Your RD 1 2018 line up

[Westernised Panther]

Peachy looks to be training at centre

The slices through...

TRY!

#pantherpride https://t.co/qcT7YFegzP

Plenty of those in 2018 please Peach!!

 

[franklin2323]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/04/penrith-panthers-predicted-round-1-line-up/

1 Dylan Edwards, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Dean Whare, 4 Waqa Blake, 5 Josh Mansour, 6 James Maloney 7, Nathan Cleary, 8 James Tamou, 9 Peter Wallace, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Corey Harawira-Naera*, 12 Isaah Yeo, 13 Trent Merrin. Interchange: 14 Viliame Kikau, 15 Bryce Cartwright, 16 James Fisher-Harris, 17 Tyrone Peachey. Reserves: 18 Tim Browne, 19 Moses Leota, 20 Tyrone May, 21 Sione Katoa.

CHN would be no chance Round 1. But as a top 17 that is very strong

 

[seal]

IMO:

1. Edwards
2. Mansour
3. Blake
4. Peachey
5. Watene-Zelezniak
6. Maloney
7. Cleary
8. Tamou
9. Wallace (c)
10. Campbell-Gillard
11. Cartwright
12. Yeo
13. Merrin

14. Katoa
15. Fisher-Harris
16. Browne
17. Kikau (with CHN unlikely to be fit)

Reserves: Leota, Luai, McKendry, Whare

I really rate Dean Whare, but he just wasn’t great last year, and Peachey/Blake is our best centre pairing imo. This also opens a bench spot for Katoa, who could really use the experience if he ends up replacing Wallace next year

Cartwright was also very average last season, but he does deserve a crack in the starting side- if he struggles, he should go back to the bench for CHN or Kikau. Would like to see a rotation where Cartwright plays lock while Merrin is off with Kikau coming on at second row

Given, Tim Browne isn’t a world beater but I think he is a handy experienced option off the bench until (hopefully) McKendry is ready to return

I think that given the amount of back rowers we have, Fish might have to settle for a bench spot playing prop like he did at the end of last year. Back row is his best position, but I think bench prop is his best bet at decent minutes as it stands

 

[Kilkenny]

A fully fit and focussed Bryce Cartwright no doubt merits selection in our top 17 but anything less and I'm not sure I can find a spot for him. He needs to finally deliver on potential and consistently perform at the top level otherwise there are other's who offer more.

 

[mxlegend99]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/04/penrith-panthers-predicted-round-1-line-up/

1 Dylan Edwards, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Dean Whare, 4 Waqa Blake, 5 Josh Mansour, 6 James Maloney 7, Nathan Cleary, 8 James Tamou, 9 Peter Wallace, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Corey Harawira-Naera*, 12 Isaah Yeo, 13 Trent Merrin. Interchange: 14 Viliame Kikau, 15 Bryce Cartwright, 16 James Fisher-Harris, 17 Tyrone Peachey. Reserves: 18 Tim Browne, 19 Moses Leota, 20 Tyrone May, 21 Sione Katoa.

CHN would be no chance Round 1. But as a top 17 that is very strong

No front rowers on the bench. That's an extremely unlikely team. Its a good top 17. But having lost Latu we're going to more than likely include a Leota, Browne or Mckendry on the bench atleast.

Unless we move Merrin to prop. Which there hasnt been any talk of from the media or our club. So i cant see it happening. I just hope we dont move Kikau to prop. He's too destructive on the edges and is too limited at prop. Which seems to bring out the errors in him trying to do something extra.

 

[Copperhead]

I just hope we dont move Kikau to prop. He's too destructive on the edges and is too limited at prop. Which seems to bring out the errors in him trying to do something extra.

+1.
Brennan and Potter showed how he's best used, now we have to see if Griffin was paying attention.

 

[franklin2323]

No front rowers on the bench. That's an extremely unlikely team. Its a good top 17. But having lost Latu we're going to more than likely include a Leota, Browne or Mckendry on the bench atleast.

