Our best 17 looks like this…..

[rosco]

I like that 17. Last bench spot between Walker and Keppie is open to debate. I think we are a little light on if we have Walker and Lawton on bench. Croker can cover halfback if DCE goes down and Schu can cover Foz. So I don't know that Walker adds much off bench over Lawton. I suppose it would depend on match up and game plan. Good to have that flexibility of depth

The only other change I'd make is that once he gets some match fitness I'd start Vera and play Marty off the bench. That keeps one of Tent and Kapow on the field at all times and keeps that punch through middle and offload option going for full 80.

Walker offers cover for our back 5. The worst thing that can happen early in a game is to lose a winger. This leads to a centre having to go to the wing and a backrower having to go to the centres if you don't have cover on the bench.
With Jake, shoe and Guac in the backrow they will all play 80 mins usually. Don't need a third big on the bench. Lawton covers backrow and hooker.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I expect Lawton will be rested this week after the cork to his back. So I expect Walker will get number 14 against the Tigers.

 

[Jay Eagle]

Might be unpopular, because there's some really great players moved to a depth position, but here is what I think our absolute best 17 is @Cameron

01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jason Saab
03. Morgan Harper
04. Dylan Walker
05. Reuben Garrick
06. Kieran Foran
07. Daly Cherry-Evans
08. Marty Taupau
09. Manase Fainu
10. Taniela Paseka
11. Haumole Olakau'atu
12. Josh Schuster
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Karl Lawton
15. Josh Aloiai
16. Sean Keppie
17. Andrew Davey

18. Brad Parker
19. Lachlan Croker
20. Toafofoa Sipley
21. Curtis Sironen
22. Ben Trbojevic
23. Cade Cust
24. Christian Tuipulotu
25. Moses Suli
26. Jack Gosiewski
27. Zac Saddler
28. Morgan Boyle
29. Kurt De Luis
30. Tevita Funa

THIS my friends, is depth personified. One possible change would be Sironen and Davey swap (or even Sipley).

Got to agree here, So hard to leave Parker out but overall I think as an out and out centre Walker has it over him.. lets not forget walker was an origin centre and has won a premiership..
at his best he's way past Parker.

Walker has speed to burn, hits the line hard and runs good lines, can ball play and his defence is good ( Not as good as Parkers) but definitely 1st Grade NRL standard, where as Parker is a brilliant defender and runs good lines, but thats where it ends.

Andrew Davey is also another that looked good at the Eels and was looking really good for us, I think this would have been an absolute break out year for the man. Shame we didn't get to see it but here's hoping 2022 sees him as the games most improved player and one of its biggest stars. having said that Toff has been fantastic and I couldn't be happier to have him in the side.

Our depth is starting to look like a premiership winning squad, this year or next but if we can keep the nucleus of this squad together with a few of the young players coming through we will win 1 or 2 premierships in the next 5 years.

Bozo will sure be happy looking down on the mighty Maroon and Whites, after all it was his plan to build the elite pathways program and poach the best from the west.