OFFICIAL Heath Mason #288 [Signs with Perth Bears]

watersider said:
I'd pick between da Silva and Api for hooker and play mason at 14 to relieve at hooker and play the utility role. I don't like carrying a hooker on the bench who can't play well elsewhere. And Mason could also be brought in to play a papenhouzen like lock role that he did at the start of his career. Feel like mason could be someone who adds spark and X factor when you need something to happen.

All that depends on having a competitive forward pack which also enables Latu at 13. Perhaps wishful thinking.

But I think mason is as promising as any of our young bunch this year (behind Galvin of course).
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I think by end of 2025 things become clearer as to the make up of the team long term.

Galvin will either stay or go.
Api will extend for 1 or 2 more years or retire.

This makes room for TDS and a 14 if we are without Api.

Without Galvin as well, you'd like to think it will be

9 TDS
7 Luai
6 Fainu

14 Mason or maybe someone else.

I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team.

They'll all get enough opportunities through injury and suspension like they did this year.
 
batboy said:
Probably what should happen…
Bird can offer great utility value and fill in at hooker if required…
My concern is, we’ll play bird and have another utility on the bench…
We’re just that dumb!!

Reality is, if we were a better team - Api wouldn’t need a rest so much and one utility could cover us. Tallyn being a specialist hooker is going to make it hard to get him into the game and having our bench 100% effective.

Hopefully whatever they do, works…
Hard to back them at this point though
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Do we really think Bird starts at centre? If the rumours are to be believed about Montoya, we are probably looking at a Skelton and Montoya/Laulilii wing combo and Turuva/Olam in the centres.

We have lost 2 backrowers and don't really have a lock. On the surface at least it would make sense to slot Bird into lock or 2nd row.
 
weststigers said:
Do we really think Bird starts at centre? If the rumours are to be believed about Montoya, we are probably looking at a Skelton and Montoya/Laulilii wing combo and Turuva/Olam in the centres.

We have lost 2 backrowers and don't really have a lock. On the surface at least it would make sense to slot Bird into lock or 2nd row.
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You posting to my reply on his Utility value probably tells you what I think...
 
weststigers said:
I think by end of 2025 things become clearer as to the make up of the team long term.

Galvin will either stay or go.
Api will extend for 1 or 2 more years or retire.

This makes room for TDS and a 14 if we are without Api.

Without Galvin as well, you'd like to think it will be

9 TDS
7 Luai
6 Fainu

14 Mason or maybe someone else.

I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team.

They'll all get enough opportunities through injury and suspension like they did this year.
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"I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team."

I think we can. We do have to punt some dead wood.
Mainly Sullivan who is overshadowed by the above.
Doueihi too has had his chance, and his chance again, and again and again. Time to punt him out.

But I see Api/TDS fighting it out for Nr9. that's fine and Api should rotate out of there occasionally.
I see Mason fighting with Bula for Nr1, the looser becomes a Utility.
Galvin, Latu, Luai fight it out in the halves.

That's not overkill. All of this is very manageable. Just it's a lot of cap space and managers will get greedy.
 
crazycat said:
"I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team."

I think we can. We do have to punt some dead wood.
Mainly Sullivan who is overshadowed by the above.
Doueihi too has had his chance, and his chance again, and again and again. Time to punt him out.

But I see Api/TDS fighting it out for Nr9. that's fine and Api should rotate out of there occasionally.
I see Mason fighting with Bula for Nr1, the looser becomes a Utility.
Galvin, Latu, Luai fight it out in the halves.

That's not overkill. All of this is very manageable. Just it's a lot of cap space and managers will get greedy.
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Api won't be fighting it out with TDS and Bula won't be fighting it out with Mason. TDS and Mason will be lucky to be in the top 30 and I think Mason is more chance at hooker than TDS.
 
crazycat said:
"I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team."

I think we can. We do have to punt some dead wood.
Mainly Sullivan who is overshadowed by the above.
Doueihi too has had his chance, and his chance again, and again and again. Time to punt him out.

But I see Api/TDS fighting it out for Nr9. that's fine and Api should rotate out of there occasionally.
I see Mason fighting with Bula for Nr1, the looser becomes a Utility.
Galvin, Latu, Luai fight it out in the halves.

