PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Warriors v Manly [Round 5, 2021]

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TagMonster

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On to round 5. Nobody expected a win or anything other than a blow out against Penrith. Whilst the quality wasn't great, the effort from a number of players was there which is positive (I'm grasping as straws, please just let me!)

So, on to round 5 and lets just hope that changes are coming. My team for next week would be

1. T. Trbojevic
2. T. Funa
3. D. Walker
4. M. Harper
5. R. Garrick
6. K. Foran
7. D. Cherry-Evans
8. J. Trbojevic
9. C. Cust
10. J. Aloiai
11. M. Taupau
12. H. Olakau'atu
13. J. Schuster

14. T. Sipley
15. T. Paseka
16. S. Keppie
17. B. Trbojevic / Z. Saddler (I'm not convinced Saddler will get exemption in time)

18. J. Saab (If Turbo is out, Funa to FB and J. Saab to wing)


So hear me out on this one. We have to get better in the backs and that starts with Tom coming back which allows Walker going into the centres. That will help so much its not funny. As for the forwards, Jake actually made decent metres tonight. He also has lost a step and is probably better as a middle forward who can have a break. Him and Aloiai are our only two good props right now. Cust has to start. He also has to do the full 80mins. We need to keep all other options well away from the field. The rule changes have also mean the edge forwards are big impact. Lets see a change and put Marty and Olakau'atu there. They can get a breather from the bench if needed to keep them fresh. That slides Schuster to lock. His defence is actually good for a 19year old. He also won't have to defend as much as the forwards are all huge around him. Moving to the bench, Sipley and Paseka are there to rotate with Props. Keppie and Ben / Zac are there to rotate with the Edge Forwards.

We get 6 interchanges. 1 Jake and 2 Aloiai off for Sipley and Paseka, 3 Taupau and 4 Olakau'atu off for Keppie and Ben / Zac. 5 Jake back on for Sipley and 6 Taupau back on for Ben / Zac. (or some combo there in).

To be honest, I'm fresh out of ideas with the injuries we have. All I know is that Parker, Suli, Croker, Gosiewski and to a less extent Saab shouldnt be near the field at this stage. That leaves us very thin. Maybe we just go as big as we can and run it through the middle and hope for the best?
 
Get beat by 20. Warriors are quality team with ticker now
Back three destroys us.
There are no positives ffs
Our current back 5 in their current positions are getting no go forward what so ever. The fact that Walker was the only player in the backs that had over 100m is poor. That puts so much extra pressure on the forwards who then gas out. So the centres and wings are making metres and are dropping off tackles are record rates.

Sadly, I cant see Des changing a damn thing. The positives for me was Jake seemed to get decent punch through the middle and Aloiai was fantastic off the bench. Oh and Cust played great too. As I said, I was clasping at straws.
 
On to round 5. Nobody expected a win or anything other than a blow out against Penrith. Whilst the quality wasn't great, the effort from a number of players was there which is positive (I'm grasping as straws, please just let me!)

So, on to round 5 and lets just hope that changes are coming. My team for next week would be

1. T. Trbojevic
2. T. Funa
3. D. Walker
4. M. Harper
5. R. Garrick
6. K. Foran
7. D. Cherry-Evans
8. J. Trbojevic
9. C. Cust
10. J. Aloiai
11. M. Taupau
12. H. Olakau'atu
13. J. Schuster

14. T. Sipley
15. T. Paseka
16. S. Keppie
17. B. Trbojevic / Z. Saddler (I'm not convinced Saddler will get exemption in time)

18. J. Saab (If Turbo is out, Funa to FB and J. Saab to wing)


So hear me out on this one. We have to get better in the backs and that starts with Tom coming back which allows Walker going into the centres. That will help so much its not funny. As for the forwards, Jake actually made decent metres tonight. He also has lost a step and is probably better as a middle forward who can have a break. Him and Aloiai are our only two good props right now. Cust has to start. He also has to do the full 80mins. We need to keep all other options well away from the field. The rule changes have also mean the edge forwards are big impact. Lets see a change and put Marty and Olakau'atu there. They can get a breather from the bench if needed to keep them fresh. That slides Schuster to lock. His defence is actually good for a 19year old. He also won't have to defend as much as the forwards are all huge around him. Moving to the bench, Sipley and Paseka are there to rotate with Props. Keppie and Ben / Zac are there to rotate with the Edge Forwards.

