Time to roll the dice?

[Kilkenny]

Matt Elliot & Ivan Cleary were very loyal when it came the NRL team selection and largely stuck solid with the tried and not necessarily so true.

We are two game's in, two losses, could have been two wins but it doesn't mask the fact we haven't been anywhere good enough in creating opportunities to score points.

While our forwards have matched our opposition they did not win either battle sufficient enough to lay the platform for a victory.

If our forwards are at least able to match opposition then surely it is up to our 'spine' top get the job done and be better than our opposition.

Anthony Griffin's job is safe, for the most part he can be brave and throw caution to the wind so to speak.

Against the Bronco's he need's to roll the dice and select Smith, TMM, Soward and ZDC in the spine.

Smith
DWZ
Blake
Hiku
Mansour
TMM
Soward.
RCG
ZDC
McKendry
Yeo (Covers outside back if need be)
Cartwright
Merrin

Peachy (Covers number of positions if need be)
JFH (The future)
Latu (Must be included if fit)
Matagi/Latimore. (Take your pick)

 

[umina panther]

No way should Smith be picked

 

[billypilgrimnz]

No way should Smith be picked

Is there a siren that goes off in your house any time Smith is mentioned in a non-negative context? It's like clockwork.

I'm alright with Wallace at hooker. Keeps him out of halfback, and at least he is experienced and a good defender. I wouldn't be chucking in too many young players at once.

TMM though, why not? Gotta start sometime.

 

[Kilkenny]

Who in the current side has the speed and elusiveness to put the opposition defence in two minds and make a clean line break. Will Smith has those qualities. Forget about him kicking out on the full against the Raiders, it happens. Given Whare is out for another extended period and Moylan's return not yet confirm the balance of our side if best served having Smith in the number 1 and DWZ on the wing. You have to score points to win games, and Will Smith given space if a very dangerous player.

Our only line break against the Dogs was credited to McKendry when he scored our second try? What does that say for our offense. One of our few line breaks against the Raiders was an individual effort from Will Smith. You guys seriously underestimate his ability to create something from nothing and as we have seen in our first two games we need an x factor. He can be a real weapon sniffing around the ruck when we are on the attack and be there for an effective offload because he has the pace and elusive skills to get into a gap.

 

[TheFrog]

If Blake is fit and Whare isn't, it comes down to either Smith fullback/DWZ wing or DWZ fullback/ R Jennings wing. I prefer Smith of the two options.

I'm all for giving TMM a run in the 6.

I would not under any circumstances drop Wallace from the 9, he had a good game last week and has earned his place in the side.

I hope our coach announces the side he intends to play. The late reshuffles we've had over the past 2 games help no-one, except our opponents.

 

[Kilkenny]

If Blake is fit and Whare isn't, it comes down to either Smith fullback/DWZ wing or DWZ fullback/ R Jennings wing. I prefer Smith of the two options.

I'm all for giving TMM a run in the 6.

I would not under any circumstances drop Wallace from the 9, he had a good game last week and has earned his place in the side.

I hope our coach announces the side he intends to play. The late reshuffles we've had over the past 2 games help no-one, except our opponents.

I am not a Peter Wallace 'hater' and yes he did have a decent game against the Bulldogs but at the end of the day his performance wasn't enough to get us over the line and secure a win.

He was a 'stop gap' dummy half' and not a long term solution given Seggy is out for an extended period. On that basis, if ZDC is genuinely believed to be NRL quality as Gus Gould have stated publicly then now is the time to give him the opportunity to show whether he has the goods.

At the end of the day we haven't been able to get the job done despite having decent opportunities to win both our first two games. On that basis trying something different cannot hurt, particularly given we are playing the premiership favourites on Friday night.

I think we need to throw caution to the wind and pick a side capable of scoring points. We will surely need 24 points plus to having any chance of beating the Broncos.

 

[franklin2323]

Take Latimore off the bench that's the side I would go with. Assuming Whare's out that is. Whare, Seg & Moylan out we need to replace with strike players.

Latu & JFH were great for NSW Cup. The core of our forwards are fine. Akoula & ET were used poorly. Even still we have matched both teams packs.

 

[TheFrog]

I am not a Peter Wallace 'hater' and yes he did have a decent game against the Bulldogs but at the end of the day his performance wasn't enough to get us over the line and secure a win.

There were 17 players in that boat, and we came damn close to getting the win, being virtually a man short on the field allowed them to get us in the end. It is not the time for panic. Bring up one rookie (TMM) and use Wallace and Taylor to protect him in a similar way Bennett used Tony Carroll to protect Lockyer at 5/8.

 

[Exsilium]

The Bulldogs are a refined football team who, for the most part have kept the same playing style and key players for some time now, we almost beat them and if a few things went out way we probably would have secured the win. If DWZ gets the kick from soward and scores it's game over.

