2021 Rd3: Eels v Sharks GAME DAY THREAD @ BankWest Stadium 27/3

[Angry_eel]

I think we are in a good place, even if we dropped a game.

Funny things can happen but I don't see us dropping a game until maybe Raiders or Roosters game. We look good so far!

The Brisbane game is in Darwin, It's generally been good to us.

 

[hindy111]

Don’t forget about Roache as a benchie to....

He just doesn't cover what Smith does.

 

[chiefy1]

Don’t forget about Roache as a benchie to....

Ha, did ba forget the insecticide??

 

[lingard]

We were a top 4 team with Waqa in the centres last year, he’s got deficiencies in his game, no doubt, but I’m hardly blaming our premiership failures on him...

If he comes back in I’m sure he’ll do his part and play well. He’s got good base, good strength and involvement. Communication between he and those either side of him seems the biggest issue, but he’s not alone in that.

We'll have to agree to disagree, then. I think he's rubbish all round.

 

[Avenger]

If Gutherson had more speed and I don’t mean express just a yard more he would be the best player in the comp. Watching him live really shows that he is the love child of Ray Price and Andrew Leeds.

He’s still our best player though.

 

[Avenger]

I’d still be tempted to swap him and Dylan Brown when Gutho slows down even more.

 

[84 Baby]

I’d still be tempted to swap him and Dylan Brown when Gutho slows down even more.

He’s destined to do a Lockyer at some point but I think by that point Drown will be past the point of him being able to effectively transition positions

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Wasnt Cronk being touted as the option to offload? ... Remember the forum going into overdrive thinking he was coming to parra

I remember a quote at the time, from an official at another club (might've been the Broncos) saying justice needed to be done, and the Storm team that had illegally made four straight grand finals needed to be dismantled. He predicted justice wouldn't be done and that the only key player they would lose would be Inglis.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Pretty sure we signed Opacic before Jennings was caught. Don’t think it was official before Jennings was suspended but there was talk / rumours before he was coming

Yep. Opacic was announced at the end of the season with the other two signings. I doubt they were all signed on the same day.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Can you imagine the bench with Niakoure? Bringing him on with Kafusi and Papalì. It's raw power.
Unless Bryce forced himself into NRL and we needed to find him a spot. Or perhaps Stone who had a ball tearer of a game.

But I would prefer Blake over Opacic. Blake is our only real x factor in backs. He would keep opposition defenses twitchy. You miss him and it is a try. That means they spread defense line.
Having Nikauore there means defense can jam in middle more knowing if he gets space they can cover him easy. Worse case is he makes an extra 10mtrs before run him down.
Blake is a different headache.

There's also the contribution Blake makes in cover defence. You need some speed in your team. Once the ball gets past Niukore he's effectively out of the play.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Look how ordinary JAC looked against Staines. Staines had his pace covered so they never could find space. If Mansour played Panthers get beat by 20 and JAC looks like a super star. He matches well against slow backlines.

Smart teams recruit and build sides to also combat their challengers strengths. I reckon that was the reason Panthere pissed Mansour off. To have a chance of beating the Storm they knew they needed more speed.

Plus the main thing Mansour offers is already provided by To'o, who does it better. They can offset the loss of Mansour by just giving To'o more runs. Staines is used like JAC, taking a bare minimum of hit ups.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

WBlake has more speed than Niukore, But we have seen Marata nail his opposite, there is no rushing up like an blind Ostrich. He is composed and understands whats going on, maybe more confidence in his inside men?

Less confidence in himself. Like Opacic, he knows he doesn't have the speed to land on a sweeping fullback, so he just protects his inside shoulder and if we get beaten on the outside merkins will blame Ferguson.

Basically, Blake is coached to play to his strengths in defence while Niukore is coached to play to his.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

It won't happen but it would be interesting to see how he'd go if he lost 5kg.

 

[hindy111]

If Gutherson had more speed and I don’t mean express just a yard more he would be the best player in the comp. Watching him live really shows that he is the love child of Ray Price and Andrew Leeds.

He’s still our best player though.

I still think Jnr is. I haven't seen a forward like Junior before. 120kgs. Can step, offload and throw cut out balls. And that's after his general powerfull charges.
I firmly beleive he is what changed our side once returned.

 

[yy_cheng]

I don't think dbrown has the concentration to go the whole 80 at fb.

Setting up the defence, support play and counting numbers

 

[Happy MEel]

I’d still be tempted to swap him and Dylan Brown when Gutho slows down even more.

I’d do it now.

 

[Gary Gutful]

I remember a quote at the time, from an official at another club (might've been the Broncos) saying justice needed to be done, and the Storm team that had illegally made four straight grand finals needed to be dismantled. He predicted justice wouldn't be done and that the only key player they would lose would be Inglis.

I remember what Andrew Gee said as well. Pretty sure he had a wad of fiddies popping out of his size 42 jeans at the time.

 

[TheParraboy]

It won't happen but it would be interesting to see how he'd go if he lost 5kg.

Keto or the Man Shake?

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Keto or the Man Shake?

AFL guy.

 

[Gary Gutful]