What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

2019 team line up

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,260
If dufty gets injured, then Mary will have to move Widdop to fullback and Mann to halves.

Or Lomax to FB and bring Aiken into replace lomax at centre.
I think there are enough options, though not ones that will match the Rorters or Storm, to match their options we need brown paper bags.

Nah mate.

No way Mary moves Gaz to Fb. Lomax ? maybe, but not Widdop. And as I have posted dozens of times, EA and Laf will be our centres. What he does with Lomax to start ? No idea. Maybe wing.

Bottom line is, our back 5 are either unproven or average 1st graders. Sorry, but thats how i see it. Our centres have experience but lack impact. Jordan is a goodun who has a dig, but 2019 will tell if he can make a real impact. Same with Dufty, great attacking player, with obvious defensive flaws.

We needed 1-2 top notch backs to compete with the big boys.
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
Nah mate.

No way Mary moves Gaz to Fb. Lomax ? maybe, but not Widdop. And as I have posted dozens of times, EA and Laf will be our centres. What he does with Lomax to start ? No idea. Maybe wing.

Bottom line is, our back 5 are either unproven or average 1st graders. Sorry, but thats how i see it. Our centres have experience but lack impact. Jordan is a goodun who has a dig, but 2019 will tell if he can make a real impact. Same with Dufty, great attacking player, with obvious defensive flaws.

We needed 1-2 top notch backs to compete with the big boys.
We do mate, couple of fast, smart and elusive speedsters, unfortunately looks like we aren’t getting any body.
But You never know, we may unearth 2.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,061
BLM,
I understand the importance of a utility on the bench in a finals match where inability to cover for injury to a back could mean you exit the Comp. But last year Mary proved how wasted a utility was on the bench during the premiership rounds. If a back is injured with no one suitable on the bench the worst outcome would be to lose one game. The alternative last year was to risk losing many games by never picking 4 forwards on the bench. I am sure this was a factor in the string of losses after SoO.
I agree about having a back utility is a waste, but I will never accept losing a game and should plan smartly for all worse case scenarios. I think Mann is a waste as was Flo on the bench
Every club (or at least most clubs) has got a forward who can fill out to the backs as a stop gap if need in those situations you mention. That is what I want our club to strive for.. we had it in JT and let it go. Mann is not big enough to play in the forwards.
e.g. Roosters have Aubo, Sharks Capewell, Melb have Cam Smith, Souths have Sutton, Penrith Yeo, Parrra - takarangai, Tigers - lawrence, Canberra - Whitehead, Brisbane - Stagg or Gillett or even Bird, Manly - JT, Warriors was Mannering or that Kiwi (ex Melb player) , ...that will do, you get my drift, we have no one and I have mentioned the Top 10 sides except us + others
 

Datramp

Juniors
Messages
1,007
I agree about having a back utility is a waste, but I will never accept losing a game and should plan smartly for all worse case scenarios. I think Mann is a waste as was Flo on the bench
Every club (or at least most clubs) has got a forward who can fill out to the backs as a stop gap if need in those situations you mention. That is what I want our club to strive for.. we had it in JT and let it go. Mann is not big enough to play in the forwards.
e.g. Roosters have Aubo, Sharks Capewell, Melb have Cam Smith, Souths have Sutton, Penrith Yeo, Parrra - takarangai, Tigers - lawrence, Canberra - Whitehead, Brisbane - Stagg or Gillett or even Bird, Manly - JT, Warriors was Mannering or that Kiwi (ex Melb player) , ...that will do, you get my drift, we have no one and I have mentioned the Top 10 sides except us + others
I agree about having a back utility is a waste, but I will never accept losing a game and should plan smartly for all worse case scenarios. I think Mann is a waste as was Flo on the bench
Every club (or at least most clubs) has got a forward who can fill out to the backs as a stop gap if need in those situations you mention. That is what I want our club to strive for.. we had it in JT and let it go. Mann is not big enough to play in the forwards.
e.g. Roosters have Aubo, Sharks Capewell, Melb have Cam Smith, Souths have Sutton, Penrith Yeo, Parrra - takarangai, Tigers - lawrence, Canberra - Whitehead, Brisbane - Stagg or Gillett or even Bird, Manly - JT, Warriors was Mannering or that Kiwi (ex Melb player) , ...that will do, you get my drift, we have no one and I have mentioned the Top 10 sides except us + others

Not sure what you are worried about. De Belin fills this role and has even played as a starting halfback.

