LIVE GAME Preseason Challenge v Eels

[hank37w]

Deadset didn’t recognise Sam with hair

Me too.

He looks meaner without it.

 

[Needaname]

Hope is not big, but a sharper pass from dummy half, tackles well and has smarts.
Has outplayed TDS 2 weeks in a row IMO.

It’s difficult for that statement to be true when you’re comparing a starter to a bench player. Much different approach to the game. TDS was in a lot of defence didn’t bend back and also had a sharp pass. It’s unlikely he would get that much opportunity to take a run in the early part of the game. I like Hope though but it’s just not comparing apples at the moment. If hope starts it would be a good way to see.

I was wondering if Hope would be eligible for round 1 with Api suspended and no other hooker in our 30 besides TDS?

 

[JC99]

It’s difficult for that statement to be true when you’re comparing a starter to a bench player. Much different approach to the game. TDS was in a lot of defence didn’t bend back and also had a sharp pass. It’s unlikely he would get that much opportunity to take a run in the early part of the game. I like Hope though but it’s just not comparing apples at the moment. If hope starts it would be a good way to see.

I was wondering if Hope would be eligible for round 1 with Api suspended and no other hooker in our 30 besides TDS?

He's not eligible as he's on a train and trial deal, if they upgraded him to a development contract then he would be, but I doubt they give him that.

 

[Spartan117]

On a weird note , I know st merge are looking good this pre-season , but they sure are running a lot of plays and showing thier style this season .
Also I thought thier playing group age might really kill them as the season goes on .
Most teams are just running short balls and easy shape . The only team running elaborate plays is the dragons . So weird IMO. They’ll hit the ground running , sure , but I think they will fade big time come origin .

Their attack and power game was quite impressive.

They also knew how to strip numbers and score via overlap.

They're attack is better than ours by far based on the 2x trials

 

[Wiz]

Rubbish one or the other will have to play lock , and if they are still gun players then there money should be the same , I bet u yeo for panthers is on very good money

You are delusional. Yeo is on $875k. The best halves are on $1.2m. The best halves can also play more years than a lock who has to play in the middle. Finally, Galvin and Latu aren’t big so they would find it particularly tough in the middle.

Why would two of the highest rated halve juniors switch to lock before their 20th birthday.

It’s fact we are going to lose one, if not in the next 12 months, definitely the next 24. At this stage of their careers they will do what’s best for them, not what’s best for their team.

 

[Carefactor]

Dislocated kneecap. Surprisingly they said it’s not that bad.
Is this what happened to Tedesco one time?

No Turdesco shattered his..

 

[Speed2burn]

Their attack and power game was quite impressive.

They also knew how to strip numbers and score via overlap.

They're attack is better than ours by far based on the 2x trials

3/4 of our spine wasn’t playing in both trials…you’d wanna hope their attack was better based on that

 

[Halbrowne61]

It’s difficult for that statement to be true when you’re comparing a starter to a bench player. Much different approach to the game. TDS was in a lot of defence didn’t bend back and also had a sharp pass. It’s unlikely he would get that much opportunity to take a run in the early part of the game. I like Hope though but it’s just not comparing apples at the moment. If hope starts it would be a good way to see.

I was wondering if Hope would be eligible for round 1 with Api suspended and no other hooker in our 30 besides TDS?

I’m a little concerned about TDS, we cleared the decks( Liddle) to give him an easy ride into first grade but he just seems to me to be “off the boil” these days. I know he can play but he just seems reticent to run and create doubt.
Maybe just me but think maybe a quiet coffee or two with API and/ or Benji might be in order.

 

[Needaname]

He's what? 5kg lighter than Bird, who we want playing #13?

Everyone looks at things in terms of 'how it's always been done'.

I saw Galvin bump of 2 defenders to set up Doueihi who put Skelton over. Tell me how THAT isn't playing like a second rower?

Because that opportunity came about because of the position he plays in and the shape around him not because of the way he ran.
If anything, if Latu is forcing his way in to the side Galvin will have to rise to the challenge. It’s a good headache to have.
If Galvin was just that step quicker he could have made an excellent fullback, with his fitness, toughness and ball playing he would be a crossover between Welsby and Gutherson.

 

[Red88_Tiger]

I’m a little concerned about TDS, we cleared the decks( Liddle) to give him an easy ride into first grade but he just seems to me to be “off the boil” these days. I know he can play but he just seems reticent to run and create doubt.
Maybe just me but think maybe a quiet coffee or two with API and/ or Benji might be in order.

Could possibly be they’ve asked him to work on other things and went into his shell a little concentrating on those things

 

[Needaname]

This is exactly what I always say. Mason is very quick off the mark which gives the impression he is "fast"; That's great, but I'm yet to see him in open space or running someone down.

