2017 Brisbane Broncos Thread - we hate them for their freedom

code delta wrote:
and didn't Benji play the last two weeks?

And when are people going to stop falling for Piemans bait and just not bother?
I've given up reading most of the posts here.

I remember when Moga was dropped for signing with Newy and Arrow with the Titans.. Oh wait..

surmo13 wrote:so if refs allowed play on after some-one gets clearly ko'd loses the ball, an opposing player picks it up and get's tackled to where both players fall on top of the unconcious player, that'd be fine with you?

pieman wrote:If that happened, it would be unfortunate but would be part of the game. Just like someone getting KO'd, unfortunate but part of the game.

just want to make sure it's plain as day what people who want to continue this argument are up against.

surmo13 wrote:



just want to make sure it's plain as day what people who want to continue this argument are up against.

I remember something like this a few years back.

Greg Inglis shoulder charged.. I wanna say Ben Creagh? I could be wrong but he got him in the head and he went down straight away and the dragons players came and pushed and shoved and a few actually fell on the downed Creagh it was actually awful to watch!

Mighty Fishes wrote:

I remember something like this a few years back.

Greg Inglis shoulder charged.. I wanna say Ben Creagh? I could be wrong but he got him in the head and he went down straight away and the dragons players came and pushed and shoved and a few actually fell on the downed Creagh it was actually awful to watch!

Dean Young

Dip wrote:
Dean Young

He was my second guess

Mighty Fishes wrote:


He was my second guess

Dean Young being a second choice is a good metaphor for his career.

surmo13 wrote:



just want to make sure it's plain as day what people who want to continue this argument are up against.

Welcome back Surmo, I missed you. The cold shoulder treatment from you really got to me, and haha, like that comment is some damning bit of evidence against me??? Its a fucking fact.

Considering I have literally never seen that happen throughout my 20 odd years of watching NRL and through playing prob 500 games of League and Union and watching another 1000 or so local games of league and union - it is a very fucking rare "if" situation. Rare does not even do the situation justice. I bet you have never seen it happen either.

Just like any other injury, just like anyone getting KO from a head clash or getting their head in the wrong spot or a legal hit etc - they are unfortunate situations but they are part and parcel of playing a contact sport. If you dispute that, go watch soccer. I dont like seeing it, but its part of the risk of playing a contact sport.

Yes, they have rules and procedures in place to mitigate the risks, and thats exactly what the ref did but IMO it was against the rules of the game because Oates was not in any further danger. If Katoa picked the ball up and they dont literally immediately leave the play then yeah, call play up because Oates is still in danger. But that isnt what happened. They cleared the ruck and were gone to either get tackled by Moga (call play up then) or score. Call play up after they score. Playing till the end of the next play would have had not increased the wait for treatment IMO. Which is what this is all about.

You still havent answered me as to why you dont blow up when they dont stop the game immediately whenever a defender gets their head in a wrong spot and end up on jelly legs etc. The same precautions need to be taken then to mitigate the danger then but play doesnt usually get called off immediately in those situations. Dont pick and choose what head knock to wave your moral dick around for mate, advocate for all of them. Or do you only helicopter it around for good looking outside backs?

Mighty Fishes wrote:

I remember something like this a few years back.

Greg Inglis shoulder charged.. I wanna say Ben Creagh? I could be wrong but he got him in the head and he went down straight away and the dragons players came and pushed and shoved and a few actually fell on the downed Creagh it was actually awful to watch!

Yeah it was sickening to see that hit. They played on until the end of the play, then play is stopped. Then everyone runs in. It was a high shot tho, It was an illegal play. Inglis was suspended for it, and because it was disgusting to watch they changed the rule.

The referees made the right decision to stop play as most players stopped playing except for a few of the panthers. It was a rare situation and i don't expect to see it again for some time. No point overreacting and changing the rules because of it as it was handled perfectly. It was a late call by the refs to stop it but if you watch the replays, the touchie walks in from the side line and that is where the call to stop play came from.

I don't believe play should be stopped for all head knocks, obviously depends on the severity and situation, but there has to be some benefit to the attacking side. No different to a player with an injury. If the player has wobbly legs and rejoins the defensive line, play should be stopped to prevent further injury.

