Maguire Concedes Broncos' Backline Could Be Exploited by Moses
Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has openly admitted that Parramatta Eels halfback Mitch Moses would be foolish not to target his team's shaky backline with strategic kicking in their upcoming NRL clash. This admission follows a disorganized performance in Round 1, where the Broncos suffered a 26-0 defeat to the Penrith Panthers.
Broncos Shake Up Halves Combination for Parramatta Match
Maguire confirmed a significant change to the Broncos' lineup, benching Ben Hunt and promoting Ezra Mam to start at five-eighth alongside Adam Reynolds for Thursday night's game against Parramatta. However, he stopped short of committing to this halves pairing for the long term, emphasizing that player performance will dictate future selections.
The coach highlighted one critical lesson from the loss to Penrith: "It's pretty simple: Hang onto the ball," Maguire stated. "Look at our completion rate. That tells the story right there. We just didn't put ourselves in a position, last week, to put a bit of pressure on the opposition."
Statistical Breakdown Reveals Backline Struggles
In Round 1, Brisbane recorded a completion rate of only 61 percent, the lowest of any team, with their back five responsible for 10 of the team's 19 errors. Two of Penrith's four tries directly resulted from fumbled kicks by Broncos backs, showcasing vulnerabilities that Parramatta could exploit.
Despite Moses downplaying any specific targeting strategy earlier this week, Maguire remained pragmatic about the threat. "They'd probably be silly not to," he remarked regarding Parramatta focusing on Brisbane's backline. "But we've got to make sure that we look after each other. We've looked very much at ourselves this week. We need to get back to what works for us."
Maguire Defends Past Decisions While Eyeing Improvement
Reflecting on the decision to start Hunt and Reynolds initially, Maguire defended the choice based on last season's premiership success. "We've been very successful with Hunty and Reyno. We won a comp off the back of that," he explained.
Looking ahead, Maguire emphasized a forward-focused approach. "It's up to the players to be able to show that each week. We're on a journey to round two now. They've shown that they're very capable," he said, regarding the Mam-Reynolds combination. "We've definitely shown that over time but this is a new season. What's done is done, we've got to move forward to what's ahead of us."
