Season 2024 - Round 2 Team

[twentyforty]

For me the biggest negatives over the past two years have been removed. Lee & Pascoe got the boot & Sheens who did a horrible job last year 'decided' to fast track Benji a year early. I think we've definitely seen a shift in culture since Benji has come in as a coach & it's refreshing to hear players say they actually want to be here long term. All of this together should see us improve our ladder position this season but like you said it's all a bunch of ifs atm.

Pascoe and the board just couldn’t form a functioning administration. possibly out of their depth. I can’t accept that Sheens wouldnt be capable of doing a great job in a prperly functioning environment. He doesn’t deserve the criticism.
This new season has many questions surrounding the club’s level of success, but the biggest unanswered question thus far is…
can Benji coach?

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

I can’t accept that Sheens wouldnt be capable of doing a great job in a prperly functioning environment. He doesn’t deserve the criticism.

Meh I disagree I don't want to turn this into a Sheens debate but it was quite obvious his coaching ability wasn't what it once was at the time of hiring him.

 

[BAGNF05]

Huh ? How did I agree with him ? He’s saying it’s the same team as last year , which isn’t true . It’s almost a lie if you say that about 22 . There’s literally 3 starters left from that catastrophe

He said we’ve added Olam and a couple of halves in the post I was referring to, and you chucked in Sam Fainu on top.

Who else we got since we won the spoon 6 months ago?

It’s great to have hope, mine is for 2025.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

He said we’ve added Olam and a couple of halves in the post I was referring to, and you chucked in Sam Fainu on top.

Who else we got since we won the spoon 6 months ago?

It’s great to have hope, mine is for 2025.

Decent halves will change a lot of results. I expect the new guys to step up.
This will be a SIGNIFICANT upgrade alone.
Throw in a top centre and Benji the player manager with Morris in Benji's ear translates to much improved combo to turn things around.
Will Smith, Brooks and Wakemam was like playing with one hand tied behind your back. All gone!

 

[twentyforty]

Meh I disagree I don't want to turn this into a Sheens debate but it was quite obvious his coaching ability wasn't what it once was at the time of hiring him.

The club unfortunately has a reputation for not getting the best out of people. People don’t join an organisation without being highly motivated (although I suspect I may have hired one) to succeed, so obviously when someone with an examplary career backed by results says ’I’ve had enough, can’t take it anymore’ it doesnt make sense to lay blame for failure on that person.
In my reckoning, the guy is a legend for what he’s been able to achieve at this club.
But this is not about Sheens. It’s about the club trying to regain some credibility throughout the NRL and wider community.

 

[BAGNF05]

Decent halves will change a lot of results. I expect the new guys to step up.
This will be a SIGNIFICANT upgrade alone.
Throw in a top centre and Benji the player manager with Morris in Benji's ear translates to much improved combo to turn things around.
Will Smith, Brooks and Wakemam was like playing with one hand tied behind your back. All gone!

Cleary and Romey
Reynolds and Mamm
Hughes and Munster
Keary and Walker
Moses and Brown
Johnson and Metcalf

Hastings and Gamble/Cogger (passing it to Ponga)
Fogarty and Strange (Wighton gone)

Looking at the halves whose teams played finals last year, how do you think ours measure up? I think they’ll be better than our halves last year, but that’s not a great measuring stick.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I'm about here as well. Lots of ifs in our team right now.

I do think our forward depth is a little light. Particularly prop and 2nd row.

Back row is paper thin. After Pap and Bateman, next in line is a dude whose played 5 games.

 

[Hbom]

Don't argue with stupid.

 

[Tucker]

Back row is paper thin. After Pap and Bateman, next in line is a dude whose played 5 games.

Yeah our forward depth is light this year.
Significant time on the sideline for Klem and a backrower and we will struggle hard.

 

[boonboon]

Bula
 Naden
Olam
Toa
Staines
Sezer
Sullivan
Seyfarth
Bateman
Ice
Twal
Api
Stefano

Klemmer
Pole
Sam Fainu
Kepaoa

 

[jrtiger]

Bula
 Naden
Olam
Toa
Staines
Sezer
Sullivan
Seyfarth
Bateman
Ice
Twal
Api
Stefano

Klemmer
Pole
Sam Fainu
Kepaoa

Naden on the wing and Klem on the bench are interesting calls. what's your thinking?