We are not at panic stations yet. Keep Wallace at hooker, he has a good passing game, kicks better than most hookers and can defend his rear off. We need a player like smith, a guy with the ability to create something from nothing. Blake, Whare, DWZ are not creative players. At least if smith is at 1 we might have a back line movement or two.

I found the Sharks method of having a utility back on the bench a useful one. They used Beale who slotted into centre and bird went to fullback and the forwards just chugged along. TMM could be that player who can come on, slot in at 5/8 with peachey or Cartwright to go back to the forwards for half a game.

We're so close to a good win I can feel it. If we get momentum we could be very hard to stop.

That being said, a lot of notable halves have been struggling of late. Ours actually look decent by comparison.

 

[betcats]

I'm not sold on zdc though I haven't seen enough of him. Don't really like the idea two debutants in the spine against Brisbane. TMM should be given a run, don't mind Smith but I prefer Dallin there.

 

[GongPanther]

Still,far too early to bring in TMM.In a pre-season interview,he stated that he expects to be in reserve grade for a while until the coaches think it's time.

Smith has "glimpses" of the form from the back-end of last season,yet I still think that he goes missing.He either tries too hard,or his efforts are sub-par.

Once he mentally finds that middle ground,only then will I feel comfortable in his selection.

Besides that,barring any latest injury reports,the coach will stick as close to the same squad as he can.

 

[betcats]

We aren't going to know if it is far to early to bring him or not until he has been given a run. With Wallace at hooker we need another half out there, Brisbane defend better than the Bulldogs imo so we aren't going to beat them going one out and scoring off kicks. We might be able to grind out a close game if we defend well and don't make mistakes but I doubt we can score enough to beat them.

 

[kinghippo]

I liked Wallace at hooker and think peachy can make a good 5/8 if we stick with him, although I personally wouldn't mind seeing him in the centres if the injuries are bad this week.

the team needs to be settled before it's going to click in attack, but I think If TMM is not going to get a go Cartwright should be 5/8 , he is playing like one anyway and could be a genuine long term option.

Taylor should move to lock 80 minutes , merrin 2nd row , latu into the team although I'm not sure who for after a big game from mckendry. DWZ should get another shot at fullback.

Everything now rests on the coaches plan for the halves, if we chop and change every week weather it be peachy, Cartwright, TMM, Wallace or Moylan we are going to have a tough season.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Matt Moylan creates and scores points.

Matt Moylan hasnt played either of these two games, and we could have won both.

If in a months time after he has played 2 or 3 games, and we still cant score, think about doing something. It's round 2....

 

[Pomoz]

Is there a siren that goes off in your house any time Smith is mentioned in a non-negative context? It's like clockwork.

Haha, sorry Umina, but that was bloody funny

 

[Pomoz]

There were 17 players in that boat, and we came damn close to getting the win, being virtually a man short on the field allowed them to get us in the end. It is not the time for panic. Bring up one rookie (TMM) and use Wallace and Taylor to protect him in a similar way Bennett used Tony Carroll to protect Lockyer at 5/8.

I like this idea. Minimal changes or we become unstable, like last season.

As for Peachy at 5/8th, I'm not sure that he has a passing game in him. He is a ball runner and we need a passer. Am I being unfair? I just haven't seen him play a game as a ball player, it just doesn't seem natural to him. Segyaro is another who is a runner, not a ball player. I think its why we struggle for points when they are all on the field. Wallace isn't creative, Peachy and Segyaro both prefer to run and if Moylan is out, we are really struggling to move the ball well enough to score. We desperately need a few more ball players in the team.

 

[mxlegend99]

NRL injury update has all our guys back Round 3 except for Segeyaro (R7) and Dean Whare (indefinite).

 

[betcats]

Whare wont be fully healthy all season now imo. Calves are notoriously tough injuries to get right, he will be in and out all season unless he misses a big chunk of it now.

 

[TheFrog]

NRL injury update has all our guys back Round 3 except for Segeyaro (R7) and Dean Whare (indefinite).

Moylan said Round 4 on the Footy Show. I prefer the horse's mouth to the NRL site which is notorious for not getting updated.

 

[TheFrog]

Wallace isn't creative, Peachy and Segyaro both prefer to run and if Moylan is out, we are really struggling to move the ball well enough to score.

I'd like to see Wallace vary his play just a little. Maybe dummy and run occasionally (especially at players late coming back onside) or a kick from dummy half on the last. Add a bit of uncertainty. Maybe his knee reconstructions are holding him back from sudden direction changes. He's got the basic skills to make a fist of the 9 role I think but that might mean he gets dropped when Segs returns. He was used on the bench by Griffin at Brisbane and might end up in that role as a utility who can cover the forwards or backs as the season goes on.