Starting 17 in 2020

[Bearfax]

Des will start with virtually the same side that ended the season except Turbo will be back and there will be a new hooker. the youngsters will sprinkle in as the season progresses and if manly are not meeting expectations.

 

[master blaster]

I rate you as a good judge Robbo ... but admit I am not as sold on Sipley as you are .... I think he is solid .... is young so there is improvement to be expected ... if you are correct we have one hell of a front row rotation ....

AFB
Kapow
Keppie
Sipley
Paseka
Waddell
Boyle

Paseka is now into his make or break year ... no longer the kid ... he is a man .... there has been steady improvement .... if he jumps to that next level of confidence he may well end up the story of the year ....

I agree Woodsie with Paseka . When he came back from injury the first time, it took him a while to build up his confidence and when he started to show improvement, he got injured again

 

[eaglebuzz]

If the Levi signing eventuates and Schuster trials well I'd go with:

Turbo
Garrick
Walker
Suli
Taufua (possibly losing his spot to Hoppa or Burbo by season's end)
Schuster
DCE
AFB
Levi
Taupau
Thompson
Sironen
Jake

Paseka
Gojetski
Keppie
Waddell

One of Cust/Croker/Ipape to possibly force their way on to the bench as the season goes on. Walker to the halves and Gojetski/Waddell to centre if there is a backline injury.

 

[eaglebuzz]

And holy crap we actually have depth! Hooker is our only worrisome position.

 

[robbiea]

Turbo
Taufua
Parker
Suli
Garrick
Walker
DCE
AFB
Levi/(Miracle Fainu)
Taupau
Thompson
Sironen
Jake

Croker/Cust
Gojetski
Keppie
Waddell

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Des will start with virtually the same side that ended the season except Turbo will be back and there will be a new hooker

I highly doubt that! This is the side that ended the season:

Brendan Elliot
Jorge Taufua
Brad Parker
Moses Suli
Reuben Garrick
Dylan Walker
Daly Cherry-Evans
Addin Fonua-Blake
Apisai Koroisau
Martin Taupau
Corey Waddell
Jack Gosiewski
Jake Trbojevic
Bench - Manase Fainu, Haumole Olakau'atu, Sean Keppie, Lloyd Perrett

I'll be amazed if Schuster starts as 5/8, as some suggest. Walker was excellent in the finals, and it would be unfair to drop either centre. Suli was devastating and Parker was selected for the Australia PM XIII side and named in the U23 Junior Australian side.

So the backs are fairly settled, but the forwards will be extremely hard to pick. Only certainty is that we will have a very powerful pack.

 

[manly al]

The bench make up is for sure going to be a real intrigue , Paseka , Sipley , Boyle and Keppie all have a good case on their last year"s efforts to earn selection for the prop roles . Would expect a fit Hamole [ he can fill in as a centre also ] to push Jetski and Waddell as well as likely bench back row aspirants . Form can be the only determinant of course and the forward depth should be a real positive during what normally is the demanding grind of an N R L season ..

 

[The Wheel]

The bench make up is for sure going to be a real intrigue , Paseka , Sipley , Boyle and Keppie all have a good case on their last year"s efforts to earn selection for the prop roles . Would expect a fit Hamole [ he can fill in as a centre also ] to push Jetski and Waddell as well as likely bench back row aspirants . Form can be the only determinant of course and the forward depth should be a real positive during what normally is the demanding grind of an N R L season ..

That’s a good problem for Des to have

 

[Ryan]

Hey guys. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope everyone is magnificent, healthy and well. For me, we are as strong as we were heading into 2008, and 2011 quality and depth wise.

