A 100+ game veteran, Kiwi international, longest serving player at our club at the moment, and our no.1 center doesn't deserve to get picked?
Jerome is miles ahead of both Inu and Hurrell (at this stage).
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Jerome is miles ahead of both Inu and Hurrell (at this stage).
Spence_old
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Swanley_old
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a.c.e_old
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Fazz_old
Guest
I agree with Patu, Ropati is a walk in for my team.
I agree with you guys. Ropo was in sensational form before injury last year. He could have been the difference in the Grand Final with that kind of form and his combo with Manu. I really hope he can come back strong this year, he was a super nice bloke (along with Inu) while signing autographs last year.
ToiletDuck_old
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Yeah Ropo deserves to be one of the first cabs off the rank for centre. I think the way Inu finished last season and the way he has started this season means he'll likely have one of those centre spots. Obviously Hurrell playing his first first-grade game on the wing, and his comparative league naivety suggests he's still a way off - which is okay.
A year off isn't always a terrible thing, I would have been happier if he hadn't had a knee reconstruction - but I look forward to his return.
A year off isn't always a terrible thing, I would have been happier if he hadn't had a knee reconstruction - but I look forward to his return.
RRG_old
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I agree Jerome would be my first pick centre, but I think it is a stretch to say that he is miles ahead of Inu.Jerome is miles ahead of both Inu and Hurrell (at this stage).
slaughterhouse.sa_old
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I agree Jerome would be my first pick centre, but I think it is a stretch to say that he is miles ahead of Inu.
Im going to go against everyone on this.
I think ropati is the most under pressure.
He is older and naturally will be gun shy after series of bad injuries.
I think you guys must have a little amnesia - he hasnt been in good form since the world cup imo.
In particular is his lack of pace in recent year (probably due to bad hammies).
Its hard to gain the pace back.
ToiletDuck_old
Guest
Im going to go against everyone on this.
I think ropati is the most under pressure.
He is older and naturally will be gun shy after series of bad injuries.
I think you guys must have a little amnesia - he hasnt been in good form since the world cup imo.
In particular is his lack of pace in recent year (probably due to bad hammies).
Its hard to gain the pace back.
I think his defensive issues have been very well documented (on this forum especially). However his form was largely solid in 2010. He'll be under pressure sure, though not through an overwhelming number of guys knocking on the door to fill the centre spots. We spent a good portion of last season throwing our backrowers in to plug the centre gap.
Realistically we have Inu, Hurrell, Ropati - then guys like Tuimavave and Fish who have been mentioned as depth (though realistically I'd be fairly concerned if either of those guys lined up at centre in the early rounds).
So all in all, I'd say Ropo will be feeling the pressure, but no moreso than any other player who has missed a season and had a knee reconstruction...
danco_old
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there were about 4-5 rugby players coming into the jnr squad this season. i remember last season the club said they were gunna recruit rugby player heavily but i thought they were gunna recruit established players but obviously they were going after the young fellas.
Doesnt our future look great.
Patu_old
Guest
Good post.I think his defensive issues have been very well documented (on this forum especially). However his form was largely solid in 2010. He'll be under pressure sure, though not through an overwhelming number of guys knocking on the door to fill the centre spots. We spent a good portion of last season throwing our backrowers in to plug the centre gap.
Realistically we have Inu, Hurrell, Ropati - then guys like Tuimavave and Fish who have been mentioned as depth (though realistically I'd be fairly concerned if either of those guys lined up at centre in the early rounds).
So all in all, I'd say Ropo will be feeling the pressure, but no moreso than any other player who has missed a season and had a knee reconstruction...
I don't think any league player would go into a NRL season without feeling some sort of pressure. A knee reconstruction just compounds that pressure.
However I think with his kind of experience and having a good head on him, Ropati will do the job. I don't think we should expect the same explosiveness from him in the early rounds while he's still finding his feet however. A fit and firing Ropati near the business-end of the season is all I ask. Goodness knows we missed that sort of class on the edges last year.
Patu_old
Guest
In terms of his work ethic and attitude I'd say he is. Perhaps on talent alone Inu is on par or even better, but it's never been a problem with talent when it comes to Kris.I agree Jerome would be my first pick centre, but I think it is a stretch to say that he is miles ahead of Inu.
Jerome's part of the leadership group in the team and is well-respected on and off the field. Kris has got some way to establishing himself as that kind of NRL player.
a.c.e_old
Guest
I wouldnt rank Jerome ahead of Inu and Hurrell at the moment. I'd like to see Ropati play a few games before seeing where hes at.
