Official 9’s Game Thread

It was brought in because of this and tackles like it.

 

Wanted Averillo to start at centre this year since last season, for me it was the call we really needed to make. Kid has handled the step up though the grades with ease, shows plenty of promise and is a genuine ball runner with pace and that's something we're missing in the side. We also get to leave our best winger on the wing.

No doubt Pay will pick our most experienced players and fit them into the 17 and give them as much of an opportunity to succeed and nail down their position in the side.

 

Agree Reimis should stay on the wing. Yes, the 9's are the 9's and maybe we'll see how the first trial goes but I wouldn't pick Okunbor for Round 1.

 

The NRL is going to decide games on this rule! It sooooo grey, they will take the piss out of it! Disgraceful!!!

 

They also can’t get better at footy without playing some sort of contact game. Players can get injured

With Harper off contract I think we need to know what we have sooner rather than later if he is going to be extended.

 

Okunbor needs to polish up so many areas of wing play, rather him do that in reserves than firstgrade.

 

I find it hard to believe we don't know who we're keeping one year before they're off contract. We should be planning at least one year ahead. If someone not in our plans post 2020 steps up when given an opportunity then we can reassess but you can't just wait and see with that little time left.

 

Not sure but I'm struggling to find how both he and Britt fit into our 17, feel like one should be starting on the bench and the other in reserves. Stimson just looked really underwhelming.

 

Ok so just got home and watched the replay against Sharks. Is the general feeling that any backline scenario this year that doesn't involve Okunbour the general feeling? Bloke isn't even up to 9's standard and any back should be loving that format.

 

That 9's performance almost put him in the Crichton boat. Only thing I can say to defend him is we brought an under strength side (which we didn't even play the best team out of the players we brought) and Ryan played in the middle for half the game - meaning more players had to commit around where Ryan was defending. Okunbor was 1v3 on some occasions. The biggest problem with Okunbor is his passiveness. He just doesn't look competitive or hungry. It's like he's just happy to be there.

 

Is that you saying something positive about Pay???
What’s your thoughts on Holland off the bench?

 

Things change and we need to pivot when appropriate. Xerri’s availability for example could drastically change this scenario if he was interested in signing with us

 

The thing that worries me most about Oku is he just doesn’t learn from his mistakes and adjust.

 

his passiveness is the big issue as many have mentioned.. you've got guys like Morgan Harper who will fight over a bone waiting in the wings as well and even though they play different positions, Dean could easily play Smith on the wing with Harper taking a centre spot

 

He just doesn't improve and for me he should go back to reggies and fight his way into the team. His lack of aggression and general look of bewilderment astonishes me. I know it's only 9's but some things stick out no matter what the format. He's the same as 12 months ago with no visual benefit from the FG he's played. He wouldn't be in my RD1 team that's for sure!

 

Not really positive lol. I don't agree with what I think Pay will do but I won't smash him over it at this stage despite being a little underwhelmed.

A versatile back off the bench is something I'm happy to see happen as long as the rest of the bench is balanced...but for that player to be Holland and him potentially acting as hooker then I'm not so keen lol.

 

Stimson must be eating Macca's all offseason. Fatter than I thought.