The Way too Early Team 2026 Thread

[perverse]

While attacking footy is great, and you do need it to be successful, you do also need to give a f**k about conceding tries. The teams who win the comp year on year inevitably have the best or at least near the best defence in the comp. The Knights of 2001 and 1997 were no exception.

Saying otherwise is forgetting that 50% of the game matters

We objectively had the most points conceded of the top 8 in 2001. I dunno what season you watched. Sure, we could have a crack when the chips were down - but saying we were one of the best defensive teams that year is so wrong it beggars belief. Hell even in the grand final we switched off and let in a bunch of points we shouldn't have.

And no-where did I say defence doesn't matter, you're just working yourself up at this point. I don't want to be the team that tries to win every match 8-0. It doesn't look good on us.

 

[Yosh]

While attacking footy is great, and you do need it to be successful, you do also need to give a f**k about conceding tries. The teams who win the comp year on year inevitably have the best or at least near the best defence in the comp. The Knights of 2001 and 1997 were no exception.

Saying otherwise is forgetting that 50% of the game matters

Nobody is saying defense doesn't matter. Attack is the best form of defense. Have more possession in better positions on the field. Make them work it out consistently. That should be part of our attacking plan.

Oppositions knew we had trouble scoring so they could play against us without fear. If we play a far more attacking game, it'll lead to less defending we have to do, concede less points and win more games.

 

[slotmachine]

We objectively had the most points conceded of the top 8 in 2001

Broncos were 7th best last year.

 

[Zoidberg]

Catch 22 maybe. Is your defensive stats good because your defence is so good, or because your attack is so good the opponent doesn’t have as many opportunities score?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

We objectively had the most points conceded of the top 8 in 2001. I dunno what season you watched. Sure, we could have a crack when the chips were down - but saying we were one of the best defensive teams that year is so wrong it beggars belief. Hell even in the grand final we switched off and let in a bunch of points we shouldn't have.

And no-where did I say defence doesn't matter, you're just working yourself up at this point. I don't want to be the team that tries to win every match 8-0. It doesn't look good on us.

I'm not working my self up at all bro lol. I just disagreed with you

I conceed our points against in 2001 wasnt as good as i remember but you're the one who said we shouldn't give a f**k about conceding tries, thats just another way of saying defence doesnt matter mate. Comon at least own your hyperbole.

Let me ask this then, when was the last time a team won the comp that had a worst defencive record than anyone outside of the top 8? It matters quite a bit

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Catch 22 maybe. Is your defensive stats good because your defence is so good, or because your attack is so good the opponent doesn’t have as many opportunities score?

Probably equal parts of both tbh but you need to be able to absorb defencive pressure for sustained periods otherwise you dont get an opportunity with the ball.

Defence is the foundation of good teams.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Broncos were 7th best last year.

that is an anomaly, usually the Premiership is won among the top 4 best defensive sides.

EDIT - less 12 points a game against is the threshold , or was prior to the 6 again.

The Broncos werent the best side last year, they went on a lucky run.

 

[perverse]

I'm not working my self up at all bro lol. I just disagreed with you

I conceed our points against in 2001 wasnt as good as i remember but you're the one who said we shouldn't give a f**k about conceding tries, thats just another way of saying defence doesnt matter mate. Comon at least own your hyperbole.

Let me ask this then, when was the last time a team won the comp that had a worst defencive record than anyone outside of the top 8? It matters quite a bit

I mean slots chimed in a few posts ago and pointed out that Brisbane did it with the 7th best defence. Not quite outside the top 8, but that's an arbitrary boundary you've put on for arguments sake. 7th best defence in the comp isn't setting the world on fire without the ball. West Tigers 2005 springs to mind too.

I guess my absence here lately had led me to lack appreciation for how pedantic people can be about wording here. I figured it was self evident that teams need to defend at *some* capacity to be winners. We're not all babies that started watching the game yesterday.

