Sione

[Woosh]

Is it Brown’s instructing Sione to make poor reads time after time after time after time after time?
Or is it Sione’s fault?
Whoever is at fault needs to be sacked.

 

[Knight Vision]

Is it Brown’s instructing Sione to make poor reads time after time after time after time after time?
Or is it Sione’s fault?
Whoever is at fault needs to be sacked.

Good lord , oh I mean woosh. They have a whole thread dedicated to your Sione hate on the genius site. - stay there.

 

[Yosh]

Woosh~~~~~ Where are you???? I am in need of your expertise~

What is Sione thinking? This guy is just the worst... How dare he lose weight and get down to the size of an actual centre... What is he thinking? That lose of weight is causing him to beat defenders with a step while still retaining enough upper body strength to fend off defenders, and bump them off for tries and try assists...

Who would have thought giving the guy half a season in a position and backing him would lead to good performances...

But in all seriousness, he has had bad games but he has improved considerably and is making some great calls in defense while offering quite a bit in attack. Not quite a strike centre but running great lines. Only real blemish on his game yesterday was his dropped ball after he made the break. Hope he keeps improving!

 

[Noname36]

He won’t be back unless Sione has a poor game. He’s transparent and weak like that.

 

[Snikt]

Sione is starting to look like a FG centre now. Im still iffy on his defence but his attack is looking great

He'll get into top form by the end of the year then will have to go back to the fwds in 2019 when Reimen gets here and Moga is fit. Maybe we keep him lean and play him on the wing?

 

[Old dog]

Sione is starting to look like a FG centre now. Im still iffy on his defence but his attack is looking great

He'll get into top form by the end of the year then will have to go back to the fwds in 2019 when Reimen gets here and Moga is fit. Maybe we keep him lean and play him on the wing?

We might need him lean and hungry in case Moga isn't ready by season start, won't hurt to have depth

 

[Joel-22]

I'm hopeful but skeptical of Moga ever returning

 

[Joel-22]

On Sione, I think he has shown that he can be a terrific first grade centre. He's never going to have flashy footwork or acceleration (though he's not slow) but he runs terrific lines and is strong.
I think he can make a career in the centres where he is less likely to be concussed
OR
He can move back into the backrow where I believe he has a MUCH higher ceiling but there's the added risk of concussions.

 

[Old dog]

On Sione, I think he has shown that he can be a terrific first grade centre. He's never going to have flashy footwork or acceleration (though he's not slow) but he runs terrific lines and is strong.
I think he can make a career in the centres where he is less likely to be concussed
He can move back into the backrow where I believe he has a MUCH higher ceiling but there's the added risk of concussions.

Agree with you he can be either centre or backrow but if all works out, every one fit even without further signings he might not be first choice in either but that's good as we will have depth. Don't think concussion should be a factor he is either fit or not, I can see him playing a bit of both positions

 

[slotmachine]

I'm not sure a centre that can't defend at centre is a terrific first grade centre. Crazy thought I know.

Bench next year with Levi and two props.

 

[Yosh]

Having Fitzy on the left and Sione on the right as strike backrowers, fed by Ponga, could be a dream combination.

 

[Knight Vision]

He won’t be back unless Sione has a poor game. He’s transparent and weak like that.

conspicuous by his absence.

 

[Loose Cannon]

I'm not sure a centre that can't defend at centre is a terrific first grade centre. Crazy thought I know.

Bench next year with Levi and two props.

This has to be the plan, surely. If he starts its at 12, with Barnett benched.

Eveyone seems to have noticed the Ponga combination last week, but the Levi-Sione combination (admittedly against Parra) was tremendous.

Also he has been defending inside Watson more and more, and its working. He is an edge forward. Can run those same lines (like Fitz leftside) on the right as a backrower, off Watson, with Ramien tracking.

Left Edge Attack- Ponga, Fitz, Moga, Ross?
Right Edge Attack- Watson, Sione, Ramien, SKD.

I like it.

 

[Burwood]

I'm not sure a centre that can't defend at centre is a terrific first grade centre. Crazy thought I know.

Surely having Sione and the half on that side of the field changing positions in the defensive line is a good thing for the remainder of the year? Sione's weaknesses are lateral movement and decision making, which aren't as glaring when he defends in closer to the action. If Watson is comfortable defending in the centre's position, than it's a win-win for the team.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Surely having Sione and the half on that side of the field changing positions in the defensive line is a good thing for the remainder of the year? Sione's weaknesses are lateral movement and decision making, which aren't as glaring when he defends in closer to the action. If Watson is comfortable defending in the centre's position, than it's a win-win for the team.

Or it makes Sione not a centre.

 

[Burwood]

Or it makes Sione not a centre.

There'd be quite a few halves in the comp who defend outside their centre.

 

[Loose Cannon]

There'd be quite a few halves in the comp who defend outside their centre.

Yes, because they are midgets getting trampled by monsters. Midgets who win games when not broken.

 

[Burwood]

Yes, because they are midgets getting trampled by monsters. Midgets who win games when not broken.

So a half defending out wide to cover their defensive weakness is ok, but Sione defending in close to cover his is bad?

 

[Loose Cannon]

So a half defending out wide to cover their defensive weakness is ok, but Sione defending in close to cover his is bad?

Not necessarily. That would be comparing the relative importance of Sione Mata’utia with the likes of Jonathan Thurston.
But we have Jesse F’n Ramien next year. If Sione wants a spot, it is backrow edge runner RHS, defending two in from his current centre spot. I understand this year is a stopgap solution but next year that is where he should be.

 

[Burwood]

Not necessarily. That would be comparing the relative importance of Sione Mata’utia with the likes of Jonathan Thurston.
But we have Jesse F’n Ramien next year. If Sione wants a spot, it is backrow edge runner RHS, defending two in from his current centre spot. I understand this year is a stopgap solution but next year that is where he should be.

No argument from me about Sione not featuring in our full-strength backline in 2019, although I do think he will ultimately fill Brown's desire for a bench backrower who can also cover centre (like he desperately wanted Wardle to be last year).

This year though, getting Sione and Watson switching places in defence should prove to be a very worthwhile decision.