Rd17: Brisbane Broncos v Cronulla Sharks

[HodgoBerro]

deegan if you want to know - i am very happy to forward on the email i get each home game to you


obviously you don't believe me.


and anyone who wants some info on ben vaeau - i'm happy to pass it on

[Kallan]

Raper praises Sharks

Cronulla coach Stuart Raper has paid tribute to his team of unheralded no-names.

The Sharks, who were ridiculed after losing four of their opening five matches of the season, are now third on the NRL ladder, largely due to the efforts of several players who have repaid the Sharks' faith in them.

Utility Brett Kearney was unwanted at South Sydney but has made the most of the lifeline thrown to him by Cronulla.

Dumped by premier Wests Tigers, Luke Covell has been rewarded by the Sharks with a new two-year deal on Wednesday, while rookies Luke Douglas and Beau Scott left the Dragons and have prospered at their new home.





Throw in hooker Kevin Kingston, who was axed by the Sharks at the end of 2004 before his impressive form at Newtown earned him another crack at the big time, and it is clear how far the Sharks have come.

"We gave some of these guys another opportunity and they've rewarded our good faith with some outstanding form over the last couple of months," Raper told The Daily Telegraph.

"At the beginning of the year we were probably getting harshly judged when we lost a few games by only small margins but through that tough period all of these blokes really put their hands up."

"There's a lot of belief and confidence in the players that they can do the job and a lot of these guys have really made the most of it."

"Our local juniors just keep getting better too, the likes of Reece Williams and Dave Simmons, they're going from strength to strength."

Rated a $51 chance to win the premiership after their poor start to the season, the Sharks are now given an $8 chance to end their 39-year premiership drought.

"I can't change history books, we haven't won a title - but I do know every year the club is different," Raper said.

"History is the black and white of what's read or said, it's not what's done. We'll be drawing on what we can do, not what's happened in the past.

"Obviously it would be very exciting to be the first team to win the premiership in this area."

Sportal

[Kallan]

Webcke confident of upset
by Scott Dickson

STAND-IN captain Shane Webcke believes his baby Broncos can reverse their mistake-riddled showing against South Sydney and prevail in their final and more challenging 2006 test against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

The Origin-depleted Broncos were thumped 34-14 in round 14 by the then winless Rabbitohs at Telstra Stadium but now face the equal second-placed Sharks who have won eight of their past nine matches.

In round 17, the Broncos are again missing eight Queensland stars through Origin duty or injury.

They will field an inexperienced backline containing second-rower Dane Carlaw in the centres, and their rookie four-man bench has played a total of only 10 NRL games.

Their rivals on the other hand have only contributed NSW back-rower Paul Gallen to next week?s Origin decider and contain the likes of Test stars Brett Kimmorley, Nigel Vagana and Darren Albert.

But with a representative-like pack featuring Brad Thorn, Corey Parker and David Stagg, Test prop Webcke said the Broncos will still field a ?bloody good team?.

?We may not have our Origin players but if you look at our team it is one most NRL clubs would be happy to put out on a weekly basis,? Webcke said.

?I am more than confident we can beat Cronulla but to do this our game plan must be well calculated. We don?t need to be flarey. We just need to hold the ball and defend well and we will get out tries.

?One thing we must not do is turn over the ball like we did against Souths. They played well against us but in a way we beat ourselves by making too many mistakes.

?If we held onto the ball that night it would have been a different story.?

After trailing the Rabbitohs 16-10 at half-time, the Broncos scored in the 45th minute to reduce the margin to two and looked to be gaining the ascendancy.

But a number of simple errors in the drenched conditions inside their own half led to Rabbitohs tries in 48th, 61st and 75th minutes as the Broncos capitulated.

?We were probably also guilty of complacency against Souths and thought we were going to get an easy game,? Webcke said.

?Against the Sharks we know it is going to be a tough game and in a way that will ensure we are not complacent and deliver a strong performance.?

The baby Broncos beat Cronulla 22-10 in the corresponding round 17 fixture last year when missing five Maroons stars to the Origin decider in Brisbane.

?That result does not give us any confidence to do the job again,? Webcke said.

?You are comparing apples to oranges there because at the end of the day Cronulla are a much better side to what they were last year.

?We had to play very well to beat them last year and will have to be even better this time.?

Webcke said the backline was not the side?s weak point despite containing rookie winger Fraser Anderson, and Carlaw and flanker Scott Minto out of position in the centres. Minto has not played since tearing a pectoral muscle in round three.

?We have a backline that can produce tries so if our strong forward pack can hold its own then we will be in good shape,? Webcke said.

