Our predicted lineup R1

[Walpole]

No minutes for Kurt off the bench. His silky try assist, matchwinner and solid defence against Hull still leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

I’m allowing Euan 4 defensive misreads before I hook him for “hammy troubles” - up from 3 last year, to help his confidence.

I'm assuming you'll be handing out participation medals as well?

 

[New Dragon]

Sims is our 4th prop ... Nothing more/nothing less .. Didn't see anything in the trials to warrant edge which is disappointing as at the end of last season he was playing well there.

Host should be the left edge ... he should have at least been given time there in a trial. He is a long minute edge player. We can then debate the viability of Leilua but at this stage he isn't what we need either - simply because in the two trials he was used in totally the wrong manner.

Still need a 4th bench player to put their hand up and more importantly a realistic strategy on how to use a 4th bench player.

Host looked like a first grader playing reserves in the Reggies trial last Sunday. He was a cut above which shows what the step up to first grade is like. He should be there though from what I saw in that game as he will only get better.

 

[dragon thomo]

Host should start as our left edge back rower and Mann at right centre. Aitkin needs to start in reserve grade and earn his spot.

 

[RufusRex]

Aitken in defence reminds me of the soccer footage where an 8 year old cancer kid scores a goal because the entire opposition deliberately avoid tackline him.

 

[O'Sullivan]

I'd make a few changes to our side from the Charity Shield and the one that was played in the second half of last year. Aitken is too vunerable in defence. Mann has to play, if fit. Lomax is classy although a little nervous in defence, nevertheless I would give him a place before Nightingale. Luc has enormous ability but is, or appears, lazy. Sele has to play. I also worry about Host. Great worker and very effective edge runner but weak defender near line. Mind you he is not the only one.I'd give Kerr a run via the bench. He will be good.I could see Field be very dangerous in the last 15 minutes but can we afford to carry him for 65 minutes? Mind you half the time our coach doesn't use our bench effectively anyway. I feel the Broncos will be too good for us (for now!). I hope I am Wrong.

 

[giboz71]

Given how many times Aitken gets found out in defence, we really lose nothing by sticking Lomax at right centre. He may let a few tries in due to inexperience but so what, we’re no worse off than with Aitken there.

The upside is he’s a great attacking talent and we give him valuable experience in FG. By the end of the season, he could be a real star.

I normally hate rushing kids in but in this case, put him in there Mary.

 

[Overseas dragon]

Yes put him in there Mary don't use your own judgement because it sucks wake up to yourself and get on your jetski Toronto Wolfpack beckons .........

 

[Life's Good]

The team I believed should be picked:
1. Dufty
2. MacDonald
3. Lomax
4. Lafai
5. Mann
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
8. Graham
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Sims
13. De Belin
14. Kerr
15. Host
16. Ah Mau
17. Laitmore/ Leilua/ Sele/ Aitken/ Field/ Nicholls (Not really sure)

The team that will be picked:
1. Dufty
2. MacDonald
3. Aitken
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Leilua
13. De Belin
14. Sims
15. Ah Mau
16. Lawrie or Sele
17. Mann

We all obviously know which side is better, but SuperCoach is an expert.

I like the look of your run on side. The most contentious selections - wing/centre(based on discussion here)look more dynamic. For the bench I’d swap out Kerr for Sele(more experienced of the 2)& put Latimore as the final bench spot.

Alas, SuperCoach will probably find a spot for Marketo instead.

 

[Crush]

Aitken in defence reminds me of the soccer footage where an 8 year old cancer kid scores a goal because the entire opposition deliberately avoid tackline him.

Lafai in attack reminds me of a kid at school that scored a couple of great tries with a flick passes and now throws it every....single......time.......

 

[The Damo]

Lafai in attack reminds me of a kid at school that scored a couple of great tries with a flick passes and now throws it every....single......time.......

Yeah he throws a few he should’ve held - but last year those flick passes contributed 11 of our 70 try assists, and Created 18 out of a total 123 line breaks - better than 1 in 7 for both. Pretty useful contribution really.

 

[Crush]

Yeah he throws a few he should’ve held - but last year those flick passes contributed 11 of our 70 try assists, and Created 18 out of a total 123 line breaks - better than 1 in 7 for both. Pretty useful contribution really.

How did he go the year before?
And if we are talking pure statistics how did Jason Nightingale the new forum whipping boy go last year?

 

[The Damo]

How did he go the year before?
And if we are talking pure statistics how did Jason Nightingale the new forum whipping boy go last year?

He was terrible in 16, in a truly terrible team. Quit living in the past Crush
Nighty did well last year, catching those offloads and flick passes. If he had an extra yard of pace he’d have done even better
Also nighty’s not my whipping boy, I’d be inclined not to pick him, but he’s far from a huge problem. I’d certainly drop him before Lafai though.

