POTY 2017

[PhantomChief]

I actually think our forwards are coming right. However, with their inconsistent performances in the past, its scary to write that on here because I might jinx them somehow. Matulino, Luke, Gavet, Lilyman and Vete...our front row looks steady with Gavet leading the way in regards to turning in consistent week in week out performances. I hope it continues.

I've been really happy with Vete's impact off the bench last couple of games. I'm hoping he plays himself into a contract and I feel confident he'll do that. Sam's still an enigma for me. Loads of ability but still has the occasional brain-fart!

Gavet's still a question mark for this week's game with the suspected eye-socket injury - so might open up a spot for one of the Sipley boys at least. OR will SK opt for Gubb again?

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I've been really happy with Vete's impact off the bench last couple of games. I'm hoping he plays himself into a contract and I feel confident he'll do that. Sam's still an enigma for me. Loads of ability but still has the occasional brain-fart!

Gavet's still a question mark for this week's game with the suspected eye-socket injury - so might open up a spot for one of the Sipley boys at least. OR will SJ opt for Gubb again?

I reckon we haven't seen the best of Vete. The little bit we have seen of him over the last 2 years is impressive with his offloads, running and hits. Obviously we haven't seen more of that because of his axing. Winning breeds successful players and if Vete was around a good team like say the Cowboys, we'd see his abilities nurtured there with more first grade game time and then that will eventually bring out the best of him from time to time.

All we need from Sam Lisone is more of his direct running, he doesn't do it enough. Comes off the bench like that but then turns into a one hit wonder. Or turns into a half as he does have good ball playing skills but what we need from Sam is more of his hard hit ups. It might be part of the set for him to pass but we got enough passers and he could probably do with Sam running off passers like Johnson or Foran just to mix up it so defenders don't wait for him to run off the ruck (off Luke) and line him up, which can destroy his willingness to run it hard more.

Gubb? I think they see size in him and perhaps stability? Im not sure what they see in Gubb. To me he's just basic, I don't see him making too many errors so yeah maybe they see him as stable option.

 

[Meth]

Interesting that 3 of the top 5 are forwards and yet that is supposed to be our weak spot.

Luke isn't quite achieving according to his potential.

Mannering and Gavet are playing well, but that's not enough to say the pack are playing well.

Thompson and Hoffman have been dismal.

Lisone is going ok.

Matulino isn't setting the world on fire. Neither is Vete.

Gubb and Sao are non-events.

 

[PhantomChief]

Interesting that 3 of the top 5 are forwards and yet that is supposed to be our weak spot.

Interesting too that 2 forwards are ahead of our 'spine'!

Speaks to the notion that our key players are out of sync/form. How bad is it too that a prop, thought initially as a bit of a journeyman and fighting for his survival in first grade, is leading the charge after 12 rounds.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Matulino isn't setting the world on fire. Neither is Vete.

Yeah like I said, Matulino is quietly going about his work and that his stats supports what Im saying in that he's coming around. Vete who's not been the choice of the wise coach Kearney, has done ok. Even when Matulino was on top of of his game 'setting the world on fire' is probably not how I would describe an in form prop.

Stats below should be taken into consideration with the fact that Matulino and Vete have not played as many games as Gavet and Lilyman.

http://www.nrl.com/stats/telstrapremiership/playercomparison/tabid/12694/default.aspx

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Interesting too that 2 forwards are ahead of our 'spine'!

Speaks to the notion that our key players are out of sync/form. How bad is it too that a prop, thought initially as a bit of a journeyman and fighting for his survival in first grade, is leading the charge after 12 rounds.

And thats a good point you make about Gavet. Im not sure if Gavet is doing anything different than he has before, he's still the same player. He's always got a good attitude. I couldn't believe we got him but then Cappy didn't persist with Gavet last year where as this year, he's forced Kearney to pick him through his stand out games.

2 key words you mention in your post that Ive bolded and underlined and want to talk about and thats spine and sync.

I don't believe we have a spine. On Saturday Luke saw an opportunity, scooted out of dummy half and got tackled looking for a runner. It was a situation where Cam Smith would've done exactly the same thing but only he would've turned to find Billy Slater in support sticking down the clutch ready to go from 4th to overdrive. Its like whatever Cams seeing in the defence, Slaters seeing as well and then its 'bye bye bye' like the boy band Nsync. The Storm spine are regularly in sync. They have that familiarity with each other. Our "spine" doesn't really have that relationship and what do you expect when Luke played for the Rabbits, Foran Sea Eagles, RTS Roosters...this year is actually the first year they've played together and spines take time.

 

[Meth]

Gavet is playing the role Matulino should be playing.

Matulino was among the top 2-3 props in the game at one stage.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Matulino looks like hes just quietly counting down till the end of the season. Starting to get niggly in games as well

 

[PhantomChief]

I noticed that too!

