Team v Raiders

[Meth]

Leaving Wheeled Warrior’s weird and spurious claims of intimacy with Andrew Webster’s mind aside, there is an issue of potentially cutting off our nose to spite our face. We all agree that we were overly reliant on AFB as a prop and we were short at least one great prop in the rotation. However, shifting Barnett and Niukore to the middle now leaves us skimp on the edges, doesn’t it? While players like them can move across to do a shift in the second row and Ford and Capewell can both play big minutes, we’re essentially left with Ford, Capewell and some young, promising, but raw players coming through.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Leaving Wheeled Warrior’s weird and spurious claims of intimacy with Andrew Webster’s mind aside, there is an issue of potentially cutting off our nose to spite our face. We all agree that we were overly reliant on AFB as a prop and we were short at least one great prop in the rotation. However, shifting Barnett and Niukore to the middle now leaves us skimp on the edges, doesn’t it? While players like them can move across to do a shift in the second row and Ford and Capewell can both play big minutes, we’re essentially left with Ford, Capewell and some young, promising, but raw players coming through.

Yep totally agree on that and I've argued the same till I'm blue in the face whenever it comes up at the pub lol...

I was disappointed when Barnett shifted to the middle because I really rate him as an edge player but with Capewell joining, I'm less down on that now.

But Niukore, Capewell and Harris are all rep quality backrowers, and they could all fit in on their customary sides too which is key for building edge combinations. If Webby did that, IMO we'd have one of the best backrow units in the comp. By shifting players around to fix a problem elsewhere we've weakened what could be a massive strength for us.

By the time Marata comes back Webby may have re-thought things, but if not, I hope the trade-off works out.

 

[Meth]

I've wondered about Harris moving back onto the edge, but he just seems so key to our attack where he is.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I've wondered about Harris moving back onto the edge, but he just seems so key to our attack where he is.

My bad... I wasn't suggesting Harris move. Absolutely leave him where he is. Agree he plays such a key role as link man in the middle.

When I said players fitting on their normal sides I meant Capewell back to his usual left edge (rather than right where he's been moved to accommodate Ford), and Niukore starting on his usual right edge where he's been a weapon for both Parra and the Kiwis, and where he built such a good combination with Berry and DWZ last year.

Developing new edge combinations was always going to be needed when Capewell and RTS signed, but for whatever reason, Webby's decided to rebuild both at the same time.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Is it just me or did WW's posts start to become more and more ChatGPT-ish as this discussion went on

 

[Meth]

My bad... I wasn't suggesting Harris move. Absolutely leave him where he is. Agree he plays such a key role as link man in the middle.

No, I know. That was me toying with Harris moving back onto the edge.

 

[Meth]

When I said players fitting on their normal sides I meant Capewell back to his usual left edge (rather than right where he's been moved to accommodate Ford), and Niukore starting on his usual right edge where he's been a weapon for both Parra and the Kiwis, and where he built such a good combination with Berry and DWZ last year.

I'd love that, if we're determined to keep Barnett in the middle.

 

[Meth]

Is it just me or did WW's posts start to become more and more ChatGPT-ish as this discussion went on

To be fair to ChatGPT, it draws from real, available information, not its own spurious reckons.

 

[Izz]

Is it just me or did WW's posts start to become more and more ChatGPT-ish as this discussion went on

Hah, was thinking the exact same thing...

 

[Meth]

To me, we can't be committed to keeping both Barnett and Niukore in the middle.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

To me, we can't be committed to keeping both Barnett and Niukore in the middle.

100%. Both came to us as edge players (Niukore on big dollars too) but both are being shifted around because of a problem somewhere else. That's not fixing a problem, that's accommodating it.

Its not like AFB is already gone, we still have him for this season. Take advantage of that by putting a young fella into the prop rotation (fully, not just bit minutes), while we keep looking for a specialist front rower. Hopefully Terrell May or Frank Molo are in Cappy's sights.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

basically, and traditionally, he’s talking shit

You seem to become quite agitated whenever someone disagrees with or challenges your opinion, often resorting to personal attacks when feeling threatened. Developing better interpersonal skills could be beneficial. In contrast, Thatwasnthighref offers constructive criticism without engaging in childish behavior.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

To me, we can't be committed to keeping both Barnett and Niukore in the middle.

In my view, it's logical to persist with Barnett and nurture Niukore in the middle. With an abundance of second-row options, bolstering our front line with experienced players like them is crucial. Considering AFB's departure next year, there's a risk of our lineup appearing thin. I believe some are significantly underestimating this potential shortfall.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Who will step up as the dominant force in our pack next year after AFB's departure? Afoa and Ale don't seem like contenders. Could it fall to Niukore or Barnett? Mau'u, though inexperienced, holds promise and might emerge as a viable option in years to come.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

To me, it's all well and good saying we'd like to move the likes of Barnett, Niukore etc back to the edge, where they are best suited. But we're too short on propping stocks. What would our rotation be if those guys moved to the back row?

Ale hasn't shown enough yet in a couple of seasons, and Bunty - as much as the fans love him 'coming off the back fence' - has played 130+ games yet but doesn't really perform like a veteran.

 

[Meth]

You seem to become quite agitated whenever someone disagrees with or challenges your opinion, often resorting to personal attacks when feeling threatened. Developing better interpersonal skills could be beneficial. In contrast, Thatwasnthighref offers constructive criticism without engaging in childish behavior.

not at all. I simply suspected that you were talking shit, investigated and discovered that you were indeed talking shit.

 

[Meth]

To me, it's all well and good saying we'd like to move the likes of Barnett, Niukore etc back to the edge, where they are best suited. But we're too short on propping stocks. What would our rotation be if those guys moved to the back row?

Ale hasn't shown enough yet in a couple of seasons, and Bunty - as much as the fans love him 'coming off the back fence' - has played 130+ games yet but doesn't really perform like a veteran.

yep, I hear that. Part of the issue is that Afoa and Ale etc simply haven’t progressed to hold up their end. While that’s the case, and we don’t have the players who can step up in their place, there’s going to be challenges in depth somewhere. I understand how important the middle is. I am just questioning whether we have our distribution slightly off if we are positioning both Barnett and Niukore there. Fonua-Blake, Barnett, Niukore, Afoa, Ale, Harris, Tevaga, Walker, all playing the middle. Leaving us with Ford and Capewell on the edge.

 

[Big Marn]

i thought Laban showed up well in patches during the preseason games.
Maybe time to blood him onto the bench in place of one of Afoa/Ale to limit the reason to move Barnett/Niukore out of the propping rotation?

Afoa/Ale barely get any minutes as it is so would we really miss one of them for 2-3 games?

Once Laban has a few games under his belt and is handling the speed of the NRL, he can go back to NSW cup but Webby would have the comfort of knowing he has more depth if needed for the edge forwards.
The main issue i foresee is that Ford and Capewell are both 80minute players so he might not get on the field meaning he isnt really in the interchange plans unless for injury. It would require Webby to give the aforementioned a rest during the game. Would he do that?

 

[Meth]

Webster is likely to play Ford and Capewell for 80 mins, as well as Harris, AFB and, to a lesser extent, Barnett. He plays Walker for impact, Afoa as a stop gap and hasn’t worked out what he is doing with Ale yet.

 

[Izz]

Ale probably needs a game in reggies soon where he plays 50-60 minutes just to give him some match fitness. Maybe also worth thinking about blooding Maiu'u once he's had a game or two back from suspension, game on game off with Ale?