Other than the final where he was on one leg I havent seen much of Hurrell. I'd put Inu above these two for now.
Other than the final where he was on one leg I havent seen much of Hurrell. I'd put Inu above these two for now.
Jesbass_old
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When Bluey took the head coaching job last year, he said no positions or selections were guaranteed.
(Then he got taken out of context as saying "I hate Inu and I'll never pick him because I'm sacking him in the morning!")
Anyhoo...no position is guaranteed but I think that Ropati will be at centre based on where he's at injury/form wise. If he's fit enough, he'll play. I honestly don't think his selection will depend on anyone else vying for his spot.
That of course changes if Ropati sits out any part of the season. Then he'll need to dethrone the incumbent.
Patu raises a good point regarding talent. I think Inu is an audacious talent. He can pull off plays that few others can. But Ropati has a faultless reliability which is hard to go past.
And, in my view, the suggestion that Ropati was in bad form pre injury is a classic case of guilt by reputation.
(Then he got taken out of context as saying "I hate Inu and I'll never pick him because I'm sacking him in the morning!")
Anyhoo...no position is guaranteed but I think that Ropati will be at centre based on where he's at injury/form wise. If he's fit enough, he'll play. I honestly don't think his selection will depend on anyone else vying for his spot.
That of course changes if Ropati sits out any part of the season. Then he'll need to dethrone the incumbent.
Patu raises a good point regarding talent. I think Inu is an audacious talent. He can pull off plays that few others can. But Ropati has a faultless reliability which is hard to go past.
And, in my view, the suggestion that Ropati was in bad form pre injury is a classic case of guilt by reputation.
slaughterhouse.sa_old
Guest
When Bluey took the head coaching job last year, he said no positions or selections were guaranteed.
(Then he got taken out of context as saying "I hate Inu and I'll never pick him because I'm sacking him in the morning!")
Anyhoo...no position is guaranteed but I think that Ropati will be at centre based on where he's at injury/form wise. If he's fit enough, he'll play. I honestly don't think his selection will depend on anyone else vying for his spot.
That of course changes if Ropati sits out any part of the season. Then he'll need to dethrone the incumbent.
Patu raises a good point regarding talent. I think Inu is an audacious talent. He can pull off plays that few others can. But Ropati has a faultless reliability which is hard to go past.
And, in my view, the suggestion that Ropati was in bad form pre injury is a classic case of guilt by reputation.
Right before his injury he played some good games.
However i am talking his general slide - which happened after the world cup.
Purely on onfield performance I might not have resigned him for so long.
I dont think he is good as a player as he used to be and that regardless
I think he had lateral movement issues which afffected both attack and defense.
That said, as always he had put his heart into all his performances.
Jesbass_old
Guest
Right before his injury he played some good games.
However i am talking his general slide - which happened after the world cup.
Purely on onfield performance I might not have resigned him for so long.
I dont think he is good as a player as he used to be and that regardless
I think he had lateral movement issues which afffected both attack and defense.
That said, as always he had put his heart into all his performances.
If you were referring to 2009 alone, I'd agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, very few Warriors had good performances in 2009, our second worst season on record - so he wasn't alone.
However, what I saw throughout 2010 and into 2011 indicated to me that he had massively improved his defensive positioning, which was the greatest weakness in his game. As a minor addendum, 2010 was also the year when he had a couple of blinders at, of all places, fullback.
2big2strong_old
Guest
That game against Parramatta where he filled in at fullback and racked up like 300 meters was probably the best game I've seen him play and it was 2010 and out of position. Then in round 1 last year when Manu went down he moved to the wing and was players player, scoring 2 tries. His place in the team has to be a certainty.
Spence_old
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While I think he is a shoe-in for one of the centre berths, this is assuming he plays the full 80 in at least one of the trials and plays a half decent game.
Jesbass_old
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That game against Parramatta where he filled in at fullback and racked up like 300 meters was probably the best game I've seen him play and it was 2010 and out of position. Then in round 1 last year when Manu went down he moved to the wing and was players player, scoring 2 tries. His place in the team has to be a certainty.
He isn't a certainty for me. If he can prove his fitness, however, then he would become a certainty.
Fazz_old
Guest
He isn't a certainty for me. If he can prove his fitness, however, then he would become a certainty.
Easiest way to look at it imo. I'm assuming that he'll come back fine and get into decent form though. If Ropo does get hurt/isn't ready yet, then the prospect of a Hurrell/Manu combo is potentially mouth watering.
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