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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 2702382, member: 1899"] What I remember most about 2011 is that the Broncos were very much a jeckyll and hyde side. They could be really good in one half, then be really flat the next. It made them a really frustrating team to watch, because they clearly had the talent but never quite hit the highest gear over a sustained period. They were never really a flashy side. The bulk of their points either came through smart play to their edges or precision kicks to their outside backs, namely Jharal Yow Yeh and Jack Reed. Outside of that, there weren't many plays to talk about. The only one that comes to mind was the outside inside ball Wallace would try with Hoffman which would invariably faill because opposition defences could see it coming a mile away. In comparison, the 2015 version definitely seems flashier. I think the key is that their two most dangerous players are their halves. Lockyer was a damn good player and arguably had a season in 2011 than Milford or Hunt are enjoying. However as an individual, I don't think Lockyer posed as much of a threat. At least, not in terms of his running game. So the Broncos play towards that, by trying to incorporate more ball-play in the forwards, more late offloads through Blair, Parker & even Wallace so the halves can weave their magic against staggered defensive lines. It isn't always consistent, but when it's on-song it's beautiful to watch. Where I think the 2015 side is lacking is the bench. At full-strength, Thaiday is an extremely handy inclusion but since he's predominately had to start since Round 16, the bench hasn't been as strong as the 2011 comparison. That means, the Broncos are more prone to flat spots through out the game, where as the 2011 side generally got better as the game wore on. I believe that's the Broncos biggest weakness as we head into the finals and if they're to be a chance, they'll really need some big efforts from their bench players and fast. With that said, I definitely feel more confident heading into the finals with this squad. Admittedly, it's largely due to the finals format. Had the 2011 finals adopted a similar format, I believe the Broncos would have been a better chance. I'm not going to get too sucked up in the 'what could have been' but still think it's a joke the Broncos could put 40 on the Warriors, yet finish a week earlier. However, I'm more confident in this Broncos team as a unit. Honestly, I had very little faith in the 2011 line-up and was quite frustrated with them heading into the first week of the finals. I thought the final game was something of a disaster, where the Broncos nearly got beaten by an understrength line-up and lost two key players (Hoffman & Thaiday) in the process. Fortunately, they turned up with the right attitude against a poor Warriors outfit. [/QUOTE]

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