Rumours and Stuff

[golfer]

Also a note on Makatoa - after watching the replay, gee I'm impressed with him.

Willing to take the hard runs, but his communication in defence is invaluable.

I go to the early games at Bankwest and Makatoa has been a stand out so I am not surprised at how he is going.

 

[yy_cheng]

*Wingeit was always haxe or sivo

Penrith where winning and still dropped Staines. If you can I prove a side you do it winning or not.

It's cleary compared to ba.

Ba seems to me a safety first approach. He doesn't use the bench to the Max because he has no confidence in them.

E,g Bryce. He sits on the bench for long periods because ba doesn't trust he'll play conservatively

 

[hindy111]

Yes it’s been a long time coming, but Waqa has been earning his money in the last month. One of our best players now.

Agree. But still has a few dumb plays in him. Early in game when pushed out as took on the sideline.
And also around 70th minute he should of caught bomb and tried to find a pass or just run and got tackled considering 12 up at the time. A stupid punch back which ended up with Jerome Hughes going downfield and almost finding link men to make it a try. Would of made it a 6 point lead with 9 to go.
Not only halfbacks need to be aware and educated about how and what plays are important at what times of the game. It feels like everyone thinks its only the halfbacks job.
That was a high risk stupid play and not needed. I hope BA bring it up on tape.

Different story if early in game. Or if we where down by 10 at that point. Or if 30 mins to go. But terrible option at that situation.

 

[hindy111]

Makatoa does a lot of work. But he doesn't have the power to be of NRL level long term. Just solid fill in.
Kafusi bends the line and bowls guys over. His acceleration is also far more explosive. I reckon Kafusi was rested so he could play next week and not dropped.
I think we will see Jnr and N.Brown rested next week. Maybe even Lane.

 

[SneakyEel]

Makatoa does a lot of work. But he doesn't have the power to be of NRL level long term. Just solid fill in.
Kafusi bends the line and bowls guys over. His acceleration is also far more explosive. I reckon Kafusi was rested so he could play next week and not dropped.
I think we will see Jnr and N.Brown rested next week. Maybe even Lane.

I've heard that RCG could be back next week. I'd rest Gutho, Papa, N.Brown and Jnr next week. Penrith will rest plenty next week as well.

 

[parra pete]

*Winger

*Whinger.

 

[yy_cheng]

Makatoa does a lot of work. But he doesn't have the power to be of NRL level long term. Just solid fill in.
Kafusi bends the line and bowls guys over. His acceleration is also far more explosive. I reckon Kafusi was rested so he could play next week and not dropped.
I think we will see Jnr and N.Brown rested next week. Maybe even Lane.

Make is a good plodder and cheap

I think he's ahead of hippy

 

[hindy111]

I've heard that RCG could be back next week. I'd rest Gutho, Papa, N.Brown and Jnr next week. Penrith will rest plenty next week as well.

Do we want to win and finish 5th? Who would you rather play? Knights or Sharks,Raiders,Titans?
I'd prefer not avoid Newcastle. They still have Pearce,Ponga,Frizel,Best,Klemmer,Saifiti. If those guys fire they are dangerous.
I feel the other 3 are a known quantity. Easier to contain.

Rooster getting flogged helped our differential. As did our 12 point win. It was a 50 point swing.

 

[lingard]

Yeah it doesn’t make sense to me expecting a 21 year old half to play like a 27 year old half. That’s my point entirely and for what he brings to the team, you should cut him some slack.

His lack of creativity and ball-playing skill is something that you can manage if you have speed and creativity elsewhere in your side. But we haven't (or, at least, we haven't been coached to use it) so Dylan (being in the all-important five-eight position) has understandably copped a lot of flack for his 'only one try-assist for the year' attacking resume. Probably not so much his fault, as the coaching staff. But still not the style of five-eight play that this current team needs.

 

[yy_cheng]

I've heard that RCG could be back next week. I'd rest Gutho, Papa, N.Brown and Jnr next week. Penrith will rest plenty next week as well.

I really would protect Moses too so let him get his calf and back right

 

[yy_cheng]

Do we want to win and finish 5th? Who would you rather play? Knights or Sharks,Raiders,Titans?
I'd prefer not avoid Newcastle. They still have Pearce,Ponga,Frizel,Best,Klemmer,Saifiti. If those guys fire they are dangerous.
I feel the other 3 are a known quantity. Easier to contain.

