Rd 25 v Gold Coast

[WestyLife]

I keep saying this. Broncos are far more dangerous than people realise. Earlier in the season I mentioned how dangerous they were and was laughed off by Panthers fans and most neutrals who assumed they'd collapse just like last season. Most of the neutrals are not laughing now after the Broncos demolished their teams. Even now they are not treated as seriously as they should.

They have Strike power absolutely everywhere in their squad. I'd go so far as to say that they clearly have more strike power than us. They can create 'something out of nothing' more than any other team in the comp - and that is a huge danger to us. We are good at handling structure and set plays but still vulnerable to bursts of outright talent like Latrell - or Reece Walsh.

I can already see counter points - but the PaNTheRs hAve tHe bESt DefENsE!!!!
That's true but the Broncos are nearly as good when they want to be and at the back end of the season is just about on par with ours.

Broncos have us matched in the forwards - but theirs are younger and have a bit more energy about them. I think they pips us there TBH.

Their outside backs have speed and height on us. The toss up is the spine. Their FB is clearly better than ours in attack. Hookers aren't too different - I think it all depends on what state Reynolds is in physically and mentally. We have the edge when it comes to Luai vs Mam.

I'd say the only thing we have clearly in our favour is our experience under finals pressure and perhaps coaching/systems/tactics. We have this knack of keeping a level head and not panicking when being outplayed. Even when down 12 points or so we just keep on grinding and eventually overcome. Other teams panic when they can't put us away and we start clawing back. Prelim final against Souths last year was a perfect example.

Still, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Finals footy changes everything. Despite completely dominant seasons in 2020 & 2021 we struggled in every finals game. Last year was better but still no walk in the park.

Very well said

 

[Chins get the wins]

Broncos haven't proven shit. Not worried in the slightest

 

[Iamback]

Broncos haven't proven shit. Not worried in the slightest

Nope. Lack the finals experience

 

[WestyLife]

Nope. Lack the finals experience

They've got plenty of Origin experience and Reynolds has plenty of finals.

 

[BxTom]

Nope. Lack the finals experience

Many have origin experience. They are a BIG threat.

 

[BxTom]

They've got plenty of Origin experience and Reynolds has plenty of finals.

SNAP!

 

[Iamback]

They've got plenty of Origin experience and Reynolds has plenty of finals.

Not in the key positions, Though they are very much like us in 2020

 

[WestyLife]

Not in the key positions, Though they are very much like us in 2020

A little but I wouldn't be depending on it to win though.

 

[Iamback]

A little but I wouldn't be depending on it to win though.

It goes with game awareness.

Walsh has the most errors in the comp

Cobbo is 3rd. How many are due to throwing a stupid pass when nothing is on?

That is the stuff we eat up. We will turn that error into 10-15mins of pressure

That is the sort of stuff, The grind side of the game which finals are particularly with Klein as ref

 

[maple_69]

Mam/Walsh/Walters being 75% of the spine is the big question mark for big games. No one has figured out how to deal with the lack of time, space, opportunities that Penrith allow yet, then you want those guys to do it in a grand final after they've gotten used to running riot against subpar defences for a few months. Their run into the last round is Titans, Dolphins, Dogs, Rabbits, Roosters, Cows, Eels, Raiders. Super soft, not a proper contest in there. Granted we haven't really either (given Storm/Sharks couldn't provide it) but we have a lot more experience to know the levels & mindset we need and how we need to play when a side actually matches you.

 

[Iamback]

Mam/Walsh/Walters being 75% of the spine is the big question mark for big games. No one has figured out how to deal with the lack of time, space, opportunities that Penrith allow yet, then you want those guys to do it in a grand final after they've gotten used to running riot against subpar defences for a few months. Their run into the last round is Titans, Dolphins, Dogs, Rabbits, Roosters, Cows, Eels, Raiders. Super soft, not a proper contest in there. Granted we haven't really either (given Storm/Sharks couldn't provide it) but we have a lot more experience to know the levels & mindset we need and how we need to play when a side actually matches you.

The Dogs were the only one of those games out of QLD/Darwin. Even that was a dry Sunny day

Slippery surface of Accor at night, When you have the worst completion rate in the NRL

 

[martielang]

We're certainly favourites and should be comfortable thinking that but to completely write them off due to lack of big-game experience is madness.

To beat us I think a team has to be willing to risk making the errors Brisbane are - throwing it wide early, offloads etc. We'll grind them to nothing if they play conservatively.

 

[Westernised Panther]

We're certainly favourites and should be comfortable thinking that but to completely write them off due to lack of big-game experience is madness.

To beat us I think a team has to be willing to risk making the errors Brisbane are - throwing it wide early, offloads etc. We'll grind them to nothing if they play conservatively.

Penrith in 2003 were written off for similar reasons. We all know how that ended….

