Rumours and Stuff

[The Phelan Folly]

I think Gutherson is actually closer to a specialist centre than anything else.

Yep. He is a classic outside number 4.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

You're saying that teams who get thrashed should go to prison?

Yep. Minimum security only though. Maybe one of those farm stays that the white collar crims seem to get. And only in the bye weeks.

 

[T.S Quint]

Yep. Not sure why he cops it so much here. He's been tremendous for us.

He has plenty of great moments, but geez he can have a brain explosion or two on occasion. Some of the passes he tries to get away sometimes are just ridiculously stupid.

I do think the good outweighs the bad though. He still needs to fix his defence though.

 

[IFR33K]

He has plenty of great moments, but geez he can have a brain explosion or two on occasion. Some of the passes he tries to get away sometimes are just ridiculously stupid.

I do think the good outweighs the bad though. He still needs to fix his defence though.

Let's not forget how many times he's slotted into the 6 and still managed to do a great job for us. Just like gutho, he's a mr fix it when need be.

On his defence, he's played many games with a heavily strapped knee or restricted/hampered by injury. This seems to always be overlooked by fans. Even if everyone is fully fit, I dare say BA still picks him.

 

[84 Baby]

IMO taka won't be dumped. He's solid in the centres and can slot in at 6 if need be.

I like Taka too but I don't know if he throw off the bench rotation. He and Edwards would play almost identical roles you would think. I guess we could drop Smith but that would mean either Kaysa goes 80 or there's a 10 minute period of Gunco, Brown or Kenny E playing hooker. Not saying it wouldn't work but it'd need some thought and tinkering

 

[84 Baby]

Plus we'd definitely be playing small then, because Scott has one spot locked down as well. Leaves one spot for Alvaro, Vave, etc. Having Brown and Tepai start helps though

 

[hineyrulz]

Where does Taka play when we are at full strength???

Moses and Normie are our long term halves, and Jennings is a certainty as one centre and IMO so is Guth. Taka is not a winger and is he capable of playing as that interchange bench player??? I don't think so, does he push someone out like Kenny as a wide running bench option??? But we are never at full strength so it's a moot point anyway. It's a good position to be in when we are arguing about leaving out first graders of our top 17.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Taka to take Smiths spot on the bench. Just train him up as a fill in dummy half. Would have to be better than Brown at 9.

 

[Stevie]

Middle half?

 

[Bazal]

Agreed.

Taka offers us versatility, and something different.

I'm a big fan of his.

The problem with Taka is unless he is centre he doesn't fit the side. There are better options at six and on the bench. He's not forcing Edwards out of the side and he's not up to playing in the middle, and even if he was he's not forcing Scott out of the side.

Mr 8.5% posted a side the other week with Taka on the bench at the expense of Alvaro, but the issue with that is who plays the prop minutes? You need 160 of them. Mannah at Matagi average high 30s or low 40s. Vave averages about 30. That leaves you with 50 prop minutes to fill...

Sadly Taka is simply the odd man out. Jennings and Gutho are better centres, Tepai, Manu, and Edwards are better back rowers. So Taka plays for Wenty at full strength

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I like Taka too but I don't know if he throw off the bench rotation. He and Edwards would play almost identical roles you would think. I guess we could drop Smith but that would mean either Kaysa goes 80 or there's a 10 minute period of Gunco, Brown or Kenny E playing hooker. Not saying it wouldn't work but it'd need some thought and tinkering

We could just move Moeroa into the middle full time.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That leaves you with 50 prop minutes to fill...

Moeroa already plays 40 in the middle. Just make the merkin play more.

 

[Bazal]

Moeroa already plays 40 in the middle. Just make the merkin play more.

Yeah but he doesn't play prop. Alvaro averages 40-50 odd minutes and covers the missing prop time in that equation, or most of them.

Which has me stuffed where exactly Moeroa does play, but anyway....I'll watch him closer on Saturday

 

[IFR33K]

IMO gutho will be on the wing for the hoff at full strength, with a license to roam, even possibly rotating with French.

 

[Bazal]

IMO gutho will be on the wing for the hoff at full strength, with a license to roam, even possibly rotating with French.

That is probably the worst spot we could play Gutherson and we get absolutely no value out of any of his strengths except maybe his kick returns.

 

[IFR33K]

That is probably the worst spot we could play Gutherson and we get absolutely no value out of any of his strengths except maybe his kick returns.

I just believe the team will be stronger with taka in it, as opposed to out of it. Taka>hoff.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

That is probably the worst spot we could play Gutherson and we get absolutely no value out of any of his strengths except maybe his kick returns.

His hair would also be unaffected.

 

[Bazal]

I just believe the team will be stronger with taka in it, as opposed to out of it. Taka>hoff.

Nah, Hoff> Taka and Guth as a winger IMO. Guth would probably do as well as Hoff, but he's wasted out there.

I like Taka, don't get me wrong. He's just the obvious odd man out. But with our injuries he'll probably wind up on the bench at some stage.

 

[hineyrulz]

Guth on the wing is an absolute waste.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yeah but he doesn't play prop. Alvaro averages 40-50 odd minutes and covers the missing prop time in that equation, or most of them.

Which has me stuffed where exactly Moeroa does play, but anyway....I'll watch him closer on Saturday

We often only have one 'prop'. Most of our go forward comes from Ma'u and Edwards (and Radradra in our own half) anyway.