Five-Eighth options for 2026

[Poupou Escobar]

Is Joash Papali'i any worse than Esra Mam?

Mam is a defensive liability but an amazing attacking player.

 

[viole02]

Joash hasnt done anything to get taken out but id like to see volkman get a shot tbh. I just wanna see what hes got at the first grade level with Moses and not brown

 

[viole02]

Also can comfirm 166 is Joash's height from HM days

 

[Delboy]

Also can comfirm 166 is Joash's height from HM days

Spoke with Joash at the members night, he’s more like 5’9” or maybe a bit taller I’m 6’3” and he wasn’t a midget, actually had some photos taken and it shows he’s bigger than TDS and Ryley.

 

[hindy111]

Spoke with Joash at the members night, he’s more like 5’9” or maybe a bit taller I’m 6’3” and he wasn’t a midget, actually had some photos taken and it shows he’s bigger than TDS and Ryley.

I've seen him up close side by side with players and he is deff closer to 5'8/ 5'9 then 5'5..... And very solid.

TDS looks quite tall. I would of guessed 6ft

 

[Twizzle]

the idea appears to be

in other words, total speculation

it's a wait and see at the moment, so I don't think any decisionn has been made

 

[Lemon Squash]

Is Joash Papali'i any worse than Esra Mam?

At driving? No.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

in other words, total speculation

it's a wait and see at the moment, so I don't think any decisionn has been made

No, total speculation would be if there was no supporting evidence. Like if I said Ryles intends to play TDS at 6 and bring Coinakis off the bench next year.

However there is clear evidence indicating a decision, and this is my assessment of that. I hope we sign a better half, but I believe we will look in house, from all the young options who should be better players next year. Papalii seems to be at the front of that list. That’s not total speculation, it’s how Ryles has been picking the NRL side.

 

[Noise]

TBF on long kicking game though are you going to order the chuck steak when the tomahawk is playing next to him?

Not usually. But it means Moses can never get tackled on the play before.

 

[Avenger]

Be interesting to see where Joash plays assuming he will be picked for NSW Cup. Will he play fullback at the expense of Twidle or at 6 in place of Lorenzo? If he is picked at 6 he obviously has the jump on Lorenzo for the 5/8th position in 2026.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Be interesting to see where Joash plays assuming he will be picked for NSW Cup. Will he play fullback at the expense of Twidle or at 6 in place of Lorenzo? If he is picked at 6 he obviously has the jump on Lorenzo for the 5/8th position in 2026.

Assuming cup is full strength (assuming they even pick him, not sure they will), I would expect him to be picked at fullback with Hawkins and Volkman in the halves.

 

[hindy111]

Be interesting to see where Joash plays assuming he will be picked for NSW Cup. Will he play fullback at the expense of Twidle or at 6 in place of Lorenzo? If he is picked at 6 he obviously has the jump on Lorenzo for the 5/8th position in 2026.

It's finals. Id be thinking he is back to help them win the comp. And same goes for Lorenzo and Flegg. Unsure if both are eligible to play once NRL season finishes.

 

[the phantom menace]

And Papalii not selected down in Cup at five eighth despite (I think) being eligible, though not having played Cup since May.

And Hawkins also named among NRL reserves and not selected down in Cup as (I think) he's one game short of being eligible - which made it strange that he didn't play in last week's Cup team.

Lorenzo gets the finish the season as Cup five-eighth alongside Volkman in the finals.

Read into all of that what you will re 2026....

 

[Chipmunk]

And Papalii not selected down in Cup at five eighth despite (I think) being eligible, though not having played Cup since May.

And Hawkins also named among NRL reserves and not selected down in Cup as (I think) he's one game short of being eligible - which made it strange that he didn't play in last week's Cup team.

Lorenzo gets the finish the season as Cup five-eighth alongside Volkman in the finals.

Read into all of that what you will re 2026....

We're obviously not here to win NSW Cup Premierships.

 

[T.S Quint]

We're obviously not here to win NSW Cup Premierships.

FFS, won’t someone think of the chip rolls!!!

 

[senior]

We're obviously not here to win NSW Cup Premierships.

there goes my multi

 

[Angry_eel]

I've seen him up close side by side with players and he is deff closer to 5'8/ 5'9 then 5'5..... And very solid.

TDS looks quite tall. I would of guessed 6ft

I don't know how much Joash's height matters. There's been plenty of tiny halves.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don't know how much Joash's height matters. There's been plenty of tiny halves.

Most of them from the NSWRL era

 

[Timana]

He's a thought bubble,

Next year we would probably have the same starting 13 with kk and jdb in the mix.

I see hoppa go back on the bench with Williams prop and kk and kelma edge and walker back as a super sub

Tds keeps his spot so the last bench spot is a fight between Sam and moretti

13. Jdb
12 kk
10 jack
9.riley
8. Jnr

14 tds
15 walker
16 hoppa
17 Sam /lucca

Watching Hughes go down and thinking if Mitch went down during a game who would take control. It used to be guth.

I guess walker would go in the halves and iongi and joash will take the kicking role.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We need Jake Arthur back on the bench. We haven’t made the finals since he got the arse.