Team V Storm 5 Day Turn Around

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Huge ask especially when some of our key troops went down. Hope Mannering pulls up ok, Luke looks like hes done for a month or 2. I wouldnt pick rookies eg Clark to play i would give the 9 to Jazz hoping he can play 80 cos i dont want Bodene anywhere near dummy half.
My team presuming no Mannering and Luke

1 RTS
2 Lolohea
3 Fusitua
4 Kata
5 Maumalo
6 Hingano
7 Johnson

8 Vete
9 Tavenga
10 Gubb
11 Afoa
12 Hoffman
13 Thompson

14 Lillyman
15 Lisone - No idiot plays please
16 Sipley
17 Papailli/Gavet/Bell

Very thin in the forwards.
I didnt watch reserves. How did Manu go

 

[Fufu Andronez]

I would be absolutely shocked if Manu doesn't come in.

As long as he got throuigh the full 80 in reserves then put him in. At least he will compete and not let a bomb hit him in the arse

 

[Diesel]

I'd have the same teambit swap Allwood for Maumalo. All wood played well in ISP and Ken cost us a lot. He struggles under a high ball

 

[JJ]

15 Lisone - No idiot plays please

LOL yeah right

 

[Benek]

Yeah for me the first selection change is dropping Maumalo. Whether that means Manu, Ayshford, and Allwood come in. I'd prefer a straight swap with Manu if he's fit.

If Luke is gone, definitely Jazz. Agree we don't want Bodene at #9.

I would love it if Mannering is cleared to play. We need him so much against the storm. If he and Luke are both out I can't see us having a chance to win.

 

[Scott]

Is Jazz fit. I noticed he wasn't named in any squad for R1.

Perfect time to play Storm imo. No Slater, Harris or J.Bromwich.
If Maumalo is still on the wing I fear Vunivalu will finish his NRL career!

I expect Kearney will probably name the same 21 man squad perhaps with Manu in place of Lino.

 

[Penrose_11]

I felt we were scratchy at best on out D and with the mid game injury to Luke, our bench selections were way off.

I'd go Ayshford at centre and Fus to Mamalo's wing.

We need bench cover at hooker, so if Luke is out, Tevaga would likely come in and backup hooker/ half to the bench. I've not seen Clarke play but maybe Lino could be bench cover for Tevaga. Give him a 10 minute spell either side of halftime and be told to tackle like a demon, make 1-2 runs from dummy half and mAybe kick us a 40/20. Sounds easy enough from my cheap seats???

 

[Scott]

Fusitua MUST stay at right centre all season. Talk of putting him the left wing is nuts.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Fusitua MUST stay at right centre all season. Talk of putting him the left wing is nuts.

I wouldn't mind him at right wing with Ayshford at centre. Manu takes the left.

For me:

1: RTS
2: Lolohea
3: Fusitua
4: Kata
5: Vatuvei
6: Hingano
7: Johnson
8: Vete
9: Tevaga/Clark
10: Gubb
11: Afoa
12: Hoffman
13: Mannering/Thompson

14: Lilyman
15: Thompson/Lisone
16: Sipley
17: Ayshford

 

[Meth]

Not entirely sure what's happening with Tevaga.

A Luke injury is very problematic.

 

[Meth]

Fusitua MUST stay at right centre all season. Talk of putting him the left wing is nuts.

To be fair, Fusitua plays well on the wing...and Lolohea is questionable....so it's not that nuts.

 

[Meth]

I think there's merit to Kata or Fusitua on the wing; tbh, I've always flirted with the idea of Kata on the wing, seeing as he is effectively the winger when he gets the ball anyway. If we wanted a centre who could set up his outside man (Ayshford) and we needed a guy with a bit of versatility on the bench with Luke gone (Lolohea), then why not...

2- Kata
3- Fusitua
4- Ayshford
5- Vatuvei

14- Lolohea

 

[Penrose_11]

And with Tevaga not expected to be an 80 min player, Lolohea won't come on with just 3 minutes to play and be expected to pull rabbits from hats!!

I'm definately a fan of Ayshford playing centre and helping fix that D. With Mannering likely not there this Friday, even more importance on having solid defenders in the team.

Still surprised that Gubb is even getting a look in though. Sipley, Gavet etc ahead of him in my books, let alone him starting ahead of Liliman

 

[Meth]

The other to put Lolohea on the bench (and probably the more likely one) is:

2- Fusitua
3- Ayshford
4- Kata
5- Vatuvei

And even more likely

2- Maumalo
3- Ayshford
4- Kata
5- Fusitua

 

[Meth]

Gubb played ok. I don't see him offering anything that Gavet wouldn't and I'm not really a big fan of Gavet either.

Sipley still seems to me to be a impact prop that you can play with an 80 minute hooker.

 

[jaseg]

Assuming Tevaga is back and Luke/Mannering are both out with no other enforced changes;

RTS
Lolohea (you've made your call on this right edge, give it a little time)
Fusitua
Kata
Manu (easiest change to make)
Hingano
Johnson
Vete
Tevaga
Lillyman
Bunty
Hoffman
Lisone

Clark (Bodene is not sufficient DH cover, Tevaga I don't think has ever played an NRL 80 and is coming back from injury... and Clark was great in the last trial)
Sipley
Gubb/Gavet (who trains best through the week. Papalii didn't look up to speed at all so NSW cup it is)
Bodene


Can't see the point in Lolohea on the bench when we don't have a DH I'm confident of getting through close to 80 minutes... I don't see him as a DH option, nor do I see any of 2-6 as DH options. A good utility needs to be able to cover either the forwards or hooker in addition to some of the backline positions.

 

[vvvrulz]

It just feels like they want Maumalo in the mix, and are willing to forego his abysmal wing play with those hitups. I was shocked Kearney wanted him in.

It's scary if we lose Mannering and Luke right off the bat, for too huge a dent in experience and organisation even when Foran is in. It's already clueless enough out there.

 

[Meth]

I think Lolohea played well enough to keep his spot on the weekend.

 

[Meth]

But obviously, if you want Ayshford AND Vatuvei, you need to figure out what to with Lolohea.

 

[Meth]

I know there's merit to Ayshford playing off the bench (especially if there's no Mannering), but that becomes harder without Luke.