Your team for round 1

[BuderusIsaBeast]

After a great trial win what would your team be for round 1.

For mine
1. Dylan Phythian
2. Nathan Ross
3. Dane Gagai
4. Peter Mata'utia
5. Ken Sio
6. Brock Lamb
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. Sam Mataora
9. Danny Levi
10. Josh Starling
11. Jamie Buhrer
12. Sione Mata'utia
13. Mitch Barnett
14. Joe Wardle
15. Daniel Saifiti
16. Jacob Saifiti
17. Jack Stockwell

I would give Stockwell the first shot with Paea, Tupou and King not far behind. I think having Wardle who can play nackrow and centre makes Randell not necessary as Buhrer can fill in at hooker. Elliot and Chanel as backs depth. I think Sam Stone isn't to far off first grade either

 

[Burwood]

I think the only major change to that side will be Stone on the bench in place of Wardle.

What I like is that, with Phythian, Wardle (when back from injury) and Buhrer in the top 17, you can cover nearly every position on the field and you don't need Randell taking up a forward's spot on the bench.

Fullback gets injured? Slot Gagai or Pete back there and Wardle goes to centre. Injured half? Phythian slots in. Levi goes off for a spell and Buhrer can take over.

There's a lot to like about the balance of our side this year.

 

[NK Arsenal]

1. Dylan Phythian
2. Ken Sio
3. Dane Gagai
4. Peter Mata'utia
5. Nathan Ross
6. Brock Lamb
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. Daniel Saifiti
9. Danny Levi
10. Josh Starling
11. Sione Mata'utia
12. Jamie Buhrer
13. Mitchell Barnett

14. Jack Stockwell
15. Jacob Saifiti
16. Joe Wardle
17. Anthony Tupou

 

[PhilGould]

Wardle won't be fit until rd 4ish IIRC

 

[Johns Magic]

I have a feeling Mataora and Stockwell will just be injury depth this year. Same as Paea was last year.

 

[Johns Magic]

1. Dylan Phythian
2. Ken Sio
3. Dane Gagai
4. Peter Mata'utia
5. Nathan Ross
6. Brock Lamb
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. Daniel Saifiti
9. Danny Levi
10. Josh Starling
11. Sione Mata'utia
12. Jamie Buhrer
13. Mitchell Barnett

14. Jack Stockwell
15. Jacob Saifiti
16. Joe Wardle
17. Anthony Tupou

Replace Stockwell with Kostjasyn and I reckon that's our full-strength team for 2017.

Gagan may put pressure on Pete.

 

[NK Arsenal]

I have a feeling Mataora and Stockwell will just be injury depth this year. Same as Paea was last year.

Good feeling knowing we have those three plus Pauli as cover, and not relying on them to play regular first grade

None of them will set the world on fire but can do a job if required

 

[K-Man]

I don't think Wardle is even being considered yet. Article on Knights website talks about him taking about 4 more weeks to be really up to speed and fitness.

 

[Joel-22]

1.Dylan Pythian
2.Nathan Ross
3.Dane Gagai
4.Pete Mata'utia
5.Ken Sio
6.Brock Lamb
7.Trent Hodkinson (c)
8.Daniel Saifiti
9.Danny Levi
10.Josh Starling
11.Sione Mata'utia
12.Jamie Buhrer
13.Mitch Barnett

14.Tyler Randall
15.Jacob Saifiti
16.Jack Stockwell
17.Sam Mataora

 

[Glendale]

Agree that we don't need Randell and it would be better to go with 4 forwards on the bench.

With everyone fit we actually have some headaches this year. Last year we struggled to find 17 players each week. Competition for spots will keep everyone on their toes.

 

[slotmachine]

I don't think Wardle is even being considered yet. Article on Knights website talks about him taking about 4 more weeks to be really up to speed and fitness.

Likewise I can't see Tupou, who showed up five minutes ago, hasn't played in any trials and pestered the club for four months just to get a deal, featuring in round 1.

