Round 12, 2010: Broncos 20 - Sharks 4 at Toyota Stadium

cuthbo had a great game my player of the match,had to listen to bronco supporters with 1 10 min drive back boys played ok just was not our night

I loved how cuthbo threw his weight around in defense, BOOOM!

Had something typed up here to say then the compy went and had an attack of the shutdowns and lost it. Anyway, Smith was atrocious but the best thing for all involved is to pick him again next week.

One observation- Smith and Barrett were on different sides of the ruck this week. Presumably to get Smith out of Izzy's way? That worked, but it destroyed our cohesiveness in attack. Back to the training paddock.

I was much more pleased with how we defended tonight. Aside from Cuthbo's miss, we were really good, and best of all the goal line defence was really strong. :Yes:

btw... Did anyone (namely peachey) see how Ashton Sims went for them? Looked a bit slow but... was the third best prop on the park. :glasses-cool:

im glad cuythbo played wll then

Am I the only one who has been left scratching their head as to how we lost? Particularly after the first half performance. The lads showed a lot of heart tonight

Lockyer helps Broncos sink Sharks - Yahoo!Xtra Blogs (blog)

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=...sharks&usg=AFQjCNFJDDHOo5hTJrxgkOMHVj6x_AoGxQ

Lockyer helps Broncos sink Sharks
AAP
May 29, 2010, 11:16 pm

Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak hailed skipper Darren Lockyer following his tremendous display in the Broncos' 20-4 NRL win over Cronulla on Saturday.

The Queensland and Australia captain showed no ill-effects in backing up from Wednesday's State of Origin opener, to guide his side to a third successive victory, with brilliant all-round performance.

Lockyer raced home for a second-half try, set up Israel Folau for a four-pointer and also produced a fantastic tackle to deny fellow veteran five-eighth Trent Barrett just in front of the posts.

Barrett, whose recent good form should keep him in the picture for a NSW recall, expertly re-gathered his own chip and chase minutes before the break, only to be hauled down by Lockyer who sprinted back to make the challenge and prevent a certain try.

Both Henjak and Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart agreed the moment was a turning point in the game, with the Broncos leading 2-0 at the time.

"I thought he (Lockyer) was our best tonight, he led by example and backing up the way he did from Wednesday, saving that try and getting one himself, he made a huge contribution to the win," Henjak said.

"Those plays turn footy matches and there were a few of those for us tonight, Darren's was the crucial one ... and they are the big plays we were not producing earlier in the season."

Lockyer played down his role in the tackle and also tipped Barrett to perform well if selected by the Blues for the second match in Brisbane next month.

"I was probably lucky, I got my fingers inside his shorts, I was only an inch away from missing him but it is always satisfying when you get those ones," Lockyer said.

"Barrett was good, we have had a good few battles over the years and I guess he did his Origin chances no harm at all tonight."

Stuart was philosophical about his side's display and admitted Brisbane were full value for their win.

"They deserved to win the game, they replicated their first half, and I told our boys if they could do the same then they would be in there at the end," Stuart said.

"We perhaps threw too many dry weather passes and gave them a chance and we can't do that against good sides like Brisbane."

Stuart also lamented two missed opportunities, with Isaac Gordon as well as Barrett denied by a last-ditch tackle early in the second half by Matt Gillett.

"Lockyer did a real good job there getting back on Trent and Gillett got a jumper pull-down on Gordon," he said.

"Both would have gone for tries ... and that was the difference in the end."

Stuart joined Lockyer in backing Barrett's Origin chances and said NSW should have a natural playmaker at five-eighth.

"We need a guy like Trent ... I wouldn't put my name to it if I didn't think he was up to it, I wouldn't want to embarrass myself," he said.

"A genuine half is what we lacked, Jamie Lyon has got great ability as a centre ... I think Trent showed last year he is still capable of playing that kind of footy.
"We have to look at players that Queensland don't want us to pick and Trent is one of them as he tough and very experienced."

i'm happy with the attitude we had and the way we played.

if tautai and smith had've had average games, wed've gone close to winning it.

