Can we win this comp without another BIG front rower ?

[RiverEagle]

I did see reports of a bug or whatever through the team, but typically no excuses from us there anyway.

Injuries will determine things a lot now, and I'm content to let Tooves and co. get the mix right.

But a part of me would love to see big Epa L come good and be our wrecking-ball in September too!

Also agree on Sutton (for them)

I hope they put him back in, and at 5/8.

He strangles their attack though, and they seem to have worked that out at last.

 

[tookey]

souths are the traditional august premiers.

We lost who cares as we will beat them in the games in september

 

[double hoops]

Our forwards should be embarrassed. And that may be a god send.

 

[Pepi]

Think we are really underestimating Lui's impact for us this year. Apart from a lot of dropped balls early in the year he has been a Gulavoa clone.

 

[mickqld]

If refs want to play god against one side with momentum killing penalties for pedantic infringements then even the Raiders could win it.

 

[Jethro]

Our execution was way off. If Buhrer holds onto the ball when he was over the line I think that would have changed the momentum, but he drops it and souths score at the other end.

I'm not too concerned, Toov's is not going to show his cards in a comp game when we are leading the comp by 4 points. Souths can't play any better than what they did. They also choke under pressure, so I am not too concerned about that loss. I am concerned about losing Matai for an extended period of time though.

Only two points now. I have a feeling that Souths will now take out the Minor Premiership. They have a massive +/- figure that is nearly 40% higher than ours at the moment. :-/

 

[Tareeeagle]

I couldn't get over the lack of forward running. It seemed like everyone wanted to start out sideways then do a Benji Shuffle then get driven back 5 metres. I don't think I saw a fair dinkum forward run until the second half when Choc did a couple. I thought Luke killed us out of dummy half, picking up slow markers and getting their pack on the front foot by running a few metres unchallenged before passing to an on the charge forward. Still to hear the idiots on the Television, everyone is wasting their time for the rest of the season. Pretty sure the same thing happened last year at this time and we know what happened in the Semi. Not gloom and doom time yet, and I will making the long trek up the highway next weekend to see what I will think will be an absolute caning of the Titans.

 

[Jethro]

Not sure if the flu was to blame for the outcome. I thought Lawrence and kingy went missing in the middle . Uncharacteristic errors from some of our inform players , I think the boys will be embarrassed with there efforts lastnight and come back with vengeance. I hope skivvys ok I dont think we can go all the way without him

Brenton Lawrence was out there last night was he? I don't recall seeing him all night. I only saw Kingy twice and one of those times was when he slapped out at the head of one of the Burgess boys who was playing the ball after a tackle that ended up as a penalty against us. The only other time was a hit up not long after he came on.

 

[double hoops]

I preferred the balance of last weekends team.

I just think you need two genuine front rowers on the bench. IMO Starling and Lawrence start and two of ANDREWS/LUI/EPA/KING are on the bench.
Finals are even more so won and lost in the forwards, with teams often playing a little more conservative and defensive.
I see Blairs height on the wing being a massive advantage, and whilst it was Horhey's first run back last night, some worrying signs, he's looking pretty big and slow out on that wing.

JSL is fast becoming my favorite player. I just love watching this kid play, it is arms and legs just flying around every where. But the kid is exciting to watch, he doesn't just make up numbers he actually gets in there and has ago and makes things happen. He is Aggressive and he has done it all year. First picked on the bench.

Minus injuries with only four weeks until finals i guess I have Horo/Gift/Hasson all fighting it out for one second rowers spot on the bench.

 

[Technical Coach]

I preferred the balance of last weekends team.

I just think you need two genuine front rowers on the bench. IMO Starling and Lawrence start and two of ANDREWS/LUI/EPA/KING are on the bench.
Finals are even more so won and lost in the forwards, with teams often playing a little more conservative and defensive.
I see Blairs height on the wing being a massive advantage, and whilst it was Horhey's first run back last night, some worrying signs, he's looking pretty big and slow out on that wing.

JSL is fast becoming my favorite player. I just love watching this kid play, it is arms and legs just flying around every where. But the kid is exciting to watch, he doesn't just make up numbers he actually gets in there and has ago and makes things happen. He is Aggressive and he has done it all year. First picked on the bench.

Minus injuries with only four weeks until finals i guess I have Horo/Gift/Hasson all fighting it out for one second rowers spot on the bench.

I have not been as impressed with JSL as yourself but i can see where you are coming from in relation to his energy.

