Early 2013 team prediction

[tangalife]

i can tell you all right now it will be.

6. Johnson
7. Leuluai
9. friend

Scurrah has already said they are looking forward to Lueluai for his game-direction abillity and defence, allowing Johnson to play his natural game.

Friend is still here, is an 80 min hooker and one of our best this year so there is no point discussing any other 9 possibility other than backups. We've also underlined experience and older heads for next year so that adds more reason.

I doubt we will be signing any 'stars'. Lowrie is about as big as a 'name' we will get for new forwards. We'll end up with someone like Bryson Goodwin on the wing, not David Williams. The only exception would be Cooper Cronk with all the rumors about him having to come if Bellamy does, although I highly doubt it.

Godinet needs to be given a better go next year as well.

 

[ozbash]

Scurrah has already said they are looking forward to Lueluai for his game-direction abillity and defence, allowing Johnson to play his natural game.

I thought SJ was suffocated at times between Maloney and Mateo.

 

[tangalife]

The thing is, come end of last year, everyone was expecting Johnson to lead the team and be a true halfback which was expecting too much from him. I dont think hes a natural game leader (yet) but more of someone who does his own thing, classic reasoning was last year he was not the "go to man" and in charge of directing the team around. He took control when he felt like it which is what made him great.

 

[Meth]

I'm pretty sure Carlos will feature in the top 17 somewhere.
Looking at your team, I'd slot him in the centres beside Manu, and chuck Hurrell or Nielsen on the wing for Fish.

Fair enough.

I have question marks over Hurrell or Nielsen's compatibility to the wing. I don't think Nielsen has any speed and I think Hurrell's defense will show up even more on the wing. I'd be happy to see Tuimavave given more time to develop, but that same need for Hurrell may be there as well.

 

[Damarky]

1locke (was injuryed this session)
2Manu
3Konrad
4Dane nielsen
5New wing please (fish better than bill tupou)
6Shaun J
7Thomas leuluai
8ben matulino (best foward this year)
9Nathan Friend
10Russell packer (went well with ben)
11mateo
12mannering
13Todd lowire
subs
14sam rapira (injury this year wil be back 2013)
15lilyman (better step up)
16Sam lousi (got to blood some one new)
17carlos (covers so many postions)

If lowire cant go 80min maybe swap steve rapira or taylar) and take out sam lousi.

Fair to say our Defence should be alot better with this team just need to work on attack and fitness this off session. still need to work on our edge defence of course but if we get a good wing combo with dane than only konrad and manu needs work

 

[VodafoneWarriors1995]

My team for 2013

1. Locke - Not been 100% this season, but make sure he's fully fit before he's fielded.
2. *New signing* - Tupou can't defend if he's life depended on it. I'd go for either Isaac Gordon (Speed wise), Anthony Quinn (Experience wise) or Bryson Goodwin, since they all of them would be pretty handy and are also off-contract.
3. Ropati - Hurrell's needs a stint in the Vulcans before he returns (Same issue with Locke, but defence has been a major issue for him obviously), but I'm going with Ropati experience wise.
4. Nielsen
5. Vatuvei/Fisiiahi/*New signing* - Both haven't been too flash, so it's not easy to pick out of those two (Lack depth on the wings). Vatuvei experience wise probably or either one of the signings I mentioned above.
6. Tuimavave/Mateo
7. Leuluai - Johnson's obviously suffering from second year syndrome, but he desperately needs to improve on his defence during the off-season.
8. Matulino
9. Friend/Mara
10. Packer - Off-contract, don't know why. Easily been pretty consistent, but can let some dumb penalties away.
11. Mannering
12. Taylor
13. Lowrie

14. Godinet - Great impact player.
15. Rapira - Either brother would be fine.
16. Lousi - Same as Rapira brothers.
17. Lillyman

 

[Usain Bolt]

Put Ropati at fullback and Locke to the wing

 

[doogiehowser_md]

1. Ropati
2. Fish
3. Hurrell
4. Nielsen
5. Vatuvei
6. Locke
7. Johnson
8. Lillyman
9. Friend
10. Matulino
11. Mannering
12. Lowrie
13. Mateo

14. Leuluai
15. Packer
16. Rapira
17. Taylor

 

[Fufu Andronez]

1. Locke
2. Fish
3. Nielsen
4. Hurrell
5. Vatuvei ( last season on the wing hopefully we can buy someone top shelf to get manu in the pigs
6. Leuluai
7. Johnson
8. Packer
9. Friend
10. Matulino
11. Mannering
12. Taylor
13. Mateo

14. Ropati
15. Henry
16. Lillyman
17. Rapira (Sam)

18. Tui
19. Lowrie
20. Tupou
21. Mara
22. Godinet
23. Lousi
24. Lousi
25. Rapira (Steve)

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Why do people call Mateo, Martel?

 

[Illiterate]

1. Locke
2. Fish
3. Nielsen
4. Hurrell
5. Vatuvei ( last season on the wing hopefully we can buy someone top shelf to get manu in the pigs
6. Leuluai
7. Johnson
8. Packer
9. Friend
10. Matulino
11. Mannering
12. Taylor
13. Mateo

14. Ropati
15. Henry
16. Lillyman
17. Rapira (Sam)

18. Tui
19. Lowrie
20. Tupou
21. Mara
22. Godinet
23. Lousi
24. Lousi
25. Rapira (Steve)

This is the team I would like to see.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Why do people call Mateo, Martel?

Because Dale Husband thinks he is the king of pronounciation.

 

[ozbash]

Because Dale Husband thinks he is the king of pronounciation.

If pronouncing Maori and Pacific island names correctly makes him a king, all hail Dale..

 

[vvvrulz]

If pronouncing Maori and Pacific island names correctly makes him a king, all hail Dale..

There's a difference between the correct "Feleti Mateo" and *grumble grumble growl... freddie martel... *

 

[ozbash]

Red necks

 

[Penrose Warrior]

If pronouncing Maori and Pacific island names correctly makes him a king, all hail Dale..

Just like Sir Howard Morrison trying to tell Adam Parore how to say his own name.

 

[doogiehowser_md]

Adam Parore is a wankstain of the highest order.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

We're getting away from the point, but yes he is.

 

[tangalife]

This is the team I would like to see.

Leuluai 6 and Johnson 7?
Hurrell and Vatuvei defending the same side?
Lowrie not in the top 17?

 

[NIGHTMARE-HITTER]

From what I have seen of the Melbourne Storm this year Lowrie seems to be an upgrade over Luck. Lowrie hits harder, is more aggressive, around the same size and punch's the line harder than luck. He could end up being a decent signing in the Kevin Champion mode.