Team v Sharks

[MKEB...]

Tomkins is the best fullback we have, and the best organiser from the back. Tui is a better defender in the line. It's the right call. Tomkins can be a playmaker from back there anyway.

And Fish is not a FG footballer, I'm sorry...he's not. He's got pace and bugger all else. Not safe under the high ball, defensively weak etc etc.

I'm actually still confused that people think we're an automatic right-off for the finals now SJ is gone. Our draw is actually pretty good - at a guess we'll start favourites in 4 or 5 of them. Sharks/Dragons/Cowboys home and Dogs/Panthers/Tigers away. The Cows home and Dogs away we might be second-favourite but the rest we should really be looking at winning. And 4 out of 6 will get us there you'd think.

But knowing our luck, we'll strike the Cowboys straight after them getting stripped of points or a huge fine.

 

[Izz]

How many players have we used this season? Just wondering if second-tier cap restrictions might be in play as well.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

But knowing our luck, we'll strike the Cowboys straight after them getting stripped of points or a huge fine.

Think that one is destined to blow over but yeah...I can still remember the rage I had in 2010 watching an illegally-built team that was actually able to take the field, let alone to create this bullshit siege mentality. Sure a lot of us felt the same way. Completely horse-shit timing, given they completely petered out about 2 weeks later and we were a finals side that got humped 44-0 or something and finished 2 points outside the top 4. Then they came to Auckland and our crowd booed them loudly (and we beat them) - that made me proud.

Think Micheal Luck was captain that week and he was visibly spitting tacks too but couldn't say anything. But I digress. Cheating Storm pricks. Back to team discussion.

 

[TheDMC]

Tomkins is the best fullback we have, and the best organiser from the back. Tui is a better defender in the line. It's the right call. Tomkins can be a playmaker from back there anyway.

And Fish is not a FG footballer, I'm sorry...he's not. He's got pace and bugger all else. Not safe under the high ball, defensively weak etc etc.

I'm actually still confused that people think we're an automatic right-off for the finals now SJ is gone. Our draw is actually pretty good - at a guess we'll start favourites in 4 or 5 of them. Sharks/Dragons/Cowboys home and Dogs/Panthers/Tigers away. The Cows home and Dogs away we might be second-favourite but the rest we should really be looking at winning. And 4 out of 6 will get us there you'd think.

Recent history..crunch matches back end of season we drop our marbles...spill lollies

 

[vvvrulz]

And Fish is not a FG footballer, I'm sorry...he's not. He's got pace and bugger all else. Not safe under the high ball, defensively weak etc etc..

Thought Fish was coming right slowly, disappointed to see him go flat against Manly

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Thought Fish was coming right slowly, disappointed to see him go flat against Manly

Fish irritates the shit out of me.

I say we cut him loose.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Whats ballsy about picking Havilli and Ika. Id label those as dumb selections when better prospects/options are avaliable. Whats ballsy about replacing Fish, who was absolute rubbish last week?

He made a couple of obvious albeit correct decisions in picking Maumolo and Matulino in 2nd row then just shuffled the deck for the rest of it and came with basically the same losers who are being carried

Why not Bhana or Palavi, guys who havent had a shot this year, giving them a chance to resurrect their FG chances over a guy who has all but signed to leave in Ika

Why not one of the young spine players on the bench instead of Havilli who clearly has no faith from the coaches

Even Upu Poching would of been a ballsy pick as an attempt to generate some impact

Those would be ballsy selections

this team already has so many rookies in it, what would be the point of bringing in more when we still have a shot at making finals (albeit a long shot).

We have Kata, Maumalo, RFM, lolohea, Lisone, Vete who are pretty much first year rookies, adding more into the mix won't help anything IMO.

Think Bodene will be an underrated loss

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Fish irritates the shit out of me.

I say we cut him loose.

He signed a four-year or three at least deal last year right?

No doubt he's a talented player but to me he's the sort of guy who makes 30-10 become 40-10, not help 8-12 become 14-12. Not a strong carrier, not a dedicated defender, and even if he is a better fullback that position isn't available. Cappy obviously realised he wasn't up to it, dropping him after one game for a guy that was fit but not selected last week.

But he's worth keeping on as RTS' deputy, unless we get someone else for him.

And I agree with Fufu, I wouldn't want to see rookies at this stage of the year. We have a side that can win all six games remaining if they're good enough.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

he signed a 5 year deal
and he is back in negotiations with the club

 

[Rich102]

he signed a 5 year deal
and he is back in negotiations with the club

Hopefully not for a lifetime contract. Brings back nightmares about JRo.

 

[ozbash]

Oi !!

The Fish seems a bit frail to me..

 

[Penrose Warrior]

he signed a 5 year deal
and he is back in negotiations with the club

Looks like a four-year deal that ends this year (or four-year extension that was 5 overall, not sure)

I wouldn't be tying up too much cap in him, I'm sure there's Australian-based sides who will offer more for a finisher.

 

[JJ]

Wright's more useful tbh

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Tomkins is the best fullback we have, and the best organiser from the back. Tui is a better defender in the line. It's the right call. Tomkins can be a playmaker from back there anyway.

And Fish is not a FG footballer, I'm sorry...he's not. He's got pace and bugger all else. Not safe under the high ball, defensively weak etc etc.

I'm actually still confused that people think we're an automatic right-off for the finals now SJ is gone. Our draw is actually pretty good - at a guess we'll start favourites in 4 or 5 of them. Sharks/Dragons/Cowboys home and Dogs/Panthers/Tigers away. The Cows home and Dogs away we might be second-favourite but the rest we should really be looking at winning. And 4 out of 6 will get us there you'd think.

Not to mention the fact that Tomkins won't be here next year and Tui will, so why not play Tui where he's going to benefit from the experience the most? We've got a new gun fullback for next year, so we might as well keep using our departing gun fullback there til he arrives.