 

[Fangs]

Good spine battle between Penrith 2020 v Brisbane 2023.

Edwards (58 games) v Walsh (56 games)
Luai (39 games) v Mam (34 games)
Cleary (99 games) v Reynolds (271 games)
Korisau (126 games) v Walters (57 games)

Doesn't include games still to be played by the Broncos. They still come out on top with experience due to Reynolds.

I've got no doubt that Walsh will excel in the finals. Look no further than his performances in Origin this year. Mam and Walters are the ones to watch in finals week 1.

Not so worried about their spine anyway. Its Haas and Carrigan in the middle.

 

[The Realist]

Broncos haven't proven shit. Not worried in the slightest

I hope you're right, but fear that you're wrong.

 

[Girds89]

I hope you're right, but fear that you're wrong.

You were spot on with your post...

They have class and x factor all across the park..

Anyone that doubts them is silly imo..

If they play their absolute best they will be extremley hard to beat and if we were to play them at pur best im tipping itd come down to conversions or a field goal.

 

[Chins get the wins]

You were spot on with your post...

They have class and x factor all across the park..

Anyone that doubts them is silly imo..

If they play their absolute best they will be extremley hard to beat and if we were to play them at pur best im tipping itd come down to conversions or a field goal.

Our best wins the comp 9/10 times imo

 

[The Realist]

Good spine battle between Penrith 2020 v Brisbane 2023.

Edwards (58 games) v Walsh (56 games)
Luai (39 games) v Mam (34 games)
Cleary (99 games) v Reynolds (271 games)
Korisau (126 games) v Walters (57 games)

Doesn't include games still to be played by the Broncos. They still come out on top with experience due to Reynolds.

I've got no doubt that Walsh will excel in the finals. Look no further than his performances in Origin this year. Mam and Walters are the ones to watch in finals week 1.

Not so worried about their spine anyway. Its Haas and Carrigan in the middle.

Yep. I frequently say to mates that the 2023 Broncos remind me of the 2020 Panthers. There are so many parallels. Out of all the teams in the comp they also have the most similar style to ours. To me it's obvious that Walters has studied us and emulated a lot of what we do. You can also see the level of commitment to each other and youthful exuberance, so they have a strong culture within that playing group as well.

I can only hope that they fall short the same way we did in 2020. I honestly think Broncos will get a premiership or 2 in the next 3-4 seasons. If the Panthers can keep our level of performance similar to 2020-2023 Broncos V Panthers has the hallmark of a classic rivalry similar to 80's Parra Vs Bulldogs.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Yep. I frequently say to mates that the 2023 Broncos remind me of the 2020 Panthers. There are so many parallels. Out of all the teams in the comp they also have the most similar style to ours. To me it's obvious that Walters has studied us and emulated a lot of what we do. You can also see the level of commitment to each other and youthful exuberance, so they have a strong culture within that playing group as well.

I can only hope that they fall short the same way we did in 2020. I honestly think Broncos will get a premiership or 2 in the next 3-4 seasons. If the Panthers can keep our level of performance similar to 2020-2023 Broncos V Panthers has the hallmark of a classic rivalry similar to 80's Parra Vs Bulldogs.

They'll need a good 7. Reynolds is held together with strapping tape

 

[Girds89]

They'll need a good 7. Reynolds is held together with strapping tape

They have all the makings of a really great team atm.

The challenge will be how they handle losing blokes to salary cap pressure.

We have seen how badly the salry cap has made us constantly change our team.

Can they handle that? Im not sure. Havent really followed qld cup at all so no idea how their pathway teams are going atm.

No doubt they will lock down walsh and ezra.

Through in haas and carrigan, staggs and they have a solid base.

But they are already losing farnworth and flegler so massive losses their as they have been two of their best. Farnworth in particular offers a lot of x factor.

We have seen we have been able to replace guys... not only replace them but in some ways we have bought in better players..

For example tago is better than momorovski and burton..

Turuva/tiny are better than mansour was at the end for us. Staines had a solid gf last year too..

Sorenson imo come on better than tetevano and has done a solid job replacing kiks.. not better than kiks but man hes had a crack..

Lenui filled the whole tamou left and killed it.

Can the broncs do that? The hardest part about being succesful is staying there..

Weve seen the eels this year most likely miss the 8 after the gf last year.

Souths are 50/50 to make the 8 after being a top team the last few years...

Its incredible how good the club is going.

Without watching brissies junior teams and qld cup its hard to tell where they are at as a club..

have they just got an awesome bunch of blokes this year and its clicked... or have they got the pathways right and they are going to be able to replace the fleglers and farnworths with new kids who will be as good or better like our blokes have been...

Time will tell..

But this year they are as good a chance to win the comp as us imo. Theres not much between us