2020 season

[Aliceinwonderland]

Not straight away with Yeo. They will ease him back. Though try telling him that!

And that is why we love Yeo......his work ethic. How is Fish going with pec injury ?

 

[Blues Riff]

And that is why we love Yeo......his work ethic. How is Fish going with pec injury ?

I think Fish is back in full contact training.

 

[Blade23]

And that is why we love Yeo......his work ethic. How is Fish going with pec injury ?

Going well. He should hopefully be right for round 1.

 

[Blade23]

I think Fish is back in full contact training.

Not yet. He still needs to build up strength and movement before getting back to full contact.
He is doing well though.

 

[Kilkenny]

Not yet. He still needs to build up strength and movement before getting back to full contact.
He is doing well though.

I don’t think we have to worry about JFH not being 110% committed to everything he does, including his rehab. Model professional.

 

[franklin2323]

Yep I cant wait to see them go round, plenty of chances for Nath, Jerome and Api to run off the back of them

That pack with Cleary doing the basics he does well. We will have field position most games. Just need to sort the defence

I think people are underestimating how hard it will be for Luai/Burton 1st year as a half but if they come off in even half the games with Api then we will go very well

 

[franklin2323]

And strong depth as well. So no need to play plodders like Fuimaono, Sele and Winterstein like we had to last season.

Assuming in the 17 is JFH, Tamou, Martin, Tetevano, Yeo, Kikau & Capewell. That still leaves Leota, Hetherington, Leniu, Burns and Ellis fighting for one bench spot. Plus Blore when he has recovered.

Yeah I have this as the pack:

Tamou
Api
JFH
Kikau
Yeo
Martin

Tetevano
Capewell
??
Kenny

Gives a chance to get guys like Jed, Hetherington to play a good stint in lower grades and force Ivan’s hand

 

[Blade23]

Yeah I have this as the pack:

Tamou
Api
JFH
Kikau
Yeo
Martin

Tetevano
Capewell
??
Kenny

Gives a chance to get guys like Jed, Hetherington to play a good stint in lower grades and force Ivan’s hand

You forgot Leota.

 

[franklin2323]

You forgot Leota.

You would know better then most here but given the starters all play 80 mins. Not sure 20 odd minutes off the bench suits Leota. Rather have someone that offers something different

 

[Kilkenny]

You would know better then most here but given the starters all play 80 mins. Not sure 20 odd minutes off the bench suits Leota. Rather have someone that offers something different

Maybe give him 40 minutes or so and he might actually prove his worth. Can’t believe how under utilised this guy has been. Poor coaching has really held back his career.

 

[Blues Riff]

Not yet. He still needs to build up strength and movement before getting back to full contact.
He is doing well though.

Thanks, I stand corrected. I know he's expected to be fit for the trials. Nathan's back in full training though, yeah?, looks good too. Nice to read some optimistic posts here.

 

[betcats]

Maybe give him 40 minutes or so and he might actually prove his worth. Can’t believe how under utilised this guy has been. Poor coaching has really held back his career.

He played 40 minutes numerous times last year. Played in all of our games. He isn’t suffering due to lack of opportunity. I don’t think he is suffering at all actually, he had a good year and improved over it imo.

 

[Kilkenny]

He played 40 minutes numerous times last year. Played in all of our games. He isn’t suffering due to lack of opportunity. I don’t think he is suffering at all actually, he had a good year and improved over it imo.

Hopefully he is coming into his best years. He has a lot of upside to his game just needs to be unleashed in my opinion.

 

[franklin2323]

Maybe give him 40 minutes or so and he might actually prove his worth. Can’t believe how under utilised this guy has been. Poor coaching has really held back his career.

Where does he get 40 mins from though?

you want Kikau, Fish, Yeo and Martin playing close to full games. You would think Tamou gets 50 and Tetavano gets the other 30 there.

Capewell you would think if a back doesn’t go down would be next forward up to give one of those a break

He is solid enough. He would be perfect in Tamou’s role or even as a starting lock but solid I don’t think should be on the bench.

