Round 23 v Cowboys @ Pepper Stadium

[betcats]

I agree but at the same time it might be a case of it ain't broke don't fix it. As good as May is, when was the last time he played hooker?

He's filled in there the last couple years in NYC and Cup a couple times. Katoa doesn't come on and play hooker with Wallace in the side, he gets a short run as a running forward so I think May can handle that and provide a back up in case of injury, the only place I'd never play May is prop, I think he could play every other position well enough to some degree. I like both the young guys in that bench role for now but May has the bigger upside of the two.

 

[Tronald Crump]

I agree but at the same time it might be a case of it ain't broke don't fix it. As good as May is, when was the last time he played hooker?

Yes but Katoa is not really playing hooker when he come on is he?
What I have seen the past 2 weeks he has been filling in for 15 minutes at lock. I feel Katoa was only coming off the bench because Wallace was coming back from a long lay off. If Peachey is playing centre I would go with May as utility off the bench.

It may not matter this week. Heard Moylan is still touch and go for Saturday.

 

[mxlegend99]

Where did i say i'd keep him instead of May? Please highlight. Thanks.

You commented that he hasnt done anything to lose his spot after others had said May deserved it.

It's in the context of the thread... if that's not what you were saying. Please clarify what you were saying then.

 

[betcats]

He hasnt done anything to keep it either. May has.

You have a thing for average players, don't you?

This is harsh, we are so quick write off blokes as average, Dallin, Waqa even Yeo were getting called average after a similar number of games as Katoa. Katoa's getting a few minutes off the bench not in his preferred position. May would very likely not be impacting games in that role also, they'd look very similar.

The one game Katoa has played big minutes at hooker he was very good, if he was playing there every week I think most of us would be quite high on him.

 

[OldPanther]

If anyone is curious:

North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers
Round 23, 2017 NRL Telstra Premiership
7:30pm, Saturday 12 August, Pepper Stadium - Penrith

With Antonio Winterstein (hamstring) and Gavin Cooper (calf) out injured, Javid Bowen starts on the wing with Coen Hess starting in the back row. John Asiata is named at prop with Shaun Fensom to come off the bench, and Ben Hampton joins the interchange.

Starting Team:

1. Lachlan Coote
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Justin O'Neill
4. Kane Linnett
5. Javid Bowen
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Michael Morgan (c)
8. John Asiata
9. Jake Granville
10. Scott Bolton
11. Coen Hess
12. Ethan Lowe
13. Jason Taumalolo

Interchange Bench:

14. Ben Hampton
15. Shaun Fensom
16. Corey Jensen
17. Sam Hoare

Reserves:

18. Braden Uele
19. Kalyn Ponga
20. Patrick Mago
21. Shane Wright

Ins:

Javid Bowen (Starting Team)
Sam Hoare (Interchange Bench)
Braden Uele (Extended Bench)
Kalyn Ponga (Extended Bench)
Patrick Mago (Extended Bench)
Shane Wright (Extended Bench)

Outs\Injuries:

Gavin Cooper (Injured - Calf Strain - Indefinite)
Antonio Winterstein (Injured - Hamstring - Indefinite)
Ben Spina (Injured - Biceps - Season)
Johnathan Thurston (Injured - Shoulder - Season)
Patrick Kaufusi (Injured - Foot - Season)
Josh Chudleigh (Injured - ACL - Season)
Matt Scott (Injured - ACL - Season)

 

[Tronald Crump]

Cooper is a massive loss.

 

[martielang]

You commented that he hasnt done anything to lose his spot after others had said May deserved it.

It's in the context of the thread... if that's not what you were saying. Please clarify what you were saying then.

Sooooo i didn't say it? I accept your apology. I was saying that's probably Griffins thinking of late. We've won 5 on the trot (9 out of 11), why change it? I can see a case for that & i can also see a case for May as the utility. Either way, i don't mind. BTW i think average Katoa is a great talent.

Tronald, sure Katoa not playing hooker regularly when he comes on but I assume he's there as a safeguard in case Wallace goes down. When he has had time at Hooker, his service has been pretty sharp. When Peach went to hooker against the Cows (late in the game), his service was horrendous. Not sure how May goes at hooker but i assume his strength would be in his running game not his passing.

 

[TheFrog]

Cooper is a massive loss.

It's still a formidable pack. If anything, the bench is a bit average.

 

[age.s]

I don't care where May plays (within reason), I just want to see more of him. That try on Sunday was pretty special.

If Katoa is the sacrifice then so be it.

 

[OldPanther]

It's still a formidable pack. If anything, the bench is a bit average.

8. John Asiata
9. Jake Granville
10. Scott Bolton
11. Coen Hess
12. Ethan Lowe
13. Jason Taumalolo

Yes that is damn formidable. Hess and Taumalolo both ran for over 200m I'm pretty sure last time we played them and Lowe/Bolton are good solid players for a top 8 forward pack.

 

[age.s]

Eh, Lowe is average imo. The rest range between excellent and pretty good though so I agree in general.

 

[OldPanther]

I wish people would look at the big picture. People are turning on Moylan, particularly on Facebook. League fans make me sad sometimes.

 

[mxlegend99]

I saw Cowboys injuries and thought this game should be easy... you see their lineup and its still pretty awesome.

On paper they're stronger than us IMO. This is easily the toughest game we have had in a while.

 

[betcats]

I wish people would look at the big picture. People are turning on Moylan, particularly on Facebook. League fans make me sad sometimes.

There is a constant theme in sports in general but especially league that the next guy coming through is always better, fans get super excited by talented young prospects etc and they go all in and then if the kids don't immediately start killing they write them off, if they do kill it they expect they will just continue progressing at the same rate and get better every year. I got called naive for thinking that it's a not sure thing that TMM will be better than Moylan because TMM is "way more dominant than Moylan at the age", that's just dumb for many reasons. The first one being even with out JT te Marie is still very much a passenger for the cows, Morgan, Granville and Coote run the show. Secondly assuming a player will progress in a straight line is dumb as f**k, it doesn't happen.

At 18 Dallin was playing fg and looked like a very good prospect, Edwards at 18 would of got killed out there but now Edwards has completely jumped Dallin in the pecking order and for all we know it could change again. When u talk about halves many of them play their best footy after 30, the great ones anyway spots even harder to predict.

 

[umina panther]

Moylan plays we win

 

[Panfa]

When are we gonna get rid of the 2 hooker experiment we dont need katoa may can cover hooker 5/8 backrow centre my team would be edwards mansour whare blake zelezniak moylan cleary peachey yeo harawira-neara tamou wallace browne campbell gillard fisher harris cartwright may

 

[chrisD]

That Cows team are not that good on paper. Morgan, Lolo and Hess are superstars, but more than half that team should be fringe first graders. They're extremely well coached.

 

[TheEroticGamer]

If we beat them we go above them on for and against, and they have Cronulla, Brisbane and Tigers in NSW left to play.

They could struggle to win another game this season.

Winning is crucial.

 

[Westernised Panther]

If we beat them we go above them on for and against, and they have Cronulla, Brisbane and Tigers in NSW left to play.

They could struggle to win another game this season.

Winning is crucial.

Not to mention that we could also go above Manly should they lose to the Tigers

 

[billypilgrimnz]

I wish people would look at the big picture. People are turning on Moylan, particularly on Facebook. League fans make me sad sometimes.

Turning on him why?