The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

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Can anyone recall if there's a former winger now playing prop in the NRL, from memory it could be a warriors player but I'm just not sure.
 
Chip & Chase link said:
What I'm worried about

* No impact at dummy half. Ballin doesn't offer enough variation. He threatens to take it to the next level but can't consistently string together quality performances.

I can't disagree more. Lyon and Foran got a lot of credit in offense last year but from my perspective Ballin was the lynchpin in the team. He was also the guy organising the defense. His clever use of decoy abd ball selection are top notch, plus I would like to add he is one of the best hookers at controlling the ruck. Its never flashy but if you control the ruck you control the game. He has a great little set piece on the left side on the opponent try line where his winger and centre run a straight line, Watmough runs and inside line and Foran runs an outside or matches Watmough closer to the posts. He then makes the decision based on how the defense reacts and there was quite a few tries off that last year.

I would however like to see him take it himself out of dummy a little more often and work on his kicking game a bit. It's hard to attack a guy who debuted for origin over an A grade hooker like Nathan Friend.

As a note he also broke the all time tackle count for a season for Manly last year, I'd like to see the rest of the pack take some of this pressure off his shoulders but perhaps its part of him stepping up to take the leadership roll and organise the defense, leading by example and all that jazz.
 
There is no doubt Ballin can play the eighty but his workload in defense fatigues his attack. A relief hooker is a must this year.
 
Jatz Crackers link said:
There is no doubt Ballin can play the eighty but his workload in defense fatigues his attack. A relief hooker is a must this year.

60 minutes would be much better than a full 80
 
Worried About

  • T-Rex making the final step & adjusting to being a top 17 player
  • Warringah Council
  • Accidentally reading some of the kneejerk threads posted on here after a loss
  • Getting stabbed when we play the Bulldogs
  • DCE adjusting to first grade
  • Seu Seu actually getting any game time


Looking forward To

  • Snake, Wookie & Rodney all back & firing
  • Getting some better chants going on the hill
  • Watching DCE if he adjusts to first grade well
  • Catching up with all the gang
  • Gifty reaffirming his status as one of the better locks in the game.


Hoping For

  • Seeing continued development in good fringe FG players such as Cunningham, Oldfield, Whare & Palau
  • Cameron Smith to break a leg, Ballin to make SoO & not lose his spot when Smith returns  :D
  • A win down in Tardistan for Azza's B-day!
  • Watmough to play well for an entire season, not just half of it.
  • Slater to stop making commercials





First team

1. B.Stewart
2. M.Robertson
3. S.Matai (During suspension: D.Whare if fit, T.Williams if not)
4. J.Lyon
5. D.Williams
6. K.Foran
7. D.Cherry-Evans
8. J.King
9. M.Ballin
10. B.Kite
11. A.Watmough
12. S.Rodney
13. G.Stewart

14. J.Buhrer
15. D.Lussick
16. G.Rose
17. J.Galuvao

18. M.Cross

Where will we finish?

I'm thinking we rebound & look a lot better than we did last year but still look to be a year or two off being serious contenders again. So I'll take a leaf out of Dan's book & say we finish 5th.
 

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