Round 1, 1-17

[adamkungl]

There's some decent info coming in from Roosters training (on nospam13) so I figured its about time we had another guess at our 1-17.

Apparently at the moment it's looking like this:

1. Todd Carney
2. Sam Perrett
3. Phil Graham
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Braith Anasta (c)
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jason Ryles
9. James Aubusson
10. Frank Paul-Nuusuala
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Mitch Aubusson
13. Nate Myles

14. Lopini Paea
15. Martin Kennedy
16. Daniel Conn
17. Nick Kouparitsis

Notable notes -
-They seem to be pressing ahead with the Carney to fullback plan.
-SKD has been training at centre
-Jaubs and Koops will apparently be contending for/sharing the hooking role.
-Omissions include JWH (injury), Tom Symonds (recovering from injury/surgery, I think), Ryan Williamson (homesick or something, taken leave, no one is sure when he'll return), Ben Jones (looks like Koops is the preferred utility at this stage), JP Du Plessis (not expected to play FG this year, but is training)

thoughts?

 

[Stagger eel]

The Carney to 1 still perplexes me...

I'd move Mini back there, swap Perret and Graham, put Aub in the centres and move SKD back there, Anasta to lock and form a Carney/Pearce partnership.

honestly, Pearce and Carney have the makings of the best halves combo in the comp, why would Smithy potentially ruin that?

 

[adamkungl]

Anasta to lock has been talked about for years but never really worked, although considering his coaches were Anderson and Fittler it's hardly a good indication of whether it could work. That said, Smith obviously thinks he's better off staying at 5/8th and keeping the current halves combo intact.

Last year aside, Anasta and Pearce were pretty fantastic in 08. They copped it a bit for allegedly scoring every try off a kick, as some keyboard experts liked to claim, but tries are tries and they put on a lot of them. I think either Pearce Carney or Pearce Anasta has potential to be the best halves pairing in the comp, there aren't many sides who have two great halves. Hell, even Melbourne have Finch in there

 

[watatank]

If Carney can handle the defensive side of fullback it'll be so much better having him there than at five eighth IMO

Anyway that squad looks strong and even stronger at full strength. Looking forward to watching Ryles play even if it's not in Dragons colours. What's the reports on him?

 

[adamkungl]

Ryles is suspended....

Nah haven't heard much about him

 

[Gaba]

T
honestly, Pearce and Carney have the makings of the best halves combo in the comp,

:lol::lol:

i think anasta and carney would make it alot better

 

[adamkungl]

:lol::lol:

i think anasta and carney would make it alot better

And there's your problem

 

[Gaba]

It would be better then the carney ,pearce combo

carney would be in the same situation as anasta was last year, where the halfback is predictable bomb or the kick

carney would have to do the double attack, as a 5/8 and halfback as anasta did

 

[Monk]

If Carney can do what K.Gidley is doing in Newie i will be happy.

I think that is what B.Smith wants from us, some stability in the back line.

 

[mongoose]

I have not seen anything from Carney to suggest he would make a good fullback. He has potentially the best kicking AND passing game in the comp. His running game is also brilliant. He is a natural 5/8.

 

[Non Terminator]

I think Graham could miss it, depends on his injury.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

You have two options really, depending on Carney at fullback.

Carney at fullback (at full strength):

1. Todd Carney
2. Sam Perrett
3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
4. Anthony Minichiello
5. Phil Graham
6. Braith Anasta
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. FP Nuuausala
9. James Aubusson
10. Jason Ryles
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Nate Myles
13. Mitch Aubusson

14. Nick Kouparitsas (I'd prefer Jones)
15. Tom Symonds (Daniel Conn, Aiden Guerra or Brad Takairangi if he is injured)
16. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Martin Kennedy or Mose Masoe if he is injured)
17. Lopini Paea

Carney at five-eighth (at full strength):

1. Anthony Minichiello (centre to fullback)
2. Sam Perrett
3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
4. Mitch Aubusson (lock to centre)
6. Todd Carney (fullback to five-eighth)
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. FP Nuuausala
9. James Aubusson
10. Jason Ryles
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Nate Myles
13. Braith Anasta (five-eighth to lock)

14. Nick Kouparitsas (I'd prefer Jones)
15. Tom Symonds (Daniel Conn, Aiden Guerra or Brad Takairangi if he is injured)
16. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Martin Kennedy or Mose Masoe if he is injured)
17. Lopini Paea

Either way, I like it. It is a well-balanced team, with plenty of pace and creativity in the backline, a strong forward pack, and when fully fit, a very high impact bench. The main question marks personally, are over Carney at fullback, and our relatively inexperienced centre pairing.

