Round 1 Teamlist

[Damo!]

Firstly, let me say that I don't agree with our team selections for this week....but I will always support my team no matter who runs out onto the field.

Spot on. Regardless what we think, the footy is back, lets get behind the team.

 

[bottle]

Dude, I get what you're trying to say, needs to win games now before worrying about the future, bla bla bla...

But the glaring hole in your argument is that Williams is a better player NOW than Witt. He is quicker, smarter, better passing game and better running game, Witt only pips him in goalkicking. Whether Price is coaching for now or future, Williams is the better choice.

Thanks for getting it at least, that is appreciated. Some don't
For the record I don't disagree with your second paragraph, that's not what I'm arguing.
Me, I would have chosen Wiliams with Witt on the bench. Kyle to grow his halves credentials in the Cutters.
However I do appreciate that Price is closer to the thing than I could ever hope to be, and that he has different priorities and concerns at this point in time to the outsiders looking in, namely us.

I am all for a healthy debate, but let's just discuss, rather than try to convert me to your higher plane of consciousness.

I am not into converting, nor for attempting the impossible.;-)

 

[Saints Forever]

Hi everyone, have derived much enjoyment following your posts for years now. Have decided to joint the debate to add my 2 cents worth.

Being an eternal optimist am hoping that the team line up does not reflect the positions Witt and Kyle will actually play.

Hoping Kyle plays at half with Witt at replacement hooker for Rein.

Concerned Kyle may not be up to the rigors of first grade as yet given his injuries. Witt and Kyle may in fact "share" the half back role during the game.

Price seems to have gone with a lightweight pack that is extremely mobile.

Still very hot this time of year.

Unhappy with the lack of discipline and determination showed by the players last year.

Its usually a reflection of the players perception of their coach.

Lets hope the players rise to the occasion of season opener despite the coach.

 

[TonyTrugett]

I don't buy into the whole "he should be in the run on side." There's all sorts of considerations as to who should be in the run on side eg the type of opposition, softening up period etc.

 

[Saints Forever]

the better approach would have been to play Williams and allow Kyle to find his feet at the Cutters

 

[bottle]

the better approach would have been to play Williams and allow Kyle to find his feet at the Cutters

Welcome to the forum and get f**ked.
Just trying to acclimatise you early.

 

[hazzbeen]

Dude, I get what you're trying to say, needs to win games now before worrying about the future, bla bla bla...

But the glaring hole in your argument is that Williams is a better player NOW than Witt. He is quicker, smarter, better passing game and better running game, Witt only pips him in goalkicking. Whether Price is coaching for now or future, Williams is the better choice.

Benny v you can see it and I can see it ....but our great coach who has done nothlng but damage young players and has for some reason in love with Stanely...

 

[Saints Forever]

thanks bottle, nothing like a free and frank exchange of views mate

Is your bottle half full or empty !

 

[Slippery Morris]

Hunt started his career from memory when Saints had Justin Poore and Ryles and from memory showed much better qualities than Poore that is for sure especially with his discipline. He has had a couple of injuries of late but he was always good enough before why not now? He will come good. He is our best prop atm.

 

[bottle]

thanks bottle, nothing like a free and frank exchange of views mate

Is your bottle half full or empty !

Always half full mate. In fact, just like I try to be!

 

[Gazzaw]

NSW TAB:

St G $1.90

Wests $1.95 & firming

Must be dole week

 

[GT0007]

Those stating that Stanley is coming off the bench to halfback and Witt will go to hooker...that's a dumb idea (not saying Price won't do it though)...these first rounds are about new combos gelling, especially the halves combo. Chopping and changing that during the game is silly. Why not just start Stanley at 7? Makes zero sense...again, that's not saying Price won't do it...

I think he's Prices insurance policy if Witt or Rein aren't performing or are injured he has it covered. Not the team I would pick but I do believe he has put some thought into it

 

[jenninga]

Not true, they were building up to this. They took a chance on elite young players, spending big before they became rep players. While everyone will look to SBW, Jennings and Maloney it was just as much about players like Friend, Pearce, Waerea-Hargreaves, Tuivasa-Sheck, Cordner, Nuuasala and others who were there for longer, all lead by Minichiello. Then when it comes to contract time the player will either stay due to loyalty or leave for another paycheck, in which case the Roosters will promote another junior they spent big on.

Perhaps you misread when I said you can build a CORE group.

 

[GT0007]

Maybe it is a way to ease Stanley into the role. Maybe he is a better proposition than Williams at this stage. But maybe it is too early to know who will slot into the role for sure so Witt is being used as a stop gap (a more experienced stop gap) while we work out who should fill the position on a more permanent basis.

