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2018 Forward Pack

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,988
From what I am hearing, the thinking is that the secondrowers must play for 80 minutes for us to be competitive. If this is true ,then its from one extreme to the other and means there wont be an impact secondrower like Leilua on the bench.
I hope this is not the case.The impact from the bench these days is so important.If L plate can't see this then he is certainly dumber than i thought.
 

Carlton

Juniors
Messages
1,223
I hope this is not the case.The impact from the bench these days is so important.If L plate can't see this then he is certainly dumber than i thought.

From what I understand its the view of a former failed coach with a lot of influence.
 

slippery5

Juniors
Messages
1,661
Sorry, but I must be one of the few that does not think Au Mau is underrated. I like his effort, but too slow to do any damage for my liking, unable to hit the advantage line at speed to burst over close to the line, doesn't really attract the attention of multiple defenders, which is what you look for in your front row. I may differ from others but I would like to see some one like Kerr, given a chance ahead of him.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,576
Yes we have a very good starting pack and Ah Mau and Sele will be handy off the bench but I think a) we're going to miss Packer's early good metres and quick play the balls and b) we're still a big bopper short, that's some big, experienced and dominating forward for short spells to start the game and give us real momentum or impact off the bench. If we'd held on to Packer and still got Graham we'd be a truly daunting prospect for all comers. Not really a whinge, more lamenting what could have been. We'll still do alright though and maybe one of the young guns will surprise us just like Vaughan did and absolutely kill it.

Also, Sims isn't a prop or Lock, he's a 2nd rower. Shouldn't be used as anything else.
 
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2010

Bench
Messages
3,490
Packer went ‘missing in the later half of the season. Still wish we still had him. But we have young forwards comeing through the system.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,576
Sorry, but I must be one of the few that does not think Au Mau is underrated. I like his effort, but too slow to do any damage for my liking, unable to hit the advantage line at speed to burst over close to the line, doesn't really attract the attention of multiple defenders, which is what you look for in your front row. I may differ from others but I would like to see some one like Kerr, given a chance ahead of him.

Ah Mau makes great metres off the bench and is in the top 10 props for tackle breaks, he also has a handy off - load that's getting better each year. His best asset though is his defence - last year 24 games for just 12 missed tackles, that's an amazing stat for a for a big, low centre of gravity bloke. Our defence in the middle is pretty awesome and he's one of the reasons why. I'm not sure where you get the " doesn't attract multiple defenders " idea from, the games I watch he's not that easy to put down. I love the guy and I think we're yet to see his best.

Edit : forgot to mention his brilliant short kicking game and 100% goal kicking.
 
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possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Sorry, but I must be one of the few that does not think Au Mau is underrated. I like his effort, but too slow to do any damage for my liking, unable to hit the advantage line at speed to burst over close to the line, doesn't really attract the attention of multiple defenders, which is what you look for in your front row. I may differ from others but I would like to see some one like Kerr, given a chance ahead of him.
I have for a while wanted to see Kerr step up and gain first grade selection. Let's hope he does that in 2018.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Ah Mau makes great metres off the bench and is in the top 10 props for tackle breaks, he also has a handy off - load that's getting better each year. His best asset though is his defence - last year 24 games for just 12 missed tackles, that's an amazing stat for a for a big, low centre of gravity bloke. Our defence in the middle is pretty awesome and he's one of the reasons why. I'm not sure where you get the " doesn't attract multiple defenders " idea from, the games I watch he's not that easy to put down. I love the guy and I think we're yet to see his best.

Edit : forgot to mention his brilliant short kicking game and 100% goal kicking.
I'd say that at the moment Ah Mau is our fourth best prop; after Vaughan, Graham and Sims. He impresses me with his leg drive, often grabbing an extra 5 - 10m after first contact.
 

Belta

Juniors
Messages
1,124
Firstly I'm feeling confident about 2018. I feel our forward depth will be the second significant improvement from last year. The biggest is obviously our halves.

I feel we will over power quite a few teams in the forwards and come away with the points on the back of this dominance. But we may struggle to dominate the top few teams forwards. I say this because, and judging from last year we are one big bopper short. This could be countered by ( I know my opinion will differ from most, probably all) Latimore, who will assist Ah Mau as bench rotations. The only deviation from this would be if Kerr or Lawrie step up and also the addition of Leilua to the bench gives us more size. Id like a bench of four forwards.

This is just a feeling I have and I could be totally wrong, Latimore may not see FG. Latimore does remind me of Packer, who really didn't do anything to scientific, simply charged at the line like a Malee bull, attracted a few defenders and got to his feet for a quick play the ball. To me Latimore is almost a Packer clone. I guess it depends on what we need and the opposition. Whatever happens we seem to have more depth and that could be the difference this year. I really hope so, not making the finals this year would be unbearable
 
Messages
2,866
Sorry, but I must be one of the few that does not think Au Mau is underrated. I like his effort, but too slow to do any damage for my liking, unable to hit the advantage line at speed to burst over close to the line, doesn't really attract the attention of multiple defenders, which is what you look for in your front row. I may differ from others but I would like to see some one like Kerr, given a chance ahead of him.
You make a good point although no one can doubt his effort.
Every position should have real competition and the opportunity to play FG should be real and not just lip service from the coach.
So Kerr and Lawrie should be in the mix to take, not only Au Mau's spot but even Graham's if he's playing like shit.
Competition for positions is how you build mongrel and intensity
 

slippery5

Juniors
Messages
1,661
Ah Mau makes great metres off the bench and is in the top 10 props for tackle breaks, he also has a handy off - load that's getting better each year. His best asset though is his defence - last year 24 games for just 12 missed tackles, that's an amazing stat for a for a big, low centre of gravity bloke. Our defence in the middle is pretty awesome and he's one of the reasons why. I'm not sure where you get the " doesn't attract multiple defenders " idea from, the games I watch he's not that easy to put down. I love the guy and I think we're yet to see his best.

