TV Ted Ellery
Well-known member
42-8 final score. This team can win the comp if they can keep their spine in tact.
wstigers11
Well-known member
Great performance shout out to Heath with the try savers
Latu has been outstanding. Running and kicking game has been just a class above. The whole spine has been really good but Latu directed the show. St George had no answer to him.
Have been watching him and Javon closely and both have been vocal, directing play. He should play next week
Have been watching him and Javon closely and both have been vocal, directing play. He should play next week
Our 2028 starting halves… Toops probably into first grade next week.
He is still only 21y.o so far from he finished product and like many other players he has needed time away from the high pressure cooker NRL environment to fine tune his game.
No guarantee that he will ever become a regular NRL quality fullback, but he is certainly improving with regular game time, maturity and experience as are quite a few others in our current NSW Cup team.
I don’t think Heath will have much trouble finding another NRL club if we don’t want him.
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TV Ted Ellery
Well-known member
Wests have scored 156-20 over the past 3 matches at an average of 52-6. Roosters were undermanned and Manly filth, but the Dragons are a much stronger team than their mid-table position might suggest.
Betterdays22
Well-known member
Who could get a crack in firsts next week? curious about Saukuru and Roberts
Betterdays22
Well-known member
Tigers_Wests
Well-known member
Great game to be at and watch. A few points...
The complete class of Latu was on show. He straightens so well and creates space for those outside him, and is always a threat (run, pass, kick or offload). Him and Andrews in the halves should be given every chance to develop with the hope of them taking the reigns in nrl in 2028.
I was willing to write Mason off before the start of the season. But he is getting better each week and has seemed to get his confidence back. Defensive efforts and intent from him today were highlights. Is still well ahead of Attard atm for backup fullback. I wouldn't be against keeping him for another 12 months.
Tupou....welcome back! Fantastic return to us. Strong, elusive, hard to put down. Slightly misjudged 1 of the bombs with the breeze and dropped it.
Haywood is looking good coming on after the first 20 and looks dangerous.
The boys were up for this one and all put in.
Good win!
The complete class of Latu was on show. He straightens so well and creates space for those outside him, and is always a threat (run, pass, kick or offload). Him and Andrews in the halves should be given every chance to develop with the hope of them taking the reigns in nrl in 2028.
I was willing to write Mason off before the start of the season. But he is getting better each week and has seemed to get his confidence back. Defensive efforts and intent from him today were highlights. Is still well ahead of Attard atm for backup fullback. I wouldn't be against keeping him for another 12 months.
Tupou....welcome back! Fantastic return to us. Strong, elusive, hard to put down. Slightly misjudged 1 of the bombs with the breeze and dropped it.
Haywood is looking good coming on after the first 20 and looks dangerous.
The boys were up for this one and all put in.
Good win!
Tigers_Wests
Well-known member
I think we are getting his development spot on at the moment. Keep him playing Cup rest of this year against men without the scrutiny of NRL. 2027 he will get some time up there.
Gazman
Well-known member
Who is the KOE coach any chance he can be groomed for first grade 🤣
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
The most enjoyable NSW Cup game of the Magpies I have seen this season.
* We were playing quality opposition coming off comprehensively beating the ladder-leading Panthers last round. Dragons actually played well & didn't make that many errors.
* We played well for the entire 80 minutes. Amazing really!
* Dragons had a big breeze at their back in the 1st half but we grinded & held them well to lead 12-8.
* We won the battle of discipline, game management & individual class. Yes a Wests Tigers club team!
* Our defensive line was not penetrated through all game until their livewire fullback broke a Kit Laulilii tackle in the final seconds. Their 2 tries were just stripping us out wide.
* We had so many quality contributors - actually they all contributed on both sides of the ball.
* Latu Fainu & Javon Andrews in the halves are just beautiful to watch - smart, skillful, classy & strong. Andrews even did well defensively against big Stanley-Traill a few times.
* I reckon if we swap backlines with the Wests Tigers last night, we beat the Dragons last night. No kidding!
