2020 team

[Frederick]

Soward has more of an idea:

Jamie Soward says: I think it's time for Phoenix Crossland to get a chance at 6. Connor Watson is the ultimate utility on the bench – he's the best utility in the game at the moment with his running game and all-round skills. Bradman Best and Gehamat Shibasaki are the centres with Hymel Hunt and Edrick Lee on the wings.

 

[Loose Cannon]

NRL.com have Watson at lock...

View attachment 34970

Also picked a three-quarter line-up entirely of left side players.

I know that was our entire game plan last year, but wow.


Edit: Also, Kurt Mann @6, and still gets a run on the extended bench.

 

[Frederick]

Ponga
Lee
Hunt
Best
Toa
Crossland
Pearce
Klemmer
Brailey
Daifiti
Fitzgibbon
Barnett
Glasby

Watson
Herman
Jaifiti
Sione

There, easy peasy

 

[Old dog]

Also picked a three-quarter line-up entirely of left side players.

I know that was our entire game plan last year, but wow.


Edit: Also, Kurt Mann @6, and still gets a run on the extended bench.

If he gets injured he can replace himself

 

[Knight Vision]

Ponga
Lee
Hunt
Best
Toa
Crossland
Pearce
Klemmer
Brailey
Daifiti
Fitzgibbon
Barnett
Glasby

Watson
Herman
Jaifiti
Sione

There, easy peasy

I like it. Would be great to see Herman make a go of it at lock and Glasby on the bench.

Fitz better have a better year or he could be out, will be interesting to see how Guerra goes next season.

 

[Yosh]

Best and Toa will probably be in every weekly highlight reel but we gonna let in a bunch of tries down that side. Especially if Crossland also defends that side... A concern but still exciting non the less.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Sounds like Mann is favourite to get the 5/8 position. He's been training there all off season and Crossland is still recovering from injury.

Watson is likely to play off the bench and has also been training at lock.

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/...bsite&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews

 

[Yosh]

Sounds like Mann is favourite to get the 5/8 position. He's been training there all off season and Crossland is still recovering from injury.

Watson is likely to play off the bench and has also been training at lock.

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/...bsite&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews

Meh... Just hope he defends well out there.

 

[Joel-22]

looking at the comp's other top 17s for round 1, I think we'll miss out on the 8 again this year. If you go through our side

1. Kalyn Ponga = Superstar
2. Edrick Lee = Average
3. Hymel Hunt = Average
4. Tautau Moga = Below Average (won't ever get back to what he was pre-injuries)
5. Bradman Best = Rookie
6. Phoenix Crosslands = Rookie
7. Mitchell Pearce = Star
8. David Klemmer = Superstar
9. Jayden Brailey = Average
10. Daniel Saifiti = Average
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon = Average
12. Mitch Barnett = Slightly Above Average
13. Tim Glasby = Slightly Above Average

14. Connor Watson = Above Average
15. Herman Ese'ese = Slightly Above Average
16. Aiden Guerra = Average
17. Sione Mata'utia = Average

I don't think my assessment is harsh. There's too much average

 

[slotmachine]

You don't have to be that good a side to sneak into the 8.

Our best 17 might be good enough but we've got no depth. A few injuries/suspensions and we're looking like the Dogs or Titans.

 

[Silent Knight]

You don't have to be that good a side to sneak into the 8.

Yeah look at the Broncos.

 

[Spot On]

looking at the comp's other top 17s for round 1, I think we'll miss out on the 8 again this year. If you go through our side

1. Kalyn Ponga = Superstar
2. Edrick Lee = Average
3. Hymel Hunt = Average
4. Tautau Moga = Below Average (won't ever get back to what he was pre-injuries)
5. Bradman Best = Rookie
6. Phoenix Crosslands = Rookie
7. Mitchell Pearce = Star
8. David Klemmer = Superstar
9. Jayden Brailey = Average
10. Daniel Saifiti = Average
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon = Average
12. Mitch Barnett = Slightly Above Average
13. Tim Glasby = Slightly Above Average

14. Connor Watson = Above Average
15. Herman Ese'ese = Slightly Above Average
16. Aiden Guerra = Average
17. Sione Mata'utia = Average

I don't think my assessment is harsh. There's too much average

While I don't disagree with too much above, we must hope Obi can address our lack of game plan, attacking options, kicking options, defence, fitness, leadership, no 5/8, 5 utilities in the top squad ...

Oh f**k it, the bloke will have to be a genius.

 

[Knight Vision]

looking at the comp's other top 17s for round 1, I think we'll miss out on the 8 again this year. If you go through our side

1. Kalyn Ponga = Superstar
2. Edrick Lee = Average
3. Hymel Hunt = Average
4. Tautau Moga = Below Average (won't ever get back to what he was pre-injuries)
5. Bradman Best = Rookie
6. Phoenix Crosslands = Rookie
7. Mitchell Pearce = Star
8. David Klemmer = Superstar
9. Jayden Brailey = Average
10. Daniel Saifiti = Average
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon = Average
12. Mitch Barnett = Slightly Above Average
13. Tim Glasby = Slightly Above Average

14. Connor Watson = Above Average
15. Herman Ese'ese = Slightly Above Average
16. Aiden Guerra = Average
17. Sione Mata'utia = Average

I don't think my assessment is harsh. There's too much average

its a team well down on NRL experience compared to the top sides.

 

[mozza91]

I think Lee, Saifiti and possibly Brailey are above average.

How the young guys go could be the difference for us. If Best and Toa can reach their potential and if Crossland can become a solid First Grader our side all of a sudden looks a lot better.

 

[PhilGould]

Toohey's predicted rd 1 team

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Edrick Lee
3. Bradman Best
4. Gehamat Shibasaki
5. Hymel Hunt
6. Kurt Mann
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. David Klemmer
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Daniel Saifiti
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12. Aidan Guerra
13. Mitch Barnett

Bench: Connor Watson, Tim Glasby, Herman Ese'ese, Sione Mata'utia

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Toohey's predicted rd 1 team

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Edrick Lee
3. Bradman Best
4. Gehamat Shibasaki
5. Hymel Hunt
6. Kurt Mann
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. David Klemmer
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Daniel Saifiti
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12. Aidan Guerra
13. Mitch Barnett

Bench: Connor Watson, Tim Glasby, Herman Ese'ese, Sione Mata'utia

Interesting seeing Shibasaki named.. Has he been a standout at training?

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

P.s I LOVE that forward pack .

 

[Knight Vision]

P.s I LOVE that forward pack .

I wonder how much of an affect Klemmer had on the young pack last season. It appeared that too often they hung back expecting the big man to do the lot. There was a very noticeable lift in intensity by Dsaf, Sione, and Fitz in particular when he wasn't in the team ....they need to play that way when he is in the team.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I wonder how much of an affect Klemmer had on the young pack last season. It appeared that too often they hung back expecting the big man to do the lot. There was a very noticeable lift in intensity by Dsaf, Sione, and Fitz in particular when he wasn't in the team ....they need to play that way when he is in the team.

Dafiti has said he aspires to prolonged intensity like Klemmer. His fitness isn't up to it. I hope his focus during the off season has been fitness.

 

[Old dog]

DSaf better be red hot at start of season because if the talk of Barnett, Guerra, Ese’ese, at 13 along with Watson then Glasby could be moved to front meaning hello bench.