Team list Tuesday - trial vs Knights - 5.55pm Friday 17th Feb

[hindy111]

Wiremu has lost a heap of puppy fat but still struggled at times to get back into the defensive line. Just prior to halftime, he copped a minor leg injury and was down on his haunches behind the Newy attack for 2 tackles before making his way back into the line, and then didnt come back for the 2nd half (not that I saw anyway).

#tvdoesntshowfullstory

I will say this. NSW cup is a certain speed. If a player is constantly playing there he will only adapt to those conditions.
It generaly takes a forward from what I have seen about 40 games in the NRL to get up-to-date speed completely.
The question is giving Greig those 40 games and not hurting our chances of winning. Also unless he is up to speed in NSW cup and doing that easily then there is no point in NRL.
If he is then to progress him further he needs NRL time. And not 10 mins here and there. He would need close to a 20min stint every week for a full season and possibly longer if doing fine or games out of reach. In 2024 he would benefit hugely.
I'd opt for Greig due to age and potential. Makatoa is reliable but old and just average

 

[hindy111]

JA was much improved. Would have something to do with having better forwards who are running better lines and giving him some time and space. He also was hitting the ball a lot sweeter with his kicks and defended quite well. Big difference from the week prior.

Murchie has some power to him.

Moimesea looks closer to NSW CUP level then NRL and I didn't see enough of Doorey.
Cini looks ok for a back up also and Russel looked far better also.

Come rnd 11 our side may look very different if Greig and Mataele break out. Big and powerfull guys who can dent opposition and create space.
All of a sudden the bench may end up those two alongside Murchie with Matterson playing some wnd row and middle when Mataele comes on.

11 Lane
12 Matto
13 Hopgood

14 Asi/Ja
15 Mataele
16 Murchie
17 Greig

Doorey and Moimesea need to make the most of their early chances. As does Bryce and N.Brown.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Wiremu has lost a heap of puppy fat but still struggled at times to get back into the defensive line. Just prior to halftime, he copped a minor leg injury and was down on his haunches behind the Newy attack for 2 tackles before making his way back into the line, and then didnt come back for the 2nd half (not that I saw anyway).

#tvdoesntshowfullstory

Thanks for that. Had no idea he was injured. I really hope he didnt harm his chances. Ogden was ordinary and Mommamia dosent strike me as a middle. Emu has shown raw agression and power in the 2s last year. Played big minutes often as well. We need him particularly given our injuries and Mattos self indulgence. Fingers crossed.

 

[Eelementary]

I will say this. NSW cup is a certain speed. If a player is constantly playing there he will only adapt to those conditions.
It generaly takes a forward from what I have seen about 40 games in the NRL to get up-to-date speed completely.
The question is giving Greig those 40 games and not hurting our chances of winning. Also unless he is up to speed in NSW cup and doing that easily then there is no point in NRL.
If he is then to progress him further he needs NRL time. And not 10 mins here and there. He would need close to a 20min stint every week for a full season and possibly longer if doing fine or games out of reach. In 2024 he would benefit hugely.
I'd opt for Greig due to age and potential. Makatoa is reliable but old and just average

You could conceivably have Makatoa, and Greig, on the field at the same time - Makatoa can pick up the defensive slack from Greig, and Greig can pick up the attacking slack from Makatoa.

 

[Gronk]

Thanks for that. Had no idea he was injured. I really hope he didnt harm his chances. Ogden was ordinary and Mommamia dosent strike me as a middle. Emu has shown raw agression and power in the 2s last year. Played big minutes often as well. We need him particularly given our injuries and Mattos self indulgence. Fingers crossed.

Moimoisea was much better this week. I didn’t think he was too bad.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Moimoisea was much better this week. I didn’t think he was too bad.

Yeah definitely but as an edge or possibly a centre if desperate. Early days though.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Moimoisea was much better this week. I didn’t think he was too bad.

