Team list Tuesday

[susan]

As long as Korisau is anywhere near this side we are going to struggle. In the modern attacking game the tone is set by your nine. He is simply appalling at the basics while Cullen has s great pass, pace, nice kicking game and can read the game.

We have no thrust through the ruck at all other than Tapaus charges.

However for some reason running around like a headless chook, passing like a 10 year old,making the odd big hit and missing more tackles than any hooker in the NRL is rated more highly than Cullen's attributes by our coach. Enthusiasm alone doesn't cut it in first grade. I have been willing to cut Barrett some slack but his continuous selection of Korisau is simply crazy.

 

[Hgbcds]

As long as Korisau is anywhere near this side we are going to struggle. In the modern attacking game the tone is set by your nine. He is simply appalling at the basics while Cullen has s great pass, pace, nice kicking game and can read the game.

We have no thrust through the ruck at all other than Tapaus charges.

However for some reason running around like a headless chook, passing like a 10 year old,making the odd big hit and missing more tackles than any hooker in the NRL is rated more highly than Cullen's attributes by our coach. Enthusiasm alone doesn't cut it in first grade. I have been willing to cut Barrett some slack but his continuous selection of Korisau is simply crazy.

API might not be the best defender but he's a lot better than Cullen and that's key.wouldnt mind seeing more of Cullen at hooker than brown though

 

[susan]

If we are picking our nine based on someone being marginally better in defence at the expense of all the other attributes a 9 needs at this level we are done, simple as that. These guys defend in the middle and rarely tackle one on one anyway.

I have seen a lot of Cullen. He is a tough competitive little bloke who can tackle and eats Korisau in terms of football skills.i would prefer a first class proven specialist hooker but we ain't got one so Cullen is clearly the best option.

Korisau is clearly the worst nine in the comp and that's saying something given The Dogs hooker still gets a game.

 

[nightster]

I'd have Api over Farrah

 

[manlyfan76]

If we are picking our nine based on someone being marginally better in defence at the expense of all the other attributes a 9 needs at this level we are done, simple as that. These guys defend in the middle and rarely tackle one on one anyway.

I have seen a lot of Cullen. He is a tough competitive little bloke who can tackle and eats Korisau in terms of football skills.i would prefer a first class proven specialist hooker but we ain't got one so Cullen is clearly the best option.

Korisau is clearly the worst nine in the comp and that's saying something given The Dogs hooker still gets a game.

Best post on the hooker role in a long time.

 

[TagMonster]

Simple, you cannot have Api, Brown and Cullen/Hastings all in the same team. Having three utility players in your 17 is a horrible decision by the coaching staff.

Api, Cullen and Hastings all offer pretty much the same cover. Brown can at least cover the second row and centres (albeit at a very average standard). That means that he likely gets the nod as the "utility player" (which pains me to admit). That would mean that either Api, Cullen or Hastings gets the starting hooker role. The two that miss out play NSW Cup.

 

[HoldenV8]

Interesting selections.

Unfortunately with Darcy, Kapow, AFB and Perrett all MIA right now what we have left is a $hitload of back rowers who are going to have to step up and play front row for a few games because neither BJ or Myles are players you want out there for any more than 40 minutes. In fact, right now just about the only quality prop we have left is Jake and he's playing lock.

Lane is a big boy (6'6" and 115 kg) so I reckon he could handle it, but he's more of an edge player. And what is his defensive game like? He has never played an NRL game at prop. Kennedy isn't huge (6'1", 98 kg), but there is a reason he seems to spend more time in reserve grade. Over the 4 years he was at Canberra it wasn't like they had a world beating pack (until last year) and he could barely break into it.

Anyone thinking that Sironen could move to the middle for a while is asking for trouble. Sure his offloads might be ok, but his defense is barely acceptable for the edges, they'd eat him alive in the middle (Souffs might not, but NQ and the Bulldogs would in rounds 3 and 4).

The backs are ok. They just need to see more of the ball, especially Tom who was somewhat quiet against doesn't-matta. One thing I would like to see is DCE do less passing and more running. Let Green do the bulk of the passing. Cherry looked his most dangerous on Sunday when he ran with the ball.

Cullen on the bench probably means that Brown will be used as a forward. While I like Cullen's selection, its not inspiring to think of Brown playing as a forward (or even in the team). Hopefully if Cullen gets his chance at hooker at some point we'll finally see some good service from dummy half.

We CAN win this one, but without 4 of our 5 best front rowers its going to be tough, a lotto[land] so to speak.

 

[wombatgc]

API might not be the best defender but he's a lot better than Cullen and that's key.wouldnt mind seeing more of Cullen at hooker than brown though

We're do you base that fact from? I watched most of his games either on TV or at the ground last year. Mate he was dropping big islanders like trees, massive mongrel in him. (those that have seen the Souths/ Logan side know what I'm talking about). Think a young Tooves with dark hair. The quicker he gets in, and Api out the better we'll be.