Rooster getting flogged helped our differential. As did our 12 point win. It was a 50 point swing.

But we'll still be 5th if Manly wins

 

[SneakyEel]

Do we want to win and finish 5th? Who would you rather play? Knights or Sharks,Raiders,Titans?
I'd prefer not avoid Newcastle. They still have Pearce,Ponga,Frizel,Best,Klemmer,Saifiti. If those guys fire they are dangerous.
I feel the other 3 are a known quantity. Easier to contain.

Rooster getting flogged helped our differential. As did our 12 point win. It was a 50 point swing.

I think Canberra will knock off Roosters next week anyway. We're more than likely to finish 5th now than finish 6th.

 

[lingard]

Games experience by current top teams 5/8ths

Player	Team	Games
Foran	Manly	233
Wighton	Canberrra	197
Munster	Melbourne	148
Walker	Souths	138
Luai	Penrith	59
Brown	Parramatta	51
Hutchison	Easts	29

Go back to what they were like when they all had 51 games experience. Muster better, Luai better, Wighton better, Walker better, Foran better. Not knocking Dylan (he's playing in a side that has had the skill coached out of them), but at least compare apples with apples.

 

[Gronk]

His lack of creativity and ball-playing skill is something that you can manage if you have speed and creativity elsewhere in your side. But we haven't (or, at least, we haven't been coached to use it) so Dylan (being in the all-important five-eight position) has understandably copped a lot of flack for his 'only one try-assist for the year' attacking resume. Probably not so much his fault, as the coaching staff. But still not the style of five-eight play that this current team needs.

So you think that Andrew Johns is not coaching him right ?

 

[emjaycee]

Go back to what they were like when they all had 51 games experience. Muster better, Luai better, Wighton better, Walker better, Foran better. Not knocking Dylan (he's playing in a side that has had the skill coached out of them), but at least compare apples with apples.

Player	Games	Tries	Win/Loss/Draw (%)
Foran	51	20	32/19 (63%)
Munster	51	22	35/16 (68%)	Played 49 games before playing 5/8
Walker	51	22	21/30 (41%)	Debuted as 26 yo
Wighton	51	14	20/31 (39%)	Played 27 games before playing 5/8
Luai	51	10	40/10/1 (78%)
Brown	51	13	34/17 (66%)

If comparing apples to apples, then really only Foran and Luai are comparisons.
Both them and Drown debuted when 19 and played 5/8 from the get go.

 

[SneakyEel]

Looks like Peachey to Parra is imminent

 

[Gazzamatta]

There are 5/8s like Cody Walker with finesse and provides the try assists for his team (provided the play is on the left), Luai much the same but not as good, then you have Munster who is a big body lock with a license to roam and then you have Dylan Brown. He is the link player and the guy who tidies up all game in defence. At 21 he’s one of the first players picked in our team and the pelicans here who have been giving it to him all season need to give themselves an uppercut. Behind the elite players Walker, Munster and Luai seriously who would you swap him for ? I don’t think I’d swap him for Keary and can’t think of any player beyond that who is worthy.


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I wouldnt swap him for any other 5/8. His D last night shut down Melbournes everything. Id hate to think the result if Drowns not there. He is that important.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Wighton was a fullback

 

[Gazzamatta]

I'm not really sure he needs much more time, his game last night was exceptional, getting his hands on the ball a lot more now but that defense.........

I counted about 4 or 5 try savers last night including his part in some gang tackles,

he is the best cover defender in the team

I've never seen a half that continually takes out wingers as this bloke does

Back in the day you had players like Steve Mortimer and Slippery Morris were great cover defenders but they wernt required to do the front line defensive stuff. Drown is brilliant in both. Best defender in the comp. Post covid go out to Bankwest and sit behind the posts and watch his work. He is amazeballs.

 

[yy_cheng]

I wouldnt swap him for any other 5/8. His D last night shut down Melbournes everything. Id hate to think the result if Drowns not there. He is that important.

His cover defense shows so much desperation it is commended. Like grothe snr coming from the other side of the TV screen to make a cross field tackle