Bulldogs vs Panthers Trial Info and Discussion

[c-b-b]

Bulldogs Head Coach Dean Pay will use this Saturday's trial match against Penrith at Belmore (6-30pm Kick Off) to take a look at some of the promising players in his squad who are vying for First Grade places this season.

After giving a full run out to all members of the squad in last week's trial match victory over the Raiders in the Sunshine Coast, Pay will this week give extended time to players working hard to push for a spot in the NRL squad for the Round One clash with the Storm in Perth on Saturday 10 March.

New recruits John Olive (Gold Coast) and Fa'amanu Brown (Sharks), will start at centre and hooker, respectively, while Greg Eastwood will begin the match at lock.

Former Bulldog Lachlan Burr who recently returned to the club after a stint in England, will get a chance to impress off the bench.

The team for Saturday is :

1 Kerrod Holland
2 Josh Bergamin
3 Lachlan Lewis
4 John Olive
5 Tom Carr
6 Josh Cleeland
7 Jeremy Marshall-King
8 Francis Tualau
9 Fa'amanu Brown
10 Renouf To’omaga
11 Jayden Okunbor
12 Rhyse Martin
13 Greg Eastwood

Reserves

Ofahiki Ogden
Asipeli Fine
Lachlan Burr
Jack Nelson
Jarred Anderson
Bronson Garlick
Joel Luani
D'Rhys Miller

 

[Dogna88]

Hope king kills it

 

[Bulldogs09]

My logic is the team is as listed by someone else except tualau looks a lock for a bench spot and if tolman is intact released I’d say Ogden is getting a run if he backs up last week.

Mbye
Bmoz
Jmoz
Hoppa
Montoya
Whoever earns it (hopefully something we are doing with shopping tolman)
Foran
Woods
Lichaa
Klemmer
Jacko
Rfm
Faualo

Tualau
Elliott
Eastwood
Ogden/burr

That’s assuming tolmans gone

 

[jof]

1 Kerrod Holland

lol what?

 

[Heckler]

Im assuming he wants everyone fresh and injury free for PERTH against the defending premiers. Im happy with that arrangement. Also taking into consideration we have a very tough draw early in the piece.

 

[Khan00]

I recall someone saying a week or two ago that Lachlan Lewis will be groomed as a future centre and i thought that was a good idea, by the looks of it he was on the money.

Strong looking forward pack aswel, considering its a 2nd string pack, with a good bench i may add.

Its a good move by pay to not play the regulars, keep em keen whilst seeing who's most eager and able to perform under pressure from the reserves.

Keen to see how JMK backs up, cleeland with 80 under his belt, lachlan lewis in the centres, all the forward pack in particular Lachlan Burr.

Dogs by 4

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Im assuming he wants everyone fresh and injury free for PERTH against the defending premiers. Im happy with that arrangement. Also taking into consideration we have a very tough draw early in the piece.

Honestly i don't think that's a genuine excuse. Penrith and pretty much every other team are throwing out full strength or near full strength teams and we're throwing out reserve graders. I can't support or get behind this decision, it's a massive let down.

 

[Bulldogs09]

Honestly i don't think that's a genuine excuse. Penrith and pretty much every other team are throwing out full strength or near full strength teams and we're throwing out reserve graders. I can't support or get behind this decision, it's a massive let down.

To be fair we played our first squad bar woods and tolman for 40’last week.

Most teams didn’t

 

[The Innovator]

I find Dean Pay’s decision to virtually select a reserve grade squad this week bizarre. Penrith have again named a virtual first grade side & will be winning easily.
Almost every side has named a strong lineup except Canterbury.
The Dogs don’t intend to play again before round 1 do they ?

 

[2ndphase]

I recall someone saying a week or two ago that Lachlan Lewis will be groomed as a future centre and i thought that was a good idea, by the looks of it he was on the money.

Strong looking forward pack aswel, considering its a 2nd string pack, with a good bench i may add.

Its a good move by pay to not play the regulars, keep em keen whilst seeing who's most eager and able to perform under pressure from the reserves.

Keen to see how JMK backs up, cleeland with 80 under his belt, lachlan lewis in the centres, all the forward pack in particular Lachlan Burr.

