Round 24 v Storm

[Whino]

Is there any prospect Garner will be back? He has been out for a long time. Surely he must be close to being able to play.

Not according to yesterday's injury update. He is still building resistance training with no set return date. Sounds like he is still a few more weeks away. Judging on Pete's comments.

 

[Girds89]

Would love an update on soro.

Im thinking it will be 4 weeks..

Hopefully we can just get through to the finals with no more injuries and hold onto 1st/2md spot.

Come finals Alamonti garner soro jfh edwards back...

If we are at full strength throughout the finals i think we will be hard to beat.

I think (like everyone) theres still clearly issues in defence..

When i say issues... i mean we are still statistically the best defensive team in the comp arent we? Or at least close to..

But we juat need to spend the rest of the season really tidying up our issues in defence.

Isnt it funny. In years gone by its been our attack at time which has looked pedestrian and off the pace.

This year the attacks been great.. and the defence has been not where we would like it.

I still believe ivan will get it sorted come the end of the season..

Im not to stressed about whether we win or lose vs storm. We will be without likely edwards, garner, soro, marto, fish, Alamonti.

6 guys that are certain to come back in to the side with 5 of them being starters..

I just want to see an improvement in defence.. i want to see a black wall and if storm win lets make them earn every bloody try through grwat play not from not numbering up properly or poor defensive decisions..

Probably one bloke thay might be an outside chance of getting a run at 2nd row is tyrone Peachey.

Hes not capable of probably more tham two 20min stints but i think he may be a smokey to come in.. it won't go down well on here with some but i think the peach would deserve one last dance before he retires.

 

[BossleyPanther]

Would love an update on soro.

Im thinking it will be 4 weeks..

Hopefully we can just get through to the finals with no more injuries and hold onto 1st/2md spot.

Come finals Alamonti garner soro jfh edwards back...

If we are at full strength throughout the finals i think we will be hard to beat.

I think (like everyone) theres still clearly issues in defence..

When i say issues... i mean we are still statistically the best defensive team in the comp arent we? Or at least close to..

But we juat need to spend the rest of the season really tidying up our issues in defence.

Isnt it funny. In years gone by its been our attack at time which has looked pedestrian and off the pace.

This year the attacks been great.. and the defence has been not where we would like it.

I still believe ivan will get it sorted come the end of the season..

Im not to stressed about whether we win or lose vs storm. We will be without likely edwards, garner, soro, marto, fish, Alamonti.

6 guys that are certain to come back in to the side with 5 of them being starters..

I just want to see an improvement in defence.. i want to see a black wall and if storm win lets make them earn every bloody try through grwat play not from not numbering up properly or poor defensive decisions..

Probably one bloke thay might be an outside chance of getting a run at 2nd row is tyrone Peachey.

Hes not capable of probably more tham two 20min stints but i think he may be a smokey to come in.. it won't go down well on here with some but i think the peach would deserve one last dance before he retires.

We can't rely on Scott next season, we need cover for him.

Personally I hope Ivan rest some players here considering many will fight to keep fit for this game. I wouldn't be bringing in Edwards. Can't show any cards in this game. I think we will face them in the GF.

 

[Whino]

Telecrap are claiming Martin has accepted a 1-match ban.

Before scans. Sorro minimum of two weeks out. Possibly a month. That seems to be based on NRL physios observations.

 

[Devilous]

Telecrap are claiming Martin has accepted a 1-match ban.

If it's any consolation I saw him limping pretty badly walking around the shops yesterday. Could do with the rest.

 

[tripster]

So with Martin, Sorro and Garner all out, who will our second rowers be? Presumably Ivan will pick Henry as one of them, but unclear who the other will be.

 

[Whino]

If it's any consolation I saw him limping pretty badly walking around the shops yesterday. Could do with the rest.

Martin limping is not good. Hopefully nothing serious.

