Your Round 1 Team?

[The Dog House]

1. Critta (centres for days, needs the ball as much as possible, better than taaffe)
2. Fox
3. Xerri (if he performs well against actual sharks first graders, wilson wing, kiraz centre if not)
4. Tracey
5. Kiraz (best player out of yardage, only player who knows how to contest bombs apparently)
6. Burton
7. Sexton (depends who partners burton better really)
8. King
9. Mahoney
10. Hughes
11. Kikau
12. Preston
13. Curran
14. Mann/Salmon/Turpin (whoever performs better vs cronulla, can all be lock and hooker, mahoney can’t play 80)
15. Faamausili
16. Morrin/Edwards (idk who suits the team better, very different play styles, both have heart)
17. Kautoga (freak, deserves it, watch him kill it vs sharks first graders)

 

[Wearnze]

I can’t wait to see who CC goes with for round 1. A few different options for once…

Lock is going to be interesting. Curran, Mann and Salmon all good options for different reasons.

I have a feeling Wilson will be in the team but not sure who makes way for him…he seems to be a CC favourite for good reasons…

 

[Harry Oz]

I can’t wait to see who CC goes with for round 1. A few different options for once…

Lock is going to be interesting. Curran, Mann and Salmon all good options for different reasons.

I have a feeling Wilson will be in the team but not sure who makes way for him…he seems to be a CC favourite for good reasons…

Wouldn't Ciraldo have only rested fit and available from first trial if he expected the to start round 1?
Which would suggest Edwards is on his short list for the 17, as is Mann? Kiraz too.
The trials are really to help decide between Sexton and Hutchison and to assess Faamausili & Kautoga for the bench.
Taaffe or Tracey may be the other question, although Tracey could be behind schedule in being ready for Rd1. Which was why he wasn't selected.
Xerri was clearly close to ready. So he'd have to be a short priced favourite for Rd 1 selection.
Where Crichton plays this week will confirm Ciraldo's thinking. He's unlikely to trial Crichton at Centre or FB and then use him in a different position Rd 1.
Mann may be already preferred ahead of Salmon if he was rested last week. And I'd be very surprised if Curran is not also ahead of Salmon.
I'm very keen to see how Edwards goes this week and where he plays.
And if Sexton starts, with Hutchison playing the 2nd half.

 

[doggieaaron]

Alot of people will hate on this, but its a good mix of youth and experience.

01. Joash Papalii
02. Jacob Kiraz
03. Stephen Crichton
04. Matt Burton
05. Josh Addo-Carr
06. Joseph O'Neill
07. Toby Sexton
08. Max King
09. Reed Mahoney
10. Poasa Faamausili
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Jacob Preston
13. Josh Curran

14. Kurt Mann
15. Jaeman Salmon
16. Drew Hutchinson
17. Samuel Hughes

18. Bronson Xerri

Definitely our team of future good looking team actually

 

[Cook]

1. Taafe (if Tracey was fit I’d of had him).
2. Kiraz
3. Xerri
4. Critta
5. Jac
6. Burton
7. Sexton
8. King
9. Mahoney
10. Hughes
11. Kikau
12. Preston
13. Curran

14. Salmon
15. Mann
16. Faamasuli
17. Kautoga

I could see Morrin or Samrani and Todd force their way in based on last trial.

Knight, Sutton on name alone could be but not by what I saw from knight and Sutton injuried.

Is Mann coming in to give Mahoney a break, or u have him playing the 80?? I’d run pretty much same team as you. Or I have a specialised hooker on bench, like Turpin.

 

[Pavdogg82]

Still really weird how people are mentioning Sutton. He adds nothing at all. Soft carries and average defender.
Same as with Edwards, I found him a very meat and potatoes player. Takes a few hitups for no tackle breaks and doesn't bend the line.
Morrin ahead of both of them based on his energy. Same as Poasa, if he can back up his runs in the next trial. I thought he got us some great ruck momentum with quick play the balls.
CC please keep Sutton and Harrison in reggies. Knight can go there with em if he doesn't go hard in the next trial.

 

[piggy]

Will be a while before we settle on a team, need some checks next week because if anything Thursday showed that we have some hidden gems and some cap thieves.

Let’s see how we go against a full strength sharks team

 

[piggy]

Is Mann coming in to give Mahoney a break, or u have him playing the 80?? I’d run pretty much same team as you. Or I have a specialised hooker on bench, like Turpin.

I’d have Hayward on the bench to come on to replace Mahoney but ye it depends on what Manns role will be

 

[dawso047]

Definitely our team of future good looking team actually

Don't know about O'Neill just yet, still too inexperienced. The bench needs another specialist middle forward can't carry Mann, Hutchison and Salmon at once, Sutton, Patolo, Knight, Edwards or Morrin would need to be there.

