Opinion Round 1 next week

[B-Train]

One thing you can be sure of... Baz will panic and chop and change even more than last year.

 

[BlackDawg]

We got major problems with defense & we still have players playing 1st grade that shouldn't be. Then we have a bunch of players who will spend 4 to 8 weeks on the sidelines for suspensions. Why can Fitzgibbn debut as a 1st grade coach and his players play direct, don't drop ball, run hard & look cohesive & we are just a mistake ridden, ill disciplined, non cohesive touch football team. Sadly Barrett got schooled by Fitzgibbon & laid bare what our real issue is.

 

[Philmus]

he hasnt dont himself any favours not playing tonight

he's injured

 

[Philmus]

If Knockonmor and JMK are picked then that proves baz is not a coach at all.

you know that both will be picked. he didnt even take the uncoordinated fuck off at all in either trial, he played the full 80 both times despite being fucking terrible and no doubt will get a start round 1

 

[NQ Dog]

hetherington was good on the edge, had limited ball but his carries were very strong

I agree. A few weeks of gelling with the combinations in real game time will make a huge difference. Not just Hethro, but the team as a whole. Deep breaths and a little patience.

 

[Philmus]

My Team:
1. Dufty
2. Naden
3. Schoupp
4. Burns
5. Fox
6. Burton
7. Wakeham
8. Vaughan
9. Cook (if fit)
10. TPJ
11. Wadell
12. Hetherington
13. Thompson

14. BBO
15. King
16. Patolo
17. Ava (if fit)

Barrets probable team:
1. Dufty
2. Okunbor
3. Schoupp
4. Naden
5. Fox
6. Burton
7. Averillo
8. Vaughan
9. JMK
10. Thompson
11. TPJ
12. Thompson
13. Jackson

14. Wakeham
15. Wadell
16. Patolo
17. King/Ava

 

[gbrussell]

Dufty
JAC
Naden
Schoupp
Casey
Burton
Wakeham
Vaughan
JMK
TPJ
Hetherington
Jackson
Thompson

BBO
Ava S
King
Topine

 

[Downtowndog]

With Averillo at HB and Okunbor on the wing, we are guaranteed of a bottom 4 finish

I'd rather have Mbye at HB than Averillo.....that's how shit Averillo is at HB

 

[Philmus]

everyone listing Casey in their round 1 teams, he isn't in the top 30 and is no chance of playing round 1

 

[NQ Dog]

No matter what team is picked for R1 we need to stick with it for a few weeks. Changing the combinations every week will kill us.

 

[cntrbry bnkstwn]

I want this year to ride off, I genuinely hope we get close to the spoon again so we make the right changes

to keep burton at the club longer then his 2 years, we need to avoid being close to the spoon at all costs

 

[Phalangist]

1. Dufty
2. Naden
3. Schoupp
4. Burns
5. Fox
6. Burton
7. Wakeham
8. Vaughan
9. Cook (if fit)
10. TPJ
11. Wadell
12. Hetherington
13. Thompson

14. BBO
15. King
16. Patolo
17. Ava (if fit)

18.Captain Jackson

I didn’t mind what I seen from burns in his limited time on the field besides that missed tackle.

seems like he can creat for his winger

 

[Phalangist]

I hate Waddell but he has played better then Jackson in the trials

 

[Howie B]

No matter what team is picked for R1 we need to stick with it for a few weeks. Changing the combinations every week will kill us.

Yep I think its pretty obvious the 17 last night will be the 17 picked in Rd 1. Even if RFM is fit I reckon they play him in NSW Cup for at least a week or 2. I am surprised that they are going with Wakeham at 14 though. To me BBO is a much better option in that role.

Like everyone else I was disappointed last night. In both trials we are not giving ourselves a chance by making errors in our own end and then getting a hiding in the penalty counts. The good teams dont do that

 

[B-Train]

Our defence, especially on the edges, will continue to be a huge problem.

