Your Team for Rd 1 2017

[Pjsaint]

All utterly futile unless this happens

It's going to happen so get over it

 

[TRANSLATION]

Obviously this will be subject to change as new signings come through and losing a few players but I thought i'd get this started now so we have something to think about during the off-season.
Here's mine if all recruitment goes to plan.

1. Dugan
2. Macdonald
3. Aitken
4. Milne
5. Dufty
6. Widdop
7. Carney
8. Packer
9. Mcinnes
10. Sims
11. Leilua
12. Thompson
13. Frizell

14. JDB
15. Vaughan
16. Ah Mau/Host/Kerr/Masoe
17. Hastings

DUFTY
IZZAC THOMPSPON
JOSH DUGAN
TAANE MILNE
NENE MCDONALD
TODD CARNEY - SHAUN NONA
JACKSON HASTINGS - GARETH WIDDOP TO STAY AWAY FROM BACKLINE
PACKER
MCGUINESS
PAUL VAUGHAN
TYSON FRIZZELL
LUCIANO LEILUA
JACK DE BELIN
----------------------------------

TARIQ SIMS
JOEL THOMPSON
RUSSEL AITKEN - PLAY HIM BACKROW AND BACKLINE COVER
MOSE MASOE

---------------------------------
MANN
HOST
WAKEMAN
AH MAU
GLYMIN
MCRONE
HUTCH
HAVILLI
TO ALL PLAY AS BACKUP ONLY.
IF I HAD MY WAY WIDDOP WOULD NEVER PLAY IN OUR BACKLINE AGAIN..
THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS AS REQUESTED. I WOULD EVEN HAVE FLO AS A BACKUP NUMBER 9 IN HIS LATER SLOWER YEARS. HE IS A GOOD DEFENDER AND HAS A GREAT PASSING GAME. HOPE HE CAN ADAPT.

 

[Dragonscales]

1. Josh Dugan
2. Nene MacDonald
3. Euan Aitken
4. Taane Milne
5. Jason Nightingale
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Drew Hutchinson
8. Leeson Ah Mau
9. Cameron McInnes
10. Russell Packer
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Jack de Belin
13. Tariq Sims

14. Siliva Havili
15. Mose Masoe
16. Jacob Host
17. Joel Thompson

Vaughan and Leilua are not under contract for next year. Don't include them in your team.

 

[Slippery Morris]

1. Josh Dugan
2. Kurt Mann
3. Euan Aitken
4. Nene MacDonald
5. Jason Nightingale
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Drew Hutchinson
8. Paul Vaughn
9. Cameron McInnes
10.Russell Packer
11.Tyson Frizell
12.Jack de Belin
13.Tariq Sims

14. Siliva Havili
15. Mose Masoe
16. Josh Kerr / Jacob Host
17. Joel Thompson

Nene has size and power for centres. Milne is great and will be first in if injury happens. Saints have a bit of depth but not in the halves. Not sure why they are not getting a half.

I hope if the new coach comes in he demands they re-sign Marshall and he moves Widdop to Cutters and has Benji and Hutch in the halves. Much better combo than Widdop / Hutch. Can't see our outside backs getting much ball if Widdop is in teh halves.

 

[Sigurd]

DUFTY
IZZAC THOMPSPON
JOSH DUGAN
TAANE MILNE
NENE MCDONALD
TODD CARNEY - SHAUN NONA
JACKSON HASTINGS - GARETH WIDDOP TO STAY AWAY FROM BACKLINE
PACKER
MCGUINESS
PAUL VAUGHAN
TYSON FRIZZELL
LUCIANO LEILUA
JACK DE BELIN
----------------------------------

TARIQ SIMS
JOEL THOMPSON
RUSSEL AITKEN - PLAY HIM BACKROW AND BACKLINE COVER
MOSE MASOE

---------------------------------
MANN
HOST
WAKEMAN
AH MAU
GLYMIN
MCRONE
HUTCH
HAVILLI
TO ALL PLAY AS BACKUP ONLY.
IF I HAD MY WAY WIDDOP WOULD NEVER PLAY IN OUR BACKLINE AGAIN..
THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS AS REQUESTED. I WOULD EVEN HAVE FLO AS A BACKUP NUMBER 9 IN HIS LATER SLOWER YEARS. HE IS A GOOD DEFENDER AND HAS A GREAT PASSING GAME. HOPE HE CAN ADAPT.

I like your thinking but Hastings, Carney, Leilua and Vaughan aren't on the books. Widdop has to go for sure no matter what, even if Aitken, Dugan or Nighingale have to play in the halves but don't know about Carney. Get drunk and drive is just stupid but pissing on some random guy in a bar and then pissing in one's own mouth is going too far. The guy is very sick. Hastings and Lolohea would work. But no, Melbourne will get him and we will be stuck with their reject on 3 times more money than Lolohea is on at Melbourne.