I reckon Joel's team runs out Round 1.

 

[K-Man]

Good feeling knowing we have those three plus Pauli as cover, and not relying on them to play regular first grade

None of them will set the world on fire but can do a job if required

Not sure we can carry a bench with no specialist prop. Individually Kostjasyn, Wardle, J Saifiti and Tupou might be Brown's preferences, but as a unit it's a bit lacking. Surely one of Mataora, Stockwell, Paea, Pauli makes the bench.

 

[Johns Magic]

Not sure we can carry a bench with no specialist prop. Individually Kostjasyn, Wardle, J Saifiti and Tupou might be Brown's preferences, but as a unit it's a bit lacking. Surely one of Mataora, Stockwell, Paea, Pauli makes the bench.

Jacob is 100% a prop these days IMO, and Tupou has played plenty there in his career.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

1.Dylan Pythian
2.Nathan Ross
3.Dane Gagai
4.Pete Mata'utia
5.Ken Sio
6.Brock Lamb
7.Trent Hodkinson (c)
8.Daniel Saifiti
9.Danny Levi
10.Josh Starling
11.Sione Mata'utia
12.Jamie Buhrer
13.Mitch Barnett

14.Tyler Randall
15.Jacob Saifiti
16.Jack Stockwell
17.Sam Mataora

Good team. I don't know if Brown will go with 3 props on the bench. He may want a back rower to allow for more mobility when one of the 2nd rowers need a spell.

 

[K-Man]

Jacob is 100% a prop these days IMO, and Tupou has played plenty there in his career.

Admittedly I was thinking that even as I posted it. Certainly seems to be where he's headed, but you wouldn't say he's an experienced out and out prop. He's a teenage converted backrower. A very good one, but still when I look at that bench I just feel it's missing one absolute no nonsense metre eater. Maybe Jacob is that man, we'll know soon enough.

That still means Wardle and Tupou (when they're available) on a bench together, and they're not middle forwards although Tupou obviously could do a job. But basically it's a bench comprising a hooker/lock (Kostjasyn), back rower/centre (Wardle), backrower/fill-in prop (Tupou), backrower/prop (J Saifiti).

I'll be surprised if Mataora has fallen so far down the pecking order that he's injury cover like Paea was. Mataora is in his mid-20s and is coming off a breakout season where he was arguably our best, or at least most consistent, forward. he hardly misses a tackle and he punches out reasonable numbers.

Anyway just playing devil's advocate. The good thing is that, like others have already said, we have depth and competition for spots.

 

[slotmachine]

Good team. I don't know if Brown will go with 3 props on the bench. He may want a back rower to allow for more mobility when one of the 2nd rowers need a spell.

Sione and Buhrer will both do 80 minutes I think. Stockwell to cover Barnett.

 

[Glendale]

Don't see the point of a backrower on the bench if we have Barnett at 13 who can play wider. It's honestly looking more and more likely that Wardle doesn't have a spot in the firstgrade 17 unless he's a Pete replacement at centre.

I'd prefer to pack our team with as much size as possible from the bench, for round 1 that'd be:

14. Randell/Tupou/Paea/King
15. Stockwell
16. J Saifiti
17. Mataora

When everyone is fit it's probably:
14. Kostjasyn
15. Pauli
16. J Saifiti
17. Mataora

 

[Glendale]

Anyway just playing devil's advocate. The good thing is that, like others have already said, we have depth and competition for spots.

To add to that depth and competition for spots, a lot of them are playing for contracts. We have a lot of players off contract at the end of this year so no reason why they shouldn't all rip in.

 

[Knight76]

Can't see Randell getting a spot in firsts all year really. He was on the outer with Brown last season and Brown has built a team basically around not requiring him anyway.

 

[PhilGould]

You could potentially put 4 forwards on the bench and move Buhrer into hooker when Levi needs a rest, but Kostjasyn will share the hooker role with Levi when he's fit so it seems more logical that Randell will fill in that role until then.