Gizzyfan
You are a very lonely man aren't you.
- Status
You are a very lonely man aren't you.
Fonzies Tram Line
Relax, don’t become ‘Grizzlyfan’
I actually agree with you - we should be focusing on how the team now plays cohesively, and that we were clinical, everyone played their part.
Put Lino in last years team and he would have had a shocker - but you would expect that with our team of the last few years. The fact of the matter is this years team being a lot more structured, fit, and putting in for each other has given Lino the confidence to just do his thing, and he did it very well, just as the other 17 blokes did well!
Gizzyfan
Naumaifooty
playdaball
Heritage Member
Your key words are he has limited talent but has maximised his ability through hard work.
Yes he is a great kicker.
He has a football brain.
He maximises his ability through hard work.
Hmmm sounds like a 24 year old Cooper Cronk to me.
Go Mason!
Run_it_str8
Among other amazing team names. My daughter was once in the Wainui whipper snappers. And spent one season playing soccer for the Makaraka Bubbles.
But yeah the starfish should be right up there if we ever rebrand.
It was confirmed last night that Jordan McLean will be out for the season with a foot fracture.
Mannering has to get through full contact training this week to be named, obviously it’d be a huge boost for us to have him back particularly coming up against Coen Hess who has been a handful on their edge.
I think he will have a few games in reserve grade before being considered.
Trugoy
Really? Ken’s been great. Best winger on the field on Saturday.
Can’t see Beale getting a start except for injury.
Sup42
Beale will be tasked with showing he can get meters on the Kick return and out of Dummy half.
I don't think Kata or Ken deserve to be replaced but our side looks capable of classy sophisticated Rugby league....thereby two power backs on one edge are up against what Hiku is adding to the right edge.
In that regard....playing structures and giving this team uninterrupted width like the 2002 side will be where the coaches like Brian Smith will want the 2018 group to look like.
Seems to be what they are about when you consider an ageing Blair, Green, Luke, plus an out of favor Hiku from the ESL....feature so prominently for their experience 1st and foremost.
I don't think Kata or Ken deserve to be replaced but our side looks capable of classy sophisticated Rugby league....thereby two power backs on one edge are up against what Hiku is adding to the right edge.
In that regard....playing structures and giving this team uninterrupted width like the 2002 side will be where the coaches like Brian Smith will want the 2018 group to look like.
Seems to be what they are about when you consider an ageing Blair, Green, Luke, plus an out of favor Hiku from the ESL....feature so prominently for their experience 1st and foremost.
Winston...
I hope the comparisons of Lino to Cronk are tongue and cheek???
At 22 Cronk won Daily M halfback of the year and played in a GF going down to the Broncos (2006). In 2008 Cronk, now 24, played in his 2nd GF getting pumped by Manly. Then at 25 won a title against the red hot Hayne Plane and the Eels in 2009. Mason has what - 15 games of 1st grade under his belt? But he's got the makings of Cronk??? cool your jets, it was one good game. I'm hoping he can play at that level again when called upon; competition for spots is gold.
Disclaimer: above mentioned accolades for Cronk came during a period when the storm were being cheats cu**s...
Sup42
Ten games for Mason.
Cooper Lino is a good nickname in the traditions of Carlos daily and Tui Fittler and Konrad Maninga
Cooper has won a meat Raffle of the Mad Butchers Fresh Chicken Breasts..." NINE NINETY NINE A KILO"
Last edited:
Five&Last
To be honest, I can't see Ken losing his spot this season. He's quietly becoming a quality NRL winger. In terms of metres gained for outside backs, Ken Maumalo, Blake Ferguson and Nene Macdonald are on a different level to the rest of the league. He's sound under the high ball and his defence is improving. He could up his try scoring rate, but I don't see Beale as more of a try scoring threat than Ken. Beale should be eying up Hiku's spot for a more realistic goal.
Sup42
Think I have said this before but...Our top side I would expect will feature two Kiwi internationals at center, I think that has been the plan all along.
At the moment we are not seeing the full width of the Park used.
Kata I could see come back in ahead of Beale when he is more comfortable passing (he has made massive strides there and so I hope he is the long term option with some intensive coaching support).
Ken can smash over the line just fine with good ball and some confidence.
jonno
Lino is still probably another season away from being a full time FG player. The list of skills he needs to lock down is quickly shrinking. All going well he'll still be with us when Green retires, with a few more FG games under his belt.
He really has to go for the controlling half spot. That means crisp as passing, gets his 40/20 game smoking, and gets the structures pinging the high notes. Game management is the art of messing with the oppositions game management after all, and I'd like to see him showing quality this before I break out the milk and cookies.
Shaun Johnson comes straight back if he's fit. Might need his freakish winning attitude at the death.
He really has to go for the controlling half spot. That means crisp as passing, gets his 40/20 game smoking, and gets the structures pinging the high notes. Game management is the art of messing with the oppositions game management after all, and I'd like to see him showing quality this before I break out the milk and cookies.
Shaun Johnson comes straight back if he's fit. Might need his freakish winning attitude at the death.
My Beale theory ...
I don’t think we got him here to play wing, I understand players dont dictate where they play but he said in an early interview that he had come to the club to lock down a position in the Centers so it’s something Kearney is aware of.
The likely scenario for me is that Hiku will go to Kens wing, the question needed to be asked is what does Ken provide other than the meters he makes? answer for me, not that much. Yes Maumalo has made significant meters averaging 157 per game but Hiku is one of the sides next best with 136 meters a game, both players averaging between 15-20 runs a game.
They probably cancel each other out defensively but Hiku offers more on attack and is safer under the high ball, he’s also broken more tackles and made more line breaks but above that he’s just a smarter footballer imo.
I think you strengthen two positions here.
I don’t think we got him here to play wing, I understand players dont dictate where they play but he said in an early interview that he had come to the club to lock down a position in the Centers so it’s something Kearney is aware of.
The likely scenario for me is that Hiku will go to Kens wing, the question needed to be asked is what does Ken provide other than the meters he makes? answer for me, not that much. Yes Maumalo has made significant meters averaging 157 per game but Hiku is one of the sides next best with 136 meters a game, both players averaging between 15-20 runs a game.
They probably cancel each other out defensively but Hiku offers more on attack and is safer under the high ball, he’s also broken more tackles and made more line breaks but above that he’s just a smarter footballer imo.
I think you strengthen two positions here.
Last edited by a moderator:
jonno
I wouldn't mind seeing Kata get a run on the wing. With a good ball playing center he'd score tries at a rate like Manu.
He's currently our fastest back line player as well so he's good to have in the mix.
Not sure how he'd go under the high ball tho. Maybe switch him up on defense, as he's great at smashing his opposite center.
He's currently our fastest back line player as well so he's good to have in the mix.
Not sure how he'd go under the high ball tho. Maybe switch him up on defense, as he's great at smashing his opposite center.
- Status
Similar threads
Bangbros 2023
Last Game
12 May
24 - 12
7.2
Total Avg Rating
10.0
Your Avg Rating
Highest Rated Player
Lowest Rated Player
Compiled from 8 ratings