The Future Looks Bright, Despite Loss...
by
Sunday July 13, 2003

The Bulldogs ran riot over our 'Baby Broncos' at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. With the final standings at 40-4, the younger, inexperienced Broncos outfit was never really in the game. This has brought a lot of 'doomsdayers' out of the woodwork, who are all publicly wondering about the future of the Broncos after the game. However, I was there in the front row as per usual, and I saw many things to like about some of the younger players throughout the night. Most of the players from the Toowoomba Clydesdales stepped up to NRL football very well and had solid games of Rugby League. However, I also felt that a few of them really stood out, so I will now give them some well-deserved credit after their performances:

Scott Prince!
Following weeks of speculation around the talented halfback's future, I'm sure Scott relished in the opportunity to finally get a run in first grade. Things were made very tough for him, as he lost his 5/8 Brett Seymour very early in the match to a nasty foot injury, which will no doubt see him miss a few weeks. Despite this, Prince had a fantastic game in the no. 7 jersey. His passing and running game was simply exceptional, setting up the only Brisbane try with a beautiful ball to Casey McGuire. To put it simply, Prince showed off the talents he has on the field, giving us all a taste of what we would miss very much if he was to leave the club.

Casey McGuire!
Casey has proven himself to be an extremely talented and confident player this year, in positions ranging from centre, five-eighth and through to hooker. He has come out of his shell this year, putting in some of the best performances the team has seen. Friday night was no exception to this, as he again showed off his exceptional defensive skills and support play, with the added bonus of scoring our only try. From where I stand, he's only going to get even better.

Tony Duggan!
Even before the game started, Tony was definately the man under the most pressure. It's not every day a rookie has to come into a side, to cover for one of the best players in the world today. However, that was Duggan's position on Friday night and he rose to the occasion! He was simply outstanding under the high ball, taking a few under extreme pressure from the Bulldog's wingers. Adding to this, his kick-return was sensational also - making at least 10-15m every time without fail.

Corey Parker!
Corey had another magnificent performance also. His consistent efforts in defense coupled with his damaging, rampaging hit-ups in attack were at the forefront, as he showed us why he deserves a spot in the starting 13. His game has been impressive since season 2002 - the good news being there is plenty of time left for him yet. He is only a young player, and one who will no doubt improve with age.

Carl Webb!
Saving the best until last - Carl Webb was easily my man of the match for the game. Since his return to the NRL just 2 weeks before against the Roosters, Webb has been in spellbinding form. His attacking play has shone brightly, with damaging runs into the bulldogs defense looking consistently dangerous all night. Well played from the team here at BroncoNet Carl Webb - and keep up the good work.

Full credit goes to the talented Bulldogs side, who played a fantastic game of football and did not allow the opposition to get a look in. However, all of you 'doomsdayers' need not worry about the future of the Broncos! There are plenty of first grade teams who would've found it extremely tough to score more than 10 points against the Bulldogs on friday night. Looking at the individual talent coming out of the young Toowoomba side in the QRL, I am only growing more excited about these possible future players as the weeks go on!