Rumours and Whingers and Occasional Optimism XXIX

[hineyrulz]

Yep, um, so what if we lose 4 points AND Thurston puts on a try at the death and Tedesco snatches a win from us? Or Penrith score a last play try from a cross-kick.

Whichever way you look at it, the loss of 4 points would be a major disadvantage. How many teams over the past few years have missed the finals by 4 or fewer points?

Yep, 4 points is massive in a Comp as close as this one. Anyone trying to tell us different is a f**king idiot.

 

[Bigfella]

Yep, um, so what if we lose 4 points AND Thurston puts on a try at the death and Tedesco snatches a win from us? Or Penrith score a last play try from a cross-kick.

Whichever way you look at it, the loss of 4 points would be a major disadvantage. How many teams over the past few years have missed the finals by 4 or fewer points?

Isn't the better question - how many teams have made the semis with more than 4 points to spare?

 

[Stagger eel]

Hearing whispers the Luke Kelly has done his ACL ...

I see 2 possible options here.

Fast track Dargan to the pecking order which imo is not a good move at this stage or maybe draft Zac Nichols into the squad from wenty

 

[El Diablo]

unless we can play for 80 minutes and improve our attack then losing 4 points is irrelevant

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Hearing whispers the Luke Kelly has done his ACL ...

I see 2 possible options here.

Fast track Dargan to the pecking order which imo is not a good move at this stage or maybe draft Zac Nichols into the squad from wenty

Nelson to 5/8, French to fullback. French to take on some play making at the back.

It's probably time for French to get some time in nsw cup to help with his development.

 

[Stagger eel]

On this Comp having 2 wins taken from you is massive ... Particularly with the closeness of this comp, it's 2016 not 1999

 

[Stagger eel]

Nelson to 5/8, French to fullback. French to take on some play making at the back.

It's probably time for French to get some time in nsw cup to help with his development.

French may have suffered a serious arm injury too

 

[Poupou Escobar]

When Peats returns we'll have an extra hooker in Wenty as well. King can play halves at that level.

 

[phantom eel]

So... Origin? How f**ked are the Blues' chances this year when our likely squad is full of these numpties...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...w-state-of-origin-jersey-20160403-gnwzxb.html

PLAYERS IN THE MIX FOR NSW BLUES
FULLBACKS: James Tedesco, Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan
WINGERS: Josh Mansour, Blake Ferguson, Will Hopoate, Josh Dugan, James Roberts, Alex Johnston, Daniel Tupou
CENTRES: Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, James Roberts, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson
FIVE-EIGHTHS: Josh Reynolds, Aidan Sezer, Blake Austin, Dylan Walker
HALFBACKS: Trent Hodkinson, Adam Reynolds
PROPS/LOCKS: James Tamou, Aaron Woods, Paul Gallen, David Klemmer, Trent Merrin, Andrew Fifita, Kane Evans, Jack de Belin, Ryan James
BACKROW: Greg Bird, Josh Jackson, Beau Scott, Ryan Hoffman, Tyson Frizell, Bryce Cartwright, Boyd Cordner, Wade Graham, Tariq Sims
HOOKERS: Robbie Farah, Michael Ennis

 

[Gronk]

HALFBACKS: Trent Hodkinson, Adam Reynolds

:crazy:

 

[phantom eel]

Yep, um, so what if we lose 4 points AND Thurston puts on a try at the death and Tedesco snatches a win from us? Or Penrith score a last play try from a cross-kick.

Well if all three of those on-field sceanrios happen, it means we weren't likely to be good enough anyway, regardless of poitns deduction. Thankfully only one of those scenarios has taken place...

 

[Stagger eel]

So... Origin? How f**ked are the Blues' chances this year when our likely squad is full of these numpties...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...w-state-of-origin-jersey-20160403-gnwzxb.html

PLAYERS IN THE MIX FOR NSW BLUES
FULLBACKS: James Tedesco, Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan
WINGERS: Josh Mansour, Blake Ferguson, Will Hopoate, Josh Dugan, James Roberts, Alex Johnston, Daniel Tupou
CENTRES: Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, James Roberts, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson
FIVE-EIGHTHS: Josh Reynolds, Aidan Sezer, Blake Austin, Dylan Walker
HALFBACKS: Trent Hodkinson, Adam Reynolds
PROPS/LOCKS: James Tamou, Aaron Woods, Paul Gallen, David Klemmer, Trent Merrin, Andrew Fifita, Kane Evans, Jack de Belin, Ryan James
BACKROW: Greg Bird, Josh Jackson, Beau Scott, Ryan Hoffman, Tyson Frizell, Bryce Cartwright, Boyd Cordner, Wade Graham, Tariq Sims
HOOKERS: Robbie Farah, Michael Ennis

halves are major worry but I would run this way..