@pieman The refs don't need to be a doctor to determine the severity of a head knock / injury and when play should be stopped, its called common sense. If the player is not moving, then its pretty serious. Players reactions to these types of things are great indicator as well.

Just my 2cents...

if the refs played on, i wouldn't bag them, likely that the play was heading back to oates and the panthers could have scored.


but at the same time, given how bad the hit loooked and how we are heaidng with head knocks, i also can't blame him for stopping it in the best interest of the player, we've moved past the "its part of the game" rubbish, if the ref is really concerned about the player, he should not be criticized for stopping it

Lets be honest, the only people upset that play was stopped were upset because it was the Broncos. If that happened in Saturday night's game, or to any team not named Brisbane, Melbourne, Manly or Roosters there would be next to no outrage at all.

To be fair, everyone here has either said a) good call, b) I hate the Broncos but good call, or c) I don't mind the call I just don't like the inconsistency of the call being made, but social media is full of "It should have been play on, the game is rigged so the Broncos progress".

Same with Oates being passed to play. The only people with medical expertise who have actually inspected Oates have passed him fit, but every keyboard warrior with no expertise who hates the Broncos and is normally happy to say how soft the game is now days, is also saying that we've ignored the rules because it's a preliminary final (starting with Paul Kent).

Broncos - the new Manly since the day after the 1992 grand final.

Dip wrote:Lets be honest, the only people upset that play was stopped were upset because it was the Broncos. If that happened in Saturday night's game, or to any team not named Brisbane, Melbourne, Manly or Roosters there would be next to no outrage at all.

To be fair, everyone here has either said a) good call, b) I hate the Broncos but good call, or c) I don't mind the call I just don't like the inconsistency of the call being made, but social media is full of "It should have been play on, the game is rigged so the Broncos progress".

Same with Oates being passed to play. The only people with medical expertise who have actually inspected Oates have passed him fit, but every keyboard warrior with no expertise who hates the Broncos and is normally happy to say how soft the game is now days, is also saying that we've ignored the rules because it's a preliminary final (starting with Paul Kent).

Broncos - the new Manly since the day after the 1992 grand final.

honestly i was a bit concerned about him being cleared at first, especially seeing as Oates has a bit more of a history than most with head knocks, but there's an article on NRL.com with Thaiday about what goes on in a HIA test, where he also talks about what Oates is going through to be cleared (an extensive series of tests along with brain scans) which has eased those concerns somewhat, i'm still at bit iffy about it, but given my lack of medical knowledge, i'll trust a doctor's diagnosis over my own

Dip wrote:Lets be honest, the only people upset that play was stopped were upset because it was the Broncos. If that happened in Saturday night's game, or to any team not named Brisbane, Melbourne, Manly or Roosters there would be next to no outrage at all.

To be fair, everyone here has either said a) good call, b) I hate the Broncos but good call, or c) I don't mind the call I just don't like the inconsistency of the call being made, but social media is full of "It should have been play on, the game is rigged so the Broncos progress".

Same with Oates being passed to play. The only people with medical expertise who have actually inspected Oates have passed him fit, but every keyboard warrior with no expertise who hates the Broncos and is normally happy to say how soft the game is now days, is also saying that we've ignored the rules because it's a preliminary final (starting with Paul Kent).

Broncos - the new Manly since the day after the 1992 grand final.

Kent has deadset become like a scorned lover these days after Bennett called him out and publicly schooled him earlier in the year....so really his biased opinion doesn't carry much weight.

But in terms of Oates playing.....and let me preface this by saying I am a big fan of the bloke and what he brings to the side......however I was personally hoping he would be ruled out.

This is mainly because he is so dicey under the high ball and will be marking up against the best leaper in the game, with cross field bombs being provided by the best short kicker in the game.
Don't have to be a rocket surgeon to figure out what the Storm last tackle tactics are going to be...

Conversely, Mead is himself exceptional under the high ball and proved that on the weekend when Oates went off.

