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Team v Cowboys

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,475
Hoping RTS is back-

1- Tuivasa-Sheck/Hiku
2- Fusitu'a
3- Beale
4- Kata
5- Maumalo
6- Green
7- Johnson
8- Gavet
9- Luke
10- Paasi
11- Papali'i
12- Harris
13- Blair

Res- Mannering, Satae, Afoa, Tevaga

Bit tough on Hiku, who played very well in Christchurch.

Lawton back to ISP
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,540
I don't feel like we missed Jazz at all on Saturday. I also thought his injury would keep him out a few weeks?
It’s a risk not having cover for Isaac if he goes down though. At least Jazz offers good utility value so can be used as an interchange player, not just a reserve.
 

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,297
Surely Lawton offers cover for more positions? And I think he deserves a fair run. 10 minutes doesn't prove anything. Give him the time Jazz had.

Does he?

Jazz has done a pretty good job at lock, not sure if Lawton can handle that.
Unless you're talking halves cover, but losing either Green or SJ again is a whole different problem.

I also don't understand this notion of substituting Luke out for the last 10 mins, usually when the game is already won. In the past we used to have hooker interchanges for a couple of spells in the middle and if it's a close finish our best one is out there. Why not give Lawton a run when the game isn't dead?
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
31,738
Hiku is an auto select option at the moment. I like him but just wish he was a better player he's simply not a first grade centre, better as a wing or full back. Mind you Beale is the same

More baffling is the auto select of Blair my god he's shit, and shame on those who suggested Mannering was mailing it in
 

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,297
More baffling is the auto select of Blair my god he's shit, and shame on those who suggested Mannering was mailing it in

I'm sure nobody suggested Mannering was phoning it in, but he was quite out of form in recent weeks.

Unlike Blair, there is no question about Mannerings effort and it's good to see him back on song this week. I'm hoping it was just an aberration and normal service resumes.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,475
Surely Lawton offers cover for more positions? And I think he deserves a fair run. 10 minutes doesn't prove anything. Give him the time Jazz had.

No, I don't think he does.

Lawton on the bench means he'll come on for a scoot with 10-15 to go

Tevaga on the bench means that he'll play a bit as a back rower and be there to play a bit of hooker. And he's being playing well enough in that role.

Lawton looked good in his first game. I haven't seen all that much out of him since.
 

ZEROMISSTACKLES

First Grade
Messages
8,666
Hiku was good at Manly as an outside back playing alongside Jamie Lyon or at the back of a good team. He wasn't seen much in their frontline defence and now we know why. It would be stupid to keep persisting with Hiku in the centres unless he strengthens his defence like Kata did some years back. I fear we may continue to see the opposition make yards (like good carries) half breaks or just breaks when they go at Hiku.

Perhaps Fusitua and Hiku can swap on defence? It'll take more out of Fus though but it'll be interesting to see what Kearney does or whether Hiku improves his defence under coach Kearney.

He is an OK attacking centre and I say OK because, whilst he's shown to be a strong ball carrier and line runner, he has robbed Fusitua of some very possible scoring opportunities. He just needs to tidy that part up and then I'll call him a 'good attacking centre' otherwise he goes ok for me.
 

jaseg

Juniors
Messages
2,274
No, I don't think he does.

Lawton on the bench means he'll come on for a scoot with 10-15 to go

Tevaga on the bench means that he'll play a bit as a back rower and be there to play a bit of hooker. And he's being playing well enough in that role.

Lawton looked good in his first game. I haven't seen all that much out of him since.

Depends on what you want to cover.

Tevaga covers the forwards and hooker. Lawton covers hooker and the backs/spine.

Tevaga's useful as he provides plenty of extra minutes if you need them in the middle if injury hits the pack (and he can be used through the game even if there's no injury), whereas Lawton is the better hooker and really only gets used before the 10 minute mark if there's an injury to a back/spine player. Otherwise it's the late super-sub DH role that Kearney witnessed have quite a lot of success in Brisbane 3(?) years ago. Difference is contextual, of course - swapping McCullough for a Nikorima running at defences was a major style change... swapping Luke for another running DH gives fresh legs but not a huge change for the defence to adapt to.

Really I guess the choice between Tevaga and Lawton might come down to 2 factors: 1) is Mannering on the bench (as he will give you all the extra minutes you need should injury strike the forwards), and 2) is there a player who has question marks over him in terms of injury/niggles coming into the game (in which case, pick the utility that covers his position).
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,082
Depends on what you want to cover.

Tevaga covers the forwards and hooker. Lawton covers hooker and the backs/spine.

