Your team v's Titans Rd1

[Burwood]

I doubt Brown is going to drop a player like Mullen and roll out 5 NRL debutants all in his first game as Newcastle coach. I think we'll be seeing 5 players make their debut for the club, not the NRL.

 

[Noname36]

Sooooo many conclusions being jumped to in here at the moment lol.

 

[slotmachine]

DT has the line up

Feeney
Chanel
Gagai
Pat Mat
Uate
Mullen
Hodko
Mataora
Randell
Snowden
Rochow
J Saifiti
Smith

Pauli
D Saifiti
Sims
Bhana

 

[slotmachine]

Funny that of these spectacular juniors that everyone goes crazy over, two will be in NSW Cup and one will be playing for Canberra, haha.

 

[Swarzey]

Mataora starting?

I'm f**king done already.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

well the issue with mullens toe last season was a bone that wasnt healing which i believe he has had removed. So what issue exactly is he having with his toe? Where did you hear this? Last I heard he was good.

 

[Swarzey]

Full credit to the club for covering it up if he's still having problems but it would have been exposed and leaked in the early weeks of pre-season. Also, there was an article on Fox Sports about his injury and at no point did he say he was struggling with it.

Not buying it.

 

[Johns Magic]

Funny that of these spectacular juniors that everyone goes crazy over, two will be in NSW Cup and one will be playing for Canberra, haha.

How is that funny

 

[K-Man]

On paper that team is borderline NSW Cup level. Including the two suspended players I count 6 missing players from what I would've thought is strongest lineup: Mamo, Sione, T Sims, Paea, Stockwell and Levi.

Paea is probably the one that surprises me the most. From what I saw and read he carved it up in the UK and returns to the NRL at an age where he's still not too old to make an impact. I didn't see him as a Fa'aologo type of signing, I thought it was more than that. I actually had (still have I suppose) a feeling he might become our number one prop this year.

How on earth is Mataora in the starting 13? Ahead of Korbin? Ahead of Paea and Stockwell? I'm mightily confused.

I don't Bhana though. Big fan of Levi and his time will come, but I've got no problem with Bhana getting a shot.

Hopefully Chanel and Pat prove me wrong, because in my book they're both nowhere near up this level.

Time will tell, perhaps Brown is an absolute genius. It's just odd that the team looks a lot weaker than I was expecting and it's only Round 1.

 

[harrywilliams]

Whatever you read on Paea's SL performances they were exaggerated then. Average at best compared to the other forwards in the UK. He's 30 years old and he is our smallest prop. Taking all these things into account why are you so surprised? I've always seen him as a NSW Cup/fringe signing. Just because he's our first island nugget in a while I think people were quick to add him into their top 17. Agreed though Mataora will have a lot to prove.

Chanel is a better winger than Mamo in every aspect and it's a waste carrying an extra hooker, having Bhana to come on for Smith and then rolling out Korbin, Pauli and Saifiti, it's a smart move by Brown imo.

 

[slotmachine]

Apparently paea is injured, makes a lot more sense.

Stockwell deserves some time in NSW cup after his bludger of an effort in the trial. Ditto mamo, who was awful. Levi a victim of reduced interchange, as harry says. Can't afford to carry a specialist hooker on the bench anymore, need that guy who can give you 30 minutes at lock and 20 minutes at hooker. Levi struggled mightily in defence in the trial, couldn't control the ruck at all. And with Randall in the leadership group brown obviously rates him.

 

[K-Man]

Whatever you read on Paea's SL performances they were exaggerated then. Average at best compared to the other forwards in the UK. He's 30 years old and he is our smallest prop. Taking all these things into account why are you so surprised? I've always seen him as a NSW Cup/fringe signing. Just because he's our first island nugget in a while I think people were quick to add him into their top 17. Agreed though Mataora will have a lot to prove.

Chanel is a better winger than Mamo in every aspect and it's a waste carrying an extra hooker, having Bhana to come on for Smith and then rolling out Korbin, Pauli and Saifiti, it's a smart move by Brown imo.

Yes I'm still surprised. And I'll be even more surprised if Mataora is in the team ahead of Paea (or ahead of anyone) by round 4-6.

