Parramatta v Raiders TRIAL Game Day Thread @ Netstrata Jubilee Stadium Feb 17, 2024

[Wally21]

Dan Ginane is another massive f**king flog.

 

[JokerEel]

Sorry mate, you’re right, I’ve been off base. They’ve been f**king fantastic all night. Scoreboard doesn’t reflect how good they’ve been. Valiant effort against a phenomenal, full strength Raiders squad.

Yeah we should call their careers now because they weren't playing like the Panthers have been IN A TRIAL MATCH.

 

[JokerEel]

Guymer has belted a couple of blokes… he at least looks physically up to it.

From what I have seen of him he’s pretty meat and potatoes though

He looks like he could be a decent first grade player. Defence has been good

 

[Chipmunk]

Russell basically wins the right wing spot purely and simply because he has zero competition for the spot.

Simonsson and Harper are about the same quality as each other, so I don't think it really matters if either gets the left centre spot. To be honest I don't think Blaize is remotely close to being able to play against men at this stage, so it's between the other two only. He played like a pussy who wouldn't want to get a hair out of place in my view.

Greig probably gets one of the two available spots on the bench. On that performance, Tualagi gets the other. Personally I'd rather play Hands and Lussick in the 17 together though, as neither are 80 minute NRL level 9s.

The least time the rest see in the NRL in 2024 the better off we'll be.

What's the story with Momoisea? Have we basically put him on gardening leave? Can't even get a spot with the low evel of players we gave a game to tonight.

The last 30 minutes was quite frankly disgraceful.

 

[JokerEel]

Kelma is my MOTM for us in this trial he was great he should be a lock for a bench spot.

Greig was also good as was Russell.

Simonson is still hot and cold but will see how he goes after 10 games.

 

[Jake the snake]

I think we front loaded a communication today

 

[Tooooks]

Tuilagi - 168m, 8 TB, 1 LB, 20 tackles, 2 missed. Looked really good.

Also like the look of the lighter weight Ogden. Looks really fit and could be really effective off the bench.

Love Wiremu. Absolute weapon.

Russell was really good I thought and Bailey had some good moments.

Would’ve liked to have seen more of Ethan Martin.

 

[JokerEel]

Tuilagi - 168m, 8 TB, 1 LB, 20 tackles, 2 missed. Looked really good.

Also like the look of the lighter weight Ogden. Looks really fit and could be really effective off the bench.

Love Wiremu. Absolute weapon.

Russell was really good I thought and Bailey had some good moments.

Would’ve liked to have seen more of Ethan Martin.

I would have put Martin at fullback instead of Asi I'm the 4th quarter.

 

[T-Boon]

I am writing 2024 off for the Eels

 

[DaveMc]

Yeah we should call their careers now because they weren't playing like the Panthers have been IN A TRIAL MATCH.

I don’t think we’re actually disagreeing. You seem to be having a crack at me for commenting that they’ve been underwhelming. They have been, they were horrendous in that second half particularly.

But we both agree that none of these young fellas can be counted on to get into firsts at this point. What I’m saying following on from this is that discussions about restructuring the squad to accommodate someone like Sanders (which is not a hypothetical strawman, that exact discussion has occurred on this forum during this offseason) are so fanciful to be pointless.

Plenty of these young guys might end up making it as first graders. But it won’t be in 2024.

 

[Wally21]

So rather than talk about some of the juniors who still have a way to go, the positives I see;
- Wiremu has been outstanding. All effort and heart
- Tualagi looks far better than I expected, considering some of the commentary about his defence. He’s a beast
- I thought Harper went ok for his first hit out in Blue and Gold
- Russell looks so fit and strong
- Hands looked good
And what was really obvious is that without a Gutho or Moses on the field, there is no one in the team who the other boys are worried about letting down. Lane isn’t that person.

 

[Noise]

Our ‘gun’ juniors are being exposed. So overrated. The Canberra boys are
making them look like babies.

Yep. Sometimes I wonder what the merkins on here and TCT are watching when they talk up our juniors.

 

[Gherkin]

Wiremu is in for a big year. Kelma was very impressive as well, will have some real impact off the bench this year with them and Matto.

Simonsonn has the physical ability to be a good first grader, just has nothing going on upstairs

 

[PARRA_FAN]

After this weekend people will think we'll miss the 8 and Roosters to win the comp lol

 

[Noise]

After this weekend people will think we'll miss the 8 and Roosters to win the comp lol

Even before this weekend both of those were entirely possible, even likely.

 

[Wally21]

Yep. Sometimes I wonder what the merkins on here and TCT are watching when they talk up our juniors.

I guess it’s all relative. I think back to the 80’s and the young blokes would come through and maybe get a start in the wing if they had speed, or on the reserves bench in the days of only having 2 replacements.
1 or possibly 2 of those juniors in a team with Moses, Gutho, RCG, Hopgood etc and they look a little different when they aren’t all over the park.
I did like the look of Martin and Guymer (?) however

 

[JokerEel]

Yep. Sometimes I wonder what the merkins on here and TCT are watching when they talk up our juniors.

To be Fair the Raiders Juniors that were talked up Chevy and the Half can't remember his name were equally disappointing.

It was when they brought on some of their older guys did they start to dominate.

As Hindy said 2025.

 

[emjaycee]

Yep. Sometimes I wonder what the merkins on here and TCT are watching when they talk up our juniors.

I think they are normally comparing them to juniors from other clubs, not to first graders or even top 30 players from other clubs.

 

[Avenger]

The one hooker for 80 min will not work. BA got that wrong when he made the call. He’s not a fan of a hooker on the bench. That’s ok, I’m not a fan of his coaching.

BA is a decent man manager but his tactics are getting tired and are one dimensional.

Notice how all the Canberra boys looked bigger and stronger than our guys. We need to change our philosophy with our juniors. They all looked fitter and stronger than our boys.

Poor little Matt Arthur with his first attempt of tackle showed that although he is talented is not physically ready to play against men. When he came off I thought the ball boy got tackled accidentally.

 

[emjaycee]

To be Fair the Raiders Juniors that were talked up Chevy and the Half can't remember his name were equally disappointing.

It was when they brought on some of their older guys did they start to dominate.

As Hindy said 2025.

FFS