Dogs, Roosters and Broncos are the benchmark

[TRANSLATION]

All 3 have been ultra conisistent, and all 3 have been blessed with injuries throughout the season.

Finch/Fitler have played every week which is amazingly good.
Sherwin has just about played each game
Lockyear likewise.

To be in positions 1 -3 it generally means you have had a good season with injury and your depth is generally very strong.

The dogs are virtually at Full strength leading into the semis only Lolesi missing

The Roosters are at Full strength with no one that they would pick missing.

The Broncos are just about full strenght, with Webke back.

The Panthers players are back, only B Ross suspended is out.


The Storm have a couple out, and Hill is back, yet slater is a week to week proposition.

As i stated in a post last season, when its all said and done, u need to be close to full strength to win this competition.

your halves and Forwards need to be there week in week out during the finals.

The team that has all these ingredients, usually makes it to the GF.

Its a battle of attrition from here on in.

My Team, i doubt could last injury free for 8 weeks straight. We should lose 5 players for the season by then.

 

[salivor]

The Broncos are blessed with injury? What are you smoking this time?

We've got Seymour our first choice halfback out for the season.
We've got Barry Berrigan our first choice hooker out for the season.
We've got Ryan our second choice hooker out for the season.
We've got David Stagg most likely out for the season.
We've got DeVere our first choice goal kicker out for the season.
We've got Craig Frawley out first choice winger out for a month.
We had Lockyer out for 6 weeks mid way through the season as well and Shaun Berrigan hasn't barely played a few back to back games all season.

But yes we've been blessed with injurys and are nearly full strength when Webcke returns :roll: :lol: .

 

[salivor]

Oh I forgot to mention that we're doing so well with injuries that we've had to call on retirees Paul Green, Darren Smith and Ben Ikin this season as well as having a utility player at halfback for the remainder of the season. It's great to be blessed.

 

[TRANSLATION]

my Apologies Salivor, i forgot about Seymour and B Berrigan.

Yes lockyear was missing for about 5 games, and the Broncos have done well to be were they are. Stagg is a top class player coming thru.

But B Berrrigan, D Stagg are not your first choice.

Hunt
Kelly
Devere
Tate
Frawley
Lockyear
Maguire
Carroll
Carlaw
Tallis
Civoniceiva
S Berrigan
Webke

Yep, the reason you guys are a couple out from the top position has to do with losing some of these guys through the season.
Broncos have done very well to be equal with the rorters, yet you have been thru alot.

 

[salivor]

Barry Berrigan was our first choice from round one. Shaun Berrigan isn't a hooker, he's been playing at centre all year long even when Seymour injured himself and left the halfback spot wide open he still stayed at centre.

Stagg may not be first choice for the starting lineup but if we had a full squad on board right now he'd be on the bench. Our squad would look like this without injury:
Hunt, DeVere, Tate, S.Berrigan, Frawley, Lockyer, Seymour, Webcke, B.Berrigan, Civoniceva, Tallis, Carlaw, Carroll, int: McGuire, Parker, Webb, Stagg/Meyers.

The side we'll have for the rest of the year will be a hell of a lot weaker than that and in vital positions too.

Dragons fans get way too caught up in the injuries excuse. We all know the real problem is consistancy, if the Broncos can beat cellar dwellars with second-string sides then the Dragons should also be able to beat them with near full strength sides.

 

[taxidriver]

"

Dragons fans get way too caught up in the injuries excuse"

If you think SIM has been smoking something then based on the above you need to stop shooting up.

 

[mightypanther]

We still have Girds out for at least one more week possibly more.

Swain out for season.

Pritchard out for at least 2 more weeks.

We've got at least 6 of our run on side carrying injuries (who knows when they could break down again)

And we are also missing at least 6 of our best Premier League players for extended time with injuries.........so as for back up goes.........we have virtually none.

Not the best recipe for success.........but hell........ya just never know do ya ???
Everyone has to make the best of what they've got. No point whining......they just have to knuckle down.....do their best.....and what happens.....happens.

 

[salivor]

Dragons fans get way too caught up in the injuries excuse"

If you think SIM has been smoking something then based on the above you need to stop shooting up.

