Team After Bye

[BlackWhiteGold]

Two players I do not want to see in the starting line-up versus the Bulldogs are To'a & Makasini.

1 To'a is playing like he is broken & unfit in NSW Cup, body language still poor too. He has to decide whether he wants to be an elite player or not.

2 I feel after his last game the plan was to bring Makasini back through NSW Cup to build confidence & work on a few things. Plus he is coming back from bone bruising or similar in his foot. I'd imagine his minutes will be managed for a week or 2. If he's selected on the 6-man bench due to our shortage, fine but not to start.

 

[Halbrowne61]

Did Sukkar play any grade over the last fortnight ?

No. Think I read he broke a rib ?

 

[Betterdays22]

Two players I do not want to see in the starting line-up versus the Bulldogs are To'a & Makasini.

1 To'a is playing like he is broken & unfit in NSW Cup, body language still poor too. He has to decide whether he wants to be an elite player or not.

2 I feel after his last game the plan was to bring Makasini back through NSW Cup to build confidence & work on a few things. Plus he is coming back from bone bruising or similar in his foot. I'd imagine his minutes will be managed for a week or 2. If he's selected on the 6-man bench due to our shortage, fine but not to start.

I don't think they will have much of a choice re Makasini BWG...

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

If I'm Benji I'm seriously considering this backline ...

Fb Bula/Attard
Rw Skelton
Rc Turuva
Lc Latu Fainu
Lw Laulilii
5/8 Luai
Hb Madden

Giving a chance for Turuva/Skelton to build a combo to see if they can own the right edge for the rest of the season.

Now Latu at centre ... he is one of our better defenders in the line and has defended at centre previously (remember when he pushed Laulilii out of defending in the centres v Roosters last year when Marky Mark put on a show). It also gives Latu a chance to build confidence in his running game, he is an explosive runner.

If Madden is out, Latu into halfback and Solomone Saukuru to be given an opportunity. Big body, reasonably quick with ball skills & adds a bit of x-factor. Good little connection with Laulilii on the left who he has played with since juniors. I feel that Saukuru is a kid who could do something special if given a chance, not sure why he's never been in the frame before.

 

[Oldman]

No. Think I read he broke a rib ?

Thanks Hal

 

[innsaneink]

If the Dogs get rolled at home by a Originless Storm their fans will desert them against us at Commbank
Only had 15k turn up at their last home game after 23k saw them beat Penrith.
Hopefully we can make a pseudo home game at CommBank something to get behind the.boys with a few returning in Api and Twal at the very least

 

[Halbrowne61]

Thanks Hal

O, I just tried to find the article I read ( or thought I read !!) but nothing, so don’t quote me.
Maybe someone else can confirm or clarify.

 

[TheEnz]

Head slam and put on report for another one or two offences. He's copped two fines on top of the suspension.
He wouldn't have had carry over points (to my knowledge) so bloody harsh, just like with Api. We've all seen worse this season without suspensions getting handed out, sometimes the offender is not even given time in the bin.

There are some protected species in the NRL, but alas it seems the endangered Tigers aren't one of them.

didn't Burton get off scott free with a throw and head slam where he almost buried the other guys head 3 feet under...this was only a few weeks ago.

 

[wstigers11]

O, I just tried to find the article I read ( or thought I read !!) but nothing, so don’t quote me.
Maybe someone else can confirm or clarify.

Yes he’s been injured

 

[innsaneink]

didn't Burton get off scott free with a throw and head slam where he almost buried the other guys head 3 feet under...this was only a few weeks ago.

Kotoni staggs....worse than herberts
$2500 fine

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/put-a-target-on-himself-bulldogs-stars-spot-under-scrutiny-after-costly-errors/news-story/d3d0032c98590c3dfd089727180234f0

 

[Kelce68]

Think the Attard proposition is probably better now than it was 2 weeks ago. Putting him in the sides of the last 2-3 games as a fullback would absolutely be throwing him to the wolves. Whether that would have any impact on his development is a different debate I guess. Feel much better about throwing him next game with a few more big dogs back on the paddock.

Latu is still my boy, but Sam Fainu has exceeded expectations. Actually think we are missing him more than people realise. He was shaping as the real enforcer of that pack.

Not only that, Sam was nailing the big moments consistently and a big reason we could control or regather momentum so well.

 

[stephen]

And Toa is ? Herbert is much better than Toa… has a ton more aggression for a start …

I wouldn’t be surprised if Toa has already played his last NRL game at the club ..

Please!!!

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Not only that, Sam was nailing the big moments consistently and a big reason we could control or regather momentum so well.

Sam, Doueihi, Bula and Api out are killing us, sooner they're all back the better.

 

[tigerballs]

No it didnt. We had an unreal performance against Canberra with Luai then lost Bula, Api, Doueihi, Fainu, Twal x 1 Terrel x 1 and now Taylan.

He came back the week before, against the Broncos. We lost.

 

[Tigerdazz2]

didn't Burton get off scott free with a throw and head slam where he almost buried the other guys head 3 feet under...this was only a few weeks ago.

Yep...... there's been a lot worse this year nearly every week than in either Api's or Herbert's case, that Burton one should have earned him 2 weeks!

 

[Tigerdazz2]

If the Dogs get rolled at home by a Originless Storm their fans will desert them against us at Commbank
Only had 15k turn up at their last home game after 23k saw them beat Penrith.
Hopefully we can make a pseudo home game at CommBank something to get behind the.boys with a few returning in Api and Twal at the very least

No, that'll get them flying into Combank playing the Tigers, they know they have a realistically good chance of rolling us atm.

 

[Tigerdazz2]

How old is Glassie Glassie?

He looks a gun centre, too soon for NRL now but maybe next season?

Glassie & Maka would be an awesome future centre pairing.

 

[Dr_Ice]

If I'm Benji I'm seriously considering this backline ...

Fb Bula/Attard
Rw Skelton
Rc Turuva
Lc Latu Fainu
Lw Laulilii
5/8 Luai
Hb Madden

Giving a chance for Turuva/Skelton to build a combo to see if they can own the right edge for the rest of the season.

Now Latu at centre ... he is one of our better defenders in the line and has defended at centre previously (remember when he pushed Laulilii out of defending in the centres v Roosters last year when Marky Mark put on a show). It also gives Latu a chance to build confidence in his running game, he is an explosive runner.

If Madden is out, Latu into halfback and Solomone Saukuru to be given an opportunity. Big body, reasonably quick with ball skills & adds a bit of x-factor. Good little connection with Laulilii on the left who he has played with since juniors. I feel that Saukuru is a kid who could do something special if given a chance, not sure why he's never been in the frame before.

In this scenario who is your hooker (and bench hooker)?

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

We won't be able to see that Herbert is not up to it while he is suspended, actually we need to challenge the suspension because I really don't want to see Starford out there again.

we might have a chance with herbert suspended, a training cone could do a better job defensively
hope we dont challenge he needs to go along with toa neither are nrl standard

 

[innsaneink]

No, that'll get them flying into Combank playing the Tigers, they know they have a realistically good chance of rolling us atm.

Theyre the most fickle fan base after the roosters