Leinu is very fast off the mark. So against tired defences will be hard to stop.

We saw what Burns could do last round. Again speed and can create.

Hetherington can hit and run hard for a short stint. Jed as above

Leota and Ellis to me are guys you start for long stints or don’t play

 

[franklin2323]

He played 40 minutes numerous times last year. Played in all of our games. He isn’t suffering due to lack of opportunity. I don’t think he is suffering at all actually, he had a good year and improved over it imo.

Given Yeo and JFH likely won’t play a trial. Him and Tamou would be my starting front row but as the side takes shape not sure where he stands.

Hopefully he continues to develop and learns an offload or something and makes the spot his

 

[betcats]

Hopefully he is coming into his best years. He has a lot of upside to his game just needs to be unleashed in my opinion.

He has to share minutes with JFH and Tamou unfortunately for him, they were probably our two most consistent all last year but he was the third middle forward as far as the pecking order goes. He is coming into his prime as a prop so he should continue to get better.

 

[Kilkenny]

For a start I wouldn’t play Kikau for the full 80. 50-60 minutes maximum.

Yeo likewise doesn’t need to play the full 80.

I know there predominately back rowers but minutes can be found with more astute rotations something we haven’t been particularly good at in recent seasons. Our bench rotations have not been good IMO.

 

[franklin2323]

For a start I wouldn’t play Kikau for the full 80. 50-60 minutes maximum.

Yeo likewise doesn’t need to play the full 80.

I know there predominately back rowers but minutes can be found with more astute rotations something we haven’t been particularly good at in recent seasons. Our bench rotations have not been good IMO.

If that was the plan then an edge backrower would go on the bench instead of another middle

What team doesn’t have 2 bench forwards with decent minutes and the rest not many? Injuries aside every team does the same.

 

[MugaB]

Where does he get 40 mins from though?

you want Kikau, Fish, Yeo and Martin playing close to full games. You would think Tamou gets 50 and Tetavano gets the other 30 there.

Capewell you would think if a back doesn’t go down would be next forward up to give one of those a break

He is solid enough. He would be perfect in Tamou’s role or even as a starting lock but solid I don’t think should be on the bench.

Leinu is very fast off the mark. So against tired defences will be hard to stop.

We saw what Burns could do last round. Again speed and can create.

Hetherington can hit and run hard for a short stint. Jed as above

Leota and Ellis to me are guys you start for long stints or don’t play

No club would waste all their fwds out there for 80 mins, thats insane.
Rotation for middles is extremely important otherwise the opposition will carve thru us at the 30min mark and the game would be over, i'd have
TAMOU.
API.
JFH.
KIKAU.
YEO.
MARTIN.

LEOTA.
TETEVANO.
CAPEWELL.
KENNY.

capewell covers any backs
Kenny covers lock and hook.

if theres a prop injured next game
LENIU.
if theres a Back rower injured
BURNS.
If its a half injured
BURTON.
If its an outside back.
CRICHTON.

thats pretty much it
When we have multiple injuries, or form drops, thats when we'll see anyone other than that

 

[franklin2323]

No club would waste all their fwds out there for 80 mins, thats insane.
Rotation for middles is extremely important otherwise the opposition will carve thru us at the 30min mark and the game would be over, i'd have
TAMOU.
API.
JFH.
KIKAU.
YEO.
MARTIN.

LEOTA.
TETEVANO.
CAPEWELL.
KENNY.

capewell covers any backs
Kenny covers lock and hook.

if theres a prop injured next game
LENIU.
if theres a Back rower injured
BURNS.
If its a half injured
BURTON.
If its an outside back.
CRICHTON.

thats pretty much it
When we have multiple injuries, or form drops, thats when we'll see anyone other than that

No cause injuries stop it from happening but certain games last year Storm had Smith and Papenhuyzen on the bench meaning forwards played longer.

JFH was our player of the year last year
Yeo was player of the year the year before

So if they are your best players then you'd play them for 80 mins if you can.
Coaches leave interchanges for later in the game incase injuries happen. So whatever happens 2 interchanges guys get limited time