OFFICIAL SG Ball Cup

[BlackWhiteGold]

Another interesting observation was Siotame Havea Jr played the first 25-30 mins of the 1st half at hooker before moving into lock.

1. He is much better defensively & in contact than Brooklyn Milford, so this may be part of the reason, but ...

2. I wonder whether this is a directive from the Wests Tigers to start adding to his versatility as a future lock/hooker option (as future relief for Jared Haywood as the planned successor to Api).

@jrtiger @poopy_diaper be keen to hear your thoughts on the pod this week about this?

 

[jrtiger]

Another interesting observation was Siotame Havea Jr played the first 25-30 mins of the 1st half at hooker before moving into lock.

1. He is much better defensively & in contact than Brooklyn Milford, so this may be part of the reason, but ...

2. I wonder whether this is a directive from the Wests Tigers to start adding to his versatility as a future lock/hooker option (as future relief for Jared Haywood as the planned successor to Api).

@jrtiger @poopy_diaper be keen to hear your thoughts on the pod this week about this?

we might know more around 5pm when these SG Ball teamlists come out mate, but from my perspective I think it was to do with Lakeman wanting to get his best pack on the field and assigning positions later. for mine Taai is a middle, not a backrower, and therefore you had to get him into that centre corridor any way he could.

the Koroisau succession plan for mine would involve starting Haywood and running with Josese Lanyon off the bench in a Brandon Smith @ Melbourne-style role with Havea either starting at 13 or on the pine. naturally a lot to play out between now and then so no point making teamlists in prediction.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

we might know more around 5pm when these SG Ball teamlists come out mate, but from my perspective I think it was to do with Lakeman wanting to get his best pack on the field and assigning positions later. for mine Taai is a middle, not a backrower, and therefore you had to get him into that centre corridor any way he could.

the Koroisau succession plan for mine would involve starting Haywood and running with Josese Lanyon off the bench in a Brandon Smith @ Melbourne-style role with Havea either starting at 13 or on the pine. naturally a lot to play out between now and then so no point making teamlists in prediction.

Yeah you're probably right there.

It's a tough call when you have a premium lock in Havea Jr at your disposal and also a very good lock with plenty of upside in Peter Ta'ai, both whom can play long minutes.

Ideally Josese Lanyon does keep progressing to be that person but jeez Havea Jr is some talent, ideal lock for us moving forward but can play dummy half, small middle or in the halves at a pinch.

 

[jrtiger]

Yeah you're probably right there.

It's a tough call when you have a premium lock in Havea Jr at your disposal and also a very good lock with plenty of upside in Peter Ta'ai, both whom can play long minutes.

Ideally Josese Lanyon does keep progressing to be that person but jeez Havea Jr is some talent, ideal lock for us moving forward but can play dummy half, small middle or in the halves at a pinch.

yeah I think Siotame's more of a 6 than he is a 9. he could develop in both positions as a utility of sorts but he's far and away a better lock than he is any of those options, including as a utility.

I'd be grooming Lanyon for that 9 / 13 hybrid role for mine.

 

[Bellend]

yeah I think Siotame's more of a 6 than he is a 9. he could develop in both positions as a utility of sorts but he's far and away a better lock than he is any of those options, including as a utility.

I'd be grooming Lanyon for that 9 / 13 hybrid role for mine.

110% Jrtiger with your assesment of Siotame, very good footballer.

 

[jrtiger]

110% Jrtiger with your assesment of Siotame, very good footballer.

agree mate. supreme pedigree.

 

[Dr_Ice]

Another interesting observation was Siotame Havea Jr played the first 25-30 mins of the 1st half at hooker before moving into lock.

1. He is much better defensively & in contact than Brooklyn Milford, so this may be part of the reason, but ...

2. I wonder whether this is a directive from the Wests Tigers to start adding to his versatility as a future lock/hooker option (as future relief for Jared Haywood as the planned successor to Api).

@jrtiger @poopy_diaper be keen to hear your thoughts on the pod this week about this?

Has an excellent skill set for a lock, however he needs a lot of growing to be a viable option at NRL level (even in the days of smaller mobile forwards)

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal Lagoon]

Yeah I think that has been a big issue for the side across the first few rounds. I've had a busy week so have only watched the game fully focused on it up until halftime, hopefully the rest tonight.

But my observations from the first few rounds of Wests ...

- Discipline (both penalties & handling errors) has been very poor and once the opposition team has momentum, it is hard to stem (especially in the heat faced in Sydney the past few week, very sapping when retreating constantly).

- Yes left side as you have summarised B2TL, very poor defensively.

- They don't seem connected as a group on the field (hard to put finger on it watching on Bar TV).

This week against Balmain, I really want them to show hunger & intensity as a group, a way to open up the right side in attack with weapons Godinet & Glassie and a much much much better discipline.

I’ve been watching Glassie for a few years now, and it only occurred to me on the weekend - as a footballer, the blokes a dead set clone of Jesse Ramien 🤷‍♂️

 

[Vicious]

I’ve been watching Glassie for a few years now, and it only occurred to me on the weekend - as a footballer, the blokes a dead set clone of Jesse Ramien 🤷‍♂️

He’s firey that’s for sure and certain.
He’s also a specialist right centre which is a bonus as good ones are hard to find.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Finished off watching the Magpies loss to the Rabbits in SG Ball last night.

Two things ... discipline both in penalties & errors and dubious ref calls cost us in the end!

Just after half-time, we hit the lead when Havea Jr showed strength & determination to go over. This was not long after we were on the attack and the ref called a forward pass (which looked flat at worst).

Then the turning point, Araon Paea produced a team-lifting try-saving cover tackle into touch on the Souths winger a few metres out. Unfortunately what looked like only Josh Vella pulling a Souths player out of the ensuing pack, he was penalised and next set Souths score on that same wing when Vella went in on a player Glassie had already covered leaving his man open.

In the next 10 mins, we gifted them yardage with penalties (some again very dubious). a sin bin for Glassie & handling errors and it was all over red rover.

My best were ...

3 Havea Jr
2 Lakeman
1 Taai
1 Taupau-Moors
1 Paea

No player was immune from errors in this game but Havea Jr imo provided impact & effort on both sides of the ball. Lakeman produced a couple of try saving tackles and was his usual self as the 'general', lacks zip in his running game which could hold him back. CTM produced some big plays in both attack & defence but also conceded an important penalty & error in the 1st set after a try so was very rocks'n diamonds. For his 1st game of the season, Paea was safe under the high ball, added spark in attack when he got involved, backed up well for a try and produced a great cover tackle.

I see this week both wingers Vella & Richards have been demoted for Lanyon and newcomer Cortez Kirkpatrick who is on board with the club I believe on a WT pathways contract (an elusive fullback) and Lele back to 5/8 in place of Tiberti who has just made too many errors. Leviticus Tovia is back on the bench for Cruz Tauaifaiga who also has been guilt of too many handling errors & poor misses in defence in his first few games. Tovia will add size & impact in the rotation with CTM & Futialo.