Opinion Our best 1-5 for 2019

[Alexander the Great]

Your entitled to your opinion, but as certain as the sun will rise in the morning Hopa will be in the team. He’s one of our best players and most experienced aswel.

Agree mate. He was a gun towards the end of the year and Also played very well for Tonga.
Must keep in the squad

 

[Alexander the Great]

Speaking of Lewis this year is going to be a major test for him. His kicking game and organising is his strong point but I don't think he will have the luxury of so much time and space.

Hopefully he has developed his ball playing and running game in the off season. I'm not sure if his running game is ever going to be there with his pace.

He seems like the type who would knuckle down and improve himself so it will be exciting to see what he does.

The teams will be onto him this year. It felt like the world stopped last year when it was time for him to put up a bomb or kick in play.

Lets hope he fires up

 

[Trafford10]

Where is the so called speed. He has never had any and never will.
It will be a tragedy if Meaney is not named as fullback.
Due to the shortage of accomplished backs, Hopoate may be a slim chance of playing from the bench. He
could cover for most of them at a pinch, and maybe as a forward as well. The key words are "slim chance".

You seriously are the worst judge of rugby league on this forum.
That is high praise indeed.

 

[speedy2460]

You seriously are the worst judge of rugby league on this forum.
That is high praise indeed.

Instead of attacking me for my opinion, why dont you try something different and give your opinion.
Tell me what has impressed yourself about Hopoate.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Instead of attacking me for my opinion, why dont you try something different and give your opinion.
Tell me what has impressed yourself about Hopoate.

If I can butt in .............Hopoate has a proven track record (look at the 2018 statisitcs);
is safe under the high ball
breaks tackles (more than any other Bulldogs player)
makes offloads (almost double the next best)
creates tries (more than any other Bulldogs player)
makes more post contact metres than other Bulldogs player (still in the team)
line break assists (again getting on for double the next best)
runs more metres than anyone (still in the team)

In summary, there are 12 common attacking statistics and Hopoate ranks in the top 5 Bulldogs players in 10 of those. The only thing some people have against him is that his isn't fast, when the fact is there is far more to being fullback than the simplistic how fast they can run.

Reference
https://www.thekennel.net.au/forum/index.php?threads/player-stats.111138/


Go Dogs

 

[Trafford10]

Instead of attacking me for my opinion, why dont you try something different and give your opinion.
Tell me what has impressed yourself about Hopoate.

Because with you it is like talking to a brick wall.
You hate Hopoate and nothing is going to change your mind.
Pushing back the frontiers of your ignorance is exhausting.

But sigh.....lets go again.
95% of Hopoate's defence issues at centre was due to Montoya.
Montoya's defensive reads were terrible.
Remember John Olive, everyone on here was walking around with an hard on after his first game.
Next game playing with Montoya outside him, Olive couldn't deal with it at all.
Another big issue in defence last season close to our try line was the bunching of forwards in the middle of the field, especially with Woods in the team who was lazy in defence all season with us.
When the opposition spread the ball wide and we were sliding to cover we were always one man short because the forwards were bunched and Montoya's inability to read the play in defence just made the right side totally vulnerable.
Also with Klemmer gone Hopoate will be needed more than ever to make meters comming off our try line.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Montoya, Hoppa, Holland and Smith will all be in the backline Round 1. From memory Monty was only out of the side due to injury?

The only question mark will be who takes the remaining spot out of Crichton, a centre, Meaney, or Olive/Harper.

Although if Pay is to be believed, maybe trials will confirm the backline.

 

[Spoonman84]

From memory Monty was only out of the side due to injury?

He was dropped after that Titans game at Belmore and actually tore his hamstring in a ISP game.

I doubt he’s a automatic selection. Only Hoppa, Smith are and probably Holland if he’s going ok after the dual ankle surgery.

 

[GDR]

He was dropped after that Titans game at Belmore and actually tore his hamstring in a ISP game.

I doubt he’s a automatic selection. Only Hoppa, Smith and probably Holland if he’s going ok after the dual ankle surgery.

yes correct, he was injured in an ISP game after being dropped

 

[Mr Invisible]

He was dropped after that Titans game at Belmore and actually tore his hamstring in a ISP game.

I doubt he’s a automatic selection. Only Hoppa, Smith are and probably Holland if he’s going ok after the dual ankle surgery.

Ahhh gotcha !

According to Ayoub, Holland is progressing really well and due to join full training group this week (I believe). That was according to latest injury report.

Monty is a hard one to read. Burst onto the scene and killed it in 2017, then just completely fell apart in 2018 with second year syndrome.

He needs to pull his finger out and hit 2017 form as with a few younger prospects coming through (and more competition), if he doesn't fire on all cylinders from Round 1, he risks going the same way as Mitch Brown, Jono Wright, Brett Lane, and other subpar backs before him.

 

[Straight18]

Doesnt matter he is just not bloody good enough.

 

[Spoonman84]

Ahhh gotcha !

According to Ayoub, Holland is progressing really well and due to join full training group this week (I believe). That was according to latest injury report.

