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Game Day Thread - Pre Season Challenge - Trial 1 v Newcastle @ McDonald Jones Stadium - Friday 14th February - 6pm

eel01s

eel01s

Bench
Messages
3,415
Excellent trial. As someone posted earlier, we looked like we actually trained together and you can see more attention to detail on the field.

Good to see decoys running lines, crisp passing, and a noticeable increase in the speed at which we play.

Sure there was a poor period for 20 minutes in the second half, but again that was a good test for the younger players.

Good signs overall. Bring on the next trial with more time for the NRL players.
 
G

Gherkin

Juniors
Messages
597
Fair bit of carrying on in here over individual errors in a trial game.
Hard to get a great gauge of everyone with so many different players getting a run for us and the opposition.
Thought Riley Smith looked good. Throws a decent pass, defends well and is fit. Above all that has a great attitude and competes hard. Not ahead of Hands yet, but who knows how the season will unfold.
Papa did some good stuff, but Iongi is undoubtedly the 1. Nice to have some speed and agility back there from both of them.
Overall we look a lot fitter and seemed to have more players in motion around the ball. The young kids all came on late and worked hard. Will be interesting to see if any of them get time next week.
We'll be a different team this year. Moses and Hopgood barely played last year, add in Lomax and Addo Carr. Another year of development for Hands, Guymer etc. A bit of luck with injuries and we'll go alright.
 
Enamoured Eel

Enamoured Eel

Juniors
Messages
187
I thought it was a solid hit out. How good that the footy is back. Whilst I enjoyed some of the new shiny toys, my absolute favourite was Charlie Guymer. What an absolute cement truck in defence that just fights for every last bit of gristle. I hope he has a very successful career in the blue and gold and is a club legend by the time he hangs up his boots. He has made a cracking start.
 
Enamoured Eel

Enamoured Eel

Juniors
Messages
187
My observations FWIW:

IONGI - He had a nice defensive moment albeit early on where he made a try saving tackle and then knocked the ball dead on the opposite side of the field following a kick. Great effort not dissimilar of our last custodian. If he can replicate this moment at the 79th minute I’ll be impressed. Slick running and passing as expected.

PENISINI - Was gassed. A great defensive turnout considering he has played next to no open grade football. Has promise.

VOLKMAN - It has already been mentioned but he displayed great deception in a great halves performance. A great pass out the back to Iongi for Tago’s try and his shape looked similar to Papalii before hitting Tuilagi short for a try. His ability in defence (and his unfavourable stature) will be the only thing holding him back from a future permanent first grade role.

HANDS - Great service and huge distance on his 40/20 attempt. Unlucky not to middle it. Another string to his bow?

KAUTOGA - He looks damaging with the ball. Needs to work on effort areas as much as his handling and concentration.

TUILAGI - Breakout year? Breakout year.

GUYMER - See above. He will have to be in the 17 somewhere.

TUIVATI - A ready made replacement for Junior. Needs to continue to work hard to not fizzle out ala Pauli Pauli.

MATAELE - An interesting middle prospect. More than held his own. Presents agile.

CARTWRIGHT - Appears to unfortunately have his cards marked due to early career deficiencies and/or being a such a big advocate of the former coach. He would be in my 17 off the bench but we might not see him again.

SMITH - He is the body double of Reed with the same ticker and effort. I reckon he wouldn’t be an issue defensively. Needs a little improvement with his service.

LATU - He may have played himself into the side for next weeks trial. He looked very comfortable on the left edge which might be still be the biggest unknown? Chance? Probably not straight away.
 
King-Gutho94

King-Gutho94

Coach
Messages
16,178
Gee Ryles looking was calm and collected this evening

While bush coach O'Brien was balding like his best mate Arthur.

Showed the difference between the two

The huggers better jump off quick because I feel closer to a premiership under Ryles after 1 trial then what I did with the garbage under a BA side for 11 years.
 
King-Gutho94

King-Gutho94

Coach
Messages
16,178
Avenger said:
Riley Smith was being kept out by Boods. Just saying.
Click to expand...
Yes and as i said a few weeks back on here there were some current officials at the club that were filthy about it last year with the politics that came with Arthur and his deadshit sons get a free ride that Smith couldn't play more reserve grade.