Tevaga's useful as he provides plenty of extra minutes if you need them in the middle if injury hits the pack (and he can be used through the game even if there's no injury), whereas Lawton is the better hooker and really only gets used before the 10 minute mark if there's an injury to a back/spine player. Otherwise it's the late super-sub DH role that Kearney witnessed have quite a lot of success in Brisbane 3(?) years ago. Difference is contextual, of course - swapping McCullough for a Nikorima running at defences was a major style change... swapping Luke for another running DH gives fresh legs but not a huge change for the defence to adapt to.

Really I guess the choice between Tevaga and Lawton might come down to 2 factors: 1) is Mannering on the bench (as he will give you all the extra minutes you need should injury strike the forwards), and 2) is there a player who has question marks over him in terms of injury/niggles coming into the game (in which case, pick the utility that covers his position).

Both you and others with excellent analysis on this point. Can I add that Townsville is the one NRL venue that may still have energy-sapping temperatures at this time of year. This might also influence who gets that benchspot.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,540
Does he?

Jazz has done a pretty good job at lock, not sure if Lawton can handle that.
Unless you're talking halves cover, but losing either Green or SJ again is a whole different problem.

I also don't understand this notion of substituting Luke out for the last 10 mins, usually when the game is already won. In the past we used to have hooker interchanges for a couple of spells in the middle and if it's a close finish our best one is out there. Why not give Lawton a run when the game isn't dead?

I thonnk the idea there is that Luke is an 80 minute player, but because he’s so vital to the team if the game is won he comes off to prevent injuries.
 

sup42

Juniors
Messages
1,983
Lawton has played Backrow before.

He can cover what Jazz covers...plus.

Match fitness is the main difference, Lawton has been blowing heavy in games, it seems he is taking longer to get some base fitness than you would have hoped...still that is the nature of injury...hugely variable recovery.

Lawton missed Corvo's preseason as well of course.

Kearney likes Jazz that is clear. Lawton hasn't really run much when he has been out there....that is holding him back.

Blair seems to be an important part of the senior leadership in the team.

He defends well next to Luke and SJ...all three are important talkers on the try line....our defence was much improved due to SJ being back.

Mannering looks to have found some fitness, that is a huge relief...he was a weak point for a while there.

I would be happy with them naming the same side. Satae does a good job off the bench, real shame he is off to the Storm...Craig only hires players that tackle....Satae has been excellent defensively in first grade.

Good to see Kearney able to fix the problems every time we lose one.

Kearney is enjoying one of the better coaching knocks this year...Warrior coaches past would be rapt with this position.
 
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Big Marn

Juniors
Messages
2,318
Satae does a good job off the bench, real shame he is off to the Storm...Craig only hires players that tackle....Satae has been excellent defensively in first grade.
I was watching Satae abit more closely this weekend to see why the Storm nabbed him. I wasnt impressed with his first few runs. He had a tendency to crab across the field rather than tuck the ball under his arm and take it up the guts. Maybe these defensive qualities you refer to are what gets him the spot ahead of the other options.
 

sup42

Juniors
Messages
1,983
I was watching Satae abit more closely this weekend to see why the Storm nabbed him. I wasnt impressed with his first few runs. He had a tendency to crab across the field rather than tuck the ball under his arm and take it up the guts. Maybe these defensive qualities you refer to are what gets him the spot ahead of the other options.
The Storm have had a couple of goes at him.

Satae came on one game recently and there were twelve players on the field, he spent the entire time tackling for no misses.

Pretty impressive for a player his size out of ISP...the Storm signed him a week later.
 
Messages
11,150
The Storm have had a couple of goes at him.

Satae came on one game recently and there were twelve players on the field, he spent the entire time tackling for no misses.

Pretty impressive for a player his size out of ISP...the Storm signed him a week later.

The Storm rate him so highly that hes replacing a Origin prop (Gadsby) whos going to the Knights

Bromwich, NAS, Kasiano and Satae. WOW
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,602
Hiku is an auto select option at the moment. I like him but just wish he was a better player he's simply not a first grade centre, better as a wing or full back. Mind you Beale is the same

More baffling is the auto select of Blair my god he's shit, and shame on those who suggested Mannering was mailing it in

Don't agree. Beale has been brilliant and it needs to be a conversation. Hiku is absolutely dire on defence (he even admitted it last week, says it's mindset) and his attack is not compensating for it. Beale has more upside.

Our best performing side has Beale at centre. Only reason Hiku will be picked again is because we're winning and Kearney doesn't want to rock the boat.
 
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