The Road Ahead (Rounds 15 to 20)

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dogbone

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I've gone over our draw, opposition and State of Origin impact over the next 6 rounds. I've factored in which games we have players missing due to Origin selection and which games we have players backing up, compared that as best we can at the moment against our opponents.


Round 15 v Souths at Home (Pre-Origin) Sunday
Notes:
  • SOO count 4 Bulldogs players missing v 1 Rabbitohs
  • Preston back from suspension
  • Souths injuries: Graham, Mamouzelos, Walker
Origin II Wednesday June 18th

Round 16 Bye

Round 17 Panthers (Away) Thursday
Notes:
  • Panthers on a 5 day turn-around from New Zealand
  • Todd back from injury
Round 18 Broncos at Home (Pre-Origin) Friday
Notes:
  • SOO count 4 Bulldogs players missing v 3 Broncos*
  • Both teams playing previous round.
  • Bulldogs 8 day turn-around
  • Broncos 6 day turn-around after a Home game against Warriors
  • Tupouniua back from injury (assuming 5 weeks hamstring recovery)
Origin III Wednesday July 9th

Round 19 Cowboys (Away) Saturday
Notes:
  • Both teams with players backing up from Origin (4 Bulldogs v 4 Cowboys)*
  • Both teams playing previous round.
  • Bulldogs 8 day turn-around
  • Cowboys 7 day turn-around Home game against Storm.
Round 20 Dragons at Home, Saturday
Notes:
  • Both teams 7 day turn arounds
  • Salmon back from injury

* - based on SOO II team lists


Predictions:
So much can change between now and then with injury and suspension, given what we know now I've gone:

15) I expect us to win this weekend, even with the imbalance of Origin players missing I think we should field a team that across the park will be too strong for the Rabbitohs minus Latrell.

17) Panthers away will be a statement match after the bye, particularly for Ciraldo. This will be a passing of the torch so to speak, apprentice becoming the master.

18) Broncos at home, Sitilli returns hopefully. Payback for sure.

19) Cowboys away. Very hard to tell from this far out but if we are to drop a game I think it'll be this one.

20) And finally the Dragons. With State or Origin finally in the rearview mirror the competition proper begins. This is when the real premiership campaign begins and we should really start to see the pieces fall into place.

Prediction: We win 4 from our next 5.

What do you think?
 
dogbone said:
I've gone over our draw, opposition and State of Origin impact over the next 6 rounds. I've factored in which games we have players missing due to Origin selection and which games we have players backing up, compared that as best we can at the moment against our opponents.


Round 15 v Souths at Home (Pre-Origin) Sunday
Notes:
  • SOO count 4 Bulldogs players missing v 1 Rabbitohs
  • Preston back from suspension
  • Souths injuries: Graham, Mamouzelos, Walker
Origin II Wednesday June 18th

Round 16 Bye

Round 17 Panthers (Away) Thursday
Notes:
  • Panthers on a 5 day turn-around from New Zealand
  • Todd back from injury
Round 18 Broncos at Home (Pre-Origin) Friday
Notes:
  • SOO count 4 Bulldogs players missing v 3 Broncos*
  • Both teams playing previous round.
  • Bulldogs 8 day turn-around
  • Broncos 6 day turn-around after a Home game against Warriors
  • Tupouniua back from injury (assuming 5 weeks hamstring recovery)
Origin III Wednesday July 9th

Round 19 Cowboys (Away) Saturday
Notes:
  • Both teams with players backing up from Origin (4 Bulldogs v 4 Cowboys)*
  • Both teams playing previous round.
  • Bulldogs 8 day turn-around
  • Cowboys 7 day turn-around Home game against Storm.
Round 20 Dragons at Home, Saturday
Notes:
  • Both teams 7 day turn arounds
  • Salmon back from injury

* - based on SOO II team lists


Predictions:
So much can change between now and then with injury and suspension, given what we know now I've gone:

15) I expect us to win this weekend, even with the imbalance of Origin players missing I think we should field a team that across the park will be too strong for the Rabbitohs minus Latrell.

17) Panthers away will be a statement match after the bye, particularly for Ciraldo. This will be a passing of the torch so to speak, apprentice becoming the master.

18) Broncos at home, Sitilli returns hopefully. Payback for sure.

19) Cowboys away. Very hard to tell from this far out but if we are to drop a game I think it'll be this one.

20) And finally the Dragons. With State or Origin finally in the rearview mirror the competition proper begins. This is when the real premiership campaign begins and we should really start to see the pieces fall into place.

Prediction: We win 4 from our next 5.

What do you think?
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Who... me?
 
dogbone said:
I've gone over our draw, opposition and State of Origin impact over the next 6 rounds. I've factored in which games we have players missing due to Origin selection and which games we have players backing up, compared that as best we can at the moment against our opponents.


Round 15 v Souths at Home (Pre-Origin) Sunday
Notes:
  • SOO count 4 Bulldogs players missing v 1 Rabbitohs
  • Preston back from suspension
  • Souths injuries: Graham, Mamouzelos, Walker
Origin II Wednesday June 18th

Round 16 Bye

Round 17 Panthers (Away) Thursday
Notes:
  • Panthers on a 5 day turn-around from New Zealand
  • Todd back from injury
Round 18 Broncos at Home (Pre-Origin) Friday
Notes:
  • SOO count 4 Bulldogs players missing v 3 Broncos*
  • Both teams playing previous round.
  • Bulldogs 8 day turn-around
  • Broncos 6 day turn-around after a Home game against Warriors
  • Tupouniua back from injury (assuming 5 weeks hamstring recovery)
Origin III Wednesday July 9th

Round 19 Cowboys (Away) Saturday
Notes:
  • Both teams with players backing up from Origin (4 Bulldogs v 4 Cowboys)*
  • Both teams playing previous round.
  • Bulldogs 8 day turn-around
  • Cowboys 7 day turn-around Home game against Storm.
Round 20 Dragons at Home, Saturday
Notes:
  • Both teams 7 day turn arounds
  • Salmon back from injury

* - based on SOO II team lists


Predictions:
So much can change between now and then with injury and suspension, given what we know now I've gone:

15) I expect us to win this weekend, even with the imbalance of Origin players missing I think we should field a team that across the park will be too strong for the Rabbitohs minus Latrell.