 

[mobels]

1. Josh Dugan
2. Nene MacDonald
3. Euan Aitken
4. Taane Milne
5. Jason Nightingale

6. Garreth Widdop
7. Drew Hutchinson

8. Paul Vaughan
9. Cameron McIness
10. Russell Packer
11. Tyson Frizzell
12. Joel Thompson
13. Jack De Belin

14. Leeson Ah Mau
15. Tariq Sims
16. Luciano Leilua
17. Jacob Host

Mann to be 18th man every game as he covers every position in the backline, while our bench is forward heavy I'd prefer running a bigger bench rather than carrying a some what pointless back-up hooker, as we know with McGregor he won't get used until the 70th or so minute effectively making it pointless.

Ah Mau/Sims/Host as part of the middle rotation and Leilua comes on for Thompson in the back end of the first half and start of 2nd half - similar to how Kasiano is used.

We have quite a bit of forward depth next year with Matthews, Marketo, Kerr, Havilli, Lui, Sele.

Quite a good team in my opinion - besides the massive weakness we have at halfback, I'd say our forwards and backs are looking quite good and if we were able to be coached effectively by someone competent I'd say we'd improve on this year. However if were still under the Mary regime and have bad luck with injuries it's between us and the Knights for the spoon next year.

 

[Sigurd]

I hope if the new coach comes in he demands they re-sign Marshall and he moves Widdop to Cutters and has Benji and Hutch in the halves. Much better combo than Widdop / Hutch. Can't see our outside backs getting much ball if Widdop is in teh halves.

Why is that? I think the backs get plenty of ball with Widdop at 5/8. That is all he does. Catch and immediately pass (better than Rein but not particularly accurate) at least 5 meters in front of the opposition defensive line no matter the situation. If all he has to do is straighten up the attack by taking a few steps forward forward, draw and pass for the try, he will catch and immediately pass giving the opposition plenty of time to slide and prevent the try. I can't remember ever seeing a worse playmaker than our "marquee" playmaker. It's a surrealistic nightmare!

 

[Sigurd]

1. Dugan
2. What is the name of that centre who tore up the Cowboys in the U20s finals game?
3. Aitken
4. Milne
5. McDonald
6. God knows but maybe toward the end of the year when we are out of finals contention, maybe Field will be ready for a chance.
7. God knows. I hope I'm wrong but I haven't seen anything from Hutchinson to suggest he will make it.
8. LAM
9. God knows but if it's Souffs reject, he is barely better than Rein if at all. His dummy half passing may be better but his running is worse.
10. Packer
11. Friz
12. Thompson
13. JDB

14. Nightingale
15. Simms
16. Host
17. Masoe

Apart from 9, 7 and 6, this is a pretty good team. I left anyone out who isnt's on the books at this time.

 

[Old Timer]

Just like Lafai people here instantly waltz McDonald straight into 1st grade so please tell me what Nightingale or Mann has done to deserve being dropped?

Dugan
Nightingale
Milne
Aitken
Mann
Widdop
Hutchinson
De Belin
Havilli
Packer
Thompson
Frizzell
Host

Ah Mau
Masoe
Simms
Mc Innes

 

[Dr Fruitbasket Returns]

Dugan
Dodd
Milne
Mann
McDonald
Widdop
Ben Hunt or Hastings (and I know who I'd prefer)
Sims
Leilua
Frizzel
Packer
McInnes
Vaughn

Hutch or Hastings
Thompson
Masoe
Ah Mau

 

[Dr Fruitbasket Returns]

But, what I really think we'll end up with...

Zilman
Current Parramatta reserve grader cleared for Ben Hunt
Dugan
Lafai
McDonald
Widdop
Super League Luke, Albert Kelly or Jeff Robson (maybe all three, they'll be cheap)
Current Parramatta reserve grader cleared for Ben Hunt
Thompson
Frizell
Douglas
De Gois or Reserve Grade Ray
Packer

Marketo (McInnes doesn't have Marketo's all round game)
Sims
De Belin
Ah Mau

 

[getsmarty]

So by the looks of it, a large amount of people don't rate Mann even though he was our leading try scorer this season. Sorry, I just don't understand the logic especially when you consider how few tries we scored and how inept our attack was this year. Mann didn't even play the majority of games and still ends up leading try scorer. Surely Mann is a must.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Why is that? I think the backs get plenty of ball with Widdop at 5/8. That is all he does. Catch and immediately pass (better than Rein but not particularly accurate) at least 5 meters in front of the opposition defensive line no matter the situation. If all he has to do is straighten up the attack by taking a few steps forward forward, draw and pass for the try, he will catch and immediately pass giving the opposition plenty of time to slide and prevent the try. I can't remember ever seeing a worse playmaker than our "marquee" playmaker. It's a surrealistic nightmare!

