NEW YART + REASONS

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Ryan

Journey Man
This would be MY team, and reasons why I have put people in certain positions.

01. Brett Stewart
02. Paul Stephenson
03. Steven Bell
04. Ashley Alberts
05. Chris Hicks
06. Michael Monaghan
07. Matt Orford
08. Brent Kite
09. Matt Ballin
10. Jason King
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Steve Menzies
13. Ben Kennedy

14. Shayne Dunley
15. Kylie Leuleuai
16. Adam Cuthbertson
17. Mark Bryant

A few notes. I thought Mark Lennon didn't play very well. Willie Bishop appeared to have much more X-factor. Willie Bishop took the high ball with ease, and had the Benji Marshall factor / stepping ability. That said, Brett Stewart will be our 1st grade fullback. We need more talk from him.

Unfortunately, I don't think Matai is 1st grade standard at this present time. Timana Tahu, and Eric Growthe made him look inexperienced in that 1st final last year, and in the very next game, Soliola and J. Monaghan made him look less than what one would hope for a 1st grader. I would definitely make Alberts our 1st grade Centre.

I thought Steppa looked "solid" next to Bell. Any winger will excel next to him. On the other side, Meaney looked quiet, but that's mostly in my opinion to Matai not giving / feeding him quality ball. I also believe Robertson is biting at his heals. Robertson didn't get the ball that much.

Michael Monaghan played his best football at 5/8 in this trial, standing wide of the ruck. Defensively he was great out wide, and when receiving the ball 2 from the ruck, it gave him a bit more time to weave his magic, and get the pill onto Bell.

I thought Monaghan at 5/8, would weaken our Hooking position. Not so. Matt Ballin stood up, and made me realise that letting Randall go, may NOT have been that bad a thing after all. He was awesome both sides of the ruck. He was aggressive in defence. He created options. He kicked (successfully). I have not seen a Hooker at this club this good since Jim Serdaris. I would instantly make him our 1st string Hooker. Matt Ballin is a 60+ minute player, and I believe this means Dunley could come on and just explode for 20+ minutes.

Jason Wells had a fine game in the 2nd row, but apparently he plays lock and 5/8 as well. His defence was ruthless, but his attack didn't seem to have the flare from what I have read about the guy previously. This would be due to the position he was playing though, but potentially I believe he would make a great defensive 5/8 next to Orford in the same kind of role as Scott Hill at Melbourne. I still think Monaghan showed enough at 5/8 to pip him though.

I guess my biggest ommision is Luke Williamson. Yep, he a reliable work horse, but had NOWHERE near the impact Adam Cuthbertson had on the game. Cuthbo appeared to have the ability to either play Lock, 2nd row, or Prop. He created 2nd phase play relentlessly. I said to a mate at the game, "he's like a Sam Harris, that has just had a motor service, and is now running properly".....He was by FAR, our standout in the game. Similar to how he was the standout against The Comets. Cuthbo also adds a lot of size to the bench.

I believe Rose did enough to put a LOT of pressure on King and Bryant to make sure that if they drop in form at all, he can step up. His lateral defence left a lot to be desired, but his attack, and ability to offload make him a very tough prop.

In a similar way, I think Burns did enough to put a heck of a lot of pressure on Michael Monaghan. Burns was aggresive as all get up. His defence was damaging, and his creative play fair. He has the ability to throw great inside balls, to his runners like Cuthbertson, and the like.
 
awesome and detailes report ryan, i like that team, its exactly what i would pick, poor old willos, real workhorse but with talent like cuthbos coming thru, i feel his time has come, we need an explosive bench,

dunley is great, kylie, bryant and cuthbo sounds very positive,

yes i havent said much but monas was always going t be 5/8 more room and less pressure with orford inside, its a great move and gives monas more time to choose the right decision instead of that single guy attack mentality he had last year

great report, ill b there next week and will write on our juniors teams extensively to keep people informed of matts, sg ball and flegg
 
Thanks mate..

Hey, did we basically play the Jersey Flegg team in Premier League, and SG Ball / Harold Mathews in Jersey Flegg?

I dead set haven't heard of MOST of the guys in Flegg...but remember seeing few in Harold Mathews / SG Ball last year...?
 
