Match Discussion: Round 14 vs Roosters @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[NoSchitSherlock]

Sione and Ponga are getting an understanding and combination going which is good.
Cogger's dumb choices... Arghhh.
Gutted for Buhrer. He's able to add all around the field but especially L to R from the halves We need him with Cogger being crap and Watson more of a ball runner..
I can't remember us ever having a 1 who is as regularly involved in plays as Ponga.

 

[Burwood]

Kidley springs to mind, but he was more of a quantity over quality sort of guy. With Ponga, you get both.

 

[Old dog]

ANyone else notice in the commentary it was mentioned Sione is close to re-signing with us, and confirmed by Danny Buderus.

Yes, don't think it was in any doubt was just a matter of details

 

[Rhyno]

I am so angry every time I watch latrell play and its not for us.

Yeah I get angry that he doesn’t play for parramatta

 

[Yosh]

We got pummeled by 30 the last time we played but only lost by 2. The scoreline doesn't mean everything but we scored the last try and we actually looked dangerous all game. We had very little field position because of the lack of size and lack of Pearce's long kicking game. But gotta congratulate all the lads on the pitch last night, everyone had a great game.

 

[Choppy182]

So many positives from that game, best of all the guts and determination was outstanding. Good team performance. IF I had to point out a flaw it would be SKD. Man he's rocks or diamonds, mainly rocks. Makes 100 running meters, unfortunately 90 of them are sideways. Hands like feet and continuously puts pressure back on us, defensive reads is slightly improving but fails to hit and stick consistently.

 

[Frederick]

So many positives from that game, best of all the guts and determination was outstanding. Good team performance. IF I had to point out a flaw it would be SKD. Man he's rocks or diamonds, mainly rocks. Makes 100 running meters, unfortunately 90 of them are sideways. Hands like feet and continuously puts pressure back on us, defensive reads is slightly improving but fails to hit and stick consistently.

SKD consistently makes over 100m per game for us. Sure he'd usually good for at least one clanger per game, but his metres coming off our line are invaluable. Been one of our better performers all year tbh

 

[Yosh]

So many positives from that game, best of all the guts and determination was outstanding. Good team performance. IF I had to point out a flaw it would be SKD. Man he's rocks or diamonds, mainly rocks. Makes 100 running meters, unfortunately 90 of them are sideways. Hands like feet and continuously puts pressure back on us, defensive reads is slightly improving but fails to hit and stick consistently.

I would agree that he is definitely rocks and diamonds but he has done more good than bad for us this season overall I think... Also his clangers are world class clangers and always give me a good laugh, so it's hard to stay angry at the bloke..

 

[Bring it home Knights]

ANyone else notice in the commentary it was mentioned Sione is close to re-signing with us, and confirmed by Danny Buderus.

I could take it or leave it when it comes to re-signing Sione. IMO he is a stop gap centre until someone better comes along.

When we get Ramian, I'd be wanting to use Sione as a utility on the bench, He could come on as a forward, or he could be used as an outside back if we get injuries during a match. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I just don't see him developing into a quality centre. He lacks evasiveness and mobility which are important qualities for outside backs.

 

[Bartwah]

I would agree that he is definitely rocks and diamonds but he has done more good than bad for us this season overall I think... Also his clangers are world class clangers and always give me a good laugh, so it's hard to stay angry at the bloke..

100% with this. It’s gotten to the point where you can laugh at his f$&k ups. They are world class. And he more than makes up for it most of the time with his effort coming out of our own 20m

 

[Mr_Knightside]

I’d like to see us re-sign Sione. I know there’s some divided opinions on him and he’s still got plenty of improvement in his game but he’s only 21 and has plenty of time to do it, also he’s shown this year that with a bit of time in the same position he’s been able to adapt well and is starting to show some really good signs. His future seems to be the back row but a guy who can play a few different positions is really useful especially during our annual injury crisis.

Also people forget that we have to fill 30 roster positions and while Sione may not be everyone’s cup of tea we’re still running a pretty thin squad with plenty of guys in it who should either are about to retire (e.g. Heighington & Lillyman) or should be playing reserve grade (e.g. King & Jacob Saifiti) so I don’t see much point in letting go of a 21 year old who’s shown plenty of promise and just needs to iron out a few defensive issues when we don’t really have a wealth of options to replace him. If we had elite players from other clubs climbing over each other to sign with us then we could afford to let guys like Sione go but clearly we’re not in that position anyway.

 

[perverse]

I’d like to see us re-sign Sione. I know there’s some divided opinions on him and he’s still got plenty of improvement in his game but he’s only 21 and has plenty of time to do it, also he’s shown this year that with a bit of time in the same position he’s been able to adapt well and is starting to show some really good signs. His future seems to be the back row but a guy who can play a few different positions is really useful especially during our annual injury crisis.