I guess some see it, some don't, but over 100m I'd say Bula would cover Mason pretty comfortably.

Relevance to league? Well, this comes in when put into a gap or chasing down a winger like Bula has done (e.g.; chased down Katao from Cronulla).

The thing with Bula is physical motion doesn't equal speed - it does give the impression of it though.

I haven't seen enough of him, so can't say for certain about Mason, so I guess not entirely fair, but I'd put Bula amongst the fastest at the club (Staines probably quickest?).

Mason finished off a lot of breaks in the lower grades.
One try I recall he ran round the winger on a kick return at the 20m mark and ran the length clean to score.

 

[Halbrowne61]

Could possibly be they’ve asked him to work on other things and went into his shell a little concentrating on those things

Yes, that’s quite possible, just want to see him show his undoubted skills. I guess when Hope came on he was doing everything at speed and made me think more about TDS’ game.

 

[Needaname]

He's not eligible as he's on a train and trial deal, if they upgraded him to a development contract then he would be, but I doubt they give him that.

I thought there was an injury / suspension clause.

 

[Lestronge]

Their attack and power game was quite impressive.

They also knew how to strip numbers and score via overlap.

They're attack is better than ours by far based on the 2x trials

I’ll judge that come round 1 . Nearly every other team kept the guns holstered , despite racking ups cores . Really the dragons and the titans come out all guns Blazing .
My point , is be very wary of trial form .

 

[Wiz]

I’m a little concerned about TDS, we cleared the decks( Liddle) to give him an easy ride into first grade but he just seems to me to be “off the boil” these days. I know he can play but he just seems reticent to run and create doubt.
Maybe just me but think maybe a quiet coffee or two with API and/ or Benji might be in order.

One bad night. If it becomes a pattern then I’ll start getting concerned. There’s nothing wrong if he has to play a year in reserve grade this year.

 

[Halbrowne61]

One bad night. If it becomes a pattern then I’ll start getting concerned. There’s nothing wrong if he has to play a year in reserve grade this year.

True but that being said I saw a bit of it the previous week as well against weaker opposition. But I’ll be watching Round 1 carefully to see whether it was an aberration.

 

[Halbrowne61]

One bad night. If it becomes a pattern then I’ll start getting concerned. There’s nothing wrong if he has to play a year in reserve grade this year.

Also, if you watched the game closely you would have seen his reaction on the bench when Hope scored. He put his face in his hands and turned away from his teammates who were very animated.
Those little things tell you a lot and maybe, just maybe he realised that sharpness is needed at 9 and it made him think about his own game.
Or then again, maybe I’m over reading it. If anyone has the replay check it and see !

 

[gregjm87]

First up - I like Bula. 😊

As for 13th in kr meters, I see it as another example of stats not telling the story.

I think your last sentence is why people would say it's a decent effort by him.

Last season the tigers had a points differential of - 287. That's 99 points worse than the next worst - 16th placed Souths.

So I'd say the Tigers' opposition scored more tries than any other teams, which means that they very likely spent far more time with possession in the Tigers' half...per your point.

Without considering intangibles such as try line defensive efforts that result in a line drop out or straight turnovers at the line, the overall opportunity for Bula to rack up pre contact metres is less than it is for fullbacks playing for teams who are more often able to force longer kicks, which inflate kr metre stats.

Over the course of a season, I think it's pretty surprising he even got as high as 13th.

Great analysis. I think Bula's kick returns are fine. Nothing special but by no means poor.
I just don't think 13th in the league is in any way an achievement. Yes given the positions he finds himself in 13th is probably a solid return but 13th on its own as I said would be in the bottom few fullbacks.

Nearly 200 metres more than Paps, same number of games.

Bula played one extra game but factoring Paps injury games Bula effectively played 2-2.5 extra games. Still this would see Bula average more kick return metres than Paps.
Paps is also a smaller fullback whos role in the team is ball playing and speed. He typically passes off to a winger when confronted with a strong kick chase.
Again Bula is fine, but a fullback being ranked 13th for kick return metres is nothing special.

 

[Furious1]

You wouldn’t have given him the same look?
Had him 100% and dropped off.

I wouldn't hold my team mates to higher standards than myself.

 

[bptiger 0]

You are delusional. Yeo is on $875k. The best halves are on $1.2m. The best halves can also play more years than a lock who has to play in the middle. Finally, Galvin and Latu aren’t big so they would find it particularly tough in the middle.

Why would two of the highest rated halve juniors switch to lock before their 20th birthday.

It’s fact we are going to lose one, if not in the next 12 months, definitely the next 24. At this stage of their careers they will do what’s best for them, not what’s best for their team.

Gee I can’t only think of 5-6 at best on 1.2 million