Team list Tuesday vs Manly Sat 5:30 @ Commbank

[the phantom menace]

Short turn around, which suggests it will be as cut and past as possible and BA work out the details closer to game day.

Prediction
1. Gutherson - but may actually play halves in attack
2. Sivo
3. Penisini
4. Simonssen
5. Russell
6. Matterson - if ready for return, but may actually play as an extra middle in attack
7. Asi
8. Campbell-Gillard
9. Hands
10. Makatoa
11. Cartwright
12. Davey
13. Hopgood

14. Hodgson
15. Ogden
16. Doorey
17. Moretti
18. Dunster - backline injury cover
19. Ofahengaue - if ready for return, may come in for Doorey/Moretti/Hodgson
20. doesn't matter
21, doesn't matter
22, doesn't matter

Almost , bar the Ogden/Makatoa order - and no Hodgson at all ?

 

[the phantom menace]

Nah, if Hodgson is good to go and is going to be named in the 17 it will be in 9 (or perhaps 7).

Thank f**k he wasn't (named or 'good to go')!

 

[the phantom menace]

Shaun Lane and Waqa Blake as 21 and 22... give me a break . BA must just be naming injured merkins because he's contractually obliged to name 22 players...?

 

[Incorrect]

I’m interested to see what BA does with Waqa when he gets fitness back.

we all thought he’d been dropped but ended up being due to a long term injury, so we don’t really know where BA stands with him.

Does he come back in? Personally I hope not

It may be a tactical move by BA to keep Waqa's mental attitude right. If, as looks increasingly likely, we don't bring in someone like Conor Tracy to the squad, then Waqa might yet be needed at the back end of the season if we get a couple more injuries and naming him on an extended bench may be a bit of a carrot dangling exercise to keep him motivated. You'd like to think he'll stay professional and train and play with the right intent in reserve grade if he thinks he's next up if an outside back goes down...

 

[the phantom menace]

I’m interested to see what BA does with Waqa when he gets fitness back.

we all thought he’d been dropped but ended up being due to a long term injury, so we don’t really know where BA stands with him.

Does he come back in? Personally I hope not

I still think he's dropped. Hopefully he stays in Cup for the rest of the year, if he indeed plays at all this weekend.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

This game will be very interesting

*exciting

 

[IFR33K]

Guth is too important to move, both times he hasn’t been on the field was the 15 mins against the Sharks where we let in 2 tries after dominating and then against the Tits when they scored 3. He is too important for our defence to move. BA has done well considering who we have out.

Don’t count your chickens. Still plenty of time for a ba brain fart.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Paul Carige lover

Not exactly a kicking duel though. Was more reminiscent of assisted suicide.

 

[Gronk]

Shaun Lane and Waqa Blake as 21 and 22... give me a break . BA must just be naming injured merkins because he's contractually obliged to name 22 players...?

All the coaches do it.

 

[Eelementary]

I’m interested to see what BA does with Waqa when he gets fitness back.

we all thought he’d been dropped but ended up being due to a long term injury, so we don’t really know where BA stands with him.

Does he come back in? Personally I hope not

Be tough to drop Rusell, or move Simonsson, for Waqa, tbh.

 

[Gronk]

Be tough to drop Rusell, or move Simonsson, for Waqa, tbh.

Well at least we have a player in the depth charts to call on, rather than say Dunster who is still trying to find his leg speed, timing etc after his quadruple bypass ACL thingy.

 

[Twizzle]

BA has dropped Blake before so I can't see him walking back into a backline that's playing well and reasonably settled in the outside backs

 

[Bandwagon]

BA has dropped Blake before so I can't see him walking back into a backline that's playing well and reasonably settled in the outside backs

Playing well and improving week in week out.

Simonsson's 200 run meters with no kick return meters and 58 PCM is a sensational effort, regardless of the opponent.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I’m interested to see what BA does with Waqa when he gets fitness back.

we all thought he’d been dropped but ended up being due to a long term injury, so we don’t really know where BA stands with him.

Does he come back in? Personally I hope not

He was dropped. He sustained the injury in reserve grade.

 

[yy_cheng]

Tbh, if bailey or will goes down, waqa is the next best option

Shame that cini cant get his defence right

 

[Snoochies]

We finished last year with Simonsson playing centre and Waqa on the wing and we did well. Not sure by BA flipped that around to start the season.

 

[Gazzamatta]

BA has dropped Blake before so I can't see him walking back into a backline that's playing well and reasonably settled in the outside backs

The old BA wouldnt have hesitated. Im kinda liking version post round 10, 2023 thus far.

 

[bazza]

I’m interested to see what BA does with Waqa when he gets fitness back.

we all thought he’d been dropped but ended up being due to a long term injury, so we don’t really know where BA stands with him.

Does he come back in? Personally I hope not

I think Waqa had his chance at the beginning of the season to show that he could play centre and failed
Having him as a backup for a wing spot is the rest of his season I think
He does have more attacking potential but Simmonson and Russel have been very consistent and would rather them and not a few easy missed tackles/drops

 

[lingard]

I think BA has had a good month in the coaches box. Might have taken 240 games but i think he is coaching better then ever.

Helps when the squad playing to there potential.

But he whinged about the refs in Canberra which was well overdue.

Smashed souths who have owned us for years.

He has finally settled on the backline with Russell on the wing and Simmonson in the centres.

Moretti has gotten a sample of minutes in his few games. Not just a token 3-4 mins at the end.

Injecting Ogden and Makatoa at the right time into the game.

Letting Jake go to Manly was the right decision for all involved. It removes the pressure for everyone Jake, Brad and the side.

Davey and the use of hodgo are the only ???? you could say atm.

Backline and dummy half depth isn't great but that's the HOF responsibility as much as it is BA.

I wonder how much influence Barrett has had on all this?

 

[Soren Lorenson]

He was dropped. He sustained the injury in reserve grade.

while having a shocker.