The Bench

[Glenneel]

With our starting team pretty well sorted before the season starts virtually the only contentious issue is who will be on the bench, the only other issue is who will be our edge forwards. I expect our edges will be Matterson and Papalli so our bench will be:
Rein - believe we need backup for Mahoney and for him to come on 10 mins before and after halftime.
Lane - can cover edge or middle is a dynamic runner with good ball skills. Best used in shorter bursts as has a propensity to become lazy in defence if on for full 80. Best used 15-20 mins either side of halftime.
Cartwright - he is our X factor player, a player with silky skills, able to get passes away in impossible situations. Used to overplay his hand fairly often but the coaches appear to have calmed him down in that regard. Is a must imo to be on the bench as able to break open resolute defences with his silky skills.
Niukore - a hard running middle or edge player who unfortunately visits the judiciary far too often and is suspended for the opening round. In his place I think Greig will get the nod over Kaufusi.
So what are your choices?

 

[the phantom menace]

Agree Matterson and Papali'i should be the starting edge forwards.

Maybe Kaufusi in the bench mix too... and guys like Makatoa and Grieg if coach wants to keep it big up the middle, when Campbell-Gillar and Paulo have their mid-game spells (and noting Nathan Brown isn't getting any younger).

I really see it as a week to week choice, a bit of a rotation depending on the type of team/pack we're up against?

 

[Pazza]

Agree Matterson and Papali'i should be the starting edge forwards.

I think we played best footy at the end of the year when these two guys particularly Papali'i played in the middle.

Look at the game in the finals game we nearly took out Penrith. Papali'i came on and continued the pressure RCG and Paulo started. They all ran for 150m each. Matto did a real nice job at lock also.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

The only players listed as 2nd Roe are Matterson, Lane, Cartwright and Niukore. So I'll go with Matterson and Lane to start. Cartwright from the bench. Form might determine if he gets a starting spot there.

 

[strider]

I think we played best footy at the end of the year when these two guys particularly Papali'i played in the middle.

Look at the game in the finals game we nearly took out Penrith. Papali'i came on and continued the pressure RCG and Paulo started. They all ran for 150m each. Matto did a real nice job at lock also.

Yeah i kinda like papalii as bench impact up the middle.
Matterson should be one edge. If papalii is a middle off the bench then who plays other edge? I would actually be interested to see carty start some games and see how he goes in defense.

Id also be ok with Nrown transitioning to a bench role. In which case papalii could play edge as nrown would be the bench middle to provide impact when rcg n paulo come off

Papalii is also great on an edge ... so good outcome either way. I wont complain.

 

[strider]

The only players listed as 2nd Roe are Matterson, Lane, Cartwright and Niukore. So I'll go with Matterson and Lane to start. Cartwright from the bench. Form might determine if he gets a starting spot there.

Yeah i think Lane went ok towards the end of last season back on an edge. So the same Lano Matto edge combo would be ok with Papo off the bench

 

[yy_cheng]

I'd like to see

13 matto
12 marata
11 lane

14 rein
15 Brown - middle
16 papilli - middle
17 carty

 

[Pazza]

Matterson should be one edge. If papalii is a middle off the bench then who plays other edge? I would actually be interested to see carty start some games and see how he goes in defense.

I can't ignore how much better the right side defense got once niukore and pensini started playing together out there. I'd find it hard to change it.
I think Cartwright could really help Drown by adding a bit of extra flair on that left edge.

So I'd go with

Cartwright
Nukore

 

[Pazza]

RCG
Mahoney
Paulo
Cartwright
Niukore
Brown

Rein
Papali'i
Lane
Matterson

 

[strider]

I can't ignore how much better the right side defense got once niukore and pensini started playing together out there. I'd find it hard to change it.
I think Cartwright could really help Drown by adding a bit of extra flair on that left edge.

So I'd go with

Cartwright
Nukore

True ... it really did shore up the edge defense

 

[Gazzamatta]

Great thread GE.
I personally like Lane on the edge and I reckon Marata, our best edge defender, deserves the other edge after serving suspension. Im expecting greater variety from Drown this year and if that happens his combination with Lane will be dynamic. Id start the season with Matterson at 13.
My bench would therefore be;
Rein
Brown
Ice
Cartwright.
As always im expecting Paulo and Reg to play long minutes (too many in my opinion) and another middle, edge or back to fill the 14. Im hoping that our bench is fully utilised this coming season. Keep our best fresh for the entire season injuries aside.
As per the last couple of seasons, we have the players to make the "big dance". Its how they are managed will provide the team improvement we require to take the next step.

 

[the phantom menace]

I think we played best footy at the end of the year when these two guys particularly Papali'i played in the middle.

