RD9-13: Big Hurdle

[BrotherJim05]

Hey guys,

I've been looking at our upcoming games and given the injuries/suspensions its looking pretty dire for a few rounds. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel with big things in store for the Tigers.

Rd 9 - We play the Roosters with a severely under-strength side. Pretty much the same team as we saw against the Titans but without Simona and possibly a few others depending on injuries sustained during that game. Hopefully with the weekend off this week, they will be able to heal in time for Rd9. I'm predicting we will get trampled in this game.

Rd 10 - Sharkies have been struggling big time this season and we will most likey have Farah, Gavet and Sue back in action. This will bring our pack pretty much back to full strength and give us the competitive advantage that have been winning us games. Plus Farah will be trying to prove he is fit in time for Origin so we can expect a big game from him. I reckon we could win this.

Rd 11 - Couldn't have picked a better time to play the Broncos as majority of their squad will be in Origin camp. We won't have Farah, with the potential for Woods or Richards also out so this game, but we will have Simona back so could easily go either way.

Rd 12 - Bye. And thank god for this! Hopefully we won't sustain any serious injuries between RD 9-11 (I mean seriously, we need to have some good luck at some point) and this weekend will be great for Farah to rest after Origin and all the niggling injuries healed up.

Rd 13 - THIS is what I'm excited for. Knights are no walk in the park but provided their are no additional injuries we will be back to full strength, plus Sironen and Halutau will be available if we need them. Teddy might not be available but he will by Rd 14-15.

So realistically, if we can get through the Rd9-11 hurdle with at least 2 points we are in a good position to come out guns blazing with a pretty much full strength side!

 

[Vic Mackey]

It's all well and good to say 'his guy will be back here and then this guy will be back then'

Remember we still have games to get through unscathed! Taupau, woods, Blair etc playing this week. Fingers crosses they get through ok.

The roosters will hopefully be missing Jennings and Maloney and I think Sue's a chance of being back but I'm considering it a write off. Simona will be missing too.

If we get though those games and lose no one else then hopefully farah and gavet come back for the sharks and then we get the broncos minus hodges, thaiday, Parker, Gillett and maybe hannant/McGuire. I know we'll be without farah, woods and possibly Richards but we should rape their forward pack.

If we can be 7-4 come the bye, with all our injuries, that would be an outstanding result.

 

[madunit]

Round 9 - I don't think we'll get towelled up at all. The Sharks almost beat them 2 weeks ago and would have if Carney had a marginally better kicking game.

Round 10 - Sharks are starting to get confidence and will be close to full strength that week, with Gordon fit, Lewis back in the side and Carney back from injury. Fifita improved last weekend purely because, imo, his contract bullshit was finalised. Being dropped from the Aussie side will make him want it back again.

Round 11 - Broncos aren't going to have too many players out, most likely Gillett, Thaiday, Parker and maybe Hodges (if he's fit). They've got Hannant and Kennedy to fill in there. By no means will they truly be all that much weaker.

I think those games could very easily all end up as losses. If we can win one those and not got flogged if we lose, I'll be pretty happy, considering the injury toll we have right now.

 

[Tigers Tale]

I don't think Pat Richards will make the SOO side....it would be a real shame for him if that is the case as I think he is in good enough form but as a selfish supporter I'm happy for him to keep playing in the WT side.

 

[BrotherJim05]

I don't think Pat Richards will make the SOO side....it would be a real shame for him if that is the case as I think he is in good enough form but as a selfish supporter I'm happy for him to keep playing in the WT side.

Yeah he probably won't end up getting picked but f**k me he would be perfect.
Has veteren level experience (maybe not in SOO but in international level and big game), perfect goalkicking, game-changing dropouts.

If someone told me that his inclusion would win NSW SOO but he would get injured for the rest of the year......geez.....that is a dilemma.

 

[super_coach]

Anasta is out for three weeks (I read on another forum).Anyway you cant expect players who have been out for a month or longer to run onto the field and hit top form.

No Woods,Farah and Richards during the SOO series will kill us. I hate to be the prophet of doom but I think we will struggle to win a game for about 6 to 8 weeks. As players come back their will be more heading off to rehab, it has been a long time since we have got through two games without a long to mid term injury.

I have seen enough this year to get me very excited about the years to come, I just think once again we have been harpooned by the injury curse again

 

[Ron's_Mate]

Round 10 - Sharks are starting to get confidence and will be close to full strength that week, with Gordon fit, Lewis back in the side and Carney back from injury. Fifita improved last weekend purely because, imo, his contract bullshit was finalised. Being dropped from the Aussie side will make him want it back again.

Fifita always fires up against the Tigers. Can you imagine him running at Rowe 10 to 20 meters from the try line?

 

[benched tiger]

Remember guys they picked Merrit last year after a few injuries and he was absolute rubbish.I doubt he will get picked in the original team but if injuries occur he may come under consideration.

 

[BrotherJim05]

I just read that by Rd 13 we will have EVERYONE back from injury apart from Moltzen.

Yes I understand that that with our track record there is no way that there won't be more injuries. BUT given our track record there was no way we would be in the top 4 at this time of year in 2014. Miracles happen every day. Luck can change and I'm very confident it will for us.
I agree that players usually don't just come straight back from injury and kill it...but they often do. It could happen for us.

My Rd 13 prediction:

Tedesco
Nofo
Simona
Lawrence
Richards
Austin
Brooks
Woods
Farah
Galloway
Sironen
Thomson
Blair

Tupau
Gavet
Sue
Halutau

Don't know why but I just feel that this is what the team will be. If I just happen to be right...f**k me that is a side to fear

 

[MacDougall]

Wouldn't be picking Halatau ahead of Ava as a walkup start and Fulton will be there though I think we've made a mistake with his longer contract. Taupau, Gavet, Sue, Ava as the bench was dead set our strongest point. It'll be interesting what happens when Halatau and Sironen come back...

