James Graham.

[Old Timer]

I think his role now ( or should be )is to mentor the young forwards coming through , which i think he is doing. He is unofficial captain and makes up somewhat our inept coaching.He led from the front in the semi series and others followed , and the coach was just as surprised as us.Would say that he has got another year in him but might agree that 2 is a stretch.

I agree with the bits re the young blokes and captaincy but blame our coaches for the fact we had to buy an ageing prop to get those jobs done.
JG reminds me of our forward pack in the period straight after the great run.
Still capable of good games but not great games week in week out, still tough but no longer feared, no longer the model that everyone else tried to copy.
The game continues to evolve and tired legs that don’t make the advantage line or get quick play the balls will not cut the mustard in today’s game.

 

[Wittenberg]

I agree Kerr should have been played in the Charity Shield but boy a few have got carried away after one solid game and a dive on a kick through. He has played one or two good games in the lower grades but now he is going to be our saviour. Hope the Kerr lovers are right but at the moment I’m not convinced.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I agree Kerr should have been played in the Charity Shield but boy a few have got carried away after one solid game and a dive on a kick through. He has played one or two good games in the lower grades but now he is going to be our saviour. Hope the Kerr lovers are right but at the moment I’m not convinced.

Reminiscent of Jack Bosden.

 

[Crush]

James Graham will be huge for us this year as will Vaughan, Tariq, Friz, Korbin.
Don't let the Charity Shield fool you, same thing last year, they were all playing fatigued.
Dragons will be leading the comp after 10 weeks on the back of our supreme forward pack.
Hopefully this year Paul has the balls to rest them all during origin though to give us a crack at finals time.
James Graham will do just fine this year and will play his role in the pack.

 

[The Damo]

James is certainly worthy of being in the starting side based on his performance last year. I do get some of the concerns, he doesn’t bend the line as much as some others, but given he’s surrounded by the likes of Vaughan, Sims, Friz, and now Lawrie I don’t think that’s as big a concern. Making metres in the middle isn’t gonna be a problem. It’s also worth noting some might be surprised by who he beats here - he averaged 20 metres per game more than Packer last year and made 3 times as many tackle busts. So size ain’t everything.
His defence is exemplary though - he was 2nd in total tackles by a prop last year, at 91% efficiency which is 2-3% better than most good defensive props. He’s also in the top ten worker props, tackles + hit ups. So while he might not hit the spikes of performance some want, the sheer amount of consistent high quality work he does is why he’s worth it.
And that’s not going into the intangibles of experience, leadership, all the 1% stuff that he does as well as anyone.

 

[possm]

I agree Kerr should have been played in the Charity Shield but boy a few have got carried away after one solid game and a dive on a kick through. He has played one or two good games in the lower grades but now he is going to be our saviour. Hope the Kerr lovers are right but at the moment I’m not convinced.

In my opinion one of the most important considerations for selection to first grade is form. Kerr has answered the call with good form and a much improved performance in 2019 so far. His performance in his trial ISP game resulted in a 4 try rampage.

I believe Kerr, Timm, Pearson, Robson, Lomax and Ravalawa should be in the mix for first grade selection.

 

[Old Timer]

In my opinion one of the most important considerations for selection to first grade is form. Kerr has answered the call with good form and a much improved performance in 2019 so far. His performance in his trial ISP game resulted in a 4 try rampage.

I believe Kerr, Timm, Pearson, Robson, Lomax and Ravalawa should be in the mix for first grade selection.

Pearson has played 1 game in ISP against very weak opposition so how do you figure him in your calculations?

 

[possm]

Pearson has played 1 game in ISP against very weak opposition so how do you figure him in your calculations?

Pearson has size and speed and showed good skills to cross the line for two tries in his first hit-our for 2019.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Pearson has played 1 game in ISP against very weak opposition so how do you figure him in your calculations?

Because, at 1 time over the next 30+ weeks we MAY see him streaking down field for a long range try. I repeat MAY.

Can he defend, take high balls, vigorously run the ball back are insignificant requirements, just as long ad we can see him, over the next 30+ weeks, score that long range try.