Any players from the lower grades who stood out. I hear that Arron groom had a sensational game.
 
Ryan that is your best YART ever IMO. Pretty much agree with everything you have said, although I did not watch Wells that closely. Nice write up.

Robertsons speed of the mark when he scored that try was impressive, damn quick.
 
nice report Ryan. Id pick the same side. Des wont leave out Willow though.

Sounds like Monas and Orford played great together. Im looking forward to see Monas back to his best with a decent half next to him.

Good to see Ballin making an impression.. but he did in the trial last year too and was snubbed. Hopefully Des has the balls to drop senior players for talented kids like Cuthbo etc..

I wouldnt worry about the scoreline.. Tigers lost all their trial games last year..

Meaney played on the wing did he? I thought he was a gun centre?
 
So did I Kaza, must want to ease hiim into grade.

I would go for him over Matai in the centres based on his reputation. Surely he cant be as bad as Matai. Hope Alberts is fit, otherwise we are in trouble.
 
Top write-up Ryan. It still must have been a completely one-sided game all the same. Good to see some of the youngsters looking more positive. Burns was always going to take a couple of years before looking at a first grade spot and putting him at hooker last year was never the go. Great news on Cuthbo. That YART looks right to me.
 
gday ryan, i didnt make it yesterday, being in wollongong, bit far for a trial, going next week, will watch all grades, doubt that the real flegg team played, as it was sg ball last year, they would be pretty hrad to stop, remember wells, robertson, rose will all play PL to start, thats makes alot stronger team, so will witt and burns as well, Pl and flegg will be real strong, sg ball and matts not sure as matts kids could be locals again and new sg ball team will be entirely new as crusher seems to start spending at sg ball and upwards
 
If Alberts isn't fit play Robertson and Steppa on the wings with Hicks partnering Bell in the centres. That would be my option.

Anyway Ryan as everyone has said I agree 100% with the side you have picked. This is unbelievable, surely we are not all on the same wave length for once.
 
Hicks in centres is a definate option if Alberts is not fit.

Heck even put Meaney in there over Matai, cant do any worse. Although I guess we dont want to throw him to the lions too early and destroy his confidence.
 
Top stuff Ryan.

I felt sure Monas would be hooker but its great news if he looks the goods at 5/8

Also good to hear the 2 wing spots are being contested well. I knew Steppa had it in him on the wing & if Robertson is a worthy candidate for the other spot, it leaves open my theory for Hicks to move into the centres. Thats also influenced by the fact Mattai might be out of the equation. He already was in my opinion.

How about this ?
1. Stewart
2. Steppa
3. Bell
4. Hicks
5. Robertson

I dont see anything wrong with the above if indeed Robertson performed that well.

( I took too long to write this. Garts & Blunty are quick & got in before me)
 
Hicks DOES seem to revel in the Centre spot. 2004 was a stellar year for him. 2005 not so good on the wing...so yeah guys - a very good idea.

Hicks is good at transitional play as well (getting the ball to his winger). How good was Donald in 2004 for example? Leading try scorer I tell you. A winger will only ever be as good as the centre who is giving him the ball...

Bell / Steppa
Hicks / Robertson

is a very decent group...and a grop I believe a few teams will struggle with.
 
Aaron Grrom was absolutely outstanding in the Flegg game. He only player 20 minutes and in that time we swamped the Roosters.

The other 50 minutes was an embarassing procession. Groom looks to be an absolute gun.
 
Fantastic isnt it. And with Cuthbo and Ballin judged by many to have performed brilliantly then we have some way in dismissing the depth issue everyone loves to raise. So that leaves me with the one remaining doubt and thats the props.
 
Matai was woeful. He dropped the ball with the line open, he took poor options in defence and he doesn't run the correct lines in attack. At no time did he look to get outside his man or offload to his winger. Poor Meaney got a cold and numerous times did the opposition just run at him. Looked very average indeed.
 
we cannot start with mattai in the centres if we want to win, either its hicks , alberts (my 1st choice) or meaney

great to see stewie, hicks and bell (plenty of quality ball)

ash alberts and steppa or robertson, maybe steppa 4 size??

monas at 5/8 and orford at 1/2

dont forget wells, can play lock or 5/8
 

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