 

[Whino]

So with Martin, Sorro and Garner all out, who will our second rowers be? Presumably Ivan will pick Henry as one of them, but unclear who the other will be.

Mav? He did play 70 odd minutes there on Friday. He was solid imo.
Storm are a different test for him though.
Unless Ivan does something strange. We really don't have many options.

 

[WestyLife]

Mav? He did play 70 odd minutes there on Friday. He was solid imo.
Storm are a different test for him though.
Unless Ivan does something strange. We really don't have many options.

As long as he tackles, runs and keeps errors to a minimum that's all that's needed for a back up like him.

 

[Chins get the wins]

It can't really work with who we have but I'd be interested to see Kenny defend in the backrow in Marto's spot.

 

[betcats]

It can't really work with who we have but I'd be interested to see Kenny defend in the backrow in Marto's spot.

i dunno he’s more of a rush up and hit type. Would do that no doubt abd make his tackles but it might leave his edge exposed

 

[soc123_au]

It can't really work with who we have but I'd be interested to see Kenny defend in the backrow in Marto's spot.

His work in the middle is too valuable imo.

 

[Chins get the wins]

His work in the middle is too valuable imo.

I think so especially with Letoa bitching it lately and Fish out

 

[Crashtest]

So with Martin, Sorro and Garner all out, who will our second rowers be? Presumably Ivan will pick Henry as one of them, but unclear who the other will be.

My guess is Henry RHS, Mav LHS and Kepaoa to debut on the bench to cover 2nd row and centre.

 

[Luke Bowden]

It can't really work with who we have but I'd be interested to see Kenny defend in the backrow in Marto's spot.

Kenny is our best Middle defender… why move him?

Larry or Henry can defend on an edge good enough. Mav can play big minutes, I think the three of them can take the bulk of it.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Kenny is our best Middle defender… why move him?

Larry or Henry can defend on an edge good enough. Mav can play big minutes, I think the three of them can take the bulk of it.

We obviously can't but I'd like to see if he could handle an edge.

 

[Luke Bowden]

We obviously can't but I'd like to see if he could handle an edge.

Not sure if he’d have the lateral speed, but I am sure he’d give it his 100% effort.

 

[maple_69]

We can't rely on Scott next season, we need cover for him.

Personally I hope Ivan rest some players here considering many will fight to keep fit for this game. I wouldn't be bringing in Edwards. Can't show any cards in this game. I think we will face them in the GF.

Next year we should have Ice, Marto and Garner all ahead on the edge. Hopefully we don’t need to run each of them into the ground as much as this year with Sorro + Mav and Kepoa emerging as adequate cover options. Sorro can start as bench prop and see if he can hold off Patea.

 

[snickers007]

Really hope we don't rush anyone back from injury who isn't 110% ready. Last thing we need is more injuries or re-occurences.

This is how I'd run them out if I was being overly cautious:
1. Laurie
2. Turuva
3. Tago
4. McLean
5. To'o
6. Luai
7. Cleary
8. Leota
9. Kenny
10. Eisenhuth
11. Geyer
12. Smith
13. Yeo

14. Cole
15. Toelau
16. Henry
17. Kepaoa

18. Patea

Give Eiso the opening 20-25mins, then shift Kenny to a running forward and bring Toelau in.
Kepaoa is back-row coverage, allowing Smith to move into the middle if needed as well.
Cole is halves and backs coverage.

I think we play Melbourne right up the guts. Lots of angled runs behind the ruck, get Toelau running every opportunity. Against the Knights and Eels we played expansive footy at every opportunity - which didn't work because we didn't win the ruck, and earn the right to do so. But I think this has been a bit of a honeypot tactic to suck Melbourne in.

Regardless of what the players or coaches say, I think this game has been on our minds for a while now. And while we don't want to show our entire hand before the finals, I think we'll really be looking to make a statement - similar to the Sharks game. And we've rolled Melbourne with a makeshift team in the past.

I'm expecting a highly entertaining game.