Good luck and enjoy winning the spoon this year with uncle Adam.

Boods you smartarse muppet
 
hindy111

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
63,605
My take from game.

We have some promising forwards on the books coming thru.
Tuivati,W.Latu,Morretti,Guymer. Good chance they all play plenty of NRL. Wouldn't suprise me if all 4 get a game this year.
Matalele & Pryke are two more that I wouldn't dismiss completely.

R.Smith is a terrier. He has those eyes and energy about him. Unsure of his skill level but won't fail due to attitude. Looks a leader.

Joash is not 5'5. More like 5'9/5'10. He is an exciting prospect.

Iongi looks OK. I don't expect him to do what Gutherson did.

Of the backs none overly impressed me at all.
None where terrible. AMS and R.Pensini probably need half a season to get back into it after ACLs. J.Tago I don't mind but is just a back up.
If we are fully fit Russell will easily be first choice back up. And I can see why Dunster is still rated above the rest it seems.
Whilst Ethyn Martyn has a lot to work on he could be a diamond in the rough and I'd rather persist with that and see if shines.
 
Lemon Squash

Lemon Squash

First Grade
Messages
8,303
hindy111 said:
My take from game.

We have some promising forwards on the books coming thru.
Tuivati,W.Latu,Morretti,Guymer. Good chance they all play plenty of NRL. Wouldn't suprise me if all 4 get a game this year.
Matalele & Pryke are two more that I wouldn't dismiss completely.

R.Smith is a terrier. He has those eyes and energy about him. Unsure of his skill level but won't fail due to attitude. Looks a leader.

Joash is not 5'5. More like 5'9/5'10. He is an exciting prospect.

Iongi looks OK. I don't expect him to do what Gutherson did.

Of the backs none overly impressed me at all.
None where terrible. AMS and R.Pensini probably need half a season to get back into it after ACLs. J.Tago I don't mind but is just a back up.
If we are fully fit Russell will easily be first choice back up. And I can see why Dunster is still rated above the rest it seems.
Whilst Ethyn Martyn has a lot to work on he could be a diamond in the rough and I'd rather persist with that and see if shines.
Click to expand...

Agree with most of this.

If I’m being brutally harsh even though he was awesome in D I thought some of Guymers carries were a little lacklustre. To be fair he did look a bit gassed probably off the back of his effort in D.

All the outside backs held their own without being outstanding. AMS nervous and shaky early but worked into the game.

Also a lot of the young forwards got on late in the game once it had well and truly opened up so you have to take that into consideration. Compare that to the first 20 where it was relatively tight.

Iongi was solid but then did have that one class moment with the no look cut out ball. That actually surprised me, didn’t know he had that in the kitbag. Joash will definitely be there all year applying pressure though.

Ethyn Martin came out onto the field after the game with the boys that were rested, can only assume he still has a niggle. Frustrating would have been a good game for him to have a run in.
 
Joshuatheeel

Joshuatheeel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,206
Thought Smith was pretty average, service was decent, but it looked like in the early part of second half he was gased and struggling to get back into attack after a defensive set. He wasn't getting back until tackle 2 or 3. And in defence, while he didn't miss any, wasn't really getting into the "contact" much, normally just third man in. Interestingly, our comeback started when he was replaced with Lussick. But only early days for him, and hasn't played much open age footy.

Reckon MA performance, showed why he was in front of Smith.

Reading comments here thought Jordan S, would be poor (didn't watch game live). But thought he did ok. Nothing flash, but worked hard (made nearly 200 m), however did make one poor call for a try. Think he will be ok as our 4th or so centre option.

Big Sam looks good!

AMS/Penisini looked ok, considering it was their comeback game.

Kautoga looks like a good project for Ryles.

Iongi and Papa looked good.

Volkman looks classy! Will be a good back up. Wonder if he is in contention for the 14 spot? Reckon he could cover hooker

Our depth looks better this year.
 
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