As an aside and as much as it pains me to rain on the parade of the downtrodden NSWelshman who are banking on Nathan Cleary being the next saviour......I personally thought his immaturity and inability to adapt to pressures that would be similar (if not less than) a SOO match, was clearly on display last weekend.
I've got no doubt that Penrith went into the match with a tactic of bombing Oates but Cleary just wasn't able to adapt the gameplan and adjust after Oates went off injured and Mead stepped up.
Don't get me wrong, I highly rate the bloke but I do think he has some work to do before he is up to the required SOO standard.

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

Kent has deadset become like a scorned lover these days after Bennett called him out and publicly schooled him earlier in the year....so really his biased opinion doesn't carry much weight.

But in terms of Oates playing.....and let me preface this by saying I am a big fan of the bloke and what he brings to the side......however I was personally hoping he would be ruled out.

This is mainly because he is so dicey under the high ball and will be marking up against the best leaper in the game, with cross field bombs being provided by the best short kicker in the game.
Don't have to be a rocket surgeon to figure out what the Storm last tackle tactics are going to be...

Conversely, Mead is himself exceptional under the high ball and proved that on the weekend when Oates went off.

As an aside and as much as it pains me to rain on the parade of the downtrodden NSWelshman who are banking on Nathan Cleary being the next saviour......I personally thought his immaturity and inability to adapt to pressures that would be similar (if not less than) a SOO match, was clearly on display last weekend.
I've got no doubt that Penrith went into the match with a tactic of bombing Oates but Cleary just wasn't able to adapt the gameplan and adjust after Oates went off injured and Mead stepped up.
Don't get me wrong, I highly rate the bloke but I do think he has some work to do before he is up to the required SOO standard.

Oates did alright in SOO Game 1 - he fielded a high kick at the end of almost every set in the first half didn't he? Im sure the stat was something like 14/15 or something.

ice_berg86 wrote:The referees made the right decision to stop play as most players stopped playing except for a few of the panthers. It was a rare situation and i don't expect to see it again for some time. No point overreacting and changing the rules because of it as it was handled perfectly. It was a late call by the refs to stop it but if you watch the replays, the touchie walks in from the side line and that is where the call to stop play came from.

I don't believe play should be stopped for all head knocks, obviously depends on the severity and situation, but there has to be some benefit to the attacking side. No different to a player with an injury. If the player has wobbly legs and rejoins the defensive line, play should be stopped to prevent further injury.

@pieman The refs don't need to be a doctor to determine the severity of a head knock / injury and when play should be stopped, its called common sense. If the player is not moving, then its pretty serious. Players reactions to these types of things are great indicator as well.

Just my 2cents...

Hey mate good post

Thats not the case tho, just because someone is knocked out it doesnt mean its worse than someone who ends up on jelly legs. And vice versa. I dont think that the refs are really in any position to call "stop because this one looks worse" considering how bad they are at calling "knock on" (etc) which are things they are supposed to be experts on. If someone cops a knock and shows a sign that its affected him, play should be stopped right away and the player is treated. In attack and in defence.

Just what I reckon anyway

Kent has a good point tho about it, if he is symptom free he actually has to tell doctors he is symptom free.

Its just odd, considering all the research the USA does on concussion etc, you would think that coming back within a week would be unrealistic. I mean, in the NBA you get players sitting out for weeks and weeks after a concussion and that is barely even a contact sport.

Each case is obviously different tho, and if he has passed all the tests who can really complain?

There is very little doubt in my mind that the NRL is behind the times with its concussion protocols though compared to the USA and in a few years time we will find it amazing that a guy who got knocked out cold one week can line up the next week.

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

Kent has deadset become like a scorned lover these days after Bennett called him out and publicly schooled him earlier in the year....so really his biased opinion doesn't carry much weight.

But in terms of Oates playing.....and let me preface this by saying I am a big fan of the bloke and what he brings to the side......however I was personally hoping he would be ruled out.

This is mainly because he is so dicey under the high ball and will be marking up against the best leaper in the game, with cross field bombs being provided by the best short kicker in the game.
Don't have to be a rocket surgeon to figure out what the Storm last tackle tactics are going to be...

Conversely, Mead is himself exceptional under the high ball and proved that on the weekend when Oates went off.