22-year-old Kiwi prop Ben Vaeau is the only Bronco to debut and will play off the bench alongside back-up hooker Ian Lacey, forward Nick Kenny and 18 year-old five-eighth/lock Joel Moon.

?Ben is very capable,? fellow prop Webcke said.

?He has been training with the first grade squad for a while. He is big and mobile, has good footwork and is quite a clever footballer so I am looking forward to seeing him test his arm.?

brocnos.com.au

[Kallan]

Webcke makes it 251

Veteran Ergon Energy Broncos prop Shane Webcke will celebrate his 251st first grade match for the Broncos against the Cronulla Sharks at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday (June 2).

In a break from tradition, the Broncos and Webcke will celebrate the ?unusual? milestone when Webcke leads his Baby Broncos in to Sunday?s battle. Usually landmark matches such as 100, 200 and 250 are celebrated by the Broncos, but Webcke made a special request for Sunday?s game to be marked as significant in his career.

?I have nothing against Brookvale Oval, the people of Sydney or Sea Eagles supporters, but I did not want to celebrate something as important to me as this, away from home,? Webcke explained today.

?I looked at the draw and realised that the Sharks game would be a really big one for the club, and for me personally. With so many players unavailable because of Origin commitments and injury, this is a very important game for the Broncos. I am pleased now that it has additional significance for me.?

In the absence of Test and Origin skipper Darren Lockyer, Webcke will again captain the Broncos on Sunday ? for the 10th time, and possibly the last. He hangs up his boots at the end of Season 2006.

Webcke has become just the sixth Broncos player to reach the 250-game milestone, following hot on the heels of Lockyer who achieved the feat in round five against the Rabbitohs. The other four ahead of him are Michael Han****, Allan Langer, Kevin Walters and Andrew Gee.

His 250 first grade matches for the club include 241 NRL games, eight Super League World Challenge matches (1997) and the World Club Championship final, against St Helens, in 2001. Webcke joined the Broncos in 1994 and made his NRL debut in 1995, against North Sydney.

He has played 21 State of Origin games for Queensland and 20 Tests for Australia.

broncos.com.au

[DIEHARD]

I had better go buy my tickets.

[HodgoBerro]

dont forget guys i'm at the broncos leagues club after the game for the post match presentation


if you are interested;

Broncos Leagues Club
Fulcher Road
Red Hill

its 10 dollars from the city via taxi and 2.60 (adult) and 1.30 (concession) Single on the bus

or if you have gone to the game its free - just show ur ticket or season pass to the bus driver. however please be reminded that you must purchase a bus ticket on the way back from the leagues club to the city


if anyone is interested in going to the club after the game and wants to follow me - i sit in aisle 320 row 2 seat 18

i'll be there for about 10ish minutes after the game while i pack up my signs and bag before the staff throws me out

[[BroncosGirl]]

it was the rabbitohs game in 2004 he got knocked out after a high shot. dunno who did it but poor gi jane was dribbling and had nfi where he was

OH, haha, but he was good before that right?!

[HodgoBerro]

he had just scored his 2nd try

it was kickoff he got the ball was hit high and out like a light

[[BroncosGirl]]

he had just scored his 2nd try

it was kickoff he got the ball was hit high and out like a light

Oh Yea, thought so, I thought he had scored a double. Hmm lets hope that happens again, but NOT the knock out

[HodgoBerro]

i doubt it - we are playing the sharks not the bunnies

[Souths'n'Titans]

Rabbitohs seem to injure a few people like SBW and Carlaw and Ennis

[HodgoBerro]

carlaw was back the next week

in the centres - him and tupou had a deadly combo back then

[Souths'n'Titans]

carlaw was back the next week

in the centres - him and tupou had a deadly combo back then

Oh fair enough then

[HodgoBerro]

watch both the broncos vs rabbitohs and the broncos vs panthers game from 2004 and i'll be right

[Teegy]

SMH

Broncos duo Greg Eastwood and Ben Hannant are both set to make surprise early returns from injury in Sunday's NRL clash against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium.

Interchange forward Hannant has already declared himself fit and been added to Brisbane's team after a rapid recovery from knee surgery.

Rising New Zealand utility Eastwood is poised to join him in what would be a 19-man squad after training strongly.

Eastwood was picked to play for the Kiwis in this week's Tri-Nations Test against Great Britain in England but failed to make the trip due to a torn hamstring.

The teenager can play virtually anywhere on the ground and could start either in the centres or the back-row against the Sharks.

Coach Wayne Bennett will finalise his depleted team after a final training run at Red Hill.

The Broncos are missing five regulars due to State-of-Origin duty while another four are sidelined through injury.

A victory on Sunday would move Brisbane into outright second place on the NRL ladder behind competition pace-setter Melbourne.