TBH I think Wakey played within themselves on Saturday, and could have turned us over more convincingly had they really gave it a go. Thought they pretty much shut up shop mid way through the second half as we weren't offering much going forward.

We've gotta be better next week surely?

I can't honesty see any improvement from the second half of last season with the exception of BJB. Yes, we had more gas, before we should have in the first game of the season. Wakey just did what they needed to, an expansive would have ripped us to shreds. The attack consists of 13 players taking one-up hits and then a fumble of rushed kick on the sixth. It is so predictable. Yes, we were rusty but unless the playing style changes it will be heroic defence and heroic defeats.

Sorry to be so negative, but I thought Brian lost the plot last season, and I see no evidence of any change in mindset. Compare how John Kear has managed on a limited budget and how we have. Needless to say our 30th Anniversary year is going to be a wake. Go on boys prove me wrong. It is tragic when the main aim must be to get bums on seats, we will have a bore-fest, unless our opponents decide to entertain us. Can anyone explain why McDermott changed his game plan so dramatically, it is hard to think we beat Wire 60-0 last year. McDermott seems to have a 'bunker' mentality. Snap out of of it before it is too late.

I'm not pretending Tronc is a world beater, he's just a big cart horse to drive it down the middle, and that's one of the things we're missing. Heckenberg on form (which he wasn't most of the time) could do that, although he wasn't as bulky. Our problem is we've too much lateral movement, we're going sideways all the time cos there's no impact through the middle. I'd settle for any big, cart horse prop with decent NRL experience.

When it comes to creating something Wakey had Obst, Jeffries and Brough, now I don't really rate any of them that highly (Jeffries possibly pick of the bunch IMO), but they've got options between them. We had Orr, because Gale spent most of the game doing an impersonation of roadkill.

You're very touchy about your side. If you think these are anything more than competent professionals you're deluded, most of them have been shown the door by bigger clubs clubs. Millard and Tronc are solid NRL players, Obst was an NRL reserve grader. Brough has pace and a good kicking game, but his journeyman record is testament to him missing something that would make him a top class half. Morrison and Newton have both seen better days. It's not a bad side, but it's workmanlike, it's got "competence" rather than "class" stamped all over it.

If the clubs here are smart enough they will target him, just like he was targeted and became a liability after half a season in the NRL.

Think your the deluded one, but hey I'll wait till the end of the season to see if your gob is still flapping like an open door.

I love your use of words like competent, class and workmanlike. They are always the cliche words people like you reach for when you can't accept the obvious.

If Tronc had joined Leeds or Saints you would be wetting yourself as to how potentially good he is. However he joined Wakey and you just can't take it - ditto Morrison and Millard (reserve judgement on Newton). It's really sad but we are used to it.

Get over yourself.

Give it a rest oh clueless one, he was the best yardage maker in the NRL last year and a top off loader. NQC were gutted to see him go. There are few flaws in his game and he was easily one of the top six props in the NRL last year.

Stop making a fool of yourself.

I sometimes struggle with Macs decision making-We defended 4 or 5 sets and then got the ball. We then give the ball over and naturally we run out of gas and concede. At this point(damage done) he makes 2 or 3 changes- bemusing.

He then puts Melling into hooker, the young lad into the pack and O'C into the backs and we pick up a bit. 5 minutes later we are back to square one and he whips them off.

Good coaches to me are quick thinkers and see things others dont-I sometimes think Mac believes defence and aggression will get you through.(I accept we have a limited squad)

Clubby and Gale were of the pace of the game.

At no point in that game did I think we could pull it back. The length of the field try was a sucker punch but brought about by a weak kick.

Don't forget the non existant chase and dismal attempt at a tackle.

We were very average but no surprise there. The first 20 mins we were clueless. No one seemed to know what they were doing. At least it improved a bit. Melling seems wasted as the ball is never going to get out there. Seemed the spell where he was at hooker was the only time we played above walking pace.

Would much rather we lost playing a bunch of young english (and london) players than win with a squad full of ageing journeyman aussies.

:

Disagree, I thought Clubb had a decent game at centre, agree about Gale though.
And Mac's decision to give Randall, like a 10 minute break? Was confusing, Melling looked usefull in the game, he made a few good runs, made a good run threw the middle and broke a tackle iirc.

Christ, he broke a tackle? Really?

I'd sooner we were winning as the London Broncos as a team full of Aussies than a team full of losers and a club that is on the verge of going out of business, even if they have a few English players on their books. Each to their own though. If we had a 10 year license I could understand your point. But we don't.

