Team v Dragons

[Meth]

Round 1. How are we looking? No Walsh. No Harris.

Are we expecting to see Harris-Tavita at fullback?

1- Harris-Tavita
2- Watene-Zelezniak
3- Berry
4- Aitken
5- Montoya
6- Taylor
7- Johnson
8- Fonua-Blake
9- Egan
10- Lodge
11- Sironen
12- Katoa
13- Curran

Res- Pene, Afoa, Murdoch-Masila, Otukolo

 

[Tongue]

Round 1. How are we looking? No Walsh. No Harris.

Are we expecting to see Harris-Tavita at fullback?

1- Harris-Tavita
2- Watene-Zelezniak
3- Berry
4- Aitken
5- Montoya
6- Taylor
7- Johnson
8- Fonua-Blake
9- Egan
10- Lodge
11- Sironen
12- Katoa
13- Curran

Res- Pene, Afoa, Murdoch-Masila, Otukolo

Binned Nikorima?

 

[Meth]

Binned Nikorima?

Yeah. Not a fan. Too hot and cold and I'm not sure he'll work well with Johnson.

 

[Scott]

Lodge is suspended for Round 1 as well.

I'll go -

1. CHT
2. DWZ
3. Berry
4. Arthurs
5. Montoya
6. Taylor
7. Johnson
8. AFB
9. Egan
10. Afoa
11. Sironen
12. Aitken
13. Curran

14. Nikorima
15. Tevaga
16. Katoa
17. Pene
18. BMM

 

[jaseg]

CHT (I wouldn't do it, but seems like they will)
DWZ
Arthars (see CHT comment)
Berry
Montoya
Kodi
SJ
AFB
Egan
Bunty
BMM
Aitken
Curran

Otukolo
Tevaga
Pene
Katoa

Lodge is suspended, Taylor got outplayed in the single trial, I figure Aitken is more likely to play 2nd row even though we've got plenty of backrowers and a bit of a potential issue at right centre. I lean Jazz > Siro on the bench if we're light in the middle (no Tohu, no Lodge).

 

[Meth]

What are our options at FB? DWZ?

 

[jaseg]

What are our options at FB? DWZ?

DWZ, Berry, Nikorima, one of the young train & trial guys (if any make the 30 - Trai Fuller I assume was either injured or let go, given he wasn't named for either trial, so Adam Cook or Jayden Corrigan).

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Round 1. How are we looking? No Walsh. No Harris.

Are we expecting to see Harris-Tavita at fullback?

1- Harris-Tavita
2- Watene-Zelezniak
3- Berry
4- Aitken
5- Montoya
6- Taylor
7- Johnson
8- Fonua-Blake
9- Egan
10- Lodge
11- Sironen
12- Katoa
13- Curran

Res- Pene, Afoa, Murdoch-Masila, Otukolo

No lucky with applying the Latrell Mitchell case to get Walsh off.
Or standard NRL double standards?
Oh it was 2 game suspension, so we see him in round 2.
DWZ to fullback, put the young Junior Ratuva on the wing.

 

[Benek]

I would personally put DWZ at fullback but it sounds like coach is going to try CHT. Seems like a weird choice but I'm sure there's a good reason.

Is the reason for keeping Aitken at back row because he can't pass well enough to be a centre? We have enough backrowers already. I feel he's better used paired with Berry at centres.

Who pairs with SJ is a tough call. I'd like to see CHT finally shine in that spot because I like his upside of hard-hitting defence that Niko or Taylor will never have. This needs to be the year one of these guys finally steps up. I'm getting tired of them all being not quite good enough. Hopefully the competition of having depth in the spot will kick someone into gear and make a great pairing with SJ. We also have to remember that SJ will probably be injured half the year so we need our other options to step up regardless.

 

[Sanchez]

Im pretty sure i saw an article where 'they' admitted Egan cant play 80mins every week (duh). Id rather start Tevaga at hooker and bring Egan on 1st change at the 20~min mark for a forward to then play out the game. Seems much more effiecient than an off/on type change. Also means the service out of dummy half isnt shit when attack is trying to expand later in the game

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Im pretty sure i saw an article where 'they' admitted Egan cant play 80mins every week (duh). Id rather start Tevaga at hooker and bring Egan on 1st change at the 20~min mark for a forward to then play out the game. Seems much more effiecient than an off/on type change. Also means the service out of dummy half isnt shit when attack is trying to expand later in the game

That’s actually not a bad idea. And Jazz has a big motor so he doesn’t have to come off, Egan can come on for a backrower (say, Katoa) with Jazz moving back to lock.

 

[Rich102]

So the feeling is we play Jazz in two positions he is not good at?
Why not solve the problem by playing Otukolo there for half a game? A specialist hooker.

 

[Sanchez]

So the feeling is we play Jazz in two positions he is not good at?
Why not solve the problem by playing Otukolo there for half a game? A specialist hooker.

Dont think teams in 2022 want to carry 2 specialist hookers if you can avoid it

 

[Izz]

No Tevaga anywhere, please

 

[SpaceMonkey]

So the feeling is we play Jazz in two positions he is not good at?
Why not solve the problem by playing Otukolo there for half a game? A specialist hooker.

I’d move him to lock after the softening up period. He’s good there. As already mentioned two specialist hookers is probably a luxury we can’t afford. The concussion rules have basically killed off specialist reserves, you need to carry four players who are all expected to play significant minutes and can cover multiple positions.

 

[Sanchez]

I’d move him to lock after the softening up period. He’s good there. As already mentioned two specialist hookers is probably a luxury we can’t afford. The concussion rules have basically killed off specialist reserves, you need to carry four players who are all expected to play significant minutes and can cover multiple positions.

One positive from Aitken playing 2nd row is not having the coach be tempted to carry a back on the bench who never sees the field

 

[Leber]

Why not Harris?

I'd go..

1 DWZ
2 Ratuva
3 Pompey/Arthars
4 Berry
5 Montoya
6 Taylor
7 Johnson
8 AFB
9 Egan
10 Frei
11 Aitken
12 Katoa
13 Curran

14 Nikorima
15 BMM
16 Pene
17 Afoa

Big fat no to CHT at 1. Thats just dumb.

And geeze, we need a good centre.

 

[Leber]

Lets swap jazz with Dylan Walker so we can have him now.

 

[Benek]

Why not Harris?

Injured

And geeze, we need a good centre.

Aitken is a pretty decent one if he's not stuck in back row. Walker will be a good one next year.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

One positive from Aitken playing 2nd row is not having the coach be tempted to carry a back on the bench who never sees the field

It’s likely the very reason he’s there.