2021 Rnd 25 V Parramatta

[Abacus]

And yet he's still played all those positions (except Wing and Prop) this season.

It's been explained many times, his utility value is not being the best option to fill any position mid match, but allow others to remain in their best position for the remainder of the match. Eg. you weaken one position instead of two.

You're just espousing the myth of May. The 1 position where we are shot if we lose them early is at hooker. May is garbage there - we know because he's played there this season...poorly.

 

[Abacus]

If it wasn't the last round I'd be dropping Leota for that miss. Was bloody terrible

It went through my mind also, but don't want to dent Leota's confidence going into the finals.

 

[Abacus]

Surely you see the value in a ball playing lock in our attack? Every good team has a ball playing lock and every team shit team doesn't. It's not a coincidence that happened for all 16 teams. May's not Yeo and I think we're making up the numbers without Yeo but we have to someone there who's capable of doing being a link. Eiso over Martin if anyone.

Eisunhuth came on in one the latest games he played at lock and we looked more dangerous. Think it might have been his second last game before his rib injury. The one against Brisbane maybe.

Is May a ball-playing lock?! When does he do the work of a lock? Typically only plays the link role in the set plays, without any legspeed to put the defence in any doubt so they just slide most off the defence off him, pressuring the 2nd phase. In a word, he's "ineffectual" as a ball-playing lock.

I'm hoping we have Fish practicing those link plays - he seems the next best suited. Allows Kenny to come on at lock and focus on speedy runs & PTBs and middle defence.

 

[The_Frog]

Some folks don't understand the role of a true ultility. I didn't like his off field behaviour......(though it's been dealt with by the law of the land).

No-one liked it. But it's over now, the club and the game have forgiven him and he's part of our team, so I honestly don't see what is to be gained by carrying on with it. This applies to the likes of Matt Lodge as well.

Now whether he's the best utility going forward is a complete different question. I don't think Kenny is a utility at all. He's a back up hooker who can come on and hold the middle defensively. That's about all he can do. I expect both to play this week, and then the coach will make a decision for the finals, based on what he thinks is best for the team. I think he should have May in the 14, but certainly won't carry on if he goes the other way.

 

[Munky]

I'd honestly have Tago as our utility.

Move him to centre and shift Burton if anything happens to the halves/hooker.

Can play backrow in the normal rotation.

 

[DinkyDi]

The run home: Each team’s best and worst case ladder finish

Heading into the final stretch, NRL.com looks at how each club is placed and who they face in the lead-up to the finals.

www.nrl.com

 

[mxlegend99]

I'd honestly have Tago as our utility.

Move him to centre and shift Burton if anything happens to the halves/hooker.

Can play backrow in the normal rotation.

I think Tago could cover hooker if we trained him to. Couldn't do worse than May as a hooker.

Could cover centre, second row and hooker from bench IMO at a better standard than May. Halves no chance but I would shift Burton before using May anyway.

I hope we try making a spot for Tago next hear.

 

[Smug Panther]

I think Tago could cover hooker if we trained him to. Couldn't do worse than May as a hooker.

Could cover centre, second row and hooker from bench IMO at a better standard than May. Halves no chance but I would shift Burton before using May anyway.

I hope we try making a spot for Tago next hear.

Will take Burton's sport at left centre surely

 

[hindy111]

Gutherson not playing .And I think parra are going to rest a few players .Interesting to see if we do the same

BA said 7 or 8 will be rested.

Gutherson,Jnr,N.Brown,Marata,Lane,Papali are 6 that won't be playing.Moses and D.Brown may also be rested.

Add Mahoney,Sivo and Matterson out. Rcg I hear maybe back.
But that 11-12 guys out. Won't be much of a game

 

[hindy111]

No Reed Mahoney yet they beat Melbourne,
If we win against the eels, and c r onulla beat a depleted storm, maybe we get the minor premiership

Wouldn't you prefer to play Souths then Manly? Souths you beat a few weeks back with Too or JFH. And they had Latrell.
Manly are dangerous. No advantage on finishing 1st.

I said this last season. 1st and 5th placed sides should get to chose who they play between the side who finished 3rd or 4th.
And 5th choses 7th or 8th.

 

[Smug Panther]

Wouldn't you prefer to play Souths then Manly? Souths you beat a few weeks back with Too or JFH. And they had Latrell.
Manly are dangerous. No advantage on finishing 1st.

I said this last season. 1st and 5th placed sides should get to chose who they play between the side who finished 3rd or 4th.
And 5th choses 7th or 8th.

Both have nothing for us

 

[betcats]

Don’t care much about this game tbh. Parra will have heaps out do a win won’t mean much unless you care about the minor prem which I don’t. Play the guys who need to get some minutes into them like fish, bizza and tpj and rest as many starters as possible.

 

[hindy111]

Don’t care much about this game tbh. Parra will have heaps out do a win won’t mean much unless you care about the minor prem which I don’t. Play the guys who need to get some minutes into them like fish, bizza and tpj and rest as many starters as possible.

Poor scheduling. Local derby should never be set in the last week.