Look at the game in the finals game we nearly took out Penrith. Papali'i came on and continued the pressure RCG and Paulo started. They all ran for 150m each. Matto did a real nice job at lock also.

Fair point - Papa can do it all (and will be a big future loss). It really comes down to our back-up strength, middle and edge. I think our edge back up (or starters, if Papa and Matterson aren't playing there) is comparatively weak... Lane? Nuikore? Not for more than 30mins for either thanks.

Hopefully the coach(es) can work out a rotation that makes it hard for oppositions to predict where our weapons will be playing at different points in the match - and also hides our weakspots effectively in the same way.

 

[the phantom menace]

Am I the only one who thinks Cartwright is still a bit of a risk in defence? And would be happy with him only turning up on the bench occasionally (against weak opposition) for some attack x factor?

 

[yy_cheng]

Great thread GE.
I personally like Lane on the edge and I reckon Marata, our best edge defender, deserves the other edge after serving suspension. Im expecting greater variety from Drown this year and if that happens his combination with Lane will be dynamic. Id start the season with Matterson at 13.
My bench would therefore be;
Rein
Brown
Ice
Cartwright.
As always im expecting Paulo and Reg to play long minutes (too many in my opinion) and another middle, edge or back to fill the 14. Im hoping that our bench is fully utilised this coming season. Keep our best fresh for the entire season injuries aside.
As per the last couple of seasons, we have the players to make the "big dance". Its how they are managed will provide the team improvement we require to take the next step.

I hope during the games against the lower teams, rcg, Paulo and even mahoney play less minutes to give the bench or backups more game time

I would even would give drown the role of running the team in these games and moses play the 5/8th role.

Off topic, I just remembered that every time guth came off moses played fb. So if guth did get injured would moses be 1 and ja 7?

 

[yy_cheng]

Am I the only one who thinks Cartwright is still a bit of a risk in defence? And would be happy with him only turning up on the bench occasionally (against weak opposition) for some attack x factor?

Not really answering your question, butCarty doesn't get enough game time. So every time he gets a run, he's like trying to do too much to impress

 

[Noise]

I hope during the games against the lower teams, rcg, Paulo and even mahoney play less minutes to give the bench or backups more game time

I would even would give drown the role of running the team in these games and moses play the 5/8th role.

Off topic, I just remembered that every time guth came off moses played fb. So if guth did get injured would moses be 1 and ja 7?

Nope. Russell would play 1.

 

[Gazzamatta]

I hope during the games against the lower teams, rcg, Paulo and even mahoney play less minutes to give the bench or backups more game time

I would even would give drown the role of running the team in these games and moses play the 5/8th role.

Off topic, I just remembered that every time guth came off moses played fb. So if guth did get injured would moses be 1 and ja 7?

Maybe although Id be surprised if Simonsson didnt drop back. Those first few games at FB for The Faiders had experts saying CNK who? Marata and Waqa would shift one out and a bench forward would come on one would think. The squad has great flexibility if all are fit and firing.
Big Emu killed it last night. Loved his aggression.

 

[the phantom menace]

Not really answering your question, butCarty doesn't get enough game time. So every time he gets a run, he's like trying to do too much to impress

He doesn't get a lot of minutes, and yes could be a case of trying too much... but my fear is that is what he would be like if he played for 80mins too. I see him as fringe/occassional top 17 (rather than certain top 17), but definitely useful to have around - especially when we suffer our share of injuries/suspensions.

 

[Glenneel]

Great thread GE.
I personally like Lane on the edge and I reckon Marata, our best edge defender, deserves the other edge after serving suspension. Im expecting greater variety from Drown this year and if that happens his combination with Lane will be dynamic. Id start the season with Matterson at 13.
My bench would therefore be;
Rein
Brown
Ice
Cartwright.
As always im expecting Paulo and Reg to play long minutes (too many in my opinion) and another middle, edge or back to fill the 14. Im hoping that our bench is fully utilised this coming season. Keep our best fresh for the entire season injuries aside.
As per the last couple of seasons, we have the players to make the "big dance". Its how they are managed will provide the team improvement we require to take the next step.

Agree that BA doesn't bring them off soon enough so they lose their effectiveness, Also agree need to rotate our forwards in and out of games to keep them fresh for the finals and try to avoid our usual late season fade.

 

[hindy111]

I'd start Byrce. He isn't an impact player. He is a creative solid worker. When brought on with minimal minutes he is forced to attempt things when they are not on.

I'd prefer Matterson at Lock and N.Brown on the bench.

11 Bryce
12 Lane
13 Matto

14 Rein
15 N.Brown
16 Marata
17 Papali'i

I feel this works well. Stone for Rein maybe also.