.

What frustrates me is the lack of support around the ball. Even with the Farnworth try, Haas had to push the pass because Croft didn't push up and put himself in the best position to read it. It actually made it an easy read for the defence, but Croft was fortunate that Brisbane had such a huge overlap and that his blind catch-pass found the mark.

renouf said:
Seems like it will be either Walters or Green? I don't see the point in risking another season with Seibold

Heading into 2019, I thought absolutely worst case scenario the public would begin to question his credentials around now.

Not only has his credentials been called into question, everybody is wondering how he still has a job. If this was any other season, he would have been sacked before the Titans game.

My impression is that they'll go with Green under the guise that he's happened to have won a grand final, but I don't think he's the right fit for where this club is at. I think Kevie on a short term deal would be a sentimental favourite and an easy sell to get the public back on board.
 

renouf

Juniors
Messages
1,963
Heading into 2019, I thought absolutely worst case scenario the public would begin to question his credentials around now.

Not only has his credentials been called into question, everybody is wondering how he still has a job. If this was any other season, he would have been sacked before the Titans game.

My impression is that they'll go with Green under the guise that he's happened to have won a grand final, but I don't think he's the right fit for where this club is at. I think Kevie on a short term deal would be a sentimental favourite and an easy sell to get the public back on board.

Hmm seems like typical time frame to be sacked, for me whats going on at the moment has sped up the Warriors/Cowboys/Bulldogs sackings, no doubt this thing is impacting the players physiological states and not having a crowd to play in front of is having an impact, but I didn't like the way they were playing last year. It's the floggings and the way they've lost some games that stick with me, and the team selections.
 

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
Hmm seems like typical time frame to be sacked, for me whats going on at the moment has sped up the Warriors/Cowboys/Bulldogs sackings, no doubt this thing is impacting the players physiological states and not having a crowd to play in front of is having an impact, but I didn't like the way they were playing last year. It's the floggings and the way they've lost some games that stick with me, and the team selections.

With the fall-out of the Bennett situation, I expected 2019 to be a grace period and the Broncos wouldn't have serious expectations till 2021. Which is why the Broncos handed him such a long term deal because they knew it would take time and there would be some hiccups along the way. However the nature of these losses has been so bad, he won't even make it to the second year of his original deal.
 
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