The OFFICIAL cowboys 2011 Thread

[StinkyPete]

1. Bowen
2. Winterstein
3. Tate
4. Tonga
5. Fai fai Loa
6. Thurston
7. Thompson
8. Scott
9. Payne
10.Tamou
11. Hogan
12. Bolton
13. Johnson

14. Taumata
15. A Sims
16. Thorby
17. Cooper/L Ah Mau

not to shabby.

Th rest of our squad I believe is

Hogan
Willamson
Gallant
Leary
T Sims
I Ah Mau
Tupou
Graham
Segeyaro
Bani
Harris

Whats the go with these guys

J Willams?
Amos?
Slyney
Achurch?
Malone?
Rovelli?
Geia?

Edit found that theses guys are all off contract:

Mitchell Achurch,Clint Amos, Obe Geia, Don Malone, Grant Rovelli, Nick Slyney, John Williams

 

[Talanexor]

I heard that 14 of our top-25 won't be here next year. So work backwards from there.

 

[Charlie124]

Not a bad team there Tal, mine would look more like this though.

1. Bowen
2. Winterstein
3. Tate
4. Tonga
5. Tupou
6. Taumata
7. Thurston
8. Scott
9. Payne
10. Tamou
11. Cooper
12. Bolton
13. Johnson

14. Thompson
15. Hogan
16. A Simms/Thorby
17. Ah Mau

I havent seen Fai Fai Loa at all so ive got nothing to base his omission from the team on, id just like to see us show Tupou some loyalty and faith considering he has been one of our better youngsters to come up from the lower grade and has done nothing to warrant being dropped.

 

[StinkyPete]

I havent seen Fai Fai Loa at all so ive got nothing to base his omission from the team on, id just like to see us show Tupou some loyalty and faith considering he has been one of our better youngsters to come up from the lower grade and has done nothing to warrant being dropped.

Tupou makes some bad defensive reads but I like the kid and I reckon he'll make a top wide running back rower

 

[Talanexor]

I've only seen a few highlights reels - which admittedly make anyone look good - but Fai Fai Loa is a pretty special talent from what I can see. He's big, he's fast, got a great step.

Someone here, might have been elyod, said that Tupou was too slow to play in the backs, and I'm inclined to agree. I think he's a solid winger, and has been better and more consistent than the likes of Williams and Bani and probably even Graham, but he's just too slow to make it there full time. Great to have a bit of flexibility and utility in the squad though!

I actually wouldn't mind persisting with Tupou on the wing, in the hope he turns into a Vatuvei/Tuiaki style wrecking ball winger. Runs over the top of his opposite, instead of around him.

Stinkypete, I don't agree with Cooper as a depth or bench option. If anything, they inclusion of DJ in the squad means Hogan will almost certainly start from the bench. Cooper is a solid toiler and pulls good numbers. I would prefer him to be starting in the backrow.

I think Leeson Ah Mau is the one who'll miss out - at least until we start using him as a prop.

8. Scott
10. Tamou
11. Bolton
12. Cooper
13. Johnson

15. Hogan
16. T Sims
17. A Sims/Thorby

 

[Didgi]

Both the Sims boys over L. Ah Mau?

 

[Talanexor]

Both the Sims boys over L. Ah Mau?

I think having 2 props on the bench is the way to go. Bolton plays 80 mins and I think Cooper, Johnson and Hogan can adequately cover the back row.

Having 2 props on the bench means we can use one in the rotation and one as an impact prop. I actually think Tamou is the best suited for this role, but if he doesn't get a starting role there's a good chance he'll leave the club at the end of his contract.

How a coach utilises his bench is one of the most important aspects of the modern game. Manly have 2 or 3 props on the bench, and the Raiders and Titans both use 2 on the bench.

 

[elyod138]

I think L Ah Mau is ahead of Hogan in the pecking order based on this years form, especially considering Johnson does the same job as Hogan but better.

Both Hogan and L Ah Mau have a lot of room for improvement though, they could be completely different players after another off season.

 

[StinkyPete]

I think L Ah Mau is ahead of Hogan in the pecking order based on this years form, especially considering Johnson does the same job as Hogan but better.

Both Hogan and L Ah Mau have a lot of room for improvement though, they could be completely different players after another off season.

I see L Ah Mau as a possible Mateo type player

 

[Didgi]

I see L Ah Mau as a possible Mateo type player

Overpaid and at the hairdressers more often than training?

I think L. Ah Mau should be there somewhere at the start, whether he's there at the end is up to him and the other recruits.

 

[StinkyPete]

Overpaid and at the hairdressers more often than training?

I think L. Ah Mau should be there somewhere at the start, whether he's there at the end is up to him and the other recruits.

Haha I mean Mateo when he decides to show up. takes on the line and has a mean offload

 

[Shorty]

I think that's it for recruiting.
We've done well.
But recruiting means crap all if the results don't change, we used to get results with nobodies.

Putting Parr back into the sheds is probably the key to next year, I hope it works and I'm sure, Mr Henry hopes so as well.

 

[Talanexor]

I think that's it for recruiting.
We've done well.
But recruiting means crap all if the results don't change, we used to get results with nobodies.

Putting Parr back into the sheds is probably the key to next year, I hope it works and I'm sure, Mr Henry hopes so as well.

There seems to be a common thread with regards to our recruitment. All the players we've picked up work hard consistently. They may not be the flashiest players going around, but they are reliable.

When we made the finals in 2004, we had a team full of nobodies who played their guts out every week. Fingers crossed we see that from the new recruits in 2011.

 

[Big Pete]

Potential Squad
Isaak Ah Mau
Leeson Ah Mau
Michael Bani
Matt Bowen
Gavin Cooper
Kalifa Fai-Fai Loa
Shannon Gallant
Ashley Graham
Dane Hogan
Dallas Johnson
Blake Leary
Tyson Martin
Michael Morgan
Moses Pangai
Aaron Payne
Mat Scott
James Segeyaro
Ashton Sims
Tariq Sims
James Tamou
Brent Tate
Jason Taumalolo
Ray Thompson
Ricky Thorby
Jonathan Thurston
Willie Tonga
Will Tupou
Dominic Walsh
Ryan Williamson
Antonio Winterstein

In limbo
Mitchell Achurch
Clint Amos

Potential Signing
Brandon Gibb (Norths Devils backrow, good prospect)

 

[Talanexor]

I wish they'd hurry up and re-sign Amos. He wants to stay, wouldn't cost much and doesn't mind playing QLD Cup. Plus he's actually a very good player, easily NRL standard.

We need more hooker depth, and I don't want to use Morgan or Thompson there if it can be helped.

 

[Big Pete]

:lol: Thurston on 666k.

Look for articles on Tyson Martin and Dominic Walsh.

 

[DFC005]

Reckon those two will be in the top 25 this year?

 

[Big Pete]

Odds on no but then again I wouldn't be surprised to see them there.

Great initiative by the way.

 

[DFC005]

Thanks mate. Always had trouble trying to find contracted players and who had signed where etc so thought I might do something about it!

 

[Talanexor]

I DO know we re-signed Bolton for 3 years last year. I can't find an article for it, but I'm sure there's one out there.