Round 1 Bulldogs V Knights - Team Lists and Discussion Thread

[Moedogg]

Great meme. I love that fucking movie.. Funny how?

One of my favorite movies. Just taking a look at that line up and dismissing them as an easy win.

 

[B-Train]

One of my favorite movies. Just taking a look at that line up and dismissing them as an easy win.

Haha. Nah I was quoting that scene from the movie.. When Tommy (Pesci) scares the shit out of Henry (Liotta).. "Funny how, like a clown?"

 

[SARGE]

Haha. Nah I was quoting that scene from the movie.. When Tommy (Pesci) scares the shit out of Henry (Liotta).. "Funny how, like a clown?"

 

[MatstaDogg]

Great movie and great scene. Can't beat a good mobster movie. I watched Donnie Brasco the other night, hadn't seen it in a while so thought I check it out. Actually forgot a lot of what happened so it was like watching it for first time.

 

[CanterburybankstownBD]

Ponga out for them is huge, Hes by far their most creative player and all of their x factor.

He's an integral part of their team, kind of like Tom Trb for Manly.

 

[Mak Dogs]

Just looking at Newcastle’s team and it’s very obvious where they will try win the game against us with there forwards in saifiti bro’s klemmer frizzel and Barnet. This will be a good test for our boys and if we can hold our own up front we should win. Looking forward to see how hetho, atoni, ogden napa go against there pack

 

[LeeroyJenkins]

No, Meaney will line up

Nope

 

[GDR]

If we don't beat newcastle I'll be very disappointed..

 

[Fezza]

Just looking at Newcastle’s team and it’s very obvious where they will try win the game against us with there forwards in saifiti bro’s klemmer frizzel and Barnet. This will be a good test for our boys and if we can hold our own up front we should win. Looking forward to see how hetho, atoni, ogden napa go against there pack

I agree,
They have us easily in the forwards.
I am not as confideng as everyone on here seems to be.

Its a winnable game for us, im not saying we cant win it.

But,
The way I see it.
Its in Newcastle, thats a big pisitive for the knights.
Their forwards on paper look better than ours.

I hate to say this, but Mitch Pearce is still better than Flano in the halves.

Make no mistake, we can win this game, but we will need to earn the win.

We could just as easily get smashed by the Knights.

 

[Spoonman84]

Tbaz said RFM and Napa are racing the clock for round 1 so we could possibly be fielding a very similar pack to last night which is a concern against the Knights. They have some big bodies which seemed to cause us the most trouble last night.

That defensive left edge is going to be the coaching staffs first big test to see how they can solve problems because its going to be heavily targetted now after opposition team see what happened in the trial.

 

[wendog33]

Tbaz said RFM and Napa are racing the clock for round 1 so we could possibly be fielding a very similar pack to last night which is a concern against the Knights. They have some big bodies which seemed to cause us the most trouble last night.

That defensive left edge is going to be the coaching staffs first big test to see how they can solve problems because its going to be heavily targetted now after opposition team see what happened in the trial.

Kinda lucky I guess that it was so glaringly obvious and needs work before the season starts. Top priority.

 

[Spoonman84]

Kinda lucky I guess that it was so glaringly obvious and needs work before the season starts. Top priority.

The problem with something like that is they will either fix it in 2 weeks or it will be a season long issue.

 

[wendog33]

The problem with something like that is they will either fix it in 2 weeks or it will be a season long issue.

True. In the second Sharks try, Duggan takes Flanno and Hoppa out...but they were slow and bunched together all the same.

Maybe if Cotric is swapped over as some have suggested?

I think the problem is no trust in Flanno and Hoppa too slow and DZW can't turn and they get on his outside.

A bit of a problem to fix all that unless there's personnel changes

 

[Shire Dog]

If we don't beat newcastle I'll be very disappointed..

Get ready to be disappointed lol

 

[Spoonman84]

True. In the second Sharks try, Duggan takes Flanno and Hoppa out...but they were slow and bunched together all the same.

Maybe if Cotric is swapped over as some have suggested?

I think the problem is no trust in Flanno and Hoppa too slow and DZW can't turn and they get on his outside.

A bit of a problem to fix all that unless there's personnel changes

That second try could just be trial rustiness and not playing for a few months but when you add in the other defensive errors it does raise some concerns.

I'm not sure if any major personnel changes is the answer just yet as you essentially throw away all the off season work.

A lot of it falls on Hoppa's shoulders as he did seem to be rather sluggish. Maybe he just needed that game to blow out the cobwebs.

Hopefully they can find a quick fix because its going to be a long season with a basket case defensive edge like that.

 

[Shire Dog]

Kinda lucky I guess that it was so glaringly obvious and needs work before the season starts. Top priority.

The team definitely needs some attention in certain areas as you mentioned but my biggest concern is not having Thompson and perhaps a few others not playing in the early weeks
I know we have depth but will they be up to the task come season proper
Every club is trying to jump out of the blocks after a long off season

 

[wendog33]

The team definitely needs some attention in certain areas as you mentioned but my biggest concern is not having Thompson and perhaps a few others not playing in the early weeks
I know we have depth but will they be up to the task come season proper
Every club is trying to jump out of the blocks after a long off season

Well as most agree, we are coming off a very low base. Most teams have a huge advantage over us and are far more settled in their structures.

It's gonna take time to gell with so many new players but part of the problem is unlearning all the dumb stuff thats been around the club since 2013 of lumbering one out plays, slow line speed and wingers coming in and out of position.

It is take a while to be a cohesive unit.

But you can def see we are on the up.

 

[Shire Dog]

Well as most agree, we are coming off a very low base. Most teams have a huge advantage over us and are far more settled in their structures.

