Changes To Be Made For Game Against Beatrice And The Brokeback Mountain Men

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I dont think a Mass Cull is likely but there will be a couple for sure

Crockett seems farked so maybe Byrne, Ah Van or Vuna in for him

As much as i dont like him Hohaia has been great for us in the centres and Martin should stay as well. Manu is no brainer so no changes there. Michael Half Witt could be the one dusted for this week. Okay in defence but kicking was shocking as well as last tackle options. Rovelli shines when we are playing good but when the team needs him to make a play he doesnt. Summary Witt to go with Hohaia in to 6

The forwards were dismall today. Price and Fien will stay as well as Rapira in the starting side as well. Wiki is really giving me the sh*ts. Not producing and if he was ill o injured today why did he bloody play. He was MIA again

Backrow are going okay. Swann didnt make any eras today so he should stay. Luck tries hard so he should stay. Id go Mannering on the bench which will open up a spot in the pack. If Lui is available for selection then id throw him in there.

Bench should remain the same except Gatis should be dropped. Offered nothing today gave away some penalties and was the complete opposite to what he has been.

So with the changes my line up would be

MCKINNON
VUNA
MARTIN
BYRNE
VATUVAI
HOHAIA
ROVELLI

PRICE
FIEN
RAPIRA
LUCK
SWANN
ANDERSON

BENCH

WITT - just
LAUAKI
TUIMAVAVAE
WIKI - just


Our kick chase game will have to be the best for the year when Bowan gets the ball and our markers need to be alert for Thurston. Wiki looks like he needs a rest so i woild have no problem him doing a few head shots on Beatrice Fumbleina

 

[Fast Eddie]

Mannering doesn't deserve to be dropped.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

True but I would never want to see a winger or centre (Vuna and Byrne) on the bench. Waste of an interchange. Maybe Lui to bench and Mannering to start

 

[Martli]

I'd have Mannering in the centres over Todd Byrne any day....

 

[NZ Warrior]

It was grindhouse football out there today and our boys did well. Huge defensive effort = little left in the tank.

The only change that should be made for next week is Crockett's injury-forced omission.

The Warriors have just got to get the game back into their control. You can't play out your possession at the wrong end of the field and expect to win a game.

Witt and Rovelli need a bit more work in directing the team around better. But that is something that will take time.

Don't start panicking yet, guys. We've just had 2 very tough away assignments and another tough one at home. At least we are not Roosters fans.

 

[dazza]

It was grindhouse football out there today and our boys did well. Huge defensive effort = little left in the tank.

The only change that should be made for next week is Crockett's injury-forced omission.

The Warriors have just got to get the game back into their control. You can't play out your possession at the wrong end of the field and expect to win a game.

Witt and Rovelli need a bit more work in directing the team around better. But that is something that will take time.

Don't start panicking yet, guys. We've just had 2 very tough away assignments and another tough one at home. At least we are not Roosters fans.

:lol: :lol: :lol: @ roosters fans.

anderson won`t last the season

cheers dazza

 

[Dr Crane]

Just run Mannering out wide, damn it!

 

[NZ Warrior]

I don't know if Anderson has the wrong cattle or if the Roosters just actually suck. But there will be a few pissed off people in power, with the money that they've splurged out on this team.

The Roosters are in real trouble, and it shouldn't just be Anderson's head on the chopping block. The players' must be playing with their fat wallets in their pockets. A few too many pampered egos in that team for my liking.

 

[Auckland4ever]

Damn. Deja vu from last year. Good defensive effort, popgun attack and a narrow loss. The first couple of games showed signs of us having a more potent attacking side this year, but the last couple have been throwbacks to the dreary past.
We've got a great support player in McKinnon that isnt getting quality ball from his halves or his forwards.

Dont know about making changes yet, Melbourne & Manly are good defensive sides. However, should we lose again in a similar manner, unless our forward effort was sub-par, I'd expect Cleary will be questioning whether the Witt/Rovelli combo provides the balance he's looking for. Neither has much of a running game, neither appears to be able to break the game apart when its required.
Unfortunately, we're in deja vu territory there again, as although there are various halves options open to Cleary, none of them have proven to be spectacular as yet.

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

Q: Does Hiho run the ball @ 5/8? No, a better question would be...when was the last time he played in halves? About a million years ago. I like the guy but I'm a little little apprehensive. Ok so he did provide 'something' against Melbourne but that wouldn't be enough to convince me.

