Rumours and Stuff

[hineyrulz]

Well he might become better in the future but right now he's a reserve grader while Blake has participated in 66 NRL wins.

WPYSA18
Blake: 7.8
Perham: 0.8

By the time Blake was Hayze Perham's age he had won five times as many games as Hayze Perham.

Who cares, Out of all your stats that by far is the blownest.

 

[IFR33K]

I’m with Pou. I haven’t given up on Waqa Blake yet. A lot of people had written off Sivo last season and look how he’s going now. Waqa Blake has shown he has plenty of ability if he gets his game right and should be given a chance to see if he can go back to being the try scoring, line breaking centre he can be.

the line breaking and try scoring isn’t what’s in question. His failure to read the play and decision making in defense is the issue here. Our right edge looks a lot more composed with Marata defending there

 

[oldmancraigy]

the line breaking and try scoring isn’t what’s in question. His failure to read the play and decision making in defense is the issue here. Our right edge looks a lot more composed with Marata defending there

Marata needs to stay at right centre. In red zone attack Blake might offer marginally more, but it would be debatable. Nuikore is all over him for early set meterage, defence and not making dumb plays.
I don't see the need to move Marata back into the middle with Kaufusi going so well. Go with him and the Emu off the bench for the middle guys

Waqa can play reserves and wait for an opportunity

 

[lucablight]

the line breaking and try scoring isn’t what’s in question. His failure to read the play and decision making in defense is the issue here. Our right edge looks a lot more composed with Marata defending there

It was one season. Eric Grothe Jr had a horror 2008 season to the point where he was dropped for defensive issues yet he was one of our best players the next season. Waqa Blake still a strike centre and they don’t grow on trees. It’s a new year and I think it’s worth seeing how he goes with last season behind us.

 

[IFR33K]

Marata needs to stay at right centre. In red zone attack Blake might offer marginally more, but it would be debatable. Nuikore is all over him for early set meterage, defence and not making dumb plays.
I don't see the need to move Marata back into the middle with Kaufusi going so well. Go with him and the Emu off the bench for the middle guys

Waqa can play reserves and wait for an opportunity

Well if matto didn’t walk straight into the team, it’ll be ludicrous to walk waqa in. But you are right, with our forwards doing a job, Marata can stay there as long as need be.

 

[IFR33K]

It was one season. Eric Grothe Jr had a horror 2008 season to the point where he was dropped for defensive issues yet he was one of our best players the next season. Waqa Blake still a strike centre and they don’t grow on trees. It’s a new year and I think it’s worth seeing how he goes with last season behind us.

you may of forgotten how shockingly bad he was.

 

[lucablight]

you may of forgotten how shockingly bad he was.

I haven’t. I haven’t forgotten how he won us the game against the Panthers either.

 

[IFR33K]

I haven’t. I haven’t forgotten how he won us the game against the Panthers either.

Twas a good game from him back then, just a real shame he didn’t produce much after that

 

[Eelementary]

I haven’t. I haven’t forgotten how he won us the game against the Panthers either.

He created the opportunities - but is it a coincidence that the opportunities were created, once the energy, and momentum shifted, when Brown came back on for his second stint?

In my eyes, Nathan Brown's runs created the space for those tries - he's the real hero.

 

[lucablight]

He created the opportunities - but is it a coincidence that the opportunities were created, once the energy, and momentum shifted, when Brown came back on for his second stint?

In my eyes, Nathan Brown's runs created the space for those tries - he's the real hero.

I’d say he still had plenty of work to do. We have a great team at the moment but I think the one thing we need is a strike centre. It’s why I think Waqa Blake needs to be given a chance to see if he can fill that role.

 

[Eelementary]

I’d say he still had plenty of work to do. We have a great team at the moment but I think like the one thing we need is a strike centre. It’s why I think Waqa Blake needs to be given a chance to see if he can fill that role.

I agree with you.

I think Niukore is doing a great job, but eventually, Niukore's lack of mobility, agility, and speed will be exposed by an actual centre.

Blake's biggest problem isn't so much that he rushes out of the line - it's that once he makes contact, he usually slips off the tackle.

Maybe Niukore can teach Blake how to hit and stick.

