My team that might actually win a game

[Waz13]

Thoughtful post but lost me at Garrick.
Tried hard vs Illawarra but imo, just not there and should not be there.
Also didn't mind the DCE at 9 in another post option, took 2 scoots from there tonight and both times looked dangerous and created momentum....which only happened 4-5 times in 80 minutes....his 2 scurries accounted for 40% of Manly looking dangerous....
The dumb part was Illawarra did not look like scoring till resorting to a bomb for Lomax, which was obvious yet Manly didn't contest....then we fall apart and let in another 6 tries ....

And in the second half I thought we were well on top until stupid f$&@en keppie hits Hunt late on the 5th. A side like Saints you get one try and the floodgates open. God it’s hard to watch us! Thankfully I have silvertails to come for the debrief. Otherwise I’d worry about my MH. It’s good to know you’re not alone in times like these lol

 

[XV-1]

Koula
Saab
Walker
Harper
Garrick or Tuipulotu
Foz
DCE
Paseka
Cust
Aloia
Jake
GoJetski
Schuster

Parker
Tapau
Keppie
Sipley

 

[mickqld]

Koula
Saab
Walker
Harper
Garrick or Tuipulotu
Foz
DCE
Paseka
Cust
Aloia
Jake
GoJetski
Schuster

Parker
Tapau
Keppie
Sipley

No Parker, no Jetski no Garrick please. Schuster has ti go to 6 or he'll get turned into another Jake at backrow. He's not there to make 30 tackles a game and just do hitups.

 

[z1eyedeagle]

No Parker, no Jetski no Garrick please. Schuster has ti go to 6 or he'll get turned into another Jake at backrow. He's not there to make 30 tackles a game and just do hitups.

totally agree on dropping those three, they add nothing to the team and are in fact liabilities

 

[z1eyedeagle]

I would definately move DCE to 9, we have nothing but a slow pass from there at the moment, which gives the defence a simple read on our plays that puts enormous pressure on our playmekers, resulting in Foran looking slow and DCE panickinging into an erratic action.

Having DCE at 9 would not only allow Foran to steer the team around the park, but will add another dimension to our attack which will have defences second guessing a potential dart out of dummy half

With Cust and Foran as our halves, we may also play a little more direct; went sideways far too often yeterday

 

[Rocky]

1. Harper
2. Saab
3. Walker
4. Suli
5. Tuipulotu
6. Schuster
7. Foran
13. Saddler
12. Marty
11. Aloiai
10. Paseka
9. DCE
8. Jake

14. Keppie
15. Sipley
16. Cust
17. Boyle

• Walker has to play centre so Harper best option at Fullback
• Parker and Garrick have to go (Garrick did play fine against St. George but haven't seen enough of it)
• If the Roosters were happy to play Tippytoes on the wing then so Am I.
• Josh and Foran have been our most dangerous and need to play 6/7
• Have only seen Saddler play once at BWSE against the Bears but he looked up to it and he's passionate and a leader
• Marty and Aloia edges..not sure if this works but happy to get out best players in the team.
• We all know Jake has to be in the front row
• I think it was Maxsta that said DCE looked good running out of dummy half even though it happened a couple of times. We/He also need a shake up so this is it.
• The bench is the best of the rest. Boyle wouldn't make it if others were fit but we have injuries!

 

[pjayz]

He was lucky then. Elbow dislocations can be pretty brutal. I have one and now have a metal elbow.

Ouch.

 

[nightster]

Happy to drop Parker, but who else we have to go there?

saddler not allowed apperntly

Parker was again our best centre last night apart from his dropped balls ... we need to get Saddler up into the squad Keppie has been no better than Siro on an average day imho .... I'd drop Suli and put the faster Harper or Funa into the centres for a run .... a run in the reggies might make Suli appreciate the effort that is needed for firsts

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I’ll guarantee you

Next week .......same team.

62-4 coming , but could easily be 74-4.

Think they’ll give up after that , it’d get boring in the end.

