Team vs Bulldogs

[Caged Panther]

NRL
1. Rhys Wesser, 2. Lee Hookey, 3. Danny Galea, 4. Luke Lewis, 5. Nick Youngquest, 6. Preston Campbell, 7. Craig Gower, 8. Joel Clinton, 9. Luke Priddis, 10. Craig Stapleton, 11. Matthew Cross, 12. Tony Puletua (c), 13. Shane Rodney. Interchange: 14. Frank Puletua, 15. Bryan Norrie, 16. Luke Swain, 17. Mark O'Halloran

(Brett Howland, Luke Rooney, Trent Waterhouse and Frank Pritchard are not available due to injury)

Other teams will be up later


Wow. Got to say their are quite a few surprises, particularly positionally in the foward pack. Matthew cross in the 2nd row? Though these seem to be forced by injury more than anything. Bench is lacking impact IMO.

The bulldogs side

The full team is:

1. Luke Patten
2. Hazem El Masri
3. Reni Matua
4. Willie Tonga
5. Matt Utai
6. Daniel Holdsworth
7. Brent Sherwin
8. Chris Armit
9. Corey Hughes
10. Roy Asotasi
11. Willie Mason
12. Andrew Ryan (C)
13. Tony Grimaldi

Interchange:
14. Adam Perry
15. Mark O'Meley
16. Nate Myles
17. Andrew Emilio

 

[Munky]

Frank Puletua gives us plenty of impact.

Rodney is at lock and lets hope he stays there for the season.

 

[Big Mick]

Bulldogs by 24

They'll run all over our backs. Reni, Tonga and Utai are going to have field days

 

[Caged Panther]

Bulldogs by 24

They'll run all over our backs. Reni, Tonga and Utai are going to have field days

It's always hard to say at the beginning of the season how things might pan out but my gut instinct tells me the bulldogs will win.

But then again we are the Panthers and it is the first round...if things do go bad I'll just remind myself of the first round nightmare at Parra stadium back in 2002. :lol: :lol:

 

[Schijt hoofd]

I don't think Utai will be playing,and the Dogs may take a while to shine in the halves.I think it will be 1-12 either way.

 

[choc_soldier]

Breaking our first round hoodoo looks like a tough task this year.

But I have faith.

Panthers by 7.

 

[An41]

Danny Galea is still there, what a joke

 

[Schijt hoofd]

Danny Galea is still there, what a joke

Funny how you criticise without offering an alternative.:roll:

I think Galea is a much better player then what some people suggest.I would hardly blame him for our lack of success last season.

 

[Caged Panther]

wasn't impressed with what he did most of last year but it is a new season

 

[choc_soldier]

Still think that Galea is a better option off the bench... but he has experience in the centres, and can do the job.

 

[An41]

Funny how you criticise without offering an alternative.:roll:

I think Galea is a much better player then what some people suggest.I would hardly blame him for our lack of success last season.

You want an alternative its pretty f**ken simple, we go out and spend money on a centre and we put him on the bench. what is he going to do on the bench? the same thing that whatuira had to do, come one for 20 mins a game?, we needed new centres yet we still use the same ones. Hopefully Galea proves me wrong

 

[Bob]

Personally I don't have a problem with Galea in the centres. I think he started to find his feet in the right centre position late last season. The player I am disappointed to see in the line up is Luke Swain. Swain offers nothing in attack and his defence last year was woeful. I think he can be very thankful House and Franky are injured or he would be wearing the Cougars jersey.

 

[Kilkenny]

Its Round 1. Hardly the time to start bagging certain individuals and being critical of team selections.

J.L. has picked what he believes is his best available 17 so thats good enough for me.

Get behind the boys, get out to Telstra and hopefully come away with two points.

Personally if we can be sitting on say 8 points leading into our first home game I will be more than satisfied.

 

[Caged Panther]

actually I think it's more likely Norrie would find himself there. Not saying thats right but its the way I think it would be.

 

[Leigh RLFC]

Pass on our best wishes to Craig Stapleton from all Leythers over in sunny England. Craig played for Leigh in SL last year and is one of only a few who could hold his head up high. He never gave less than 100% and played 60-70 mins a game.
Hope you settled well Craig and that we see you back in 2007/8.

 

[BIGMAC]

You want an alternative its pretty f**ken simple, we go out and spend money on a centre and we put him on the bench. what is he going to do on the bench? the same thing that whatuira had to do, come one for 20 mins a game?, we needed new centres yet we still use the same ones. Hopefully Galea proves me wrong

I am pretty sure that injuries to rooney and howland are the reason for galea being in the centres , if either of those two were available than i think hookey would be playing centre and not galea.
In saying that i would have had o'halloran in the centres and galea on the bench.

 

[The Rhino]

Struth, here we go again and the season hasn't even started!!! Give the guy a break, fair dinkum thank god youse aren't the coach or we would end up like Parra, NOT HAVING A CLUE who is playing until 20 minutes after they ran on the field!!!

 

[cainen]

I am pretty sure that injuries to rooney and howland are the reason for galea being in the centres , if either of those two were available than i think hookey would be playing centre and not galea.
In saying that i would have had o'halloran in the centres and galea on the bench.

I'm not so sure. I think the centre spot is Galea's.

 

[RB30DETT]

It is round 1, anything can and will happen!

 

[Kilkenny]

Danny Galea is picked in the centre position because in the opinion of the coach he is the best option. Who are we to disagree with the assessment of John Lang.

It so happens, rightly or wrongly that JL has a very high opinion of Danny Galea and he is the best person to judge the respective abilities of the players.

Danny Galea may not be the equal in attacking ability of say a Mark Gasnier, Brent Tate or Jamie Lyon but give the kid a break. In my humble opinion he is at at least the equal of most other centres other than the abovementioned and a few others.