 

[possm]

Because, at 1 time over the next 30+ weeks we MAY see him streaking down field for a long range try. I repeat MAY.

Can he defend, take high balls, vigorously run the ball back are insignificant requirements, just as long ad we can see him, over the next 30+ weeks, score that long range try.

Since when has it been a Mary selection requirement to properly defend, take the high ball and score long range tries. All of those requirements were last seen when we had B Morris on our left wing. Mary put an end to that and has never has required it for selection or been able to produce it since.

From the list of players who maybe selected in our first grade backline, Please advise me of which players could meet your mentioned test:

Widdop
Dufty
Pereira
Pearson
Lafai
Aitken
Lomax
Ravalawa
Saab
Norman
Hunt
Field

 

[Frank Facer]

Pearson has played 1 game in ISP against very weak opposition so how do you figure him in your calculations?

I would be looking at picking Pearson on one wing, unseen, besides some highlights. Reason being, is because the rest of our wingers either aren't good enough or are too inexperienced. I don't see Lomax as a winger. Pearson has had some experience in first grade. I would be looking at either Ravalawa or Saab as my other winger and hoping for the best.

 

[Old Timer]

I would be looking at picking Pearson on one wing, unseen, besides some highlights. Reason being, is because the rest of our wingers either aren't good enough or are too inexperienced. I don't see Lomax as a winger. Pearson has had some experience in first grade. I would be looking at either Ravalawa or Saab as my other winger and hoping for the best.

My question to possum was merely based on his statement

"In my opinion one of the most important considerations for selection to first grade is form".

One game for us hardly fits with the above criteria.

 

[possm]

My question to possum was merely based on his statement

"In my opinion one of the most important considerations for selection to first grade is form".

One game for us hardly fits with the above criteria.

If we have not even played round 1 as yet, and the player is new to the Club, then obviously his performances during the off season and his previous form last season is all you can go on as far as form goes. His size and speed must be a consideration.

 

[Frank Facer]

My question to possum was merely based on his statement

"In my opinion one of the most important considerations for selection to first grade is form".

One game for us hardly fits with the above criteria.

We don't have any inform wingers.

 

[possm]

We don't have any inform wingers.

Look the recruiting/retention/pathways job was taken off Mary and given to Millward because Mary needed to concentrate on coaching; which is code for he wasn't up to doing all the duties of a first grade head coach even with a recruitment officer reporting to him. By the way, it did not do Millward's ambitions any harm either.

Now I suggest one of the biggest drawbacks currently limiting SGI's success is the selection process. So I segest a selection committee be formed to select players for each game.

With a new contract extension, Mary will then only be tasked with developing a game plan and managing the bench. Would this be another step in the right direction?

 

[rasaint]

James Graham will still go all right this year.

Some posters on the forum keep including Blake Lawrie as being on the vanguard of players to lead the dragons going forward.

I have seen Blake as a courageous young front rower cop some stick in the semi finals last year; but he doesn’t bend the line on hit ups, even gets stopped in his tracks and chucked backwards ie Simms hit n dump last year in semi, no particular offload.

I have nothing against him and hope he does very well.

However, I have seen the new front rower young Timm bend the defence line and tackle hard as nails. Kerr seems to be hitting his straps after apparently being underwhelming past few years. Jeremy Latimore on low cap $$$ goes pretty well overall. All look superior to Blake to me.

Have I missed something about Blake Lawrie? I just think that Timm in particular looks an NrL player.

 

[True_Believer]

James Graham will still go all right this year.

Some posters on the forum keep including Blake Lawrie as being on the vanguard of players to lead the dragons going forward.

I have seen Blake as a courageous young front rower cop some stick in the semi finals last year; but he doesn’t bend the line on hit ups, even gets stopped in his tracks and chucked backwards ie Simms hit n dump last year in semi, no particular offload.

I have nothing against him and hope he does very well.

However, I have seen the new front rower young Timm bend the defence line and tackle hard as nails. Kerr seems to be hitting his straps after apparently being underwhelming past few years. Jeremy Latimore on low cap $$$ goes pretty well overall. All look superior to Blake to me.

