Rumoured and Confirmed signings - Part 4

[MugaB]

I hate predicting run on sides, but at the moment without any further contract signings our side looks like

1.Edwards
2.Staines
3.Naden
4.Crichton
5.To'o
6.Luai
7.Cleary
8.Yeo
9.Korisau
10.Fisher-Harris
11.Capewell
12.Martin
13.Kikau

14.May
15.Leniu
16.Leota
17.Kenny

Thats the way i'd be playing it, unless there's another prop better than Esienhuth, in the team, but i wouldn't be benching Capewell, and Martin should be an 80 min threat on the right, Kiks can float wherever he wants, and Yeo is replacing Captain Aussie Jim.
Leota and Leniu are the Hairbears of '03 off the bench

The top 13 is a stronger side than last year, its just whether they are as good all on the field instead of off the bench

 

[herbert henry1908]

Luai
Capewell
Critta
Staines

You really think that attacking edge is going to be a big drop off? Shit they might score more tries and defensively it will be harder to isolate Luai with Capewell next to him. Meanwhile Fish Yeo Kikau with Leniu and Leota off the bench is comfortable the best middle rotation in the game IMO.

Yeah, I do. Kikau’s size and the need to often use 2-3 men to stay on him, or tackle him creates room for those other guys. Heaps of the tries on the left this year were just walked in because of the room created. Luai’s style of play in particular benefits a lot from the room created.

As an aside I also think Staines should be playing on the right to balance out the attack a bit.

 

[MugaB]

As an aside I also think Staines should be playing on the right to balance out the attack a bit.

Why? Putting To'o on the other wing might not have the same impact, but if other players are versatile to move around i suppose Bizza should be to'o

 

[herbert henry1908]

I hate predicting run on sides, but at the moment without any further contract signings our side looks like

1.Edwards
2.Staines
3.Naden
4.Crichton
5.To'o
6.Luai
7.Cleary
8.Yeo
9.Korisau
10.Fisher-Harris
11.Capewell
12.Martin
13.Kikau

14.May
15.Leniu
16.Leota
17.Kenny

Thats the way i'd be playing it, unless there's another prop better than Esienhuth, in the team, but i wouldn't be benching Capewell, and Martin should be an 80 min threat on the right, Kiks can float wherever he wants, and Yeo is replacing Captain Aussie Jim

The top 13 is a stronger side than last year, its just whether they are as good all on the field instead of off the bench

Naden won’t be there round 1 whatever happens.

And I really don’t get moving Yeo & Kikau. Yeo had his best year ever playing lock, showed beautiful hands in the middle on the sweeping plays. You lose that unless you replace him with May.

 

[betcats]

Yeah, I do. Kikau’s size and the need to often use 2-3 men to stay on him, or tackle him creates room for those other guys. Heaps of the tries on the left this year were just walked in because of the room created. Luai’s style of play in particular benefits a lot from the room created.

As an aside I also think Staines should be playing on the right to balance out the attack a bit.

Kikaus size will be in the middle attracting defenders. Many of our backline plays start with Yeo and include decoy runs by our props. He would be causing all kinds of havoc in the middle which creates space on the edges, defensively he would dominate many tackles which is a huge momentum killer for the opposition. On top of this you have improvement in Luai and Critta, a backrower in capewell who has shown very good attacking ability and and massive upgrade on the wing in terms of attacking footy. Not having Kikau in the souths semi didnt stop Luai from carving them up. If it wasnt for sauce throwing that forward pass Capewell would of scored one of our best tries of the year started from well within our half.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Why? Putting To'o on the other wing might not have the same impact, but if other players are versatile to move around i suppose Bizza should be to'o

I think To’o will have more impact on the left. The left winger gets more ball from kick returns due to most kickers being right footed.

 

[MugaB]

Naden won’t be there round 1 whatever happens.

And I really don’t get moving Yeo & Kikau. Yeo had his best year ever playing lock, showed beautiful hands in the middle on the sweeping plays. You lose that unless you replace him with May.

We've already lost our strongest prop rotation, i don't think we need to have Yeo ball play, when we need him more in defense, and May off the bench will cover Naden, or become that sweep

 

[MugaB]

I think To’o will have more impact on the left. The left winger gets more ball from kick returns due to most kickers being right footed.