Monty is a hard one to read. Burst onto the scene and killed it in 2017, then just completely fell apart in 2018 with second year syndrome.

He needs to pull his finger out and hit 2017 form as with a few younger prospects coming through (and more competition), if he doesn't fire on all cylinders from Round 1, he risks going the same way as Mitch Brown, Jono Wright, Brett Lane, and other subpar backs before him.

Montoya just doesn’t have something that sets him apart from other backline players. He is a good back up player but he isn’t that quick, doesn’t make many meters and his defence is very questionable. He is pretty good in the air to be fair. Give him some games in ISP to regain some confidence and see how he goes. He’s done nothing to warrant being a walk up starter for 2019.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Montoya just doesn’t have something that sets him apart from other backline players. He is a good back up player but he isn’t that quick, doesn’t make many meters and his defence is very questionable. He is pretty good in the air to be fair. Give him some games in ISP to regain some confidence and see how he goes. He’s done nothing to warrant being a walk up starter for 2019.

I think pace wise he's like Reimis Smith. Not so much fast but has a long stride. Hence needs space to wind up.

Honestly I think Marcelo just got complacent last year (his position largely safe), and bundled with average service his game suffered.

In 2017 Round 23 I recall he had a shocker of a game, his first shocker. He was so hard on himself, he came back the following game and scored 2 tries. But 2018 he just seemed like "meh whatever".

With heavy competition for spots in 2019, that pressure is maybe what his game needs to take him to the next level. Either shape up, or someone else is taking your spot.

 

[Spoonman84]

I think pace wise he's like Reimis Smith. Not so much fast but has a long stride. Hence needs space to wind up.

Honestly I think Marcelo just got complacent last year (his position largely safe), and bundled with average service his game suffered.

In 2017 Round 23 I recall he had a shocker of a game, his first shocker. He was so hard on himself, he came back the following game and scored 2 tries. But 2018 he just seemed like "meh whatever".

With heavy competition for spots in 2019, that pressure is maybe what his game needs to take him to the next level. Either shape up, or someone else is taking your spot.

I think Smith would easily have Montoya covered at top speed.

Montoya seemed to lose confidence in defence and it effected his whole game. He did make some horrific reads in defence but he wasn't alone as that whole edge was a basket case in defence.

I think Crichton will have a wing spot due to his 1st and 2nd tackle hit ups and Holland and Hoppa in the centres so I'm not sure where he would fit in.

 

[Mr Invisible]

I think Smith would easily have Montoya covered at top speed.

Montoya seemed to lose confidence in defence and it effected his whole game. He did make some horrific reads in defence but he wasn't alone as that whole edge was a basket case in defence.

I think Crichton will have a wing spot due to his 1st and 2nd tackle hit ups and Holland and Hoppa in the centres so I'm not sure where he would fit in.

Yeah I think you are right about his defence and the downhill spiral. That said Hoppa was making shocking defensive reads at centre as well.

For me Hoppa needs to be at the back or wing at most (but hes too slow for wing). Centre will just be another disaster.

 

[alic]

hoppa????? geeez people so harsh on this man. First player picked week in week out.

 

[GDR]

hoppa????? geeez people so harsh on this man. First player picked week in week out.

not at centre .. his defence reads are terrible.

he was solid, without being amazing at fullback last year .

but his career best form, was on the wing for manly

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Because with you it is like talking to a brick wall.
You hate Hopoate and nothing is going to change your mind.
Pushing back the frontiers of your ignorance is exhausting.

But sigh.....lets go again.
95% of Hopoate's defence issues at centre was due to Montoya.
Montoya's defensive reads were terrible.
Remember John Olive, everyone on here was walking around with an hard on after his first game.
Next game playing with Montoya outside him, Olive couldn't deal with it at all.
Another big issue in defence last season close to our try line was the bunching of forwards in the middle of the field, especially with Woods in the team who was lazy in defence all season with us.
When the opposition spread the ball wide and we were sliding to cover we were always one man short because the forwards were bunched and Montoya's inability to read the play in defence just made the right side totally vulnerable.
Also with Klemmer gone Hopoate will be needed more than ever to make meters comming off our try line.

Montoya has a Bachelors Degree not trusting your centre and coming in of your wing and leaving the opposing winger unmarked making your centre look like an idiot

 

[GDR]

Montoya has a Bachelors Degree not trusting your centre and coming in of your wing and leaving the opposing winger unmarked making your centre look like an idiot

Montoya made some horrendous errors in defence granted.. but remember its a domino effect from the inside that culminates in the winger always looking like the culprit..

Its the centres responsibility to communicate and provide a good link to winger both in attack and defence..

 

[Valley Viking]

He was dropped after that Titans game at Belmore and actually tore his hamstring in a ISP game.

I doubt he’s a automatic selection. Only Hoppa, Smith are and probably Holland if he’s going ok after the dual ankle surgery.

I think he was dropped before the titans match but was put back in when B Moz’s missus went into labour. He was then dropped when B Moz came back in. That match before the Titans, I think it was against the dragons. It was the worst game in his career, he took on Duffy on the outside and got bundled into touch. We were coming back strong in that game up until then.