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 🤷‍♂️