2019 Rd 21 V Roosters: Teams and Previews *Teams p1*

[greeneyed]

Squats etc.

[RedRaider]

So heading into Round 21 it will be the Storm way out front followed by the 3 R's - Roosters, Raiders, Rabbitohs.

Our Rd 21 match will be to find out who will be running second in the competition by Rd 22. I would be playing SOO rep Nic Cotric at right center regardless of BJ's recovery in time for the Roosters match. There are mental and match fitness issues to be overcome with BJ after such a long absence. I would start that process at Mounties because to an outsider like me that would be the logical thing to do. Which means Sticky will pick him against Latrell first up to return.

Amazing to think there are a maximum of 9 games left in Season 2019 for the Raiders.

[Azza]

It's stating the obvious but against these better sides you're not going to get many chances. we've already shown we can be competitive such as in the game against souths but we haven't taken those few chances we've gotten to win the game. we need to actually take those opportunities in the next few weeks and the finals

[simo]

1 cnk
2 cotric
3 croker
4 bj
5 rapa
6 jack
7 sezer
8 papa
9 hodgo
10 sia
11 batey
12 whitehead
13 tapine
14 simonson
15 havili
16 lui
17 Hors/young

[Neeeegz]

Cnk
Simmonsen
Croker
Cotric
Rapana
Wighton
Sezer
Papa
Hodgo
Sia
Bateman
Whitehead
Tapine

Havili
Horse
Liu
Joey


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[Matt]

If you pick BJ, I'd bring him off the bench. Use BJ or Simmo in a roving role (technically playing lock). Storm do something similar with Papenhoyzen (spelling).

Which means Cotric to right centre.

[Northern Raider]

Great if BJ is back but wouldn't mind seeing him have a run in Mounties first. Ease in, build confidence, gain match fitness and 'get his eye in'. Coming straight back in against Roosters is really dicing in the deep end.

Of course people far more qualified than me will be making these decisions. More so what BJ thinks is best.

[-PJ-]

BJ probably needs to get a bit of timing/touch back into his game. It won't take him long...

He's a massive inclusion heading into the finals..he'll be primed.

[Old School Green]

Word on the ‘street’ is that beej rides the pine this week and we have a three forward rotation with increased minutes. Beej to get 20 odd mins excluding an injury.... shhhhh...

[Northern Raider]

Word on the ‘street’ is that beej rides the pine this week and we have a three forward rotation with increased minutes. Beej to get 20 odd mins excluding an injury.... shhhhh...

Thanks OSG. Your secret is safe with us.

[-PJ-]

Word on the ‘street’ is that beej rides the pine this week and we have a three forward rotation with increased minutes. Beej to get 20 odd mins excluding an injury.... shhhhh...

Would that be Eade St ?

[raiderskater]

Word on the ‘street’ is that beej rides the pine this week and we have a three forward rotation with increased minutes. Beej to get 20 odd mins excluding an injury.... shhhhh...

I think that's a good way to do it.

[Raiders_Pat]

If you pick BJ, I'd bring him off the bench. Use BJ or Simmo in a roving role (technically playing lock). Storm do something similar with Papenhoyzen (spelling).

Which means Cotric to right centre.

If he's ready to go, I'd have BJ on the interchange this week and then have him back in the starting side next week for Simonsson to drop back to the interchange with Cotric moving to wing. My side would be something like:
1. Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Simonsson
3. Croker
4. Cotric
5. Rapana
6. Wighton
7. Sezer
8. Papalii
9. Hodgson
10. Soliola
11. Bateman
12. Whitehead
13. Tapine

If I was being completely honest, I'd have Bateman and Tapine switched around but it looks like the coaching staff has abandoned those plans. The three forwards on the interchange is the trickiest part for me with Young and Sutton back. I'd go with something like:
14. Lui
15. Sutton
16. Young
17. Leilua

As a others have pointed out, I don't think we particularly need Havili's versatility (ie his ability to play hooker) at full strength and he could do with extra minutes at Mounties in case we do find ourselves in a situation where we need him to play the starting role in first grade. And I don't think he's in the best three available for our bench forward rotation. Horsburgh has been playing great footy and I know it seems peculiar to disclude him from the 17 right now... but we will need to be disciplined against the Roosters. You could say it's strange to be advocating for Young who had some time off through suspension but I feel his game is generally tidier.

[papabear]

Not picking Havili in the 17 when we already have 3 other running forwards on the bench is for some reason a constant suggestion on this site and tbf it’s a ridiculous one.

I am with this.

Why do many of the same on the bench, all that will do is less minutes for papalii and co.

For me havili is there at 14 then horsburgh and then pick your next two favourite benchies.

[Old School Green]

Word on the ‘street’ is that beej rides the pine this week and we have a three forward rotation with increased minutes. Beej to get 20 odd mins excluding an injury.... shhhhh...

Thanks OSG. Your secret is safe with us.

I’d say it was straight from the Horse’s mouth but most peeps would think Big Red told me and that would be a fib

[Billy Walker]

Gold Coast doing a great job of playing the roosters back into form...

[IBG]

I am OK with a dominant Roosters win today. If the Titans upset them they would have been more fired up next week. And it reminds the Raiders they are a massive test and what they do well. They should be excited at playing the best at their best.

[Billy Walker]

I am OK with a dominant Roosters win today. If the Titans upset them they would have been more fired up next week. And it reminds the Raiders they are a massive test and what they do well. They should be excited at playing the best at their best.

Yeah wouldn’t mind seeing the Titans offer something though. That Tupanua (spelling) is fairy handy for the chooks.

