Matai

[Stillman]

With Matai due to return some time in the next few week, where do you all think he should be played? We all have the fear that Des will be Des and play him back in the centres and Lyon will be a 5/8 once again but where on the park do you think he would be most valuable?

 

[willstyles]

Both he and Lyon are most suited to the left centre position. They obviously can't both play there so one would have to move, but that being the case I’m sure Matai would be able to switch to the right hand side of the field and still do good things over there.

But yeah, Manly would be best served by having them both in the centres, leaving Belly out in the cold a bit... which is a bit sad, but I think Matai will have a more positive impact out there at the moment.

But yeah, Des will move Lyon back to the halves. We all know it.

 

[Stillman]

Lyon was a right centre before his 'sucessful' move into the halves so maybe moving him there would work best for all.

 

[Dan]

I just Hope Des can see what everyone else can see and that, that is Lyon is no half. Maybe once his confidence is back give him half a game there but for mine we look more dangerous with him running the ball out wide.

I hate to say it but I think Bell may be the weak link, and Matai may inject a bit of venom, but then again Defense wins games and I think Matai has the ability to cock up pretty badly in defense

 

[ManlyBacker]

I agree. It is hard to see Bell making the Maroons on his form since and including last Origin, but he is safer in defense than Matai. We still need two playmakers as totally relying on Ox is too predictable as other posters have said.

 

[Stevie]

Matai ------------- NSW Cup

 

[Stillman]

Does anyone actually know how much longer he will be out?

 

[Matabele]

Lyon will go to 5/8th with a roving commission. 

 

[Stevie]

Lyon will go to 5/8th with a roving commission. 

😱 :'( :'(

 

[Guest]

Matai will start in the NSW cup and will get suspended first game back so we won't need to worry about where he will fit into the team.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Matai in centre - Lyon at 5/8. Put money on it.

 

[Matabele]

[quote author=Matabele link=topic=177266.msg181581#msg181581 date=1207623043]
Lyon will go to 5/8th with a roving commission. 

😱 :'( :'(
[/quote]  What?  You're not seriously expecting anything else are you?

 

[Ryan]

01. Brett Stewart
02. Michael Robertson
03. Jamie Lyon
04. Steven Bell
05. Michael Bani
06. Steve Menzies
07. Matt Orford
08. Jason King
09. Matt Ballin
10. Brent Kite
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Steve Matai
13. Glenn Stewart

14. Heath Le'Strange
15. Josh Perry
16. Mark Bryant
17. Adam Cuthbertson

I would ask Adam Cuthbertson to run a little wider, to utilise his offload.
I'd ask Matai to take advantage of tiring props up the gets, but defend wider.

We's have Kite / Bryant / King / Perry who can all rotate the prop position.

Beaver is like a running forward anyway.

Someone said they'd give Matai a roving position. I agree. BUT, Des needs to make sure he defends as and with the team.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Matai is not a forward. It would give us the smallest backrow in the competition. ( I know small is good for some things). We need size and mobility to combat some of the bigger sides in the comp.

You know the old adage: A good big team will always beat a good little team.

 

[clontaago]

Horses for courses. I think Matai would be a great selection in the forwards against sides like the Tigers and the Warriors.

All the good judges are suggesting Matai will eventually be moved into the forwards.

 

[DSM5]

Strange how it is that someone with the defensive problems Stevie Wonder often displays can be considered for first grade without having a run in reserves.  I'd say he'd be very rusty.  Anyway the way Hasler makes positional decisions I'd be amazed if he didn't put him at centre and Lyon back to a very unsatisfactory 5/8th.  If Hasler desperately needed to have him in the side maybe he could have him on the bench in place of Bryant.  Coming in when the opposition is tired as a second rower or replace Bell when he's crabbed sideways ten times.  Matai at his best at least runs forward. 

 

[Ryan]

Our side IS probably at its strongest with Matai at center to be honest (not wthstanding results).

 

[Canteen Worker]

All the good judges are suggesting Matai will eventually be moved into the forwards.

I am obviously not a good judge!!! However I can't see him standing the battering he would cop in the forwards. He is not big framed!

 

[Ryan]

Either is Allan Tongue right?

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Each week that return date gets pushed back ! So is his neck the cause for the continual delays in his return or is the selection headache to much ?