Team 2012!!

[Silent Knight]

Tbh I haven't seen much of Rodney Mason's performances, I don't follow the junior ranks like Billy does (living in Brisbane limits any opportunity to do so). But I will say this...

If he's anything like his older brother I would love to see a rampaging Mason Junior come off the bench and run at tired forwards. Make it happen Wayne. At least during Origin period.

 

[billy2]

Willie Mason was 194cm and 115kg

Rodney Mason is 190cm and 107kg - probably 110kg after a firstgrade off season.

I think he might not have the impact of Willie, but being a bit smaller he might have a bigger motor. He is an 80 minute second rower or a 60 minute prop, and he does have impact.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I swear there was Seage on these forums before... Wonder where he went!

Welcome btw!

Maybe it's David Seage, the former knights fullback :sarcasm:

 

[Newie is God's Country]

If Mase Jr can play like his brother did at his peak we will have solved our front row problem.

 

[Seage]

Maybe it's David Seage, the former knights fullback :sarcasm:

I know NAARSSINK!

 

[rabble]

Hi all.

1 Boyd
2 Aku
3 Tahu
4 Wes
5 Mcmanus
6 mullen
7 Gids
8 Tui
9 Bedsy
10 Costigan
11 Edwards
12 Houston
13 Zeb

14 Hilder
15 Faas
16 Snowden
17 Tetevano

Not sure what to do with Sau, all depends how T goes i guess. Wes was on fire in the centres before going to FB and getting injured this year. I don't see the depth in the backrow that some have mentioned except for the juniors that are coming through and maybe Filipo.

 

[EdLondon]

The latest news on Snowden. Looks like they are going to wait and see how it goes without surgery.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...wden-neck-injury/story-e6frexnr-1226167125347

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Zeb is at least double the player Eddy is. Welcome to the forums, Seage.

Massive call, I'd say Taia has him covered fully fit but to me they are completely different styles of player.

 

[Allstar Knights]

I don't think it's a massive call, really. Zeb is a NZ international and was one of the better back rowers in the game in 09, whereas Eddy hasn't really reached those heights yet. Zeb was also one of our better players against Melbourne, and that was his first game back.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Snowy and Zeb's use by Bennett will be interesting given both have serious neck injuries to nurse or rehabilitate.

 

[broncos2010]

Am I missing something on this mason kid because I watched most of the toyota cup this year and when Newcastle play he usually comes of the bench.

He did not really catch me eye but unlike a couple of other guys on that team the captain is one.

 

[perverse]

i haven't thought much of Rod Mason when i've seen him play at all. roopy seems to think he'll magically come good when played in first grade, though. i honestly have no idea, myself.

Ethan Cook is the captain you're talking about, and yes he is certainly a good prospect in anyones language.

 

[billy2]

The best game I saw Rod Mason play was for the Centurions.
He played second row for 80 minutes and was our best forward - better than Mika, Tetevano and Tuafua on the day. He aimed up against seniors.
The next best i've seen him play was against the Warriors in NYC. That team exposed most of our squad as being unable to tackle guys who train like seniors (as i believe the warriors do), but Cook and Mason were putting them down one on one.
Mason only does what he has to, which means he bludges around at 80% of his capacity in NYC.
His brother was the same - the better the opposition the more he aimed up.

I don't think Brennan got the best out of many players in NYC.
I suspect Bennett will get much more out of him than Brennan did.
Whoever decided to keep him on made the right decision I think. I've already seen him play better in the seniors than Kyle O'Donnell produced last year.

 

[perverse]

O'Donnell has been nothing short of completely disappointing thus far. such an intimidating physical specimen. i'm hoping the new regime can do something with him... he's a beast.

 

[Joker's Wild]

KOD looks like a pure athlete but Im not convinced he has the mentality to be a top line footballer

He could make some decent coin being a sports model for Mens Health magazine if footy doesnt work out for him though

 

[billy2]

O'Donnell was improving at the end of the season.

 

[Spot On]

As B2 has pointed out (and this is possibly becoming or will become a cliche) some of the younger blokes will develop at a rapid rate with the new coaching regime. I can't wait to see some of them blokes get a go over the next couple of seasons.

 

[Rolla]

So is it safe to assume our senior roster will end up looking like this next year (based on the article in the other thread on mika/cuthbo)?

Focus on the squad not my top 17

1. Boyd
2. Uate
3. Wes
4. Sau
5. Tahu
6. Mullen
7. Gidley
8. Costigan
9. Bedsy
10. Snowden
11. House
12. Zeb
13. Eddy

14. Hilder
15. Faas
16. Tui
17. Tetevano

Outside Backs:
18. Mata'utia
19. McManus
20. Likiliki
21. McKinnon
22. Kev

Halves:
23. Roberts
24. Stigg

Back Row:
25. Filipo
26. Cook
27. KOD
28. R. Mason
29. Mika/Cuthbertson

30. Anderson
31. (the most promising young hooker)
32. Rochow

Who have i forgotten??

I am happy with our backline depth, especially given the utility value of Boyd, Gidley, Wes, and Pete.

Halves are covered i think.

Backrow depth looks very raw, plenty of promise but not many runs on the board.

Are we light on props? is Rochow even a prop? I can see Eddy/Tets/Nev shifting spots a lot throughout the year depending on the injury situation.

My count is 32 players, didnt we use a few more than that this year? We have great utility value which will help and hopefully we get a better injury run, but we will likely be knocked around a bit come origin time (Boyd, Gids, Costigan, Uate, Snowden likely. Possibly House, Mullen).

All up the squad looks great, i don't see any dead wood there and we will certainly see quite a few young guys given chances.

What do you guys think?

 

[billy2]

They must have a plan for hooker i'm not seeing.

 

[perverse]

you mean aside from Buderus, Hilder, Gidley in a pinch, Adams, Redman and Sullivan, roopy?

yeah, it's a bit concerning. i'd feel much safer with 10 or 11 plans. i won't be at all surprised to see Stig and/or Roberts get a few stints at hooker, either. make them into men.