Trial V Sharks

[Woodsie]

Cant help but suspect this trial is about sorting out the balance of the top 29. The absence of TRex, Sam Smith and Jade Anderson is of note. Ben T is on a development contract and probably is not seen as an option for the top grade before June. The fact that Schuster has been named means he must be close and that they are considering registering him in the 29. The top 24 as at 1/11/19 was pretty obvious. We have until 1 March 2020 to register 29 and then by 1 June to register 30. I hope both Schuster and Ipape both make to the 29. Looks like at least 7 of the players named for Saturday night's trial won't fit into the top 29. Very interesting indeed.

Agree ... The 1st of March the day of the trial ... so depending on lodgement time .. decisions will possibly be needed to be made prior to the game ... however I suspect they already have been .....

We could be in for a few surprises ...

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The top 24 as at 1/11/19 was pretty obvious. We have until 1 March 2020 to register 29 and then by 1 June to register 30.

Surely we'd be allowed to name an extra one as Fainu is officially stood down under the no-fault policy?

 

[Blucky]

or who is gonski ....

Sam Smith not gonski, he was at my son's school, with DCE, Tevita Funa and Danny Levi on Wednesday.

 

[The Wheel]

Surely we'd be allowed to name an extra one as Fainu is officially stood down under the no-fault policy?

In Toddy’s world who knows

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Sam Smith not gonski, he was at my son's school, with DCE, Tevita Funa and Danny Levi on Wednesday.

He's also in a photo in the club email newsletter today, so clearly still part of the picture.

 

[Chip and Chase]

The top 30 squad is basically your top 30 highest paid players - so I can't see the top 29 already listed as changing any before Sunday unless we contractually release a player to free up their portion of the cap in order to promote someone else. i.e. you can't drop a player on $200K back to BWSE and replace him in squad with a rookie on $100K unless you terminate his MWSE contract. Who plays in the trial has no bearing on whether they will make top 29 or not - the squad is highly unlikely to change

The only grey area for me is how they let us deal with Fainu - currently he is in the top 29 list but stood down. So I think the only way we can "replace" him is if we seek and receive salary cap relief under no fault stand down policy - which seems unlikely. So I think the top 29 as it stands now is the squad unless we release a player

Morgan Boyle
Daly Cherry-Evans
Lachlan Croker
Cade Cust
Brendan Elliot
Manase Fainu
Addin Fonua-Blake
Tevita Funa
Reuben Garrick
Jack Gosiewski
Albert Hopoate
Sean Keppie
Danny Levi
Luke Metcalf
Haumole Olakau'ata
Brad Parker
Taniela Paseka
Toafofoa Sipley
Curtis Sironen
Samuel Smith
Moses Suli
Jorge Taufua
Martin Taupau
Joel Thompson
Jake Trbojevic
Tom Trbojevic
Corey Waddell
Dylan Walker
Tony Williams

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Makes sense, thanks. And I think that's right about a replacement for Fainu, we would get salary cap 'relief' to some extent, but the club (ie the owners) would have to pay the replacement player from their own pockets, it wouldn't be covered by the NRL grant.

 

[Shoe1]

Cronulla treating it like a grand final, manly treating it like a trial

 

[Shoe1]

I think I read hoppa won’t be right until about round 8. In any case given that he wants to go on a 2 year Morman mission once he is established, I’m not sure we should invest to much time in him.

He shoulda gone in the mission with the dud acl, and be back in time to play.

 

[The Who]

Hoppa-long

 

[StuBoot]

Tony Williams seems to have disappeared. Not in Blacktown or trials. Haven't seen his photo at training for ages. Maybe he's gone?

Nah, Des knows he’s only got a handful of good games per season in him.
Doesn’t want to waste one on a trial match.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Cronulla treating it like a grand final, manly treating it like a trial

Good

 

[double hoops]

Anyone know anything about No.24 Sam The Man?

Nope. Google says he played in a trial game with the bunnies all the way back in 2015.

 

[Disco]

Looks like it is on Kayo....nice

 

[double hoops]

Sam Manuleleua

Sam Manuleleua player profile including contract information, news, stats and rumours.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[40 years an eagle]

Looks like it is on Kayo....nice

I posted the schedule a few days ago mate...unfortunately it seems our game is only on the NRL app.

 

[Smokin Joe]

4 selections stand out for me....
First is Metcalfe...maybe Cust and Croker have first dibs on bench spot and Des just wants Luke to get some game time,for me I think it is more likely he is considered a Barba type at fullback and a rocks/diamonds type(hopefully more diamonds)have doubts as a half
Second is Funa on wing...Miski and Elliot on bench with Garrick rested,maybe has impressed in off season and is first cab off rank for shot at spot(think some guys still rested with coming back from injury)
Third is Tuitavake on bench,massive surprise with all hype about Fainu at prop in offseason.Guy is a local junior and a big wrap from Des to give a guy from Ball squad last year a couple of minutes off bench(played in same rep sides as Fainu)
Fourth is Manuleleau on bench...a big winger who last played league for Bunnies Flegg side as a winger a few years back.Similar to Maumalo in build(192cm and 105/6 kgs if not shed a few in preseason)has been selected in Workers first choice CC trial sides and has obviously caught the eye of Des.Not sure if been in union or sabbatical last couple of years but if gets a chance with Workers this year is obviously being told to perservere and who knows(up to him)
Squad is not changing unless players are dealt to other clubs(we are not NFL yet),not sure why people are thinking there will be surprises,most guys not selected are either rested or recovering from injuries and Des is looking at whole year and not risking guys in a useless trial....

 

[rifraff]

Is De Belin in the Dragons top 30? Surely whilst stood down you can't be. The teams with a stood down player are allowed to spend extra money over the salary cap. Doesn't that mean we can have an extra player in the top 30?

 

[rmd]

It's interesting about T-Rex as I can't recall having seen him in any group shots or training shots since last year. Was he at the fan day?

 

[rifraff]

4 selections stand out for me....
First is Metcalfe...maybe Cust and Croker have first dibs on bench spot and Des just wants Luke to get some game time,for me I think it is more likely he is considered a Barba type at fullback and a rocks/diamonds type(hopefully more diamonds)have doubts as a half

The commentators at the nines were all saying he was a fullback... I only took notice of that because all that I have heard, is that he is a half..