We get 6 interchanges. 1 Jake and 2 Aloiai off for Sipley and Paseka, 3 Taupau and 4 Olakau'atu off for Keppie and Ben / Zac. 5 Jake back on for Sipley and 6 Taupau back on for Ben / Zac. (or some combo there in).

To be honest, I'm fresh out of ideas with the injuries we have. All I know is that Parker, Suli, Croker, Gosiewski and to a less extent Saab shouldnt be near the field at this stage. That leaves us very thin. Maybe we just go as big as we can and run it through the middle and hope for the best?
That sides as good as we can field. Will it win? Probably not. It sounds hilarious but there were glimpses of improvement tonight I thought. Panthers are a very good team. As said earlier there is an enormous gulf between the top and bottom teams. It’s almost like the early 90s again but we have become the Gokd Coast!
 
Thankfully suli and Boyle look like they are goneski so that should mean walker and sipley replace those 2 positions!

Get the feeling from des press conference that quaca still won't be back in time unfortunately
Im hoping Olakau'atu will be gtg next week. NRL has him returning round 5 on the injury report. Lets be optimistic haha. It think the better chance is he will return...... for blacktown...
 
That sides as good as we can field. Will it win? Probably not. It sounds hilarious but there were glimpses of improvement tonight I thought. Panthers are a very good team. As said earlier there is an enormous gulf between the top and bottom teams. It’s almost like the early 90s again but we have become the Gokd Coast!
Agreed, the talent gap is huge right now. Its the teams that have adapted vs the teams that havent or couldnt.

You're right, it the team I listed wouldnt have won tonight. But I honestly think it would get some wins. If we finish 14-12 on the ladder this year, thats a win for me right now :(
 
It is hilarious. They weren’t even trying
The worst effort for me was Marty. When Cleary put through the grubber, he didn't even attempt to put a hit on the kicker (he was there in time too). That resulted in Cleary have a free run through and next thing you know, try. The effort from a few players was poor. They need to be held to account...... but they wont be.
 
Searching the video for positives against a side who were laughing at us... if they played with the intensity of last week they win by 100. There are no positives. This is a team playing in the dark ages coached by a bloke who is just cashing a cheque. His days are done
It was nothing more than a training run for them. They were way down on energy and put 40 on us.
 
We were a speed bump to them. Other coaches know Des is done. That’s why they don’t even have to gee up their players.

They know they will run out against a reserve grade team playing 2019 football
Des is , and we are, a joke
 
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Yep where not in the hunt, not even remotely close, I was hoping things could improve if we could address our fitness and hence our game speed, but our roster doesnt just lack depth, speed and talent, as a group they have no clue, some may have some individual upside but as group its embarrassing and even with improvement wont be good enough, a proper clean out including the coach will be the only way we can look to the future.
And all this B/S it’s only round 4, we’ll improve with this player and that player, no chance, time to stop deceiving yourselves, i can’t believe I’d be thinking this way, but I think it’s best if Des continues to make a mess of things as slight improvement will only delay the inevitable, we need a rebuild, we need a decent coach, decent players and a couple of leaders as we don’t currently have any, I can’t believe the crap that’s going on, no one with the balls to do the right thing, no change equals no chance. The results speak for themselves, enough is enough.
 
Sorry guys Turbo 2 weeks before he plays or tries a comeback, (spoke with family tonight), Saddler has to wait till July (NRL refused the clubs request, unless 3 HIA's), Haumoli is 2 weeks away min.

Having said that there are a number of Blacktown players that should be given a go! At least that team has heart
 
Sorry guys Turbo 2 weeks before he plays or tries a comeback, (spoke with family tonight), Saddler has to wait till July (NRL refused the clubs request, unless 3 HIA's), Haumoli is 2 weeks away min.

Having said that there are a number of Blacktown players that should be given a go! At least that team has heart
How can we promote a Blacktown player when we can't promote Tenterfield?
 
Barring mass injuries I reckon the Panthers win the comp this year soooo good everywhere in the park.
Let's pray des makes these changes so we can at least be competitive against the other average teams.
 

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