Good side but. I honestly don't think the rest of the side matters as long as Farah, Tedesco and Brooks are there. They were well on the way to putting paid to the rest of the NRL. Farah was in career best form (never would have thought it possible) and Tedesco was superstar on the rise. Brooks has done nothing in their absence to show that he isn't the superstar we want. Our forwards depth means I don't really worry about who we run out in the pack now. We just need Farah and Tedesco back.

 

[magpie guy]

Wouldn't be picking Halatau ahead of Ava as a walkup start and Fulton will be there though I think we've made a mistake with his longer contract. Taupau, Gavet, Sue, Ava as the bench was dead set our strongest point. It'll be interesting what happens when Halatau and Sironen come back...

Good side but. I honestly don't think the rest of the side matters as long as Farah, Tedesco and Brooks are there. They were well on the way to putting paid to the rest of the NRL. Farah was in career best form (never would have thought it possible) and Tedesco was superstar on the rise. Brooks has done nothing in their absence to show that he isn't the superstar we want. Our forwards depth means I don't really worry about who we run out in the pack now. We just need Farah and Tedesco back.

I agree with pretty much everything you just said. With the caveat that Anasta has to be replaced with either Austin or Siro.

BrotherJim: I don't see Halatau making the side ahead of Fulton or Ava.S

 

[Tiger05]

There is a long way to go in this season so I don't see any period as being more critical than any other period. We need to win enough games to make the finals.

I also think we need 4 forwards on the bench and ideally 3 props. I don't think Fulton and Halatau should be in the team together and I feel the same about Austin and Anasta. We need a big pack of forwards that will smash teams which allows Farah, Books & Tedesco to play with some space.

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

Stoked to win 50% of games over rep/Robbie period.
Happy to win 3 from next 7
Realistic 2 from 7.....or worse

 

[madunit]

I just read that by Rd 13 we will have EVERYONE back from injury apart from Moltzen.

Yes I understand that that with our track record there is no way that there won't be more injuries. BUT given our track record there was no way we would be in the top 4 at this time of year in 2014. Miracles happen every day. Luck can change and I'm very confident it will for us.
I agree that players usually don't just come straight back from injury and kill it...but they often do. It could happen for us.

My Rd 13 prediction:

Tedesco
Nofo
Simona
Lawrence
Richards
Austin
Brooks
Woods
Farah
Galloway
Sironen
Thomson
Blair

Tupau
Gavet
Sue
Halutau

Don't know why but I just feel that this is what the team will be. If I just happen to be right...f**k me that is a side to fear

I wouldn't have Halatau & Austin in the same 17. One or the other.

I'd put Sironen at 6, Fulton in back row, Austin on the bench. When Austin comes on, Siro moves into the back row, so its essentially the same as having 4 forwards on the bench.

 

[hutch]

I think we severely underrate Fulton. The amount of quality work he does in defence and metres he makes in attack by running good lines is invaluable! He is a smart and effective player, just wish he was bigger! He is an important part of our team.

 

[bubblesunlimited]

I just read that by Rd 13 we will have EVERYONE back from injury apart from Moltzen.

Yes I understand that that with our track record there is no way that there won't be more injuries. BUT given our track record there was no way we would be in the top 4 at this time of year in 2014. Miracles happen every day. Luck can change and I'm very confident it will for us.
I agree that players usually don't just come straight back from injury and kill it...but they often do. It could happen for us.

My Rd 13 prediction:

Tedesco
Nofo
Simona
Lawrence
Richards
Austin
Brooks
Woods
Farah
Galloway
Sironen
Thomson
Blair

Tupau
Gavet
Sue
Halutau

Don't know why but I just feel that this is what the team will be. If I just happen to be right...f**k me that is a side to fear

If you think they will ever leave a fit Fulton out of our team, you must be dreaming. He is the muck raker of the team, 40-50 tackles, the dirty metres no one else wants to make and plenty of chat in defense.

Don't underestimate his worth to us.

However, it is a cracker of a team, our depth is outstanding and our future looks bright.

We just need some luck with injuries.

Bubbles

 

[benched tiger]

I was surprised Fulton was not in the run on team against the Titans,his work rate cant be faulted, which then encourages and inspires the other forwards to lift,which was missing from the start against the GC.

 

[BrotherJim05]

I completely agree with the comments about Fulton, however he apparently carrying some niggling injuries and with so many players out over the next couple of games I fear he will take on too much workload and suffer an extended injury.

If Fulton is 100% fit then I suspect he will be #11 with Sironen replacing Halutau on the bench

 

[Tigers Tale]

I think we severely underrate Fulton. The amount of quality work he does in defence and metres he makes in attack by running good lines is invaluable! He is a smart and effective player, just wish he was bigger! He is an important part of our team.

I really don't think you'll get any arguments about this. I think what most people are seeing, myself included, is how good we are going with a big pack of forwards. We are now starting to dominate other packs and while Fulton's efforts are never doubted I think we'd all like him to be bigger (I know this can't be changed).

We are not in a bad position, certainly better than the past few years when we had no depth in the forwards. Fulton is always close to our best player each year so while we can use him to the maximum, I'm happy with him in the team...I just get excited about our big boppers.

 

[Fordy20]

I'm really excited for next few rounds. Now we'll get to see how Austin goes for a full 80 minutes in the halves.