Rd1: Eels v Titans GAME DAY THREAD @ Comm Bank Stadium 13/3/22

[Poupou Escobar]

For all the supporters of AJ and his inclusion in the team and the question of who would have been the better fit as our number 14?

Answer = Will Smith or any other genuine utility that many clubs get into their roster that can cover a number of positions.

You don't get rid of your utility with the made up mind of using your underdone son who can only play one position and not even at NRL standard yet and then have very few decent options left.

Not every team has a utility on the bench. The Sharks won a grand final with a winger on the bench ffs. The main thing is you need injury cover. If you don't have a good enough utility to sit on the bench (or if he can't play every backline position) you might have to shuffle merkins if there's an injury. It's just a fact of life. But there's no rule saying all your bench merkins need to get significant game time or even any game time at all. Hynes played zero minutes in the 2020 grand final because he wasn't required.

Dylan Brown isn't an essential cog in our spine. He is just a very good player that we want in our starting backline. He is perfect for centre, and also for fullback. He is also good enough to play in the halves. And his defence is so good that if we don't have a centre on the bench but need to replace one during a game (like if Blake has to go to the wing) then Drown can defend at centre. Which is exactly what happened yesterday.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Lol, so the teams attack was fine after Jakey came on??

The attack and defence were both poor. I've provided an explanation that covers both. How are you going to blame Jake Arthur for the defensive collapse? The fact is we got a good lead and clocked off. At the same time the Titans got a sniff of blood. It was good leadership from their young leadership group.

 

[84 Baby]

Seems like most people are upset we won with JA.

I think the people that are upset, would have been more happy with us losing with JA than winning with JA. They rather be in the "I told you so" crowd, instead of enjoying a win.

AAAHHHH!!! Death speaks!!! It’s the end people!!!

 

[Gronk]

Player a lot there at NRL level.

Bullcrap

 

[hindy111]

The attack and defence were both poor. I've provided an explanation that covers both. How are you going to blame Jake Arthur for the defensive collapse? The fact is we got a good lead and clocked off. At the same time the Titans got a sniff of blood. It was good leadership from their young leadership group.

Yes fine. It isn't about JAKES game solely. The question I ask you is do you feel he it of NRL LEVEL?
We had Haze Dunster on the bench a few games last season. Lot of injuries and I guess they felt he could help cover. Unsure if it was when Marata was in the 2nd row.

So is JA NRL calibre player? If he is only there cause we have no other utility options then you have to ask yourself why we didn't sign one in our squad. He looks very average. Even when he kicks the ball he looks uncomfortable. And puts up these wobbly looking bombs.

He is also never in motion when he gets the ball and just crabs across field and shuffles it back inside. No real conviction. Anyone could do that. There is no skill in toddling 5 steps sideways and turning the ball inside to a flat footed forward. Its just giving the defense an easy tackle and time to catch breathe.

Halves have to be in motion and know what they are about to do on every play. They must be going after something or plotting for the next play.

Nobody is saying he won't be an NRL player. Everyone is just saying he needs time and work. He isn't a generational talent that has to be part of the 17. For his sake and the coaches he is best in under 20s imo and then NSW cup later in the season.

 

[hindy111]

Bullcrap

The booster shot has made you even more annoying.

 

[Gronk]

clap and cheer bud. Try not to f up.

you can practice when find ‘appropriate’ gifs on the net that you post here.

There you go. I told you you were fixated on the selection of JA, rather than coming up with a better selection for the team.

Next week might be entirely different based on players available, but nobody has come up with a better scenario than Jake on the bench for yesterday.

Sure have a go at me if that's all you got.

 

[hindy111]

There you go. I told you you were fixated on the selection of JA, rather than coming up with a better selection for the team.

Next week might be entirely different based on players available, but nobody has come up with a better scenario than Jake on the bench for yesterday.

Sure have a go at me if that's all you got.

Perham would be a better option. Can cover more positions.

Having a utility part of your top 30 also should of been sorted before kick off

 

[Gronk]

Every squad needs a utility. Who is our bench utility this season?
A utility must be able to cover 2 or 3 positions otherwise you run with a 2nd hooker or extra forward.

So in our top 20 who is the utility? JA is not a f**king utility. He is a average halfback. You do not carry an average halfback on the bench unless he is explosive and a special talent you can not hold back. Think Burton.

LOL you have just echoed what the haters have been repeated for the past 24 hours.

Nobody said he was the greatest utility, but yesterday based on what was available, it was JA.

