Selections after tonight

[old_man_tiger]

Hopefully Packer understands what he has to do. Love him or hate him Madge has made it clear that he won't tolerate weak-hearted performance.

Mbye looked much better tonight, all of the back 5 improved (except Thompson who was already good). Nofo has to wait.

McQueen should hold his spot over Garner. Yes he bombed a try, but Garner needs to work on his defence in my opinion. Long term Garner has potential, but between Taylor and McQueen I think we take one of them as the safety first option.

The big one is 5/8. Matterson understands the role this spine needs better than the other 2 blokes. Seeing Mbye step up tonight I'm concerned that Reynolds cat on a hot tin roof routine will stifle our limited ball playing. Mbye, Brooks and Farah bring enough creativity (as a unit, not as individuals). Abig running 6 like Matterson or Gamble might suit us better. Thoughts?

 

[innsaneink]

Haha... Cat on a hot roof... Apt description

 

[Chipofftheoldblock]

I dont think you can go wrong with Matterson at 5/8 but he does strengthen our edge. Happy to have Marshall back though.
I would keep McQueen in 2nd row as he was solid and will do the job.
Be nice to have some punch off the bench though esp against the Roosters although have no idea who unless Packer pulls his finger out and stops playing like a cat.
Garner to come onto the bench in place of Momo.

 

[bythebeardofzeus]

It’s a tough one as Matterson seems to improve on what we had wherever you move him, he’s a real quality signing! Thing is to put him where the team benefits the most which I think is at lock, playing a roving role in attack. Only problem is that will weaken us at right edge but I wouldn’t mind seeing how this goes for a few weeks.

I’d bring Marshall back to partner Brooks in the halves. Brooks seems more settled when he has an experienced 5/8. McQueen & ET stay at edge back row. Aloia, Mikaele, Eisenhuth & Garner off the bench.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

Hopefully Packer understands what he has to do. Love him or hate him Madge has made it clear that he won't tolerate weak-hearted performance.

Mbye looked much better tonight, all of the back 5 improved (except Thompson who was already good). Nofo has to wait.

McQueen should hold his spot over Garner. Yes he bombed a try, but Garner needs to work on his defence in my opinion. Long term Garner has potential, but between Taylor and McQueen I think we take one of them as the safety first option.

The big one is 5/8. Matterson understands the role this spine needs better than the other 2 blokes. Seeing Mbye step up tonight I'm concerned that Reynolds cat on a hot tin roof routine will stifle our limited ball playing. Mbye, Brooks and Farah bring enough creativity (as a unit, not as individuals). Abig running 6 like Matterson or Gamble might suit us better. Thoughts?

Tend to agree .....I wouldn’t bring Gamble in against team like Roosters though .... might really do him real damage and shatter his confidence. But his time will come this year.

It was good to see Jennings game improved today Both attack and defence.

 

[TheDaBoss]

i actually feel sorry for reynolds , injuries haunt the guy

 

[Fitzy05]

If Benji and Reynolds are injured I'd play Matterson at 5/8. The problem then is who plays RHS 2 nd row? Possibly ET. However, ET is better coming off the bench.
I preferred our bench in the first couple of rounds . Had more impact.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Can’t play Matterson at 5/8. He’s in my SC team, and he murdered me last night shifting into the halves.

Seriously though, he looked alright.

 

[yeti]

It’s a tough one as Matterson seems to improve on what we had wherever you move him, he’s a real quality signing! Thing is to put him where the team benefits the most which I think is at lock, playing a roving role in attack. Only problem is that will weaken us at right edge but I wouldn’t mind seeing how this goes for a few weeks.

I’d bring Marshall back to partner Brooks in the halves. Brooks seems more settled when he has an experienced 5/8. McQueen & ET stay at edge back row. Aloia, Mikaele, Eisenhuth & Garner off the bench.

Correct - he is our best player - no doubt.
I would pretty much go with what you have suggested here. Good post

 

[jirskyr]

Matterson has no kicking game, so if you keep him at 6 then all the pressure goes to Brooks or the odd Farah sneaky kick.

It helped last night that Matterson is a big body and getting him 1 closer to the ruck meant he was 1-1 with Roberts for the back 60, and Roberts struggled with that task, meaning the inside and outside defenders got nervous. It's like the old-skool Moses where nobody trusted him to defend and the line was brittle as a result.

Matterson moves the ball nicely and has the size to go right to the line; also has an offload. Stop-gap I think it works fine but I doubt you can go all season with a guy like that at 5/8th.

Bring in a real 5/8th like Benji, if Grub is unfit, and just give Matto the ball earlier from time to time. No reason why a backrower can't move to second-receiver every now and then.

Broncos ran a lovely play last night where Oates swung in from left wing to take the ball up the right channel - Sharks were not expecting it and had no response. Such a play obviously drags some players right out of position, but if done at the right time, it creates big confusion for defenders. Same with shifting Matto closer to the attack during backline plays. Even have Benji running outside him, so the defenders go to Matto and Benji gets some space for selective passing.

 

[Geo]

Hasn't Matterson put a couple of kicks for tries or repeat sets in the early rounds...his long kicking is probably not up to it..but don't we have an Mbye with a pretty good long boot...

 

[Fitzy05]

Brooks played his best game of the season with Matterson next to him.

 

[WT2K]

Hasn't Matterson put a couple of kicks for tries or repeat sets in the early rounds...his long kicking is probably not up to it..but don't we have an Mbye with a pretty good long boot...

He has. Long kicking left for mbye if Madge stays with Matterson at 5/8. Best part of him playing at 5/8 for me was giving marsters plenty of early ball.

 

[TheDaBoss]

@WT2K

and offloading as well, it seems that masters and matterson r part of a few people on our team that actually offload

 

[2041]

i actually feel sorry for reynolds , injuries haunt the guy

We shouldn't have signed him - he's a crock.

 

[yeti]

i actually feel sorry for reynolds , injuries haunt the guy

We shouldn't have signed him - he's a crock.

We are all geniuses with hindsight!

 

[tigerap]

Iv knew when he signed Reynolds he was going to dud us...so what better way to squash our long term chances of being a competitive team than to sign a crock who takes up so much of your cap for 4 years....thanks Iv you traitor!

 

[Tim Sheens]

Iv knew when he signed Reynolds he was going to dud us...so what better way to squash our long term chances of being a competitive team than to sign a crock who takes up so much of your cap for 4 years....thanks Iv you traitor!

Can't say I knew, but have always had concerns over his signing and not just injury wise. Still, even though he often runs around like a chook with it's head cut off, he was good for WT in the previous couple of games and in reserve grade beforehand, so not willing to write him off just yet.

That said, I agree that in Josh, the traitor left us with a player that we are paying too much for too long and at least another than just like him.

 

[2041]

i actually feel sorry for reynolds , injuries haunt the guy

We shouldn't have signed him - he's a crock.

We are all geniuses with hindsight!

He missed a third of his last season at the Dogs with injury and he's the wrong side of 30. That's not hindsight, that's basic understanding of how athletes' bodies work. The biggest predictor of future injury is past injury and the second biggest is age.

 

[Guest]

If Benji is fit he comes back into the side, easy choice there. Matterson back into the backrow, I'd start McQueen again as I thought he was solid, Garner to the bench in place of Momo and I'm not sure about MCK - is he stood down until he's sentenced? If so it may earn Packer a reprieve and hopefully the rocket he copped last week serves it's purpose. Mbye looked a hell of a lot better without the strapping on his knee too.