[Mickey_Raider]

Roosters are giving the Titans an absolute bath. Completely embarrassing.

Next weekends clash is shaping up to be a classic.

[Northern Raider]

Roosters are giving the Titans an absolute bath. Completely embarrassing.

Next weekends clash is shaping up to be a classic.

Both teams coming off soft wins too

[julian87]

There's players in the squad that provide better defence and he's been literally playing as a 4th running forward everytime Hodgo is there.

All the more reason to keep him. You don’t even need a 4th running forward when both second rowers play 80. Sacrificing the hooker coverage for someone who is slightly better as a running forward is absolute madness imo.

You're covering for something that very likely won't happen vs tangible gains. That is just silly. This isn't a sudden death final or an origin where that 1/1000 chance of hodgo going down in the first 20mins is going to mean we are finished for the year.

Nah. It’s not silly it is absolute common sense.

The 4th bench player being a running forward means 7 players share 240 mins of football. 2 of those are Papalii and Tapine who you want playing well over 100 between them.

Do the maths on that 4th bench player. If they’re the 4th best forward the team doesn’t even need them to take the field more often than not.

To pick a forward who offers no versatility because they might be slightly better in that role (something which I think is far from even obvious) is beyond silly.

We’re not talking about Havili over some gun NRL player. We’re talking about him over a 21 year old manufactured middle. Ridiculous.

[RobbieRVD]

Roosters haven't won in Canberra since 2010- lets keep the streak going!
And great to see Leipana back together again.

[greeneyed]

AUDIO: Coach Ricky Stuart confirms Joey Leilua will be named for the Canberra Raiders "in the top 21" this week

Ricky Stuart has confirmed strike centre Joey Leilua will be named for the Canberra Raiders "in the top 21" this week.

Audio: https://www.triplem.com.au/story/ricky- ... QiTtz_IZhI

[Dusty]

I’d go with:

1. Nicol-Klokstad
2. Cotric
3. Croker
4. Leilua
5. Rapana
6. Wighton
7. Sezer
8. Papalii
9. Hodgson
10. Soliola
11. Bateman
12. Whitehead
13. Tapine

14. Havili
15. Young
16. Lui
17. Horsburgh




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[greeneyed]

Canberra Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson helps Hudson Young on comeback trail

Hudson Young says he took inspiration from co-captain Josh Hodgson while waiting to return from suspension.

"I can't wait to hopefully be back in the first team soon. That's where you dream to play so I can't wait to get back in there mate," Young said. "I just can't wait to get back and give back. I let the fans down, the club down and I'm keen to get back and show everyone what I'm made of."

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

[greeneyed]

Bailey Simonsson hungry for more first grade games despite Canberra Raiders returning from injury and suspension

He's surprised himself with how many NRL games he's played, but now he's got a taste Canberra Raiders winger Bailey Simonsson is hungry for more.

"I never would've thought I'd play so many first-grade games this year, but it's been really enjoyable and I'm taking it week by week and enjoying it as much as I can," he said. "I'm always hungry to keep improving and I'm hungry for more games and opportunities - 100 per cent."

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

[Coastalraider]

Im lookimg at a road trip down form the central coast on Sunday - can anyone confirm if there is a curtain raiser? Looks like Mounties playing in Sydney and JF on Saturday??

[greeneyed]

It's bigger than just the Sydney Roosters

A Sydney Roosters clash at Canberra Stadium many pundits are calling the match of the NRL season. Then there's Jarrod Croker's 250th NRL game. It all points towards a massive game in Canberra next Sunday afternoon as the hype builds around the third-placed Raiders.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

[Neeeegz]

Righto, I'll say it.
The next 4 games are losable. I hope we have enough to win them all, but it's time to click into fifth gear, and I expect the warriors game as a high reving 4... more to come from this team.
And Ricky has managed fatigue and workload pretty well this year, so I have a bit of confidence in that.
Now is the time to start putting the foot down, run hard, defend well, and play what's in front of you.. and we will score more than we concede

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[raiderskater]

Righto, I'll say it.
The next 4 games are losable.

I feel like this is the glass half full-glass half empty scenario. I don't see the next four games as losable, I see them as perfectly winnable.

[Neeeegz]

Righto, I'll say it.
The next 4 games are losable.

I feel like this is the glass half full-glass half empty scenario. I don't see the next four games as losable, I see them as perfectly winnable.

Maybe I've just had my expectations squashed too many times.
BUT.
This squad is truly different to any other since our glory days, we have what 10 rep players in first grade ? I think our window is open now.
All players fit and coming back, we will win most of them hopefully. But it's going to be brutal and draining. And that's where our rehab team comes into it, they have done miracles this year. So,
Basically I reckon we will have a good crack at it and end up with a home semi. And make the big dance.
Our time is now.
Roast chook next weekend.

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[gerg]

If we score more points than our opponents over the next few weeks we're a good chance of winning those games.

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[Neeeegz]

If we score more points than our opponents over the next few weeks we're a good chance of winning those games.

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I'd be happy with that

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[RedRaider]

I'm with you Julian87. Do we really want to put a stand in player into the vital No9 slot? It has to be someone trained and practiced in the role. The stand out team in this competition is the Melbourne Storm and they play Brandon Smith week after week. In more than 10 years of dominance they have always done it. Remember those multiple seasons with our own local junior Ryan Hinchcliffe formerly filling the role. When Hinchy left them they wasted little time in finding and PLAYING such a player. It just makes sense. Havili is a must for the 17 imo.

[Horace Dove-Edwin]

I can see over 20,000 at the ground on Sunday.