Panthers v. Heels

[Iamback]

The humidity on the GC was 89% too.

It was bad and the short turnaround. A normal week this week will give us a normal performance

 

[Kilkenny]

The Eels were pretty awful against the Cowboys, but full credit to the Cowboys.

I think the Eels will be a much better outfit on Friday night, they will surely be up for it, I’m expecting a tough game.

We’ll have to lift our game as well, we were not great ourselves against the Titans.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Martin is playing out of position
Crichton is a left centre playing on the right
To'o possibly won't be as good on the right but for Tago it is the best decision

To'o still averaged 175m on the right. That is a vast improvement over Staines input..

Assuming Staines misses out that is

I don’t see how you can say To’o wont form as good a partnership with Tago as May has. He’s the current NSW Origin left wing, I’m confident he can surpass the partnership May has with Tago.

 

[herbert henry1908]

There's just very little to anything to gain by changing the left. You want to change the left so that they will make more meters? Really? Like they're not making enough? It's working very well, leave it be. The right is where we could use improvement and To'o may be capable of providing it.

Yes. To’o‘s 230m per game was instrumental last year. There’s a lot to be gained, and very little to be lost. There’s a reason To’o was the origin left wing.

 

[Kilkenny]

Looking at the current table a win on Friday night will be huge for us going forward.

The Storm will win and remain two points behind but a gap has already opened up with the third placed sides on 10.

we are already well placed but a win this Friday really sets our season up Going into a huge game against the Storm.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Look at this another way, if To’o had never got injured and Staines was about to be dropped, would you really want To’o shifted to the right to accomodate May’s history with Tago? You’d change the current Origin left wing spot to accomodate a rookie? If not, I don’t see why a handful of games would change anything.

I mean if To’o had been out for a whole season with an ACL I’d understand the argument, but current rep players come back in to their preferred position after a short injury.

 

[Kilkenny]

Charlie has had eight games, he has tried really hard, you can see the effort he is putting in. If and when To’o returns sadly Charlie is the one who has to make way, regardless of which side of the field Brian plays on.

The Eels have significant injury issues and there outside backs are an issue for them. If Brian isn’t 100% then no real reason to risk him. I’m sure he is desperate to get back out there but just perhaps giving him another week or so may be the safe option.

 

[Iamback]

I don’t see how you can say To’o wont form as good a partnership with Tago as May has. He’s the current NSW Origin left wing, I’m confident he can surpass the partnership May has with Tago.

Tago is very raw. Has built a good partnership with May. so much that those poor reads from early in the year are getting fewer.

We have 4 difficult games
Then lose To'o to Origin
In which case May is back to the left again.

To me it makes sense to split them up after SOO

 

[herbert henry1908]

Tago is very raw. Has built a good partnership with May. so much that those poor reads from early in the year are getting fewer.

We have 4 difficult games
Then lose To'o to Origin
In which case May is back to the left again.

To me it makes sense to split them up after SOO

Tago will benefit from playing alongside a more experienced player if poor reads are the concern. Difficult games to me mean your best players in their preferred position.

Our Origin schedule couldn’t be better. We’re only certain to lose players for the Bulldogs and Knights games.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Charlie has had eight games, he has tried really hard, you can see the effort he is putting in. If and when To’o returns sadly Charlie is the one who has to make way, regardless of which side of the field Brian plays on.

The Eels have significant injury issues and there outside backs are an issue for them. If Brian isn’t 100% then no real reason to risk him. I’m sure he is desperate to get back out there but just perhaps giving him another week or so may be the safe option.

I really doubt the club would risk him unless he’s 100%.

 

[BxTom]

To’o just won’t make the same meters on the right, nowhere near it. Just don’t get enough ball.

I’m really surprised at these opinions, I know fans tend towards recency bias but this one really surprised me.

Agree, Staines is starved of the ball on that side now. Very rarely gets the ball in clean air - Crichton thinks he is a winger. Staines has much better positional sense and can read the game. And he is a lot stronger this year with some good hard runs.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

I really doubt the club would risk him unless he’s 100%.

I think I remember reading that To'o could have played last weekend. So he's probably almost 'over-ready.'

 

[GongPanther]

Look at this another way, if To’o had never got injured and Staines was about to be dropped, would you really want To’o shifted to the right to accomodate May’s history with Tago? You’d change the current Origin left wing spot to accomodate a rookie? If not, I don’t see why a handful of games would change anything.

I mean if To’o had been out for a whole season with an ACL I’d understand the argument, but current rep players come back in to their preferred position after a short injury.

Any player is not comfortable in playing out of position. To'o will be playing in his preferred position, and it also helps his inside players as far as setting up those one-ups he gets those good metres from.

 

[Black Magik]

Us 18
Them 16

 

[mxlegend99]

Agree, Staines is starved of the ball on that side now. Very rarely gets the ball in clean air - Crichton thinks he is a winger. Staines has much better positional sense and can read the game. And he is a lot stronger this year with some good hard runs.

I dont think it's an issue of Crichton thinking he's a winger. Very few players pass well to the right.

Our left side attack fires with just about any combination of players because everyone naturally passes well to their left.

On the right the passes aren't as quick or crisp and the timing is just way off. Even if May or To'o shifts to the right wing. There's not going to be a huge change in that. We need to get Critter to improve his passing. He was actually better at hitting his winger last year when first moved to the right than he has been this year.

 

[Iamback]

Tago will benefit from playing alongside a more experienced player if poor reads are the concern. Difficult games to me mean your best players in their preferred position.

Our Origin schedule couldn’t be better. We’re only certain to lose players for the Bulldogs and Knights games.

Not if neither are talkers out there.
Defence is going to win us games and left is looking better that side of it.

Depends how we go over the next 4 weeks. If we are on track for Top 2 then others might miss a few games.

Can Staines play left?
For Tago he needs stability. Kiks won't play origin so if we can keep the left side stable. That will help in the back end

 

[Nealo 12]

This thread topic should be verse the Slimies, like it always was

 

[Smug Panther]

Not if neither are talkers out there.
Defence is going to win us games and left is looking better that side of it.

Depends how we go over the next 4 weeks. If we are on track for Top 2 then others might miss a few games.

Can Staines play left?
For Tago he needs stability. Kiks won't play origin so if we can keep the left side stable. That will help in the back end

Maybe Tago needs a rep winger outside him to kick his arse? I still can't get over that play where he went himself

 

[WestyLife]

Maybe Tago needs a rep winger outside him to kick his arse? I still can't get over that play where he went himself

I thought I imagined it. He would've had fun watching that back in the video session.

 

[Iamback]

Maybe Tago needs a rep winger outside him to kick his arse? I still can't get over that play where he went himself

That is a positive with To'o on the left