* We were playing quality opposition coming off comprehensively beating the ladder-leading Panthers last round. Dragons actually played well & didn't make that many errors.
* We played well for the entire 80 minutes. Amazing really!
* Dragons had a big breeze at their back in the 1st half but we grinded & held them well to lead 12-8.
* We won the battle of discipline, game management & individual class. Yes a Wests Tigers club team!
* Our defensive line was not penetrated through all game until their livewire fullback broke a Kit Laulilii tackle in the final seconds. Their 2 tries were just stripping us out wide.
* We had so many quality contributors - actually they all contributed on both sides of the ball.
* Latu Fainu & Javon Andrews in the halves are just beautiful to watch - smart, skillful, classy & strong. Andrews even did well defensively against big Stanley-Traill a few times.
* I reckon if we swap backlines with the Wests Tigers last night, we beat the Dragons last night. No kidding!
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Two players who don't get that many mentions I'm going to highlight.
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Luke Jack
The positional change of playing him at hooker then lock could be a master stroke.
His service out of dummy half needs work but it was ok. Needed to rush to get to the play-the-ball a few times but he got there.
But it's his defence & line speed which shone through. He cleaned up so much behind the ruck with his copybook tackles & his ability to lead the line and produce bone-jarring tackles is unlike any in the entire club barring Twal.
If he can refine his dummy half service, there could be a #14 player here to develop further.
The positional change of playing him at hooker then lock could be a master stroke.
His service out of dummy half needs work but it was ok. Needed to rush to get to the play-the-ball a few times but he got there.
But it's his defence & line speed which shone through. He cleaned up so much behind the ruck with his copybook tackles & his ability to lead the line and produce bone-jarring tackles is unlike any in the entire club barring Twal.
If he can refine his dummy half service, there could be a #14 player here to develop further.
A great win by Wests today in KOE. Really enjoyed watching them dominate that game. Stand outs for me were Latu (no suprises there) J. Andrews, seems to play well every week. Junior toupou played very well , wouldn't suprise me if he is in firsts next week. Tino Tavana was solid. A young fella who i think has been good for a few weeks now is Mitch Tautoa. Second rower , The wests pack as a whole were excellent. Heath Mason , who i had given up on was excellent today and has been good the last few weeks. Maybe he will develop into solid back up material. Lastly, Jarred Hayward. So clever around the ruck and service is top notch. Last 2 games his running game has come to the fore. In light of what looks like Api gone, i'm using him.I know its a risk but i think he handles it even if you have to trust Joesse Lanyon to share the roll. Latu is wasted at hooker so i hope we don't go there. Unfortunately, i don't think that Benji will change much and we will just have to put up with the putrid football we have been watching for the last 6 weeks or more. Hope was withdrawn today which means he is the preferred option. Doesn't that just fill you with hope and enjoyment.
Agree, very hard worker , pretty big ask for him to step up and perform in that position in NRL. But hey, he couldn't be worse than Hope. I think they have to continue on with Joesse at the moment , but wouldn't hurt to give Luke Jack more time in the hooker position in KOE to see if it goes somewhere.
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Mitch Taotua
imo this guy is the most promising pure backrower in the club. Big, fast, powerful, skillful, athletic, good aerially & strong defensively. Only 21yo. Whereas Ethan is more a hybrid backrower/middle type.
Has never looked out of place in Cup & gives me NRL player vibes more than most. Especially considering he hasn't had an NRL pre-season like many of his team mates.
Unfortunately went off with about 10 mins to go with what looked like an ankle concern but was walking around with his team mates albeit gingerly after the game from what I could see on Bar TV.
imo this guy is the most promising pure backrower in the club. Big, fast, powerful, skillful, athletic, good aerially & strong defensively. Only 21yo. Whereas Ethan is more a hybrid backrower/middle type.
Has never looked out of place in Cup & gives me NRL player vibes more than most. Especially considering he hasn't had an NRL pre-season like many of his team mates.
Unfortunately went off with about 10 mins to go with what looked like an ankle concern but was walking around with his team mates albeit gingerly after the game from what I could see on Bar TV.