 

[hindy111]

Both have nothing for us

Manly are dangerous. They are not as balanced as you guys. But they have fire-power. Schuster,Walker,Foran,DCE,Turbo are all creative.
Then that big 2nd rower is potent along with Jake. Alioi and Tapou make the pack serviecabe. If they are on they are a worry.
Souths have also lost Mansour since played.

 

[Original Name]

Is May a ball-playing lock?! When does he do the work of a lock? Typically only plays the link role in the set plays, without any legspeed to put the defence in any doubt so they just slide most off the defence off him, pressuring the 2nd phase. In a word, he's "ineffectual" as a ball-playing lock.

I'm hoping we have Fish practicing those link plays - he seems the next best suited. Allows Kenny to come on at lock and focus on speedy runs & PTBs and middle defence.

I mean isn't this basically what a modern day lock does to set up this try at 1:25? Get the ball at first receiver create/preserve space for your outside men?

Don't want Fish thinking pass instead of run first imo. It's vital he's the guy who runs it and straightens up with a good run when we need it. Every forward having skills sounds great but you guys who will hit it up. Eiso isn't relevant to our first choice pack so we don't lose that when if ball plays a bit more. It's the most dangerous we've looked without Yeo when he played there imo.

 

[The_Frog]

Wouldn't you prefer to play Souths then Manly? Souths you beat a few weeks back with Too or JFH. And they had Latrell.
Manly are dangerous. No advantage on finishing 1st.

I said this last season. 1st and 5th placed sides should get to chose who they play between the side who finished 3rd or 4th.
And 5th choses 7th or 8th.

We'll play whoever we have to play. I think the club would like the $100k so if the Storm gift us that I'm sure we'll take it. We didn't lose last year because we ran first. It was because we handed the Storm cheap possession in attacking positions repeatedly and couldn't defend our errors.

The trouble with choosing your opponent is that you'll choose the wrong one. Broncos did this a few years ago by knowing what winning margin they needed by virtue of playing the last game. They got the Dragons who'd just been flogged by the Bulldogs, who ran 12th. Of course they were then flogged. It's better if you think it's not an easy win.

 

[Abacus]

I mean isn't this basically what a modern day lock does to set up this try at 1:25? Get the ball at first receiver create/preserve space for your outside men?

Don't want Fish thinking pass instead of run first imo. It's vital he's the guy who runs it and straightens up with a good run when we need it. Every forward having skills sounds great but you guys who will hit it up. Eiso isn't relevant to our first choice pack so we don't lose that when if ball plays a bit more. It's the most dangerous we've looked without Yeo when he played there imo.

Hahaha, taking a basic pass and feeding it outside...pretty sure that's not what a ball-playing lock does. Look, I don't want to be rude but if that's the best argument for May as a lock, then debate is over & myth is confirmed.

Eiso won't be finding his way back to NRL unless we have a couple of injuries. Should anything happen to Yeo we'll struggle so need to have options - I seem to recall Fish playing the link role a couple of seasons ago but I might be wrong. Unfortunately May is not what a few on here think he is as a player - I wish he was, but he's not.

So I think Kenny is more important on the bench to cover dummy half at a reasonable standard should anything happen to Api. Then cover for Yeo as a small lock if needed.

 

[kinghippo]

I thought momo may have ended up as our utility when he first signed.
I didn't think he would find a permanent spot , and I certainly didn't see him locking down a centres position.

 

[Original Name]

Hahaha, taking a basic pass and feeding it outside...pretty sure that's not what a ball-playing lock does. Look, I don't want to be rude but if that's the best argument for May as a lock, then debate is over & myth is confirmed.

Eiso won't be finding his way back to NRL unless we have a couple of injuries. Should anything happen to Yeo we'll struggle so need to have options - I seem to recall Fish playing the link role a couple of seasons ago but I might be wrong. Unfortunately May is not what a few on here think he is as a player - I wish he was, but he's not.

So I think Kenny is more important on the bench to cover dummy half at a reasonable standard should anything happen to Api. Then cover for Yeo as a small lock if needed.

Passing out the back in a basic block shape something a lot of props can have developed in the last two years, that's true. They may not go deep enough into the line, or too deep, the passing may be too inconsistent for the liking of a half if you just pick out a prop (the lack of confidence the half has in the first receiver reliably passing on the money and not 20 centre metres behind means the half won't run onto the ball as fast which slows the whole play down and that would kill the style we play) but yes you can get say Fisher Harris or Tevita to do that.

But from Api to May to Laui was about 20 metres accross field. A fair amount of props can pass out the back nice and in front semi reliably (which I don't think would be reliable enough by Nath's liking if it wasn't the guy he hasn't been training with as back up lock) for about 5 metres accross but around 10 accross field out in front and quick through the air is a completely different matter. Beating players through the air with width isn't the way Yeo plays but there's more than one way to skin a cat. His ball skill level for a guy big enough for the forwards is May's greatest asset and to me the only reason you could maybe make an argument for him being in the 17.

Regardless it's all academic. We can't win a gf without Yeo anyway it's just about how much close we'd get.

 

[Thirsty Panther]

Can't see us winning the Minor Premiership.
Even if we beat a depleted Eels outfit we still need the Sharks to beat the Storm.
Storm are going to rest some players but I don't think Belemy will let his team lose two games in a row.