6 Josh Reynolds
7 Luke Brooks

14 Blake Austin

all 3 offer some toughness and enthusiasm that it's been missing for a while..time for new blood

 

[phantom eel]

unless we can play for 80 minutes and improve our attack then losing 4 points is irrelevant

Indeed. But don't forget... the sky is falling, sack the board etc.

Isn't the better question - how many teams have made the semis with more than 4 points to spare?

It is a better question bigfella. The answer is 5 teams in 2013, 5 teams in 2014 and 6 teams in 2015 made the finjals with more than four points to spare, making a total of 15 teams over the last 3 years.

So over the past three years more teams have made the finals with 4 points to spare, than the number who have missed out on the finals by 4 points or less.... almost twice as many.

But don't forget... the world is ending, 4 points is massive, pitchforks at the ready :crazy:

 

[phantom eel]

halves are major worry but I would run this way..

6 Josh Reynolds
7 Luke Brooks

14 Blake Austin

all 3 offer some toughness and enthusiasm that it's been missing for a while..time for new blood

I'm excited by the prospect of
1 Tedesco
3 Dugan
4 Morris

...but the rest of the backline (and the pack) looks quite weak.

Agree with 6 Josh Reynolds... but we're really f**ked at halfback. Good idea Stags, maybe give Brooks a go at 7 now, so that he adapts to that level for future years?

But Qld by 40.

 

[yy_cheng]

French may have suffered a serious arm injury too

It was on facebook. He posted he will be out for 4-6 weeks

 

[Stagger eel]

Adam Reynalds is obvious choice but would he be ready? dont even know when he's back

 

[Joshuatheeel]

So... Origin? How f**ked are the Blues' chances this year when our likely squad is full of these numpties...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...w-state-of-origin-jersey-20160403-gnwzxb.html

PLAYERS IN THE MIX FOR NSW BLUES
FULLBACKS: James Tedesco, Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan
WINGERS: Josh Mansour, Blake Ferguson, Will Hopoate, Josh Dugan, James Roberts, Alex Johnston, Daniel Tupou
CENTRES: Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, James Roberts, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson
FIVE-EIGHTHS: Josh Reynolds, Aidan Sezer, Blake Austin, Dylan Walker
HALFBACKS: Trent Hodkinson, Adam Reynolds
PROPS/LOCKS: James Tamou, Aaron Woods, Paul Gallen, David Klemmer, Trent Merrin, Andrew Fifita, Kane Evans, Jack de Belin, Ryan James
BACKROW: Greg Bird, Josh Jackson, Beau Scott, Ryan Hoffman, Tyson Frizell, Bryce Cartwright, Boyd Cordner, Wade Graham, Tariq Sims
HOOKERS: Robbie Farah, Michael Ennis

The backs / forwards are good enough, we just need to get the halves combo right.

Thought it might be Adam Reynolds turn this year, but his injury has killed that idea.

Sezer/Austin might be a good option if they can show some form in the next few weeks. I know some may laugh / disagree but I would actually prefer Soward then a few of those options.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Adam Reynalds is obvious choice but would he be ready? dont even know when he's back

Hodkinson's a better player than Reynolds, and now playing on the right hand side at club level too.

 

[Bigfella]

It was on facebook. He posted he will be out for 4-6 weeks

It's 10-12 now he worsened it when typing

 

[El Diablo]

So... Origin? How f**ked are the Blues' chances this year when our likely squad is full of these numpties...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...w-state-of-origin-jersey-20160403-gnwzxb.html

PLAYERS IN THE MIX FOR NSW BLUES
FULLBACKS: James Tedesco, Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan
WINGERS: Josh Mansour, Blake Ferguson, Will Hopoate, Josh Dugan, James Roberts, Alex Johnston, Daniel Tupou
CENTRES: Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, James Roberts, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson
FIVE-EIGHTHS: Josh Reynolds, Aidan Sezer, Blake Austin, Dylan Walker
HALFBACKS: Trent Hodkinson, Adam Reynolds
PROPS/LOCKS: James Tamou, Aaron Woods, Paul Gallen, David Klemmer, Trent Merrin, Andrew Fifita, Kane Evans, Jack de Belin, Ryan James
BACKROW: Greg Bird, Josh Jackson, Beau Scott, Ryan Hoffman, Tyson Frizell, Bryce Cartwright, Boyd Cordner, Wade Graham, Tariq Sims
HOOKERS: Robbie Farah, Michael Ennis

they've left Keary out of the halves options