Realistically there has only been 1 trial game where we have seen any potential combos - and that was anything but definitive. That and the pre-season is all Price has to work with. There is probably still some unknowns and this may be a way to test this out while still playing it safe somewhat with Witt in the role on a temporary basis.

I agree that it is a time for combos to gel, but the Cutters/Mudgee trial and the 9s were a waste of time from a trial perspective. There are probably still questions to be answered.

I agree, I don't think anyone has put their hand up for 7 or 12 or the front row and the centres arent set in stone either. I stated my concern that the trial would make it harder to pick a team cos of poor form which it has. Clearly we need more than one real trial each pre-season as we now have more questions than answers. The players I think cemented a spot on form were Quinlan, Au Mau, Thompson, Morris, Merrin, Widdop & Gypsy with Mattutia doing enough to be considered. That's pretty poor in my book but I'm sure over the next few weeks it will become clearer if Price picks the team on form, I don't believe we have settled on a team yet to stick with so we may be off to a slow start while there is some changes before combinations can form. So basically we are not prepared for the season so can we put it back another few weeks please lol

 

[GT0007]

i doubt garvey would be in the 17 anyway... so irrelevant point. as the others have mentioned Price has a thing for Stanley, just like he does for Harrison and Ah Mau

Au Mau was our best forward in the CS by a country mile!

 

[GT0007]

I'm not necessarily with Price on Witt vs Williams, but to see people still bagging him for selecting Ah Mau is staggering. Clearly they either didn't watch the CS, or watched with anti Leeson blinkers on. He was just about the player of the game, let alone our best.

As for Price not building for the future, well I thought it would be clear to all that unless he wins some games early he doesn't have one. A coach's first priority is to win, now. The rest builds on that. Bennett is a prime example of this.

He is hardly going to be altruistic about it all and think to himself "Bugger it, I'll just blood a few younguns and put some future structures in place so that the bloke who comes in after we experience some losses has it set up for him"". He's fighting for his livelihood. Of course he wants wins. Rightly or wrongly, this is how he thinks he's going to do it. Ffs, be sensible people.

100% Correct on everything you said especially Au Mau!

 

[GT0007]

lol
You don't think Widdop was relaxed because the intensity disappeared from the Souths defence when their lead hit 20+ and they took off most of their big names?
How did Widdop feel when the right edge of Williams Ah Mau and Farrell created the Dragons only try in the first half when the game was on? He seemed ok, because he also created a certain try for Morris in that half, only for Brett to spill it.

Nonsense

In Bretts defense he spilled it cos the ball was deflected off someones torso at speed. It was a good sign though that he will use Morris well this year as Soward and Boyd used to

 

[BennyV]

I agree, I don't think anyone has put their hand up for 7 or 12 or the front row and the centres arent set in stone either. I stated my concern that the trial would make it harder to pick a team cos of poor form which it has. Clearly we need more than one real trial each pre-season as we now have more questions than answers. The players I think cemented a spot on form were Quinlan, Au Mau, Thompson, Morris, Merrin, Widdop & Gypsy with Mattutia doing enough to be considered. That's pretty poor in my book but I'm sure over the next few weeks it will become clearer if Price picks the team on form, I don't believe we have settled on a team yet to stick with so we may be off to a slow start while there is some changes before combinations can form. So basically we are not prepared for the season so can we put it back another few weeks please lol

If you've been watching the past 2 years, you'd know that Price doesn't pick on form. He sticks with players who don't work hard enough and ignores others who are deserving of a spot. This was beyond evident last year especially, and is again even now, as we see with Stanley on the bench, who was abysmal in the trials at hooker.

The main concern is that this Round 1 team will stick around until Round 8 because Price doesn't drop certain players...

 

[TheRev]

Lets see how Witt goes, he seems like he might be the better organiser/talker out there, hes an experienced campaigner... that takes pressure off Widdop who is running most of our attack... then throw in his goalkicking (if hes still decent), that alone could win us come close ones...

Im not saying its the right call, but like bottle is trying to say.. there is logic there atleast, unlike some of the other choices..... lets atleast give him a few weeks, this will give Williams a chance to take some leadership for the cutters, which tbh he needs, he seemed too quiet in the trial games so far.

 

[furball]

Au Mau was our best forward in the CS by a country mile!

He was very good in attack. The right hand defence however was constantly caught short and he didn't appear to even be there. If the plan was for him to defend tighter there was either no plan on who was shifting wide to replace him or no communication.