Your views are not consistent with that of the coach and chairman, that I can tell you. At least we all agree about Gale.

You're totally barking


Half your squad are journeymen yet I'm the one who can't accept the obvious. There are no flies on you, eh?



Still it must be quite pleasant to inhabit an alternate reality where your club signs a journeyman or a solid NRL player nd they're suddenly transformed into something more special, your the sort of person the PR manager wets themselves over.

I initially thought Clubb was quite subdued i.e. not his usual biff and bash self, but then I came round to the view that he was actually trying to be disciplined and keep to his position. I think that's probably something we're going to have to accept, given the criticism he's had in the past for loose positional play. But then I didn't think our backs were the problem on Saturday, the problem is the lack of physical presence in the pack, we seldom hit the ball up with pace, we're more likely to see Sharp do that, whilst our forwards come on to the ball flat with no pace and make about 5 metres if they're lucky. Part of it is the weakness at halfback, Orr is struggling to run it by himself and Gale doesn't look like he can be a starting halfback at this level (fine coming off the bench as an impact hooker).

Yes but is our coach or chairman going to recognise the major fundamental weakness we have in the pack and halves? Clubb having a quiet game is nitpicking when we've got no go forward and only one effective halfback in the squad?

The clock is definitely ticking for McDermott and QuinsRL. Paul Blanchard is getting his act together with sponsorships etc but without an attractive form of open rugby the increase in crowds won't happen. People may turn up if a team entertains but winning or losing by a few points in a bore-fest will just turn people off. In London people have too many alternatives and if ain't entertaining they simply won't come. Unless McDermott changes his mindset or goes, we are doomed, it is as simple as that IMO.

that even some of the so called journeyman Aussies understood what the club was about and where it stood in the general British game and appeared to want to play in the colours and appreciate what it meant to do so for a London club.

Was that in part due to having a coach who had played for the club and knew what message to give players such as Cram, Retchless, Moran, Millard etc?

Maybe Nudenut could shed some light on that aspect.

Spot on poplar.

The Aussie journeymen loved playing for the club I guess - a nice atmosphere within, the blokes were probably all mates with each other off the pitch and enjoyed being effectively an Australian team with an Aussie coach. And they put in 100% to entertain the supporters and earn their crust. Fantastic. Now we have a draconian coach, English journeymen who aren't good enough, and a smattering of talent from the South.

I'm really struggling to understand the fascination with having an English team. As far as I am concerned, I couldn't care less if the blokes were from Bangladesh, as long as they played entertaining rugby that I could go along, watch, and enjoy, and hopefully pick up a few wins. I realise the quota rules are tighter than they were, but other teams seem to manage it.

I always felt when I went to the Broncos that we had a fighting chance going into any match, and now I am just feeling that defeat is inevitable every week, and I'm getting to the stage where I'm not even bothered because its a crap club to support at the moment. God knows what occasional supporters think. Does anyone honestly expect us to give Warrington a game next week?

'League Express' has us down as finishing bottom this season, which is very hard to argue with. The nagging thought that keeps coming to me is that we're not even going to apply for a franchise in the next round - our player recruitment would certainly appear to be directed at a long term future in the Co-Op leagues!!

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These are two (what would seem to be) opposing viewpoints, but I agree with both. These are my thoughts after thinking about the game and the situation for a little longer.
[1 Some of the players we have coming through from London and SE are very, very good. I think many of these players have bright futures and I am super super enthused about the prospect of seeing a good team made up of home grown talent (and these players gaining representative honours etc.).

[2 I know there is an element of cutting your coat to suit your cloth, but without naming names (you can fill in the gaps), some of our signings in no way represent young and upcoming English talent. They are neither young nor promising, some aren't even "experienced heads", because they've spent many years of their career in the lower leagues. I would much rather see their places go to our local talent (given our funds). In fact, the only difference I can see between "journeyman Aussies" and "journeymen from the North" is that by and large the Aussies were better.

[3 The quota has been poorly managed. We have 2x spaces available. This isn't widely publicised, but before Chad Robinson left McDermott went on record saying that we could, but are choosing not to fill Gafa's spot and are instead focusing on what we have. After one game, with 18 fit players left* and Louie facing a ban, he is not exactly looking like Socrates.
[size=85:kxsq96l8*McDermott's own words form the Super League show.[/size we had no idea all of last season, when there were was plenty of grass to practice on. This is just a cover for the fact McDermott can't coach good attacking rugby.