Do we have enough players for next week?

[Kevinward777]

He’d certainly be an authority on touch footy.

Awesome!

 

[manlyfan76]

Fainu to 6.

Probably never happen but I would love to see how this kid would go running to the line a little wider.

He's big, got speed and has good footy brain.

Might not find the same spark running through tired forwards but I think he would love the extra space with Suli/Parker and Jurbo/Thommo/Siro running off him at the line.

He played in the halves in lower grades.

I think Des will keep the creative Siro in the second row. As we have seen this creates more options a la Gifty.
For me it's a case of NEXT MAN UP and that is probably Cust.

 

[Budgie]

The only good thing about the injuries is that each week we get to look forward to Tuesday to see what the mad scientist will figure out next.

 

[Sue]

We won’t get TT or Cherry back for 4 or 5 weeks.
Got the Bogans away, Sharks away, Penrith away, Cowboys away and Titans at home.
Interesting draw. Looking at positions on table doesn’t look too tough, but Sharks and Penrith were touted as top 4 ,4 out of five away and the away games recently have been graveyard venues.

Interesting times.

 

[Simonmyers11]

We won’t get TT or Cherry back for 4 or 5 weeks.
Got the Bogans away, Sharks away, Penrith away, Cowboys away and Titans at home.
Interesting draw. Looking at positions on table doesn’t look too tough, but Sharks and Penrith were touted as top 4 ,4 out of five away and the away games recently have been graveyard venues.

Interesting times.

Full strength and we would be favorites for all of those matches. Still very winnable every one

 

[Sue]

Cust plays similar to Croker. The key is whoever replaces Croker being able to step up. Cust looked better than Elgey in trials. Hope if he’s fit they go with him. Need a kicker at 5/8. Elgey getting double teamed as a kicker scares me so I hope we don’t go with Sirro or Api.

The only surprise move that may work is Fainu( ex half ) at 5/8 as he can kick but his dummy half play is so good it’s a huge risk.

 

[Sue]

Full strength and we would be favorites for all of those matches. Still very winnable every one

I’d be happy with two from five which keeps us well in the hunt with key players coming back.7 and 6 would be sensational effort.
Think Broncos Sharks( with a couple of stars back) and Penrith away will get us I reckon.Brisbane are desperate next week and the canaries plus their speed will be hard.A lot will depend on Crokers injury. Didn’t think I’d ever say that but he has just looked the part..

Well start big underdogs in every game except the Titans but that’s meant nothing this year.

 

[The better Robbo]

Cust plays similar to Croker. The key is whoever replaces Croker being able to step up. Cust looked better than both Elgey and Croker in trials. Hope if he’s fit they go with him. Need a kicker at 5/8. Elgey getting double teamed as a kicker scares me so I hope we don’t go with Sirro or Api.

The only surprise move that may work is Fainu( ex half ) at 5/8 as he can kick but his dummy half play is so good it’s a huge risk.

I agree. Cust is the obvious solution. He is a proper half and allows siro and fainu to continue playing their role in the team. Cust can kick and is a like for like with Croker. Been part of our system for a few years so knows his job. Would love to see him debut. We are lucky to have some depth in the halves this year

 

[mickqld]

Sorry I look at it exactly the opposite way.Sherlock Holmes Gasnier tells us that Fainus tired and all of a sudden it’s gospel and the kids not functioning. Actually might be better to look closely at what actually transpired.

Just watched the second half again looking at this specifically after reading a lot of this comment. What is being missed here is that there is a huge difference between being tired versus being tired and NOT doing your job.EVERYONE was tired.If someone’s not tired in that situation it’s almost certainly because he’s not putting in.

In the lead up to Gasnier waxing lyrical about Fainus tiredness, in the previous 6 sets in 3 of them Fainu made 3 of the six tackles in that set. I did not see him miss a tackle in that period.After each of those sets in defence he had a searching metre gaining run from dummy half up the Dogs middle.

Watch the Bulldogs last try deep into the match.Look at the guy racing across trying to make a last ditch tackle at the corner post.Not a fullback or left edge backrower. Manasai Fanu.With 8 to go Api made a nice run towards the post and it was Fainu on his inside shoulder looking for that last pass. The first thing that goes if a player is shot is they don’t push up in support.With 4 to go he ran 20 metres straight through the Dogs middle to close out the game. His passing remained crisp.

As I said there is a total difference between being tired from doing a great job and being tired and not doing your job. The whole team was gassed because we were playing with a patched up side with not much possession after 6 hard weeks. We had outside backs like Parker and Suli gasping from the effort.

What he actually did do was show that at his young age he has what’s necessary to play under duress, not the opposite.I did not see a single error or lack of effort in that second half despite his tiredness.
Obviously its better for everyone, not just him,to get a rest with Api replacing him or vica versa ,but if you don’t then he and a lot of others last night showed they can get the job done.We won the game and it’s because guys like Fainu, Parker , Suli and co DID function well under duress.

If I could give triple thumbs up and winner emojis for that post I would. What a wonderful summation of the will to win in this team @Sue