It's gonna take time to gell with so many new players but part of the problem is unlearning all the dumb stuff thats been around the club since 2013 of lumbering one out plays, slow line speed and wingers coming in and out of position.

It is take a while to be a cohesive unit.

But you can def see we are on the up.

I totally agree that the team & club in general are on the up.
Really not expecting too much this season, it’s just nice going to watch us play structured footy and steady progress throughout.
Cheers to turning the corner

 

[jof]

KNIGHTS V BULLDOGS
Friday 12 March, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, 6pm (AEDT)

Knights: Newcastle start with a number of players on the injury list with Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder), Blake Green (ACL), Edrick Lee (foot), Jirah Momoisea (Achilles) and Kalyn Ponga (shoulder) all unavailable. Kurt Mann and Mitch Barnett both missed the final trial due to personal reasons and will come into the squad with Mann partnering Mitchell Pearce in the halves and Barnett starting on the left edge. Hymel Hunt also missed the trial due to a hamstring injury but did train with the squad during the week and should be fit for Round 1, with Gehamat Shibasaki set to get the left wing position ahead of Starford T’oa.

Predicted team: 1 Tex Hoy, 2 Hymel Hunt (d), 3 Bradman Best, 4 Enari Tuala, 5 Gehamat Shibasaki, 6 Kurt Mann (d), 7 Mitchell Pearce, 13 Connor Watson, 12 Mitch Barnett (d), 11 Tyson Frizell, 10 David Klemmer, 9 Jayden Brailey, 8 Daniel Saifiti Bench: 14. Sauaso Sue 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Josh King 17. Brodie Jones

Rest of Squad: Phoenix Crossland, Lachlan Fitzgibbon (inj), Blake Green (inj), Bailey Hodgson (inj), Jack Johns (D), Jacob Kiraz (D), Edrick Lee (inj), Christian Ma’anaima (D), Jirah Momoisea (inj), Brayden Musgrove, Kalyn Ponga (inj), Chris Randall (D), Nathaneal Sasagi, Pasami Saulo, Garrett Smith (D), Starford T’oa, Dominic Young (20’s)

Players who haven’t trialled: Mitch Barnett (personal leave), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder), Blake Green (ACL), Bailey Hodgson (knee), Hymel Hunt (hamstring), Edrick Lee (foot), Kurt Mann (personal leave), Jirah Momoisea (Achilles), Kalyn Ponga (shoulder)

Players ruled out: Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder – Indefinite), Blake Green (ACL – Rd 4), Jirah Momoisea (Achilles – Indefinite), Kalyn Ponga (shoulder – Rd 5)

1st choice Goal Kicker – Tex Hoy

Back Up Goal Kicker – Mitch Barnett


Bulldogs: Have a number of players in doubt leading into Round 1. Nick Cotric suffered an ankle injury in the weekend trial and will need to prove his fitness. Jake Averillo suffered an elbow injury a couple of weeks ago but should be fit to play. If Cotric isn’t fit, coach Trent Barrett could be forced to play Averillo at left centre with Brandon Wakeham holding the five-eighth position. Dylan Napa (knee) and Raymond Faitala-Mariner (ankle) both had interrupted pre-seasons and didn’t play in the trial but both have returned to training with view of being fit for Round 1 though both will be eased back into it. With Jeremy Marshall-King suffering a lisfranc injury in the All Stars game, hooking depth has come into question with only two hookers in the Top 30. If Marshall-King is ruled out, someone like Lachlan Lewis may come onto the bench as back-up hooker to Sione Katoa, who would be hard pressed to play 80 minutes in the NRL. Josh Jackson will move to lock in 2021 with Adam Elliott on the left edge next to either Averillo or Wakeham, and Corey Waddell partnering Kyle Flanagan on the right edge.

Predicted team: 1 Corey Allan, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Nick Cotric (d), 4 Will Hopoate, 5 Nick Meaney, 6 Jake Averillo (d), 7 Kyle Flanagan, 13 Josh Jackson ©, 12 Corey Waddell, 11 Adam Elliott, 10 Dylan Napa (d), 9 Jeremy Marshall-King (d), 8 Jack Hetherington Bench: 14. Sione Katoa 15. Raymond Faitala-Mariner (d) 16. Ofahiki Ogden 17. Renouf Atoni

Rest of Squad: Dean Britt, Christian Crichton (inj), Matthew Doorey, Tyrone Harding, Paul Karaitiana (D), Tui Katoa, Lachlan Lewis, Jayden Okunbor (inj), Chris Patolo (D) (inj), Kurt Picken (D), James Roumanos, Chris Smith, Joe Stimson, Luke Thompson (susp), Jackson Topine (D), Brandon Wakeham

Players who haven’t trialled: Jake Averillo (elbow), Christian Crichton (ACL), Raymond Faitala-Mariner (ankle), Tyrone Harding (unknown), Dylan Napa (knee/shoulder), Jayden Okunbor (ACL), Chris Patolo (knee), James Roumanos (unknown), Luke Thompson (suspended/hamstring)

Players ruled out: Christian Crichton (ACL – Season), Jayden Okunbor (ACL – Indefinite), Luke Thompson (suspended – Rd 5)

1st choice Goal Kicker – Kyle Flanagan

Back Up Goal Kicker – Nick Meaney

KEY
(d) – in doubt
(D) – NRL development contract
(inj) – injured

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[Jai81]

I was at that game and still haven’t gotten over it


All I know is we looked so unfit, bereft of any attacking ideas or enthusiasm on D. A park footy team would have beaten us that day

I agree, definitely one of our worst ever performances!