Team List Tuesday

[BLM01]

I can cop the selection of Dufty at fullback and the omition of the
Feagai twins for round 1 but to then replace Bird at centre with ? and to do nothing about the right edge except to put our second best prop there is a step too far for me.

I'd like to see at least one exciting change to the 17. I'd like to see Ravalawa on the bench with Ramsey and JP as our wingers. Let Ford and Ravalawa share the right edge position and watch the fans in the stand rise to their feet whenever Ravalawa receives the ball. He has the size and speed to make the right edge forward position his own. Playing him in rotation with Ford will allow him to ease into the position and gain the experience necessary to be a stand out in our forward pack.

Kerr would then return to the front row (which is our biggest problem area) and together with Vaughan, Alvaro and Faamausili might just form a prop rotation that encourages each other to play out of their skin.

Lawrie can hold down the lock position, improving his passing game and lateral defensive skills each game.

Down the track if we are still struggling, then Ramsey to fullback and the Faigo twins on the wings. Bird should stay in the centres mainly because he will stiffen up the defence out wide on the right and send his winger on the way to the try line with good clean ball; something that has been missing ever since Cooper retired.

I rate the Feagai twins very highly and feel confident that they can handle the wing spots in first grade with ease. Both boys are quicker and more agile than Ravalawa and JP. Both know their way to the try line and can be relied on to take the high ball.

So with a back 5 of Ramsey, Matt Feagai, Bird, Lomax and Max Feagai I think we have a dynamic and solid group of players that will benefit greatly from a full season in first grade. I'm sure each will hold their positions and be the x factor our team surely needs for season 2022.

Clune and Hunt in the halves makes a lot of sense to me right now. McCullguch will provide the stability and leadership in the forwards that has been lacking for many years. Has the ability to implement the coaching staff's game plans and when necessary, play whatever is in fron of him.

Well there you go, doing the best with what we have.

WELL If Max ain’t ready. Matt F is certainly not
How do you know how well they go under the high ball when you haven’t seen them play first or reserve grade yet on the wing.
Taking the highball is now an art that a winger has to learn especially at first grade with the well timed attackers jumping up for the ball at the same time Making it look like they’re trying to catch it with momentum, bumping you off as what happened to Ramsey in the charity shield from Johnston
They take the calculated risk...sometimes give away a penalty but sometimes get away with it
our wingers need more protection from attackers from defending high ball
other teams do it so well

You left out Dufty

Leave Ravalawa on one wing, why weaken that position

If Ford has aspirations for first grade he can stay on that edge and play 80 minutes like many others

 

[possm]

WELL If Max ain’t ready. Matt F is certainly not
How do you know how well they go under the high ball when you haven’t seen them play first or reserve grade yet on the wing.
Taking the highball is now an art that a winger has to learn especially at first grade with the well timed attackers jumping up for the ball at the same time Making it look like they’re trying to catch it with momentum, bumping you off as what happened to Ramsey in the charity shield from Johnston
They take the calculated risk...sometimes give away a penalty but sometimes get away with it
our wingers need more protection from attackers from defending high ball
other teams do it so well

You left out Dufty

Leave Ravalawa on one wing, why weaken that position

If Ford has aspirations for first grade he can stay on that edge and play 80 minutes like many others

Our current wingers Ravalawa and JP both had problems taking the high ball when they first come into grade but have improved a lot since. Dufty also had problems but has not improved a lot.

When the Feagai brothers played in the lower grades they seem to be Ok at catching the high ball however, I understand first grade is another level and so I expect these boys to kill it in reserve grade and force their way into first grade by about round 5. We will lose nothing in height, speed or elusiveness with the inclusion of the twins. Granted they won't have the first grade experience but there is only one way to get that.

I'll be particularly looking to see how they perform under the high ball and how well they defend.

 

[Maddragon99]

Our current wingers Ravalawa and JP both had problems taking the high ball when they first come into grade but have improved a lot since. Dufty also had problems but has not improved a lot.

When the Feagai brothers played in the lower grades they seem to be Ok at catching the high ball however, I understand first grade is another level and so I expect these boys to kill it in reserve grade and force their way into first grade by about round 5. We will lose nothing in height, speed or elusiveness with the inclusion of the twins. Granted they won't have the first grade experience but there is only one way to get that.

I'll be particularly looking to see how they perform under the high ball and how well they defend.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2021/03/09/nrl-team-announcement-round-1-v-sharks/

 

[Maddragon99]

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2021/03/09/nrl-team-announcement-round-1-v-sharks/

JP out, Ford out, Kerr to second row & Fuimaono to Lock.

 

[hewi]

Still wondering why Merrin, having said that I hope he has a blinder

 

[LINESPEED]

JP out, Ford out, Kerr to second row & Fuimaono to Lock.

Williame @ 17 FFS

 

[muzby]

Williame @ 17 FFS

I’m pretty sure Hook just got round 1 and April 1 mixed up..

