Round 1 2015 Team

[hindy111]

1-Hoppa
2-Semi
3-Takarangai
4-Champion
5-Robinson

Semi is still unpredictable we don't need another winger like this. Champion and takaarangai are good defensively.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

1.Hoppa
2.Radradra
3. Takairangi
4.Champion
5.Fairamo
6.Norman
7.Sandow
8.Mannah
9.peats
10. Lussick
11.moeroa
12. Ma'u
13. Watmough
14.Paulo
15.Gower
16. Pauli Pauli
17. Jnr Paulo

Not bad, except I'd probably go Robbo over Faraimo, with Toutai next in line, then Faraimo. And I'd replace Sepha with Edwards, even if it's purely out of spite.

 

[caylo]

Rather than picking the top 17 you would have more luck dividing the squad into definite top 17 players, possible top 17 players and definite backups. Maybe the middle category could be divided further into probables and possibles.

Definites (IMO):
Hopoate
Mannah
Ma'u
Norman
Peats
Radradra
Sandow
Takairangi
Watmough

So:
1. Hopoate (because we've been told so)
2. Radradra
6. Norman
7. Sandow
8. Mannah
9. Peats
11. Watmough (but playing lock)
12. Ma'u

Then the question becomes where do we play Takairangi. Centre seems the obvious spot but I'm not convinced. Brad Arthur will certainly continue to use the shape with the middle half, and has basically admitted so in his latest interview. And while we've re-signed Joe Paulo, the fact he took so long to re-sign means we don't see him as a key member of the team. I think Brad Takairangi would be perfect in this role, and his utility value (specifically the ability to defend at centre) would be wasted if he was already starting the game at centre. Anyway, where Takairangi plays would depend on who else gets picked in the team (or would who else get picked depend on where Takairangi plays???)

Probable top 17 players:
Champion
Fa'aoso
Gower
Lussick
Paulo Jr

Since we can fit all these merkins in I will go ahead and include them:
1. Hopoate
2. Radradra
3. Champion
6. Norman
7. Sandow
8. Mannah
9. Peats
10. Fa'aoso
11. Watmough
12. Ma'u

15. Gower
16. Lussick
17. Paulo Jr

That leaves two outside backs, one edge forward and a bench spot, with Takairangi to fill one of these. So we're looking for three more additions.

The possibles must surely be out of this mob:
Possible outside backs:
Takairangi
Crooks
Faraimo
Folau
Goodall
Lavaka
Morgan
Robinson
Toutai

Possible edge forwards:
Takairangi
Edwards
Moeroa
Pauli

Finally, that last bench spot will go to a utility or another edge forward.

Possible bench:
Takairangi
Edwards
Moeroa
Pauli

That leaves all the definite backups (i.e. players definitely not in the top 17):
Allgood
De Gois
Hunt
Kelly
Matterson (at least for round one)
Ma'afu
McPherson
Mossop (at least for round one)
Nelson
Paulo, Joe
Pritchard
Terepo
Wicks (at least for round one)

Though as always expect surprises. Some blokes can have a massive off season, others can come back from Christmas with a shit attitude. It was good to hear Arthur's say everyone was in better shape than they were this time last year.

Now this is dependent on Mossops injury status but how is Fa'aoso considered a probably and mossop a maybe. For me mossip is atleast on par with Mannah and Jnr Paulo as our best prop he will definitely be there come round 1 if he is fit.For me Lussick has also been a certainty when fit but he will need to prove himself this year with the addition of watmough and a fit mossop.

I can see our pack looking a little like

Mannah
Peats
Paulo
Ma'u
Meoroa
Watmough

Edwards (middle/edge)
Mossop
Pauli/Takairangi(if his not in the centres)
Gower

I feel watmough will play the Gallen type central backrower role and may spend some time in the front row during games if Edwards is brought on to ball play through the middle.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Could Morgan make a good fullback (even if only the back-up)? He's quicker than people think and he makes good one-on-one tackles (or seemed to in his first couple of years). I dunno about his play-making ability, tho. Or what he's like under the bomb. Anyone familiar with his junior career know if he has any experience there?

 

[Twizzle]

except he cant tackle

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

I recall him being a pretty good tackler when he first came in. Some bad reads but pretty effective. His tackling woes of recent times might have a bit to do with something else, such as the players inside and outside of him?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

When he first came in he defended outside Jeff Robson on the right. Then Sandow came to the club and Morgan didn't trust him (and really, did any merkin?). But this year Morgan played mostly on the left and his defence was fine.

 

[hindy111]

Morgan is just an average player.Barely a first grader.Ok option if you had a star centre on other side.Terrible option if he is your first picked centre or other centre is average.

 

[yy_cheng]

Is champion a star?

 

[hindy111]

Champion at best is average maybe just above.He is injury prone thou.2015 Morgan will play more first grade games than him.Im hoping we have a young guy who breaks thru next year in the centre spot.I think its our weakest spot by a country mile!

 

[Obscene Assassin]

Could Morgan make a good fullback (even if only the back-up)? He's quicker than people think and he makes good one-on-one tackles (or seemed to in his first couple of years). I dunno about his play-making ability, tho. Or what he's like under the bomb. Anyone familiar with his junior career know if he has any experience there?

Morgan can barely pass a ball. We missed a bunch of tries because he didn't look up and see a simple 2vs1 was on and he didn't pass. Definitely not the sort of player you want at fullback.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

Champion at best is average maybe just above.He is injury prone thou.2015 Morgan will play more first grade games than him.Im hoping we have a young guy who breaks thru next year in the centre spot.I think its our weakest spot by a country mile!

Not so sure about next year but over the course of 2015 I think we'll see Nathan Davis step up into NSW cup at centre. Whilst he's in the NYC I hope we play him at fullback or in the halves though, truly develop his overall game rather than what he'll learn at centre. But given our lack of experience at centre with only Erick Aukafolau having played there at NYC level that might be incentive for Hales to play Davis there. We have the experience in the halves not to play him there with Dockar-Clay and Izzard still available and at fullback we have French and Fomai who are more than capable of making the step-up.

It'll be very interesting to see how Hales plays them in the trials as that will give us a bit of insight as to where they'll play during the regular season.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I think Champion is about as good as Morgan. Maybe slightly better. Both are average first graders with strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Champion at best is average maybe just above.He is injury prone thou.2015 Morgan will play more first grade games than him.Im hoping we have a young guy who breaks thru next year in the centre spot.I think its our weakest spot by a country mile!

Champion, Morgan and Takairangi are all off contract. Toutai and Crooks are still contracted for 2016. Dunno about Davis and Sione Folau.

 

[Forty20]

Ryan Matterson, Zach Dockar-Clay, Josh Aloiai, Fabian Goodall, Tui Kamikamica and one other young merkin that I'm having a brain snap on all feature in the first day of pre-season training gallery.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

There's a new gallery up?!? Why didn't you say so merkin!!!

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

Lavaka?

 

[Forty20]

There's a new gallery up?!? Why didn't you say so merkin!!!

http://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2014/11/02/_2015_pre_season_day_1.html

There you go, merkin!

Lavaka?

Player in question...

Spoiler: Large Picture that breaks page formatting...

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Found the gallery.

Good to see Will Hopoate looks like a footballer this year. And a Tongan.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Morgan can barely pass a ball. We missed a bunch of tries because he didn't look up and see a simple 2vs1 was on and he didn't pass. Definitely not the sort of player you want at fullback.

Hey yeah, you're right. He's shit. Anyone suggesting Morgan at fullback should be shot.