Round 9 vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs Discussion

[Big Pete]

Brisbane Broncos vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Suncorp Stadium, Friday 28 April 2023
Kick Off: 8:00pm

1. Reece Walsh 2. Jesse Arthars 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Jock Madden 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Billy Walters 10. Keenan Palasia 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan

14. Cory Paix 15. Corey Jensen 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Martin Taupau

18. Deine Mariner 19. Brendan Piakura 20. Xavier Willison 21. Delouise Hoeter 22. Jordan Pereira

1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Campbell Graham 5. Taane Milne 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Jai Arrow 11. Michael Chee Kam 12. Jacob Host 13. Cameron Murray

14. Jed Cartwright 15. Davvy Moale 16. Hame Sele 17. Thomas Burgess

18. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 19. Blake Taaffe 20. Josiah Karapani 21. Ben Lovett 22. Dean Hawkins​

 

[Big Pete]

Not the best week to be without Payne Haas, Ezra Mam & Corey Oates. While the Broncos are still expected to be competitive, it's going to be a challenge and they'll need the likes of Flegler and Madden to step up if they're going to win.

The Broncos produced their best half of football in 2023 against Parramatta and it was enough for them to coast home. They'll need to reproduce it against the Rabbitohs and hope they don't do anything silly like another hip drop tackle. The hip drop is going to be an issue for a number of teams and I can see teams either accepting the 12-man punishment or missing tackles they otherwise would have made. I'm curious to see what camp the Broncos fall into.

There may also be a chance that Brendan Piakura comes in for Jordan Riki. Riki has been struggling with a groin injury for sometime and if that happens, it could make the Broncos vulnerable down that left edge.

 

[ALX25]

Don't think Madden will be getting a game again. Lack of impact from the bench telling. Quiet night for Walsh and Staggs. Carrigan tried to do too much.

 

[Big Pete]

South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 def. Brisbane Broncos 6 (Jesse Arthars try; Adam Reynolds 1/2 goals)

7-2

A reality check and while the Broncos looked likely their execution and discipline let them down at key stages.

Carrigan was a one man band in the middle and while the others did a fair job of supporting him, the Broncos really missed having Payne Haas out there. I thought this would have been the game where Flegler would have stepped up, but he just played his regular game and Souths eventually got on top of the Broncos.

It was a forgettable club debut for Madden. I wouldn't scapegoat him because the team was poor across the board and when a half is being asked to make 30 tackles you know something has gone horribly wrong.