Trials are done!!! Round 1 v Raiders in Vegas

[Leber]

I am
Concerned with TT on the wing. Don’t think he’s that great under the high ball. Still, he’s better than Kosi.

 

[Meth]

Would have been triggering for Hosrburgh to see Laban on the park

 

[Philip_Smith007]

TMM on the out is a surprise.
CHT is probably a better defender, didn't see anything special in trials that sprung to mind.
Let's hope Raiders have a few more team mate tiffs before game day.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

That's really surprising.

Even if he was still a tossup to actually make the 17, I cant imagine he wasnt close enough to at least make the 22 that got on the plane.

Gotta be something off-field if he hasnt travelled. Whether passport/visa related like someone's already wondered, or something else entirely.

Do you think any of them had visa issues?

I have no idea, honestly none. All I'm going on is the Warriorholic guy on insta, who I heard on Devlin's podcast and FINALLY I found someone who speaks in the media in depth and with knowledge on our team. His stuff is really good. He said he couldn't see Laban in any team photos or media from there, which doesn't mean he wasn't in the toilet each time...but I imagine he has it worked out. He's not in the 23 named, which adds further weight.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Great to see Leka there, proving Webby has a clear plan to progress him this year.

I like the team. I wanted to try and get Healey in the side because I actually reckon he might be a better player than Egan right now, based on last year's form, but we would have been going in too small with him in the 17.

I don't see any issues with size, either - JFH and Barnett hold their own, Demitric is huge, Clark can play as an extra middle, Niukore is a presence when he uses it etc. I do think Ford is surplus to requirements and we could have had Bunty there given his decent trial form, but alas he's a coach's favourite.

The CHT over TMM thing is really interesting, too. They obviously feel TMM is a halfback and that's Metcalf's role now, and maybe the kicking game of CHT is better? Defensively, as well?

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

TMM on the out is a surprise.
CHT is probably a better defender, didn't see anything special in trials that sprung to mind.
Let's hope Raiders have a few more team mate tiffs before game day.

Left foot option too.

 

[hitro]

looking forward to watching this game, will be a highlight of the weekend and I'm glad it's not in the middle of the night

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I am
Concerned with TT on the wing. Don’t think he’s that great under the high ball. Still, he’s better than Kosi.

Nothing to be concerned about because he’s the best we’ve got by a long shot.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

As for the Laban issue, he’s still a fringe player so not a big deal Imo.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

looking forward to watching this game, will be a highlight of the weekend and I'm glad it's not in the middle of the night

Kids rep netball starts on Sunday! Poor timing so will have to watch the replay, plus WWE Elimination Chamber on. They had Aaron Woods in crowd (non speaking) on Raw, with Cole promoting the NRL game in Vegas but they are going to clash with each other.

 

[Izz]

Really happy to see Leka there.

Actually also like CHT ahead of TMM, just because he has more of a kicking game. Kinda feel like TMM looked better at 1 than in the halves during the trials, too.

Disappointed for Laban, but I'm still picking him to have a big season. Interesting to see them take Ieremia-Toeava over. He looked decent enough at centre against the Storm, and is pretty versatile, I guess.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I don't see any issues with size, either - JFH and Barnett hold their own, Demitric is huge, Clark can play as an extra middle

I mean…these are all demonstrably small guys for their position. You’ve named 4 middle forwards, none of them are more than 104kg, 2 are converted second rowers and one’s a hooker who got fat.

Anyway, they’re all good players in their own way and let’s hope they do well

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Yeah, true. I dunno what I'm talking about. I think I was going for the 'it's not the size of the dog in the fight' sort of scenario

 

[Big Marn]

yeh i dunno either. Ive never looked at the Penrith team and thought of them as huge.
NAS for the Storm is the only one that makes us look like children when he plays us.

 

[ozenzud]

Must have Clark as hooker cover. Or CHT being subbed by Walker at 5/8 and him slotting in there for a period to give Egan a spell. Other than us having 1 prop in the team, I'm OK. Obviously big talking points are CHT v TMM and no Laban. Canberra are solid. Narrow field. New season, slightly optimistic, with a healthy dose of self preservation pessimism to keep expectations well under control. A youngish team really.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Yeah, true. I dunno what I'm talking about. I think I was going for the 'it's not the size of the dog in the fight' sort of scenario

I agree with you. I think we’ve been spoilt a bit with AFB who really is a freak with his mobility despite being north of 120kg. Haas is the only other one who compares with his engine, but the reality is both are not normal humans.

Leota, Thompson and Tapine are all around the 104-107 mark. So is Carrigan, Yeo and Jurbo. Cam Murray is less than 100kg. All rep quality middles and we'd take most/all in a heartbeat with no concerns over their size.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I think it’s more about what they can offer on their own in terms of X factor and line breaking ability rather than size. There isn’t any Olakau’atu, Kikau, Fifita, Haas, Fonua-Blake type there

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Surprises me that Demetric is 104, he looks way bigger.

To me, what makes AFB is not the fact he's a massive body, it's the way he uses it. He's got an incredible skill set and footwork for a big guy - yes he's busting tackles but only because he moves at the line.

There's only half a dozen genuine big guys in the NRL. The speed of the game and the requirement to play bigger minutes, we're not getting a lot of 120kg guys who can play 2 stints of 20 mins plus and do it at high quality. As I said, AFB is a freak in this regard. So is Haas.

And there's a freak like Junior Paulo, who apparently has trimmed 10kgs to fit in with the way Ryles wants to play - https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...H8aiCcB_sgSLSYsrvw_aem_YNkWe-91x-98CvWTU5dJmA

I'm perfectly comfortable with having guys of the work rate and skill set of Barnett, JFH, Demetric, Erin Clark etc who can hit the line hard and earn post-contact metres. Maybe we'll develop a big freak, but we can't expect to because most teams don't have one. We still have Marata who is a big body on an edge (although needs to use it better) and Leka has shown he's a line-denter, as well.