 

[Harry Oz]

Don't know about O'Neill just yet, still too inexperienced. The bench needs another specialist middle forward can't carry Mann, Hutchison and Salmon at once, Sutton, Patolo, Knight, Edwards or Morrin would need to be there.

Hopefully O'Neill signs a new contract ASAP, even if he doesn't play NRL in 2024.
We don't have many middle forwards who can do big minutes like other sides.
So agree, he will prob go with two middles and another big forward (or maybe Morrin or Salmon for energy), not a second utility.
Mann is the likely utility.
Will be good to see how Edwards goes this week.
It also depends on how the Parra pack shapes up.

 

[Trinfly]

The seven jersey is going to be a dilemma for CC the both have their positives and negatives I am leaning on Hutch for his kicking game and game management. Thoughts?

When sexy come the tempo seem to lift and change of direction,

 

[Doggfather]

I had an event on Thursday night but came home and watched a replay till 2am in the morning.

Hutchinson looks excellent at 7, Xerri could well start Round 1. I think Taaffe deserves a chance at fullback considering Tracey isn’t fully up to speed.

Poasa and Kautoga were both real highlights, they could be huge for us this year.

I can’t wait to visit Belmore on Friday to watch them play against real first graders.

 

[Bulldogsteve]

I had an event on Thursday night but came home and watched a replay till 2am in the morning.

Hutchinson looks excellent at 7, Xerri could well start Round 1. I think Taaffe deserves a chance at fullback considering Tracey isn’t fully up to speed.

Poasa and Kautoga were both real highlights, they could be huge for us this year.

I can’t wait to visit Belmore on Friday to watch them play against real first graders.

Spot on dog
Watching replay again as we speak
Wilson was huge also

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Spot on dog
Watching replay again as we speak
Wilson was huge also

Rate Wilson very highly. Not a popular pick, but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't start.

 

[sam snee]

1:Tracey
2:kiraz
3:xerri
4:critta
5:foxx
6:burton
7:Hutchison
8:king
9:Mahoney
10:Hughes
11:kikau
12resto
13:w.g.d


14:Curran
15:faamausili
16:kautoga
17mann

 

[CMP]

Rate Wilson very highly. Not a popular pick, but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't start.

I think Wilson’s only real chance is if Kiraz still has fitness/injury issues and is not ready. Tracey has the same concerns and I think he will miss out regardless. I also think Tracey is ahead of Wilson in the pecking order.

Without injuries. The likes of Wilson & Skeleton will be spending some time in Reggie’s I think biding their time.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

I think Wilson’s only real chance is if Kiraz still has fitness/injury issues and is not ready. Tracey has the same concerns and I think he will miss out regardless. I also think Tracey is ahead of Wilson in the pecking order.

Without injuries. The likes of Wilson & Skeleton will be spending some time in Reggie’s I think biding their time.

Perhaps. But I think alot of people really underestimate Wilsons ceiling / ability

 

[Kennelnator]

Rate Wilson very highly. Not a popular pick, but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't start.

Wilson will be a regular starter once JAC contract is up

With all the talent we have in the backs, I can't see the club re-signing JAC

 

[CMP]

Perhaps. But I think alot of people really underestimate Wilsons ceiling / ability

I do rate Wilson. His only downside is his lack of game awareness.

A natural ability of reading the play, is an almost a given in players that make it to grade, let alone NRL level.

So it’s not something people talk about. For me it’s super noticeable that Wilson’s ability to think outside of what he is doing and how a slightly different approach could affect the outcome is not there.

They aren’t major things but it’s the 1%ers that are the difference sometimes with winning and losing.

The one I noticed a lot from him is catching a bomb with his feet just in the field of play and having zero awareness. That just moving a foot back into the in-goal he would give the team a 20m restart. This is not a one off he does it a lot. It’s like he doesn’t know the rules or just cannot think past catching the ball.

I’m not sure how you coach natural instinct though.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

I do rate Wilson. His only downside is his lack of game awareness.

A natural ability of reading the play, is an almost a given in players that make it to grade, let alone NRL level.

So it’s not something people talk about. For me it’s super noticeable that Wilson’s ability to think outside of what he is doing and how a slightly different approach could affect the outcome is not there.

They aren’t major things but it’s the 1%ers that are the difference sometimes with winning and losing.

The one I noticed a lot from him is catching a bomb with his feet just in the field of play and having zero awareness. That just moving a foot back into the in-goal he would give the team a 20m restart. This is not a one off he does it a lot. It’s like he doesn’t know the rules or just cannot think past catching the ball.

I’m not sure how you coach natural instinct though.

This is all true, but keep in mind he is a fullback being turned into a winger. Wingers always pigeon holed as an easy position, but it's alot different to fullback. No doubt FB is more difficult, but in the top grade it's not without his challenges, especially when you are trying to make it in a poor side and the risk of making in error is exponentially compounded