Edit : forgot to mention his brilliant short kicking game and 100% goal kicking.
I just prefer a player that you would really miss if he wasn't playing, take Vaughn for example, he has much more of an impact than a meter eater/plodder, Au Mau maybe an adequate bench player for 10-15 min, but thats all & I think we can experiment with some younger more agile players. If only he could score as many tries in a season than Vaughn does in one game LOL
 

Belta

Juniors
Messages
1,124
Not sure if Ah Mau's game needs to be to complex. We have forwards that can offload before the line or after impact eg De Belin and now Graham, forwards that can be used more so to do the hard metres when needed and a good mix of youth and experience. I think we have a good mix ATM.

There's been a few comments about experience of late, Elijah Taylor commented that they have plenty of good young forwards but feels their chances are bolstered with the experience of Packer and Matulino, Kearney spoke how he feels the Warriors are stronger with the experience of Tohu Harris and Blair, Newcastle added experience with Guerra and Heighington, I think you do need that kind of variation. Late last year for example I saw Frizzell continually hitting the ball up like a Prop which to me made him less threatening in attack. I'd say you'd want a bigger body taking these hit ups and use Frizzell running off a half and being a real attacking threat.
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
f**k me.. 2 years ago ah moo was our player of the year but now he's being cast aside?

the bloke is a solid addition to our pack.. we have our flashy forwards in vaughan and graham.. let leeson do what he does best (eat the metres) and let the team go from there..
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,678
f**k me.. 2 years ago ah moo was our player of the year but now he's being cast aside?

the bloke is a solid addition to our pack.. we have our flashy forwards in vaughan and graham.. let leeson do what he does best (eat the metres) and let the team go from there..

This 100%
LAM gives it all, bends the line on most runs, and last year had a 94% tackle efficiency from 593 tackles and averaged 119m per game.
JDB 93% AND 146
Friz 92% and 108
Sims 91% and 109
I don't see any of these names being bandied about as weak links.
LAM does his job without fuss and fanfare and is the perfect bench forward.

By comparison: just a few
Josh Maguire (Broncos) - 89% and 146
Jesse Bromich (Storm) - 91% and 126
NAS (Storm) - 90% and 83
Dylan Napa - 87% and 98
Angus Crichton - 90% and 121

LAM is the least of our worries.
 

dino2170

Juniors
Messages
1,119
Its not the forwards we should be worried about, its the backs that are a definate concern. LAFAI, MCDONALD AND NIGHTENGALE Should not be there.

Whats the point having an overpaid gun half and an exceptional five eighth if the chamces they would create do not get executed ( other than nightrngale close to the line). AND TO THINK MC KNUCLE WAS A CENTRE.
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
3,740
Its not the forwards we should be worried about, its the backs that are a definate concern. LAFAI, MCDONALD AND NIGHTENGALE Should not be there.

Whats the point having an overpaid gun half and an exceptional five eighth if the chamces they would create do not get executed ( other than nightrngale close to the line). AND TO THINK MC KNUCLE WAS A CENTRE.

Agreed, however McDonald can play IMO so either he pulls his finger out or gets dropped. Nightie, love him, real problem , speed or lack of it especially if he has to turn and chase a kick behind him. Lafai, hot and cold, does some really good stuff but undoes it with some shockers. Can the coach fix these things? Honest answer, I doubt it.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Personally I don't 'get' the 'love fest' surrounding Sele and McInnes.

Sadly, I don't foresee either Host or Leiliua getting much game time due to McGregor's numerous inadequacies.

And, I reckon Graham will receive much less minutes than required because the 'coach' simply proven ad infinitum that he doesn't know how to utilise the bench.
 

slippery5

Juniors
Messages
1,661
This 100%
LAM gives it all, bends the line on most runs, and last year had a 94% tackle efficiency from 593 tackles and averaged 119m per game.
JDB 93% AND 146
Friz 92% and 108
Sims 91% and 109
I don't see any of these names being bandied about as weak links.
LAM does his job without fuss and fanfare and is the perfect bench forward.

By comparison: just a few
Josh Maguire (Broncos) - 89% and 146
Jesse Bromich (Storm) - 91% and 126
NAS (Storm) - 90% and 83
Dylan Napa - 87% and 98
Angus Crichton - 90% and 121

LAM is the least of our worries.
So you would have him in ahead of all those examples ???? I think not !!!!!
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,576
So you would have him in ahead of all those examples ???? I think not !!!!!

I don't think he's saying that at all but merely trying to refute claims by yourself and others that Ah Mau is a bit of a useless plodder that should be replaced by some untested, inexperienced young'n just for the sake of it. That would undo all time and hard work Leeson and the coaches have put in for the last six years. 2017 was arguably Ah Mau's best so far and he's just turned 28, the age at which a lot of props come into their own and all that experience, hard work and learning begins to pay off. The proof's in the pudding though and I guarantee Ah Mau will be the first picked on the bench every week of 2018 and deservedly so.
 

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