In a pinch I think Sims/Frizz/Leluia could fill in at Centre. Ideally Robson fills the role you are talking about and develops into a 9/13/6 type player.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,061
Not sure what you are worried about. De Belin fills this role and has even played as a starting halfback.

In a pinch I think Sims/Frizz/Leluia could fill in at Centre. Ideally Robson fills the role you are talking about and develops into a 9/13/6 type player.
JDB..ha...that is what worries me. I cant see those 3 forwards you mentioned playing centre due to either no idea in passing (frizz & Sims), moving laterally and grabs in tackles as lazy at times (Luc) and reading defence out wide and adjusting, rushing in or not. (possibly all 3)
Robson fine.....can he play 6?. Not so sure about that... unless someone else can vouch that hs has some idea there so OK with that. Otherwise I think it is still a glaring weakness IMHO
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
We do mate, couple of fast, smart and elusive speedsters, unfortunately looks like we aren’t getting any body.
But You never know, we may unearth 2.
my friend in queensland tells me that pearson is a very good and very fast winger so i have high hopes for him also can tackle pretty well .periera and pearson im sure gives us a lot more than we have had in the past ,sure periera isnt so fast but hes very safe and can tackle and take a bomb .
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,591
BLM,
I understand the importance of a utility on the bench in a finals match where inability to cover for injury to a back could mean you exit the Comp. But last year Mary proved how wasted a utility was on the bench during the premiership rounds. If a back is injured with no one suitable on the bench the worst outcome would be to lose one game. The alternative last year was to risk losing many games by never picking 4 forwards on the bench. I am sure this was a factor in the string of losses after SoO.
The ideal situation would be to have a player in the run on backline who can cover a number of positions in the backline; especially be able to cover the halves positions. Then have a utility player who is a genuine hooker, is big enough to play in the backrow and who has enough speed to cover a centre position.

In a perfect world this would be what I'd look for.

Well we have Mann who could be in the run on side as a centre and still cover most of the backline positions. In addition we have Robson, a genuine hooker who can also play in the backrow. The questions are, has he the speed to play in the centres? Is he trained to be able to play in the centres?

I'd say that if Frizell moved to prop and Mann played at left centre, we could cover all bases by have the following players on the bench:

Graham - prop rotation
K Sims - prop rotation
Lawrie - prop and backrow rotation
Robson - hooker, backrow rotation and centre when required

A very powerful pack that can share the work around and limit the instance of fatigue while at the same time, cover most instances of having a ready replacement for an on-field injury during a game.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,591
If dufty gets injured, then Mary will have to move Widdop to fullback and Mann to halves.

Or Lomax to FB and bring Aiken into replace lomax at centre.
I think there are enough options, though not ones that will match the Rorters or Storm, to match their options we need brown paper bags.

This problem exists only because SGI extended both centre long term instead of short term. Both Aitken and Lafai do not dersrve their spot based on form over last season. I say it would have been great to give a player like Mann or Herbert a run at left centre and possibly Field at five-eighth when Widdop was injured. At least we would have a better idea with regards to retention of these players and I doubt they would have performed to a lesser standard than what Lafai and Aitken (centres) and Mann at 6 did. The example is Lomax at right centre.
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,695
Whilst Mann is a good utility back, he doesnt offer anything as a forward imo.

The way i look at it is, that the utility bench player must be predominantly a forward, and there are several reasons for this:
1. Who is more likely to he injured in a game?
2. Who is more likely to suffer a HIA?
3. Who play less minutes due to workload?

A smart coach (and we see this from other clubs) would also see that one of the forwards is struggling and feign a HIA, get him off and have a free interchange.

This is why Robson is a far better option on the bench.
 

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
Whilst Mann is a good utility back, he doesnt offer anything as a forward imo.

The way i look at it is, that the utility bench player must be predominantly a forward, and there are several reasons for this:
1. Who is more likely to he injured in a game?
2. Who is more likely to suffer a HIA?
3. Who play less minutes due to workload?

A smart coach (and we see this from other clubs) would also see that one of the forwards is struggling and feign a HIA, get him off and have a free interchange.

This is why Robson is a far better option on the bench.

100%. The fact that you even need to justify yourself is ridiculous.

Regardless of all of these questions though, the simple fact remains, Robson will cause more havoc off the bench, he's the better specialist, therefore... He should claim a bench spot.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,260

Latest posts

Top