Ok Harper - last chance

[Under the Sticks]

At least Suli doesn't get smashed backwards on every single hit up but he's not setting the world alight over at the goons.

I Harper’s defence he is costing us about a third of Suli’s salary

 

[Under the Sticks]

Las tchance for both sides. Scorpio was pretty good in attack but far out stop running out of the line aimlessly.

Also can all our players get longer studs please

Playing on a wet new surface, surely the long studs should have been mandatory.

 

[Waz13]

It simply cannot continue. I’m as loyal as Des but Harper must be dropped. This week is perfect for Koula to debut. He’s played the raiders in a trial and did well. The game is at home and in the arvo (hopefully sunny dry track). Just sets it up perfectly to bring him in. Then we have the knights, titans and sharks. It’s a good introduction to grade. The call needs to be made.

 

[Dan]

Playing on a wet new surface, surely the long studs should have been mandatory.

One would think yes...but apparently not

 

[JakeyB789]

Koula in for Harper is the easiest change we can make but Des won’t make any changes unless someone gets injured. Same thing as last year but we got lucky that he was forced to play Olakau’atu and Schuster instead of Gosiewski and Sironen. We aren’t going anywhere until the fossil decides he can play some young guys instead of his mediocre favourites

 

[Stewbojevic]

Agree with everyone, Koula in needs to happen… he certainly can’t be any worse

 

[joeboy]

Needs to be dropped with swift and extreme prejudice.

Saab aswell

Need to get some pride put back in the jersey and drop those who don’t feel they need to value been given one.

Des has lost it if he allows this erosion of accountability

Happy for keppie and tapau to be banished for a week or two aswell. That kick by Marty said it all. And keppie? Well, he is just a spud.

 

[Will on the hill]

Harper made some horrible errors, some weren't his fault but the ones that were, were horrendous. Watching live the biggest concern was how much time he spent with hands on hips not moving into position. Something is seriously wrong and we have nothing to lose by giving Koula a shot in his spot

 

[Sheikheagle]

Harper made some horrible errors, some weren't his fault but the ones that were, were horrendous. Watching live the biggest concern was how much time he spent with hands on hips not moving into position. Something is seriously wrong and we have nothing to lose by giving Koula a shot in his spot

Playing like he knows he is already gone. Deadman walking.

 

[mosto]

I’m usually in the Des camp of let a bloke play his way back into form. But in this case there’s an obvious replacement.

 

[DieHardManlyFan]

Harper needs to go back to Blacktown. His head and his heart isn't into it this year.

Obviously your opinion but my opinion is it’s rough to say anyone’s heart isn’t in it without knowing how they are feeling. Do agree with going back to Blacktown though, he is still young I can’t see this being good for his confidence. My hope is that he plays himself back into the side but for now give Koolaid a chance.

 

[IQofalimabean]

jorge tafua would be better at center ton of experience good defence and would bend the line.

 

[Under the Sticks]

Players also usually lift against their former team but even this didn’t feature tonight which is strange.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Needs to be dropped with swift and extreme prejudice.

Saab aswell

Need to get some pride put back in the jersey and drop those who don’t feel they need to value been given one.

Des has lost it if he allows this erosion of accountability

Happy for keppie and tapau to be banished for a week or two aswell. That kick by Marty said it all. And keppie? Well, he is just a spud.

The Kepster looks like a spud. New nickname: ‘Idaho’ Keppie.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

The Kepster looks like a spud. New nickname: ‘Idaho’ Keppie.

Desiree Keppie?

 

[Damien2812]

Harper had a really poor game and won't be far from having that spell on the sidelines. Koula is ready to take his spot imo.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Desiree Keppie?

And they call him…Bintje.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

It simply cannot continue. I’m as loyal as Des but Harper must be dropped. This week is perfect for Koula to debut. He’s played the raiders in a trial and did well. The game is at home and in the arvo (hopefully sunny dry track). Just sets it up perfectly to bring him in. Then we have the knights, titans and sharks. It’s a good introduction to grade. The call needs to be made.

If I am not mistaken, this week's 'at home' game is goin' to Mudgee. We have the crowd in Mudgee still - altho Raiders a diff proposition for local support than the fancy-pants Titans.

Don't disagree with the rest of the post, and feel that Harper was sensational for a run of games last year, eventually getting bogged down by niggling injuries. Prior to that, he was the crown jewel of over-achievement that won non-fans and fans alike.

His bromance with Saab was woke-wet-dreamtime (think about the diversity-satisfaction card on that one, and yes I hate woke as a word period). Harper was like Jamie Lyon with those draw-2-flick-passes to Saab in the corner. I had great hopes.

For mine, Olam ate Harpers soul in that Prelim final. That was the final jenga piece that brought down the tower of over-achievement. He had been visibly struggling for weeks. the guy hasn't been the same since, and cracks have seemingly appeared based on SVT's very qualified (and never knee-jerk) conclusions! /sarc..

Not a qualified spectator this year (in truth, haven't watched the last 2 games - moving o'seas is legit excuse but), however if Harper is still in the doldrums about the Storm lowpoint, maybe he does need some character building. It would be interesting to see him shave off the dirty sanchez, trim the mane and just get his hands dirty with unrecognisible workmanship.

Koula is the classic hype-train. Toot-toot! all aboard the fast-guy hype - Bozo will love it! (jks Bozo, you're still the mascot). Given Koula was a Newington GPS rugby churn-out tho, maybe he can emulate the last experience I had with that school - that being, the last guy I played in my final years of school in Rugby (rah-rah) was a fuzzy-blonde haired youngster by the name of Phil Waugh. Guy used me as a speed-bump - and that is giving me credit. I think he sped up after he palmed my skinny ass to the turf. Far out he was big for a school kid....

 

[Ryan]

Poor Harper. Clearly out of his depth. He's actually lucky Des doesn't hold his players accountable like almost every other coach in the NRL. There are some coaches that bench their marquee guys when out of form, just to give them a shot in the arm.

Not Dessie though. Harper will likely be the first player on the team list next week.

And that, my good friends is how / why complacency spreads through the team, play the balls are titanic slow, defense is (how did Blocker say it? dosile?).

The BEST thing Des could do, is show the players that if you under perform, you're held to account. Why? We have depth and options. Walker could go back. Tuipulotu is available. Koula is available. Taufua could play at a stretch.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

I can't believe how much Harper's form has continued to slide since the end of last year. He is not first grade standard unfortunately. I'd even prefer to have Lewis Brown come out of retirement to fill in this position. Just for fukin laugh it's so hard to watch. But seriously we have Koula as a valid option. Give him a run and see if he can cling onto the opportunity.