A Suggestion!

[Big Mick]

When you signed Issac Luke I came on here and told you that he'd be play first grade. I had said i'd seen him at fullback and five-eight for the Bulldogs and that he is great in either position.

In my opinion himself and George Ndaira are the two best players you have at the moment, and both need to be picked in the top 17.

So in my opinion, the Bunnies need to change their 6,7,9 to include both..

therefore:

1. Beau Champion
6. Issac Luke
7. Eddie Paea
9. George N'Daira

So the whole team:

1. Beau Champion, 2. Nathan Merritt, 3. Nigel Vagana, 4. Fetuli Talanoa, 5. Sam Huihahau, 6. Issac Luke, 7. Eddie Paea, 8. Manese Manukafua, 9. George N'Daira, 10. Roy Asotasi, 11. David Kidwell, 12. David Fa'alogo, 13. John Sutton
RES: 14. Jaimain Lowe, 15. Eddy Pettybourne, 16. Luke Stuart, 17. Ben Rogers

 

[Panther_Daz]

I'd have Chris Sandow on the bench.

Pettybourne surely must come in next week like you suggested Mick.

 

[Achillies]

When you signed Issac Luke I came on here and told you that he'd be play first grade. I had said i'd seen him at fullback and five-eight for the Bulldogs and that he is great in either position.

In my opinion himself and George Ndaira are the two best players you have at the moment, and both need to be picked in the top 17.

So in my opinion, the Bunnies need to change their 6,7,9 to include both..

therefore:

1. Beau Champion
6. Issac Luke
7. Eddie Paea
9. George N'Daira

So the whole team:

1. Beau Champion, 2. Nathan Merritt, 3. Nigel Vagana, 4. Fetuli Talanoa, 5. Sam Huihahau, 6. Issac Luke, 7. Eddie Paea, 8. Manese Manukafua, 9. George N'Daira, 10. Roy Asotasi, 11. David Kidwell, 12. David Fa'alogo, 13. John Sutton
RES: 14. Jaimain Lowe, 15. Eddy Pettybourne, 16. Luke Stuart, 17. Ben Rogers

Mate i would love see something like that side.Beau Champion has played a lot of footy at 1 and i think he was playing there when he stared at schoolboy level.Fetuli looks more comfortable on the wing or in the centres.I would love to see Issac in the halves,would be an awesome 1,2 punch with George.Jaimain Lowe is the only weak link in that whole 17 but he would be replaced by Greenfield.I like your thinking Big Mick!

 

[Aaron_sfas]

When you signed Issac Luke I came on here and told you that he'd be play first grade. I had said i'd seen him at fullback and five-eight for the Bulldogs and that he is great in either position.

In my opinion himself and George Ndaira are the two best players you have at the moment, and both need to be picked in the top 17.

So in my opinion, the Bunnies need to change their 6,7,9 to include both..

therefore:

1. Beau Champion
6. Issac Luke
7. Eddie Paea
9. George N'Daira

So the whole team:

1. Beau Champion, 2. Nathan Merritt, 3. Nigel Vagana, 4. Fetuli Talanoa, 5. Sam Huihahau, 6. Issac Luke, 7. Eddie Paea, 8. Manese Manukafua, 9. George N'Daira, 10. Roy Asotasi, 11. David Kidwell, 12. David Fa'alogo, 13. John Sutton
RES: 14. Jaimain Lowe, 15. Eddy Pettybourne, 16. Luke Stuart, 17. Ben Rogers

you know thats a pretty good team there. i'd have hegarty in when he is fit. and i'd mix a few guys around a bit, but that would work

 

[Big Mick]

Mate i would love see something like that side.Beau Champion has played a lot of footy at 1 and i think he was playing there when he stared at schoolboy level.Fetuli looks more comfortable on the wing or in the centres.I would love to see Issac in the halves,would be an awesome 1,2 punch with George.Jaimain Lowe is the only weak link in that whole 17 but he would be replaced by Greenfield.I like your thinking Big Mick!

Agreed...the only reason I put Lowe there was because Greenfield was injured.

In that instance i'd start Greenfield and have Manukafoa off the bench.

IMO thats the team that needs to be selected.

Champion is a natural fullback. Has always played there and could develop into a Kurt Gidley style player who can run a line, chime in to a play making role if necessary, that is where he feels most comfortable.

