Round 4 V Knights

[umina panther]

At times we get dominated by the bigger packs. 4 forwards is a must

 

[mxlegend99]

If you have utilities in Peachey (who would play hooker if Wallace went down), Cartwright or Wallace, why put another on the bench? If you think your forwards can do the job and have no need for another forward on the bench, why put another on the bench?

Clearly Griffin is trying to cover for an injury to the backs which happens pretty frequently. I can't see how its wasteful in the slightest...

No... Griffin clearly just doesnt have the balls to drop a player who isnt good enough to get a start in our backline. Using cover for injuries as an excuse doesnt hold up... we can cover any position with our regular 17 except hooker.

Saying Peachey can cover hooker is like saying Latu can cover wing... you can put him there and he can try to do a job. But its going to be a pretty shit job by NRL standards. Peachey is a terrible hooker. Poor passing. Poor defence. He can dummy half run and thats it.

These positions are covered without needing Hiku:

Fullback injured - shift dwz
Winger injured - shift whare
Centre injured - shift yeo
Half injured - shift moylan
Prop injured - got 3 on the bench
Lock - Locks are essentially props these days... Latu... Kikau... anyone will do.

Second row suffers with Hiku on the bench (no jfh means we have 3 middle forwards and no edge forwards).. and hooker just has no cover at all.

Rein would cover hooker.
CHN / Cartwright would cover centre/second row.
I think one of those 3 would be the most valuable backups to have until JFH is fit.

 

[chrisD]

At times we get dominated by the bigger packs. 4 forwards is a must

Doesn't really make any difference, see dragons game.

 

[umina panther]

Doesn't really make any difference, see dragons game.

No thanks, once was enough

 

[TheEroticGamer]

The 4th bench player isn't really the difference between us winning and losing forward battles.

With Harddaker being #17 we toppled teams and probably would have toppled Canberra as well if Tamou and RCG were starting with Latu on the bench.

 

[umina panther]

The 4th bench player isn't really the difference between us winning and losing forward battles.

With Harddaker being #17 we toppled teams and probably would have toppled Canberra as well if Tamou and RCG were starting with Latu on the bench.

Somewhat agree but it is something worth talking about.
Playing players not fit has been the issue so far......and losing to a dogshit Merge side but that was clearly attitude and could actually be useful for Hook over the year

 

[TheEroticGamer]

The 3 forward and 1 utility bench set up worked so well because our forwards could play long minutes without breaking a sweat.

I assume Griffin is getting to the stage of the season where he believes the fitness of his players makes it feasible to go back to this format.But if it was up to me I'd have May there to be honest.

 

[mxlegend99]

There's rumour Cartwright is going to be out of the Knights match. With Peachey shifting to the pack.

You would assume Hiku gets his left centre spot back... and if Griffin believes a back on the bench is important it would have to be Edwards.

 

[umina panther]

Hiku at centre is worse than on the bench. Especially lacking fitness

 

[mxlegend99]

Hiku at centre is worse than on the bench. Especially lacking fitness

Agreed. Not a fan of Peachey in the second row either. Our pack loses a lot of size and he's missing enough tackles as it is.

Its only rumor. Carty is almost certainly out. But that shuffle is just the predicted cover for him.

 

[chrisD]

Hiku should go wing, we have two prime centres.

 

[chrisD]

The 4th bench player isn't really the difference between us winning and losing forward battles.

With Harddaker being #17 we toppled teams and probably would have toppled Canberra as well if Tamou and RCG were starting with Latu on the bench.

What a weird thing to pin your hopes to considering in 3 games with Tamou and RCG starting we haven't scored a try in the first 25 minutes.

 

[tripster]

The 4th bench player isn't really the difference between us winning and losing forward battles.

With Harddaker being #17 we toppled teams and probably would have toppled Canberra as well if Tamou and RCG were starting with Latu on the bench.

Yes although one thing to remember about last year is that for a big part of the season we effectively had an extra forward on the field for 80 minutes with Cartwright playing 5/8.

 

[Kilkenny]

Lot's of conversation around the make up of our bench. Bit tiring really. We haven't enjoyed the start of 2017 we were all hoping for but Friday night is an opportunity to get our season going, secure two points and hopefully a positive performance.

Interesting the season is only early but already injuries are playing there part. We are not the only side to sustain significant injuries but none the less we are coping our fair share. JFH is a disappointing loss given he could be out as long as 8 weeks.

Need the two points against the Knights that is a given. A tough road trip to Melbourne follows so cannot afford any slips up against the Knights.

 

[bebo]

Agreed. Not a fan of Peachey in the second row either. Our pack loses a lot of size and he's missing enough tackles as it is.

Its only rumor. Carty is almost certainly out. But that shuffle is just the predicted cover for him.

Definitely out he has a crack in his leg and will be out 4-6 weeks

 

[martielang]

You can say the same thing about the backs. We already have people in the team that can cover the backs, why pick another one on the bench?

By moving Yeo who is our only 80min forward at the moment and is the major reason why Cleary can handle the traffic being run at him. Changes the whole balance of our forward rotation and defensive structure if he's moved.

Anyway, we agree to disagree. Hiku might not be the perfect bench option for you, but I understand why he's there.

 

[betcats]

By moving Yeo who is our only 80min forward at the moment and is the major reason why Cleary can handle the traffic being run at him. Changes the whole balance of our forward rotation and defensive structure if he's moved.

Anyway, we agree to disagree. Hiku might not be the perfect bench option for you, but I understand why he's there.

Any injury will change our rotation. You realise when our backs all make it through a game Hiku is going to be getting minutes in the backrow don't you? Which means our whole defensive structure changes and Hiku is defending next to one of our halves(TMM most likely) in the back row position. I don't see how that is less disruptive to our defensive line than moving Yeo and putting someone like CHN there, atleast he is a genuine edge forward. If TMM can get by defending in between two centres I think cleary can handle that. But yes we disagree.

Anyway if Carty and Fish are both out for a few weeks we really need to blood CHN this week imo, knowing our luck Yeo will be next and we will be starting peachey and hiku in the back row next week and an uncapped rookie off the bench. Who ever is next in line for the back row(assuming its CHN) should debut this week, knights at home is the perfect chance.

 

[mxlegend99]

So Carty is out 4-6 weeks.
JFH is out for a while also.

We need to bring in a proper second rower. Not move Peachey. When Hiku was injured and Peachey moved to centre our season took off.

With Hiku in the team our win rate is 38%. With Hiku injured our win rate is 68%. I think the main reason for the jump isnt losing Hiku so much as finding a position where Peachey excelled. If we revert back to Hiku at centre and Peachey in the second row I think its a massive step backwards.

 

[franklin2323]

So Carty is out 4-6 weeks.
JFH is out for a while also.

We need to bring in a proper second rower. Not move Peachey. When Hiku was injured and Peachey moved to centre our season took off.

With Hiku in the team our win rate is 38%. With Hiku injured our win rate is 68%. I think the main reason for the jump isnt losing Hiku so much as finding a position where Peachey excelled. If we revert back to Hiku at centre and Peachey in the second row I think its a massive step backwards.

Blake and Whare are fine centres. Hiku will be ok on the wing assuming Edwards doesn't just come in that is.

CHN or Edwards will come in now you would think

 

[mxlegend99]

Blake was pushed to wing for Whare. What makes you think he gets left centre ahead of Hiku?

Hiku played there last year before injury. I expect that he will get his spot back just as Whare did and that he will keep it unless injured.

I can picture Blake being dropped for Mansour and Peachey going back to the bench. Whare already has his spot back.