 

[footy1]

There's some decent info coming in from Roosters training (on nospam13) so I figured its about time we had another guess at our 1-17.

Apparently at the moment it's looking like this:

1. Todd Carney
2. Sam Perrett
3. Phil Graham
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Braith Anasta (c)
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jason Ryles
9. James Aubusson
10. Frank Paul-Nuusuala
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Mitch Aubusson
13. Nate Myles

14. Lopini Paea
15. Martin Kennedy
16. Daniel Conn
17. Nick Kouparitsis

Notable notes -
-They seem to be pressing ahead with the Carney to fullback plan.
-SKD has been training at centre
-Jaubs and Koops will apparently be contending for/sharing the hooking role.
-Omissions include JWH (injury), Tom Symonds (recovering from injury/surgery, I think), Ryan Williamson (homesick or something, taken leave, no one is sure when he'll return), Ben Jones (looks like Koops is the preferred utility at this stage), JP Du Plessis (not expected to play FG this year, but is training)

thoughts?

The team is looking very balanced which is a good sign early on, especially after the horrors of last year with players playing all over the place. Losing Jared Wearea-Hargreaves to injury leaves a pretty big gap in our forward pack but we've got some handy replacements who are yet to fulfil their potential on the big stage in Martin Kennedy, Tom Symonds and Mose Masoe and we'll need them to step up from the start. A lot of what Brian Smith is doing at the Roosters was done at Newcastle and he has basically brought across the same game plan, which is an expansive game. Todd Carney moving to fullback is a clear indication that he is trying to model him on Kurt Gidley. I believe BJ Leilua will start in the centres with Phil Graham as he is in the Junior Sau mould, although he can play in the backrow. The forward pack is looking solid and will do the job IMO. The bench is where the real competition will be with most of the spots in the starting sides already decided unless somebody puts in an unexpected performance during the trials. It's a side that will definitely be in and around the 8th spot come September.

 

[marshall stalin]

add 18. W Mason - don't laugh it could be true

 

[84 Baby]

The Carney to 1 still perplexes me...

I'd move Mini back there, swap Perret and Graham, put Aub in the centres and move SKD back there, Anasta to lock and form a Carney/Pearce partnership.

honestly, Pearce and Carney have the makings of the best halves combo in the comp, why would Smithy potentially ruin that?

Cause Smithy works in mysterious ways

 

[morley101]

There's some decent info coming in from Roosters training (on nospam13) so I figured its about time we had another guess at our 1-17.

Apparently at the moment it's looking like this:

1. Todd Carney
2. Sam Perrett
3. Phil Graham
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Braith Anasta (c)
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jason Ryles
9. James Aubusson
10. Frank Paul-Nuusuala
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Mitch Aubusson
13. Nate Myles

14. Lopini Paea
15. Martin Kennedy
16. Daniel Conn
17. Nick Kouparitsis

Notable notes -
-They seem to be pressing ahead with the Carney to fullback plan.
-SKD has been training at centre
-Jaubs and Koops will apparently be contending for/sharing the hooking role.
-Omissions include JWH (injury), Tom Symonds (recovering from injury/surgery, I think), Ryan Williamson (homesick or something, taken leave, no one is sure when he'll return), Ben Jones (looks like Koops is the preferred utility at this stage), JP Du Plessis (not expected to play FG this year, but is training)

thoughts?

I think you can add Daniel Conn to the unavailable list and Jaubs is under an injury cloud.

 

[mongoose]

Todd Carney moving to fullback is a clear indication that he is trying to model him on Kurt Gidley.

Good luck with that. Gidley is a workhorse, Carney on the other hand is lazy.