 

[be55]

I’m pretty sure Hook just got round 1 and April 1 mixed up..

Be careful mate the Hook fanboys of the forum will be after you with a comment like that...

 

[Maddragon99]

Still wondering why Merrin, having said that I hope he has a blinder

Merrin will probably only get 20mins, 10mins each side of halftime to spell Fuimaono.

We’re relying on McCullough playing 80mins & big minutes from Fuimaono.

No Ford means full 80mins from both Sims & Kerr.

Interesting team, obviously a team based on effort made in the offseason rather than the past. For mine Ford pretty unlucky, Kerr is not a edge forward.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I can only see Wiiliame there as the left centre.
So, there would be question marks over a few players.

1. If Macca cant see out the 80 mins then it wouls be either Clune or Hunt to Hooker, then Bird to the halves, which opens the left centre to Williame.

2. If Bird is having trouble seeing out the 80 then Williame to his left centre spot.

It's a strange choice but we dont know how they've been training and what they saw in the trial games.

 

[muzby]

Be careful mate the Hook fanboys of the forum will be after you with a comment like that...

All I can say to them is:

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Kerr at backrow and Wiliame on the bench are dare I say, Mary like selections...

 

[Dragons154]

Team is to be expected with the shock of Willame.

Ford omission isn’t a shock, hasn’t shown much of anything since coming into grade

 

[Crush]

Don’t mind that 17.
Not sure why Williame is on the bench but in Hook we trust I guess.

 

[This Year?]

I hope Kerr goes better this time on the edge and I'm praying the rest of the back row don't get too heavy legged at the back end of the game. Williame is a wasted bench spot IMO, but anyway let's hope we can get a win on Sunday!

 

[LINESPEED]

I can only see Wiiliame there as the left centre.
So, there would be question marks over a few players.

1. If Macca cant see out the 80 mins then it wouls be either Clune or Hunt to Hooker, then Bird to the halves, which opens the left centre to Williame.

2. If Bird is having trouble seeing out the 80 then Williame to his left centre spot.

It's a strange choice but we dont know how they've been training and what they saw in the trial games.

I remember Waterboy preferring Williame over his longterm Lovechild Rd 1 2020

Oh dear, where’s the changeup?

... but I’ve seen nothing in Williame that would justify his usurping the future in Max.

For mine it’s Hook’s first judgment error.

There’s always a suckup performer in preseason - so maybe we have a new Lafai

We needed 4 forwards (including Ford) on the bench

 

[kit66]

Kerr in the 11 is a real disappointment, the poor guy was on a high after his rep call ups and playing well but now his confidence would have taken a hit after everyone on the planet said his 11 " experiment " failed last week and here we go again. Maybe Hook needs to be schooled twice before he gets the message.
Really, what are the positives in putting a hulking prop with suspect lateral defence and basically zero passing abilities out wide in the 2nd row under these new rules ? Can he run lines ?What happens when he needs a rest - shuffle Fui out wide and Po to lock ?

That's our best backline but a very average bench. Williame ?

Anyway, I'm hoping to be proved wrong.
Go Saints !

 

[True_Believer]

I can only see Wiiliame there as the left centre.
So, there would be question marks over a few players.

1. If Macca cant see out the 80 mins then it wouls be either Clune or Hunt to Hooker, then Bird to the halves, which opens the left centre to Williame.

2. If Bird is having trouble seeing out the 80 then Williame to his left centre spot.

It's a strange choice but we dont know how they've been training and what they saw in the trial games.

I'd hazard a guess this is exactly the thinking.

For the whole off season we've been told that Bird will be brought in slowly and won't be expected to play the full 80.

There has been some question around McCullough's ability to play 80.

So your reshuffle options definitely provide cover for both scenarios.

And again, as you mention, we don't know what's been happening in training or how they've been performing. I'd guess that Hook is figuring the Feagai twins need more time to develop. I personally didn't see them offer that much in the trials either but neither did Williame. Williame may be the safe bet at this early point in the season. Given one option would be to have Feagai start with Bird on the bench (which would also cover the 2 shuffle issues), it says to me that the coaching staff think the Feagai twins aren't ready.

 

[George Sancti]

I can only see Wiiliame there as the left centre.
So, there would be question marks over a few players.

1. If Macca cant see out the 80 mins then it wouls be either Clune or Hunt to Hooker, then Bird to the halves, which opens the left centre to Williame.

2. If Bird is having trouble seeing out the 80 then Williame to his left centre spot.

It's a strange choice but we dont know how they've been training and what they saw in the trial games.

I think your reasoning is spot on Dragonslayer, however I wonder why he pencilled in Williame and not Feagai? Jackson Ford could play a similar role and offer more as a forward replacement, but I think he probably played himself out of the team during the trials.

 

[KogarahWarrior]

I will never understand how that plodder Lawrie keeps making the team