bonehead wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 3:34 am
Danger game around the ruck, need our A defender to be far more switched on this week, both tigers tres scored because the A defender clocked off, Levi and Rapana
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The Tigers second try in particular Boney. Strange and Young were in the tackle but no one got to marker and allowed TigerPapa a quick play the ball. Young has his back turned to the play as he runs onside and Api took advantage and steps Rapa before DL attempts an ineffective tackle on Api. Main issues for me are that there was no marker, no attempt to slow the play the ball down, once again a Raider player turns his back on the play close to our line, DL ineffective defensively against a smallish player like Api who's momentum has slowed once he steps Rapa.
This will be a very good test for the Raiders. The Warriors 3/4 line is very experienced and they have Johnson to guide them around the park.
bonehead wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 3:34 am
Danger game around the ruck, need our A defender to be far more switched on this week, both tigers tres scored because the A defender clocked off, Levi and Rapana
Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk
The Tigers second try in particular Boney. Strange and Young were in the tackle but no one got to marker and allowed TigerPapa a quick play the ball. Young has his back turned to the play as he runs onside and Api took advantage and steps Rapa before DL attempts an ineffective tackle on Api. Main issues for me are that there was no marker, no attempt to slow the play the ball down, once again a Raider player turns his back on the play close to our line, DL ineffective defensively against a smallish player like Api who's momentum has slowed once he steps Rapa.
This will be a very good test for the Raiders. The Warriors 3/4 line is very experienced and they have Johnson to guide them around the park.
Will help us if Egan is still out. He has become an elite number 9.
Rickmando wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 6:26 am
It’s doubling down on the contract error by then also making him captain for 2024.
For all this siege mentality nonsense - the club and Rick only have themselves to blame for this situation, they’ve created it
EW is nowhere near our best 17, are we going to put outsized loyalty to an individual player ahead of what’s best for the collective group that have started the season so well?
The best decision makers across all industries are willing to change their priors when presented with new information…
Are you aware that EW was a starting player for England at the end of last season?
You keep bringing that up. What does that mean?
I’ll take what I’ve seen against the standard of weekly NRL the past 2-3 years rather than random international games. Horses for courses mate.
And this is not an attack on his career in its entirety. He was very good for us in a period where we the club had some success - that’s not forgotten. But those seasons, the international stuff - it’s irrelevant for who we are picking in first grade in 2024
Rickmando wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 6:26 am
It’s doubling down on the contract error by then also making him captain for 2024.
For all this siege mentality nonsense - the club and Rick only have themselves to blame for this situation, they’ve created it
EW is nowhere near our best 17, are we going to put outsized loyalty to an individual player ahead of what’s best for the collective group that have started the season so well?
The best decision makers across all industries are willing to change their priors when presented with new information…
Are you aware that EW was a starting player for England at the end of last season?
You keep bringing that up. What does that mean?
I’ll take what I’ve seen against the standard of weekly NRL the past 2-3 years rather than random international games. Horses for courses mate.
And this is not an attack on his career in its entirety. He was very good for us in a period where we the club had some success - that’s not forgotten. But those seasons, the international stuff - it’s irrelevant for who we are picking in first grade in 2024
It means that Shaun Wane, who I'd suggest knows a thing or 2 about rugby league (possibly even more than you) picked Whitehead in the starting backrow less than 6 months ago. This indicates it's not just Ricky's loyalty bias to EW. You don't drop him without giving him an oppourtunity to show where he is at this season.
If he doesn't perform, bring out the axe. Until then though you don't get rid of an international starter without him playing a game.
Hors is an origin player and comes straight back in after last year's form. He's been suspended, not injured, so he's done all of the fitness work that everyone else has over a full offseason. The team hit the ground running last week so I don't see why Corey wouldn't too. Guler and Saulo aren't going so well that they should be keeping him out. They're not on his level.
Different story with Whitehead. The calf injury would have stopped him from doing a lot of training and Hosking has been one of our best so ideally shouldn't have to make way. That said, I fully expect Ricky to pick EW in jersey #12 as soon as he's ready and probably play him for long minutes and I think the team will be weaker for it.
"The game owes me nothing, I owe the game everything." - Alan Tongue
I mean John Bateman was a starting England second rower as well, it's hard to argue he is a better player than Hosking and Young at this point. I'd bet that if a test was played next week and Hosking and Young were Poms, they would be getting selected.
I do get that Whitehead will get picked eventually based on his contribution for the club and Ricky wanting him to hit 200 games, which is fine, but there's a fair risk it will come at a cost to the team when it happens.