 

[CRPSI eagle]

I’d actually like to see this:

1. Harper

2. Saab

3. Walker

4. Suli

5. Funa

6. Schuster

7. Foran

8. Paseka

9. DCE

10. Marty

11. Parker

12. Keppie

13. Jake

14. Cust

15. Tof

16. Alohai

17. Ben Turbo

won’t happen tho cause Des... but I really think DCE needs to be our hooker, then when you bring Cust on play DCE at 7 and spell Foran

Why would you pick Parker?

 

[z1eyedeagle]

1. Harper = replaced bty Trubo on his return
2. Saab
3. Walker
4. Fanu = or Harper on Turbo's return
5. Suli
6. Cust
7. Foran
8. Paseka
9. DCE
10. Tapau
11. Jake
12. Schuster
13. Aloiai

14. Croker = replaced by Sironin on his return
15. Keppie
16. Boyle = replaced by Olakau'atu on his return
17. Sippley = replaced by Saddler when available

I'm assuming that Manase, Davey and Lawton will not back anytime soon

DCE should add another dimension to our attack from dummy half, allowing Foran to steer the team around the park and straighten the attack along with Cust

Jake and Schuster will add ball playing on the edges [double Gift]

Suli will add punch to our kick returns and will be forced to get involved more through hit ups and should be able to defend better, can tackle but can't read too players in motion

Add Burbo and Koula to the mix once they've shown they can handle playing/defending against men in the reggies; further options for the 4. & 5. above

 

[The Royal Soup]

I’ll guarantee you

Next week .......same team.

62-4 coming , but could easily be 74-4.

Think they’ll give up after that , it’d get boring in the end.

Sadly we all know that will be the case

farce

 

[Budgie]

I’ll guarantee you

Next week .......same team.

62-4 coming , but could easily be 74-4.

Think they’ll give up after that , it’d get boring in the end.

Is the 4 from two penalties?

 

[Budgie]

@Smokin Joe Do you think any of our kids are ready for first grade?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Is the 4 from two penalties?

Consolation try , 77th minute on the back of two penalties and a Panther sin bin.

The referee might actually have to point to the gap but they’ll get one !

Not converted of course .

 

[Bearfax]

Harper
Saab
Walker
Suli (or Burbo who I would have in by years end)
Koula
Schuster
DCE
Paseka
Cust
Taupau
Alaia
Sipley
Jake

Foran
Saddler
Ola when available
S. Fainu (if eligible)

 

[robbiea]

Tell me honestly ,would this team do any worse ????
1.Funa
2.Saab
3.Harper
4.Walker
5.Tuipolutu
6.Foran
7.Cust
8.Paseka
9.Lawton/Stabby/Dce (Anyone but Croker really)
9.Keppie
10.Aloiai
11.Schuster
13.Jake

14.Gosiewski
15.Sipley
16.Boyle
17.Burbo/Olakauatu/Sirro/Parker/Koula

If either stabby or Lawton were good to go ,we could save all this money on Dce/Garrick/Suli/Parker/Kapow/Sirro/Croker / on a team who would potentially do no worse than what we are being served up now.!!!!!

 

[Woodsie]

And yet .. the players everyone wants dropped have all been in a team that have made the semi's twice ... and all of them have proved they are capable of good 1st grade performances ... forget the individual players ... they are a symptom ... not the problem ..

The problem is that we are playing like headless Daffy Ducks ... and that is a team issue .. a leadership issue .. and a coaching issue ..

Fix the team issue and many of the players you want to draw and quarter will return to form ..

The truly wonderful thing is ... if we suddenly bounce back and start winning when Tom returns ... you would have to ask .. why bother having a coach ....

 

[Smokin Joe]

@Smokin Joe Do you think any of our kids are ready for first grade?

