Couple of Observations....

[Smokin Joe]

Hallo my sons,good to meet a lot of you again....haven't seen many games this year as more important things have been going on,but a couple of things that I saw from this game and don't know if others saw the same....
1.Love the backrow,looks like a beast no matter who signs from here out....(JJJ)
2.Front row looks good,Lane going is disappointing but think that Sipley or a cheap replacement will do the job
3.Walker is not a half (sorry if you think that he is but you el loco)and don't care if Elgey is a little suss when defending but will offer way more in attack.
4.Suli is carrying a bit too much weight at this time of year and misses a couple in defence,but so did Matai when he came came down from QRL(Maybe if we show some nuts in a 20 year old and persist we will have a winner hopefully in a year or 2(if not then a few other youngsters will show up).
5.Parker is not a winger and is probs a better fullback or maybe a centre
6.Fainu is a year away from being a NRL dummy half and we need Api to resign.
Will not comment on the coach,but think we have the cattle to compete....

 

[HoldenV8]

Hallo my sons,good to meet a lot of you again....haven't seen many games this year as more important things have been going on,but a couple of things that I saw from this game and don't know if others saw the same....
1.Love the backrow,looks like a beast no matter who signs from here out....(JJJ)
2.Front row looks good,Lane going is disappointing but think that Sipley or a cheap replacement will do the job
3.Walker is not a half (sorry if you think that he is but you el loco)and don't care if Elgey is a little suss when defending but will offer way more in attack.
4.Suli is carrying a bit too much weight at this time of year and misses a couple in defence,but so did Matai when he came came down from QRL(Maybe if we show some nuts in a 20 year old and persist we will have a winner hopefully in a year or 2(if not then a few other youngsters will show up).
5.Parker is not a winger and is probs a better fullback or maybe a centre
6.Fainu is a year away from being a NRL dummy half and we need Api to resign.
Will not comment on the coach,but think we have the cattle to compete....

1 - Our back row next year should be what we were supposed to have this year. Thommo, Siro and Jake. If they can stay healthy.....

2 - I actually like Marty and AFB being split up. When they both start we seem to go well, then our middle defence and go forward takes a big hit when they are subbed off. Having one start and the other coming on to keep up the momentum is a good ploy. Yes we will definitely miss Sean Lane, but I think Paseka has the tools to fill that bench / back rower role. If not Paseka then Sipley. But we do need to acquire a decent front rower.

3 - Totally agree. Walks is doing his best, but he's an out of position centre. Having Elgey next year will actually give us two proper halves, something we haven't had all season (no offence to Croker who while being a half, isn't a very good one). There is only one reason we signed LG....and its not because he can defend like Jake Trbojevic.

4 - Suli runs hard, but carrying a bit extra poundage does mean his fitness isn't what it should be. A full off-season should fix that, though I would be more confident with someone other than that fraud Ferris in charge of the teams strength and fitness. His defence needs a lot of work though which is why I expect that if someone like Jade Anderson isn't ready for first grade next year, Moses will be on the wing.

5 - Parker's best asset when playing out wide is that he's very good under a high ball. Like Qld did in the opening Origin to Tom, the Tigpies targeted Parker with bomb after bomb last night, and like Turbo he didn't drop one. Unfortunately however, he is no winger and has no pace for a winger. But for all of his lack of talent, I can't fault the guys guts. He doesn't shirk the hard stuff. He's what old time American's would call Charlie Hussle. Not the best player, but he'll at least give it all he's got.

6 - Although our record was only 4-9 before Api's injury, I do agree that we need him there, especially with his Tooves-like tackling up the middle. But he needs to learn to pace himself. Its all well and good tackling everything in sight, but it usually means he's gassed shortly after half time. Fainu has been an adequate replacement, but I think he's still a year or two away from being a fully fledged first grade hooker. It will be interesting next year with whoever coaches us. If like Barrett they go for a utility replacement on the bench who can generally cover hooker, the halves and maybe the three quarters, who will get the gig? Hodkinson, Fainu or someone like Tom Wright or even Cade Cust?

 

[Smokin Joe]

1 - Our back row next year should be what we were supposed to have this year. Thommo, Siro and Jake. If they can stay healthy.....

2 - I actually like Marty and AFB being split up. When they both start we seem to go well, then our middle defence and go forward takes a big hit when they are subbed off. Having one start and the other coming on to keep up the momentum is a good ploy. Yes we will definitely miss Sean Lane, but I think Paseka has the tools to fill that bench / back rower role. If not Paseka then Sipley. But we do need to acquire a decent front rower.

3 - Totally agree. Walks is doing his best, but he's an out of position centre. Having Elgey next year will actually give us two proper halves, something we haven't had all season (no offence to Croker who while being a half, isn't a very good one). There is only one reason we signed LG....and its not because he can defend like Jake Trbojevic.

4 - Suli runs hard, but carrying a bit extra poundage does mean his fitness isn't what it should be. A full off-season should fix that, though I would be more confident with someone other than that fraud Ferris in charge of the teams strength and fitness. His defence needs a lot of work though which is why I expect that if someone like Jade Anderson isn't ready for first grade next year, Moses will be on the wing.

5 - Parker's best asset when playing out wide is that he's very good under a high ball. Like Qld did in the opening Origin to Tom, the Tigpies targeted Parker with bomb after bomb last night, and like Turbo he didn't drop one. Unfortunately however, he is no winger and has no pace for a winger. But for all of his lack of talent, I can't fault the guys guts. He doesn't shirk the hard stuff. He's what old time American's would call Charlie Hussle. Not the best player, but he'll at least give it all he's got.

6 - Although our record was only 4-9 before Api's injury, I do agree that we need him there, especially with his Tooves-like tackling up the middle. But he needs to learn to pace himself. Its all well and good tackling everything in sight, but it usually means he's gassed shortly after half time. Fainu has been an adequate replacement, but I think he's still a year or two away from being a fully fledged first grade hooker. It will be interesting next year with whoever coaches us. If like Barrett they go for a utility replacement on the bench who can generally cover hooker, the halves and maybe the three quarters, who will get the gig? Hodkinson, Fainu or someone like Tom Wright or even Cade Cust?

Point 2 and 6 ....Agree,love the the 2 being split,but think that we can do the same with others,but try telling Marty that he is starting off the bench each week....lol.Don't know... but think that Paseka being dropped might mean he has siged elsewhere..As for Parker,I like him but think he gets exposed without pace when he has to cover for a mistake on the wing,but think he is Ridge like at fullback...Suli in my opinion will be on the wing on the right because Walker will move to right centre and Suli is not a left centre,but who knows..For me .Api starts and Fainu is off the bench,no Api and Hodko starts,but for me I would like to sign Garvey as the Raiders have released him if we don't sign Api....