Round 24 v Broncos

[redVbull]

It's a long time since we were have two players with the X factor.
I believe we can out muscle their forwards but we need to be able to do this for 89 minutes.
Duffy and Mann just have to be backing up any breaks from our forwards.
If we beat the Broncis we should make the eight.
McIdiot needs to develop a game plan so Dufty gets the ball.
Of course the pressure is on to manage the bench.

unfortunately for us supercoach has only left us with 1 game of a Mann/ Widdop halves pairing before running into heavyweight competition end of the season.

we're not in the same space as a Cronk / Smith combo for instance.

i fear our combination will still be a work in progress against Broncs as each work out a cohesive and complementary style rapidly and under match conditions ... especially since Widdop has for most of the season had to run the show from the ruck single handedly no thanks to McCrone and his non-descript presence as a halfback.

 

[getsmarty]

NRL Preview: Round 24
Wed 16th August, 03:00PM
A A



Brisbane Broncos v St George Illawarra Dragons
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday, 8pm

St George Illawarra put their season well back on track with a 26-point win over the Gold Coast Titans last weekend in Kogarah.

A bigger threat lies ahead on Friday night however as a red hot Brisbane Broncos side looks to extend the Dragons' Suncorp Stadium woes.

Brisbane are hitting form at the right time – following thumping wins over the Sharks and the Titans themselves – and have named an unchanged team as a result.

Although future Dragon Ben Hunt (arm) remains in doubt, the Red V won't be concerning themselves with such matters.

Euan Aitken (shoulder) is a chance of returning for the Dragons after being named in the reserves. Tariq Sims and Leeson Ah Mau also swap between the front row and the interchange in an otherwise unchanged side.

Teams –

Broncos: 1. Darius Boyd (c), 2. Corey Oates, 3. James Roberts, 4. Tautau Moga, 5. Jordan Kahu, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Kodi Nikorima, 8. Korbin Sims, 9. Ben Hunt, 10. Adam Blair, 11. Alex Glenn, 12. Matt Gillett, 13. Josh McGuire. Interchange: 14. Sam Thaiday, 15. Tevita Pangai Jr, 16. Jai Arrow, 17. Herman Ese'ese, 18. Benji Marshall, 19. David Mead, 20. Jaydn Su'A, 21. Tom Opacic.

Dragons: 1. Matt Dufty, 2. Nene Macdonald, 3. Josh Dugan, 4. Tim Lafai, 5. Jason Nightingale, 6. Gareth Widdop (c), 7. Kurt Mann, 8. Leeson Ah Mau, 9. Cameron McInnes, 10. Paul Vaughan, 11. Tyson Frizell, 12. Joel Thompson, 13. Jack de Belin. Interchange: 14. Tariq Sims, 15. Hame Sele, 16. Blake Lawrie, 17. Taane Milne, 18. Josh McCrone, 19. Jacob Host, 20. Luciano Leilua, 21. Euan Aitken.

Key Match-Up: Korbin Sims v Tariq Sims – If Tariq were to start as he did last weekend against the Titans then he'll square off directly against his brother, Broncos firebrand Korbin. While Tariq has spent the majority of the season starting from the interchange, he has still managed to produce 20 extra metres and three extra tackles per game than his younger sibling. In saying that, Korbin has looked revitalised since reuniting with Wayne Bennett in 2017 and poses plenty of danger for the Red V.

The History: Played 36; Broncos 22, Dragons 14. The Broncos have won 11 of their past 12 games against the Dragons including their last meeting in Round 22 last year where Brisbane prevailed 12-8 in terrible Wollongong conditions. The last time the Red V won at Suncorp Stadium was way back in Round 4, 2009.

Match Officials: Referee: Matt Cecchin. Assistant Referee: Gavin Reynolds. Sideline Officials: Nick Morel and Rickey MacFarlane.

Televised: Channel Nine – Live coverage from 7:30pm; Fox League – Live coverage from 7:30pm

Radio: 2GB, ABC and Triple M (Brisbane)

Social: Ensure you are across the Dragons' social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/08/16/nrl_preview_round_24.html

 

[jeffdragon]

Not many giving us a chance.
If we do get done ,a close loss is imperative, to the makeup of the 8

 

[hazzbeen]

I have a feeling we just might topple these guy's on Friday night . I normally think with my head and not my heart , and I know our chances don't look great . But like I say I have this little itch about this .....