Plenty of very average plodders or very wet behind the ears rookies for other clubs yesterday doing the same job as Jake. Drew Hutchison, Tyrone Roberts, Jaemon Salmon, Will Smith all belong in reserve grade or Super League. However right now utilities on the bench are in vogue over hookers.

 

[84 Baby]

Not every team has a utility on the bench. The Sharks won a grand final with a winger on the bench ffs. The main thing is you need injury cover. If you don't have a good enough utility to sit on the bench (or if he can't play every backline position) you might have to shuffle merkins if there's an injury. It's just a fact of life. But there's no rule saying all your bench merkins need to get significant game time or even any game time at all. Hynes played zero minutes in the 2020 grand final because he wasn't required.

Dylan Brown isn't an essential cog in our spine. He is just a very good player that we want in our starting backline. He is perfect for centre, and also for fullback. He is also good enough to play in the halves. And his defence is so good that if we don't have a centre on the bench but need to replace one during a game (like if Blake has to go to the wing) then Drown can defend at centre. Which is exactly what happened yesterday.

The only thing I’d add is Round 1 isn’t the Grand Final. I’ve actually been (undeservedly) the guy who rides the pine an entire GF. Not saying I should’ve started but I deserved to be subbed on. Almost/should’ve decked the coach that season. Anyway my point is other than forum nuffies whinging, a round 1 loss (they whinge when we win too) isn’t as bad as a GF loss so you can experiment with things. If someone needs to be Aaron Raper in SOO to win a GF then that’s what has to happen.
The Jrthur on/Drown to centre looked ok in trial but for whatever reason it didn’t work yesterday. BA may try it again this week, he may be forced to but it’s bed wetting to assume yesterday’s team has already been penned in as our GF team.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

JA may not be ready in your eyes, however you have failed to put up a convincing argument why anyone else would do a better job yesterday. Losing a back is not ideal, but against fast Tits backs, Dylan plugged the hole.

Last year when Dylan was injured or suspended, Moses was left as the sole kicker and that made our 5th tackle options predictable and he was susceptible to pressure. Yesterday JA offered a kick option. Was he amazing ? No, but he filled the hole. As I said, our options in NSW Cup were not great.

In hindsight Opacic would have been great but we didn't know we were going to lose an outside back. We had to be prepared for any eventuality. The utility value of Blake (wing and centre), Simonsson (fullback and wing) and Drown (centre and halves) means we could carry a half on the bench and then were covered for any backline injury. It was very exciting.

 

[Gronk]

Perham would be a better option. Can cover more positions.

Having a utility part of your top 30 also should of been sorted before kick off

Did you watch Perham in the NSW Cup ? His defence is not up to NRL yet. High ball too.

 

[Happy MEel]

Which utility back should have worn the 17 jumper ?

I would have had Cartwright as our utility. He’s a better half and with Reed we don’t need a third long kicking game. I think he covers the halves, edge forward or centre if needed. In defence he can swap with Brown on the edge.

 

[JokerEel]

I just like how JA existence has made DBrowns game better..

 

[84 Baby]

Bryce. Perham or whatever his name. Both are better options. But I can see your fixation with JA. He does have a young look about him.

If I was picking a side and had to pick a 17th man that was only going to get game time if a back got injured, it’d be Perham.

If it’s a choice between the better player, it’s Jrthur.

If it’s a choice possibly between the better fit however, it’s Perham.

 

[JokerEel]

I would have had Cartwright as our utility. He’s a better half and with Reed we don’t need a third long kicking game. I think he covers the halves, edge forward or centre if needed. In defence he can swap with Brown on the edge.

He is a better half than who? My dog?

 

[84 Baby]

I just like how JA existence has made DBrowns game better..

It’s all part of the BA plan.

 

[84 Baby]

We had Haze Dunster on the bench a few games last season.

Not a great argument given Haze is probably first choice winger now

 

[strider]

The worst thing he could've done was overplay his hand. He was the supporting half in the team. His job was to control his side and get the ball where it needed to go.

Split halves ffs. He has to do something on his side of the field

 

[JokerEel]

Matterson goes to centre. Player a lot there at NRL level. Stone slots into lock.

Instead we had a guy play wing who never realy has and a guy play centre who never realy has. Two of our strike players id say moved too accommodate a guy who has poor defense and no real spark in attack.

So you want to put a Second Rower into the centres who isn't very fast or has lateral movement.

Plus JA didn't let tries in like Brown yesterday.