Trial V Panthers

[maxta]

Koula apart from his mesmerising try vs Dogs has not been great past few seasons
Fact is, only a trial, don't look too hard as most Premiership winners don't nessesarily do well in trials
That's why there's trials
Then there's the NRL Premiership

 

[HoldenV8]

Hoppa is much
More effective at Fullback than wing.

As good as Hopoate is proving to be, we're still a much better team with Turbo at fullback.

The problem is, Lehi is too good to be left out or on the bench for 60-70 minutes, but who do you move for him??

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

As good as Hopoate is proving to be, we're still a much better team with Turbo at fullback.

Agree, but I still think L'il Hoppa needs to be in the starting 13 somewhere. We are a better side when he is on the field. Everything good that happened in the game came through him, and he's just so calm and composed. We don't have enough of that in the side.

Bully was the other who stood out and needs to be in our top 17.

Also, for reasons I don't fully understand, I still love watching Ray Ray play. I don't necessarily ever want him in the starting side, but you can't fault his entertainment value.

 

[zfinkels]

can’t wait to watch the Manly Way of this **** show

Back to the blue mountains to connect...

 

[Dion Johnson]

Why are people surprised that players like Koula, Brown etc weren’t at their best & had a quite half? It’s the first run in 4 months that ended up being in the hardest conditions. it’s not a big deal at all, that’s what trials are for. If they haven’t picked up after a few weeks in the NRL season then it becomes a problem.

Panthers did well - they played like it was the biggest game of their lives which it probably is for a lot of them. We thought it would be easy & got rolled over. Some of the reffing in that first 20 was also horrible but no excuses it was a bad performance, I will say I’m glad this happened in a trial & not round 1.

Brown he lacked every bit of his game that seen him go from a train and trial to get a contract in the 30 last season.

Lacked intent along with that up tempo energy he brings, thought he was out enthused by many and his leg speed wasn’t there.

Compare Bullies efforts and intensity who was having his first hit out compared to Browns efforts and intensity.

 

[zfinkels]

Garrick is an imposter anywhere other than the wing and Koloa should lose his spot also Tommy2 offers more than both

turned it off, slow , sloppy, unwatchable

The break into groups of 3's and go for coffee pre-season training may not have worked ....

 

[God]

The break into groups of 3's and go for coffee pre-season training may not have worked ....

There a hard bunch to support, I see a bit of what penrith does and the work ethic, structure and drives impressive. I don't have the same insight into our lot but we certainly seem more reliant on intervidual brilliance than hard work.

 

[maxta]

Brown he lacked every bit of his game that seen him go from a train and trial to get a contract in the 30 last season.

Lacked intent along with that up tempo energy he brings, thought he was out enthused by many and his leg speed wasn’t there.

Compare Bullies efforts and intensity who was having his first hit out compared to Browns efforts and intensity.

agree
Hate to say it
But what it is

 

[Eagle 1]

Brown he lacked every bit of his game that seen him go from a train and trial to get a contract in the 30 last season.

Lacked intent along with that up tempo energy he brings, thought he was out enthused by many and his leg speed wasn’t there.

Compare Bullies efforts and intensity who was having his first hit out compared to Browns efforts and intensity.

On Brownie's side on this one, he was only on for 15min or less. Still got his agro, lets see how Brownie goes rd 1 with a big crowd behind him at Brookie.

 

[Peter C]

Koula was quiet but he still had 7 runs and 71 metres more than the centre on the other side who was also captain for the day. Wouldn’t read much into their performances anyway given they were missing their usual halves and second rowers inside them.

Disappointing game for sure but at least the guys who are definite first graders (Lehi, Bully) looked a class above. Wasn’t too excited by the Taukeaiho signing at first but he has impressed me the last couple of weeks (minus the leg pulls) too and has earned a spot in the 17 for round 1 now IMO. Didn’t think Simpkin or Gordie were too bad either so hopefully one or both can step up this season. As for the rest of the squad - mostly disappointed in those with NRL experience like Waddell, Chee Kam, Arthur and even Sipley who seems to have fallen off a cliff over the last year

I think Sipley has never really made it past the halfway mark on this supposed cliff that he has fallen off

 

[Dion Johnson]

On Brownie's side on this one, he was only on for 15min or less. Still got his agro, lets see how Brownie goes rd 1 with a big crowd behind him at Brookie.

I hope you’re correct, but I thought he was lack lustre, agro yes I seen that when he rushed out of the line and missed the big lad with the Afro.

He had a dip in form at the back end of last season and played well below par today for an experienced player.

 

[The Who]

The refereeing in the two trials tonight was so nit-picking that I fear fans are in for a penaltyathon season. Penalties for such nebulous reasons. Six-agains, leg pulls, time violations...
Whistlemania.
Just confirms how easily a ref can manage a result.
We were pathetic so there is no excuse for us. But the second match was just as stop-start as ours. Seems like both refs were punishing the NRL for missing out on a trip to Vegas. Certainly the flow of both matches was ruined by the refs.

 

[Kalvin]

As good as Hopoate is proving to be, we're still a much better team with Turbo at fullback.

The problem is, Lehi is too good to be left out or on the bench for 60-70 minutes, but who do you move for him??

I think Saab misses out to start the season I'm afraid:

1. Turbo
2. Garrick
3. Talau
4. Koula
5. Hoppa

Wishful thinking above as I know seibs will swap Garrick & talau

 

[Eagle 1]

I think Sipley has never really made it past the halfway mark on this supposed cliff that he has fallen off

What's more worrying, is that Sipley's hit ups doesn't seem to have much impact. Bit like Marty was on his last season with us. At least we got TKO and Lodge, that's if he gets back his old agro, if so he'll be more than useful to us.

 

[Mal Cochrane]

I dont see why Koula is ahead of Hopoate to be honest.

 

[ALinda]

Brown he lacked every bit of his game that seen him go from a train and trial to get a contract in the 30 last season.

Lacked intent along with that up tempo energy he brings, thought he was out enthused by many and his leg speed wasn’t there.

Compare Bullies efforts and intensity who was having his first hit out compared to Browns efforts and intensity.

Agree, there was no comparison between Bully and Brown. Bully was our best, along with Lehi, and was happy for him scoring a try on his birthday.

As for Brown, he was just blowing the cobwebs out in the limited minutes he had. He lacked intent because he didn't need to be for a trial. Will be different for round 1 at Brookie.

 

[Disco]

Okay I missed the game as I was out then when I got home I fell asleep watching the replay.....but are we panicking because we lost a trial?

 

[HK_Eagle]

Someone explain again how Garrick is a 1st grade centre.

Because he said he didn’t wanna play winger anymore. Centre is more glam and bigger pay packet. Dumb us listened and conceded.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Atkins was abysmal, but so were our structures and execution. The pennies U9 showed us up.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Good to see our dwarf talk up Koula for this year only to see Koula do nothing yet again.