Team 2016

[Burwood]

I still think Bhana comes onto the bench as our hooker/utility when he is back fully fit.

 

[PhilGould]

Randell is part of the leadership group so can't see him getting dropped.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Our Full Strength 2016 side:

1.Dane Gagai
2.Jake Mamo
3.Sione Matautia
4.Pat Matautia
5.Chanel Matautia
6.Jarrod Mullen
7.Trent Hodkinson
8.Sam Mataora
9.Danny Levi
10.Micky Paea
11.Jacob Saifiti
12.Tariq Sims
13.Jeremy Smith

14.Pauli Pauli
15.Korbin Sims
16.Daniel Saifiti
17.Tyler Randall

Good side. I can't believe I forgot about Pauli Pauli when I put my side together....

 

[The Showstopper]

Want to see all the sets of brothers together in first grade. Mata'Utias, Sims and Safitis. God willing Ashton and Pete join. Tell me our culture will be rock solid then. The spirit will be off the chart. A true brotherhood. Ashton would now be one of the top five props going around. Easily in career best form.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Ashton is playing in the ESL. It's a comp that made George Carmont and Scott Dureau look like superstars

Let's just pause and think about that for a sec....

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Ashton is playing in the ESL. It's a comp that made George Carmont and Scott Dureau look like superstars

Let's just pause and think about that for a sec....

Still dont think he'd be a bad pick up. I had hoped we'd get him when he was leaving NQLD...

 

[Allstar Knights]

Ashton is playing in the ESL. It's a comp that made George Carmont and Scott Dureau look like superstars

Let's just pause and think about that for a sec....

Forwards that do well over there often transition well to NRL. Sam Moa, Mike Cooper, Iosia Soliola, Elliot Whitehead, Jeff Lima, Mickey Paea (it seems) and of course the 3 Burgess Bros and James Graham. There's many more, too.

Halves and outside backs generally don't though given they get more time and space in attack to work with over there than in the NRL.

 

[The Showstopper]

Ashton is playing in the ESL. It's a comp that made George Carmont and Scott Dureau look like superstars

Let's just pause and think about that for a sec....

Like all the other ESL players who come here and never amount to anything? Like Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, James Graham, Sam Burgess, George Burgess, Tom Burgess? Ashton was killing it in his last two years here before he left anyway. I do not get the disdain for Super League. Pretty clear it is loaded with talent.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Im not saying there isnt talent over there. There absolutely is

But there is no getting around the fact that it is sub standard compared to the NRL (look at the WCC results) and as per my examples, it tends to make ordinary players look like superstars

Ashton would be ok, he was playing ok when he left, but lets not pretend he is or would be some sort of superstar forward if he came back to the NRL. Top 5 props going around? Please

 

[The Showstopper]

Watching Fox tonight and was stunned we are second on average metres per forward hit up with 9.5! Only the Cows are better. That means we are almost over the advantage line every time the big boys hit the ball up. The ease with which we went through the Raiders middle once we got rolling was not my imagination. Harder to tell at the Ground. That is very encouraging. Our stats are certainly that of a side above where we are. If we can get that defence in the final third right we will go alright.

 

[Sacrolishes]

Yeah almost chocked on my food when that came up. As you said goes to show the young boys and a couple older ones are definitely putting in. So cut out the mistakes and silly penalties and we definitely give ourselves a great fighting chance each game.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Watching Fox tonight and was stunned we are second on average metres per forward hit up with 9.5! Only the Cows are better. That means we are almost over the advantage line every time the big boys hit the ball up. The ease with which we went through the Raiders middle once we got rolling was not my imagination. Harder to tell at the Ground. That is very encouraging. Our stats are certainly that of a side above where we are. If we can get that defence in the final third right we will go alright.

That's quite surprising.

The game against the raiders we definitely showed a lot more organisation around the ruck and defence was good too. Just need to aim for consistancy.

 

[The Showstopper]

I don't know but I think we have more legs in us than most sides and that Souths game could be the blessing we have needed cos we were appallingly bad. It was magnified by the bad discipline. What hurt most was whenever we got back into the fight a dumb penalty or ball drop brought it undone. Had we held the ball that game would not have ended 48-6.

 

[ryana87]

After today's game.... Who would be our best 1-5??

1. Gagai
2.??
3. Sione
4.??
5. Chanel

 

[slotmachine]

Shuffling the deck chairs on the titanic.

 

[ryana87]

Adding to that..... Would one signing make much of a difference (if we were to grt Coote somehow)........ Coote to fullback.... Gagai back to centre....... Still short a winger......we really need to sign 2-3 back line players

 

[perverse]

After today's game.... Who would be our best 1-5??

1. Gagai
2.??
3. Sione
4.??
5. Chanel

1. Gagai
2. Aku
3. Sione
4. Pat Mat
5. Chanel

We're very much missing either a centre or a fullback. Aku is probably our second best back after Sione based on 2016 form. Given sione has only played 1 game, you'd almost have to say our best back even. Gagai has been absolute pants until today.

 

[Joel-22]

Gagai needs to get in the gym and add size to his frame. How the f**k are these so-called "expert" trainers that blind? Gagai is 5kgs off being a QLD mainstay. You'd think Bennett would have been able to see it.
If Gagai lost a yard of pace after putting 5kgs on (which i very much doubt would happen) it would STILL be worth it. He's just not big or strong enough in defence, and the defence rag-doll him once they have hold of him.
If Gagai manages that, then all we really need to complete our backline is an actual fullback.

1.Lachlan Coote (I shudder at the mere thought of the name "lachlan" after Fitzgibbon's game today)
2.Aku Uate
3.Dane Gagai
4.Sione Mata'utia
5.Corey Denniss/Chanel Mata'utia

 

[slotmachine]

The team is a long way from being competitive.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I agree Gagai needs t beef up but I reckon fullback is still the best for him. More expansive and more opportunities. He needs to train as a specialist fullback.

when we eventually get some cap pressure off Id go for a name centre with some strength.