 

[Twizzle]

I’d say he still had plenty of work to do. We have a great team at the moment but I think like the one thing we need is a strike centre. It’s why I think Waqa Blake needs to be given a chance to see if he can fill that role.

being out for so long wont help, he'll need to hit his straps pretty quick, maybe needs a week or 2 in NSW cup because centre is not a week spot for us right now so no need to rush him back in.

 

[IFR33K]

I agree with you.

I think Niukore is doing a great job, but eventually, Niukore's lack of mobility, agility, and speed will be exposed by an actual centre.

Blake's biggest problem isn't so much that he rushes out of the line - it's that once he makes contact, he usually slips off the tackle.

Maybe Niukore can teach Blake how to hit and stick.

Blake has mobility, speed and agility. He also has poor decision making and poor technique. Yet the speed and agility does nothing to help him. Olam isn’t mobile or agile and does a great job. Marata is doing a fabulous job out there, with his limitations. Will be a huge risk for waqa to Walk straight back in.

 

[TheRam]

What? Bellyache has a salary cap to deal with, same as every other coach. Sometimes you don't sign/keep the best player at every position, because they don't all fit under the cap. Do you think he let Cronk go because he didn't rate him? ffs merkin

Mate, do you live at the bottom of the sea? There was plenty of talk at the time that he was on the outer and that he wasn't a priority at the Storm.

Hardly a player that they were desperate to keep. The decision was made for him and to compare either of these players to Cronk is ludicrous and a typical Pou tactic to obfuscate as always. FFS!

 

[eels_fan]

We still haven’t had the opportunity to see what Waqa and his edge worked on in terms of communication and defensive structure during the offseason. He looked fine early in the broncos game.

I think he basically comes straight in when fit, maybe 1 game in cup, but then back as we want Niukore in the bench rotation.

being able to take Paulo, RCG and Brown off and replace with Kaufusi, Papa & Marata would just be a 1 2 punch, no drop in intensity

 

[emjaycee]

We still haven’t had the opportunity to see what Waqa and his edge worked on in terms of communication and defensive structure during the offseason. He looked fine early in the broncos game.

I think he basically comes straight in when fit, maybe 1 game in cup, but then back as we want Niukore in the bench rotation.

being able to take Paulo, RCG and Brown off and replace with Kaufusi, Papa & Marata would just be a 1 2 punch, no drop in intensity

The last bench spot will be the challenge for BA.

Is it Fresh Prince to cover Reed and the backs?
Or Cartwright to add x-factor and cover an outside back injury?
Or perhaps Roache to give Reed a spell but not offer much other coverage?

 

[Chipmunk]

I said it last week, Waqa Blake might be a good athlete, but he has little to no rugby league nous.

I'll also add that Dylan Brown would look very very ordinary not in a strong team.

 

[lucablight]

I said it last week, Waqa Blake might be a good athlete, but he has little to no rugby league nous.

I'll also add that Dylan Brown would look very very ordinary not in a strong team.

Dylan Brown looked better when he started off. He was doing a lot more playmaking then. Don’t know if he’s been told by the coach to let Moses and Gutherson run the show and to just focus on his running game but he seems to have lost all interest in kicking and passing.

 

[Glenneel]

Mate you seriously have underestimated their roster. You put Reynolds in that team right now and I wouldn't be surprised if they beat us tonight. That is one seriously talented group of players. They just don't have 80 minuets in them due to the lack of elite level and mature playmaking. Which lets them down big time in games.

Yes they are young but like I said, first the playmaker and then you can assess what else needs to be added or subtracted to complete the puzzle. But a top 4 finish can happen straight away if Reynolds were there now.

A decent half doesn't get them tackling or keep them concentrating for 80 mins. Sure they might start scoring more tries and winning more games, mainly against the weaker teams, but they're disorganised and have no structure. In short they're poorly coached but equally have a poor roster. Too many poor performers with deficiencies that haven't been fixed so they'll forever struggle in games where they're under the pump. Just look at tonight's game and the deficiencies they've shown.
Half hearted efforts mixed with high effort that lasts in minutes rather then 80 mins, a mistake and they get down hearted and have a try scored against them. Remind you of the Parra teams circa 2012/13?
And look how long it took us to become competitive so its not an overnight or one person fix.

 

[Glenneel]

If he plays like an uncaring, faulty handbrake for 3 years would you feel the same? I think he’s worth 2 but if he wants the 3rd we are right in asking for some risk mitigation

Offer the 3rd as a club option hopefully solves his concerns.