I'm going to be trolling the game thread on the main forum so will use this one for some serious thoughts between us chooks fans.
We are being written of by everybody, we don't have a chance apparently. If that isn't motivation behind closed doors then nothing will be.
I'm very bullish about our chances here. As shit as losing Sam was, other than that we are fairly healthy and not injury riddled as the media would have you believe.
The narrative is that penrith have been waiting for finals, will put the foot down, go through the gears etc but I don't see it. This season has been a grind for them every step of the way apart from two games. They are not the same teams they were in 2022 and 2023. Edwards looks absolutely shit at the moment, Cleary even if he plays is not fit, their forward pack is not dominant in any way like it used to be and their back line looks susceptible with Tago and Alomoti. Maybe everyone is right and they explode in to premiership form but nothing I have seen indicates that will happen
On our side of things, we have to chance our arm and win this through our league leading attack but do it in a smart way. Limit errors at our end of the field and give ourselves ample opportunity up their end. We won't score as many points against them as other teams but we will get enough IMO if we are disciplined from our own end.
As far as team list, I would like the below
1 Teddy
2 Toops
3 Sualli'i
4 Manu
5 Young
6 S Smith
7 Keary
8 Collins
9 Watson
10 May
11 Crighton
12 Sitilli
13 N Butcher
14 ZDC
15 Leniu
16 Whyte
17 Wong
That's a team good enough to win this. If radley is fit then he starts, Sitilli to bench and Wong out.
Leniu for me needs to be on the bench, that is where he is used best. I want to see ZDC play the middle 30 of the game and let Watson come on refreshed for the last 20.
18th man rugby Mark? I think that makes the most sense.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we rol through them or anything. This will take an 80 minute effort but if we show up penrith will give us a chance to win.
There is no pressure on us here, looking forward to the game.