Too much arms and legs flying and not bending the line as much as i would like---needs to straighten up also.

Work in progress and needs to add a little more weight and strength in the right areas which will give him more confidence to play hard and straight.

 

[Chip and Chase]

I don't get the Lauaki love festival. The guy has been here for a while now, so if he was offering something resembling NRL standard he would have been given a go already. If Hasson is on front of him then he has some work to do. Can't see him being the front row messiah that some are hoping for. Big does not mean better.

 

[BOZO]

I don't get the Lauaki love festival. The guy has been here for a while now, so if he was offering something resembling NRL standard he would have been given a go already. If Hasson is on front of him then he has some work to do. Can't see him being the front row messiah that some are hoping for. Big does not mean better.

From what I have seen of him Big means big metres and big hits . He is big and intimidating . Given the opportunity from what I have seen from him I think he has something to offer Chippy

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

He should be on the bench for a couple of the next few games, and we can all have a look at what he can do against Parra, Panthers, etc.

 

[BOZO]

He should be on the bench for a couple of the next few games, and we can all have a look at what he can do against Parra, Panthers, etc.

He is the biggest and meanest looking mother we have . I think we should give the mother a go .We didn't buy him to keep him in the kitchen

 

[double hoops]

Now what a perfect nick name for Epa ah hum mother.

 

[Jethro]

Now what a perfect nick name for Epa ah hum mother.

He will always be epilady to me.

Epalahame, epilady. They sound the same to me

 

[HappilyManly]

Hope that Epa is as painfull

Its a torture device :s

 

[RiverEagle]

Now what a perfect nick name for Epa ah hum mother.

He will always be epilady to me.

Epalahame, epilady. They sound the same to me

And are you going to tell him that yourself mate??



From the bit I've gathered getting his match fitness up to NRL was the priority (he's only just now starting a full game in reggies).

Maybe it won't be until next year, after a Manly pre-season, that he offers value to Tooves in 1st grade...

Maybe there's still time for him to add some mongrel to this campaign.

 

[Chip and Chase]

I don't get the Lauaki love festival. The guy has been here for a while now, so if he was offering something resembling NRL standard he would have been given a go already. If Hasson is on front of him then he has some work to do. Can't see him being the front row messiah that some are hoping for. Big does not mean better.

From what I have seen of him Big means big metres and big hits . He is big and intimidating . Given the opportunity from what I have seen from him I think he has something to offer Chippy

I'll take your word for it, i haven't watched any NSW cup so I'm just basing my comment on the fact that if he was producing some goods the coaching staff would be all over it. I'd love to have a big mean mongrel coming off the bench, but not sure he is it. He didn't exactly come here with a glowing NRL resume, couple of seasons at Warriors then ESL.

Anyway at full strength who makes way for him ? with a bench of King, Lui, JSL and Horo/T-Red (and that assumes no Gift either)....who do we drop ? If it ain't broke don't fix it....not with 4 rounds left anyway.

Had we won last night we may have been able to afford to rest a few players with a bit of a buffer at the top. In whcih case he might have got a run if Choc or Lawrence got a freshen up. Can't see that happening now unless we are one game clear going into last round.

 

[BOZO]

I don't get the Lauaki love festival. The guy has been here for a while now, so if he was offering something resembling NRL standard he would have been given a go already. If Hasson is on front of him then he has some work to do. Can't see him being the front row messiah that some are hoping for. Big does not mean better.

From what I have seen of him Big means big metres and big hits . He is big and intimidating . Given the opportunity from what I have seen from him I think he has something to offer Chippy

I'll take your word for it, i haven't watched any NSW cup so I'm just basing my comment on the fact that if he was producing some goods the coaching staff would be all over it. I'd love to have a big mean mongrel coming off the bench, but not sure he is it. He didn't exactly come here with a glowing NRL resume, couple of seasons at Warriors then ESL.

Anyway at full strength who makes way for him ? with a bench of King, Lui, JSL and Horo/T-Red (and that assumes no Gift either)....who do we drop ? If it ain't broke don't fix it....not with 4 rounds left anyway.

Had we won last night we may have been able to afford to rest a few players with a bit of a buffer at the top. In whcih case he might have got a run if Choc or Lawrence got a freshen up. Can't see that happening now unless we are one game clear going into last round.

drop the bloke that is the least affective . We don't want to put up with the same crap that we came up with Friday night