01. Tom Trbojevic / Brendan Elliott
02. Jorge Taufua / Albert Hopoate
03. Brad Parker / Tevita Funa / Jade Anderson
04. Moses Suli / Semisi Kioa
05. Reuben Garrick / Abbas Miski
06. Dylan Walker / Josh Schuster
07. Daly Cherry-Evans / Lachlan Croker / Luke Metclalf
08. Addin Fonua-Blake / Morgan Boyle
09. Danny Levi / Edwin Ipape
10. Marty Taupau / Toafofoa Sipley
11. Joel Thompson / Ben Trbojevic (or centre)
12. Curtis Sironen / Sean Keppie
13. Jake Trbojevic / Tony Williams

14. Cade Cust / Zach Dockar-Clay
15. Taniela Paseka / Zac Saddler
16. Jack Gosiewski / Keith Titmuss
17. Corey Waddell / Haumole Olakau'atu / Sam Smith (or centre)

• Unavailable: Manase Fainu
• 14. will be one of Croker, Cust, Clay or Ipape (probably in that order)

There isn't a better roster, set of coaching staff, support staff in the league. We have Randall, Monaghan on our coaching staff (as well as Krillich around), so any Hooker will have a raft of experience and mentors around them.

This is a premiership winning roster & depth

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Would expect a fit Hamole [ he can fill in as a centre also ] to push Jetski and Waddell as well as likely bench back row aspirants

Last year his leg looked like it was held together with sticky tape! The kid is a talent but he is also huge, and really needs to get his injury right.

My guess is the bench will have 2 middles, a Jetski-type, and a hooker/utility

I expect for Des the experience factor will count for a lot with our forwards, so it wouldn't surprise if Boyle, Jetski, Paseka and Waddell feature in our early games.
Leaving aside certainties Marty, Jake and AFB - here is the current tally of our other contenders (a lot of these are off the bench with limited game time)

Thommo 221 games
Siro 107
Boyle 38 games
Jetski 33
Paseka 26
Waddell 23
Sipley 16
Keppie 3
Olakau'atu 2
T Rex 170

ps welcome back @Ryan - and I agree with your top 17 (possibly Boyle ahead of Waddell for extra size rather than longer minutes, but we'll see. I suspect Des likes Boyle!)

 

[Woodsie]

Warning ... Warning .... Warning ......

Possible security breach .... some positive bastard seems tohave hacked @Ryan 's account ....

Haahhahahaha good to see my old sparring partner back on board ..... you seem to have missed the note that Musgrove got home sick after a week of Donny's training and quit .....

 

[Ryan]

Last year his leg looked like it was held together with sticky tape! The kid is a talent but he is also huge, and really needs to get his injury right.

My guess is the bench will have 2 middles, a Jetski-type, and a hooker/utility

I expect for Des the experience factor will count for a lot with our forwards, so it wouldn't surprise if Boyle, Jetski, Paseka and Waddell feature in our early games.
Leaving aside certainties Marty, Jake and AFB - here is the current tally of our other contenders (a lot of these are off the bench with limited game time)

Thommo 221 games
Siro 107
Boyle 38 games
Jetski 33
Paseka 26
Waddell 23
Sipley 16
Keppie 3
Olakau'atu 2
T Rex 170

ps welcome back @Ryan - and I agree with your top 17 (possibly Boyle ahead of Waddell for extra size rather than longer minutes, but we'll see. I suspect Des likes Boyle!)

I actually really liked Boyles game towards the end of his season. He improved in my mind every game he played - I guess it was about chemistry and acclimatization.

Same goes for Suli. His last few games were downright explosive. He and Parker could be darkhorse's for centre tandem of the year. Can't believe I'm saying that, but the improvements in their games under Barrett and especially Des was outstanding.

 

[Ryan]

Warning ... Warning .... Warning ......

Possible security breach .... some positive bastard seems tohave hacked @Ryan 's account ....

Haahhahahaha good to see my old sparring partner back on board ..... you seem to have missed the note that Musgrove got home sick after a week of Donny's training and quit .....

Thanks mate, missed everyone too.