Any Dogs supporter will say they've seen Luke play 1 and 6 and either position he is lethal. If he is given room two men off the ruck able to run onto the ball at pace, I reckon he'd run a muck. Plus this free's up N'Daira who is in great form to command things at hooker and give good service to the emerging Paea.

I think its time Taylor tried this combination as that 1,6,7,9 is young, enthusiastic and given time will develop a solid combination that wins games.

 

[Dave Q]

Agreed...the only reason I put Lowe there was because Greenfield was injured.

In that instance i'd start Greenfield and have Manukafoa off the bench.

IMO thats the team that needs to be selected.

Champion is a natural fullback. Has always played there and could develop into a Kurt Gidley style player who can run a line, chime in to a play making role if necessary, that is where he feels most comfortable.

Any Dogs supporter will say they've seen Luke play 1 and 6 and either position he is lethal. If he is given room two men off the ruck able to run onto the ball at pace, I reckon he'd run a muck. Plus this free's up N'Daira who is in great form to command things at hooker and give good service to the emerging Paea.

I think its time Taylor tried this combination as that 1,6,7,9 is young, enthusiastic and given time will develop a solid combination that wins games.

Cheers Big Mick.

We definately need Luke, and Ndaira in the same side and for the full 80 if possible. George to half I think.

IMO its worth trying Gordon in the second row or at 3 or 4.

At the moment we could probably use vags at 5/8 due to his composure.

Before his injury Greenfiled was showing up Aso et al. IMO we miss him as much as we miss Wing.

Dave is slowly get back to his usual stellar form. Ben required for his creativity.

I dont quite have Eddie in my side as yet. He's close though.

Champion on the wing as opposed to fullback. PS: Fetuli is injured, Kidwell's form is shot.

 

[Ike E Bear]

While we talk about it a lot, I think the player mix is getting close to irrelevant, to be honest.

I agree that it makes a lot of sense for Luke and Ndaira to get more time on the park at the same time. They look to be the Bunnies' two most dangerous players and having them might take some pressure (and the attention of the defence) off the likes of Sutton and Rogers. I'm still happy to have Paea on the bench if the team's interchange rotations can accommodate having him as an impact player.

Otherwise, it's the team-wide stuff that needs to be addressed - line speed in defence, penalties and ball security. No one or two players have been reponsible for these every week ... Talanoa was safe and strong for the first month of the competition while Merritt looked a little clumsy, but in the past two weeks that reversed. The whole team needs to lift on those fundamentals of the game.

I think the individual player selections aren't as important as those issues now. A 20 per cent improvement on the basics will see the Bunnies be 100 per cent more competitive, in my opinion. Shrug.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

Three areas to fix:

Completions
Finishing off a set of six
Defensive line speed

The first is easy, you just have to play the boring one up stuff until you get into the opposition's 30

The second is a little tougher as you can't really teach this, it should be ingrained in a players mind. Wing should make a difference here when he gets back

The third is the hardest as it takes years for a player to develop good defence. I say f*ck this one as its too hard to fix mid season. If we get the other two right we will score more tries and we should then just take a leaf out of the cowboys book. Score more than you let in.

 

[Ike E Bear]

How did the Bunnies have it (line speed) last year but completely lose it this year?

Last year, the Rabbitohs' defence was stellar and this year it's rubbish. It baffles me.

If it take years to develop good defence, then how long does it take to forget it?

I'm wondering how important to the team's defensive capabilities Cusask was. He seems to be the only missing piece. Even that doesn't make sense, since as a prop he wasn't on the field for close to half a game each week. Also maybe Rigon?

 

[Ziggy the God]

How did the Bunnies have it (line speed) last year but completely lose it this year?

Last year, the Rabbitohs' defence was stellar and this year it's rubbish. It baffles me.

If it take years to develop good defence, then how long does it take to forget it?

I'm wondering how important to the team's defensive capabilities Cusask was. He seems to be the only missing piece. Even that doesn't make sense, since as a prop he wasn't on the field for close to half a game each week. Also maybe Rigon?

My view is that we where the second best team to employ 'wrestling tactics last year, and where thus able to slow down opposition sides.

They have come down hard this year on these kind of tactics, and as a result, quick play the balls are killing us.

 

[Ike E Bear]

That makes sense.