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Team list Tuesday - Rnd 15 vs Dogs | 2pm @ Bankwest

Gazzamatta

Coach
Messages
14,142
Roach made one strong run to set up Rankins (I think) try but I was surprised by his lack of speed. I do watch from behind the posts, club end though so I'm not terribly reliable in that regard. Any comments on his speed? I thought Lussick was far more impressive last week than Roach.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
58,498
Roach made one strong run to set up Rankins (I think) try but I was surprised by his lack of speed. I do watch from behind the posts, club end though so I'm not terribly reliable in that regard. Any comments on his speed? I thought Lussick was far more impressive last week than Roach.

He is not super quick but most hookers aren't. His passing game isn't as crisp as Lussick but he looks more dangerous.
If it was for 80mins I would chose Lussick.
 

Gazzamatta

Coach
Messages
14,142
Why would he rest Cartwright? He doesn't play many minutes. He needs all the game time he can get. Strange.
Part of the problem I reckon Ivor. He needs some long minutes. Physiologically his mindset may be "Im only on for a short while so I have to make something happen". This is totally contrary to how BA wants him to play. Long minutes in the 2s for a couple of weeks may well hit the 're set button. We've seen sublime ball playing talent from him but like Dill Smith, he needs to dice the short kick. Where there's life there's hope.
 

Noise

Coach
Messages
17,106
Bringing in reserve graders like Russell and Hipgrave instead of better players like Kaufusi, Cartwright and even Fergo has me worried we are taking this game too easy and just expecting to win.
 

Gary Gutful

Post Whore
Messages
51,727
Bringing in reserve graders like Russell and Hipgrave instead of better players like Kaufusi, Cartwright and even Fergo has me worried we are taking this game too easy and just expecting to win.
At least BA is showing he is not "loyal to a fault" now that he has a better squad. He's also mindful that we ran out of puff at the end of last year and seems determined to avoid that mistake again this year. I'm OK with the changes. There is still a strong nucleus of experience and leadership to complement the newbies.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
Roach made one strong run to set up Rankins (I think) try but I was surprised by his lack of speed. I do watch from behind the posts, club end though so I'm not terribly reliable in that regard. Any comments on his speed? I thought Lussick was far more impressive last week than Roach.
Roache is powerful but there's plenty of qualities required to play dummy half and defend in the middle. Does he have the skill or the awareness or the work rate in defence? There's a reason not a single club had signed him into their top 30 this year. As far as we know he doesn't have a contract next year either.

Reserve grade is littered with blokes who are great at one thing but just have too many holes in their game for first grade. I suspect hooker is the position where this is most common. You're essentially looking for a playmaker who can defend in the middle for long minutes. Maybe there's still a place in the game for an impact hooker off the bench. It doesn't seem very common though, compared to 20 years ago.
 

Enamoured Eel

Juniors
Messages
163
So then why not rest RCG or Jnr and start Kafusi if its about game time and not worried by opponent.

Our stars are all being rested in game once the result has been locked up.

Due to this, we have looked slightly clunky at times on the field but the coach now realises that this isn’t an issue in the first half of the season.

Priorities have been set. Instead of winning by an extra couple of tries, fatigue is being monitored.

There is also the benefit of lesser players getting more time and experience on the field, even not in their preferred position.

Fatigue and injury have been our downfall at the back end in recent times.
 

Enamoured Eel

Juniors
Messages
163
There's a reason not a single club had signed him [Roache] into their top 30 this year.

Maybe there's still a place in the game for an impact hooker off the bench.

A well publicised wretched run of injury. No one wants to be disadvantaged by effectively having a 29 man squad.

This in turn leads to experience and development issues. It’s hard to hone your craft when you’re continually dealing with injury management.

He has the potential. His skill set and size would make him a fine bench option as he could hold his own as a middle forward also. Think Connor Watson with toned back versatility.
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
150,734
Bringing in reserve graders like Russell and Hipgrave instead of better players like Kaufusi, Cartwright and even Fergo has me worried we are taking this game too easy and just expecting to win.

