Opinion Backline

[Tassie Devil]

Smith, I think he's gun, maybe not a bazooka but nice useful Baretta M9 perhaps.
Foran is gun, a pretty big gun, a .44 Remington Magnum (Make My Day), as long as he stays fit of course.
Lewis has the potential to be a gun, at the moment a Glock 26 perhaps.
This will get the natives stirred up, I think Hopoate is gun, a very reliable gun, never fails, always just works like a Colt 1911.

That's more than enough gun analogy.

Go Dogs

Cool man, but .... I don't entirely agree with you.

I'll give you the halves. I do think there's potential there without a doubt and I actually think that's going to be one of our strongest positions. Seriously ....

But in the backline .... Smith has the potential but he's not there yet. With stable halves, a pretty decent forward pack imo I think he'll be even better this year, but you can't call him a gun.

Hopoate ... no one knows where he's going to play. That says it all imo. Sorry, he won't be playing fullback. That's what Meaney was signed for. Winger ... I agree with what someone said about him being too slow. So ...centre? Hardly a proven gun there, is he?

If you've been reading my posts, you know I'm optimitic mate. And I really am about next year. But the backline is weak atm.

 

[JUNKYARD DOGS]

1 - Meaney
2 - Hoppa
3 - Montoya
4 - Holland
5 - Smith

Think this may be the way Pay goes. Switching Hoppa and Meaney throughout first few games.
Unless we jag a Centre beforehand and they’d come in for Montoya.
Can see Crichton forcing his way in at some stage.

 

[AucklandDog]

Corey Oates is still unsigned.

Maybe Napa could persuade his QLD teammate to Belmore

 

[Craystar]

Corey Oates is still unsigned.

Maybe Napa could persuade his QLD teammate to Belmore

If only we could get rid of Foran.

Forans salary plus the left overs from Klemmer would allow us to nab Johnson and Oates

 

[Moey]

I personally would start with

Meaney
Crighton
Hoppa
Holland
Smith

Pace on the wings, i hate Holland and replace him with Morgan once Morgan gains more experience in ISP.
Meaney deserves a shot at FB. That way we know where he is at.

2019 is a transitional year, we won't win the comp so we might as well experiment and give players a chance. And that way we might unearth potential superstars and we can then work out what we need to buy come 2020 to strengthen squad.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Not a fan of the "give the guy a go" or "experiment" stuff. They either earn their place or they don't. They demand by their effort, training, off field attitude and playing that they be picked. Elevating them when they aren't ready often just leads to a loss of confidence, they start to focus on the negative things, their mistakes and begin the downwards spiral. Their team mates expectations of them drop and start bypassing them and the spiral continues.

For me Meaney hasn't yet earned a spot, not saying that he won't, just that he hasn't so far. It's pretty easy to look at last season as whole but I don't believe that's a fair assessment of how the team will perform next season. More appropriate to look after the turmoil had settled down and Pay had a chance to coach, train and put his team on the paddock. In the last 6 rounds we beat the Tigers, smashed the Broncos (the score flatters them), Lewis didn't play and we were reff'd out of the Manly game, never gave up but in the end lucked a win against the Warriors, then belted the Dragons all over the park, last round we just couldn't quite stay with the Sharks but there were a few missed opportunities that if taken would have made the difference. In those games Hopoate was rock solid, Holland was very effective, set up many tries and Smith just killed it.

If Meaney wants the fullback spot he has to be better than Hopoate was in those last 6 games. I hope he earns it, but I wouldn't be giving it to him as an experiment.

Go Dogs

 

[shannon2009]

So we got Chrichton to play reserve grade?

Yep

 

[KiwiDog7]

I’d like to see Okunbor debut at some stage this season

 

[Snake]

Really gotta hope we're going to bring in at least one player, if not two.

I'm positive as hell about next year, but backline does worry me. Totally get why Napa was signed, excited about that. But surely we've gotta bring in more experience in that backline?

I’m a big fan of our fwd pack, great blend of skills and blokes ready to hit their straps. I share your concerns regards the backline. Defensively there is serious lack of experience and could bleed a lot of points. Adding an experienced back would be a huge coup before season starts

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

1. Toleman
2. Napa
3. Lichaa
4. Holland
5. Fualalo

 

[D- voice]

Pay will go with
Meaney
Crichton
Hoppa
Holland
Smith

I agree
The only possible change...
Meaney
Crichton
New international center ?
Hopoate
Smith

 

[Noeasyday]

Having a look at the cattle available in the backs isn't very exciting...
Top 30
Fullback - Hoppa, Meaney.
Wingers - R. Smith, Crichton, Montoya, Okunbur
Centres - Holland, Olive, C. Smith?

Development Players - used after June 30
Wing - Katoa
Centre - Harper

Obviously some of those players can switch between positions, I've just grouped them based on where they've played when I've seen them.
Hoppa and Montoya didn't work well together, however the Holland / Smith combo looked good.
Meaney looks like he could develop into a safe fullback and has improved with each step up in grade through his career.
Crichton is strong out if his own end, tough to stop close to the line but from what I've seen won't be the fastest winger in the comp.
Montoya looked good 1st year but had a severe case of 2nd year syndrome in 2018. He did look good at centre in his one opportunity there though.
Olive, good with the ball in hand but has some defensive lapses.
Okunbur, I don't know what to make of the big fella, looks ok in patches in ISP and hasn't played much wing, but needs more time to become a 1st grader.


1. Meaney
2. R. Smith
3. Holland
4. Hopoate
5. Chrichton

 

[KiwiDog7]

Ceruto
Okunbor
Hoppa
Dutchy
Smith
Lewis
Foran

 

[dogbone]

The only 2 that are absolutely gauranteed spots in the backline are Smith and Hopoate. The other 3 are up for grabs between about 6 players.

I just hope Pay picks these positions early and the guys train in their positions the majority of the offseason so that they are confident come round 1.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Ceruto
Okunbor
Hoppa
Dutchy
Smith
Lewis
Foran

Cerruto...lol seriously?

 

[KiwiDog7]

Cerruto...lol seriously?

Lol

Just trying to be different ‍♂

He ain’t that bad though

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Lol

Just trying to be different ‍♂

He ain’t that bad though

He's like the super average version of Mitch Brown...if that makes sense.

 

[doggieaaron]

I personally would start with

Meaney
Crighton
Hoppa
Holland
Smith

Pace on the wings, i hate Holland and replace him with Morgan once Morgan gains more experience in ISP.
Meaney deserves a shot at FB. That way we know where he is at.

2019 is a transitional year, we won't win the comp so we might as well experiment and give players a chance. And that way we might unearth potential superstars and we can then work out what we need to buy come 2020 to strengthen squad.

100% if meaney clicks we could have a great year if not we have hoppa as insurance to put back there but definitely worth giving nick a go

 

[albatross]

Okunbur, I don't know what to make of the big fella, looks ok in patches in ISP and hasn't played much wing, but needs more time to become a 1st grader.

He's a mystery to me too. His post contact meteres were pretty good in the last few ISP games - he's stronger than I thought. Sometimes he looks lazy though. I've got no idea where his position is or whether he can step up to FG.

 

[Howard Moon]

Okunbur is another Idris... he could come into FG and be a real weapon... then could be super lazy and end up at the Titans before disappearing from the game.. but who knows... he definitely looks the part