Team list Tuesday vs Broncos at The Gabba 8pm Friday

[Gronk]

Judiciary report says Sivo and Reg are back next week, so cut n paste?

NRL Judiciary Report: Kiwi games counted in NAS ban

Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona will only miss one game at the start of the 2025 season after it was ruled that three of New Zealand's Pac Champs game would count as part of his ban.

www.nrl.com

Some are calling for Hands as 14, but that complicates the mix. Last week Matto started on the edge. When Jnr went off he moved to the middle and Davey came on for that left edge.

The three middles on the bench, Makka (18), Emu (11) and Luka (11) don’t seemingly offer a lot, but they did really well when Hopgood etc were off.

So without Reg punching out 50 mins, it’s going to be hard to pick Hands. I agree Joey did look gassed, but he may have to buckle up again.

 

[Twizzle]

Joey showed us what a real number 9 can do with his scoots out of dummy half, not sure what his stats were but I'd say he made good meters.

Hands is a utility that can fill in and probably a decent 14 one day but Joey is the real deal at 9 for mine.

For once, a decent move by our "transfer and retentions committee" or whatever the f**k they call themselves.

 

[Happy MEel]

Joey showed us what a real number 9 can do with his scoots out of dummy half, not sure what his stats were but I'd say he made good meters.

Hands is a utility that can fill in and probably a decent 14 one day but Joey is the real deal at 9 for mine.

For once, a decent move by our "transfer and retentions committee" or whatever the f**k they call themselves.

Hey Twizz,
I thought Joey played well for us and I also thought his running game looked sharper than Hands’. However, he only had 5 runs for 39m (which is still 8m a run) so I’m not convinced yet.

 

[Twizzle]

Hey Twizz,
I thought Joey played well for us and I also thought his running game looked sharper than Hands’. However, he only had 5 runs for 39m (which is still 8m a run) so I’m not convinced yet.

that surprises me a bit

still liked his game, I don't see his fitness level changing too much this time of the year though

 

[Gazzamatta]

Joey showed us what a real number 9 can do with his scoots out of dummy half, not sure what his stats were but I'd say he made good meters.

Hands is a utility that can fill in and probably a decent 14 one day but Joey is the real deal at 9 for mine.

For once, a decent move by our "transfer and retentions committee" or whatever the f**k they call themselves.

Except we probably could have recruited him in lieu of the very, VERY, experienced guy to begin with.

 

[Bandwagon]

Hey Twizz,
I thought Joey played well for us and I also thought his running game looked sharper than Hands’. However, he only had 5 runs for 39m (which is still 8m a run) so I’m not convinced yet.

Two of those runs were attempted crashovers from dummy half, which woulda made him like 1m at most.

So the three that were genuine scoots woulda averaged over 12m.

 

[Pazza]

I think I need to learn more about footy cause I thought Hands did a really good job for this team?

I'd atleast have him at 14.

 

[Happy MEel]

I think I need to learn more about footy cause I thought Hands did a really good job for this team?

I'd atleast have him at 14.

Agreed mate. I think he’s a good 14 and can also cover the halves if we really needed.

 

[strider]

Funny that we needed to carry halves/utility/back depth on the bench previously, but not now?

 

[Gronk]

I think I need to learn more about footy cause I thought Hands did a really good job for this team?

I'd atleast have him at 14.

Agreed mate. I think he’s a good 14 and can also cover the halves if we really needed.

Then you're going to have to rethink your whole bench and rotation mix. Do you drop Davey and leave Matto on the edge for 80 ? Davey on the edge for 80 and Matto as a middle on the bench ? BA had Matto play 80 last week so we lose that.

 

[Gronk]

Funny that we needed to carry halves/utility/back depth on the bench previously, but not now?

Because reg isn't playing 60 minutes.

 

[strider]

Pretty sure 3 of the benchies could handle another 2-3 minutes each

 

[Bandwagon]

I think I need to learn more about footy cause I thought Hands did a really good job for this team?

I'd atleast have him at 14.