Smith cost us a least two tries tonight with his kicking game ( my misses kicks better than him ) if he looks and goes through the hands we score ( AT LEAST TWICE ). As for gordon why would you try a chip kick with one minute in the first half :dougy: thirty seconds later they score . I am happy that (piggy) cuthbo went ok i am one of his biggest baggers but for our side i am glad to see he went ok .After all he wasnt the only one to miss a tackle (dougy) same try.

yeh i bag cuthbo alot, on here and when i see him. i hope he keeps the big defence up and gets the lazy **** outa his game

Man i hope Fergo slapped the **** out of tim smith after the game. You could see how pissed he was, Fergo had 2 trys in the bag if his kicking game was on par.

everyone bar Tim Smith had a great game.

And i dont know about the rest of you. but i dont think it would be to stupid to have Aiton and Morris on at the same time more often. we look so good when the pair are on the ball.

100% agree jigsaw.... its just shuffling them about

Jigsaw said:

Man i hope Fergo slapped the **** out of tim smith after the game. You could see how pissed he was, Fergo had 2 trys in the bag if his kicking game was on par.

everyone bar Tim Smith had a great game.

And i dont know about the rest of you. but i dont think it would be to stupid to have Aiton and Morris on at the same time more often. we look so good when the pair are on the ball.

Click to expand...

You are kidding who is your pack who do you leave off :gal:

im not saying for the whole game. but for the last 10 mins of the first half and the last 20mins of the second half id have them both on the field. Id also only have the pair on together when i have Snowden, Douglas, Gallen and Topou on. Leaving Milo on the bench for his breather

Sims is rubbish but his younger brother in NYC is a bloody dynamo

watching the 2nd half sucked, was at the local pub for my sister in laws birthday and the big screen was bloody a few smaller screens stuck together, made Sticky look like a fuggen koala

someone tell gallen he isnt a halfback, he is playing up the guts like a half, standing at first reciever and directing the forwards.

second thoughts, he is doing a bloody great job at it

you know what. It was an encouriging performance. at leats we went down playing decent. In the end, a Better Halfback and centre on the night won the game.

Our decision making was very poor at critical times. Cause of this we lost 20-4 instead of won 30-14

Tim Smith had a shocker, and the worst part is even when we had two hookers on the field he still wanted to take it from dummy half. I even saw him push Aiton out of the way once.

It was just one of those days for him which is fair enough. Tautai on the other hand screwed up too many times once again and just showed he isn't a first grade player.

Back from another wet night watching the Sharks lose! Same old, same old I guess but this time there was something different...

Tonight we looked like we could win that game, in fact I would go as far as to say we should have won that game.

The boys played really well and looked the more dangerous of the two teams all night. The Broncos score a lucky try after Lockyers kick is charged down yet still manages to fall perfectly for Folau. That kinda **** can only happen to us. They only got down there after a dubious penalty against Tupou for a strip. Funny, when Queensland do EXACTLY THE SAME THING in Origin, it is considered a try. Like I told ya, Origin is all about the ratings - normal rules apply for NRL games.

The Broncos second came after their only line break of the night up to that point and they score. We, however make numerous line breaks and somehow just can't get a result.

Tim Smith butchered two tries for good measure. It was just that sort of night.

On the positive side, all our forwards were great, Cuthbo had a great game, missed one vital tackle that undid alot of his good work. Aiton was dangerous and Tupou looks like a new man the last two weeks. Gal, Dougie, Snowden always put in and tonight was no exception.

How good is Nathan Gardner looking? He was awesome, took a screamer of a bomb in the wet. He is our fullback. Issac Gordon is excellent, Collis is looking the goods too. Trent Barrett had a great game as well and stamped his claim on Origin 2.

The only backs to miss out were Fego and Tautai for mine. Not really a bad game from either but nothing to write home about.

Once again, refereeing had me scratching my head continually.:No:

I think we were unlucky tonight but that same effort will see us win more games this year. You make your own luck after all.:good::cheers

Tim Smith's kicking effort tonight reminded me of when I play FIFA on my PS3 and I hold the shoot button for too long and know the ball is getting skyed even before it does. As soon as the ball came off Timmy's boot, I (and I assume everyone who saw it live) knew there was no way Fergo was getting on the end of it. Right idea, poor execution. Passable for now.

