Your team vs The Sharks

WESTS TIGERS
1. Jahream Bula
2. Charlie Staines
3. Solomona Faataape
4. Justin Olam
5. Junior Tupou
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Aidan Sezer
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Apisai Koroisau (c)
10. David Klemmer
11. Isaiah Papali'i
12. John Bateman
13. Alex Twal

14. Fonua Pole
15. Justin Matamua
16. Jake Simpkin
17. Samuela Fainu
 
With who is available

1. Bula
2. Staines
3. Faataape
4. Casey
5. Tupou
6. Galvin
7. Seizer
8. Uto
9. Api
10. Pole - runs with gusto
11. Ice
12.Bateman
13. Twal - can play big minutes and just tackle

Bench
Klemmer - let him get fired up from the bench for 20 minutes
Samuels F
Asu - edge or utility
Simpkin/Da Silva - not sure if Api can continue to push out 80 each week
 
Given all the nominated injured players are due back Round 4 earliest..

1. Bula

2. Staines (Although I'd rather Lobb- Staines offers cover @ #1)
3. Tupou
4. Faataape
5. Kepaoa (Must take 1st hit up after kicks)

6. Galvin
7. Sezar

13. Bateman
12. Papali'i
11. Sam Fainu
10. Klemmer
9. Api
8. Utoikamanu

14. Pole
15. Twal
16. Lualili'i (Can't fast-track the promising kids fast enough)
17. Sullivan

18. Simpkin
 
In reading the comments…..NFi. We can field 10 or 11 and the rest are speed humps. Being honest that is. Selection nightmare….. glad it’s not me. No matter what we will most probably lost by 42. But I so hope I am wrong. Major conflict with my heart and brain.
 
Might be some tinkering eg. Sullivan and Sezar swapping over but i think Benji will stick with it for the most part for a couple of rounds. Reserve Grade beaten by 50 too. Rough weekend for the club bar Wests in Matts.
 
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Sullivan was not impressive however I think we have to give him a couple of games to get it right.
 
Given all the nominated injured players are due back Round 4 earliest..

1. Bula

2. Staines (Although I'd rather Lobb- Staines offers cover @ #1)
3. Tupou
4. Faataape
5. Kepaoa (Must take 1st hit up after kicks)

6. Galvin
7. Sezar

13. Bateman
12. Papali'i
11. Sam Fainu
10. Klemmer
9. Api
8. Utoikamanu

14. Pole
15. Twal
16. Lualili'i (Can't fast-track the promising kids fast enough)
17. Sullivan

18. Simpkin

Bateman was abysmal when he played at 13 last year,there is no way i would pick him there.He either plays on an edge or off the bench,imho he was a poor buy that Sheens made
 
Sullivan was not impressive however I think we have to give him a couple of games to get it right.
He has had all preseason and a trial game [against St George, who lost 38-0] and came up with absolutely nothing on game day. How long should we persist? Do you think he will improve------I don't.
Benji said he will pick the side on form.
I hope so?
 
a lot of players still out that affect our ability to make changes...

1. Bula
2. Staines
3. Naden
4. Olam
5. Tupou
6. Galvin
7. Sezer
8. Utoikamanu
9. Koroisau
10. Klemmer
11. Bateman
12. Papali'i
13. Pole

14. Simpkin
15. Klemmer
16. Fainu
17. Kepaoa

if Olam, Naden and To'a are out then Faataape keeps his spot and I'd seriously be looking at promoting Casey to the top 30.
 
For those waiting for Latu to be part of the answer I can't see it happening.
He missed some of the back end of last season with Manly, then flew to England and sat on a bench before playing half a game shovelling the ball from dummy half.
He then misses part of the preseason because of a rubbish rule designed to protect real NRL players from being overworked.
Now he's out injured, scheduled to be back in round 4 which probably means round 5 or 6.
I can't see him being up to speed until we're dead and buried this year.
 
In reading the comments…..NFi. We can field 10 or 11 and the rest are speed humps. Being honest that is. Selection nightmare….. glad it’s not me. No matter what we will most probably lost by 42. But I so hope I am wrong. Major conflict with my heart and brain.
I think your being generous with 10 or 11, otherwise couldn't agree more.
I struggle to name 6 players I'm excited to see in our colours again and some of them are greener than popeyes crap.

Bula
Galvin
Api
Pole
Papalii
Fainu

Decent squad players who would be fine in a strong team:

Staines (albeit coming off his worst game for us)
Twal

Unsure/could potentiallycontribute:
Naden
Olam
Sezer
Stephano
L Fainu
Stone Fainu

Being very generous in that last group and I can only get to 14. I'd doubt anyone could identify 15 players who another team would be excited to sign.

Richo and Benji are being honest when they say incremental improvement is all we can expect. Our former leadership seemed convinced we had a squad that underachieved. I actually think more than half our top 30 have over achieved by getting an NRL contract. Would love to be proven wrong.
 
WESTS TIGERS
1. Jahream Bula
2. Charlie Staines
3. Solomona Faataape
4. Justin Olam
5. Junior Tupou
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Aidan Sezer
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Apisai Koroisau (c)
10. David Klemmer
11. Isaiah Papali'i
12. John Bateman
13. Alex Twal

14. Fonua Pole
15. Justin Matamua
16. Jake Simpkin
17. Samuela Fainu

Doubt Benji will select Juz on the bench but this the 1
 
Doubt Benji will select Juz on the bench but this the 1
I can understand if his fitness levels are not at the Seyfarth / Twal level but off the bench for 30 mins as a ball-playing lock is better than Seyfarth & having Juz develop in Cup. He has skills that no other forward in our current squad has.
 
Unless people in KOE earn their spot they shouldn't be in the side. KOE lost by 50 and there were few shining lights.
I agree Tupou should be dropped but no one deserves to get promoted. Lobb was average and Alaimalo is just making up the numbers.
You can't just say you want to drop someone yet the person who is next man up isn't ready, hasn't earnt it or played rubbish. No one in KOE earnt a spot in the first grade side.
 
WESTS TIGERS
1. Jahream Bula
2. Charlie Staines
3. Solomona Faataape
4. Justin Olam
5. Junior Tupou
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Aidan Sezer
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Apisai Koroisau (c)
10. David Klemmer
11. Isaiah Papali'i
12. John Bateman
13. Alex Twal

14. Fonua Pole
15. Justin Matamua
16. Jake Simpkin
17. Samuela Fainu
You have changed your player number sequence I notice. Ha ha.
 
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