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I think Matulino is going well and each to their own as to how he's doing but the stats clearly show that Matulino is doing good given the 3 games he's had. He's had the least amount of games but his stats shows he's busy. I know stats don't tell the full story (unless your Mannering, then its all of a sudden different story there) but at least Ive offered something to support why I think he's doing good.

 

[PhantomChief]

Muts is certainly being pushed to perform as soon as possible. He's already playing more minutes than Gavet despite being back only a short amount of time. He's also clearly smaller and is trying hard to beef up to get to his playing weight of 2016.

IMO he's playing pretty good and I like the Matulino-Gavet starting combo at the minute.

 

[Meth]

Not a whole lot of movement this week

Gavet 13.08
Mannering 11.67
Tuivasa-Sheck 11.11
Johnson 8.24
Luke 6.42
Lillyman 4.97
Maumalo 4.96
Fusitua 3.58
Foran 3.42
Hoffman 3.34
Nicholl-Klokstad 3.1
Ayshford 2.51
Lisone 2.33
Afoa 2.1
Hingano 0.81
Matulino 0.71
Thompson 0.42
Kata 0.22
Gubb 0.07
Vete 0.06
Lolohea 0.05

 

[vvvrulz]

Maumalo 4.96

Full credit to Kenny, he's stood up this year when he should be operating at this level:

Thompson 0.42
Kata 0.22
Gubb 0.07
Lolohea 0.05

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Interesting that RTS is second on the Dally M count before it went behind closed doors.. hes been good but not sure if he has been THAT good..

 

[vvvrulz]

Interesting that RTS is second on the Dally M count before it went behind closed doors.. hes been good but not sure if he has been THAT good..

He's barely second best in our crappy team, huge exaggeration

 

[Meth]

Gavet 15.16
Mannering 13.21
Tuivasa-Sheck 11.11
Johnson 8.78
Luke 6.42
Maumalo 5.87
Lillyman 4.97
Fusitua 3.58
Foran 3.42
Hoffman 3.38
Nicholl-Klokstad 3.1
Ayshford 2.51
Lisone 2.33
Afoa 2.1
Roache 0.87
Hingano 0.81
Matulino 0.71
Thompson 0.42
Kata 0.22
Gubb 0.07
Vete 0.06
Lolohea 0.05

 

[Meth]

New leader, but by the slimmest of margins-

Mannering 15.27
Gavet 15.16
Tuivasa-Sheck 11.91
Johnson 11.44
Luke 6.42
Maumalo 5.93
Lillyman 4.97
Fusitua 3.58
Foran 3.42
Hoffman 3.38
Nicholl-Klokstad 3.36
Ayshford 2.51
Lisone 2.33
Afoa 2.1
Roache 0.87
Matulino 0.84
Hingano 0.81
Thompson 0.42
Kata 0.22
Gubb 0.07
Vete 0.06
Lolohea 0.05

 

[Meth]

Mannering 18.27
Gavet 16.25
Johnson 12.71
Tuivasa-Sheck 11.91
Luke 6.51
Maumalo 5.93
Lillyman 4.97
Fusitua 3.58
Foran 3.42
Hoffman 3.38
Nicholl-Klokstad 3.36
Ayshford 2.51
Lisone 2.33
Afoa 2.1
Roache 0.87
Matulino 0.84
Hingano 0.81
Kata 0.76
Thompson 0.42
Gubb 0.07
Vete 0.06
Lolohea 0.05

 

[Meth]

Mannering 22.27
Gavet 16.25
Johnson 12.71
Tuivasa-Sheck 11.91
Luke 6.51
Maumalo 5.93
Lillyman 5.77
Fusitua 4.41
Afoa 3.54
Foran 3.42
Hoffman 3.38
Nicholl-Klokstad 3.36
Matulino 2.84
Ayshford 2.51
Lisone 2.33
Thompson 1.92
Lino 1.44
Roache 0.87
Hingano 0.81
Kata 0.76
Bell 0.16
Sat 0.11
Gubb 0.07
Vete 0.06
Lolohea 0.05

 

[Meth]

Mannering 22.27
Gavet 16.25
Johnson 12.71
Tuivasa-Sheck 11.91
Luke 6.51
Maumalo 5.93
Lillyman 5.77
Fusitua 4.52
Ayshford 4.28
Matulino 4.17
Afoa 3.54
Foran 3.42
Hoffman 3.38
Nicholl-Klokstad 3.36
Roache 3.09
Lisone 2.33
Thompson 1.92
Lino 1.88
Kata 0.87
Hingano 0.81
Bell 0.16
Sat 0.11
Gubb 0.07
Vete 0.06
Lolohea 0.05