2026 pre season

[JB9918]

The use of Tristan Hope will be very interesting and as you say the 6 man

I like the 6 man bench for us.

Can carry Hope & Makasini who are basically specialist.

My bench would be something like Latu, Royce, Sione & Bunty or Seyfarth.

This is gives us balance across all positions.

We know Turuva can cover FB at a pinch. Makasini gives back covers as well Doueihi, Latu covers the halves & hooker. If Api does go down early we have Hope as insurance.

Of the forwards Sione covers backrow & plenty of middles.

I know most teams will be similar but for us last year Hope & Da Silva weren't there all the time & a few times we have Samuela in the centres with what was a weak backrow last year with little to no depth.

 

[innsaneink]

Makasini aint going to.learn.anything sitting on a bench week after week

 

[gallagher]

Makasini aint going to.learn.anything sitting on a bench week after week

I think Benji will chuck him straight onto the wing.

 

[hammertime]

That’s why he’s in no photos

He’s bald 🤣

View attachment 32881

Is it just me, or just he looks like he's built out in a massive way since last year? Dead set unit

 

[wstigers11]

Is it just me, or just he looks like he's built out in a massive way since last year? Dead set unit

Noticeably bigger. Hoping that’s a good thing

 

[JB9918]

Makasini aint going to.learn.anything sitting on a bench week after week

He will either play NRL or Cup.

Another benefit of a 6 man bench. No dedicated 18th man.

There be 18 & 19 but they will play Cup for sure.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

Champion @wstigers11, it's said:

A 6-man NRL bench (with 4 active interchanges) offers greater tactical flexibility, better injury cover, and improved player welfare by managing fatigue and HIAs It allows teams to carry specialized cover without sacrificing forward depth, reducing the need for forced, inefficient positional changes during games.

Key benefits of the 6-man bench include:

• Improved Injury Coverage: Coaches can carry specialist backs or playmakers, ensuring that injuries to outside backs don't require forwards to fill in.
• Enhanced Tactics: Coaches can keep versatile options available, such as combining three middles, a wider forward, a spine utility, and an explosive back.
• Player Welfare: The increased depth helps manage the impact of head injury assessments (HIAs) and reduces the risk of player burnout.
• Game Quality: It maintains competitive balance by ensuring teams can adequately replace injured players, reducing the "one-side" advantage often seen when a team loses key backs.

While the bench is extended, the 8-interchange limit remains, meaning coaches must still strategically manage when they use their substitutes."







"

Disadvantages.
Players taken out of cup team to sit on bench
Those players miss
a) game time
b) lose fitness
c) honing their skill set
d) weaken/disrupt the cohesion of cup side players

 

[Leck]

That’s why he’s in no photos

He’s bald 🤣

View attachment 32881

Nice cut. It's all business now. Two bothers, 2TM will be destructive in 2026.

 

[innsaneink]

I think Benji will chuck him straight onto the wing.

Id be surised unless we have injuries to the senior backs

 

[innsaneink]

He will either play NRL or Cup.

Another benefit of a 6 man bench. No dedicated 18th man.

There be 18 & 19 but they will play Cup for sure.

Pretty much every week this yearKOE and NRL are on the same day...at different venues bar a couple of games

 

[gallagher]

Id be surised unless we have injuries to the senior backs

He likes to back youth, i think Skelton lacks quite a bit.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

He likes to back youth, i think Skelton lacks quite a bit.

Afraid so, pace being the elephant in the room.

 

[hank37w]

Pretty much every week this yearKOE and NRL are on the same day...at different venues bar a couple of games

Bloody ridiculous, if they are on the same day they should be on at the same venue.

Well they're my thoughts on it anyway.

We were promised some time ago that this would be the case where possible.

 

[hank37w]

I suppose if we had NRL and KOE on the same day and we were to play at the same venue then HBG would want us to play at Lidcombe. 🤡

 

[Tiger Stripes]

Bloody ridiculous, if they are on the same day they should be on at the same venue.

Well they're my thoughts on it anyway.

We were promised some time ago that this would be the case where possible.

At best, KOE in the morning. NRL late afternoon/night

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

Is it just me, or just he looks like he's built out in a massive way since last year? Dead set unit

Its the haircut

 

[TIGERS]

That’s crap , so we got to wait for 3 more years

We're good at waiting.

 

[hank37w]

At best, KOE in the morning. NRL late afternoon/night

I was thinking more along the lines of young players being able to play limited minutes in KOE and then sit on the bench for NRL with the chance of getting some time there as well.

Something along the lines of what occurred in the past where players had a game in a lower grade and then sat on the bench for a higher grade, not sure if that could work these days, the clowns at the RLPA would no doubt find some issue with it.

Personally I think it is better than the possibility of being 5th or 6th man on the bench for NRL and then risking getting no game time at all for possibly weeks on end.

 

[TIGERS]

We haven't had a character like TDM at our club since having Liam Fulton and Bryce Gibbs around. Bit of a maverick, comfortable doing it in his own way. A team like ours needs that personality in the sheds. And he's absolutely brilliant on the pitch. My favourite player in this team.

Not sure what the full story is but I trust he's going to turn up and play well when the season starts.

 

[hank37w]

I think he is determined to prove the wankers wrong and play Origin this year.