Have I missed something about Blake Lawrie? I just think that Timm in particular looks an NrL player.

I'll wait for a few games to see how Jammer goes. He looked pretty tired towards the end of last year and he looked like he was still buggered in the trials so far - but there are probably valid reasons for that. @The Damo 's stats provide some reason for optimism though - that's the sort of info I think you need to make a real assessment on performance so hopefully the trial was just a result of being flogged at training the couple of weeks beforehand.

As for Lawrie, I agree. There's something about his running style that's not allowing him to push through the line. As you mentioned, he often gets stopped dead (looking like he's hit a brick wall) and dumped on his arse. He's got the aggression and the "no-fear" you need as part of position, but I think he needs more development.

 

[Ascalon]

James Graham will still go all right this year.

Some posters on the forum keep including Blake Lawrie as being on the vanguard of players to lead the dragons going forward.

I have seen Blake as a courageous young front rower cop some stick in the semi finals last year; but he doesn’t bend the line on hit ups, even gets stopped in his tracks and chucked backwards ie Simms hit n dump last year in semi, no particular offload.

I have nothing against him and hope he does very well.

However, I have seen the new front rower young Timm bend the defence line and tackle hard as nails. Kerr seems to be hitting his straps after apparently being underwhelming past few years. Jeremy Latimore on low cap $$$ goes pretty well overall. All look superior to Blake to me.

Have I missed something about Blake Lawrie? I just think that Timm in particular looks an NrL player.

Watching Lawrie in under 20's etc he seemed to try and punch through the line. Since coming into first grade he appears to hit and spin with every hit up leading to his back facing the opposition and stopping his momentum. That's all good if you have an off load but from what he has shown thus far it is not a big part of his game. Wish he would go back to pinning his ears back and attempting to break the line.

 

[The Damo]

I'll wait for a few games to see how Jammer goes. He looked pretty tired towards the end of last year and he looked like he was still buggered in the trials so far - but there are probably valid reasons for that. @The Damo 's stats provide some reason for optimism though - that's the sort of info I think you need to make a real assessment on performance so hopefully the trial was just a result of being flogged at training the couple of weeks beforehand.

As for Lawrie, I agree. There's something about his running style that's not allowing him to push through the line. As you mentioned, he often gets stopped dead (looking like he's hit a brick wall) and dumped on his arse. He's got the aggression and the "no-fear" you need as part of position, but I think he needs more development.

Yeah, for a guy with a low centre of gravity he goes backwards a bit too easily. He might need to point his weight forward more, run like he’s pushing something, not like he’s pulling it.
Great attitude for a young guy though, he’s clearly not afraid to get hit.

 

[possm]

James Graham will still go all right this year.

Some posters on the forum keep including Blake Lawrie as being on the vanguard of players to lead the dragons going forward.

I have seen Blake as a courageous young front rower cop some stick in the semi finals last year; but he doesn’t bend the line on hit ups, even gets stopped in his tracks and chucked backwards ie Simms hit n dump last year in semi, no particular offload.

I have nothing against him and hope he does very well.

However, I have seen the new front rower young Timm bend the defence line and tackle hard as nails. Kerr seems to be hitting his straps after apparently being underwhelming past few years. Jeremy Latimore on low cap $$$ goes pretty well overall. All look superior to Blake to me.

Have I missed something about Blake Lawrie? I just think that Timm in particular looks an NrL player.

My gut feeling is that it will be Kerr and Timm who move forward in the prop rotation; Vaughn and Kerr in the run on side with Graham and Timm off the bench. For those advocating for only one prop to be on the bench, this is absolute madness.

If Mary is serious about keeping a utility back on the bench - and I hope not - Dufty and Field will fight it out. I cannot see the value and it would mean either Leilua, Host or Lawrie will be omitted from the 17.

So in 2019 it will more than likely be a contest between Robson, Host and Leilua for the 17 jumper. Right now I would tip Robson to be the backrow forward off the bench.