Down to the Business end of the Season!

[jbl31649]

We are going to be in the finals. Last year Bennett started resting players. Should we do the same. Rest 1-2 players each game over the next 10 weeks.

Last year Choc, Lyon and Foran both went in with slight injuries. Choc was hobbling around for most of the matches leading up to that first final.

I'm a fan of this. I want all of our 17 to be in prime condition, as finals real step-up!

 

[zombie jesus]

Foran and Lyon, definitely.

 

[drago brelli]

Congrats to Glenn Stewart. He was good in Origin 3. You can tell by the way he plays that he doesn't like Queenslanders.

 

[jbl31649]

Yeah, he was looking for a biff, but no bit.

 

[CC_Eagle]

Had the Blues won, Glenn would have been MOTM.

Best forward on the field last night.

 

[Briza]

Congrats to Glenn Stewart. He was good in Origin 3. You can tell by the way he plays that he doesn't like Queenslanders.

That's because there's so many storm players in it, and we all know that history.

 

[jbl31649]

Whats our best team. Hard to pin point this, especially when players like the Wolfman and Ol'Joe, playing some of their best footy. With Shane Rodney bach, he'll get better as his match fitness improves and we still have the T-Rex to fit back in and young Hopa. I've pick my side and with reasons.

1. B.Stewart
2. M.Robertson
3. S.Matai
4. J.Lyon
5. D.Williams
6. K.Foran
7. D.Cherry-Evans
8. J.King
9. M.Ballin
10. B.Kite
11. A.Watmough
12. G.Stewart
13. S.Rodney

Interchange
15. J.Galuvao
16. G.Rose
17. J.Buhrer
18. W.Hopaote


# The Wolfman and Hopaote are tough ones, but my thinking is for pure safety in finals. If any of the backs go down Hopa can cover and we can also inject him into the game at any stage.


# Wolfman is going great guns and wouldn't want to sideline him over Hopa, due to Hopa leaving next year. Could be messy


# M.Robertson - Just to safe and reliable. Just wish he had a bit more speed, but what he lacks in that, he makes up for in just being in the right spot at the right time


# Wanted to get T-Rex in there, as him could be a great attacking weapon in the later stages of a match, but Joe and Rod's are just to reliable in defence.


- very hard and I'll probably get hammered for this, but thats my best side.

 

[zombie jesus]

1. B. Stewart
2. M. Robertson
3. J. Lyon
4. S. Matai
5. W. Hopoate
6. K. Foran
7. D. Cherry-Evans
8. B. Kite
9. M. Ballin
10. J. King
11. S. Rodney
12. A. Watmough
13. G. Stewart

14. J. Galuvao
15. G. Rose
16. T. Williams
17. J. Buhrer

Robertson is safe as a house, Hoppa is not far behind.
Wolfman has potential for mistakes in his game, he gets the cut.

Hoppa (or any back) would be a waste on the bench. How/where would you slot him in? You're not using a precious interchange to take a winger off, Lyon, Stewart and Matai are playing 80 minutes, every time. If he replaces a forward then you've got a reshuffle which is unnecessary and something the team's not used to. With Buhrer and T-Rex on the bench you have cover for any injuries to the backs.

 

[eagles4eva]

1. B. Stewart
2. M. Robertson
3. J. Lyon
4. S. Matai
5. W. Hopoate
6. K. Foran
7. D. Cherry-Evans
8. B. Kite
9. M. Ballin
10. J. King
11. S. Rodney
12. A. Watmough
13. G. Stewart

14. J. Galuvao
15. G. Rose
16. T. Williams
17. J. Buhrer

Robertson is safe as a house, Hoppa is not far behind.
Wolfman has potential for mistakes in his game, he gets the cut.

Hoppa (or any back) would be a waste on the bench. How/where would you slot him in? You're not using a precious interchange to take a winger off, Lyon, Stewart and Matai are playing 80 minutes, every time. If he replaces a forward then you've got a reshuffle which is unnecessary and something the team's not used to. With Buhrer and T-Rex on the bench you have cover for any injuries to the backs.

I like this team, extremely hard call on wolfman, but someone will have to miss out. If T-rex rediscovers the form he had prior to his injury I would start him over Rodney, all in all a good team ready to give the 2011 finals a decent shake..

 

[jbl31649]

After watching the Penrith game, I'm very confident in our defence, I still feel our attack is off a bit though. What I think we are lacking is some 2nd phase play, just not enough offloads when our forwards are drawing defenders.

Also the kick over the top for Brett Stewart. It took all of 2007 for Orford and Brett to master that. I've only seen it a handful of times this season from Cherry. They need to try that a least twice a game, this play comes with practice.

Overall we have a team that I think is really just behind the Dragons and Melbourne, but well within contention to give the Grandfinal run a good go...

 

[eozsmiles]

Manly shouldn't have won that game today so their defence is fine. They will be fine in attack once they get Watmough back to 100% and Hoppa gets fitter. Watmough has those offloads and was a bit flat at the end of origin. Hoppa has everything.
That team posted above with Hoppa on the wing and Williams on the bench is the one they'll want to go with. Except maybe Guavalo will start instead of Rodney.

 

[woodyk2]

Anybody else think we switched off in the 2nd half against the tigers?

 

[jbl31649]

Anybody else think we switched off in the 2nd half against the tigers?

I think it is time to start resting players. We looked uninterested at times, let's not take away from the fact that the tigers where bound to do that to someone.

I think rest Daley first and move Foran to Half, Lyon to 5/8 next week, then rest Foran the week after with Glen Stewart.

Then rest Watmough with Lyon, the week after and have our full strength team ready to Play the Bronco's and Melbourne in the last to matches as a lead up to the finals.

 

[caspersparks]

not too worried bout the loss, yeah they seemed uninterested second half, like they had it in the bag at 12-0, and when behind tried those stupid kick plays instead of playing to their stengths.. yeah, maybe rest a few players.. all that matters is the finals matches which we are def playing.. THATS when it matters and everyone has to be prime for those

 

[jbl31649]

I think Cherry needs a rest, especially since its his first season and he will be in his first finals. The others I mentioned especially Choc and Glen have had a big year and I would like to see them fresh for the finals.

With the chooks, eels and dogs our next 3 opponents, we have a good chance of winning with some of our stars rested before playing the Bronc's and Storm.

Mind you the tigers where bound to claim a scalp of one of the top 5, it just happened to be us, what can you say: Farah with Bunji Magic hard to defend against.