Auckland 9s

[Chicken_Hunter]

What would be your strongest line up?

Hodkinson has been ruled out.

Mine would be something like this.

1. Gagai
2. Mamo
3. Matautia
4. Feeny
5. Mullen
6. Levi
7. Kims
8. Tims
9. Tapine

I doubt we will see that many first graders though

 

[perverse]

What would be your strongest line up?

Hodkinson has been ruled out.

Mine would be something like this.

1. Gagai
2. Mamo
3. Matautia
4. Feeny
5. Mullen
6. Levi
7. Kims
8. Tims
9. Tapine

I doubt we will see that many first graders though

I like the backline, I'd probably have Rochow in for Tapine at this stage in their respective careers. Tapine could be the better player eventually.

What I'd like to see improve with Tapine is his intensity. Every time I watch the guy play, I feel like he's in cruise control. Always looks very casual, like he's out there playing a game of checkers with his niece. No doubt there's talent there, and I might just be imagining things, but I reckon he needs to fire up.

 

[ryana87]

What would be your strongest line up?

Hodkinson has been ruled out.

Mine would be something like this.

1. Gagai
2. Mamo
3. Matautia
4. Feeny
5. Mullen
6. Levi
7. Kims
8. Tims
9. Tapine

I doubt we will see that many first graders though

Can tariq play?......thought he was suspended?

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Can tariq play?......thought he was suspended?

Yeah you are right, I'd bring rochow in for him.

 

[harrywilliams]

Both Tariq and Sione can't play

Agreed with the Tapine statement, he has as much talent and strength as the next "next big thing" but he really needs to get out of cruise control and put more punch into everything he does. He is still a rookie afterall, I'm sure the more he gets used to the NRL the more his impact will rise.

 

[ryana87]

Mullen out

Looks like crogger and feeney will be the halves

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Mullen out

Looks like crogger and feeney will be the halves

Is he injured or are they just not risking him?

 

[harrywilliams]

They aren't risking Hodkinson, Mullen or Gagai it looks like. Uate picked up an injury too so I doubt they'll play him. Our other highest paid players would probably be Tariq and Sione but they're suspended. We have to play one of our 5 top highest paid players so that leaves Snowy or Korbin. Though Brown has said there is a way that both Sione and Tariq can play in the Nines, it goes through the Nines organisers and not the NRL/judiciary so they are trying to make that happen. If they can't play I'd probably go with:

1. Mamo
2. Ross
3. Chanel
4. Tapine
5. Tofilau
6. Lamb
7. Feeney
8. Korbin
9. Levi

10. Stockwell
11. Randell
12. Saifiti
13. Rochow
14. Cogger
15. Saifiti
16. Robson
17. Yates
18. Pat Mat

 

[Frederick]

I like the backline, I'd probably have Rochow in for Tapine at this stage in their respective careers. Tapine could be the better player eventually.

What I'd like to see improve with Tapine is his intensity. Every time I watch the guy play, I feel like he's in cruise control. Always looks very casual, like he's out there playing a game of checkers with his niece. No doubt there's talent there, and I might just be imagining things, but I reckon he needs to fire up.

What do you expect when he looks like he's half asleep all the time

 

[PhilGould]

Official squad:

Jaelen Feeney
Lachlan Fitzgibbon
Brock Lamb
Danny Levi
Jake Mamo
Chanel Mata'utia
Pat Mata'utia
Sione Mata'utia
Will Pearsall
Tyler Randell
Robbie Rochow
Nathan Ross
Korbin Sims
Tariq Sims
Daniel Saifiti
Jacob Saifiti
Joseph Tapine
Aku Uate

 

[AusKnightRKO]

No plans on winning this tourney.

 

[Rod]

So it appears Tariq can play.

 

[Burns]

Tariq and Sione were cleared to play despite their suspensions.

Unlike previous years where we had a very strong squad, this team is a mystery. Which is both exciting and terrifying.

 

[Noname36]

I was about to say there's no way they'd let us get away with sending such a young/inexperienced/noname squad like that but then I remembered that is nearly our full squad anyway :lol:

 

[aqua_duck]

I like it, teams that send their best players don't tend to do that well anyway, it's the teams that send a few top players complemented by players suited to the format usually do better.
We know how good Mamo and Tariq Sims have been in 9s, Feeney is an ideal half in this format as he's lightning quick, the saifiti boys I think will be a revelation, big, mobile, can offload, will cause plenty of headaches against smaller guys trying to tackle them one on one. If Aku could pull his finger out as well that'd be a bonus

 

[Zoidberg]

It's a fun weekend of footy no matter how your team goes. Just hope for no injuries and some decent effort.

 

[The Showstopper]

I hope they bin the concept. It is desperate attempt to cash in.

 

[Spot On]

I hope they bin the concept. It is desperate attempt to cash in.

I'm in this boat too. There's quite a few gimmick type events/games that should be scrapped. I'd rather the NRL concentrate on making the Telstra Premiership comp the best it can be.

 

[The Showstopper]

The NRL have limited respect for their product. That product is the players and the fan numbers are pretty much directly linked to the marquee type players who are fit very week. We all know that trials and the 9s are very questionable as to what they add to a side's seasonal success. When you are talking about the most physically taxing game in the world then you cannot afford to be flippant or dismissive about player welfare. Until Origin is given a stand alone weekend slot with byes for all sides we can only wish for the competition to be fair and balanced with each side potentially able to field their best side for 26 rounds.

 

[Zoidberg]

Pauli Pauli replaces Lachlan Fitzgibbon.