You're right. A double pump at the line would make the world of difference to our attack.

 

[Daniel Bartolo]

Widdop
Macdonald
Milne
Dugan
Mann
Hutch
Packer
Havili
Ah Mau
Thompson
Fritzell
Debellin

Aitkin
Masoe
Sims
Leilua /Host

Sack Mcgregor

 

[Sigurd]

You're right. A double pump at the line would make the world of difference to our attack.

Someone with the ability to do that on a regular basis at 5/8 would surely bring a about massive improvement.

 

[BennyV]

Just like Lafai people here instantly waltz McDonald straight into 1st grade so please tell me what Nightingale or Mann has done to deserve being dropped?

Dugan
Nightingale
Milne
Aitken
Mann
Widdop
Hutchinson
De Belin
Havilli
Packer
Thompson
Frizzell
Host

Ah Mau
Masoe
Simms
Mc Innes

May not have done anything to get dropped, but that doesn't mean that MacDonald isn't a better option. Don't have to wait for mistakes in order to drop players.

Honestly, MacDonald is better than our whole backline bar Dugan. And that's not based on a few years ago a la Lafai, that's based on ability AND current form. But there's still more first-grade quality backs than there is positions. So we look at the following:
- Flo gets dropped (won't happen)
- Mann gets dropped (might happen, probably shouldnt)
- Mann gets moved into the halves (might happen)
- Mann goes to fullback, Dugan to the centres, Milne likely misses out (also not likely).

I don't have the answers. It's a good problem to have. However, if you move forward with the attitude that blokes from the outside need to wait their turn regardless of ability, we'll end up with the same team that was lucky to come 11th in 2016.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Alright everyone, season 2017 is officially now a write off. So what's everyone's team for rd1 2018?

 

[Old Timer]

May not have done anything to get dropped, but that doesn't mean that MacDonald isn't a better option. Don't have to wait for mistakes in order to drop players.

Honestly, MacDonald is better than our whole backline bar Dugan. And that's not based on a few years ago a la Lafai, that's based on ability AND current form. But there's still more first-grade quality backs than there is positions. So we look at the following:
- Flo gets dropped (won't happen)
- Mann gets dropped (might happen, probably shouldnt)
- Mann gets moved into the halves (might happen)
- Mann goes to fullback, Dugan to the centres, Milne likely misses out (also not likely).

I don't have the answers. It's a good problem to have. However, if you move forward with the attitude that blokes from the outside need to wait their turn regardless of ability, we'll end up with the same team that was lucky to come 11th in 2016.

On the basis that if we have more 1st grade backs (not halves) than we have positions why buy a back if you don't intend to let one go?
We always seem to never buy what we need but somehow pick up a player of 1st grade standard in a position we already have overs.
Unless Aitken is going to the back row the outside backs on the books plus what we have coming through was more than enough but again we buy a player who will probably be forced into the 1st grade at the expense of someone who actually played well last year.
Our problem after correcting the Lafai fiasco was not in the outside backs it was in the halves, the hooker and the inability of many of the forwards not to bend or break the line.
Unless something changes in the middle of the paddock nothing will change for the extremities where Mc Donald will play.
So not questioning his quality just the decision to buy him in the 1st place when so much more needs to be fixed.

 

[BennyV]

On the basis that if we have more 1st grade backs (not halves) than we have positions why buy a back if you don't intend to let one go?
We always seem to never buy what we need but somehow pick up a player of 1st grade standard in a position we already have overs.
Unless Aitken is going to the back row the outside backs on the books plus what we have coming through was more than enough but again we buy a player who will probably be forced into the 1st grade at the expense of someone who actually played well last year.
Our problem after correcting the Lafai fiasco was not in the outside backs it was in the halves, the hooker and the inability of many of the forwards not to bend or break the line.
Unless something changes in the middle of the paddock nothing will change for the extremities where Mc Donald will play.
So not questioning his quality just the decision to buy him in the 1st place when so much more needs to be fixed.

Its an odd signing, but he's better than what we have and means one of the other guys becomes depth.

Wholeheartedly agree that a half should have come first, but we did make big plays for Cronk, Keary and Norman. The fact that our coach is a deadshit who noone really wants to play under is a different story.

 

[Gm5]

who the f**k cares, I won't be watching