Defensive efforts underpin Broncos solid start to NRL season
BRISBANE’S efforts in defence will need to continue if the club is to regain top ranking in Queensland, writes PAUL MALONE in his Four Points column.
Opinion
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1 THE Broncos’ impressive defensive start to the season follows a distinct pattern
in the Anthony Griffin era and its continuation is a must if Brisbane is to climb back to top-dog ranking among Queensland NRL clubs.
It’s also imperative should Griffin be able to strengthen his grip on his job which would have been flimsy had he lost more games in the opening month.
Brisbane’s desperation and discipline in beating Canterbury 18-12 and North Queensland 16-12 carried the hallmark of a team which has pride in its defensive line.
This pride and commitment to excellence was epitomised by Josh McGuire’s try-saving tackle on his tryline against Canterbury in Round 1.
PRINT YOUR ROUND 3 TIPPING SHEET
In the early rounds of 2013, the Broncos conceded 12 points or fewer in Rounds 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, winning all those games except an 8-0 loss to the Roosters.
In 2012, that happened in Rounds 1, 3 and 4, when Brisbane accounted for Parramatta, Newcastle and South Sydney.
In 2011, the first of Griffin’s three-year watch, they won in Rounds 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 over Canberra, Gold Coast, Penrith, Newcastle and the Roosters when allowing 12 points or fewer.
But here’s the warning for Broncos fans feeling pretty good about their 2-0 start.
RATE THE BRONCOS AGAINST THE ROOSTERS
Setting aside those early-season runs of success, the 2013 and 2012 Broncos teams conceded 18 points or more points 13 times in those seasons.
In 2011, the year Brisbane made the preliminary final, that figure significantly reduced, to just eight games.
The Roosters will take some shutting down tonight at Suncorp Stadium, with the absence of the suspended McGuire and the injured Hannant taking some covering.
2 TWO try assists by Anthony Milford in Newcastle last Sunday underlined what a talent the Broncos are bringing to the club as their notional five-eighth next season.
Milford was a handful for the Knights, running 20 times for 203m, making a career-high 13 tackle breaks and three linebreaks.
The Souths Logan product’s numbers in the Round 1 loss in Towsnville were less spectacular. He ran 11 times for 69m, scoring a try and notching a linebreak assist.
Canberra’s Queensland Origin backrower Josh Papalii is out until Round 7 with an ankle injury and will be missed against the Titans, who have won four of their past five matches against Canberra. In the past two clashes, Gold Coast was in control at halftime, winning 38-26 in Canberra in 2012 and 36-0 at Robina at the only meeting of 2013.
It’s hard to like the chances of either the Titans or Tigers, of the teams who played in 33C temperatures at the Gold Coast last Sunday, in Round 3.
3 THE next time the NRL plans a 2pm game in Queensland in March, here’s a suggestion for a curtain-raiser: Play a game of touch between the members of the NRL executive in charge of scheduling and the television network executives who want the game played then for programming reasons.
See how they like it.
It was hot enough just walking from the carpark to the stadium.
The Tigers are $5 underdogs to beat South Sydney off five days between games against opponents who have two days extra to recover and prepare.
The Titans would normally be right in their game against Canberra and will be wanting to make amends for their record home loss to the Tigers.
Tigers coach Mick Potter had a light training run on Tuesday and the captain’s run on the day before the game.
“The whole week will be about recovery,’’ he said.
4 THE Titans have lost their past nine games when backing up from a Monday night game.
They are not Robinson Crusoe in that regard. Many teams are not at their best after playing the last game of the round.
“The good sides handle it _ it’s a mental thing we have to deal with,’’ Titans coach John Cartwright said.
Last Monday’s losers, Cronulla, are not a good side at the moment, but if they get Todd Carney back, as selected, it may spark them enough to beat a Dragons side which travelled back from Auckland with a second win for 2014.
Sydney Derby games often have little to do with recent form and the Sharks are at home.
Canterbury, who won by plenty last Monday night, had two fewer days than the Panthers to get ready for their game tomorrow in Penrith. So there’s every reason to get on Penrith.
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