So why not leave Staines to receive these kicks, surely a lower grade future fullback can catch these kicks, especially when he has Addocarr like speed

 

[herbert henry1908]

Kikaus size will be in the middle attracting defenders. Many of our backline plays start with Yeo and include decoy runs by our props. He would be causing all kinds of havoc in the middle which creates space on the edges, defensively he would dominate many tackles which is a huge momentum killer for the opposition. On top of this you have improvement in Luai and Critta, a backrower in capewell who has shown very good attacking ability and and massive upgrade on the wing in terms of attacking footy. Not having Kikau in the souths semi didnt stop Luai from carving them up. If it wasnt for sauce throwing that forward pass Capewell would of scored one of our best tries of the year started from well within our half.

I don’t think Kikau will attract many extra defenders in the middle compared to other props. The middle is already jam packed with players, there’s no need for it.

Anyway, it’s not that I think he wouldn’t be good at prop. He’s obviously got the size for it, I just think he’s more valuable to the team on the left edge.

 

[herbert henry1908]

So why not leave Staines to receive these kicks, surely a lower grade future fullback can catch these kicks, especially when he has Addocarr like speed

I’m not questioning Staines ability to catch the kicks, I’m sure he’ll do a good job on the left. I just think the team balance would be better with him on then right edge. Currently basically all our attacking weapons are on the left, the Storm exposed this issue in the grand final by stacking that side defensively, knowing we didn’t have the speed on the right to exploit the overlap. At least before Naden came on.

 

[herbert henry1908]

We've already lost our strongest prop rotation, i don't think we need to have Yeo ball play, when we need him more in defense, and May off the bench will cover Naden, or become that sweep

He’s in the middle defensively wether he’s at lock or prop, nothing changes in that regard.

 

[betcats]

I don’t think Kikau will attract many extra defenders in the middle compared to other props. The middle is already jam packed with players, there’s no need for it.

Anyway, it’s not that I think he wouldn’t be good at prop. He’s obviously got the size for it, I just think he’s more valuable to the team on the left edge.

Maybe he is better on the edge there is only one way to find out. I think the potential improvements are worth the relatively low risk of trying it out.

 

[Smug Panther]

Maybe he is better on the edge there is only one way to find out. I think the potential improvements are worth the relatively low risk of trying it out.

Popping up on both sides of the field has endless possibilities

 

[herbert henry1908]

All this talk of moving Kikau, Martin or Yeo to prop just highlights the weakness we have in the position. We’re staring down the barrel of losing 50% of our top 6 props and people are grasping at straws on how to fix that problem knowing we can’t possibly recruit anyone decent for less than Tetevano.

it’s my biggest issue with the off season. Okay, we lose one or two of our props, but now three?! Crichton is good, he’s not that good to cause all this upheaval.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Popping up on both sides of the field has endless possibilities

A bloke kikau’s size doesn’t just pop up on the left or right edge. He’ll play in the middle where the defensive line is stacked

 

[Smug Panther]

A bloke kikau’s size doesn’t just pop up on the left or right edge. He’ll play in the middle where the defensive line is stacked

Says you

 

[herbert henry1908]

Says you

Says logic. He’s big and he gets easily gassed, he’s not some mobile lock that’ll play both sides of the field. If he moved to prop the extra defensive work will keep him in the middle.

 

[betcats]

Popping up on both sides of the field has endless possibilities

Exactly. He is isolated down one corridor right now. In the middle he will see a lot more ball when he is on and he will be dominating the middle defensively. He would cause all kinds of havoc in the middle which pulls the defensive line in leaving gaps on the edges.

Realistically he was most effective this year being used as a decoy, he had his moments with the ball no doubt but we looked best when we were using him as a decoy. Its hard to stop but it is also predictable. If teams are disciplined and read it right they shut us down. In the middle he can just throw himself into it physically and has much more chances to dominate the other teams biggest guys. If our set plays arent working he will still be getting plenty of chances to run at retreating defensive lines.

 

[betcats]

Says logic. He’s big and he gets easily gassed, he’s not some mobile lock that’ll play both sides of the field. If he moved to prop the extra defensive work will keep him in the middle.

Easily gets gassed but can play 80 minutes lol f**k off

 

[Jane Murray]

Says logic. He’s big and he gets easily gassed, he’s not some mobile lock that’ll play both sides of the field. If he moved to prop the extra defensive work will keep him in the middle.

I gathered that you did not notice your contradictory sentence?