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Flanno on dead set legends now.

bad boy bubby

bad boy bubby

Coach
Messages
14,873
Morris has to be on the bench. Whilst not the best player in any position, he has played just about every spot except prop.
Utility value dictates that he's a must IMO.
 
B

blacktip-reefy

Immortal
Messages
34,079
Also, degois cant play 80. he is not a flopper like friend or cam Smith he is a hitter & therefore fatigues faster. Watch when he fatigues, he gets lost at dummy half & the passes start going high or to the wrong person.
He just cant & wont play 80
 
Special K

Special K

Coach
Messages
19,441
Graham can stay on the bench IMO. Once Gallen comes back the drop off won't be so big.

If I had to move one of Ross and Gibbs to the bench it would be Ross. He has proven he can make an impact from the bench before as recently as last year.
 
W

wibble

Bench
Messages
4,661
De Gois is excellent for 40 -60 minutes, but can not possibly play 80. That is just a reality and if we want De Gois in the team (and we do) we have to work around that. Morris has been great for us for the last year and a half, and can cover many positions in a pinch. Given that we need cover for De Gois, and Morris is fine anyway, it makes perfect sense for him to be on the bench (or De Gois on the bench, Morris to start).

We are then in a strange but nice situation where Gallen, Smith, Bakuya and Graham can all play 80 minutes and deserve to on form. Gibbs and Ross are great, but can not play 80 minutes at prop, and we lose defensive starch when they are both off. It seems the most obvious solution is Smith, Graham and Bakuya all start in the back row, Gallen and one of Gibbs or Ross start up front. That fills the the 2nd bench spot with Ross/Gibbs, which is fine as long as they both get to continue to contribute the minutes they are getting.

But, when Tupou is fit he must surely be considered for the bench, plus Fifita has been a good impact player off the bench. So we will have 4 80 minute back rowers starting (one at prop) and two more back rowers on the bench. Well, Fifita is also a prop, and built, but he runs on the edge like a back rower rather than tucks the ball up and hit it up when the going is tough. We shouldn't put them on just because we can, if the other back rowers are in form and can play 80.

What do people think we should do with our forward mix? Maybe Tupou could bulk up a bit and defend in the middle, along with Smith and Gallen when Ross and Gibbs are off?
 
B

blacktip-reefy

Immortal
Messages
34,079
starting front row Ross degois & Gibbs
Starting back row Gal Smith
Lock Graham

bench MOZ, Toops, Booky, Burrito

start with stongest 13 is important like it was last night. Get off to a flyer & make them chase & make mistakes.
18 Before half time rotate front rowers bring Burrito & Toops on shift Gal to front row role.

Moz comes on as soon as degois is fatigued.

Startr 2nd half the same & inject Bookie early maybe even before half time & Give gal or Smith a break so his half time is 15 minutes or more.
Re-inject the starting front rowers 15 minutes in & if any subs left finish game with mobile defenders & no front rowers.

ie. Toops, Degois, Gibbs, Smith Gal Graham/booky
 
Frenzy.

Frenzy.

Post Whore
Messages
50,656
Lot of good ideas here but here's a negative to one.

Boogs to the bench for the entire first half of a game means the loss 2 very productive combos. Smith/Boogs and TC/Boogs. These 2 combos have gone a fair way to improving the overall attacking potency of the side. Is is perhaps not such a good idea to bench Boogs?
 
C

Coastal Shark

Bench
Messages
3,224
IMO - Graham has to start at 13. To me he is a mixture of Greg Bird (the mongrel and aggression) and the skills of Nick Graham.

Gal to prop and start with Gibbs. Bring Ross off the bench.
 
Quigs

Quigs

Immortal
Messages
34,677
I am of the opinion that any of the top sides must be able to competently play at near top strength with a squad of 16. The two additional benchies are bonuses.

When the going gets tough you might lose two or three key players. This must be covered to be able to conquer.

I dont think or know how we do that but thats what I reckon.

You need a couple of versatile players in the squad.

So I guess in saying that if we are on a roll and everything is running hot, keep it together when you can. I think that the way these blokes are conditioned these days then they dont need to long on the bench for a spell. It's a gamble but sometimes you have to gamble.

ie. that bloke that beat Nadal the other night in the tennis... he went for it in the final game.
 
Last edited:
Frenzy.

Frenzy.

Post Whore
Messages
50,656
Quigs said:
I am of the opinion that any of the top sides must be able to competently play at near top strength with a squad of 16. The two additional benchies are bonuses.

When the going gets tough you might lose two or three key players. This must be covered to be able to conquer.

I dont think or know how we do that but thats what I reckon.

You need a couple of versatile players in the squad.
Click to expand...

16+2=18. hmmm New rules up there in Emu Park Quigs?
 
Quigs

Quigs

Immortal
Messages
34,677
We cheat good up here, its our maffs thats the problem and spellun'

I meant 15 .... itwas a typo alright. I am calling a typo.
 
azzah72

azzah72

Bench
Messages
4,199
I am of the opinion of if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

sure Wade killed it in lock last night when we needed it with Gal out but he is just as effective as super sub.

Boogs, smith and TC have a great Combo going in the first half hour each game.

Keep it as it is, when we have our full un injured bench, our forward pack looks unstoppable.

14.Morris 15. Graham 16. Fifita 17. Toops.

Brilliant impact there.

Leave it alone.
 
B

blacktip-reefy

Immortal
Messages
34,079
Frenzy. said:
Lot of good ideas here but here's a negative to one.

Boogs to the bench for the entire first half of a game means the loss 2 very productive combos. Smith/Boogs and TC/Boogs. These 2 combos have gone a fair way to improving the overall attacking potency of the side. Is is perhaps not such a good idea to bench Boogs?
Click to expand...

No he can come on before halftime if the game warrants it, which it probably will. Will extend the break of smith/Gal
 
Frenzy.

Frenzy.

Post Whore
Messages
50,656
Russell Crowe's Band said:
what do the storm do.

their hooker plays 80.

play like them.
Click to expand...

Smith might play 80 but it's not always 80 as hooker.

They play horses for courses and rarely have the same 17 for 3 or more weeks. Where Smith plays seems to depend on who is on the bench. Hinchcliffe is the bench constant. He's always there but he can cover backrow and hooker. So, if Bellyache needs to go with more props on the bench one week Hinchcliffe usually is the backrow rotation player. If they are going with a backrower heavy bence Hinchcliffe often goes to hooker, Smith out of the pack and a bacl actually gets rotated. The Storm are pretty stealthy when it comes to hiding out in the open.

Manly rarely have a game without 3 x 80 minute forwards though. Ballin, Watmough and Stewart are the usual 3 that play 80. This naturally gives them more scope to rotate those 3 old props about (Kite, King, Gulavao) in shorter spells. Their props get more rotations and less consecutive minutes

Both Manly and Storm are the best bench use teams in the comp and it's probably contributary to these 2 being the most dominant teams for the last 4-5 years.
 
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