Naden can't defend in the centres. Okunbur can't defend anywhere. Dufty is horrible defensively with cover tackles.. TPJ has no discipline defensively on an edge which exposes his outside men.. Hetherington got exposed on the edge defensively too. Plus Averillo is a target and continually makes bad reads defensively inside the 20..

Teams will have a field day exploiting these weaknesses. We need to score 24-30 to beat teams because we'll concede a minimum of 20 plus most games.

 

[From the area]

Going off our current top 30 this would be my line up for round 1 vs the Cowboys

1. Matt Dufty
2. Brent Naden
3. Reece Hoffman
4. Jake Averillo
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Matt Burton
7. Bailey Biondi-Odo
8. Paul Vaughan
9. Josh Cook
10. Luke Thompson
11. Josh Jackson
12. Jack Hethrington
13. Tevita Pangai Junior
Bench
14. Brandon Wakeham
15. Max King
16. Chris Patolo
17. Ava Seumanufagi

Rest of the squad
18. Paul Alamoti
19. Aaron Schoupp
20. Corey Allan
21. Raymond Faitala-Marnier ***
22. Jeremy Marshall-King
23. Jackson Topine
24. Matt Doorey***
25. Tui Katoa***
26. Braidon Burns
27. Joe Stimson
28. Corey Waddell
29. Jayden Okunbur
30. Kyle Flanagan
*** = Injured
Notes
*I think Burton as I mentioned in another thread I think Burton needs to play both sides of the ruck not just kept on left side.

*TPJ moves to lock where he should be JJ has to go back to backrow but after tonight he would be lucky to make the side but go no depth

* i would start Josh Cook did more in half a game them jmk has done all his career and Wakeham of the bench as the utility but I no Barrett will start Marshall-King

*RFM not due back to Round 4 or 5

* Hoffman to centres Naden replaces Okunbur on the wing thought he looked solid against knights

This is everyone’s line up

 

[From the area]

I like Averillo and was backing him as half but after those 2 trials I’m very concerned.

He wasn’t the reason we lost but he needed to straighten the attack to create an overlap or ask questions of defence we had a chance of scoring instead he just catch and pass. BBO is imo the only threatening half we half.

And cook needs to be 9 far bettter service and awareness.

His defence is SUSPECT as fuck. He can’t read it. Two tries in two weeks. Cause 1. He’s scared to tackle or 2. He just is lost defending in the halves.
either way two stroll over tries cause of him. I’m a big fan of defence wins games so to see that shit just burns But not just him. Some of the other holes were shit also. I pray we fix it. We looked better in defence with Dean Pay no joke

 

[boggie23]

For us to be a chance to be in the contest averillo shouldn’t be a half. Goes missing way too much. Can’t set up a play. Early in the game Burton was telling the team to talk. That’s worrying in itself.

probably too late for drastic changes. But I wouldn’t mind averillo at centre with naden on the wing. Okunbor out of the team completely. I think cooks health is a bit iffy. But I’d start him and have jmk as a impact off the bench.

Unpopular opinion but I think bbo is the only halfback at the club. Flanno came on for 2 mins and dropped the ball. I think his dogs career is over.

Ideally you’d want to move Jackson to the Uk. But unfortunately that won’t happen.

Fact of the matter is we have several grossly overpaid players. Jackson is one. Tpj looks to be another. And you can’t win because you have 5-6 decent players and the rest are passengers.

Unless every single player buys in you won’t win many games. I’m not one to blame the coach. But unless Barrett can get some sort of structure and team selection to make us competitive the buck stops with him.

If he contributes with avo at 7, Jackson starting, okunbor in the team. Jmk starting, Waddell and Stimson in the team we will have another poor season as a bottom 4 team. Changes need to be made. And judging by the trials Barrett is not willing to change things up drastically which will result in up and down performances.

 

[AlzzBulldog]

Josh cook has to start at 9 for me.. Jmk is a huge part of why we struggle to score points

 

[Mozzie]

With Averillo at HB and Okunbor on the wing, we are guaranteed of a bottom 4 finish

I'd rather have Mbye at HB than Averillo.....that's how shit Averillo is at HB

I'd rather see Lewis at Half back and that is really sad!!