 

[jeffdragon]

I have a feeling we just might topple these guy's on Friday night . I normally think with my head and not my heart , and I know our chances don't look great . But like I say I have this little itch about this .....

I hope your right.
Cant believe some of the other (fans)on this forum want us to lose.

 

[Alec's-saints]

I'm flying up for the game tomorrow. been to suncorp the last 4 times and never seen the saints win at the shithole. Surely I'm finally guna see a win here.

 

[hazzbeen]

I hope your right.
Cant believe some of the other (fans)on this forum want us to lose.

Like I say Jeff I never want them to loose but I'm also logical with my thoughts about our chances and the way we are coached . But sometimes I get these little hints that we might just get up . let's just wait and see ....

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

I have a feeling we just might topple these guy's on Friday night . I normally think with my head and not my heart , and I know our chances don't look great . But like I say I have this little itch about this .....

I agree hazzbeen.
All the talk up here in Brisbane the past week is how the Broncos are on track to play the Storm in the Grand Final.
All talk on radio, TV news, courier mail paper, social media all about the Broncos.
Nobody gives us any hope at all for this game.
Even the idiot Donkey supporters I unfortunately work with are cocky as ,talking about being Premiers.
They might just turn up to this game believing the hype.
Even if they score early it could lower there guard.
Full 80 minute positive performance here and we win.
Dragons win five tries to three .

 

[Alec's-saints]

actually feeling pretty confident for once about this team. i seriously think we can jag a win here. saints by 4

 

[Dragsters]

actually feeling pretty confident for once about this team. i seriously think we can jag a win here. saints by 4

As long as Mary doesn't dump Dufty to accommodate Aitken if fit.

At this stage Dugan to fullback is a huge backward step imo.

 

[Uplifting]

Yeh, I think the current line up might be the most promising that we've seen for years. I hope they turn up for each other and make it happen against Brisbane.

 

[Gentle Herpes]

I don't think the Donkeys are traveling nearly as well as is being made out, but I'm not sure we're the team to expose that fact.

If we do go down, let it be off the back of a blinder from Hunt.

 

[Smack]

We have some pressure off us and at $3.50 it would be worth a punt

 

[Dragonsteve2]

If they had turned up "focused" against the Knights, Bunnies and Raiders this wouldn't be our grand final, so don't count on that.

In my opinion this has been a consistent problem since the Bennett era. Fired up for games against the better teams, with a few good wins (Sharks, 2016: Souths, 2014) but more often hard fought losses. Then very casual against teams they should beat, winning narrowly but more often losing the unloseable! This year, except for the Roosters/Storm/Sharks sequence, we have had a comparatively easy

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

In my opinion this has been a consistent problem since the Bennett era. Fired up for games against the better teams, with a few good wins (Sharks, 2016: Souths, 2014) but more often hard fought losses. Then very casual against teams they should beat, winning narrowly but more often losing the unloseable! This year, except for the Roosters/Storm/Sharks sequence, we have had a comparatively easy

The worst is our performances when confronted with crunch games. Games that would secure our finals spot or catapult us into the top 4.
We have consistently lost most of those games.
Newcastle was a crunch game, Souths was a crunch game - we lost both.
Now we have two more starting with Broncos this weekend.
Then the Penrith game could be a fight for 8th spot.
I hope we buck the trend but I am not confident.

 

[gonz]

Excuses r ready

 

[Morrow]

Just heard on 2GB news that we have 4 players out tomorrow night but Mary won't say who....FMD

 

[gonz]

So his got time to fly others up right ?

 

[Coffs dragon]

4 players out.....2 injured at training today plus 2 have the flu and will miss the match. No names yet,but we are phuked!

 

[Morrow]

So his got time to fly others up right ?

He said he took 21 players up there so he has coverage. I think 1 is Nene he did not look good at some stages last week..either knee or ankle....just my guess.