Analyse This
by
Monday August 25, 2003

We have all seen the Broncos drop a few games at this time of year. Players are injured, confidence is down and the team appears unenthusiastic. But this year it's a lot worse. The Broncos attack is at times laughable, there seems to be no one wanting to take charge on the field.

Sure, Shaun Berrigan gets in at first receiver and calls a player for a run, but in elite professional football the ball player has to set the plays as the first tackle in attack is taken. He guides the forwards around, giving them two or three runners up for the hit-up, and telling them "another one boys", "lets get some metres", but Berrigan seems content to sit back and let the forwards go one out. This allows the opposing side defence to set for what is now called a "gang-tackle".

In attack we need to put doubt into the defenders' minds, we need people running angles, decoy runners, second man plays, inside balls to someone who is fast on their feet (especially not Shane Webcke). But then it will come down to the ball player. He needs the vision to see which one out of these players:
1. Running off his inside,
2. The straight running decoy,
3. The second man, and
4. The players cutting in from out wide for a short or flat pass.
Is going to break the line or where the gap could be!

The other thing that has other fans and myself concerned is how Bennett is handling this form slump. Wayne does not appear to be trying anything to get them out of the slump. The team appears to lack depth in the halves, well he may have to bite the bullet and call up someone who can do the job. The Tigers are a prime example. They have been in a slump for most of the year. Then Tim Sheens brings in Benji Marshall. The kid outplayed and out controlled Shaun Berrigan in the game last weekend. The Tigers returned to the basics, and guess what? It worked.

Could we bring in Ian Lacey, Isaac Kaufmann, or Josh McCartney? I don't know, because I haven't seen them play. But if they are true ball players with vision we could use their skills. Which brings me to my last topic.

Scott Prince. You either love or hate him. He has the skills, he has the determination but does he have the fitness? It was obvious to me that in the Panthers game we looked flat in attack, as we did against the Tigers. When Prince came on after twenty minutes, our intensity levels rose, he attempted to control the game in defense and attack, his passing was hitting runners on the chest and his short kicking game gave up possession that we crave. As the finals loom, it would be good to have Prince, Ikin and Lockyer combining and guiding the team.

So as I draw an end to my first article I will leave you with these words: We will see the Broncos get out of their form slump sometime soon, but do they have enough time to get to their peak before the finals?

bosko

* bosko is a regular contributor to BroncosHQ, the official Brisbane Broncos online community.