I could start a whole thread on what I would do if I was coach. lol
If I was coach, I would drop Aitken, Lafai and Nightingale. I would replace them with McDonald and Lomax in the centres and Mann on the wing. I would also move Frizell to prop to replace Vaughan and promote Lucky to start on the left edge with Sims on the right edge.
McDonald was a centre entering first grade with Easts, he played s bit of centre at the Gold Coast too. I am not sure how he would go, but I think he would do better than Aitken and Lafai. The other option would be to play Herbert at centre and move McDonald back to the wing.
I am not sure if Lomax is ready or not, but I believe he would also do better than Aitken and Lafai right now and he would be getting a taste of first grade, which should help for next year.
I picked Mann on the wing, because there isn't any better options.
I said that I would have moved Frizell to prop earlier in the season when while we were still undefeated. He is more suited to the middle. He would make a great lock, but we already have a great lock in DeBelin. He is tough, runs hard, tackles hard and has a high work rate in the middle. I would be leaving him at prop even when Vaughan comes back.
Lucky has been one of our few positives over the last several weeks. He is really starting to look like a genuine first grade prospect, maybe even better. He adds another dimension to our attack and gives us a forward with X factor.
I would have Ah Mau, Latimore, Host (if fit and Lawrie if not) and Aitken on my bench. My side would be
1 Dufty
2 Periera
3 Lomax
4 McDonald
5 Mann
6 Widdop
7 Hunt
13 DeBelin
12 Lucky
11 Sims
10 Frizell
9 McInnes
8 Graham
14 Aitken
15 Host
16 Ah Mau
17 Latimore
I think our attack looks a bit flat, I would want to see it get a bit deeper. I would remind our players of one of the most simple, but effective plays in the game, the run around. I would ask Widdop and Hunt to straighten up our attack. I would have Dufty sniffing around the middle of the field on our early tackles, looking for an offload. I would tell Nene to get angry and play hard and tough.