Probably only a couple would handle it...Koula or Weekes at fullback if development squad players are allowed to play.Tuitavake would kill it but he is injured and a development squad player.Younger guys like Birt/Ala/Harris would probably handle the step up but would need patience.
Some of the Workers players like Smith at fullback,or Leiu or May on the edge would handle it.Kane Allen on the wing is a little skinny but tall and a real talent(seriously fast and an Addo-Carr type of player).I guess you can't pick them until after the cut off date whenever it is.
For what it is worth,my team....
Koula
Tuipulotu(He is a left side player,played on right in trial and looked not so good as Des had pencilled in Garrick)
Funa at left centre
Walker at right
Saab
Schuster
Foran
Paseka
DCE
Boyle
Taupau(need to try something different at the moment)
Gosiewski(why Haumole,why did you get injured/Davey as well)
Jake
Bench of Cust/Suli/Aloiai and Sipley
I backed Barrett to the end and will do the same with Des,however I am starting to seriously lose faith in his decisions and tactics and it really guts me to have to admit it....

 

[TagMonster]

Looking at the team at the start of the season, you'd have to have been a pretty optimistic fan to think we would be a competitive team. With that said, I just can't accept we are as bad as we appear to be right night. I honestly think we are a 7-12 placed team, but a combination of injuries and Des being stubborn have led us here.

With that said, this is what I would like to see next week:

1. T. Funa
2. J. Saab
3. D. Walker
4. M. Harper
5. T. Koula / C. Tuipulotu
6. K. Foran
7. D. Cherry-Evans
8. T. Peseka
9. C. Cust
10. M. Taupau
11. J. Schuster
12. B. Trbojevic
13. J. Trbojevic

14. L. Crocker
15. J. Aloiai
16. T. Sipley
17. S. Keppie

I thought Funa came on really well late last year at fullback. He's honestly the best option at this point. Walker is one of the best centres in the game, BLOODY PLAY HIM THERE!!! Harper give much more upside than Suli or Parker. Saab will get better / is getting better with each game. With an actual backline, Foran and DCE can actually recapture some semblance of form. In the fowards, the props pretty much pick themselves right now. Only real semi positive at this point. Cust isn't great but he's the best available. Now, this is where it gets controversial. The teams that have adapted to the rule changes have got either agile and powerful second rowers or big centres with ball playing ability. We don't have the big powerful guys right now. But Turbo Jr and Schuster are both 105kgs+ and give a whole lot of spark. Jake could swap with Taupau, but I don't think Marty has the cardio, so Jake stays put. The bench is basically the last remaining utility, two best props we have left and a bloke with two feet and a heartbeat. This would be a development player if we could get an exemption, but we aren't the Roosters so that's unlikely to happen.

Now, once we get some cattle back, without any further injuries, this is what I think the best 17 moving forward is:

1. T. Tbojevic
2. J. Saab
3. D. Walker
4. M. Harper
5. T. Funa
6. K. Foran
7. D. Cherry-Evans
8. T. Peseka
9. J. Trbojevic
10. M. Taupau
11. C. Sironen
12. B. Trbojevic
13. J. Schuster

14. C. Cust (then Karl Lawton)
15. J. Aloiai
16. T. Sipley
17. H. Olakau'atu

Tom obviously walks back into Fullback. I'd prefer him at centre with Funa staying at Fullback and Harper sliding to Wing. But that will never happen. Otherwise the backs stay pretty normal. Props stay as before. Now, with some cattle back at second row, I'd have either Sironen or Olakau'atu come into the second row. Siro can only play there and Olakau'atu is a bigger man, so he can be a forward utility of sorts. I'd be sliding Jake to hooker as he isn't effective in attack under the new rules, but can defend like hell for 80mins. With Siro to second row and Jake to 9, I'd slide Schuster to Lock. He would play an extra half style role, similar to Glen Steward did. He can clearly defend as he has been 35+ tackles each game he has started already. The bench stays pretty much the same with the utility up for grabs depending on which warm body is warmest on the day.

I honestly can't seem much if any of the above happening. Des will ensure this. But under the new rules we need big impact players on the edges ala Kikau (which we don't have) or powerful / ballplaying centres that can defend at second row. Ben and Josh are both big enough to play there and what they may lack in experience / defence they make up for in attack. I mean, surely they can't leak more points than our edges currently are!!