2025 Centre Options - What is our best centre pairing?

[Enmore_Tiger]

Yep I like it TW - Back to the days when centres followed each other from side to side, to the extent we should just concentrate on the right side of the field with Lachie setting them up - Meanwhile, Luai can do his thing by feeding Samuela & Terrell into space. Who'da thought eh? 🍺 🍺 🍺 🤪 🤪 🤪

I think they meant inside centre and outside centre.

 

[Tigerwould]

Is Skelton smart enoug or a good enough defender to play in the centres ?
I hope I am wrong, but I think all who are wanting either Skelton or Turuva in the centres will find they are no better defenders than the likes of Doueihi or Naden.

You could be right but it looks WTs training with Skelton at centre.
Ideally for 2025 I’d like Skelton and Turuva on the wings and experienced centre like Jesse Ramien or Kotoni Staggs at centre. However with no room in the Top30 and players like Sullivan, Doueihi, Naden, Toa, Staines on the books..and a lack of experienced 2nd rows and a lock..this isn’t going to happen.

I’m keen to see how Skelton goes at centre. Hopefully he is big improvement on Doueihi or Naden.
If not, it’s going to be a real problem.

 

[crazycat]

1. Bulla
2. Turuva
3. Skelton - right centre
4. Olam - right centre
5. Lualilii left wing.

We all know Turuva will end up on the wing.
...
I just think Staines should get the other wing spot. AS far as backs go, it's Bula on 10 tries followed by Staines on 9, next up for us is Olam on 6!

Which says heaps...

They will try Turuva in the centers but I hope he moves straight back to the wing.

1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Olam (left center)
4. Turuva
5. Staines

Is what I would do to start. But I hope it becomes.

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Olam
4. Latu
5. Staines.

It's the best way to bring Latu into the side.

 

[crazycat]

You could be right but it looks WTs training with Skelton at centre.
Ideally for 2025 I’d like Skelton and Turuva on the wings and experienced centre like Jesse Ramien or Kotoni Staggs at centre. However with no room in the Top30 and players like Sullivan, Doueihi, Naden, Toa, Staines on the books..and a lack of experienced 2nd rows and a lock..this isn’t going to happen.

I’m keen to see how Skelton goes at centre. Hopefully he is big improvement on Doueihi or Naden.
If not, it’s going to be a real problem.

We need to think from WHAT WE HAVE.

I mean hey, if Jesse Ramien/Dane Gagai on the verge of retirement wanted to play 1 year here, Somehow we could afford him. Sure.

But as for experienced Centers. We have:
Olam - Melbourne several seasons and played finals football.
Jack Bird - Sharks, Brisbane Center... Origin player.

Then we are reaching, but.
Naden - Still on our books and has played Center/wing.
Toa - maybe his best position is Center.

We have once again have a lot of Overpaid fringe graders. Including those last two players that we will have to punt this year.

My hope is we get a solid second rower and that Jack Bird drops to the centers. Just to give us some spine consistency and an "experienced Center". For now we seem to be forced to use Bird somewhere in the front row, and I don't know if he is up for it.

 

[Nadz4483]

I just don’t see Turuva as a centre. Not sure the fixation on turning him into one. He’s a textbook winger who’s a great finisher. I’d run with Olam/To’a.

If turuva not at centre,how about skelton at centre and turuva on the wing??? We need Skelton's big body presence out there I recon.... Turuva and lualii on the wings, with skelton and olam in the centres, that'd a lot of fire power....

 

[Tigerwould]

If turuva not at centre,how about skelton at centre and turuva on the wing??? We need Skelton's big body presence out there I recon.... Turuva and lualii on the wings, with skelton and olam in the centres, that'd a lot of fire power....

Skeleton’s development will be very interesting to watch. He may have a career where he starts on the wing (at the Bulldogs) moves to the WTs plays a few years in the centres then moves to the edge.

 

[boonboon]

At the training session today - Turuva and Skelton on the wing and Toa at right centre with Luke L at left centre for some of it although Douehi and Olam were training separately

 

[The Chad]

I believe it's just a matter of time before Makasini takes a starting centre position. This tells me that Doueihi & To'a have somewhere between half a season & a season to get ahead of Olam in the pecking order, or they are just place holders.

 

[Vicious]

I believe it's just a matter of time before Makasini takes a starting centre position. This tells me that Doueihi & To'a have somewhere between half a season & a season to get ahead of Olam in the pecking order, or they are just place holders.

I’m tipping Makanisi will be seen as a winger while still young and won’t transition back to the centres for a couple of years, unless his form on the wing is off the richter which would demand he be moved closer to the action to receive more ball.

 

[crazycat]

If turuva not at centre,how about skelton at centre and turuva on the wing??? We need Skelton's big body presence out there I recon.... Turuva and lualii on the wings, with skelton and olam in the centres, that'd a lot of fire power....

I think Skelton is better on the wing.

Infact I say NO CHANGE to Turuva and Skelton. Let them adapt to a different team and different teammates in the same role.

Olam+Bird should be our center pair to start off with. Our most experienced center pairing since Rowdy and maybe since Terry Hill. Get the system working right and then replace whomever is not performing, Bird makes a very good bench utility

 

[nrlsurvivor]

Don’t be surprised if our centre pairing in round 26 reads

Makasini
Bula

 

[Halbrowne61]

Just for laughs Star and Douehi 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Demps]

Don’t be surprised if our centre pairing in round 26 reads

Makasini
Bula

Who's playing #1

 

[Tito Santana]

We all know Turuva will end up on the wing.
...
I just think Staines should get the other wing spot. AS far as backs go, it's Bula on 10 tries followed by Staines on 9, next up for us is Olam on 6!

Which says heaps...

They will try Turuva in the centers but I hope he moves straight back to the wing.

1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Olam (left center)
4. Turuva
5. Staines

Is what I would do to start. But I hope it becomes.

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Olam
4. Latu
5. Staines.

It's the best way to bring Latu into the side.

Yep I like it. I’m only giving Staines a start though because of possible synergies with Luai at Penrith. Otherwise Skelton in for him.

 

[upthetigers]

If AD is one of our Centres we are in.trouble. defence is poor and never passes.

Highly doubt he will be mate he will be backup in case there are injuries

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

Olam and Turuva
Skelton and Stains on wing

 

[Kaito]

Who's playing #1

He's tripping

Centre this year Skelton & Olam

 

[Kaito]

Luke Laulilii might play outside skelly

 

[Kaito]

Too early 2 tell TBH, but we'll see...

 

[Demps]

He's tripping

Centre this year Skelton & Olam

I got Skelly on wing

We will see tho