Team v Eels. Change a winning team or not

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

RTS
Maumalo
Ayshford
Fusitua
CNK
Foran
Johnson

Lillyman
Luke
Vete/Gubb
Hoffman
Afoa
Mannering

Hingano/Roache
Lisone
Gavet
Sao

Kata needs a spell i reckon and to learn how to pass

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I'd rather push Kata to the wing and drop Maumalo though I doubt it'll happen. Maumalo is only ever one game away from getting badly exposed on the wing and his side is where scoring opportunities go to die, stick Kata there outside a centre who feeds him and he'll likely score a few, plus he'll come looking for work anyway. Sure he's short which is a risk in the air but Maumalo has rubbish hands and refuses to contest high balls anyway. How far away is Manu?

Other than that, Roache for Hingano for utility, Afoa in for Thompson is a no brainer. The Props all keep their spots, though at some point would like an in form Vete back, and Sipley would be good to see too. What's the latest on Mutts?

 

[Benek]

Not that I agree with it, but I'd be surprised to see many changes after that second half performance. The obvious change would be a drop Ata off the bench (if Foran is 100%) for a more general utility player like Roach?

As much as he needs it, can't see Kata getting dropped as we don't have anyone better to come in for him. And SK seems to have man-love for Maumalo so I don't see him going anywhere either.

I'm expecting a near identical team named.

 

[jaseg]

Bunty or Sipley for Bodene (injury + form, Bunty is like-for-like or if it's Sipley then Simon plays wide for 80).

Roache for Hingano as long as Foran isn't shaky (Hingano makes sense with Foran concerns, but he's not a bench utility otherwise).

CNK close again but not quite this week, short of an injury. Ken & Kata both close to the chop, though. I'd name CNK in the initial 21 to indicate to him + others how close he is to taking somebody's spot.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I'd rather push Kata to the wing and drop Maumalo though I doubt it'll happen. Maumalo is only ever one game away from getting badly exposed on the wing and his side is where scoring opportunities go to die, stick Kata there outside a centre who feeds him and he'll likely score a few, plus he'll come looking for work anyway. Sure he's short which is a risk in the air but Maumalo has rubbish hands and refuses to contest high balls anyway. How far away is Manu?

Other than that, Roache for Hingano for utility, Afoa in for Thompson is a no brainer. The Props all keep their spots, though at some point would like an in form Vete back, and Sipley would be good to see too. What's the latest on Mutts?

Round 10

 

[SpaceMonkey]

if it's Sipley then Simon plays wide for 80

I like that idea on attack, I think it's where Simon is most effective. Probably works defensively too as Simon is the master of the one/on one ball and all stop which is more crucial the wider you go.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Round 10

Bugger. NRL casualty ward says 6 but they're useless, don't even mention Manu's status. Any idea there?

 

[Scorpio30]

CNK looks like he has a good frame...One more pre-season and he will be solid as. Looks quick enough too and with some footy smarts. (from admittingly seeing one game LOL)

 

[SpaceMonkey]

CNK looks like he has a good frame...One more pre-season and he will be solid as. Looks quick enough too and with some footy smarts. (from admittingly seeing one game LOL)

How old is he now? Generally I don't mind chucking wingers in fairly young, plenty of other sides pull it off.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Bugger. NRL casualty ward says 6 but they're useless, don't even mention Manu's status. Any idea there?

Just had a cartiledge cleanout of thursday i think it was so maybe 4-6

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Just had a cartiledge cleanout of thursday i think it was so maybe 4-6

Ah ok. Had one of them myself years back, Definitely takes a few weeks to get back to normal though nowhere in the ballpark of tendon/ligament or rotator cuff surgery (all of which are month, not weeks, recovering from the latter now)

 

[Meth]

Kata is out of form (+ I think he should be a winger. Glad to see some support for that idea). Maumalo isn't horribly out of form, but he just isn't a winger. Manu is injured. Lolohea is out of form. Allwood is Allwood. We could take a punt on Nicoll-Klokstad or Pauga. I'm not so sure I am keen. So, for me...

1- Tuivasa-Sheck
2- Fusitua
3- Ayshford
4- Kata
5- Maumalo
6- Foran
7- Johnson
8- Gavet
9- Luke
10- Lillyman
11- Afoa
12- Hoffman
13- Mannering

Res- Lisone, Gubb, Sao....

The last bench spot is an interesting one. Tevaga was playing in the second row on the weekend and we don't need another one in FG right now + I thought he had a bit of a mixed back on the weekend.

Hooker and halves cover is important, especially when Foran is a bit injured. But I am not sure Hingano sitting on the bench for 80 minutes is good for anyone and with Foran playing the way that he did, you want him doing so for 80 (same goes for Luke).

I really liked Sam Cook's game on the weekend. Lino played well too.

Then there's Roache. I'll go for him, because he can cover centre and wing...if Kata or Maumalo are stinking it up, then he can offer something there.

 

[Meth]

I would be ok with dropping Maumalo but would rather do it for Vatuvei's return. Otherwise I could see it being for a game.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I would be ok with dropping Maumalo but would rather do it for Vatuvei's return. Otherwise I could see it being for a game.

Theres no point in punitively dropping him for performance reasons, he's performing to the best of his abilities, but he just doesn't offer what we need there. So yeah it will probably be for Manu when he's back, or CNK.

 

[Meth]

Yeah I think if SK drops him now and throws a rookie in the deep end it will be ammunition for persisting with him as a winger.

 

[vvvrulz]

We dump Maumalo for literally any winger we have around and I'd say we're full strength.

I hope like hell Tui doesn't somehow worm his way onto the bench.

 

[Meth]

We dump Maumalo for literally any winger we have around and I'd say we're full strength.

I hope like hell Tui doesn't somehow worm his way onto the bench.

Well, he is one of the wingers we have around. Literally

 

[vvvrulz]

Well, he is one of the wingers we have around. Literally

He's not a winger, he's just a big guy we shoved out there and called Manu

 

[SpaceMonkey]

And Halligan & co can call him mini beast as often as they want to but it won't make him so

 

[Meth]

He's not a winger, he's just a big guy we shoved out there and called Manu

I was talking about Lolohea.