 

[Hgbcds]

We're do you base that fact from? I watched most of his games either on TV or at the ground last year. Mate he was dropping big islanders like trees, massive mongrel in him. (those that have seen the Souths/ Logan side know what I'm talking about). Think a young Tooves with dark hair. The quicker he gets in, and Api out the better we'll be.

How many first grade games?young Toovey with dark hair c'mon.if that's the case why isn't he a regular first grader.but I hope your right and he prospers at manly.

 

[HoldenV8]

Yes Api makes a lot of tackles (but then, what hooker doesn't???)....but he also misses quite a few. Last year he averaged 3.9 missed tackles per game and he missed 6 on Sunday.

For the record, in his 5 first grade games in 2016, Cam Cullen averaged 3.6 missed tackles per game (2 games at HB, 2 at 5/8 and 1 from the bench). His worst effort was his NRL debut game when he missed 7 against Cronulla.

 

[Hgbcds]

If we are picking our nine based on someone being marginally better in defence at the expense of all the other attributes a 9 needs at this level we are done, simple as that. These guys defend in the middle and rarely tackle one on one anyway.

I have seen a lot of Cullen. He is a tough competitive little bloke who can tackle and eats Korisau in terms of football skills.i would prefer a first class proven specialist hooker but we ain't got one so Cullen is clearly the best option.

Korisau is clearly the worst nine in the comp and that's saying something given The Dogs hooker still gets a game.

Based on this weeks game I think marginally better defender is what we're going to need

 

[HoldenV8]

The really sad thing, and one I still find hard to take, is that Matt Parcell is a better defender than Api and is a superior dummy half.

Matty only averaged 1.1 missed tackles in his 15 games last year.

 

[Loobs]

He is the new Blake Leary...a smallish hairy hardworker with no talent.

How's his chip and chase..?

 

[Ralphie]

As long as Korisau is anywhere near this side we are going to struggle. In the modern attacking game the tone is set by your nine. He is simply appalling at the basics while Cullen has s great pass, pace, nice kicking game and can read the game.

We have no thrust through the ruck at all other than Tapaus charges.

However for some reason running around like a headless chook, passing like a 10 year old,making the odd big hit and missing more tackles than any hooker in the NRL is rated more highly than Cullen's attributes by our coach. Enthusiasm alone doesn't cut it in first grade. I have been willing to cut Barrett some slack but his continuous selection of Korisau is simply crazy.

WINNER!!!!

I had to do more than just an agree. The selections problem is not a new one. Barretts selections for round 1, 2016 were absolutely abominable and didn't improve at any stage. Add to this that Api appears to be uncoached because his blatantly obvious deficiencies have not improved and it all continues to point to a coaching issue.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, the squad we have is not a bad squad overall and would be a certain top 8 team if coached by Cleary. Hasler or similar.

 

[HoldenV8]

As long as Korisau is anywhere near this side we are going to struggle. In the modern attacking game the tone is set by your nine. He is simply appalling at the basics while Cullen has s great pass, pace, nice kicking game and can read the game.

We have no thrust through the ruck at all other than Tapaus charges.

However for some reason running around like a headless chook, passing like a 10 year old,making the odd big hit and missing more tackles than any hooker in the NRL is rated more highly than Cullen's attributes by our coach. Enthusiasm alone doesn't cut it in first grade. I have been willing to cut Barrett some slack but his continuous selection of Korisau is simply crazy.

I've been saying this since it became obvious that Api can't pass worth a damn so I'm 1000% agreeing with you. The starting point of the attack is the dummy half and if his skills are sub-standard, as Api's are, the attack is blunted from the start.

The worst part is that he has not improved despite training all pre-season as the #1 hooker after they stupidly (IMO) released Parcell. How the coaching staff could not see that Api's passing, for want of a better term sucks, is beyond me.

Look, I kinda like Barrett and I think he can turn into a good coach. BUT, he seriously needs to get this loyalty to players from his former club(s) thing out of his system or he is going to have a short career. We saw it last year with Brown and Api who came with him from Penrith, we saw it with Vave (a wrecking ball but also a big defensive liability) who came from Cronulla where TB once played, and for a few rounds we saw it with Nathan Green who came from St Merge.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Why did we bother to pick up a talent like Jackson Hastings and now leave him languishing in reserve grade, whilst we persevere with Korisau at hooker and Brown and Kennedy in the top 17. I had hoped that Barrett would have learnt from the outcomes of his poor selections last season and I tipped his survival on that basis. Continuing to pick Korisau as hooker and Brown as the ultility player on the bench is just the same old mistakes made last year! Looks like my poor tipping run is continuing unfortunately. When you are in a hole it helps to stop digging.

 

[globaleagle]

Maybe Api just needs the pressure of the Captaincy??????

 

[damiennp90]

Didn't Cullen play really well in last weeks Blacktown game.

In the end its him or Hastings.