As an aside and as much as it pains me to rain on the parade of the downtrodden NSWelshman who are banking on Nathan Cleary being the next saviour......I personally thought his immaturity and inability to adapt to pressures that would be similar (if not less than) a SOO match, was clearly on display last weekend.
I've got no doubt that Penrith went into the match with a tactic of bombing Oates but Cleary just wasn't able to adapt the gameplan and adjust after Oates went off injured and Mead stepped up.
Don't get me wrong, I highly rate the bloke but I do think he has some work to do before he is up to the required SOO standard.

Anyone who thinks Oates is poor under the high ball is only remembering about 10 games post origin in the back half of 2016 when he couldn't catch a cold and had zero confidence. The rest of his career, including all of this season he's been one of the best going around not from Fiji Rugby Union under the high ball (even the best such as Billy Slater drop the odd one when attackers are jumping and trying a one handed bat back).

On that, as a Broncos supporter, after years under Griffin and Henjack of holding my breath whenever a bomb is put up on our goal line, between Boyd, Kahu, Oates and yes, even Maranta, it's one area I've felt pretty good about since Bennett came back. I reckon that back three is probably only behind the Storm in diffusing bombs (with the Roosters and Cowboys pretty good too). Before last Friday's match I was expecting to pass out at the thought of Niko trying to catch some of Cleary's floating bombs. It was a terrible feeling.

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

Kent has deadset become like a scorned lover these days after Bennett called him out and publicly schooled him earlier in the year....so really his biased opinion doesn't carry much weight.

But in terms of Oates playing.....and let me preface this by saying I am a big fan of the bloke and what he brings to the side......however I was personally hoping he would be ruled out.

This is mainly because he is so dicey under the high ball and will be marking up against the best leaper in the game, with cross field bombs being provided by the best short kicker in the game.
Don't have to be a rocket surgeon to figure out what the Storm last tackle tactics are going to be...

Conversely, Mead is himself exceptional under the high ball and proved that on the weekend when Oates went off.

As an aside and as much as it pains me to rain on the parade of the downtrodden NSWelshman who are banking on Nathan Cleary being the next saviour......I personally thought his immaturity and inability to adapt to pressures that would be similar (if not less than) a SOO match, was clearly on display last weekend.
I've got no doubt that Penrith went into the match with a tactic of bombing Oates but Cleary just wasn't able to adapt the gameplan and adjust after Oates went off injured and Mead stepped up.
Don't get me wrong, I highly rate the bloke but I do think he has some work to do before he is up to the required SOO standard.

He is 19 and played a season and a half, of course he needs more time to develop and improve.
I wouldnt hate if he was on the bench and brought though slowly, his running game is great and he could be brought through in the cooper cronk mould.

That would also mean that Pearce gets picked at halfback, which cant happen again.
It all depends who QLD pick. If there is no thurston, cronk, slater - then picking clearly should be ok but if cronk and slater are around still it might be with holding off another year. They could be better off just waiting until Smith retires too before blooding him.

Too good Melbourne. In the end a pretty good season given our injuries in the spine this year. Don't mind the shoreline, at 14-0 with 20 minutes to go when had to take chances, and with Melbourne structure that had a 20% chance of working and 80% chance of a blowout. Might as well go down swinging. No for and against in finals.

Disappointed with the game tonight. Very limp effort given the quality of players the Broncos have. That said, they ran into a clinical Storm outfit, but I did expect the Broncos would have got far closer after the Eels ran the Storm right to the wire a fortnight ago and we have also had issues with our spine all season.

Deadset though, what a dog shot merchant Blair is, that hit on Cronk, wow, he is such a cat and I the Brisbane will be better off without him. Then Kahu with his late effort on Slater, but barely a whisper from Sterlo. It was far worse and later than Kings the week before and it was with deliberate downward force on a dodgy knee. No wonder Cam Smith was ropable.

Another disappointing finish Broncs fans, not as bad as my Eels but really not good enough I'd imagine most of you think.

What's the season wash up, how do you guys shape up round one next year.  You guys happy with Nikorima as your starting 7? Is he a Premiership winning half? Is your pack capable of competit g with the best packs in the league? Will be interesting to see how the offseason develops.