That's not overkill. All of this is very manageable. Just it's a lot of cap space and managers will get greedy.
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Username checks out
 
tigerballs said:
Api won't be fighting it out with TDS and Bula won't be fighting it out with Mason. TDS and Mason will be lucky to be in the top 30 and I think Mason is more chance at hooker than TDS.
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Latu has the utility jersey locked up in my opinion. Though handy to have Mason as cover.
Second to that. We need TDS to have a long physical and successful campaign in the 2nd tier comp.
 
king_sirro said:
I'm thinking this guy is one of those footballers that will never truly make it but could be a huge asset if used correctly. I reckon we train this guy up at hooker. He then plays 14 covering every position in the backline, gives Api a rest when needed and also provides spark through the middle at lock for small periods.
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Sheen's syndrome is still alive and well! IMHO, we have a specialist hooker - TDS, who deserves to come first in the pecking order!
 
InBenjiWeTrust said:
Sheen's syndrome is still alive and well! IMHO, we have a specialist hooker - TDS, who deserves to come first in the pecking order!
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That post was made 7 months ago.

It in no way has any effect on TDS being next in line for hooker. That's obvious.
 
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weststigers said:
Username checks out
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Been waiting for that comment...

Surprised though it came to that post.


"I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team."

Look it would be a little cap struggle. Teams are pushing for Galvin and some may push for the Latu's..
TDS and Mason though I don't think we will see doors being knocked down. Api at 31 isn't going to be prime targets.

Yes we add Bula and Luai to that list above. It's a squeeze:
1 Bula/Mason
6 Galvin alt Latu/Mason
7 Luai (1.2m right)
9 Api/TDS (and Api is going to stop playing 80 minutes soon).

14? Mason/Latu/TDS.
17? - Carry a bench 9 and a bench half..

Ultimately its 5 people vying for 3.5 spots. Newcastle can carry 6 halves but I don't think it has worked for them.
 
crazycat said:
Been waiting for that comment...

Surprised though it came to that post.


"I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team."

Look it would be a little cap struggle. Teams are pushing for Galvin and some may push for the Latu's..
TDS and Mason though I don't think we will see doors being knocked down. Api at 31 isn't going to be prime targets.

Yes we add Bula and Luai to that list above. It's a squeeze:
1 Bula/Mason
6 Galvin alt Latu/Mason
7 Luai (1.2m right)
9 Api/TDS (and Api is going to stop playing 80 minutes soon).

14? Mason/Latu/TDS.
17? - Carry a bench 9 and a bench half..

Ultimately its 5 people vying for 3.5 spots. Newcastle can carry 6 halves but I don't think it has worked for them.
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Now to earn the nickname:

""I dont think you can carry Api, Galvin, Latu, TDS and Mason in the same team.""

I reckon we CAN carry these players.
But I don't think we want too.

We need a bankable NR1, that means picking between Mason and Bula.
1 Bula
Galvin is 6
Luai is 7 (at least for now, hopefully he earns the spot).
Api needs a relief at 9, TDS has so far shown to be that. Although if Latu fits that spot, so be it.

With Sam F and the other Fainu's in the squad, Mason looses out for the 14 spot.

We can carry them all. However we want to spend our money on the second row and forward pack. We have Jack Bird, Olam etc on high money in the centers and Turuva/Staines must cost a little.

Lets say No to depth and accept we will loose Mason.
 
Mason in my eye;s is a kid most coaches won't want because of his size,all would want because his heart is huge.With Skeletor (B.Hodgson) back who knows maybe mould him along the same lines that he played,n the kid we have playing fb now moves 2 centre
 
Merlot said:
Mason in my eye;s is a kid most coaches won't want because of his size,all would want because his heart is huge.With Skeletor (B.Hodgson) back who knows maybe mould him along the same lines that he played,n the kid we have playing fb now moves 2 centre
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One thing about watching mason is when he has the ball in his hands anticipation he can do something is on the cards. Just my feel from watching him and I’ve only seen him a few times this year.
I hope he’s catching 200 bombs a week over the offseason
 
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