If Chanel is a better winger than Mamo then we might as well give up on Mamo now. I don't see anything in Chanel, I don't know what I've missed over the years but I don't rate him at all.

Stockwell I'm putting down to match fitness. He's got quality, there's no way he's not in the top 17. I think Brown will just be easing him back in after such a long lay-off.

Bhana I like. Solid player, seems like he does the little things well and I agree that carrying two genuine hookers is a bit of a luxury. Levi > Randell in the long run (although Randell is somehow in the leadership group), but I'm keen to see how Bhana goes from the bench.

Pat Mata'utia is just meh. I hope he goes well. I also hope we don't need him too often this year.

 

[Spot On]

There's really not a lot of difference in the ability of the players Brown has at his disposal. He's rewarding some for their off season and possibly trial performance and giving them a shot.

The blokes missing out are no superstars and will get their chance at some stage. Brown is letting them know that incumbency is not a selection criteria. Attitude and performance are.

Hopefully a few of them take it on board and have a f**king go.

 

[knaus]

I guess brown is simply picking on what he has seen in his time here. Reputation doesn't count, which is exactly what we all wanted.

We all complained when stone wouldn't drop anyone, now brown is doing it and people cry about it?

By the way Barry Toohey on Twitter says Mullen is fine when someone asked about his toe

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Yes I'm still surprised. And I'll be even more surprised if Mataora is in the team ahead of Paea (or ahead of anyone) by round 4-6.

If Chanel is a better winger than Mamo then we might as well give up on Mamo now. I don't see anything in Chanel, I don't know what I've missed over the years but I don't rate him at all.

Stockwell I'm putting down to match fitness. He's got quality, there's no way he's not in the top 17. I think Brown will just be easing him back in after such a long lay-off.

Bhana I like. Solid player, seems like he does the little things well and I agree that carrying two genuine hookers is a bit of a luxury. Levi > Randell in the long run (although Randell is somehow in the leadership group), but I'm keen to see how Bhana goes from the bench.

Pat Mata'utia is just meh. I hope he goes well. I also hope we don't need him too often this year.

It doesnt take much to be better than mamo tbh.

 

[Spot On]

It doesnt take much to be better than mamo tbh.

Exactly. Not saying Chanel is a star but neither is Mamo.

 

[The Showstopper]

Brown has shown his hand. Reputation means sweet F all to him. Levi must have been sloppy in the trial. Bhana is a superior defender. No question. He will be an interesting choice at 9 off the bench. That bench looks really solid. I like it.

 

[Dave_]

I must admit that I almost laughed when I read this Rd 1 side. I have no idea why I expected more and I understand we have a few guys missing but they aren't anything too flash. Unfortunately, you'd have to forgive most fans for thinking this was our NSW cup side.

We can only hope that a few of these players surprise us in a big way this year. I'm forever hopeful but definitely less optimistic than in recent memory. For Nathan Brown, he'll probably never get a bigger challenge during his whole career and the fact that the biggest names in coaching failed before him should provide a huge amount of motivation....still, better him than me. I don't envy this bloke.

The coach knows who's who in the zoo and I believe he named the side accordingly and as previously mentioned, reputation and incumbency mean nothing thankfully. My biggest issue is that I honestly still have no idea how Uate even comes under consideration for first grade, I mean wtf? Putting him in the side is like giving the opposition a 12-18 point headstart.

 

[knightsarmy]

There is a lot of inexperienced guys all at once in this team
youth cant beat experiance

 

[Spot On]

There is a lot of inexperienced guys all at once in this team
youth cant beat experiance

True but experience won a wooden spoon last year.

I think this is the point fans must support Brown on. He's found some younger players that I don't think are too far behind in ability terms than more experienced players at the club. Sure they are raw but what else does the coach do? He has little choice but promote those whose attitude and performance have stood out through pre season and trials.

He also has to blood some of these younger blokes at some stage to really get a good look at what he's got and which ones to keep long term. Two of them wouldn't be there if Sione and head case weren't suspended so his hand has been forced somewhat.

If in fact the reported team is the one announced this week then hopefully the players some expected to be there but have missed selection really prove to the coach they should be in firsts. A win - win for all.