 

[The-moP]

Bula
Naden
Olam
Toa
Staines
Sezer
Sullivan
Seyfarth
Bateman
Ice
Twal
Api
Stefano

Klemmer
Pole
Sam Fainu
Kepaoa

1. Bula
2. Tupou
3. Olam
4. Toa
5. Staines
6. Sullivan (under an injury cloud .. if so .. Latu Fainu to start)
7. Sezer
8. Klemmer
9. Koroisau
10. Utoikamanu
11. Bateman
12. Papali'i
13. Pole

14. Twal
15. Kepaoa
16. Simpkin
17. Sam Fainu

 

[boonboon]

Naden on the wing and Klem on the bench are interesting calls. what's your thinking?

End of last year when Klem, Twal and Stef were all available and Benji had taken over he had Twal starting and Klem on the bench and we beat the Dolphins. Think that's how Benji will go and I think its best approach.

On the wing I don't want to develop Tupou and I think Naden has experience, hieght, speed which none of the others offer all 3

 

[king_sirro]

Back row is paper thin. After Pap and Bateman, next in line is a dude whose played 5 games.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has gone training if Benji is experimenting with any of our middles on an edge. Having so much talent in front row and lock, surely we are looking at the more mobile ones as possible edge players.

 

[BAGNF05]

I'd love to hear from anyone who has gone training if Benji is experimenting with any of our middles on an edge. Having so much talent in front row and lock, surely we are looking at the more mobile ones as possible edge players.

Hard to manufacture a second rower , they are the glue that holds edge defence together. I don’t trust flippers out there for a second.

 

[The-moP]

I'd love to hear from anyone who has gone training if Benji is experimenting with any of our middles on an edge. Having so much talent in front row and lock, surely we are looking at the more mobile ones as possible edge players.

Benji has been forced into experimenting with both Fainu and Galvin at 5/8 .. Bud is carrying a soft tissue injury to his right calf / achilles .. which will be monitored over the coming weeks. Fainu is so smooth and confident in the role .. its so uncanny watching him run and step with the ball in hand .. last time i saw someone run like that was this kid we had .. not sure if everyone has heard of him .. he was called Benji Marshall .. ;-)

Wow .. for the first time in a long time im impressed with our centres .. To'a, Naden, Feledy .. now our stocks have been bolstered with the inclusion of some big boppers .. Olam, Faataape, Alaimalo and Saukuru .. !! Olam and Faataape hit the line with so much vigour .. it's like they could run through the proverbial brick wall .. the poor old defence pads are getting a real work out for a change .. lol

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Benji has been forced into experimenting with both Fainu and Galvin at 5/8 .. Bud is carrying a soft tissue injury to his right calf / achilles .. which will be monitored over the coming weeks. Fainu is so smooth and confident in the role .. its so uncanny watching him run and step with the ball in hand .. last time i saw someone run like like him was this kid we had .. not sure if everyone has heard of him .. he was called Benji Marshall .. ;-)

Wow .. for the first time in a long time im impressed with our centres .. To'a, Naden, Feledy .. now our stocks have been bolstered with the inclusion of some big boppers .. Olam, Faataape, Alaimalo and Saukuru .. !! Olam and Faataape hit the line with so much vigour .. it's like they could run through the proverbial brick wall .. the poor old defence pads are getting a real work out for a change .. lol

Thanks for the update @The-moP . I also love the defence of Fainu. He has a great tackling technique, both front on and in cover.

Any report on Sam Fainu? He was pictured with ice on his ankle at training yesterday.

 

[Enmore_Tiger]

Benji has been forced into experimenting with both Fainu and Galvin at 5/8 .. Bud is carrying a soft tissue injury to his right calf / achilles .. which will be monitored over the coming weeks. Fainu is so smooth and confident in the role .. its so uncanny watching him run and step with the ball in hand .. last time i saw someone run like like him was this kid we had .. not sure if everyone has heard of him .. he was called Benji Marshall .. ;-)

Wow .. for the first time in a long time im impressed with our centres .. To'a, Naden, Feledy .. now our stocks have been bolstered with the inclusion of some big boppers .. Olam, Faataape, Alaimalo and Saukuru .. !! Olam and Faataape hit the line with so much vigour .. it's like they could run through the proverbial brick wall .. the poor old defence pads are getting a real work out for a change .. lol

I'm much more excited to see Latu start.

(Did Manly really swap us Latu for Brooks, or did I dream that?)

 

[Vicious]

Thanks for the update @The-moP . I also love the defence of Fainu. He has a great tackling technique, both front on and in cover.

Any report on Sam Fainu? He was pictured with ice on his ankle at training yesterday.

Geez it sounds like we have some early injury concerns.
Samuela Fainu joining Jayden Sullivan, Justin Olam and John Bateman.

 

[CornerPost]

Any updates on how Alaimalo is progressing.. has he trained at both the centres and wing ? Is he a chance for first grade selection early or destined for cup ?