Couple of changes, Boyle a sacrificial lamb. Funa last week was included to give Cust time he didn't really need to recover - and boy was it good to see Cust make a statement that he was ready after all.
Can't fault Funa - but this is what I like to see - players stepping up to show their hunger for 1st grade - well done to Cade, hope the kid kills it this week and becomes our 1st-choice in subsequent weeks (and hopefully an 80-min player too so we don't need to carry Croker indefinitely on the bench, making Schuster a no-brainer in the 14)
Cust coming off bench is fine by me - he'll be a much better impact player than Croker would be, and he may actually run the ball and create something. Better instincts imo.
Schuster being left out is a shame, but I can understand it. As some have already said, he isn't going to come on and win us the game single-handedly, and nor should he have to - especially against 2 of the most stacked rosters in the game. If managed right he should be a mainstay in future so now is about grooming him the right way - although I have no idea what that right way is in truth.
And hoping for rain is a weird one - I would have thought with our completions in the 60's (%) last week, last thing we need is a slippery ball - ie more errors.
If we can hold on to the ball first and foremost we can compete, rain is not going to help that. If we're coughing up cheap ball and sliding around in the mud we're going to slow down a hell of a lot quicker than bunnies will. And we seem to be a slower unit to begin with. Wonder how Brookie will cope with the damp?
Good to see Davey 'rewarded' - if you can call it that. We definitely need his energy to set the tempo and keep chins up early. A nice early barge-over by him - and maybe headbutt another great out of the bunnies lineup whilst he's at it (jokes..) - might set the tone for the game and keep it close(r).
A few of these players simply must be playing for their positions, so I hope they play like their careers depend on it - if it were up to me many of them would be on their last chance(s), especially with some of the Workers players sticking up their hand with solid performances.
Surely, Last chance: Croker, Garrick - chased/replaced by Harper & Funa.
Close to the edge: Parker, Siro, Gojetski - chased/replaced by Harper/Funa/Guac/Sipley/Saddler
On a bright note, I feel like Suli improved his defence a lot from that Tigers trial - where he was pretty bad to be honest. Then again, the Rooters peppered the Manly left-side a lot more than the tigers - and with 7 tries to show for it who can blame them. Suli just needs to involve himself more in attack as I still think he doesn't go hunting for the pill enough in offence.
Good luck to them, sure they will put on a better showing.
Nice post and agree with you completely , except for the very last sentence.
We have to be rock bottom before they’ll start showing some fightback. I’m not sure how many floggings this will be but it sure as **** isn’t just one !!