I reckon the Pennys would forklift him out of the ground as a middle.

 

[Gronk]

I reckon the Pennys would forklift him out of the ground as a middle.

He’s a cheapie and yes better on the edge. He might end up a good value signing or possibly Odgen average. He seems to have height and fast feet, so add an agry face and teach him some technique and we might have something.

 

[hindy111]

Moimoisea was much better this week. I didn’t think he was too bad.

Even your form on here has improved. You haven't been as annoying as usual.

 

[yy_cheng]

I thought cini could play the left centre role easily

 

[yy_cheng]

JA was much improved. Would have something to do with having better forwards who are running better lines and giving him some time and space. He also was hitting the ball a lot sweeter with his kicks and defended quite well. Big difference from the week prior.

Murchie has some power to him.

Moimesea looks closer to NSW CUP level then NRL and I didn't see enough of Doorey.
Cini looks ok for a back up also and Russel looked far better also.

Come rnd 11 our side may look very different if Greig and Mataele break out. Big and powerfull guys who can dent opposition and create space.
All of a sudden the bench may end up those two alongside Murchie with Matterson playing some wnd row and middle when Mataele comes on.

11 Lane
12 Matto
13 Hopgood

14 Asi/Ja
15 Mataele
16 Murchie
17 Greig

Doorey and Moimesea need to make the most of their early chances. As does Bryce and N.Brown.

Hopgood looked like an nrl okayer

Ja got a bit slefish yday

He kicked for himself and it came off the side of his boot

Anither time when thr knights were at 6s and 7s, he was midfield and he held the ball too long. He shouldve got it as quickly as possible to the edges

 

[strider]

I will say this. NSW cup is a certain speed. If a player is constantly playing there he will only adapt to those conditions.

Very good point .... our benchies dont get much of a go in nrl tho. If we end up with Hopgood and Matto in the middle, like matto was last year, then there arent alot of minutes for someone else ... i think murchie will steal marata's minutes, hopgood while not a direct replacement for papa will get nearly all those minutes .... maka hardly got to play even tho he was often on the bench ... it will need to be via injury/origin to get them more minutes

 

[yy_cheng]

Very good point .... our benchies dont get much of a go in nrl tho. If we end up with Hopgood and Matto in the middle, like matto was last year, then there arent alot of minutes for someone else ... i think murchie will steal marata's minutes, hopgood while not a direct replacement for papa will get nearly all those minutes .... maka hardly got to play even tho he was often on the bench ... it will need to be via injury/origin to get them more minutes

So we can carry emus defence for a short period

 

[The Predictor]

Wiremu has lost a heap of puppy fat but still struggled at times to get back into the defensive line. Just prior to halftime, he copped a minor leg injury and was down on his haunches behind the Newy attack for 2 tackles before making his way back into the line, and then didnt come back for the 2nd half (not that I saw anyway).

#tvdoesntshowfullstory

Because he hasn’t been used anywhere near enough, and understandably off the pace, he hasn’t been conditioned as yet for first grade, pretty disgraceful of Brad ….. everyone can see the kid has talent, bar Brad….he played him one game couple of years ago not long after purchasing him, never to b seen again

 

[hindy111]

Very good point .... our benchies dont get much of a go in nrl tho. If we end up with Hopgood and Matto in the middle, like matto was last year, then there arent alot of minutes for someone else ... i think murchie will steal marata's minutes, hopgood while not a direct replacement for papa will get nearly all those minutes .... maka hardly got to play even tho he was often on the bench ... it will need to be via injury/origin to get them more minutes

This is a negative I have to the coach. To often games been decided and he still lets our starters play big minutes. Once the games done this is time to rest them and let the guys who need minutes get them.
Same goes for games against weaker sides. I would happily start guys like Greig and Murchie in some of these and test them. If can't handle it bring the big guns on.
Pou will talk about players not getting burnt out and are fit enough to play every week big minutes. Yet blames our GF loss to fatigue from the Cowboys game.

