TEAM LIST Pre-season Challenge Round 2 vs. Raiders

[Mystery]

For all those who are concerned with this team what were you expecting that would be different for this year? (besides the addition of joffa, brooks, Api and Bateman).

That backline is what was expected, there was always going to be a competition for the other centre spot which it seems Talau has won. The forward pack, Twal was always going to be in the 17 and will move back to the bench when at full strength,

Seyfarth is the only real surprise but again wont be there at full strength. Maybe Sheens is trying to shop him by starting him

 

[Telltails]

Last week certainly has made plenty nervous, for good reason. This week will need to be a vastly improved performance against a side that in recent years has consistenty exposed our weaknesses.

 

[watersider]

Interesting, oh by the way Hastings didn’t want to play 13 though I agree he could have transitioned into a good lock. Keen to see how he handles a full year at halfback though.

Yeah, not wanting to continue the Hastings lamentations, just would prefer that sort of player. I'd preferred us to have kept Liddle and tried him in that lock position considering the way this side has turned out.

 

[KingRobbie]

For all those who are concerned with this team what were you expecting that would be different for this year? (besides the addition of joffa, brooks, Api and Bateman).

That backline is what was expected, there was always going to be a competition for the other centre spot which it seems Talau has won. The forward pack, Twal was always going to be in the 17 and will move back to the bench when at full strength,

Seyfarth is the only real surprise but again wont be there at full strength. Maybe Sheens is trying to shop him by starting him

No surprising selections to me.

Changes to the team at full strength seem like they'll be:
- Brooks in for Wakeham.
- Koroisau in for Simpkin, Simpkin to the bench.
- Bateman in for Seyfarth.
- Ofahengaue in for Twal, Twal to the bench.

 

[Red88_Tiger]

Twal when he started at Lock for us a few years back was all over the middle defensively and his ball running was way more effective. 45% of his mtrs were post contact it was the biggest PCM % by 10% of any season & most of any forwards in last 5yrs at least (haven’t gone further). His play the ball speed is also fast, so if he makes more PCM with quick play the balls we can attack faster off the back.

Think people though are more concerned about the ball playing which can understand to some extent but geez we need something in defense which hands down he gives us.

Twal defensively gives you a tackler but not solid first up contact. Unless he addresses this it’s the main reason he will never play origin imo

 

[Red88_Tiger]

For all those who are concerned with this team what were you expecting that would be different for this year? (besides the addition of joffa, brooks, Api and Bateman).

That backline is what was expected, there was always going to be a competition for the other centre spot which it seems Talau has won. The forward pack, Twal was always going to be in the 17 and will move back to the bench when at full strength,

Seyfarth is the only real surprise but again wont be there at full strength. Maybe Sheens is trying to shop him by starting him

Didn’t seyfarth play in the back row once last year and went pretty well. Didn’t see the game myself but remember reading on here

 

[king_sirro]

Twal when he started at Lock for us a few years back was all over the middle defensively and his ball running was way more effective. 45% of his mtrs were post contact it was the biggest PCM % by 10% of any season & most of any forwards in last 5yrs at least (haven’t gone further). His play the ball speed is also fast, so if he makes more PCM with quick play the balls we can attack faster off the back.

Think people though are more concerned about the ball playing which can understand to some extent but geez we need something in defense which hands down he gives us.

Nice. Twal is a must in the 17 somewhere somehow.

I think he is the best defensive middle who can play massive minutes in the game. And he regularly makes well over 100m in attack as well.

Personally I'd have on the bench, come on after 20 or 25 minutes and lock the middle down for the rest of the game. I know many argue he lacks impact off the bench, but that can be Stef and or Pole.

 

[watersider]

I'm not against your opinion that we need a certain player at lock, but I disagree saying Twal is a slow prop. He is one of the more mobile middles in the game. He has good leg speed and it's one reason he doesn't miss tackles after making more then everyone else. I actually think he is mobile enough for an edge and should be tried there instead of Seyfarth because Twal has shown he is comfortable getting the ball right on the line hitting a hole. Not saying he would be good on an edge, just that it was worth a try over Seyfarth.

Yeah, I rate twal. But I want him playing a simple prop game of hit-ups and strong defense. I think have him in a bit of a ball playing position or on the edge would be really bad for him and would make him hesitant. Just tell him to run straight and tackle. From there you work on getting him to offload more, because he often gets hands free and could be an attacking threat that way. Having him in wrong position blunts his strength whereas he looks like a player that would grow in confidence with a clear simple game plan.

As for seyfarth, I don't see why he's there. A decent squad player who can fill in and look reasonably ordinary, but pretty depressing as first choice 2nd rower.

 

[MothMan]

Why being played at Belmore?

Because Pascoe realised we didn’t have it in our home ground collection this year.

 

[the_third]

For all those who are concerned with this team what were you expecting that would be different for this year? (besides the addition of joffa, brooks, Api and Bateman).

That backline is what was expected, there was always going to be a competition for the other centre spot which it seems Talau has won. The forward pack, Twal was always going to be in the 17 and will move back to the bench when at full strength,

Seyfarth is the only real surprise but again wont be there at full strength. Maybe Sheens is trying to shop him by starting him

AJ to start. Talau in the forwards, Seyfarth on the bench

 

[gallagher]

If Twal scores a try, does it officially count?

It will on sportsbet

 

[Tucker]

I'd guess trial wouldn't have any bearings on Rd 1 team. They'd only look at training and form from previous season.

Well that defeats the purpose.

 

[The Fresh Oil]

Brooks that goof doesn't need to trial

Freudian slip my mans.

 

[The Fresh Oil]

"Everyone must play two positions"
Sheens

I wonder if that means assistant coaches too.

 

[happy_tiger]

WOW!!
For me, this team just highligts the (still) lack of depth in this squad.

Still has Brooks ...Koroisau .....Bateman missing ...but the last 10 in the Top 30 lack the lustre of other sides

 

[ancient_magpie]

Mate look at the Raiders side and look at ours. That team can put 60 on us if they try hard enough. Unless our defence

⁸

dumb and negativl majorly improves compared to last week, they can

I agree a

Does anyone see how we score points? Maybe improv play by doueihi might produce something? Maybe a flukey bomb? There's not enough speed or threat or size. Sorry to be negative.

Might as well be everybody else is

 

[Camel2281]

Talau over AJ and To'a is next level stupidity.

Interesting having Seyfarth ahead of Blore. I basically agree with it but Seyfarth to me is a middle forward.

Seyfarth is a park footballer

 

[earl]

Seyfarth is a park footballer

He is probably a great park footy player.

 

[Camel2281]

He is probably a great park footy player.

I love his attitude and willingness. But his ability and skill Level is really just a long long way below that required of an NRL professional

 

[earl]

So many problems but Twal at lock is horrible. The best teams have mobile ball playing high energy players. Twal is a slow prop. I think twal is quality, he's just not a lock. You want that lock pushing up in the defensive disrupting attacking plays and again, as good a defender as twal is, that's not his strength. I don't think it helps twal any playing him this way either.

I see us struggling to control the play the ball with misdirection and inside switch plays getting our big slow middle players of seyfarth, klemmer, doueihi and twal struggling to wrap the smaller speedier players up and failing to get numbers in the tackle due to slow lateral movement.

Hastings at 13 was really good at being first man in and sticking and disrupting the opposition. There's absolutely no one on our side capable of that. I think they're moving twal to 13 to strengthen the defense but they're thinking about it the wrong way.

I hope you are wrong but you made some interesting points here. Lock is one of those positions where people have a lot of different opinions on how they should play.