Btw, I ain't defending Witty in this either, he didn't exactly do a lot BUT I wouldn't rat out on him too.

 

[Auckland4ever]

If Witt does eventually get dropped, I doubt Hohaia will be his replacement unless Ropati's still injured.
So... be prepared for more pain, Ropati haters. You know you love it.

 

[ToiletDuck]

He's played in the halves most of his career...

The way i see it Hohaia is just a better version of Witt, so you may as well put him in 5/8th if you want him in the 13. It makes a lot more sense to have him there than in the centres.

 

[Skram]

I think Cleary's gonna persevere with the same lineup with the forced change of Crockett, hopefully bringing Pub Guy (Ah Van) in opposed to Turtle. However, I agree with many in that Mannering needs to be slotted back into the centers for more of a linebreaking influence, he makes a damn good fist of playing in the forwards but as a center he's always asking questions of the defence, and bending the line out there.
If the halves combo doesn't start clicking soon then I say switch Witt with either Hohaia or if worst comes to worst (I'm talkin a 4-5 game losing streak) J Ro, something about his running game makes me think he coulda made a big difference against Manly as opposed to Witt and at least it would give the Jerome Ropati Haters' Society something to discuss at their weekly meetings, I'm sure their minutes are looking very blank at the moment, but with that said I would rather see the current combo gel as at least with Witt both halves have a kicking game.
Swann improved a lot from his slow motion display last week, but I still believe if Cleary is persisting with Mannering in the second row then Swann should be the one to go once Louis/Koopu return.
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing the following named sometime soon:

Mckinnon
Ah Van
Martin
Mannering
Vatuvei
Witt/Hohaia
Rovelli
Wiki
Fein
Price
Luck
Koopu
Anderson

Tuimavave
Lauaki
Rapira
Hohaia/Gatis

Not to mention at some point it would be good to see one of the guns from the lions (Fai or Vuna) at some point, injuries or suspension (Wiki :? perhaps) pending, if Fai is everything people are talking him up to be it would be a sin to hold him back.

 

[ozbash]

the sooner louie is back, the better. love to see him and lauaki start, swann @ 13 and luck on the bench.

i didnt see the first 2 mins or have the pleasure of viewing gameday with wopo and scooby but why was rubes benched ?

was it for form/health or do you think ivan was trying to work some magic on the interchange bench, ie, keep pricey on at critical times ?

 

[RLIF]

I hear Whitt got player of the day for Manly yesterday

 

[Martli]

Looks like Crockett will definitely be out, and possibly Gatis (two concussions apparently).

 

[AliN]

Team for me, and yes changes..

McKinnon
Paddy
Martin
Mannering
Manu
Witt
Hohaia..where he belongs
Wiki
Fein
Price
Swann
Luck
Koopu, if he's available

Bench

Tuimavavae
Rapira
Lauaki
Gatis, if he's out.. Louie

 

[Martli]

And OZ - Agreed, bring back Louis
​

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Q: Does Hiho run the ball @ 5/8? No, a better question would be...when was the last time he played in halves? About a million years ago. I like the guy but I'm a little little apprehensive. Ok so he did provide 'something' against Melbourne but that wouldn't be enough to convince me.

Btw, I ain't defending Witty in this either, he didn't exactly do a lot BUT I wouldn't rat out on him too.

Hohaia played most of the game at 5/8last week

 

[LeagueNut]

1. McKinnon
2. Ah Van
3. Martin
4. Mannering
5. Vatuvei
6. Hohaia
7. Rovelli
8. Tuimavave
9. Fien
10. Price
11. Swann
12. Lauaki
13. Anderson

14. Rapira
15. Luck
16. Wiki
17. Gatis/Witt/Koopu

That backline should be the regular first-choice combo IMO, with Crockett and Ah Van interchanging depending on form/fitness/injuries. (Much like Murphy and Fa'afili during '02)

Hohaia needs to be in the halves, and given the choice between Rovelli and Witt I'd go for Rovelli every time.

I think Tuimavave (especially) and Lauaki have shown enough solid form to warrant a start.

We need someone on the bench capable of slotting in to half-a-dozen positions depending on how the game is unfolding, although there are guys in the starting team (e.g. Mannering, Hohaia) that can be shuffled around as needed.

A genuine game-breaking forward would be nice too. Overall they're a pack of grafters who can pop the odd pass here and there but don't have a really threatening presence on attack.