2020 Squad Analysis

[Crush]

This would be an ideal
Starting 17.
Pace and youth in the backline .. forward Pack is a monster
1. Dufty
2.Sailor
3Wiliame
4.Lomax
5.Saab
6.Norman
7.Hunt

13. jDB
12 Sims
11. fFrizell
10. Vaughan
9. McInnes
8. graham

14. Merrin
15. K Sims
16. Kerr
17. Luke

McInnes can go to halves of injury on backline w Norman anywhere in backline

I think with Dufty, Sailor and Saab as your back 3 they would never get out of the 20 when coming off their line.
Combined weight of frick all....

 

[Dragon Revival]

I think that Dufty would be the only one to get rag dolled me eat the line. Saab is a pretty solid unit.

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

If I were to pick today on what we have. My backline would be.
1.Ramsey (training the house down I hear)
2.Sailor (can go to fullback if required)
3Wiliame
4.Lomax
5.Saab
6.Norman
7.Hunt
I absolutely know this side won’t be picked but it would be great.

Basically your selection approach is "Better the devil we don't know". Let's dump all the proven first graders and replace with no NRL experience.

 

[Dragon Revival]

Lafai should never be selected for NRL again as he is too slow and pedestrian
He is 28 now and 29 in May next year. I would much prefer to promote youth than persist with also rans. He has not had one good year. Reg Cashier averaged one try per game and Lafai is lucky to score one try every 4-5 games. He also has suspect hands and leaks opposition tries like a sieve. His try scoring ability is half of what It was at Canterbury. Aitken is not much better.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Basically your selection approach is "Better the devil we don't know". Let's dump all the proven first graders and replace with no NRL experience.

There is one player in my backline without NRL experience...

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

I am reserving judgement on Lafai. His defence and hitups are ok, sometime very good. His attack looks terrible, but our structure in attack was not effective.

Lafai typically receives the ball with no space or time. Give him a decent backline structure and I think he gets the job done in attack.

 

[Crush]

Lafai should never be selected for NRL again as he is too slow and pedestrian
He is 28 now and 29 in May next year. I would much prefer to promote youth than persist with also rans. He has not had one good year. Reg Cashier averaged one try per game and Lafai is lucky to score one try every 4-5 games. He also has suspect hands and leaks opposition tries like a sieve. His try scoring ability is half of what It was at Canterbury. Aitken is not much better.

Amen

 

[watatank]

There is one player in my backline without NRL experience...

Technically true however the back three has about 5 games of first grade experience between them

And wiliame hasn't played NRL for 3 years

 

[BLM01]

This would be an ideal
Starting 17.
Pace and youth in the backline .. forward Pack is a monster
1. Dufty
2.Sailor
3Wiliame
4.Lomax
5.Saab
6.Norman
7.Hunt

13. jDB
12 Sims
11. fFrizell
10. Vaughan
9. McInnes
8. graham

14. Merrin
15. K Sims
16. Kerr
17. Luke

McInnes can go to halves of injury on backline w Norman anywhere in backline

Good side but i would tinker with a few things
1. Make a decision...has to be Sailor or Dufty not both as neither are wingers
2. Periera / Saab are our best wingers ATM
Merrin prop starting...Graham bench
Lawrie needs to be in the Top 17..He needs to be there over Kerr if that is the bench including Luke

 

[BLM01]

I doubt there will be huge changes at the start but Mary will definitely try out Wiliame in the trials. At the start of this year all the talk was of Lomax pushing out Aitken. In the finals 2018 Lomax took his chance and kept Aitken out of the side. They both got good chances in the trials and Aitken played better and actually grabbed his spot, he played pretty well to start the season. This indicates to me that the Mary having favourites is a slight myth. I do believe in the trials he will give equal time to Wiliame and Lafai, maybe even a stint on the wing. If Wiliame grabs his chance with Flanno there as a sounding board I think there is a chance he will line up round 1, at least on the left wing.

You keep saying it but....Aitken has never lost his spot to form...only to injury...especially knee (dislocation?) before the 2018 finals. That year he also had a horror run with hamstring problems.
I am not sure but I think he has never played a game in reggies.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

You keep saying it but....Aitken has never lost his spot to form...only to injury...especially knee (dislocation?) before the 2018 finals. That year he also had a horror run with hamstring problems.
I am not sure but I think he has never played a game in reggies.

No he hasn't played in reggies as far as im aware, and he did initially lose his spot to injury last year. Lomax did take his chance though and even though Aitken was good to go he didn't regain his spot for the rest of the year which was only 2 games, Broncos and Rabbits. If Mary favoured him that much Aitken would have been straight back in for the finals.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Technically true however the back three has about 5 games of first grade experience between them

And wiliame hasn't played NRL for 3 years

And he would still be better than Aiken or Lafai in my opinion. Ramsay is obviously a wildcard but I just don't want to lose him to another club. Hopefully he can at least grab a wing spot. Saab is a certainty, as are Hunt and Norman. Lomax is a certainty too but likely at Fullback. Sailor is also a good chance unless we either A. buy a winger or B. Wiliame plays wing which is fairly likely knowing Mary.

 

[Dragon Revival]

In the NRL Squad there are 26 players being 11 backs and 15 forwards. Assuming that De Belin is doubtful one would assume that another couple of backs will be added to the squad at some stage.

 

[BLM01]

No he hasn't played in reggies as far as im aware, and he did initially lose his spot to injury last year. Lomax did take his chance though and even though Aitken was good to go he didn't regain his spot for the rest of the year which was only 2 games, Broncos and Rabbits. If Mary favoured him that much Aitken would have been straight back in for the finals.

Thats fine but I disagree with you that he was "good to go" in those semi finals. I am pretty sure he was still recovering or had an injury plagued year and was underdone.

 

[Como Connection]

I am reserving judgement on Lafai. His defence and hitups are ok, sometime very good. His attack looks terrible, but our structure in attack was not effective.

Lafai typically receives the ball with no space or time. Give him a decent backline structure and I think he gets the job done in attack.

Correct, never receives early clean ball.
CC

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

Correct, never receives early clean ball.
CC

Let alone an overlap! He must lie in bed dreaming of the day he gets a 2 on 1.

 

[muzby]

He must lie in bed dreaming of the day he gets a 2 on 1.

I know I do..

 

[gitano]

I think with Dufty, Sailor and Saab as your back 3 they would never get out of the 20 when coming off their line.
Combined weight of frick all....

Mind you Lomax gets manhandled most easily

 

[BLM01]

Let alone an overlap! He must lie in bed dreaming of the day he gets a 2 on 1.

Yeh but when that blue moon comes around he would rather take the tackle and still try to flick it behind him or lob out the back with a free hand or throw a no look pass
Bit like Aitken...When have you seen Lafai pass right to left in a typical fashion to his outside. Not sure he can....maybe it has been coached out of him

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

Yeh but when that blue moon comes around he would rather take the tackle and still try to flick it behind him or lob out the back with a free hand or throw a no look pass
Bit like Aitken...When have you seen Lafai pass right to left in a typical fashion to his outside. Not sure he can....maybe it has been coached out of him

You're right, we never see that pass from TL. But, in his defence, those passes are best when you have time, space or an overlap. If he caught and passed to the winger, it would be a hospital pass.