Shame about Musgrove, but if he couldn't handle the heat, it is what it is. We have the quality and depth to quite easily replace him. I do think Ben Trbojevic will be a centre at any rate. Not sure he gets a start as soon as this year, but by all accounts, he has the goods as well.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Forward depth looks great but we are light on for outside back depth. Elliot is it really, and he is solid at best. If Tommy goes down again we will struggle. Or if we lose a centre than Walker goes back there and we are scratching around for a 6 again. In a beautiful world young Hoppa waltzes into first grade and brains it, but I can't see that happening after his injury run.

What else do we have waiting in the wings (literally) - Sam Smith, Funa ?? , Musgrove couldn't even see out the preseason.

 

[mickqld]

1 - Tom Trbojevic
2 - Jorge Taufua
3 - Brad Parker
4 - Moses Suli
5 - Reuben Garrick
6 - Dylan Walker
7 - Daly Cherry-Evans
8 - Taniela Paseka
9 - Danny Levi or Croker
10 - Martin Taupau
11- Curtis Sironen
12 - Joel Thompson
13 - Corey Waddell

14 - Toff Sipley
15 - Lachlan Croker or Cust if no Levi
16 - Jack Gosiewski
17 - Sean Keppie

AFB and Jake probably won't be fit enough. Fainu is no chance cause of shoulder and standown.

 

[Ryan]

Forward depth looks great but we are light on for outside back depth. Elliot is it really, and he is solid at best. If Tommy goes down again we will struggle. Or if we lose a centre than Walker goes back there and we are scratching around for a 6 again. In a beautiful world young Hoppa waltzes into first grade and brains it, but I can't see that happening after his injury run.

What else do we have waiting in the wings (literally) - Sam Smith, Funa ?? , Musgrove couldn't even see out the preseason.

Mate, Abbas Miski is gold. WAY too good for NSW Cup, and always a standout.
Albert Hopoate has huge wraps on him.
Watching NSW Cup a lot last year, Tevita Funa is a cut above, at least that level.
We have Ben Trbojevic as a centre.
Brendan Elliott would be in a lot of teams starting teams (depth on ours).
Sam Smith can play in the centres, and is a giant.
Then we have Jade Anderson, who I hope can finally take that next step (compared to JAC)

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

In a beautiful world young Hoppa waltzes into first grade and brains it, but I can't see that happening after his injury run.

What else do we have waiting in the wings (literally) - Sam Smith, Funa ?? , Musgrove couldn't even see out the preseason.

I asked Jake recently at a men of league function which out of all our young talents he predicts to have a break out season and he nominated Hoppa. I think Funa could surprise a few here too, I saw him a couple of years ago in a trial and he looked like he could be anything, they've been bringing him through slowly.

 

[Woodsie]

I do think Ben Trbojevic will be a centre at any rate.

Just on young Burbo .... I have seen a few posts suggesting he might get a wing spot .... the bloke is a 2nd rower just learning the centre position .... in my opinion putting him on the wing in 1sts would be a nightmare waiting to happen .......

 

[Ryan]

Just on young Burbo .... I have seen a few posts suggesting he might get a wing spot .... the bloke is a 2nd rower just learning the centre position .... in my opinion putting him on the wing in 1sts would be a nightmare waiting to happen .......

100% mate. The difference in today's game between centre and wing (especially defensively) is huge. Plus, surely he doesn't replace Taufua or Garrick? Nope, 100% in the centres, or the 11 or 12 (not 13 imo).

Maybe a game or so around origin time.

 

[maxta]

Forward depth looks great but we are light on for outside back depth. Elliot is it really, and he is solid at best. If Tommy goes down again we will struggle. Or if we lose a centre than Walker goes back there and we are scratching around for a 6 again. In a beautiful world young Hoppa waltzes into first grade and brains it, but I can't see that happening after his injury run.

What else do we have waiting in the wings (literally) - Sam Smith, Funa ?? , Musgrove couldn't even see out the preseason.

I reckon an injury free Hoppa will be a red hot show to push for a wing spot and chosen to stand in at FB for Tom in SOO period