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Fusitua
Allwood/Wells
Ayshford
Kata/Allwood (depending on Kata's availability)
Manu/Wright (depending on Manu's availability)
Lolohea
Shaun Johnson
Gavet
Leuluai
Lisone
Thompson
Hoffman
Mannering
Luke
Matulino
Sipley
Lillyman
Fusitua deserves another shot at fullback.
Allwood deserves more game time.
Wright has done nothing wrong, but with our pack not performing, we need Manu's hitups (I hate to say that).
Lolohea to help Shaun Johnson spark the side from the halves.
Lisone's aggression to be channelled from the start. Pairing his aggression with Gavet's could work and fire up the pack from the start. To be spelled by Sipley and Bull.
Matulino on the bench to come on in the second row. Yes, we have 3 80 minute second rowers. But I'd love to see how we play with Hoffman, Mannering, Thompson and Matulino in the second row for 50-65 minutes each. I think we'd get more out of them if 2-3 of them had a rest each game.
Leuluai to add some direct front on sting in defence at the start of the game. Luke to come on after 25-30 minutes.
Unlucky for Jazz who has shown a tonne of heart. He'd get Leuluai's spot if Leuluai wasn't well, Leuluai... (or if he was injured again).
Actually morgan and Milford both spent a couple of years at fullback before moving into the halves.
See that's the way I feel about lolohea- they need to give him his shot- he's done his apprentiship he's good to go.
No need to rush ata.
Sam Tomkins greatest talent was completely wasted at fullback, and in my humble opinion, so is Loloheas.
Sam, like Tui, was a sharp thinking stepper with wicked acceleration who could have made a huge difference if he had played inside Johnson.
If you want to see Tui in his element, re-watch the match winning try he set up against the Roosters. With brutal acceleration and a perfect sense of when and where to step, he turned the Roosters inside out to send Roger Tuivasa-Sheck over the line. This is what Tui does and he does it brilliantly..as good as if not better than Johnson.
He can't do this from fullback nor from the wing as the last player to receive the ball if it doesn't get dropped before it gets to him!
In the last two games Fusitua played fullback (Dragons and Tonga) he showed enough to excite me and he has much more chance of breaking the line than Tui imo.
Tommys time is up! Thanks for the great service crazy-eyes but the modern game has moved on from you. We all know Cappy is going to reinsert Vatuvei as soon as he is ready so it's pointless omitting him from your preferred team, or positioning him elsewhere.
Picture this; 2 insanely fast, ridiculously wicked side-steppers fragmenting defensive lines on every attacking raid. Almost every time Shaun shapes to run he collapses the oppositions structured defensive plays. They have NO FUCKEN IDEA where he is going to run and it's a weapon we don't use often enough. Imagine having 2 of him!
It may not be textbook footy...but the Warriors are not a textbook team!
Clearly we have defensive issues but our current attacking structures are both impotent and glaringly predictable.
Fragment the defense, turn them around, support the ball runner....and watch the points come!
As our defense appears to be unfixable...scoring ALOT more points is our only hope.
As for team selection (just to stay on topic) all I want to see is
1-Fusitua
6-Lolohea
7-Johnson
9-Luke with Jazz to spell him 15-20 minutes either side of half-time.
and the 3 fittest strongest forwards we have on the bench.
If you're going to support a team that belongs at the bottom of the table you might as well fill it up with interesting characters...I am not sure what Gubb does to inspire so much love around here - he makes about 20m a game and misses three of his six tackles (albeit in spectacular fashion.)
I am not sure what Gubb does to inspire so much love around here - he makes about 20m a game and misses three of his six tackles (albeit in spectacular fashion.)
They love his long hair.I am not sure what Gubb does to inspire so much love around here - he makes about 20m a game and misses three of his six tackles (albeit in spectacular fashion.)
1 Tuimoala lolohea
2 ken maumalo
3 Konrad Hurrell
4 Blake Ayshford
5 David Fusitua
6 thomas leuluai
7 Shaun Johnson
13 shaun lane
12 Bodene Thompson
11 ryan Hoffman
10 Jacob Lillyman
9 Isaac Luke
8 Ben Matulino
14 jazz Tevaga
15 Ali lauititi
16 sam lisone
17 Charlie gubb
Best team list by far. You've shored up all the deficiencies with good explanations that's except for Wright. Wingers need pace or the ability to run over people. Wright has never. Lastweeks try was just poor technique from his opposite but he's squandered many opportunities. A fine player but not a 'true' winger. Maybe bracket in Wells again.
Nah bro, Morgan debuted against the Roosters 2010 and tore them to shreds in the halves, MOM on the night and Milford debuted 2013 in the halves off the bench and then moved to the 1 his next game.
Edit: just seen Milf stayed on the bench for a while/
Just goes to show how hard it is for a teenager to crack it in the halves coz they were both quickly moved to fullback.
Now Hingano is a great prospect but it would be a big call to rate him above Morgan and Milford.
Ata will get his chance in the next 18 months. Tuis good to go now.
This is by far the most sensible post i have read in a while.