News Canterbury Bulldogs: 2019 Round 1 predicted team

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Mr Shhh

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Canterbury Bulldogs: 2019 Round 1 predicted team
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Chris Kennedy & Jamie Soward
Timestamp
Wed 26 Dec 2018, 08:01 AM
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Second-year coach Dean Pay will have a significantly overhauled roster at his disposal for round one 2019 as the club looks to build on a bright and encouraging finish to an otherwise frustrating 2018.

The Bulldogs recruited heavily over the 2018-19 off-season with fullback Nick Meaney, props Dylan Napa and Sauaso Sue and back-rower Corey Harawira-Naera the most likely to be in the 17 come round one.

A fit-again Kieran Foran will return to the halves alongside 2018 discovery Lachlan Lewis while Will Hopoate switches from fullback to centre to replace Josh Morris. A fit-again Marcelo Montoya will have competition from Christian Crichton for Brett Morris's vacated wing spot.


Resident NRL.com expert Jamie Soward says:

"It all depends on whether the young guys can keep that level of intensity and excitement they had at the back end of 2018. They've got plenty of talent in the back row. Can Rhyse Martin keep it up, we'll have to wait and see. I would have Marshall-King on the bench ahead of Fa'amanu Brown, he gives some excitement out of dummy half and a point of difference in their attack.

"It's a changing of the guard for the Dogs, they could have another couple of tough years but they've stripped it right back. They'll surprise a few teams but they will be down the lower end of the ladder."

NRL.com's predicted Round 1 team:

  1. Nick Meaney
  2. Marcelo Montoya
  3. Will Hopoate
  4. Kerrod Holland
  5. Reimis Smith
  6. Lachlan Lewis
  7. Kieran Foran
  8. Dylan Napa
  9. Michael Lichaa
  10. Aiden Tolman
  11. Josh Jackson
  12. Rhyse Martin
  13. Adam Elliott
  14. Fa'amanu Brown
  15. Sauaso Sue
  16. Corey Harawira-Naera
  17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
Other squad members: Danny Fualalo, Christian Crichton, Jack Cogger, Jeremy Marshall-King, Ofahiki Ogden, Jayden Okunbor, John Olive, Zac Saddler, Chris Smith, Renouf To'omaga, Francis Tualau, Brandon Wakeham
Lost me at Montoya.
 

Jean-Claude Juncker

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How about the idea of mentioning JMK and exciting in the same sentence?
JMK’s only hope is as a Hetherington-type hooker. I’m certain that’s the model Pay and Anderson have in mind since Hetherington also came to the Dogs as a tough tackling but limited five-eighth.
 

Moedogg

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Hoppa has been improving at FB and should stay there until Meaney gets more FG games under his belt.

Hoppa
Meaney
Lewis
Holland
Smith
Foran
Cogger
Napa
Lichaa
Tolman
Jackson
Martin
Elliott

CHN
Sue
Fullalo
Ogden
 

jof

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Hoppa has been improving at FB and should stay there until Meaney gets more FG games under his belt.
Ah? How the fuck is that gonna happen??

Edit: Oh by putting him out of position on the wing next to Lewis in the centers. Jesus, thank God some of you armchair coaches aren't in charge.
 

jof

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Meaney can bide time on the wing until he gets his confidence.
You really think Cogger deserves to be in the halves over Lewis? Look how good Lewis was in the halves in the last half a dozen games of the year. He is a deadset half, not a center, and much better than Cogger from what I have seen.

I think it would actually rob Meaney of confidence to throw him in on the wing. We bought him to play FB and that is where he should play, unless he proves he is not capable. Meany FB, with Hoppa center and Lewis in the halves is how they have been training so it's a mute point anyway.
 

Bull Terrier

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You really think Cogger deserves to be in the halves over Lewis? Look how good Lewis was in the halves in the last half a dozen games of the year. He is a deadset half, not a center, and much better than Cogger from what I have seen.

