2023 Team

[Jono078]

1-5 looks weak in defence, is a worry

Outside of Gagai, defense is an attitude and knowing the assignment. They can be coached to get the job done.

 

[Jono078]

I’ll wait and see, he might play more Cup than anything and hope we are better at back up 9 without Randall who gave his best even if not quite enough

If AOB plays Tuala or Hunt over Marzhew then it’s time for him to go.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

If it wasn’t an area of need we wouldn’t be signing the guy, whether he’s in the best 17 in round 1 or not it will at least create more competition for spots in the backline.

If we wanted to pick our best defensive backline I’d say Hunt would be playing Centre and Gags on the wing but that seems unlikely given Hunt didn’t get a game under AOB this year so might be on the outer.

 

[Jono078]

To be fair, Hunt looks a shell of his former self, unfortunately. He provided us with a couple really decent years!

 

[Old dog]

Don’t know why Hunt didn’t get some game time during 2022 but Young and Lee were regularly in top 4-5 each game. Hope he gets a chance 2023 to at least get a opportunity elsewhere

 

[Mr_Knightside]

To be fair, Hunt looks a shell of his former self, unfortunately. He provided us with a couple really decent years!

Does he? I don’t remember seeing him play this year.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Don’t know why Hunt didn’t get some game time during 2022 but Young and Lee were regularly in top 4-5 each game. Hope he gets a chance 2023 to at least get a opportunity elsewhere

Didn't he have two long term injuries this year? One included a pretty bad facial fracture. Pretty sure he only played like 7 or 8 games

 

[Old dog]

Didn't he have two long term injuries this year? One included a pretty bad facial fracture. Pretty sure he only played like 7 or 8 games

Would explain it

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I was pretty impressed with some of the performances from hunt in 2021. I wouldn’t give up on him yet.

 

[Jono078]

I was pretty impressed with some of the performances from hunt in 2021. I wouldn’t give up on him yet.

Are you sure it was 2021? For mine 2020 was his last good season. 2021 he suffered a leg injury and never seemed to reach the heights of his previous two seasons.

By all means he's not a write-off or anything but I can't see him getting his 2019/20 kind of form back.

 

[ryan.a87]

Toohey seems to think Gagai will be fullback round 1

 

[Jono078]

Toohey seems to think Gagai will be fullback round 1

Dunno how I feel about it. His defensive deficiencies were on full show this year but there aren't too many players in the comp in their 30s transitioning to fullback..

It does sound like they're committing to Ponga/Hastings halves pairing. This means our general kicking game could be even worse than this year.

 

[K-Man]

I've got massive doubts about the whole Ponga in the halves at any cost situation. Without a recognised quality fullback, which is arguably a more important position anyway, we could be significantly weakening one area in an attempt to strengthen another. Ponga has his faults as a fullback but the things he does well happen in that role, and his performances at Origin level suggest the transition his club coaches should be trying to make is converting the talent into elite and consistent performances throughout the season as a fullback, not trying to make him a half when he's quite possibly not cut out for the job.

And with Hastings in the team perhaps it's 5/8th position we should be prepared to compromise on a little because they won't need to be a dominant half. To be honest Gamble would probably be the right type of player, and we've bought him, but he's going to play reserves while Ponga has another crack at learning a new position and we don't have a fullback?

1. Ponga 6. Gamble looks much better to me than 1. Gagai 6. Ponga

Hope I'm proven wrong, because our whole season and potentially the next 5 years is riding on it.

 

[Bdubs]

its a bit of a risk moving Ponga to 5/8, but its one worth doing. Ponga plays like a 5/8 anyway.

At fullback he has some issues, seems to always end up on his bum when catching kicks, doesn't run the ball back etc, but the biggest problem isn't Ponga's fault at all, its that when he does run the ball the opposition tries to take his head off and he fails HIA's, so he's not on the field anyway.

For some reason playing in the halves makes you more protected from the officials from high shots then at fullback. So to prolong his career and actually have him on the field 5/8 is worth the risk.

Something that does need answering though is why Garrick knocked us back to stay with Manly as a centre then come to us to play fullback when fullback is where he wants to play

 

[slotmachine]

Hastings in the team perhaps it's 5/8th position we should be prepared to compromise on a little because they won't need to be a dominant half.

Hastings isn't that good, paring him with a reserve grader like gamble would be asking for pain. Totally understand why they want to get at least one elite player into the halves.

 

[Yosh]

Gagai at fullback 4 or 5 years ago might have been an excellent idea. He is showing his age a bit to be honest. I am keen to see him play there though, could be a revelation.

 

[Old dog]

If Ponga is to move to 6 then unless we get a real f/b then Gagai looks best option with what we have.
Now we need a right centre, fix one problem create another

 

[Old dog]

If Ponga stays at f/b then Gamble is our best option at 6, at least it is his preferred position and all other options are fill ins not 5/8s.

 

[K-Man]

Hastings isn't that good, paring him with a reserve grader like gamble would be asking for pain. Totally understand why they want to get at least one elite player into the halves.

Can't look at either scenario in isolation though. I'm not exactly giving Gamble much credit, but he's an actual half, while Gagai is not even close to an actual fullback. I can see the playmaking and organising and general kicking falling apart completely at times.

 

[K-Man]

Gamble at 6 where he belongs, Ponga at 1 where he's played virtually his entire club and rep career bar a failed stint at 6. I'd be more confident in that spine than anything involving a manufactured fullback out of desperation. But we'll see, hopefully Ponga is fully committed to this plan and adapts quickly. But an ageing Gagai at fullback is a major concern.