LIVE game discussion. Tigers Team Vs Penrith - Trial#2

Tucker said:
We should temper our enthusiasm a smidge on Jock. Yes he is playing well in these trials and yes the structures look more lethal with him directing them.
These are trials though and I’d remind everyone that one of our best performers in the trials last year was Hope, and many said he deserved to take Tallyns spot. When the real footy started though Tallyn quickly established himself as the preferred 2nd string hooker.
AD is proven during premiership rounds and was one of the few who stood up last year and had a go for us. He was one of our best all year.
We’ll get a better view as the year progresses and my want is the Benji rewards consistency and form fairly.
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It is well documented that I was not a fan of AD to 7. No need to highlight my reasoning again.

It is hard to compare apples with apples when one half contender is demonstrating his skills playing agaisnt FG and the other against reggies/fringies. This was a trial game so the obvious move for me was to run Jock and Luia for 20 minutes against the same Penrith FG side in the first half to get a good feel for the strenghts and weaknesses in a like for like situation. I don't care what they did with AD - sit him on the pine or shuffled him to 13 - but it was a missed opportunity by the dude with the clipboard.

The fact that Benji chose to get reps into AD with one set of players and Jock with the other is a clear indication that his mind is already made up on the starting 7, 6 combination.

Jock will get his chance on the big stage, he has shown that he has the game management skills and kicking game to be successful for us in FG so he is not going to let us down. The biggest difference will be how unsettling this is on the rest of the team - Jock does not pose the same running threat - he is all about providing time and space for his outside backs. Given he will be predominanatly on the right edge this would be the perfect foil for Toa as AD tends to cramp him in attack.

I agree that we should temper our enthusiasm for Jock (and several others based on reading the posts here); but, he is FG ready and I think his style is probably a better fit to start the season. Shame we didn't get to see the apples and apples comparison to put the discussion to bed.
 
tigerballs said:
WT are $11 for most improved on TAB. I don't like betting on footy but that's a pretty good bet if you ask me. Who's the competition? Knights? Saints? Titans and Bunnies maybe. 11 bucks is still good odds.
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Most improved pays on the team with the most nrl points for 2026 after deducting 2025 ladder points

looks like a bit of a trap play to be honest, newcastle at $6 or souths who finished 24 same as us 24 points might be good bets.It might turn out who.finishes higher us or souths
 
Madden v Doueihi:

Totally understand the support for Madden, but you don't make decisions off of trial form. Madden was against reserve graders in both appearances and it is hard to judge his performance. No doubt his kicking and game management looks the best at the club, but the speed is more intense and there's much less space in 1st grade. It's really hard for a player that lacks speed and elusiveness to open space for players outside him, hence Madden usually looks bog average and slow when in the top grade.

Doueihi can frustrate play by holding the ball too much and cramping players but he's a big and threatening runner, has an excellent long kicking game and bomb and proved his ability by winning the halfback spot when seemingly no one wanted him there at the club.

Madden is also a weaker defender.

Madden's form is nonetheless really promising. If only as a reserve grade half, he should provide leadership and organisation to the side. He'll get a chance at one stage this season, but you mess everything up by making that switch now off of good form in the trials. Doueihi deserves the chance to wear the 7.
 
watersider said:
Madden v Doueihi:

Totally understand the support for Madden, but you don't make decisions off of trial form. Madden was against reserve graders in both appearances and it is hard to judge his performance. No doubt his kicking and game management looks the best at the club, but the speed is more intense and there's much less space in 1st grade. It's really hard for a player that lacks speed and elusiveness to open space for players outside him, hence Madden usually looks bog average and slow when in the top grade.

Doueihi can frustrate play by holding the ball too much and cramping players but he's a big and threatening runner, has an excellent long kicking game and bomb and proved his ability by winning the halfback spot when seemingly no one wanted him there at the club.

Madden is also a weaker defender.

Madden's form is nonetheless really promising. If only as a reserve grade half, he should provide leadership and organisation to the side. He'll get a chance at one stage this season, but you mess everything up by making that switch now off of good form in the trials. Doueihi deserves the chance to wear the 7.
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I understand Benji will pull him up on it but being told to play a running half's game doesn't stop you from passing the ball to your right to set up a try for To'a

To'a had a few chances on the right but AD did not have the vision didn't read the numbers

I was impressed by Luai talking about setting up his outside after the game talking about give them space creating space for his outside men

Luai is going to have a great season and be involved with alot of try's

And having such true weapons on Luai's outside is going to give him opportunity to run something that we have not had since Lawrence and Lote

We are in for a good year if Gus and the Injury God's allow it

Gus messed so much with the Tigers last year sabotage the season for us he was the Devi in waiting the NRL should have come down harder on him


At least he has to hopefully keep his mouth shut now for the time being
 
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