Your RD 1 2018 line up

[PANTHERMIKE]

Ok hes honestly getting outplayed by Mitch Moses....

Piss take surely ? Moses is the most over-rated piece of shit i've ever watched.

Takes more dives than a crowd at a Route 91 Harvest music festival...

He is an absolute Myth..

 

[franklin2323]

How was he up and down? He carried players with every run. He manhandled guys in defence numerous times.

He played the full 80 minutes
15 runs for 158m gained (20 more metres than the next closest forward)
21 tackles for 0 missed

The only thing you could call negative from him was a few offloads where his inside runner didn't get to them. Put Dylan Edwards in support and those offloads lead to linebreaks. Put Kevin Naiqama in support and you get errors or him missing completely.

If a couple of offloads where the support didn't get them are an issue, I expect you would have dropped Merrin and Cartwright aswell. Merrin did that just about every game this year. Although you could throw in a bunch of missed tackles for them and they certainly aren't going to average 10+ metres per run very often.

That is the negative though. They were on top no need to push them exactly what he does in NRL. It is what he needs to stop

 

[mxlegend99]

That is the negative though. They were on top no need to push them exactly what he does in NRL. It is what he needs to stop

Thats also what Carty and Mez do though. A decent fullback does a far better job in support. He had a poor club centre playing at fullback and the combination just wasnt working.

His offloads were very similar to the short passes between Slater and Cronk (only after contact, no before) They just didnt work as effecrively because the players involved didnt have the timing right and Naiqama has feet for hands. Its a simple play between competent players with experience.

Kikau and Edwards could get the timing right doing it each week and it could be a very dangerous combination.

 

[franklin2323]

Thats also what Carty and Mez do though. A decent fullback does a far better job in support. He had a poor club centre playing at fullback and the combination just wasnt working.

His offloads were very similar to the short passes between Slater and Cronk (only after contact, no before) They just didnt work as effecrively because the players involved didnt have the timing right and Naiqama has feet for hands. Its a simple play between competent players with experience.

Kikau and Edwards could get the timing right doing it each week and it could be a very dangerous combination.

Short passes are atleast accurate. He can pass much better passing before the line when something in on. He fixes that side of his game and he will be huge off the bench

 

[mxlegend99]

Short passes are atleast accurate. He can pass much better passing before the line when something in on. He fixes that side of his game and he will be huge off the bench

Its going to be something that takes time to perfect in game situations. Easy to do on a training paddock.

But it would be crazy to tell him not to do it. Just need to work on timing with Edwards and I can picture there being a lot of linebreaks from a simple play where theres not much on before the offload.

Mez is the one who needs to stop his offloads. His are quiet often late in a tackle when defence have positioned themself to be able to receive it.

 

[umina panther]

Without an attacking gameplan we need more offloads not less

 

[billypilgrimnz]

Without an attacking gameplan we need more offloads not less

Yep. Edwards is always in and around the ruck in support, but never gets the ball.

 

[Exsilium]

The issue I see is that Edwards is usually set into the backline on third and fourth due to the fact we run decoys either side of our halves to run an out the back or sweep play.

By running decoy runners (out the back) or if they take the short ball from the halves, it puts Edwards out of the play for an offload because he is usually too wide, As if he were taking the ball of a half sweep play which we try so often.

We’d be better off having Edwards deep behind the half, a decoy runner one off the ruck who is shaping the “one out”. Have a half on the outside of that decoy who can go one wide to Kikau/Merrin who looks for the offload. Alternatively the half can shape outside to Kikau/Merrin or go inside to Edwards.

Storm playbook 101.

 

[franklin2323]

The issue I see is that Edwards is usually set into the backline on third and fourth due to the fact we run decoys either side of our halves to run an out the back or sweep play.

By running decoy runners (out the back) or if they take the short ball from the halves, it puts Edwards out of the play for an offload because he is usually too wide, As if he were taking the ball of a half sweep play which we try so often.

We’d be better off having Edwards deep behind the half, a decoy runner one off the ruck who is shaping the “one out”. Have a half on the outside of that decoy who can go one wide to Kikau/Merrin who looks for the offload. Alternatively the half can shape outside to Kikau/Merrin or go inside to Edwards.

Storm playbook 101.