Keep those blinkers on mate. How many times alone have we heard the line from Dragons fans to Roosters fans "Wait until you face a full strength Dragons side"? Excuses are like chips on shoulders, all Dragons fans have them.

 

[taxidriver]

I guess I must have imagined losing

Firman for the season
Bailey for 3/4 of the season
Gasnier for half a season
Barrett for 10 or so games
Thompson for a couple of months
Timmins for a couple of months
Blacklock for a couple of months

We are building to get the depth your team has (we dont have all of south east QLD at our disposal).

A Bronco fan accusing someone of having a chip on their shoulder ??? That's hilarious, the Broncos have special pockets sewn on the shoulders of their jerseys specifically for that point !

 

[salivor]

I guess I must have imagined losing

Firman for the season
Bailey for 3/4 of the season
Gasnier for half a season
Barrett for 10 or so games
Thompson for a couple of months
Timmins for a couple of months
Blacklock for a couple of months

We are building to get the depth your team has (we dont have all of south east QLD at our disposal).

A Bronco fan accusing someone of having a chip on their shoulder ??? That's hilarious, the Broncos have special pockets sewn on the shoulders of their jerseys

I didn't say the Dragons didn't have injuries, I said a lot of Dragons fans use that as an excuse. The Broncos have been hit just as hard with injuries as well as having to go through a tough SOO period but we haven't used it as an excuse and have been in the top 3 all year.

If our depth is as great as everyone likes to make out why have we had to call on Darren Smith, Paul Green and Ben Ikin in recent months? Just because we are the only team in SE Qld doesn't mean we have the whole place to ourselves as a lot of NRL clubs have feeder clubs in Qld.

 

[swineape]

Agree with salivor. Dragons have huge depth, that is why we're hearing about all the up and coming youngsters that Browny has had to blood this year. The Broncos also have good depth but can match that with results on the field. Bottom line is that the Dragons need to find some consistancy before their supporters can pull the old "Injuries cost us the Premiership."

 

[Mighty Tiger]

Bottom line is that the Dragons need to find some consistancy before their supporters can pull the old "Injuries cost us the Premiership."

Very well said

 

[Godz Illa]

Agree with salivor. Dragons have huge depth, that is why we're hearing about all the up and coming youngsters that Browny has had to blood this year. The Broncos also have good depth but can match that with results on the field. Bottom line is that the Dragons need to find some consistancy before their supporters can pull the old "Injuries cost us the Premiership."

Not quite. Sure Brisbane have lost a couple of players, but none quite match the Dragons in terms of player calibre or length of time out. Look at the list taxidriver compiled - to accurately compare the depth of the two teams and the legitimacy of the 'injuries excuse' Brisbane would need to lose Lockyer, Tallis, Webcke, Civoniceva, Berrigan, Tate, and Seymour for extended periods. See how their consistency is then.
The fact is injuries ARE a legitimate excuse. They provide no comfort to this fan, however. I'd rather have the whole team out there and lose, than play without half a dozen key players and wonder 'what might have been'.

 

[Tommy Smith]

The Knights have had a wrose injury run than the Dragons. Much worse infact, yet Knights fans havent been as quick to use the injury card for losses as some Dragons fans. Even if injuries are the main reason for their poor season.

 

[salivor]

We've had high calibre player injuries as well. Both Brett Seymour and Barry Berrigan were touted for qld selection this year before injury ended their season. Michael DeVere is our front line goal kicker as well as having represented City, NSW and Australia. Lockyer is now rated as the best player in the game and was out for 6 weeks. Civoniceva did his knee in mid-way through the season and missed several games, while Tallis and Webcke have both been struggling to get onto the field of late.
Finally Frawley, Ryan and Stagg, all talented youngsters are basically all out for the season and oh did I forget to mention that Shaun Berrigan has spent just about as much time off the field this year as on it.

But no lets keep going along with this woe is me Dragons outlook. At least Saints have players on board in key positions in Head at halfback and their two first choice hookers in Riddell and Withers. The Broncos don't on the other hand but are just getting on with things and not making excuses.

 

[swineape]

If we say that MOST things being equal, both sides copped a prick of an injury run. Having established that, you would have to wonder why the Broncos have performed better than the Dragons this year on the competition ladder. I think it comes down to coaching ability and experience, players attitudes and the Broncos instilled winning capabilities. Lets face it, in 2 - 3 years time this Saints side will be a real force in the NRL, but for now they're an improving side of inexperienced metrosexuals with a long way to go to reach the professionalism standards the Broncos have set for the last 15 years.