Also people forget that we have to fill 30 roster positions and while Sione may not be everyone’s cup of tea we’re still running a pretty thin squad with plenty of guys in it who should either are about to retire (e.g. Heighington & Lillyman) or should be playing reserve grade (e.g. King & Jacob Saifiti) so I don’t see much point in letting go of a 21 year old who’s shown plenty of promise and just needs to iron out a few defensive issues when we don’t really have a wealth of options to replace him. If we had elite players from other clubs climbing over each other to sign with us then we could afford to let guys like Sione go but clearly we’re not in that position anyway.

If Sione keeps building on what he's started over the past few weeks, I see no reason to expect him to be anywhere but partnering Ramien in the centres next year. I can't see Moga getting back to any sort of form... his knees are held together with duct tape and silly string. Sione's going well and getting better, and if he can tidy up his defense then he'll be an absolute asset. Around $300k is about the right price for him as it stands. That's a bit better than project player money, but doesn't break the bank.

 

[Yosh]

If Sione keeps building on what he's started over the past few weeks, I see no reason to expect him to be anywhere but partnering Ramien in the centres next year. I can't see Moga getting back to any sort of form... his knees are held together with duct tape and silly string. Sione's going well and getting better, and if he can tidy up his defense then he'll be an absolute asset. Around $300k is about the right price for him as it stands. That's a bit better than project player money, but doesn't break the bank.

Don't they both play right centre? I assume if Sione stays he will have to move to the left?

 

[Pedge1971]

I think Denniss has shown enough in the last few weeks to indicate he is a first grade centre in the making too.

Not sure why he didnt get a go earlier in the year with Ross Dawgs form.

 

[Still Nutty]

I think Denniss has shown enough in the last few weeks to indicate he is a first grade centre in the making too.

Not sure why he didnt get a go earlier in the year with Ross Dawgs form.

I didn't get to see this weeks game but I did see his effort to be the last chaser coming across from the opposite side in the Roosters length of the field effort and keeping the kick from being straight in front - I really like that sort of effort from players because it reflects on their willingnesss to do the 1%ers.

I was generally impressed by what I saw of Denniss in the Eels game as his first genuine hit out in FG (his few runs as an 18 year old can't be counted as a debut for mine).

I can also see he has the scope to be a very serviceable first grade centre/winger if he continues to develop and put a bit more muscle on his frame - again I credit Brown and Mooney for extending his contract an seeing the development he has achieved to this point.

If nothing else, he will provide genuine competitive depth for our backs from here on out and into next year.

 

[Choppy182]

I can't see Sione being anywhere but Second Row with Ramien coming in, i'm honestly surprised we are re signing him. I hope its not on the same coin he's currently on because we are paying overs for him at the moment as it is.

 

[perverse]

I'm super meh on Denniss. I feel like as a supporter base, given what we've been through the past decade, we seem happy with anyone who comes into first grade and doesn't immediately shit the bed. He's been adequate when called upon, but going any further than that is just ignoring what actual quality players like Ramien can do when they hit grade. Denniss certainly hasn't made any sort of impact in any respect, he's just managed to not drown. At some stage I feel like we need to set a higher bar than that.

This time last year Lamb was the future, and look how that's going now that we've had a taste of a bit of real quality in our roster. Denniss has done absolutely nothing to suggest he could be anything more than a bottom-3rd of the NRL quality outside back. Maybe he turns into something, but to me he's depth at this stage... and it doesn't seem to me like his ceiling is massively high. Next year at the very least he'll have Ramien, Moga and Sione ahead of him... and that's assuming no further outside back recruits.

The only reason I'm not sure if Sione will be moved to the back row again would be his head issues. If they are well and truly in the past and not an ongoing thing then yeah, maybe we do see him back there at some stage. If he continues his current form this year and has a good pre-season he'll be putting himself in the frame for a centre spot, though.

Don't they both play right centre? I assume if Sione stays he will have to move to the left?

Yeah probably, I haven't seen much of Ramien outside of highlights. I don't know what the level of effort is to switch sides versus the level of effort required to rejoin the forward pack in the modern game. Depends on things like whether he can step on the other foot, how good his palm is on the other side of his body, etc.

 

[slotmachine]

If Ramien isn't right centre Round 1 2019 its because he's injured.

 

[perverse]

If Ramien isn't right centre Round 1 2019 its because he's injured.

Obviously Ramien will be played in his best and preferred position, he'll be our best centre by a margin. Any positional change I was talking about was for Sione, who will obviously be moved somewhere for next season depending on what the squad needs after this years recruitment.

 

[Noname36]

With how recruitment/the squad is at present I can’t see anyone but Ramien and Sione being our centres to start next year unless something drastic happens form wise.