Your team v Manly

[Spot On]

Well, it simply means every player has to lift that little bit more in their role. Whoever plays in the 6 and 7 this week and in coming weeks simply needs to have a real go in defence - you included Brock Lamb should you get the nod.

While we have Ponga there is hope if everyone does their job very well more often than not.

Lose Ponga and .........




.......... I don't want to contemplate it.


But you never know, the halves may step up and do a good job knowing the team is theirs and that Pearce won't be back. Fingers crossed.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I would actually love to see how Ponga would go at halfback. If we weren't so slim in the outside backs I'd have him in the 7 for sure. Would kill it I reckon

He was supposed to be being groomed as a 6.
I reckon he's not ready but it might be a shot. Thing is he's can slot in as a playmaker now..

 

[PhilGould]

He's already a playmaker playing at fullback, what's the obsession with putting a different number on him and making him defend in the front line?

 

[Swarzey]

Ponga moving up in the line does nothing to our attack. I don't believe he has the organisational and structure skills that we need in Pearce's replacement and with Watson back, putting Ponga in the 6 or 7 is absolutely pointless.

 

[Spot On]

There's no way Brown would move Ponga.

 

[Pedge1971]

Leave him at fullback.

 

[Noname36]

It’s already going to be a nightmare trying to cover for Pearce’s absence. Why anyone would want us to re-shuffle the rest of the team too is beyond me. Not to mention the negative impact it would have on Ponga’s development.

 

[Willie Ray]

Leave him at fullback.

Yep,don't weaken one position to strengthen another...
Who's your captain Pedge?

 

[Pedge1971]

Yep,don't weaken one position to strengthen another...
Who's your captain Pedge?

Thats a tough one mate. Ideally you want someone who is out there for 80 so maybe Guerra?

 

[Burwood]

Buhrer was already co-captain. It’s just a matter of whether Brown wants to go back to two captains, or bring happy with Buhrer alone. Money says it will be either Guerra or Sione if he goes with co-captains.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Apart from the obvious downside of having Ponga defend in the front line if we played him in the halves who would we play at fullback to cover for him? I don't think there's any argument that Ponga is the best all-round fullback at the club and I think we would lose way to much by not having him back there.

 

[Willie Ray]

Buhrer was already co-captain. It’s just a matter of whether Brown wants to go back to two captains, or bring happy with Buhrer alone. Money says it will be either Guerra or Sione if he goes with co-captains.

Yep,fair call,I see this now as a chance for Lamb or Watson to step up and go to the next level,it's happened for young guys in the past....and we still got Fitz and KP....no matter what I'm along for the ride.

 

[Old dog]

Talk of moving Ponga is crazy, our biggest asset is him at f/back, let's just get our 6 & 7 sorted out with Watson, Cogger, Lamb and Buhrer. Get the team right and name captain based on best 13 selected. For example we don't want Buhrer selected because he is captain but because he is best for the team. Lots of possibilities, 3 of those 4 have to play, 6-7-bench the other misses out, most likely Watson if not quite right/fit.

 

[perverse]

I don't think Buhrer is really an option without a very dominant half. He got 1 nice kick off. We'll need to fill the halves from Lamb, Cogger and Watson. Lamb needs to earn his spot back in reggies for mine provided Connor is back this week.

I think these kids have it in them to do a job for us. We won't win as many without Pearce for sure, but I don't think we're a completely broken team yet either. We're banking even harder on Ponga to provide our spark now, but if the rest of the team can do a job around him, I think the kid has got it to be honest. Everyone needs to continue to get better to make it happen, though. Pearce's loss needs to be mitigated by efforts across the park, because none of Lamb, Cogger or Watson can bring what he brings on their own.

It would be nice if we could find somewhere to spend the extra salary cap dollars we have sitting around. I assume we've spent a good chunk of it frontloading by this stage, but any useful addition to the roster wouldn't hurt right now.

 

[Old dog]

The worry of playing Watson is will it be too early,meant him back fit especially now we have lost Pearce for 10+weeks. Get him fit and ready, if need be play Lamb and Cogger with Buhrer on bench covering 6 & 9. If Pearce wasn't injured I would be happy to see Watson get a run and test himself

 

[perverse]

The worry of playing Watson is will it be too early,meant him back fit especially now we have lost Pearce for 10+weeks. Get him fit and ready, if need be play Lamb and Cogger with Buhrer on bench covering 6 & 9. If Pearce wasn't injured I would be happy to see Watson get a run and test himself

Apparently Watson was almost good to go this week, I don't think they'll be taking too many chances by the sounds of it. I'd play him with Cogger if he's ready... I want Lamb to show he can play some good footy before he's back in first grade, because his form that found him dropped was pretty diabolical.

 

[Knight Vision]

I would actually love to see how Ponga would go at halfback. If we weren't so slim in the outside backs I'd have him in the 7 for sure. Would kill it I reckon

I wouldnt move him, however if we had 1 through to 7 Ponga clones we win the premiership - no doubt

 

[slotmachine]

because his form that found him dropped was pretty diabolical.

Legit struggling to catch and pass, and we won't talk about defence.

Listening to brown I don't think it's a given lamb walks straight back in.

 

[Sacrolishes]

One of the biggest parts of Pearce’s game we’ll miss is hiss one on one defence and his 1%’s he’s been behind the line knocking the ball dead on more occasions then Ponga. Whole team needs to lift drastically to fill just the energy and intelligence of Peace.

 

[Glendale]

The reason I want to see Lamb and Cogger have a go together is because they both have good kicking games. This is a glaring part of Watson's game that he needs to develop to just a half decent degree if he wants to have a long career in the halves. It's alright having Pearce as our kicker 90% of the time because he is experienced enough to handle it but putting all that pressure on Lamb/Cogger is probably going to be too much, as well as the fact their kicking games aren't as developed as Pearce. Lamb and Cogger have an understanding and have played a lot of footy together, they're our safest bet for a ready formed combination at this stage. Cogger and Watson have never played together and given the halves pecking order during the pre-season, I'd expect wouldn't have trained too much together either. I would like to see Lamb and Cogger have a go together and let Watson have another week off to heal, or put him on the bench. However I think it's fairly likely Brown brings Watson straight back.