Unless we move Merrin to prop. Which there hasnt been any talk of from the media or our club. So i cant see it happening. I just hope we dont move Kikau to prop. He's too destructive on the edges and is too limited at prop. Which seems to bring out the errors in him trying to do something extra.

JFH is a prop now. Merrin will be prop most of game now too

 

[Exsilium]

Merrin is middle third, prop material.

JFH should move to prop, at least in a bench capacity.

McKendry with game time will enter the fold.

I wouldn't underestimate the pack we have.

 

[mxlegend99]

Merrin is middle third, prop material.

JFH should move to prop, at least in a bench capacity.

McKendry with game time will enter the fold.

I wouldn't underestimate the pack we have.

We need the likes of Tamou, Merrin and Cartwright to pick their games up big time in 2018. We need Kikau to get a decent chance and deliver. There's no reason these 4 can't and won't improve out of sight in 2018.

If that happens along with the likes of RCG and Yeo continuing to improve we have a beast forward pack. But if everyone continues as they did in 2017 then our pack will be pretty soft.

Griffin needs to get our pack fired up playing with aggression. Like Arthur has done with the Eels pack. We need atleast 4 or 5 forwards who run it harder than our wingers. Not just RCG.

 

[franklin2323]

Merrin is middle third, prop material.

JFH should move to prop, at least in a bench capacity.

McKendry with game time will enter the fold.

I wouldn't underestimate the pack we have.

JFH was playing prop at the backend of the year. I can't see why that would change especially given the backrow depth.

Lock and prop are the same these days but RCG can pump out huge minutes. It is why often the likes of Leota only got 20 odd minutes.

It is a good problem to have so many 80min players

 

[TheFrog]

We need Kikau to get a decent chance and deliver.

He will get a chance. I'd just about have him in the round 1 side. We need him to deliver this time.

 

[Kilkenny]

He will get a chance. I'd just about have him in the round 1 side. We need him to deliver this time.

Coach didn't allow him to deliver in 2017. Not the players fault. Kikau and Leota were both poorly used in there limited opportunities.

 

[TheFrog]

Coach didn't allow him to deliver in 2017. Not the players fault. Kikau and Leota were both poorly used in there limited opportunities.

His handling let him down in situations that put the side under immense pressure. The stint in reserves was exactly what he needed and we all hope this is his year.

 

[mxlegend99]

His handling let him down in situations that put the side under immense pressure. The stint in reserves was exactly what he needed and we all hope this is his year.

In reserve grade hes an 80 minute player carving up the edges. Griffin gave him small minutes in the middle in first grade. He was average and rather than trying to give him a chance to play to his strengths he dropped him.

 

[martielang]

He dropped him because he deserved to be dropped. Everyone was calling for it at the time. Probably gave him a game or two longer than most other players to try & cement a spot, which shows they obviously rate him.

Kikau will be better for it this year & hopefully he gets a run on the edge. Maybe he just wasn’t quite ready last year?

 

[herbert henry1908]

Wallace is captain, arghhhh.


Honestly the team looked so much better without Wallace. Quicker service, faster dummy half running. Yep the guys is a tough hombre, but we lack the attacking spark with him.

 

[kinghippo]

First bad coaching decision of the year.
He could have at least been a co captain.

Wallace should be phased out this year. He is still a good player and you can’t doubt the heart of the guy but there is no place for sentimentality in first grade anymore.

 

[Fangs]

No surprise really.

Wallace was captaining the side all of last year. At least on the field anyway.

 

[snickers007]

I'm happy to wait and see what happens. Pretty sure a similar thing happened with Kevvie Kingston a few years back, and he played his fair share or reserve grade.

 

[MrBlack]

Cant believe all the negativity for Wallace here.

Last year he was about to be given a NSW jumper. Many saying he will get it this year.

Better judges than us rate him highly.