2023 Team
- Thread starter XV-1
- Start date
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Ryan
Journey Man
01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jason Saab
03. Tolu Koula
04. Kaeo Weekes
05. Reuben Garrick
+ Weekes could play a Jamie Lyon type role (remember he also played 5/8 as well). You need to accomodate Weekes in our team - kid could be anything. Up there with Schuster for potential.
+ You want Lawton on the bench to cover both Hooker and backrow. I personally feel 2022 showed us that carrying two utilities didn't work for us. Therefore I'd prefer Weekes not to have to play in the forwards off the bench as a utility (like Walker did).
Our bench at a MINIMUM quality wise needs to be:
14. Karl Lawton
15. Taniela Paseka
16. Sean Keppie
17. Kelma Tuilagi
+ all capable of playing at forward. A more typical bench rotation, designed to make metres in a big way, share the game time (we don't want some bench players getting 5-10 minutes a a game anymore), hopefully laying the platform for our backs.
+ This means our depth is: Croker, Harper, Parker, Tuipulotu, Humphreys, Tuitavake, Bullemor, B Trbojevic, Sipley, Fulton, Condon, Boyle & a rookie like Fainu or something (making 30). That's acceptable. But means we need a Hooker, Lock and backrower coming in.
Fill ins Lawton and Croker are not our long term greater hooker options IMO
We should be more innovative than that
Ryan
Journey Man
Just takes one leader type to set the example mate (Kite, Kennedy & others ring a bell). If you had a 22 year old Leniu coming in at prop, ruthless leg drive, ruthless mindest and culture, almost demands that everyone else in our forward group follows suit and lifts. That's why just ONE modern day type forward is paramount this off season. Someone who walks the walk
The dynamic speed and leg drive of Leniu is something we lack for sure
1. Weekes
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Trbojevic (c) (RHS)
5. Garrick
6. Schuster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. Trbojevic (c)
9. Roache
10. Aloiai
11. Ola'akautu
12. Tuilagi
13. Croker
14. Chan Kum Tong
15. Lawton
16. Paseka
17. - 18. Bullemor / Tuitavake
Reserves:
19. - 24. Keppie, Fulton, Trbojevic, Sipley, Tuipulotu, Vaega
Depth (incl. Dev.):
Boyle, Fifita, Humphreys, Fainu ×2, Parker, Harper, Sykes, Meyers
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Trbojevic (c) (RHS)
5. Garrick
6. Schuster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. Trbojevic (c)
9. Roache
10. Aloiai
11. Ola'akautu
12. Tuilagi
13. Croker
14. Chan Kum Tong
15. Lawton
16. Paseka
17. - 18. Bullemor / Tuitavake
Reserves:
19. - 24. Keppie, Fulton, Trbojevic, Sipley, Tuipulotu, Vaega
Depth (incl. Dev.):
Boyle, Fifita, Humphreys, Fainu ×2, Parker, Harper, Sykes, Meyers
The Who
Journey Man
Froggy at lock? Yeah good thinking, that could work.
We really don't want them punching holes in his defence.
I'm not sure who is supposed to be taking over from Mahoney at Parra. Is Roache not in line to do that?
They've signed Hodgson from Raiders.
Roache on train and trial with us and assuming he's fit and firing, offers a great deal more at dummy half (at least in the past) than Croker
Right. Forgot all that!
cheers
Roache is 26 and has only played 27 NRL games. 22 of those off the bench.
He’s had a succession of serious knee and back injuries and played zero games in 2018, 6 in 2019, zero in 2020, 1 in 2021 and zero in 2022. Through injury!
The guy has obviously been very unlucky but its optimistic to say he offers more than our Player of the Year, whose durability is one of his strengths.
Train and trial is the right level for Roache. Reminds me of when we signed Tim Moltzen, had talent but he'd been cruelled by serious injuries and it was simply too much to come back from.
Good luck to him but I'd rate him long odds to play NRL for Manly next year. Same with Segeyaro.
Good luck to him but I'd rate him long odds to play NRL for Manly next year. Same with Segeyaro.
40 nil
It's only a game ...
Yes, that shouldn't be condoned
Yeah massive assumption he'll be 'fit and firing' but when he was, was pretty decent. It won't take much to offer more than Croker. Don't forget Croker had his unlucky years too. That being said, he certainly should be kept in the 17 somewhere on account of his invaluable defence and fitness in the middle. I personally think he would make a great 13. Dummy half on the other hand, not so sure he can evolve quick enough to meet the standards (and now pretty much the requirements) of a modern day 9. Unfortunately we are massively disadvantaged in this area...and that's nothing against Croker, who has done what he's been asked with admirable effort and application. But we all know we need something extra in this crucial position
Croker could still have improvement in him, wouldn't surprise me actually. But yes we need more at dummy half, at least some variety coming on to replace him later in a game. Hopefully Chan Kum Tong has a break out year. I don't think Lawton is all that great at dummy half, he's OK but I think he's shaping as a quality bench forward, bit like Sorensen at Panthers.
If we go with Vegas and Trevor in the centres we will be in big trouble
| Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7 | 6 | 1 | 99 | 14 |
|
7 | 6 | 1 | 54 | 14 |
|
7 | 5 | 2 | 36 | 12 |
|
8 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 11 |
|
8 | 5 | 3 | 64 | 10 |
|
7 | 4 | 3 | 49 | 10 |
|
8 | 4 | 4 | 73 | 8 |
|
7 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 8 |
|
8 | 4 | 4 | -14 | 8 |
|
8 | 4 | 4 | -16 | 8 |
|
8 | 4 | 4 | -60 | 8 |
|
8 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 7 |
|
8 | 3 | 5 | -25 | 6 |
|
7 | 2 | 5 | -55 | 6 |
|
8 | 3 | 5 | -55 | 6 |
|
7 | 1 | 6 | -87 | 4 |
|
7 | 1 | 6 | -136 | 4 |