Edwards was a half so should get plenty more ball when attacking fullstop

 

[mxlegend99]

Kikau off to a flying start again. Against the Kiwis pack. Busting tackles. Carrying kiwis and so far all offloads to his team.

Hes lining up against Tapine, Taupau and JWH so far

 

[mxlegend99]

Halftime:
Kikau has 10 runs for 107m gained. 4 tackle breaks. 12tackles and 2 missed. Both chasing wild offloads and being wrongfooted by nimble players.

DWZ has been shocking. But so has every Kiwi. Kidwell looks inferior to even Hook or Kearney.

 

[mxlegend99]

Fulltime:
17 runs for 170m gained
27 tackles / 4 missed

Played the full 80 mins. Had very little space but it didnt stop him being dangerous.

He did this against the Kiwi international side. No f**king way he shouldn't be in our NRL squad next hear. He and RCG should be the first forwards picked.

 

[maple_69]

Best forward on ground. Consistently made metres after impact, had quick play the balls and paved the way for the other blokes to roll forward. Can’t wait to see him go against Australia and can’t wait to see him lining up with RCG.

A wrecking ball that can turn momentum on a single run is a huge piece we have been missing.

 

[Copperhead]

Best forward on ground. Consistently made metres after impact, had quick play the balls and paved the way for the other blokes to roll forward. Can’t wait to see him go against Australia and can’t wait to see him lining up with RCG.

A wrecking ball that can turn momentum on a single run is a huge piece we have been missing.

We haven't been missing it. Our coach chose not to use it.

 

[isaiah]

Best forward on ground. Consistently made metres after impact, had quick play the balls and paved the way for the other blokes to roll forward. Can’t wait to see him go against Australia and can’t wait to see him lining up with RCG.

A wrecking ball that can turn momentum on a single run is a huge piece we have been missing.

Has been my fave player for four years

 

[isaiah]

We haven't been missing it. Our coach chose not to use it.

After he nearly blew two points with silly offload and a penalty in his last nrl game. Coach keeps grudges like his mentor, long tall Sally

 

[Kilkenny]

It is very interesting to see how Viliame Kikau is performing in the World Cup.

He was a weapon which clearly our coach did not utilise in season 2017.

Coach Anthony Griffin really stuffed up with his use or lack of use of Viliame Kikau in this last season.

I said it at time, it was obvious this kid's confidence suffered as a consequence of his lack of game time and being hauled off on one occasion minutes after coming onto the field purely as a result of an off load gone wrong.

Hopefully his great form in the WC will ensure he get's treated better in 2018 and is a weapon for us as opposed to Fiji.

 

[OldPanther]

It is very interesting to see how Viliame Kikau is performing in the World Cup.

He was a weapon which clearly our coach did not utilise in season 2017.

Coach Anthony Griffin really stuffed up with his use or lack of use of Viliame Kikau in this last season.

I said it at time, it was obvious this kid's confidence suffered as a consequence of his lack of game time and being hauled off on one occasion minutes after coming onto the field purely as a result of an off load gone wrong.

Hopefully his great form in the WC will ensure he get's treated better in 2018 and is a weapon for us as opposed to Fiji.

I hope so too. Guys got talent. Griffin seem to be the type to not change his mind though.

 

[Blade23]

As it stands now

Edwards
Mansour
Peachey
Blake
DWZ
TBA or TBD
Cleary
Tamou
Katoa
RCG
Yeo (C)
Carty
Merrin
Res
CHN
JFH
Kikau
Latu?

 

[franklin2323]

As it stands now

Edwards
Mansour
Peachey
Blake
DWZ
TBA or TBD
Cleary
Tamou
Katoa
RCG
Yeo (C)
Carty
Merrin
Res
CHN
JFH
Kikau
Latu?

Maloney is a certainty to be here. Will be offical after Australia commitments end.

CHN is touch and go for round 1. So I'd give him a few weeks in NSW Cup with Latu's departure I'd go for Round 1:

Edwards
DWZ
Whare
Blake
Mansour
Maloney
Cleary
Merrin
Wallace
Tamou
Yeo
Peachey
Cartwright

Katoa
RCG
JFH
Kikau

WC hopefully helps Kikau and Katoa keep improving. Whare/DWZ were looking good on the same side of the field. Hopefully help us start better than last season