R2 | Sea Eagles 32-0 Knights @ Brookvale | Sun 6.30pm

[Yosh]

Personally I think people are judging Snowden poorly based on '12 form, not what he has offered in two games this year. Good minutes (50+) for both games, with over 100m and 39 tackles against Manly. He was dissapointing last year, but if he can do 50-60 minutes with 100m and 30ish tackles that's exactly what we from one of our starting props, and I think his first two games were a good starting point to achieve that.

With the sharks for a while, he was averaging close to 200m week in week out. That's the forward most of us thought we were signing...

 

[perverse]

I do think his numbers will improve as the year wears on. He still doesn't have a great amount of strength in his legs for his size... I'm concerned that his back injury has ruined him as the player that was monstering packs at the Sharks. Still, he looked bad in doing more work than any prop we've had in the past while against Manly. You've got to be fair on him.

 

[The Showstopper]

Improve yes, but are they the numbers we need if we want compete with the best. I think four years was a crazy deal for him. Typical Tinkler bravado. I have doubts about him seeing that deal out. Bennett won't cop those yardage numbers all year long. He tries so hard Snowy. I feel for the bloke. He looks to me like he doesn't enjoy it out there sometimes.

 

[Spot On]

I don't really understand why Gids is getting such a towelling, he threw a couple of dud passes but that was pretty much par for the course with everyone last night. Maybe I need to watch the game again but I didn't come out of it last night thinking Gids in particular was terrible. Our halves received basically no front foot ball the whole night. Every second tackle our ball-carrier was getting picked up and driven back by Manly, personally I'd be focusing on that aspect at this stage rather than panicking about Gids.

Put simply he has no idea how to finish a set to help the side out. One set he was caught with the ball on the last tackle when we under the pump. His responsiblity is to put that ball into the in goal or up high to give the team a chance of getting the ball back or applying pressure to the opposition by at least having them start their set as close to their own line as possible, not be caught running it sideways on the 30m mark. There are a few other examples of this type of thing in the game.

Roberts has to go to halfback, Gidley to bench, Snowden to a heart clinic and the pack to some sort of toughen the f**k up camp. The quicker Quinn is out of the side the better. Uate was pathetic in defence. Give Jorge a try but not three. We need a decent hooker ad are desperate for Buderus back to help give some direction. Mullo, well, he was Mullo. Really needs to step up when under the pump as we were. All round horrible performance not helped by losing Waddell, Mason and Gagai. That's no excuse however.

I fear the scoreline come Monday night. JT will rip us a new one unless some miracle occurs during the week.

 

[Spot On]

Personally I think people are judging Snowden poorly based on '12 form, not what he has offered in two games this year. Good minutes (50+) for both games, with over 100m and 39 tackles against Manly. He was dissapointing last year, but if he can do 50-60 minutes with 100m and 30ish tackles that's exactly what we from one of our starting props, and I think his first two games were a good starting point to achieve that.

If he could hit the line as he should be I'd change my mind about him. It won't be long before he ambles up to the defence and is buckled back and injured like last year. He needs some bloody speed and momentum hitting the line and bending it. Going forward. Getting us on the front foot. He made a lot of tackles the other night and did do a lot of work. However, it's just not good enough. Scott and Tamou are going to monster us if we don't get it right.

 

[The Showstopper]

Snowden and Houston will do well to hold their spots all year long. If Fa'alago proves a hit at prop then Snowy may be the sacrificial lamb. Mason picks himself. Rochow is the revelation for me. What a talent he is. No quit and plenty of go with a good skill set. Like another Adam Muir. If Rochow was to bulk up as has been suggested before, then anything could happen in the pack. Snowy has no punch and no presence on field. I just do not care whether he is on or not right now. That comes from expectations falling well short. For such a massive unit it is hard to fathom. He is a monster.
Add the fact Cuthbo is chomping at the bit for a return and young guns like Korbin and Frei are yet to play grade this year then it really is only a case of time before things are shaken up unless something changes on Monday night. Snowden gets the test of his career Monday night. The two best in the business wearing 8 and 10 in a Cowboys shirt.

 

[eozsmiles]

TBO I don't mind the idea of Mason being the first choice prop as I think on his day he's up there with the best props going around. You're spot on with Snowden though. I was stoked when we signed him but he's a massive let down. He looks to be out of shape and not in peak physical fitness. Hopefully as the season roles on, his match fitness will allow him to get back to what he was a couple of years ago.

I don't want to knock Willie because he has done well since he came on board. I always knew he could play but did not expect too much at this stage of his career. We have to remember the Knights only picked him up as a reaction to some injuries and poor form etc. Plenty of people didn't want him. That was after the Cows picked him up mid season because the roosters put him on the shelf or something.
I just can't think of many packs where he would be the main man in the prop rotation. Ironically, Manly might be one of them.

Like you said, Snowy looks a bit laboured. Last year I thought he might have been a confidence player IE it is easy to smash blokes when you are running around with Gallen and Smith. He's got Smith back and Scott too, so we'll see how he goes with a few more miles under his belt and a couple of angry wingmen.