Dogs by 4

You are joking right... we will get pumped!
Those guys wont be able to impress in a reserve grade side they will be too busy defending!

 

[ElMagicElMasri]

Ridiculous decision, we're about to go through 24+ rounds of footy and injury/fatigue is our concern in a trial? Not to mention we have a new spine to gel.

How can young players have an impact when they are playing with the ISP side anyway? I've always thought to get a fair indication of someone's talents they have to play alongside the best players possible. For that reason I don't buy that excuse either.

Again, very strange and disappointing.

 

[Trafford10]

I find Dean Pay’s decision to virtually select a reserve grade squad this week bizarre. Penrith have again named a virtual first grade side & will be winning easily.
Almost every side has named a strong lineup except Canterbury.
The Dogs don’t intend to play again before round 1 do they ?

Totally agree.

Penrith have named a very strong line up.
It is going to be a total mismatch.

 

[belmore_utd]

Team is weakened too much + there are players getting rested who should not be considered a lock (Frawley, Mbye)

This wont give a fair indication of what a player can bring to a 1st grade sqaud if they are not playing with any 1st graders, will probably harm a few players confidence and also disappoint the fans.

 

[Khan00]

These guys are seasoned 1st graders FFS all they need is 20mins of footy and they'll get back into the groove of things.

More important to see who's eager from the reserves - try thinking outside the box.

Look at the charity shield each yr - cracking games with no game time under their belts.

Fk you guys are a whinging bunch! Haha.
Whing whing whing about bloody everything....

 

[Powerslide]

hmmm was going to head in for the Trial at Belmore but looks like it's just the ISP trial happening.

might just catchup on the stream.. feel it's a bit poor that after first Trial in Queensland and first game a home game we have shifted to Perth that the game in between a conscious decision is made to field a reserve team rather than give the fans something to cheer for.

Maybe Pay saw them after the 40 min last week and thought they were rooted and needed an extra break. not liking the conditioning prep if thats the case.

 

[Khan00]

You are joking right... we will get pumped!
Those guys wont be able to impress in a reserve grade side they will be too busy defending!

I'll hold u to that haha

 

[Ant2611]

Ridiculous decision, we're about to go through 24+ rounds of footy and injury/fatigue is our concern in a trial? Not to mention we have a new spine to gel.

How can young players have an impact when they are playing with the ISP side anyway? I've always thought to get a fair indication of someone's talents they have to play alongside the best players possible. For that reason I don't buy that excuse either.

Again, very strange and disappointing.

I believe the thoughts behind MrD 's selection is exactly that, 24 rounds of gruelling football will unfortunately result in injuries, at least the young uns will have a taste of what first grade is like when they fill in during the proper season. Best to blood em now.

 

[Oatley Dog]

So Pay is giving the youngsters a chance against a fair dinkum FG side (although it will prob change before they kick off) and still half of you aren't happy. I wonder if you would be still happy if Mbye or Foran or Klemm copped a major injury in the trial if they were playing this week or would everyone be saying how ridiculous it was that we risked them when we already know what they can do. The issue for the kids is not who they are playing with but who they are playing against. They have their shot to impress. Now it's up to them. They go gangbusters and they can force their way into the starting lineup early on. They play like plonkers then hello Sat afternoon footy. I think after 3 months of training them our new coach has some sort of idea who plays well and who doesn't. I'm happy to back his judgement......

 

[finchie]

Hope king kills it

Hel alternate with brown throughout the game

 

[Ant2611]

So Pay is giving the youngsters a chance against a fair dinkum FG side (although it will prob change before they kick off) and still half of you aren't happy. I wonder if you would be still happy if Mbye or Foran or Klemm copped a major injury in the trial if they were playing this week or would everyone be saying how ridiculous it was that we risked them when we already know what they can do. The issue for the kids is not who they are playing with but who they are playing against. They have their shot to impress. Now it's up to them. They go gangbusters and they can force their way into the starting lineup early on. They play like plonkers then hello Sat afternoon footy. I think after 3 months of training them our new coach has some sort of idea who plays well and who doesn't. I'm happy to back his judgement......

I totally agree Oatley