To put it in clearer terms, I don't mind a more offensive focused strategy. I think it suits our players, our club and the current ruleset better. I don't buy into grinding, negative football strategies in the Vlandys era. And if we are to be shit again, which is a real possibility, I'd rather watch a team try to score points and not die wondering, rather than meekly rolling over trying to tackle their way to a win. On top of that even, I think you'll get greater buy-in from guys like Brown or Ponga if you let them play some footy.

 

[perverse]

that is an anomaly, usually the Premiership is won among the top 4 best defensive sides.

EDIT - less 12 points a game against is the threshold , or was prior to the 6 again.

The Broncos werent the best side last year, they went on a lucky run.

What was lucky about it? They hit incredible form, peaked at the right time, and had the class players to execute. It didn't happen accidentally. The Broncos didn't flip a coin to win the comp last year.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

What was lucky about it? They hit incredible form, peaked at the right time, and had the class players to execute. It didn't happen accidentally. The Broncos didn't flip a coin to win the comp last year.

Anomaly - something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.

A beneficial anomaly is generally interpreted as luck

Note that Canberra had an almost identical defense with a beneficial anomaly to finish as Minor Premiers ultimately went out in straight sets in the finals.

 

[Zoidberg]

What was lucky about it? They hit incredible form, peaked at the right time, and had the class players to execute. It didn't happen accidentally. The Broncos didn't flip a coin to win the comp last year.

“Lucky” to be able to sign a current Origin player on half of what they were being paid by their previous club.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

I think it’s also underrated what good attack can do to the opposition’s psyche in the game. For example over the last couple of years (and especially last year) teams knew that all they had to do was get 20+ points on the board and the game was effectively over. Even if there was 30 or so mins left on the clock they could basically coast to victory whilst watching us bang our heads against a wall repeatedly.

If we are able to generate more points this year, let’s say averaging around 20 per game then that puts a lot of teams out of their comfort zone and forces them to chase the game more which leads to more risky play, pushing passes, rushed plays, forcing their hand a bit more. We literally never forced teams to do that last year. They knew that eventually they’d get a couple of tries on the board and we’d be chasing the game instead. We actually had a lot of “close” losses on the scorecard last year but in many of those games the opposition had a narrow lead and we basically didn’t look like scoring in the last 20 mins or so when we needed to.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Also… Does anyone in here actually think we’re a premiership threat in 2026? I certainly don’t. For me, 2026 is about restoring pride in the club and making us an attractive team to watch (for the fans) as well as a team that good players want to come to.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to make the top 4 or top 8 but if players from outside the club can see that there’s a clear upward direction and see that they will come to a club that plays a good brand of football then that’s a big deal. We almost need a total rebrand in the way we play after the AOB years. Of course the defence is still important but we can’t be seen as the pathetic, boring, laughing stock team of the NRL anymore, which is effectively what we were in 2025.

 

[Zoidberg]

I’ll be happy to make the top 8 this year.
Now that we have some decent halves (on paper) the next 2 years will be interesting with player movement and to see if we try to keep Ponga or are willing to let him move on. If we keep him we will need to find money somewhere to try and improve our forwards. Assuming Gags and Frizz will be retiring after this year?

 

[mozza91]

I’d be just happy to see us play some good attacking football. Would be nice to get my moneys worth out of the season tickets for once.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Also… Does anyone in here actually think we’re a premiership threat in 2026? I certainly don’t.

No where near it.

Happy to see if the clubs management has turned a corner ( it does finally look that way) , do pathways, recruitment, and management continue to be a turnstile or finally stable?.

If we have stability over the next 5 years we hopefully will start see some success.

*Disappointed we didn't go for Coby Black. The Raiders are going to kill it over the next decade. Great management.

 

[Knight Tales]

We have doubled down on the game becoming more athletic. This side is very mobile. We can gamble now with stacking one side in attack and being able to recover in defence due to our pace across the line. You don’t have people getting stood up by and picked off by the speedsters As often happens when the line is broken and retreating after an error.