I think it would actually rob Meaney of confidence to throw him in on the wing. We bought him to play FB and that is where he should play, unless he proves he is not capable. Meany FB, with Hoppa center and Lewis in the halves is how they have been training so it's a mute point anyway.
Agree with everything you say, Lewis is first choice he earned his spot this year and Meaney we bought him as a fullback so thats where he should be. just dont know about hoppa, just worried about his defence there at centre. Maybe wing is an option for him he might surprise us all .
 

jof

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just dont know about hoppa, just worried about his defence there at centre. Maybe wing is an option for him he might surprise us all .
Funny thing about Hoppa though is I think his best strength is his ability to read play. I think he reads his defensive role at FB well, so not sure why this doesn't translate to center. Can't be easy getting chopped and changed in position, hopefully a full preseason training at center sorts this out. I do feel he can be really good at setting up his winger, he has very good hands.
 

Bull Terrier

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Funny thing about Hoppa though is I think his best strength is his ability to read play. I think he reads his defensive role at FB well, so not sure why this doesn't translate to center. Can't be easy getting chopped and changed in position, hopefully a full preseason training at center sorts this out. I do feel he can be really good at setting up his winger, he has very good hands.
Hopefully he works out if that guy can play to his best all the better. Very confident with the players they have i think they will surprise plenty of critics. As i said before i think they will be the dark horse off the comp. will be underestimated by many teams
 
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D- voice

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You can be sure that the coach will be loyal, the players that performed well last season will start unless they are are unfit.
This is why I think Pay will pick this team:
Meaney
Crichton
Holland
Hopoate
Smith
Lewis
Foran
Tolman
Lichaa
Napa
Jackson
Martin
Elliott
----------
CHN
Fualalo
Ogden
Sue / RFM / JMK / Cogger
 

Baby Blues

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Ah? How the fuck is that gonna happen??

Edit: Oh by putting him out of position on the wing next to Lewis in the centers. Jesus, thank God some of you armchair coaches aren't in charge.
It’s not unheard of for a fullback to play on the wing. 6/8 of the starting fullbacks in the finals series actually began their careers as wingers before they moved to fullback so the idea is sound.
I don’t think that will happen this time around though. Meaney will probably start on NSW Cup. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pay continue the experiment of Montoya at centre before moving Hoppa there
 

Howard Moon

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Meaney has already begun his FG career as a fullback.... might only be 5 games, but like I said previously, Hoppa is never going to be our long term option, and although he had a decent season again, he's not exactly blowing the competition away
 

Kempsey Dog

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Any team that doesn't have Renouf on the bench is wrong imo
 

piggy

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Can't see where our points are going to come from. Defensively we will do okay but I can't see us scoring enough points to win those close games. Also, lack of depth in the centres and a big question mark over Foran.
 

Jean-Claude Juncker

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Can't see where our points are going to come from. Defensively we will do okay but I can't see us scoring enough points to win those close games. Also, lack of depth in the centres and a big question mark over Foran.
Which is why we better not resort to those tired old block plays we are so fond of and still don’t know how to execute with any cunning or conviction. Holland ran some good lines off Jackson towards the end of last season and we need more of that style of footy - pushing up hard into spaces trying to find arm defenders while keeping our width.
 

steeliz

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Ah? How the fuck is that gonna happen??

Edit: Oh by putting him out of position on the wing next to Lewis in the centers. Jesus, thank God some of you armchair coaches aren't in charge.
The Roosters did that with RTS and Minichello.

They would swap in the game to give RTS FB experience, and a good tactical move that would make opposition kickers hesitate to see where and to who they were kicking.

It would require very good communication between FB, Winger and Coach but when done properly can be very advantageous.
 

Moedogg

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Ah? How the fuck is that gonna happen??

Edit: Oh by putting him out of position on the wing next to Lewis in the centers. Jesus, thank God some of you armchair coaches aren't in charge.
Wing is certainly not out of position for an NRL Fullback. Most NRL Fullbacks are professional and versatile enough to switch between fullback and wing.
 

Kennelnator

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Which clown put CHN @ centre and Sue in the backrow?
 
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