1. Jordan Rapana
2. Xavier Savage
3. Sebastian Kris
4. Matthew Timoko
5. Albert Hopoate
6. Ethan Strange
7. Jamal Fogarty
8. Josh Papali'i
9. Danny Levi
10. Joseph Tapine
11. Hudson Young
12. Zac Hawkings
13. Morgan Smithies
14. Tom Starling
15. Elliot Whitehead
16. Corey Horsburgh
17. Ata Mariota
NoMan wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 11:22 am
I mean John Bateman was a starting England second rower as well, it's hard to argue he is a better player than Hosking and Young at this point. I'd bet that if a test was played next week and Hosking and Young were Poms, they would be getting selected.
I do get that Whitehead will get picked eventually based on his contribution for the club and Ricky wanting him to hit 200 games, which is fine, but there's a fair risk it will come at a cost to the team when it happens.
I think if you put Johnny in our team right now he'd be playing better than he is at the Tigers.
zim wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 11:51 am
Assuming everyone will be available:
1. Jordan Rapana
2. Xavier Savage
3. Sebastian Kris
4. Matthew Timoko
5. Albert Hopoate
6. Ethan Strange
7. Jamal Fogarty
8. Josh Papali'i
9. Danny Levi
10. Joseph Tapine
11. Hudson Young
12. Zac Hawkings
13. Morgan Smithies
14. Tom Starling
15. Elliot Whitehead
16. Corey Horsburgh
17. Ata Mariota
If Whitehead must be selected in the 17 then it has to be on the bench imo. Young has a claim on his starting position and dropping him would be unwarranted. Hosking does not own his starting position, however he's currently fourth overall on the Dally M leaderboard.
Anyone hearing anything about Jordan? Just got a message from Fantasy say injury news to Jordan and may need to update my team. But no other information.
kona_dream wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 1:57 pm
Anyone hearing anything about Jordan? Just got a message from Fantasy say injury news to Jordan and may need to update my team. But no other information.
Just coming in late on this one, but there's no way I'd change our starting pack, I wouldn't bring Whitehead in for Houskings, and I wouldn't even shift Smithies out of the 13.
Horse comes onto the bench in place of Guler for sure, and if Whitehead really is good to go and fit, he can replace Saulo.
kona_dream wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 1:57 pm
Anyone hearing anything about Jordan? Just got a message from Fantasy say injury news to Jordan and may need to update my team. But no other information.
Looks like he is in concussion protocol.
He came back on, Seb Kris is the one who failed his hia
I don’t think Whitehead is even available this round. Imagine Horse comes in for Ata then Whitehead for Saulo round 4 with Hosking to the bench…. Sticks done pretty well with team selections so I’m optimistic it won’t be that.
kona_dream wrote: ↑March 18, 2024, 1:57 pm
Anyone hearing anything about Jordan? Just got a message from Fantasy say injury news to Jordan and may need to update my team. But no other information.
He came back on, Seb Kris is the one who failed his hia
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Yep, I understand that. The NRL casualty website have both he and Kris as “head knock” “TBC” as the return date.
Looks like he is in concussion protocol.
Fitter, faster Rapana playing every game like it's his last
Off contract next season and closing in on 35, Jordan Rapana knows his days in the NRL are numbered but the lighter and fitter fullback is showing no signs of slowing down.
“I'm obviously still enjoying myself and whether it is my last year or not, I’m going to play every game like it's my last. I've always had that motto,” Rapana said. “It is getting faster and more physical, but I still feel as though I'm competing well and keeping up to the speed of the game and enjoying myself. Never say never hey.”
NZ trip is always hard, being at Christchurch probably benefits us a little.
That said I'm not overally confident, we've beat up on a couple of teams who dished up bum team performances in early round footy, this will show is where we really are
IF EW is back and Kris is out, I reckon Sticky will go with the below for 1 week, to avoid a hard decision re. Hosking starting for 1 more week.
1. Jordan Rapana
2. Albert Hopoate
3. Matt Timoko
4. Zac Hosking
5. Xavier Savage
6. Ethan Strange
7. Jamal Fogarty
8. Josh Papalii
9. Danny Levi
10. Joe Tapine
11. Hudson Young
12. Elliott Whitehead (c)
13. Morgan Smithies
14. Tom Starling
15. Emre Guler
16. Ata Mariota
17. Corey Horsburgh
You are going to do GE's head in, Zim.
