What a Roster, Great Position to be in .

[Crush]

Yet 95% of posters on here keep Lafai in their team FFS??

This does my head in too.
Go to the 2019 team thread and everyone is rolling out their starting 17 with Lafai in the number 4 Jersey.
I do not understand what people see in this guy.

 

[muzby]

Go to the 2019 team thread and everyone is rolling out their starting 17 with Lafai in the number 4 Jersey.
I do not understand what people see in this guy.

Great hair.

 

[Crush]

Great hair.

Too much product.

 

[LINESPEED]

This does my head in too.
Go to the 2019 team thread and everyone is rolling out their starting 17 with Lafai in the number 4 Jersey.
I do not understand what people see in this guy.

I think he’s a protected species ( a broken man when he arrived from the Dogs according to Waterboy - so he’s the ‘coach’s’ special project) - & now that his sister’s playing with us it’ll be, well ...
Imagine potentially losing at least one of Lomax,Field,Dufty,Marsters,Saab or Sailor because of Lafai’s special hold on Waterboy?
Ditto for Aitken

 

[Dragonslayer]

I think he’s a protected species ( a broken man when he arrived from the Dogs according to Waterboy - so he’s the ‘coach’s’ special project) - & now that his sister’s playing with us it’ll be, well ...
Imagine potentially losing at least one of Lomax,Field,Dufty,Marsters,Saab or Sailor because of Lafai’s special hold on Waterboy?
Ditto for Aitken

I wouldn't say he's a protected species as McGregor has dropped him before to reserve grade. He will be 29 at the end of his contract and I wonder if we will see the very best of him in an effort to win another couple of years. BTW he did cop a knock on Saturday and was told to run it out. But, agree he would have to show something very soon to warrant his place.

To answer your second part, I think the players you listed only Masters and Lomax play centre, however, I think the order of looking for other opportunities would be:

Sailor - would be hunted by the Broncos and has connections through his father, he also plays SOO for the Maroons.
Masters - maybe to go and join his cousin at WT.
Field - his time is coming and its really up to McGregor to play him or not. There are suitors who could use his exceptional pace and cover for defense.
The others you mentioned, Lomax, Dufty and Saab I don't think will leave any time soon, especially at the expense of Lafai.

 

[Old Timer]

Maybe, but other than Cronk I don't think their is too many top halves that perform week in week out, Reynolds, DCE, even Cleary all have had quiet patches to name a few, because I can't think of any others I rate.

Getting a good half is a real issue and as you say hard to bring them to mind..
Hunt is no doubt an upgrade on what we have had but certainly not a Thurston, Cronk, Johns type that is for sure.
Hunt to me is more of a Reynolds type half where I think a DCE type half would suit us better.
In fact as a club half I would take Pearce ahead of Hunt.

 

[rasaint]

I usually agree with Crush but I have Lafai in as a starting centre also.

I describe Tim Lafai as a good club centre.

His Defense has improved from his 1st year with us. Not fast but adequate, has strong fend, a lightening step mainly off the left foot and ability to off load in tricky situations.

On the weekend he was given an early opportunity with space and jinked his way into Newcastle’s defense line and threw what I thought was a clever pass to Gareth for the 1st no try ( Refs called it forward, like Kerr’s no try) BTW I do think Pongia is the goods but seems to throw them a bit forward but gets Cam Smith dispensation.

Anyway, time will tell this season.

 

[Frank Facer]

Getting a good half is a real issue and as you say hard to bring them to mind..
Hunt is no doubt an upgrade on what we have had but certainly not a Thurston, Cronk, Johns type that is for sure.
Hunt to me is more of a Reynolds type half where I think a DCE type half would suit us better.
In fact as a club half I would take Pearce ahead of Hunt.

Hunt and Reynolds aren't similar players. Hunt's strength is his running game and playing what he sees in front of him. Reynolds running game is very poor. His strength is kicking game, especially short kicking game and goalkicking. Reynolds is similar to Soward.

 

[slippery5]

Getting a good half is a real issue and as you say hard to bring them to mind..
Hunt is no doubt an upgrade on what we have had but certainly not a Thurston, Cronk, Johns type that is for sure.
Hunt to me is more of a Reynolds type half where I think a DCE type half would suit us better.
In fact as a club half I would take Pearce ahead of Hunt.

Yes, & he is a Blue.
I mean, he used to be.!!!!!

 

[Old Timer]

Hunt and Reynolds aren't similar players. Hunt's strength is his running game and playing what he sees in front of him. Reynolds running game is very poor. His strength is kicking game, especially short kicking game and goalkicking. Reynolds is similar to Soward.

Reynolds is a far better player when he does take on the line but just like Hunt he fails to do so often enough.
Both have achabit of just letting games roll along without injecting themselves so IMO they have similar traits.
The Qld & NSW selectors have abandoned both of them as halves for that very reason.

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Its been a long time since Ive seen our Dragons so strong with depth across the park, lets hope the roster can be managed well and the right players kept on long term deals.
with such a roster you can have problems, lets say one player is favored rather than been the right player for his position , you can bet someone wants a release , there might in house bitterness in the team etc,
Also Saints need to act fast this year and make the right decision on who to keep/upgrade , its a good position to be in if the Coach can handle it and make the right decisions thats for sure,
will Norman fire, if not will Field be given a chance.
Is Gareth going to make the number 1 his own Or is Dufty the right person.
Marsters, Dufty Lomax, all can play full back.
Pearson, Ravalawa , Saab , Pereira all fighting for a wing spot.
Lomax, Aitken, Lafai, centers.
Hunt, Field, Saillor, Widdop , Nicholls Norman , Halves.
With Widdop, Latimore finishing at the end of year, we can retain the likes of field lawrie , timm.
Im also hoping Graham stays on as the Forwards coach.
And look at the depth on the forwards, Going to be an interesting year.
Im looking forward to a big year from our saints, this could be the year or one to build on for the next ten years , Hope its managed correctly and not blown up in our faces .

Not convinced about the depth of quality in the centres and back row without De Belin. Apart from that I agree the squad is a good one- but not a premiership winning one.

 

[possm]

I'd say Masters and Runciman are two ideal replacements for Lafai's left centre position however, both of these players have not demonstrated superior performance to Lafai at this time in the season. So let's wait and see how they perform in ISP over the next frew months.