Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if others have said this. Anybody that thinks Perry or White deserve another game after last night has to be shot. They were absolutely f**king useless, with Weyman not a whole lot better.
Yes the conditions were tough, but Perry played 31 minutes and made........38 metres. Off 7 carries. FMD that is dreadful. I remember saying through the game that unlike Perry, at least White was active and involved, unfortunately just not very effective - 70 metres made off 13 carries as it turns out. Between them they made 108 metres off 20 carries and missed 5 tackles. Not one off-load between them either.
As a result of that, we had guys like Creagh and Waterhouse running in the middle trying to do some of the heavy lifting. I'm not a big fan of either but that certainly ain't their game, Creagh especially. The dude makes a living off running at centres and because of our lack of go-forward from our props, we had him going away from the one thing he does effectively (running wide). If we're going to pick these sort of guys, who run wide at club level (with some success), then FFS pick some pigs that will lay the platform. Otherwise fill the back-row with the Hindmarsh and Heighington's of the NRL and try to win ugly, guys that don't have the ability to break the line wide but will tackle their butts off and grunt it up the middle.
So in the never to be selected again pile goes both Perry and White. TLL had a great game I thought so he definitely stays and Weyman stays simply because I don't want to make wholesale changes. Bring in three of Grant, Snowden, Douglas or Galloway (if fit) and give them a crack, but we definitely want that extra prop on the bench.
Kidley for me isn't an Origin fullback - suspect defensively and regularly out of position. He was ok last night sure, but who cares about that if there's better players available? Yeah Hayne is probably out of position more than Kidley but he also creates a hell of a lot more. I'd be happy with Dugan but they're not dropping Hayne so I'll slot him in at the back. Kidley onto the bench to be used to spell Ennis and Idris back to club footy - had more missed tackles (2) than tackles (1).
Lyon should be shuffled back into the centres at Cooper's expense and promote Lewis to 5/8 - thought he had a real dig when he came on. Tahu onto Hayne's wing and Lawrence into the centres - he would have an absolute field day running off Kimmorley (assuming they stick with him). I'd also go with Jennings although I think Lawrence shades him defensively.
So I'd go with:
1. Hayne
2. Morris
3. Lawrence / Jennings
4. Lyon
5. Tahu
6. Lewis
7. Kimmorley
8. Weyman
9. Ennis
10. Grant / Snowden
11. Creagh (much as it displeases me, but I know they'll pick him)
12. Waterhouse (ditto)
13. Watmough
14. Kidley
15. Learoyd-Lahrs
16. Snowden / Grant
17. Douglas / Galloway
Players on the scrap-heap: Cooper, White, Perry. Thanks guys, you've all been given your opportunities and have consistently proved to be lacking when it counts.
Players dangerously close: Creagh, Waterhouse, Kidley, Kimmorley (goes without saying).
By making those 4 changes we'd have a solid prop rotation that would actually make yards and hopefully allow Kimmorley some space to find his runners on the fringes, assuming that's the game plan (and when you play Kimmorley, that has to be the game plan because that's what he does best). There's still plenty I don't like in the side but as I said, I'm mindful that they're not making wholesale changes so players like Tahu, Creagh, Waterhouse etc that I personally wouldn't pick kept their places.
