Predicted Line up from NRL.com

[GoTheDoggies]

Hopefully Hughes is killing it as much as Gus believes.. if so.. King with Hughes won't nearly be as bad as people think.. King was awesome through the first 10 or so rounds last year.. then got hurt and played hurt..

Depth is the issue though for sure

I was worried about King's form but then I saw Campbell Graham at Souffs also turn to shit after he kept playing with a sternum injury sustained roughly midway through 2023.

Playing busted should not have to be done with the right depth available. I can understand it for do or die finals games but week to week we should be able to freshen up players with our added depth.

 

[BULLDOGGSFAN]

That looks like a piss poor effort mostly aimed at fitting all of the new guys into the 17, without much thought about the guys who held their own last year but were let down by those around them, and/or injury affected. Personally I think Curran is a lock in for the lock position and if Xerri continues on his current trajectory he'll be one of the centres. Possibly with Tracey the other centre. There is no way Burton is starting anywhere but at 5/8, what an idiot to think otherwise. The prop rotation is more difficult to predict, my guess is something like King and Knight, with Hughes, Sutton and Patolo and I wouldn't be supposed to see Kautoga force his way into the mix.

Lots more water to flow under the preseason bridge yet.

Always a Bulldog

Surely there’s no way Curran plays prop. But we’re probably in a position where we’ll need a few back rowers/locks to play minutes in the middle…
I could maybe see Kautoga and RFM playing middle if they put on about 10kg in the off season

 

[vegny]

Imo burton, kiraz, critta, jac, tracey will fill in 1 to 6 spots. Btwn xerri and wilson for the last spot on backline.

Mahoney, kiks, preston and curran for 9, 11, 12 and 13.


King is a certainty. Knight almost a cert with shortage of mid forward.

Sutton, rfm and mann very likely due to experience.

 

[Dogieeeezzz]

Love this report.
For a team of utilities we have the worst bench out there acordingto this lol.

 

[Bob dog]

Love this report.
For a team of utilities we have the worst bench out there acordingto this lol.

Good bench but we need more than two props, we need a bad ass Goliath or Kickau is gunna tear more pecs.

 

[ILiveForDib]

If you chucked the likes of Kiks and Preston in a top 4 side they would be considered the greatest pairing in the comp. Very privileged to have such a pairing shame we don’t have the link hopefully with a stable lineup week in week out we can build some chemistry.

 

[Freakzilla]

If you chucked the likes of Kiks and Preston in a top 4 side they would be considered the greatest pairing in the comp. Very privileged to have such a pairing shame we don’t have the link hopefully with a stable lineup week in week out we can build some chemistry.

If Kikau can get back to his best & Preston plays at the level that he did last season then we have the best secrond-row combo in the NRL.

 

[Stinger]

Sorry to hear that. Dementia is a awful disease and I feel for your grandmother and family impacted. If @Freakzilla did actually do that thrn he should prob be banned from the forum

That looks like a piss poor effort mostly aimed at fitting all of the new guys into the 17, without much thought about the guys who held their own last year but were let down by those around them, and/or injury affected. Personally I think Curran is a lock in for the lock position and if Xerri continues on his current trajectory he'll be one of the centres. Possibly with Tracey the other centre. There is no way Burton is starting anywhere but at 5/8, what an idiot to think otherwise. The prop rotation is more difficult to predict, my guess is something like King and Knight, with Hughes, Sutton and Patolo and I wouldn't be supposed to see Kautoga force his way into the mix.

Lots more water to flow under the preseason bridge yet.

Always a Bulldog

that prop rotation has merit but Sutton and patolo have been underwhelming for mine of late. Can you see a spot for RFM in the prop rotation?

 

[Stinger]

Imo burton, kiraz, critta, jac, tracey will fill in 1 to 6 spots. Btwn xerri and wilson for the last spot on backline.

Mahoney, kiks, preston and curran for 9, 11, 12 and 13.


King is a certainty. Knight almost a cert with shortage of mid forward.

Sutton, rfm and mann very likely due to experience.

Yeah I like the look of that team for round 1. But I can see xerri having to force his way in from reserve grade. Won’t be in the round 1 team.

 

[CMP]

If Kikau can get back to his best & Preston plays at the level that he did last season then we have the best secrond-row combo in the NRL.

I agree. That being said Preston was at his best playing on the left when Kikau wasn’t there. When Kikau came back and Preston returned to the right he wasn’t as damaging.

I hope this combination can fire both with what should be better centre options outside them. The playmakers inside also need to do a lot better than what they showed last year. By giving the edge and wide men good early ball.

 

[dawso047]

What I would do for round 1.

1. Connor Tracey
2. Josh Addo-Carr
3. Stephen Crichton
4. Jacob Kiraz
5. Jeral Skelton
6. Matt Burton
7. Toby Sexton
8. Max King
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Liam Knight
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Jacob Preston
13. Josh Curran

14. Kurt Mann
15. Kurtis Morrin
16. Chris Patolo
17. Samuel Hughes

Considering who is available, thats a decent side. Need to off load somebody though so Morrin can be elevated into the top 30. I would have Morrin before Salmon as well.

 

[TwinTurbo]

that prop rotation has merit but Sutton and patolo have been underwhelming for mine of late. Can you see a spot for RFM in the prop rotation?

It depends on whether RFM is accepted by the players and the coaching staff. Was it a mountain or a molehill, their acceptance will confirm either way.

Always a Bulldog

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Burton won’t be at Centre at the start of the year.

Would dub him Ciraldawg and fight for him with my life on the line if he did though.

 

[Roger the alien]

Considering who is available, thats a decent side. Need to off load somebody though so Morrin can be elevated into the top 30. I would have Morrin before Salmon as well.

I'm pretty sure Morrin can play from round 1

 

[maroondog72]

Would dub him Ciraldawg and fight for him with my life on the line if he did though.

How did your Christmas go mate?

 

[TwinTurbo]

Considering who is available, thats a decent side. Need to off load somebody though so Morrin can be elevated into the top 30. I would have Morrin before Salmon as well.

Supplementary (previously Development) Players can play from Round 1.

Always a Bulldog

 

[Bulldogsteve]

Supplementary (previously Development) Players can play from Round 1.

Always a Bulldog

How many can play from round 1 TT

 

[CrittaMagic69]

How did your Christmas go mate?

Surprisingly okay. You?

 

[maroondog72]

Surprisingly okay. You?

Yeah nice mate had my kids and their spouses home it was good fun. Glad you went ok .

 

[Dogiezz]

It depends on whether RFM is accepted by the players and the coaching staff. Was it a mountain or a molehill, their acceptance will confirm either way.

Always a Bulldog

So RFM on the way out?

Which players don't accept him or have doubts?

What do you know?