17) Panthers away will be a statement match after the bye, particularly for Ciraldo. This will be a passing of the torch so to speak, apprentice becoming the master.

18) Broncos at home, Sitilli returns hopefully. Payback for sure.

19) Cowboys away. Very hard to tell from this far out but if we are to drop a game I think it'll be this one.

20) And finally the Dragons. With State or Origin finally in the rearview mirror the competition proper begins. This is when the real premiership campaign begins and we should really start to see the pieces fall into place.

Prediction: We win 4 from our next 5.

What do you think?
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It's a postive that most of our upcoming opponents are coming off games against Raiders, Warriors and Storm.
 
Raysie said:
That Broncos game without our Origin guys will be a big ask.
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I think so too. Interesting to see today Mam has been named 18th man for Queensland. Also that Ben Hunt should be available for game 3 as well. I wonder if Hunt is back will he get a start at 14 over Kurt Mann? Either way, the "outs" should be fairly even.
 
Bitemarks said:
Take it a week at a time
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Absolutely but you have to have an eye on what is coming up too in order to prepare accordingly. I think that is why Hughes played NSW Cup yesterday so he could play longer minutes in preparation for Max King not being available this weekend. Also this time of year you want to know which games are Origin affected.
 
Yeah I agree we will win about 4 out of 5 and I think you are right Cowboys will be a hard one. But I would not be surprised if we win all either.

I think Kolo is also out for Souths in the extended squad. But we will win either way. They are a bit like we use to be having issues at half.

I think Panthers will be a close game. I never underestimate Cleary. He showed Luai. But Panthers are not like they use to be. But because we both have a similar game it will be close and probably very defensive. Thats when Galvin may come in.

Galvin gets a chance this week at 5/8 which should give us some spark.
 
Dogs Of War said:
Panthers I suspect won't take there Origin stars to NZ cause that turnaround is horrible when you have an international flight there and back.
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Panthers cant afford to drop points though. That would be a massive call, effectively giving themselves no chance against the Warriors and making their game against us a must win. The question could be for Ivan, if you can only win one and have to put all your eggs in one basket, do Penrith fancy themselves a better change of beating Warriors or Bulldogs?
 
stevesonthebay said:
Yeah I agree we will win about 4 out of 5 and I think you are right Cowboys will be a hard one. But I would not be surprised if we win all either.

I think Kolo is also out for Souths in the extended squad. But we will win either way. They are a bit like we use to be having issues at half.

I think Panthers will be a close game. I never underestimate Cleary. He showed Luai. But Panthers are not like they use to be. But because we both have a similar game it will be close and probably very defensive. Thats when Galvin may come in.

Galvin gets a chance this week at 5/8 which should give us some spark.
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Keaon Koloamatangi will play for his club side this weekend. Only 18th man can't play. 19th and 20th can.
 
dogbone said:
Panthers cant afford to drop points though. That would be a massive call, effectively giving themselves no chance against the Warriors and making their game against us a must win. The question could be for Ivan, if you can only win one and have to put all your eggs in one basket, do Penrith fancy themselves a better change of beating Warriors or Bulldogs?
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Appreciate you sharing the analysis dogbone. Was good seeing how the injured blokes are likely to come back. Barring more injuries or suspensions it's pretty much a full deck from rd 18 - ten rounds to go.

I reckon Cleary will focus on their home game against us if it's one or the other. The travel from Perth to NZ would be too much IMO.
 
Raysie said:
That Broncos game without our Origin guys will be a big ask.
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Broncos also lose their two best in Haas and Carrigan. They also lose Walsh.

Without the first 2 their go forward will be heavily impacted. With some of injury/suspension players back and the addition of Galvin we should win.

Cowboys loom as a much harder game, the humidity up there gets a lot of teams
 
Souths game a little tougher now. Although they didn't get their first choice ref in Gerard Sutton, they got their next best in Adam Gee.
 
chisdog said:
Souths game a little tougher now. Although they didn't get their first choice ref in Gerard Sutton, they got their next best in Adam Gee.
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He goes for the Dogs. Lets hope he doesn't try too hard to hide it.
 
And looking at that schedule, we might not find out Ciraldo's preferred lineup (how he plans to manage Galvin, Sexton, Mahoney, Hayward) until that Dragons game in round 20 and that is only if we get through that period injury free. I would not be surprised to see a bench of: Hayward/Mann (with the other starting lock), Galvin, Prop, Prop, until then. But at some point, if we have all our forwards on deck we will have:

Hughes
Mahoney
King
Preston
Kikau
Hayward/Mann

Hayward/Mann
Curran
Hayes
Tupouniua

Reserves:
Suluka-Fafita
Todd
Salmon


And then he will have to pick I believe between Galvin and Sexton at 7. And he might want to bring back Salmon to starting lock. Which means God only knows. Hayward could play hooker but I doubt he can do it for 80 minutes which is why I think Reed is safe for now provided he does his job.

Personally I think we need to have another big man at lock to start matches against the top teams with big packs. I'd love to see Todd come back and play that role but he might not be physically ready this season considering how much he has missed.

Then after 20 minutes you have Mann, Curran and Sitilli come on and carve them up.

Such a good headache to have for the coach...
 
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