I was calm about tonight. Obviously disappointed that we lost, but I was relaxed when I turned the radio on for the first half and watched the 2nd on tele. I haven't been like that since about a May 2009. Reason: I think we turned the corner last week. Everything isn't quite so frantic any more.

Dour in the damp but Darren delights - Sydney Morning Herald

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=...552455&usg=AFQjCNEQC7DT1UzfVYMmbWeNvLuyPMFySg

Dour in the damp but Darren's a delight
PHIL GOULD
May 30, 2010

THE ANALYST

The Sharks hosted the Broncos on a rainy night in the Sutherland Shire. The persistent wet gave defence the ascendancy over attack. It wasn't a pretty spectacle but it was certainly physical.

Unless you've played a game of first-grade football on a cold, wet and slippery surface, it would be hard to appreciate watching a game played in such inclement weather. I enjoyed the tussle. I thought the two teams gave their all.

The forward confrontation was brutal. They lined each other up and spared nothing in the collisions. I called this battle as a draw.

Despite the difficult conditions, there was a genuine effort by both teams to move the ball around.

Both sides tempted fate with skilful passing rushes and occasionally one of the speedsters threatened to break free into open space. Rarely did they succeed.

The Sharks were the better team in the first half. They dominated field position with their excellent ball control and powerful running. For the most part, their kicking game was well executed, but a couple of fifth-tackle clangers by half Tim Smith smacked of brain explosions. On both occasions the Sharks had the Broncos defence totally disorganised. Instead of capitalising, Smith's misdirected kicks relieved the pressure on the visitors and valuable opportunities were lost.

Against the trend of the first period, the first try in the match came to the Broncos from a bomb in the 39th minute of the match.

It was obvious tries would be hard to come by so the 6-0 lead was a big one. After Darren Lockyer loomed in support of a Justin Hoffman line break in the 48th minute, the score jumped out to 12-0. The Sharks never gave up and fought valiantly to get themselves back into match. The slippery ball and committed defence thwarted their attempts.

Forced to push the pace, they came up with a lot of half-chances - but also a lot of mistakes at crucial moments.

DARREN LOCKYER

What a marvel. He was the difference between the two teams.

Backing up from the euphoria of Wednesday night's Origin success, the champion playmaker led the way for enthusiasm, inspiring younger teammates.

In all the little areas of the game, Lockyer's attention to detail was exemplary. He chased kicks, supported the ball runner, covered for teammates in defence and kept himself in their attacking game with plenty of experienced touches.

His one-on-one, try-saving chase on Trent Barrett when the score was 0-0 was the highlight of the match. If Barrett scored and the home side led 6-0, the result could well have been very different.

On such a miserable, low-key night, in front of a small crowd, you could excuse the veteran if he had a night off. Not so Locky. He led the way. Brilliant stuff.

THE BRONCOS

There's no doubt the Brisbane club is in a transition period with their playing roster.

This is a team with a number of classy senior players, each probably trying to ignore the memories of better times so they remain totally focused on the present and their responsibility to developing the younger players in their squad.

Forwards Sam Thaiday and Corey Parker continually put in a good day's work.

The younger blokes are talented.

They make rookie mistakes but there's no doubting their desire to live up to the high standards of those who have worn the jersey before them.

The Broncos are determined and their improvement has been gradual.

CRONULLA'S ATTACK

There has been a huge improvement in their past couple of performances. They are looking more enthusiastic and far more relaxed.

The improved ball movement has been a feature. Five-eighth Barrett keeps them bubbling along with his selective passing game.

There is less bash-and-barge about their football and they finally have speed out wide to threaten their opponents.

They just need to be more patient in try-scoring zones. They make far too many unforced errors.

CONCLUSION

This was not a brilliant spectacle - but a solid game of footy just the same. The Sharks tried hard, as always. The Broncos just had that little more finesse.