If we have Reg and Lane available, then yeah, we can lose a middle off the bench, so two middles, an edge and a utility.

But without Reg and Lane we're needing more minutes from inexperienced middles if we're gonna carry a utility.

Matto off the bench gives us big minutes if needed, but with Lane out he's gotta play some edge, some middle, no Reg means we've gotta cover 50 plus minutes from the other pigs, and I'd say last thing we wanna do is give Paulo more. So we've gone with less minutes from more pigs so as they can up their intensity when on and don't need to pace themselves so much.

 

[Happy MEel]

This week:

8. Paulo
9. Lussick
10. Joffa
11. Bryce
12. Davey
13. Hopgood

14. Hands
15. Matto
16. Maka
17. Grieg or Moretti

Next week:

8. Paulo
9. Lussick
10. RCG
11. Bryce
12. Lane (hopefully)
13. Hopgood

14. Hands
15. Matto
16. Davey
17. Grieg/Maka/Moretti

 

[Gronk]

This week:

8. Paulo
9. Lussick
10. Joffa
11. Bryce
12. Davey
13. Hopgood

14. Hands
15. Matto
16. Maka
17. Grieg or Moretti

Next week:

8. Paulo
9. Lussick
10. RCG
11. Bryce
12. Lane (hopefully)
13. Hopgood

14. Hands
15. Matto
16. Davey
17. Grieg/Maka/Moretti

Two weeks ago Davey was on tbe shit list and should never have been signed. Now he's playing 80 to give Joey a rest ? Matto plays 20 less ?

 

[hineyrulz]

Funny that we needed to carry halves/utility/back depth on the bench previously, but not now?

Maybe every one is sticky tape free???

 

[Pazza]

Then you're going to have to rethink your whole bench and rotation mix. Do you drop Davey and leave Matto on the edge for 80 ? Davey on the edge for 80 and Matto as a middle on the bench ? BA had Matto play 80 last week so we lose that.

Maybe the other middles can make up for Greig's 8 mins?????

 

[Pazza]

If we have Reg and Lane available, then yeah, we can lose a middle off the bench, so two middles, an edge and a utility.

But without Reg and Lane we're needing more minutes from inexperienced middles if we're gonna carry a utility.

Matto off the bench gives us big minutes if needed, but with Lane out he's gotta play some edge, some middle, no Reg means we've gotta cover 50 plus minutes from the other pigs, and I'd say last thing we wanna do is give Paulo more. So we've gone with less minutes from more pigs so as they can up their intensity when on and don't need to pace themselves so much.

Greig played 8 mins, morretti 16 and maka about the same.

Imagine if that hit on Dylan was a HIA!! You need more flexibility on the bench. Plus hands could play anywhere in the back row if needed.

 

[Bandwagon]

Greig played 8 mins, morretti 16 and maka about the same.

Imagine if that hit on Dylan was a HIA!! You need more flexibility on the bench. Plus hands could play anywhere in the back row if needed.

NRL have Moretti and Greig at 11 mins and Maka at 18, but nonetheless yeah we could run with Hands on the bench still which obviously has it's advantages, but we need to recognise that running with one less forward also has it's disadvantages.

I mean using your same reasoning what if Matto gets HIA'ed early, with only two pigs we're then gonna need them to fill much larger minutes. I'd be pretty certain you're more likely to lose a middle than a back. So there's always that.

I don't reckon that there's a "right" answer for our bench with the guys we have out, so it's gonna be a trade off no matter what. I don't have a problem with Hands being there, but I think there's also good reason for him not being there. Which I think is reasoning I posted, Fresh pigs to offer greater workload over shorter stints, and if needed to do longer minutes, as little longer as possible.

 

[Gronk]

Maybe the other middles can make up for Greig's 8 mins?????

I think your weaking a strength to strengthen a perceived weakness. Reg is back next week.

You want Matto on for less minutes and the lesser players to play longer minutes (including Davey on the edge for 80) in a season determining game vs the Broncos. Just to give Hands game time ?