 

[LRC]

I think the bench mark tag refers more to the attitude the team has when they play and the standard they set week in and out..
The roosters have been labeled this because they pretty much followed up there 2002 Gf win with a incredibly consistant 2003 (we all know the end...darn it)
But it was also due to the style they played and readjsutment of the dominat tackle rule brought in due to a couple of teams (especially Anderson coached sharks) diving before hitting the defence..)..
They set a standard on how to get mulitple tacklers in and took the fitness level to a new level to play this style (how many games in 2002 did they score 20 points in the last 20 minutes)..
Also the kick and chase game was taken to a higher level with the preference to keep the ball in.

I dont believe the roosters have had the best roster of players in recent times but some of the unexpected stood up and played to a high level.(who would have thought they could win a comp with Cayless and Cussack in the front)
The dogs are now setting a high standard and have an enormous ammount of talent ...they have now reached the "benchmark " for attitude ..
The broncos have always set a high standard and are now reaching the new benchmark (roosters style) in their style of play.
Saints have all the above and show great signs...we all know their injury woes.

Penrith are just so talented in key areas and have a fantastic game plan which capitalises on all their strengths..

 

[Bengal]

A more accurate reflection of each team’s injury woes would be to add up the combined salaries of the players that each team has out. The Broncos have had injuries, but it’s not in the same ball league as the Dragons, not even close.
All things are not equal.
If they (Saints fans) want to moan, let them, off course they should suck in the big ones and show a bit of class, but hey, each to their own.

As for benchmarks, I don’t think the NRL has any. The Broncos were once the benchmark, as were Canberra, Canterbury and Parramatta a little while ago.
To me a benchmark team would be a side that at the very least wins back-to-back premierships. In the past (2+yrs ago) it was easy to pick a favourite, a side that stood out such as the Broncos. Now days no one can pick a sure-fire winner from the get go and with only a few rounds to go it’s still hard to accurately pick who will win.

 

[salivor]

A more accurate reflection of each team’s injury woes would be to add up the combined salaries of the players that each team has out. The Broncos have had injuries, but it’s not in the same ball league as the Dragons, not even close.
All things are not equal.
If they (Saints fans) want to moan, let them, off course they should suck in the big ones and show a bit of class, but hey, each to their own.

Thats still not a very accurate reflection as we all know Saints overpay players. Does Lance Thompson ring a bell? ;-) :lol: .

As for benchmarks, I don’t think the NRL has any. The Broncos were once the benchmark, as were Canberra, Canterbury and Parramatta a little while ago.
To me a benchmark team would be a side that at the very least wins back-to-back premierships. In the past (2+yrs ago) it was easy to pick a favourite, a side that stood out such as the Broncos. Now days no one can pick a sure-fire winner from the get go and with only a few rounds to go it’s still hard to accurately pick who will win.

I don't quite agree. The Roosters have clearly set a standard of professionalism and performance over the last 3 years and are still the benchmark for mine. They were favourites before the season got underway and they are still pretty odds on to be there on grand final day despite the odd hickup of late.

 

[TRANSLATION]

We've had high calibre player injuries as well. Both Brett Seymour and Barry Berrigan were touted for qld selection this year before injury ended their season. Michael DeVere is our front line goal kicker as well as having represented City, NSW and Australia. Lockyer is now rated as the best player in the game and was out for 6 weeks. Civoniceva did his knee in mid-way through the season and missed several games, while Tallis and Webcke have both been struggling to get onto the field of late.
Finally Frawley, Ryan and Stagg, all talented youngsters are basically all out for the season and oh did I forget to mention that Shaun Berrigan has spent just about as much time off the field this year as on it.

But no lets keep going along with this woe is me Dragons outlook. At least Saints have players on board in key positions in Head at halfback and their two first choice hookers in Riddell and Withers. The Broncos don't on the other hand but are just getting on with things and not making excuses.

Salivor, anyone who plays for the broncos is a 70% chance of making the SOO squad mate.

There are not too many QLD's at number 9 are there ?