What do you do with Matai

[Canteen Worker]

Interesting dilemma assuming all players stay fit. Hoppa has been a revelation in the centres. Oldfield did lots of good things. Foran is great at five-eighth and Jamie is back. Wolfie is not back at his best but we look a lot better with him in the side. Robbo continues to be great.

With Matai returning from injury, where does he go? He is not going to play reserve grade.

Whare is yet to come back as well. My guess is that Tony Williams may not play a lot more centre, assuming we get a full side on the paddock.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

I honestly reckon Hoppa does not deserve to be dropped, give Matai some NSW cup game time to start with & get him match fit & then re-access it in a few weeks

 

[eagleE]

Mattai should get a game or 2 in reserves. Give Hoppa a break from 1st for a few weeks after that and bring in Mattai. Hoppa is still young and his body not yet fully developed. He needs a rest from the weekly hits of 1st grade. T. Williams should not be playing much 1st grade unless to cover for injury or suspension or rep players.

 

[Andrew..]

It's nice to know we are spoiled for choice. but a lot can happen from one match to the next, Des admitted Killer is back early so I'm not going to risk Jinxing the boys by getting to far ahead of myself.

 

[Fro]

when Matai is fit he will go striaght into the centres, as he should.

if they are scared of us now, that will go up a notch, nobody likes playing him because it hurts.

And we al know he is going to be injured/suspended sooner or later, so he might as well give us some value while he actually is on deck...

 

[stoodamire]

I think Matai deserves his spot, he has been a great player for us since debuting.

Young Hoppa has plenty of potential and his time will come.

Remembering last year, most of us were wishing to keep Matai.

 

[Chip and Chase]

There is no way Matai is going to play NSW Cup behind Hoppa. Straight back into the run on side for Shoulders, ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Hoppa and T-Rex can have a stint in Reggies, their time will come. Wolfman isn't fully fit, so if anyone is going to have a rest it should be him. He has been a bit of a passenger for the last two weeks

 

[COMMANDER]

Matai straight back in, Hoppa to the reggies.

With him back it will make tough team even tougher.

 

[Mybludog]

I know it won't happen but i'd have Matai on the bench instead of Seu Seu.
He's the best dummy half runner we've got and would be the perfect foil for Ballin coming on before 1/2 time or late in the game. It also may prolong his career by a few years.

 

[maxta]

I think it should be decided after the Rabbits game. If Hoppa has a massive game deserves to hold a spot & look at other options. This young brigade is now standing up & have added much needed thrust with a way better enthuiasm than we have had in a while. Matai is our most inspirational player with Snake & Lyon imo so must be in the 17. Ppl will chew my head off but still think Matai would be a sensation at lock - my only prob with that is the continual injuries he seems to get could become worse with more constant collisions & the fact he does it all at 100 miles an hour!!

 

[bones]

Matai straight into the centers. Hoppa has more chance of ousting Wolfman or Robbo on the wing than he has  Matai.

 

[stoodamire]

Matai won't be in the forwards, nor will he be a bench player.

He's a top class centre and is payed the big bucks to do so.

I think we all know throughout the year Matai will probably get injured/suspended and isn't it great to know we have Young Hoppa waiting in the wings?

Also around Origin time it's good to know we can call on Hoppa as well.

I don't mean to jinx Brett or anything, but i'd like to see Hoppa at FB, that's where he made his name coming through the grades and is supposedly an absolute gun there..

Unless Brett gets picked for Origin which is highly unlikely.

 

[susan]

we all know what des will do.matai in.and he's dead right.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

we all know what des will do.matai in.and he's dead right.

He's 110% right!

 

[Copa Eagle]

what about:
14.Hopoate
15.Buhrer
16.Rose
17.Mauro

Hopoate to push into the centres and move steve into the second row for a little stint amongst the tired props up the middle ?
The Dragons use this ploy.

 

[Roger]

[quote author=susan link=topic=187190.msg328604#msg328604 date=1301442368]
we all know what des will do.matai in.and he's dead right.

He's 110% right!
[/quote]

Totally, Des will bring Matai in and Hoppa back to u/20's with T-Rex in NSW Cup. The only change to that will be due to injuries.

 

[bhot]

Matai off the bench for first few weeks to get match fitness.
Utility that can play second row, hooker, lock, or centre.

 

[jbb/james]

what to do with stevie . Feed him some raw meat, give him back his jumper, give him some room and let him do what he does best. Champion player,  we could do with more steve mattai's
hoppa is good but he can be devastating learning from steve and jamie.his appenticeship is only in its second year

 

[maxta]

What a luxury to have so many options - gotta be healthy considering many question the depth - front row & hooker are the only areas without quality backups.

 

[The Eagle]

Matt.....we have good backups,its just some of our props arent performing in FG and Des is quiet reluctant to relieve them of FG duties