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

[Legal Eel]

Ok then. That’s a very long sentence, 68 words is excessive in any merkins books.

Quality reverse sweep.

Whatever you do, don't desert your post in the defence of Jakob Arthur.

 

[Legal Eel]

There’s plenty of merkins who played last week that didn’t deserve to be picked on that performance. It’s just one game ffs. The team is decided before a ball is kicked, not after a nothing game in 38 degrees.

And the guys who didn't deserve to get picked, didn't get picked this week.

Except one.

And there is a glaring relationship between he and the coach that only an idiot could dismiss.

 

[Gronk]

Quality reverse sweep.

Whatever you do, don't desert your post in the defence of Jakob Arthur.

Yeah, because that’s what I do. Those voices in your angry mind are not real life merkin.

 

[Legal Eel]

If it ain't broke?

You do realise that most successful clubs always seek to improve their weaknesses, even after winning a comp?

Most successful organisations, sporting and otherwise, look at their weaknesses and seek ways to improve even more - even after dazzling success.

We have had SOME success and should be seeking more. To that end, the weaknesses such as Makatoa and Arthur should be replaced with better options for round one.

What better time to trial those better options than in a TRIAL match?

For mine, Jayden Yates should be in the 14 for this match to see how he performs with the rest of the first grade spine. Mataele should be in the 17 for Makatoa to see if he can mix it in the top grade - then we can make an informed decision as to whether we should upgrade either of these blokes.

The problem with your argument is that you genuinely believe that Arthur and Makatoa are our best options on the bench and this belief betrays your lack of football knowledge as opposed to slavish statistical reliance.

 

[Gronk]

How long before Desi Arnez has a run? Is he injured?

Yes Pete, he’s the one in the knee brace.

 

[Legal Eel]

If it ain't broke?

double post.

 

[hineyrulz]

Yeah, because that’s what I do. Those voices in your angry mind are not real life merkin.

View attachment 70287

Revision history at its best, did you learn that from the CCP Chairman Mushroom???

 

[Twizzle]

Is this a trial or round 1 ? 13 players on the bench yet all the discussion is about one of them

Gee, I can't wait for the season to start.

 

[hindy111]

Is this a trial or round 1 ? 13 players on the bench yet all the discussion is about one of them

Gee, I can't wait for the season to start.

View attachment 70292

That looks like one of my little birds

 

[parra pete]

Would love to see Desi Arnez and Luca Moretti in the same team!!!!!..Bring back some memories

 

[Gary Gutful]

That looks like one of my little birds

A dicky bird.

 

[Glenneel]

I shit myself Saturday watching his performance it was so good.

View attachment 70279

My early prediction that Zac Cini would make the team appears to be justified by his selection and performance in the first trial. A big step up for this match considering the talent around him. Another good performance may mean elevation into top 30 and more game time in the top grade.

 

[hindy111]

Does anyone know or Jersey flegg squads or NSW CUP?

 

[Gronk]

My early prediction that Zac Cini would make the team appears to be justified by his selection and performance in the first trial. A big step up for this match considering the talent around him. Another good performance may mean elevation into top 30 and more game time in the top grade.

You've hit the nail on the conundrum. Do you waste a top 30 spot by elevating Cini or Mataele to the top 30, when as development players they can be selected after June anyway ? If we have room in our cap, then those two remaining spots might need to go to Yates or Hands and a pre-June 30 acquisition.

 

[Glenneel]

It will be unbelievable if he is in the rnd one side.

If Asi fit think he'll be 14

 

[Glenneel]

What did you do? Hope it wasn't a masturbatory injury.

Yes Mrs Hands has RSI.

 

[hindy111]

You've hit the nail on the conundrum. Do you waste a top 30 spot by elevating Cini or Mataele to the top 30, when as development players they can be selected after June anyway ? If we have room in our cap, then those two remaining spots might need to go to Yates or Hands and a pre-June 30 acquisition.

Is their an age limit on development spots? Couldn't we add two new guys there if we moved Cini to the top 30?

 

[Glenneel]

At what stage do lawyers learn about full stops? I would have thought its a prerequisite.

They are only interested in commas, particulary after $$$.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

And the guys who didn't deserve to get picked, didn't get picked this week.

Except one.

And there is a glaring relationship between he and the coach that only an idiot could dismiss.

Arthur’s defence was very good and he’s been picked on the bench, where he will be used to give our ageing dummy half a breather. He hasn’t been picked ahead of Moses.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You do realise that most successful clubs always seek to improve their weaknesses, even after winning a comp?

Which is why clubs prefer young players, because they are more likely to improve from one year to the next.

Most successful organisations, sporting and otherwise, look at their weaknesses and seek ways to improve even more - even after dazzling success.

We have had SOME success and should be seeking more. To that end, the weaknesses such as Makatoa and Arthur should be replaced with better options for round one.

There obviously are no better options.

What better time to trial those better options than in a TRIAL match?

Because the conditions in a trial match (or any match) are more random and less subject to the control required to make an objective assessment.

This is why pre-season training is so important. All the things that indicate game performance can be isolated and tested during the pre-season. Players can be compared against each other in similar situations.

For mine, Jayden Yates should be in the 14 for this match to see how he performs with the rest of the first grade spine.

This sort of thing has already been observed by the coaching staff over countless conditioning and opposed sessions prior to last week’s trial.

Mataele should be in the 17 for Makatoa to see if he can mix it in the top grade - then we can make an informed decision as to whether we should upgrade either of these blokes.

The decisions are already informed. If you think Brad Arthur has no idea look at how other coaches selected their trial teams this week and last. Their methodologies are all the same because they are proven.

Mataele will be a much better player than Makatoa (and is no doubt more athletic already) but he obviously still has flaws in his game that will far outweigh the positives in NRL situations. Makatoa has been around long enough that he doesn’t have these flaws.

The problem with your argument is that you genuinely believe that Arthur and Makatoa are our best options on the bench and this belief betrays your lack of football knowledge as opposed to slavish statistical reliance.

Your problem is that you think lack of outstanding attack is a player flaw. In fact, the things considered flaws in NRL players are defensive weakness (including lack of effort) and high error rates. These flaws are tolerable (in moderation) in a team’s top attackers (e.g. Paulo) but not in the team’s role players. Those merkins just need to be safe, and leave the big plays to the stars.

Which is why I’m trusting the experts rather than trusting you.

But don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about Mataele and I’m not excited about Makatoa or Jake Arthur. I just recognise that raw talent doesn’t transfer to NRL success. Mataele would be heavily targeted in first grade much like Papali’i was, but without the several seasons in the NRL to know how to handle it.