Team v Titans

[Izz]

Ayshford is injured

 

[vvvrulz]

Kearney doesn't like Ayshford. He's not done NO WHERE near enough errors as both Kata and Ken and hes not even in the team despite having a good combo with Fusitua. Fusitua mustve been missing Aysh when Hiku was put into a hole and instead of drawing the fullback and putting an unmarked Fusitua away, Hiku threw the dummy and in the end realised HE was the dummy.

Yeah that Hiku moment was just wtf.

We've recruited really well generally it seems but Hiku and Blair concern me.

 

[Blair]

Kearney doesn't like Ayshford. He's not done NO WHERE near enough errors as both Kata and Ken and hes not even in the team despite having a good combo with Fusitua. Fusitua mustve been missing Aysh when Hiku was put into a hole and instead of drawing the fullback and putting an unmarked Fusitua away, Hiku threw the dummy and in the end realised HE was the dummy.

It didn't lose us the game but it will be harder to take if it does.

Let's give Hiku a pass, so to speak. He's played with Penrith, Manly and Warrington, and has won the Four Nations with the Kiwis. Surely he's not going to be a consistent dummy.

 

[Scott]

Mannering comes in when fit.

Same team for the Titans game.

Just thinking about the #14. With the way the HIA rule is these days, you almost have to have a spare player with utility value just incase someone is ruled out. Cook fits the criteria at the moment. He could easily play in the halves, outside backs & at hooker. It's almost a 16 man game these days with that 1 player in the just-in-case role.

 

[Scott]

Yeah that Hiku moment was just wtf.

We've recruited really well generally it seems but Hiku and Blair concern me.

I wonder if people actually watch the game sometimes.
Robert Jennings put himself in the perfect position, in between Hiku & Fus. Hiku made the right decision to hang onto it. It was Tackle 1 as well.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Mannering comes in when fit.

Same team for the Titans game.

Just thinking about the #14. With the way the HIA rule is these days, you almost have to have a spare player with utility value just incase someone is ruled out. Cook fits the criteria at the moment. He could easily play in the halves, outside backs & at hooker. It's almost a 16 man game these days with that 1 player in the just-in-case role.

Its pretty much the norm where your 14 is a utility half, back or both. Its rare to have an all fowards bench.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I wonder if people actually watch the game sometimes.
Robert Jennings put himself in the perfect position, in between Hiku & Fus. Hiku made the right decision to hang onto it. It was Tackle 1 as well.

You should let Hiku know that because if you watch his reaction after he played the ball, he was gutted. He even put his hand up to Fus to say 'my bad' I apologise.

Fair point about tackle one though. Safety first.

 

[Scott]

You should let Hiku know that because if you watch his reaction after he played the ball, he was gutted. He even put his hand up to Fus to say 'my bad' I apologise.

Fair point about tackle one though. Safety first.

Hiku may not have seen Jennings at all - but he was in a good enough position to make sure that the ball didn't get to Fus.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Heaps pleased for Sam Cook but id still bring in Tevaga to play the reserve 9/13 role. Hes all heart and hustle and bustle. Not taking nothing away from from Cook but Tevaga id go with

As far as Kata goes. Nope he can just f**k off. RTS try saver of the year came about becos this mong ran out of the line as usual creating that overlap. Hes just gotta piss off. Id have Ayshford or Gelling come in. They would be marking Hurrell who always lifts against us

 

[JJ]

Ayshford is the Warriors best centre - I guess I can understand why Kearney doesn't want that to be the truth... but pretending it's not isn't helpful

 

[Scott]

I thought Ayshford was injured...

 

[JJ]

I thought Ayshford was injured...

Think he is, but I was commenting more generally - I don't think Kearney will pick him until there's no alternative - but if he's got the same man-love for Hiku as he does for Kata, Ayshford will never make the team

 

[jaseg]

Hiku is a winger tbh... I've seen him make too many bad decisions with ball in hand to trust him elsewhere. Good player otherwise, although his tackling....

I get why he's playing centre until Beale & Ayshford are available though - first one back replaces Kata, next Ken with Hiku to the wing (unless he's outplaying Hiku at the time, unlikely but possible).

Of course we have so many edge forwards I'd also be tempted to stick one of them into the centres as a holdover until Beale/Aysh are fit (Mannering, probably - Tohu is too big and valuable to move wider if Simon is available) - even Blair and Pulu could move into the 2nd row (their best position imo) to accomodate Paasi/Satae if we really wanted. Just to make sure Kata doesn't make the team again any time soon.

 

[JJ]

Hiku is a winger tbh... I've seen him make too many bad decisions with ball in hand to trust him elsewhere. Good player otherwise, although his tackling....

I get why he's playing centre until Beale & Ayshford are available though - first one back replaces Kata, next Ken with Hiku to the wing (unless he's outplaying Hiku at the time, unlikely but possible).

n.

Agree 100% that's what should happen - but just about as certain it won't

Think the Sharks limited Beale at centre too, Ayshford ain't good but I still think he's the best centre at the joint at the moment... but centre seems to be the lost position at the moment - seems that many teams are filled with utilities, or fullbacks playing centre

 

[jaseg]

Agree 100% that's what should happen - but just about as certain it won't

Think the Sharks limited Beale at centre too, Ayshford ain't good but I still think he's the best centre at the joint at the moment... but centre seems to be the lost position at the moment - seems that many teams are filled with utilities, or fullbacks playing centre

Yeah, it's a weird one across the NRL for the most part. We're not doing anything to address it either though - CNK should've been playing centre in ISP to challenge for a spot too... but nope (he's probably best as a centre long term I think anyway tbh...). Still very limited connected thinking across the club.

Aysh I agree is the best centre at the club, not a high standard but he's fine. Annoying but yeah, Kearney isn't dumping the dead weight any time soon

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Fus was supposed to be a centre as well, but they seem to have settled on him as a wing because of his finishing ability which is fair enough as he’s awesome in the corners.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yeah I can see Kearney DEMOTING Fus like that. Kearney put him in at centre last year and it took away from us Fusituas finishing.

That’s hardly a demotion- most people would consider center a more important position, it’s certainly a tougher one.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

That’s hardly a demotion- most people would consider center a more important position, it’s certainly a tougher one.

In 2016 Fusitua was flying high as a wing/fullback. 2017, Kearney came along and tried to mould him into a centre. An experiment that he stuck with for awhile even though it was becoming apparent that Fus wasn't going to well there.

I think wing brings out the best of Fusitua, the best moments from him are on the wing and not from centre. We can only go to the air with Fus, he's the only one that can score those dive tries in the corner. Last year we saw him lose all that at centre and thats a step down for me.

 

[jaseg]

Fus is a top class winger, and a barely average centre.

Even taking into account positional value, it's an easy choice.

 

[Mighty Ape Man]

I'd consider bringing in paasi for pulu maybe but that's only Coz I wanna see paasi play, it's nothing against pulu

Yeah I wanna see Paasi. Not sure if in for Pulu though. Looks like Cook may not get much game time so maybe Paasi for Cook on the bench? Not sure if we can carry someone on the bench every game if Kearney's not really gonna use 'em.