I'd argue its fatigue of a long season slowly catching up with you. Even if the body has recovered mentally things can be challenging

 

[The Predictor]

This is a negative I have to the coach. To often games been decided and he still lets our starters play big minutes. Once the games done this is time to rest them and let the guys who need minutes get them.
Same goes for games against weaker sides. I would happily start guys like Greig and Murchie in some of these and test them. If can't handle it bring the big guns on.
Pou will talk about players not getting burnt out and are fit enough to play every week big minutes. Yet blames our GF loss to fatigue from the Cowboys game.

I'd argue its fatigue of a long season slowly catching up with you. Even if the body has recovered mentally things can be challenging

How the f**k would Pou know who is capable of minutes and who’s not, give me a break

I also agree that thee players will be burned out by seasons end, considering they are used within an inch of their life….I don’t see any other forwards used this way? I may be wrong, Im sure Pou will clear all this up for me, he has a habit of doing that, rarely is anyone else correct….Im waiting….

 

[strider]

This is a negative I have to the coach. To often games been decided and he still lets our starters play big minutes. Once the games done this is time to rest them and let the guys who need minutes get them.
Same goes for games against weaker sides. I would happily start guys like Greig and Murchie in some of these and test them. If can't handle it bring the big guns on.
Pou will talk about players not getting burnt out and are fit enough to play every week big minutes. Yet blames our GF loss to fatigue from the Cowboys game.

I'd argue its fatigue of a long season slowly catching up with you. Even if the body has recovered mentally things can be challenging

Agree he needs to get more m8nutes for our backups ... even if just to make sure they are ready to get when injuries come

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Because he hasn’t been used anywhere near enough, and understandably off the pace, he hasn’t been conditioned as yet for first grade, pretty disgraceful of Brad

Every player has the pre-season to deal with his conditioning. In the case where injury interferes with that, they need to work harder during the season to get their conditioning up to speed. NRL players manage it, which is part of what makes them NRL players. If Greig can't do it there's nobody else to blame.

Match fitness isn't about fitness so much as timing. Their physical conditioning should peak by the end of pre-season. Playing even the full 80 minutes in a week should make no difference to that. There's 10080 minutes in a week ffs. How fit do you reckon you'd get if that's all the cardio you did? On the same note, if you're NRL fit, an extra 80 minutes of cardio (or missing out on it) in a week should make little difference to your fitness. This is why the pre-season is so important. Not being played in first grade is a very poor excuse for a player's lack of effort.

 

[Gronk]

Because he hasn’t been used anywhere near enough, and understandably off the pace, he hasn’t been conditioned as yet for first grade, pretty disgraceful of Brad ….. everyone can see the kid has talent, bar Brad….he played him one game couple of years ago not long after purchasing him, never to b seen again

I think blaming the coaching staff that a player is not at peak fitness is a tad disingenuous, when others around him most definitely are. If the merkin wanted to shed kegs and increase his aerobic fitness, he could quite easily make it happen. There are plenty of examples where players have transformed themselves physically and their career has blossomed. Not everything in life is handed to you on a silver platter.

 

[Gronk]

Every player has the pre-season to deal with his conditioning. In the case where injury interferes with that, they need to work harder during the season to get their conditioning up to speed. NRL players manage it, which is part of what makes them NRL players. If Greig can't do it there's nobody else to blame.

Match fitness isn't about fitness so much as timing. Their physical conditioning should peak by the end of pre-season. Playing even the full 80 minutes in a week should make no difference to that. There's 10080 minutes in a week ffs. How fit do you reckon you'd get if that's all the cardio you did? On the same note, if you're NRL fit, an extra 80 minutes of cardio (or missing out on it) in a week should make little difference to your fitness. This is why the pre-season is so important. Not being played in first grade is a very poor excuse for a player's lack of effort.

FFS