I think its more to do with list/player management and looking towards peaking at the right time, which he has been criticized for in the past for not preparing his team for the finals, rather than underestimating the Doggies.

He seems to have enough confidence in Roache and Russell
 
Messages
42,876
A well publicised wretched run of injury. No one wants to be disadvantaged by effectively having a 29 man squad.

This in turn leads to experience and development issues. It’s hard to hone your craft when you’re continually dealing with injury management.

He has the potential. His skill set and size would make him a fine bench option as he could hold his own as a middle forward also. Think Connor Watson with toned back versatility.
I could do with some back versatility.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
73,538
Bringing in reserve graders like Russell and Hipgrave instead of better players like Kaufusi, Cartwright and even Fergo has me worried we are taking this game too easy and just expecting to win.
It certainly issues a challenge to everyone not to take this game as a freebee. Perhaps it simulates a bunch of injuries, gives Carty and Oregon 80min opportunities and gives the second tier a taste.
 

lingard

Coach
Messages
11,135
Part of the problem I reckon Ivor. He needs some long minutes. Physiologically his mindset may be "Im only on for a short while so I have to make something happen". This is totally contrary to how BA wants him to play. Long minutes in the 2s for a couple of weeks may well hit the 're set button. We've seen sublime ball playing talent from him but like Dill Smith, he needs to dice the short kick. Where there's life there's hope.

Makes a lot of sense. I hope that's the reason.
 

jason taylor

Bench
Messages
3,475
I think its more to do with list/player management and looking towards peaking at the right time, which he has been criticized for in the past for not preparing his team for the finals, rather than underestimating the Doggies.

He seems to have enough confidence in Roache and Russell
Agreed. We don’t want to get to second weeks of finals and have to select a player who’s never played a minute of first grade again.

BA has learnt his lesson re: squad management, as demonstrated by the fact that we actually do have a backup specialist hooker.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
BA has learnt his lesson re: squad management, as demonstrated by the fact that we actually do have a backup specialist hooker.
Right, so this was a roster shortfall that you, a deadshit nuffy, was aware of that Brad Arthur only just figured out?

How many backup hookers are there who are good enough to get on the field in one of the hardest, most important positions on the field? Are there enough for every club to have one? Do you think the clubs without one aren't aware they need one? Are they maybe struggling to get their top 17 right before worrying about getting the best backups at a reasonable price?

Just because there's a problem doesnt mean it can be fixed instantly. It certainly doesn't mean the people responsible for fixing it are unaware. They don't live in a perfect world where every problem can be solved simultaneously. Only sports fans and political pundits live in such a world.
 

jason taylor

Bench
Messages
3,475
Right, so this was a roster shortfall that you, a deadshit nuffy, was aware of that Brad Arthur only just figured out?

How many backup hookers are there who are good enough to get on the field in one of the hardest, most important positions on the field? Are there enough for every club to have one? Do you think the clubs without one aren't aware they need one? Are they maybe struggling to get their top 17 right before worrying about getting the best backups at a reasonable price?

Just because there's a problem doesnt mean it can be fixed instantly. It certainly doesn't mean the people responsible for fixing it are unaware. They don't live in a perfect world where every problem can be solved simultaneously. Only sports fans and political pundits live in such a world.

Tone down the passive aggressiveness mate. The top teams, from Penrith, to Roosters and Storm had back up hookers last season: (Mitch Kenny, Sam Verills, Brandon Smith/Harry Grant) also the Raiders (Havili and Starling).
We were the anomaly is the top 5. thus it was a focus for BA in the off season (and we ended up with Lussick and Roache on a development contract.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
Tone down the passive aggressiveness mate. The top teams, from Penrith, to Roosters and Storm had back up hookers last season: (Mitch Kenny, Sam Verills, Brandon Smith/Harry Grant) also the Raiders (Havili and Starling).
We were the anomaly is the top 5. thus it was a focus for BA in the off season (and we ended up with Lussick and Roache on a development contract.
Do you reckon anyone suitable was available before that? Did we have the roster slot or the cash for them? Kaysa Pritchard only retired in June 2019. It didn't leave much time to find a decent replacement for 2020.
 

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