2020 roosters player of the year - Dragons (Part 2) 3 2 1s

[Valheru]

That was a phenomenal victory.

Missing over half the regular starting side to to pull off a victory against a desperate side is massive for our season.

The performance itself was 1000% better than the last two weeks. It is amazing what completing your sets and minimising errors can do. we were 90% yesterday and if we can manage that once all the troops are back no one apart from Melbourne will be able to touch us.

I am not sure where we go at HB from here. I think Flano and Lam are on par and neither are ready to stand up in a rigorous finals series IMO. Lam did seem to unlock Keary's running game last night but then again we need the goal kicking so who knows.

Oh and Ryan Hall sucks. If only one of B-Moz and Toops come back next week, Ikuvalu has to be the other winger, he isn't world beating but he does some good things on the field and is pretty solid.

3 SST - What an effort
2 Keary
1 Sitilli - We have really found something with this bloke. He has certainly solidified his spot in our full strength 17

I would have loved to have given Aubo a point as he played very well but the other 3 were just irresistible. I was stoked he got over the line for a try in his 300th though.

Everyone else apart from hall was good as well. I thought Liu had his best game of the season.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

3 SST
2 Keary
1 Sitili

Agree with all points above. The boys turned up last night. Made loads of yards up the middle and rarely had trouble working the ball out of their end zone. Lam did enough to get selected again and appeared less timid than Flanno. Goal kicking remains a concern without Kyle however. Thought Jake had his best game in a while too. Can’t even recall a forward pass lol. Stoked for Mitch scoring on his 300th. I thought Ikulvalu was solid last night and defended well which is more than you can say for Hall.
Hope some troops come back for our grudge match next week.

 

[Headless Chook]

^^^^^
SST was incredible. He not only played his own game but did the work of JWH as well. Enormous.

Hopefully Hall has played his last game for us. We’d be better off getting Brendan Hall back.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Match stats courtesy of Fox Sports -

 

[Captain Apollo]

Player stats, courtesy of Fox Sports -

 

[H.H]

3 - SST
2 - Keary
1 - Sitili

Lam all day over Flanagan for mine, but yes it does mean goal kicking will suffer but I can live with it as I reckon he'll make a real difference as we approach finals time.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

For me, it was:

1. SST
2. Keary
3. Joey Manu

Sitili also gets a special mention.

The fans have had their say, and the results were not that surprising to be honest:

1. SST (55%)
2. Keary (21)
3. Aubo (8)

https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2020/08/10/your-round-13-man-of-the-match/

The jury is still out on Flanagan vs. Lam (in my mind at least).

Lam seems to have more energy and better compliments Keary in attack, but Kyle can goal kick, and that is important, especially as we cannot rely on SST being on the field, or available free of injury all of the time. The others are very much second string kickers, at best.

Therefore, I would give Lam another week or two, and then reassess. The competition should not do any harm to either of them in the medium to long term. That all said, Sam Walker is most likely to be our long term half back going forward anyway. So, something will eventually have to give on this.

Irrespective of what transpires, I think Nick and Robbo already have things well and truly planned out.

 

[Valheru]

I would give Lam the kicking duties when he starts. I know his one and only attempt on the weekend was pretty poor but we can't rely on SST to kick with all the work he does and there is no better time than now to find out if Lam can improve in that area.

 

[Headless Chook]

I would give Lam the kicking duties when he starts. I know his one and only attempt on the weekend was pretty poor but we can't rely on SST to kick with all the work he does and there is no better time than now to find out if Lam can improve in that area.

With Cameron Smith and Munster out for the Storm, it sort of evens things in the kicking dept for Thursday night’s game. I realise in all likelihood Flanno will be back in the side at some stage so it won’t be a major issue come finals but don’t forget how crap 2016 was after we lost Maloney and had no one who could kick goals.

Still, it will be interesting to see how Lam goes if he has a few shots.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

With Cameron Smith and Munster out for the Storm, it sort of evens things in the kicking dept for Thursday night’s game. I realise in all likelihood Flanno will be back in the side at some stage so it won’t be a major issue come finals but don’t forget how crap 2016 was after we lost Maloney and had no one who could kick goals.

Still, it will be interesting to see how Lam goes if he has a few shots.

I don’t think that’s a given, mate.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/he...-out-play-for-pangai-jnr-20200812-p55kvt.html

Lachie Lam has been healthy and ready to play for years as Cooper Cronk's understudy.

He started the season as Kyle Flanagan's understudy but, having been named at No. 7 again, it's clearly his jersey to lose.

"He’s a local kid and he loves the Roosters - absolutely loves the Roosters. He’s had opportunities to go but he doesn’t want to go. He wants to stay and he wants to fight for his position," Robinson said.

"We bought over the top of him in Kyle to come and do a role and that spurned him on even more. He didn’t drop his bottom lip, he simply said I’m going to work harder. He wasn’t going to wait for an opportunity. He was going to go and grasp one. And that’s what you want.

"You want really good competition but in the best interest of the team as well."

It’s gonna be interesting next year with Sam Walker wanting a look-in.

 

[Headless Chook]

I don’t think that’s a given, mate.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/he...-out-play-for-pangai-jnr-20200812-p55kvt.html

Lachie Lam has been healthy and ready to play for years as Cooper Cronk's understudy.

He started the season as Kyle Flanagan's understudy but, having been named at No. 7 again, it's clearly his jersey to lose.

"He’s a local kid and he loves the Roosters - absolutely loves the Roosters. He’s had opportunities to go but he doesn’t want to go. He wants to stay and he wants to fight for his position," Robinson said.

"We bought over the top of him in Kyle to come and do a role and that spurned him on even more. He didn’t drop his bottom lip, he simply said I’m going to work harder. He wasn’t going to wait for an opportunity. He was going to go and grasp one. And that’s what you want.

"You want really good competition but in the best interest of the team as well."

It’s gonna be interesting next year with Sam Walker wanting a look-in.

All fair points and I get it but a lot can change in a short time. I didn’t think Flanno did much wrong. However, Lam deserves his chance to make the position his own and Robbo obviously knows what he’s doing I’m sure.

 

[Captain Apollo]

3 points: Siosiua Taukeiaho
2 points: Luke Keary
1 point: Sitili Tupouniua