Michael Maguire’s focus on putting defensive steel back into the Broncos, a fit Reece Walsh and a fast Allianz Stadium track all spell trouble for the Roosters.
And points for Brisbane.
We all know “Madge” has cracked the whip in Brisbane. That’s no knock on Kevvy Walters at all, it’s just an attitude readjustment. Maguire is putting more effort and attitude into their defence.
Madge’s coaching breaks down to 60 per cent focus on defence, 40 per cent focus on attack, whereas Kevvy is more of an attack-oriented coach. Madge graduated from the Storm under Craig Bellamy, where it’s all about ruck defence, wrestling and suffocating your opposition.
The Broncos looked really fit and powerful in the trial matches, the best of any side. Their forward pack and their bench look very, very strong. And on the back of that power they’ve got the most experienced halves combination in the NRL in Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt.
Their kicking game is first class, but just as importantly, they know when and where to pull the trigger on big plays and when, where and how to guide the team around. On paper, Brisbane look nearly impossible to stop.
Especially when you throw in Walsh, swinging around on those sweep plays off his halves, Brisbane are going to be very hard to contain.
The Roosters, meanwhile, have lost so many world-class players and the only signing they’ve made is Chad Townsend to cover their halves. They’re backing their young players to aim up.
I wouldn’t say it’s a rebuilding phase so much, more of a transition to their next generation of players, which do have a lot of promise.
But those long-term injuries to Sam Walker and Brandon Smith make things really tough. It was the last thing coach Trent Robinson needed, to lose two of his main playmakers while they’re in that transition phase with new combinations being worked out.
Their spine just hasn’t had a chance to play any footy together. Even James Tedesco and Connor Watson, their most settled playmakers, haven’t had too many games together with Watson at hooker.
So how do they combine and attack? That’s something that typically takes time to get right.
And out wide, those defensive combinations are already in the crosshairs. Their right edge of Townsend, rookie Robert Toia and Dominic Young really struggled against Newcastle in their second trial.
Mark Nawaqanitawase will be front and centre in a new position against the Broncos.Credit: Getty Images
I think that’s an area the Broncos will target with Deine Marine on their right edge inside Selwyn Cobbo.
The worrying thing for me again is if there’s a long-term injury in the spine, there’s no obvious replacement waiting in the wings for the Roosters. Townsend has gone from that role to their starting halfback.
They’ve lost their alpha male up front with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves moving to Super League, while Terrell May has been let go and there’s no Spencer Leniu either through suspension. So, I don’t know who’s going to put their hand up to take on Payne Haas.
The match-up
It’s the old bull against the young bull at the back. Tedesco will really try to inspire his teammates: he’ll be getting into first receiver, he’ll be taking hit-ups, he’ll try to play like a halfback and a fullback, and he’s so energetic and skillful. But he’s got to be careful that he doesn’t overplay his hand doing that.
On the other side, Walsh is injury-free and he’s in for a huge year. He’s my early tip for the Dally M Medal and I think we’ll see it on Thursday night. I can see him having space to move on the back of that Broncos forward pack and when he’s got time and space, he’s impossible to stop.
The rain in Sydney has held off, but there’s a lot of wind, so that’s going to keep the dew off the Allianz Stadium surface.
This will make for a really fast track and, without a doubt, that suits the Broncos with their speed out wide and Walsh swinging around the back to really target the Roosters’ new centres Toia and Mark Nawaqanitawase.
Joey’s tip: Broncos 13 plus.
First try-scorer: Selwyn Cobbo
Man of the match: Reece Walsh
$1 million can solve Vegas-World Club Challenge issue
Once again, ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys is a genius. The Las Vegas season opener is all anyone’s spoken about, and it’s had nothing but saturation media coverage for the past two weeks.
I think everyone acknowledges that four games is too many for one day of footy over there.
What I would look at is the two NRL games as we’ve got now, and then adding the World Club Challenge to the line-up, keep that clash between the NRL and Super League premiers and give it a new elevated platform instead of the back and forth we have every year about where, or even if, it will be played.
Las Vegas was a great spectacle again.Credit: Getty Images
I would put up $1 million in prizemoney, winner takes all, to help ease some of the logistical headaches the NRL premiers would encounter organising a Vegas trip with a short lead-in.
The other thing is making sure those English fans can still get there, because what they brought to the atmosphere and added to the event was outstanding. Set aside 15,000 tickets for them, and whoever wins the Super League title, their fans will turn up, don’t worry about that.
Unfortunately for the Jillaroos, they need to find a team that can compete with them, and they’re probably going to be punished because they’re too good, they’re too professional and they’re too far ahead of any rival countries.
If they’re going to stay with four games, the NRL needs to get New Zealand involved if it’s a Test match, or maybe even go with two NRLW All Star teams. Either way, the best women’s players need to be on show.
Michael Chammas and Andrew “Joey” Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. Sign up for the Sin Bin newsletter.
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now
