Round 1 - Storm vs Rabbitohs: Thursday 11th March 8:05pm @AAMI Park

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Bench Su'a

Start Arrow @ 2nd row

 

[NovoBunny94]

Bench Su'a

Start Arrow @ 2nd row

In my opinion I agree with having momentum and with that is start sua as his runs are powerful

 

[handyman2190]

Bench Su'a

Start Arrow @ 2nd row

Sua has been injured pre season he also didnt play any trial games, agreed he was sub standard, but benching him dosent give him enough game time. Another problem is there are 3 offers on the table,this cant be good for his frame of mind. Maybe he comes off after 20 and arrow in the 2nd row. I dont know the answer, all i know is defensively we have been poor in past seasons and that hasnt changed, letting them make meters after contact and passes after contact, letting them make big meters per set is totally unacceptable, may be we spent too much time practicing attack instead of defence.

 

[Travitoh]

Bench Su'a

Start Arrow @ 2nd row

To achieve what?

 

[Rabbits20]

We need a better attitude and focus,

 

[Souths Till I Die]

A bit ridiculous to start throwing shade at Cook its round 1 and he's still one of the best hookers in the game. Manly dont even have a number 9, jake friend looks like his on the verge of retirement, Cameron mcinnes has done his ACL. Only other good hookers in the competition are Koroisau and Brandon Smith.

Cody Walker had a terrible game. He killed any flow we had in attack multiple times. To say its Cook's fault for our last tackle options is a cop out. Our playmakers were stuck in our own 20 a lot of the time because of dumb errors we were making.

If we complete our sets, we win that game and everyone continues talking about how we're premiership favourites.

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

To achieve what?

Better edge defense on the right side.
We got killed there.
And obviously Bennett agreed because Su'a got hooked, and only came back in the game because of Tom's injury.
So I can't be that wrong.....

 

[Dingo_dan]

A bit ridiculous to start throwing shade at Cook its round 1 and he's still one of the best hookers in the game. Manly dont even have a number 9, jake friend looks like his on the verge of retirement, Cameron mcinnes has done his ACL. Only other good hookers in the competition are Koroisau and Brandon Smith.

Cody Walker had a terrible game. He killed any flow we had in attack multiple times. To say its Cook's fault for our last tackle options is a cop out. Our playmakers were stuck in our own 20 a lot of the time because of dumb errors we were making.

If we complete our sets, we win that game and everyone continues talking about how we're premiership favourites.

Not ridiculous at all. If Cooks round 1 was in isolation then it would be. Like for example both Reynolds and Walker had off games in round 1, but there's no questioning them because they were both excellent in 2020. Cook on the other had had been regressing a lot since origin 2019. It's now getting to the alarm bell stages. Especially when you factor in his continued Finals failures

On current form you couldn't say cook is a top 5 hooker. After 2020 you have B.smith, Grant, Korisau, Mahoney, Mcinnes all ahead of him easily, Josh Hodgson most likely will be ahead of him now his returned , and with guys like Turpin and the brailey brothers hot at his heels

 

[Dingo_dan]

Better edge defense on the right side.
We got killed there.
And obviously Bennett agreed because Su'a got hooked, and only came back in the game because of Tom's injury.
So I can't be that wrong.....

Sua came out so Murray could go on the edge and Benji could float at lock. It looked to be a pre planned tactic and not a reaction to anything happening in the first half.

Arrow at second row is ridiculous. His strength is in the middle. He hasn't really got the lateral mobility to defend a whole game on the edge

 

[Jim Rockford]

Not ridiculous at all. If Cooks round 1 was in isolation then it would be. Like for example both Reynolds and Walker had off games in round 1, but there's no questioning them because they were both excellent in 2020. Cook on the other had had been regressing a lot since origin 2019. It's now getting to the alarm bell stages. Especially when you factor in his continued Finals failures

Very good point Dan.

 

[Travitoh]

Better edge defense on the right side.
We got killed there.
And obviously Bennett agreed because Su'a got hooked, and only came back in the game because of Tom's injury.
So I can't be that wrong.....

Feels very much like making a change for the sake of making a change after one loss against the reigning premiers.

Benching Sua weakens the teams attacking potential in the opening 20 and beyond and playing Arrow on the edge weakens the middle as the game wears on.