R1 | Knights 24-14 Warriors @ Hunter | Sat 4.30pm

[The Showstopper]

If the ruck is refereed properly the bigger teams are up shit creek. The speedsters will tear them apart. If mobility becomes more important than bulk as a result we could really thrive.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

If (and it's a big if) the NRL actually follows through with the new ruck interpretations, there's at least a moderate possibility that the game will swing back towards favouring more mobile packs, more like the early-mid 2000's. Stone might be anticipating this? If that were the case, Rochow becomes a very viable and handy prop forward. It makes Korbin look more viable, too.

And the ability to offload will make a player a lot more dangerous with the faster ruck speed and fatigued defence. Makes losing cuthbo even more depressing.

 

[Noname36]

On the other hand though if the ruck speeds up we're gonna be up shit creek with Houston and Snowy there.

Mullen and Roberts would tear teams to shreds though.

 

[Tom155]

Leilua would be my first picked of the three centres.

Gagai or McManus should have been the ones to go IMO...and I am big fans of both.

Sione could still play for all we know right now, Stone could just want to have right up until just before kickoff to make his final decision ,late changes on gameday happen all the time.

I agree with you though Leilua & Sione would be my 1st 2 picked then the other 3 battle it out for the remaining spots, I would probably end up having Gagai missing out in my team.

 

[perverse]

McManus is the one to miss out in my team. Not that I don't love the bloke, he just doesn't offer what the others can.

It's going to be interesting to see how it all pans out over the next month or so. Injury is likely to make things simpler over the course of the season anyway.

 

[perverse]

On the other hand though if the ruck speeds up we're gonna be up shit creek with Houston and Snowy there.

Mullen and Roberts would tear teams to shreds though.

Does Snowy really have that slow of a PTB speed? Houston is shit at just about everything, I'll grant you that, but I always feel like Snowy can get a quick one away. Perhaps it's because he's not so easy to dominate in the wrestle, so traditionally that has given him extra time... even though he may move slowly, the fact that he's rarely on his back has potentially made up for that in the past. Not sure, but I don't think Snowy is going to have too much trouble if he's fit.

He might struggle with his line-speed in defence - that's a definitely possibility. I don't think his go-forward will be too badly affected.

 

[Sacrolishes]

I'm not going to whinge and complain too much about the Bench. Happy with Randall and Fa'alongo and Stockwell I'm interested in seeing how he goes. Admittedly it is a shame to not see Tapine or Vai Vai or Mataora in there, but it's round one and Houso is experienced. He may not set the house (ha, didn't actually mean that) on fire but he'll do me for round one and see How the other boys go in lower grades. Both of those game are on Foxtel b4 game so i'll be watching closely. At least it is good to know that we have some quality coming through in forwards. It's a strong side none the less. and honestly. In Stoney I trust!

 

[Tom155]

Sam Tomkins in injury doubt for New Zealand Warriors

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...for-new-zealand-warriors-20150304-13url5.html

 

[Joker's Wild]

Tightness does mean much and there is still 3+ days until kick off

I expect him to play

 

[God-King Dean]

Refs will forget about the new rules after the first month.

 

[voltron]

well its McManus' 150th game
so we'll lose
=(

 

[Joker's Wild]

Why is that?

 

[Spot On]

Too much is made of sione being the aus winger. He only got the job because half the NRL pulled out of the 4 nations.

By all accounts gagai and bj looked better in the trials.

As no name says, the real concern is the four quasi props we are sending out. My first hope is they do the job and we win. The second is that if they are monstered stone gets a proper large human on the bench for round 2

A lot of people seem to be forgetting this. Great talent no doubt at all but a few blokes got a run for Aus that otherwise would not have been anywhere near selection if it weren't for the mass 'injury' toll we had.

 

[Spot On]

Does Snowy really have that slow of a PTB speed? Houston is shit at just about everything, I'll grant you that, but I always feel like Snowy can get a quick one away. Perhaps it's because he's not so easy to dominate in the wrestle, so traditionally that has given him extra time... even though he may move slowly, the fact that he's rarely on his back has potentially made up for that in the past. Not sure, but I don't think Snowy is going to have too much trouble if he's fit.

He might struggle with his line-speed in defence - that's a definitely possibility. I don't think his go-forward will be too badly affected.

He's definitely far from the quickest. If he could really hit the line hard and with speed he'd find it a bit easier to poke through, find the ground and be up to play the ball a bit quicker giving the defensive line less time to set.

Instead he hits the line slower and softer and is held upright by the tacklers, allowing the defence to retreat and get set. All just a bit too slow.

 

[Alex28]

A lot of people seem to be forgetting this. Great talent no doubt at all but a few blokes got a run for Aus that otherwise would not have been anywhere near selection if it weren't for the mass 'injury' toll we had.

Are you seriously suggesting he is either the third best centre or winger in the club right now?

 

[perverse]

He's definitely far from the quickest. If he could really hit the line hard and with speed he'd find it a bit easier to poke through, find the ground and be up to play the ball a bit quicker giving the defensive line less time to set.

Instead he hits the line slower and softer and is held upright by the tacklers, allowing the defence to retreat and get set. All just a bit too slow.

Oh I certainly don't think he's the quickest. He does get held upright often, but that usually affords him to sneak an extra 3 or 4 metres.. and oftentimes he just bends straight down and plays it pretty quickly in those circumstances anyway. Snowden is extremely hard to get to ground. He may only make 5 metres before the line, but often makes another 5 dragging them with him. I don't feel like he gets put on his back too often, either. Either way, he makes a lot of metres per carry when fit. He's not really explosive as much as persistent and tough. I'd like to know how his back is these days.

 

[perverse]

Are you seriously suggesting he is either the third best centre or winger in the club right now?

Have you seen Hurrell and Kata? I wouldn't be running Sione in the centres this match... I think Stone has made the right call there. You could probably line him up against Lolohea at the expense of McManus. That would probably be my choice if I had to this round, but that is very harsh on a bloke who I bet trained the house down all off season and played Origin last year. Putting Sione against the Beast would also be a mistake at this point, imo.

We do have a total embarrassment of riches in the backs this year. Sione will get a run sooner rather than later, I would think... but he's played a lot of footy recently and I don't see the issue with easing him in. If he chooses to stay, then he's going to play a lot of first grade for us over his career, there's no rush at 18.

 

[Knight4life]

Didn't he score 3 tries against the beast last yr?

 

[PhilGould]

Didn't he score 3 tries against the beast last yr?

He did. Though Manu also ran straight over the top of him a few times in the Four Nations last year.

 

[K-Man]

I just think people need to ask the question: "Is Sione amazing? Or is he amazing for his age?"

Right now I don't look at him and see a must-pick, standout star player who wins games with his brilliance. He might reach that point, but at the moment I'd say the most remarkable thing about Sione is how well he 'fits in' to first grade and even rep football with so little experience under his belt.

He just looks the part and he has everything needed to make it. But I also think his actual performances are getting hyped. He's not Lyon, Hodges, Jennings, Morris, Walker etc just yet. In my opinion he's not even Joey Leilua just yet.

Do I hope he stays and becomes the best centre in the game? Sure I do. But if he was a 26-year-old journeyman with less than 10 first grade games under his belt (and some strong performances, absolutely) we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion.

As for his brothers - ughhhhh no thanks. Chanel is way overrated. I'd have let all 3 of them walk already for Merrin and another quality young hooker to compete with / support Clydesdale.