 

[Old Timer]

The issue re Nightingale is simple.
He stayed on this year and "maybe" wants to stay on next year.
He will be picked in 1st grade this year and next year if he remains.
He is not our worst option but whilst he remains in 1st grade he limits the ability to exercise the next option and get them ready for a long 1st grade career at our club.
While ever he lines up in 1st grade you will never know how good the youngsters are because playing in reggies does not necessarily allow them to showcase their skills.
IMO if NIghty played reserve grade for 4 weeks and the youngsters played 1sts then almost all the love would be gone because if the same opportunities present as Nighty got last year a kid like Lomax will score all of them and maybe a few more.
You will never never know until you give them a real go and if faced with Nighty for 1 year or a kid with 5 years minimum in front of him then time to cut out all the sentimentality.

 

[The Damo]

The issue re Nightingale is simple.
He stayed on this year and "maybe" wants to stay on next year.
He will be picked in 1st grade this year and next year if he remains.
He is not our worst option but whilst he remains in 1st grade he limits the ability to exercise the next option and get them ready for a long 1st grade career at our club.
While ever he lines up in 1st grade you will never know how good the youngsters are because playing in reggies does not necessarily allow them to showcase their skills.
IMO if NIghty played reserve grade for 4 weeks and the youngsters played 1sts then almost all the love would be gone because if the same opportunities present as Nighty got last year a kid like Lomax will score all of them and maybe a few more.
You will never never know until you give them a real go and if faced with Nighty for 1 year or a kid with 5 years minimum in front of him then time to cut out all the sentimentality.

Yep, I agree, this is the biggest problem with picking nighty. The opportunity cost of not picking someone like Lomax or Herbert etc.

 

[RufusRex]

The issue re Nightingale is simple.
He stayed on this year and "maybe" wants to stay on next year.
He will be picked in 1st grade this year and next year if he remains.
He is not our worst option but whilst he remains in 1st grade he limits the ability to exercise the next option and get them ready for a long 1st grade career at our club.
While ever he lines up in 1st grade you will never know how good the youngsters are because playing in reggies does not necessarily allow them to showcase their skills.
IMO if NIghty played reserve grade for 4 weeks and the youngsters played 1sts then almost all the love would be gone because if the same opportunities present as Nighty got last year a kid like Lomax will score all of them and maybe a few more.
You will never never know until you give them a real go and if faced with Nighty for 1 year or a kid with 5 years minimum in front of him then time to cut out all the sentimentality.

its more obvious than that ... look at 2016.
He played left wing in the first half of the season and scored 3 tries
Mann played the 2nd half of the season in the same position and scored 10 tries in 11 games.

Extrapolate that to 2017
Nightingale played left wing and scored 16 tries
How many more would a faster/better finisher score if give the same opportunities.

Even when Mann came in and actually played left wing he was going at try a game again out there ...
Our left is even more potent than we saw last year.

Nene swappibg may shiw this but they are just switching the issue to the right

The shield gave a perfect example of how speed cost him a try. The first one from the kick he couldn't get there on the full so had to wait for the bounce. That put him and the ball closer to the sideline and unfortunately the hand went into touch. A faster winger catches the ball on the full and scores a metre inside the touch line. It didn't cost us a pgremiership game which is good - but the potential for that to happen is real.

It is time.

 

[Crush]

He was terrible in 16, in a truly terrible team. Quit living in the past Crush
Nighty did well last year, catching those offloads and flick passes. If he had an extra yard of pace he’d have done even better
Also nighty’s not my whipping boy, I’d be inclined not to pick him, but he’s far from a huge problem. I’d certainly drop him before Lafai though.

I would drop Lafai before Nightingale any day of the week. Nighty should be replaced by a younger faster winger when there is a better winger available than him at the club. The only person who may fit that bill is Mann at this stage but Id suggest he will be needed to slot into the centres.
Nighty is reliable but not so flash. Lafai is flashy at times but not reliable in the slightest.
In the CS all he had to do was pin his ears back and barge over the line for that try yet he went for the miracle flick pass.
He will cost us tries galore.
And unfortunately Mary will not drop him. I hope I am wrong but I can feel the whole forum turning on Lafai when he costs us games by throwing those ridiculous flick passes over the sideline. He just cant help it. Its muscle memory or something with him.

 

[RufusRex]

hmmmmm .. the winger who played outside a centre who'se offloads and try assists puts him into the top half dozen centres is the must pick player ... interesting.

any other left centre at the club means nightingale ends the season under 6 tries ... any other winger outside Lafai last year scores 20 tries.

Lets drop Lafai and keep nightingale there.

Bollox

Nene, Lafai, Lomax, Mann .. it is our best four 3/4s and should be the ones picked for round 1.

 

[MILEY CYRUS]

1. Dufty
2. Nene
3. Mann
4. Lafai
5. Lomax
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
8. Graham
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Aitken
13. De Belin

14. Field
15. Kerr
16. Ah Mau
17. Sims

 

[muzby]

12. Aitken

 

[MILEY CYRUS]

Have you seen him play secondrow?