Witt to start in premier league

[PJ Marshal]

Hmmm i dunno why we are starting Witty in the prems i mean wouldnt it be ideal to get Dykes and Witt to gel since that could be a long term halves option, the way its going Wagon could be our 5/8 for the season and the backs wont see much ball at all!

 

[Hurriflatch]

or Wags could be waiting to unleash his passing brillance and shock the world as he make Fat Arses little party tricks look well like party tricks :lol:

 

[PJ Marshal]

Wags only other tricks is his monster palm, shit id hate to be hit by it

 

[thewizard1o1]

Wags passes as much as Martin Lang side steps

 

[El Diablo]

Great move with Wags at 5/8 :roll:

 

[Eelementary]

There are two schools of thought RE: this:

(1) That it is a good idea to take pressure off him and hone his skills; AND

(2) That he should play First Grade.

Personally, number (2) is the smarter option to me because:

* THERE IS NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT. The only way to get better is to train hard and play real matches. You can play Premier League for years and train the house down, but any NRL First Grader will tell you - there is no better way for a First Grade-wannabe to get better than First Grade match time.

* He did nothing wrong

* He's a halfback, a position which we lack (Thorman is in the same position essentially; unproven in NRL First Grade)

* I don't think we'd be a worse side having him in the number 7

 

[Eelementary]

Just one more thing.

An argument I hear all the time is, "He's young; he needs time to develop and let the pressure not get to him."

A few thoughts:

* He was thrown into the deep end with no lifelines last season under ENORMOUS pressure and dealt very well with it

* He was present in our series of two point losses AND two point wins and even the Broncos game at Brisbane where his and Dykesy's field goals sealed the match for us

* His game shows a lot of maturity (EG: V Cronulla @ Parra, he made a break. Peachy was about to tackle him from behind, he looks up and sees Vaealiki free and unobstructed to his left; he grubbers ahead for Freshy; result? A Vaealiki try. Also his try against MAnly in Brookie; he backed himself and lowered his head and bulldozed his way over the line for a try).

* He has: great goal kicking, great kicking, great passing, good defense, good running (defense and running can be improved though)

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Great move with Wags at 5/8 :roll:

Its funny you know, he's played 3 State of Origin games for Queensland and all 3 of them hes played 5/8. :lol:

It was a good thing for them they had Lockyer in the team.

 

[Pazza]

If parra had a creative Lock and Fullback then i would care about having Wagon at 5/8.

When wagon has played at 5/8 and Parra have played with some good attack flair was in the 2000 finals and 2001 early season. But the difference between them and now is that those earlier teams had much more playmakers which allowed Wagon to play as a forward. For instance during 2000, in the finals Parra had; Dymock, Marsh, Ryan and Moran acting as play makers. At the start of 2001 Parra had; Taylor, Drew, Ryan, Marsh and Hodgson spreading the ball around the paddock. Leading into this year looks like Parra only have Dykes and Morris who are noted play makers. It just doesnt seem right having such a big pack which will give us so much go forward yet not having enough playermakers to punish the opposition on the score board. Why have Witt, Pai and Muspratt wasting away in PL? WHY SMITH? WHY?

 

[Eelectrica]

I thought Muspratt was injured?
If he's fit and Smith wants Witt to develop more in PL then Muspratt should be the starting 5/8 IMHO.

 

[AlexTheEel]

lol...as someone else said it would be stupid to move Morris into 5/8. Games are won and lost in the ruck. Morris needs to be our hooker and will be our hooker. I dont understand why you would want to take him out of there. As for the 5/8 my choice would be Muspratt but if Wagon gets the nod its fine with me. If the backs aren't getting the ball its not entirley the 5/8's fault. On one side of the ruck there is a 5/8 and on the other there is a half back.

 

[PJ Marshal]

Does anyone know whats our rough precentage of wins are with Wags at 5/8

 

[AlexTheEel]

You also have to remeber that usually when Wags is thown in at 5/8 its to cover for injury mid season. This time round he would have trained all pre season in the position and i guarantee would have improved. Whether he will keep the position , only time will tell. But dont worry, if it doesn't work he wont keep playing there and Witt will definately play first grade this season.

 

[bartman]

Hmmm.

If Smith is determined Witt is not to start the year in first grade, and Wagon is to be five-eighth then I think we will have severe probs in the halves. I hope not, and I will cheer like anything at the double header, but I think we have better options.

Our depth at hooker is a lot better than that at five-eighth under the above conditions. I would rather see Morris as starting 5/8 than Wagon, with Hopkins or Webster at hooker/dummy half. This is a better two man option for those positions than the combo of Wagon and Morris would be imo.

And we are forgetting Thorman in this mix as well. Sure he has a lot to prove too, but if we need someone on the bench that can cover time at dummy half and in the halves, then he is surely a chance too?

Anything but Wags at 5/8 for 80 mins!! Daniel is a good defensive lock and second rower, and that for mine that is where he should. Queensland only played him at 5/8 because they had no other options, and as someone said they had other potent attacking weapons (Lockyer) in their backline.

 

[bartman]

They had a look at the size of some players the ones they had listed

Cannings 115kg
Moi Moi 120kg
Armit 104kg
Hindmarsh 107kg
Peek 106kg
Cayless 103kg
VElla 107kg

found it intresting that Tsoulos didn't get a mention.

Maybe that's because Tsoulos injured his knee in the Wests trial, and (I'm assuming) isn't a chance to compete for the starting pack in the first few rounds of the comp? Otherwise he's easily in those weight ranges too!

 

[AlexTheEel]

Tsoulos is our biggest forward.

 

[bartman]

Yeah, having seen Moi Moi at Campbelltown, I don't think he weighs in at 120kg. He looked the same size as Junior Langi and Mal Kufusi, and smaller than Cannings to me? He's just less fit...

 

[Hurriflatch]

Well Kaufusi is 114kg according to a quote by Smith after the Sharks trial.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I don't mind when Wagon is at 5/8 while defending....it's just when in attack.

 

[Hurriflatch]

thats why you name Morris, Hopkins and WAgon in the starting side.

In defence Wagon goes into 5/8

In attack Morris shifts to 5/8 and Hopkins goes to dummy half.