Pick Your Team Pick Your Team 2023 Rnd 5 - Sharks vs Warrior

[Lance155]

Pompey injury, probably too soon to risk starting Berry and Viliami together again for no reason, acknowledging Berry could be better than Pomps by now, who knows.

One way to find out to be fair being better than Pompey is hardly an achievement haha

 

[jonesy101]

The Sharks are definitely favorites with the game being played at Shark Park. What I am confident of though is that there is absolutely no way we would lose to an 11 man Sharks side this season.

 

[jonesy101]

Berry is the worst first grade footballer I’ve ever seen in my life. How are some people asking for him to return already?

It was the circumstances. Covid had a massive impact on his development - a union recruit with limited opportunities for lower grade experience being thrown into a struggling first grade side was not the smartest move. But if you saw how he went in the weekend he was very good. I don't think he walks into the first grade side just yet, but he looks like he is getting close.

 

[Teeps4Shore]

Only Tohu Harris listed in casualty ward this week so assume Sironen and Te Maire Martin will be fit to play.
Expect Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Barnett and Egan back on deck this week. My team…

1 Nicoll-Klokstad
2 Watene-Zelezniak
3 Vailea
4 Pompey
5 Montoya
6 Te Maire Martin
7 Johnson
8 Fonua-Blake
9 Egan
10 Barnett
11 Ford
12 Niukore
13 Walker

14 Afoa
15 Tevaga
16 Ale
17 Curran

18 Lussick
19 Kosi
20 Volkman

The Sharks are definitely favorites with the game being played at Shark Park. What I am confident of though is that there is absolutely no way we would lose to an 11 man Sharks side this season.

Yes.. but we get to correct the ledger this year. If we can’t use last years abortion at Shark Park as motivation, then what can you use? Not often you get the opportunity to bury some demons, and I think this team is all about doing that this season.

I am expecting an upset here. Something about this week tells me we are going to pick their pockets and walk away with the two points…

mark my words, this is a hit and run job. Sharks won’t believe we can beat them. And we will do what we did to the dogs last week… outlast them.

 

[Wrighty]

What the hell?

Yeah you are right

I apologise for that low blow,

I am just frustrated about the campaign from one third of this web site to get him into the first grade team ahead of players who I perceive as being much much better than him.
Berry has a very strong lobby group on this web site and I don't know what they see in him. Last year when playing for Redcliffe he was getting compared to Kurt Gidley on a regular basis and other League legends. When in reality he is whet behind the ears and needs at least two more years in reserve grade.

 

[playdaball]

Does Tom Ale need to play NSW Cup for a week to give him more game time?
Curran for Siro too.

 

[Aman]

It was the circumstances. Covid had a massive impact on his development - a union recruit with limited opportunities for lower grade experience being thrown into a struggling first grade side was not the smartest move. But if you saw how he went in the weekend he was very good. I don't think he walks into the first grade side just yet, but he looks like he is getting close.

I saw how he went on the weekend and it was competent. Nothing more nothing less. But the images of him being completely lost on attack and defence for those handful of first grade games I saw are permanently engrained in my memory.

Don’t forget he still makes some silly mistakes even in reserve grade, not like he’s lighting up the competition.

Sorry mate, I just disagree with the notion he’s ready to be bought back in. I would go as far as to say there’s a couple of other players I saw that could be ahead of him in that reserve sides eg - Zion and Junior Ali.

 

[3rdstriker]

Only Tohu Harris listed in casualty ward this week so assume Sironen and Te Maire Martin will be fit to play.
Expect Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Barnett and Egan back on deck this week. My team…

1 Nicoll-Klokstad
2 Watene-Zelezniak
3 Vailea
4 Pompey
5 Montoya
6 Te Maire Martin
7 Johnson
8 Fonua-Blake
9 Egan
10 Barnett
11 Ford
12 Niukore
13 Walker

14 Afoa
15 Tevaga
16 Ale
17 Curran

18 Lussick
19 Kosi
20 Volkman


Yes.. but we get to correct the ledger this year. If we can’t use last years abortion at Shark Park as motivation, then what can you use? Not often you get the opportunity to bury some demons, and I think this team is all about doing that this season.

I am expecting an upset here. Something about this week tells me we are going to pick their pockets and walk away with the two points…

mark my words, this is a hit and run job. Sharks won’t believe we can beat them. And we will do what we did to the dogs last week… outlast them.

I feel kosi deserves to cement his spot he was very good out there on Sunday I reckon Dallin should go Nsw cup just to refresh.
It's not like it's another home game this week either.

 

[Lance155]

Yeah you are right

I apologise for that low blow,

I am just frustrated about the campaign from one third of this web site to get him into the first grade team ahead of players who I perceive as being much much better than him.
Berry has a very strong lobby group on this web site and I don't know what they see in him. Last year when playing for Redcliffe he was getting compared to Kurt Gidley on a regular basis and other League legends. When in reality he is whet behind the ears and needs at least two more years in reserve grade.

I agree he is way over hyped with little evidence. But as next cab off the rank I want to see him in a decent team/structure with a good coach. I am not overly familiar with the other options. But I have had it with Pompey, he hasn't proved himself by now he never will

 

[Paulo24]

I saw how he went on the weekend and it was competent. Nothing more nothing less. But the images of him being completely lost on attack and defence for those handful of first grade games I saw are permanently engrained in my memory.

Don’t forget he still makes some silly mistakes even in reserve grade, not like he’s lighting up the competition.

Sorry mate, I just disagree with the notion he’s ready to be bought back in. I would go as far as to say there’s a couple of other players I saw that could be ahead of him in that reserve sides eg - Zion and Junior Ali.

I think your assessment would be closer to the money. 1) agree Rocco needs to be lighting up Reggie’s and he’s not quite there. Playing well but need a bit more for mine.
2) Zyon is getting close to be ready. Powerful kid, I’d be tempted to put him ahead of Tom Ale in impact?
3) Ali L, isn’t there defensively. Someone ran right by him on the weekend. He’s a better runner than Berry no doubt, powerful fend but Berry is a better tackler and passer.
4) Sifakula gets a game or two this year. These young boys (him and Zyon) are so strong and aggressive. I think this is why people were impressed by the Tigers trial.
5) Gavet maybe our prop signing. I’m old school and love a dominant big body prop in the team. I don’t see many on the market better. I would argue he would be less than Kerr on his runs but would add a similar punch off the bench if he played as his peak which I was surprised to see on the weekend.

Just my thoughts, this team still has growth without imports especially when you consider a strike utility in Metcalf.

I’d love to see a bench of

Walker
Tevaga
Gavet
Metcalf

 

[JustVisiting82]

I agree he is way over hyped with little evidence. But as next cab off the rank I want to see him in a decent team/structure with a good coach. I am not overly familiar with the other options. But I have had it with Pompey, he hasn't proved himself by now he never will

If Berry was going to take Pompey's spot I think I would rather wait until after the next game. Whoever plays right centre this week is marking Talakai - that's a tough defensive assignment for a young player returning to first grade and Pompey being a bigger body might be a better bet for containing him.

 

[Viking]

I saw how he went on the weekend and it was competent. Nothing more nothing less. But the images of him being completely lost on attack and defence for those handful of first grade games I saw are permanently engrained in my memory.

Don’t forget he still makes some silly mistakes even in reserve grade, not like he’s lighting up the competition.

Sorry mate, I just disagree with the notion he’s ready to be bought back in. I would go as far as to say there’s a couple of other players I saw that could be ahead of him in that reserve sides eg - Zion and Junior Ali.

I've watched his last two cup games and he was average against the Bears. I couldn't tell if he disinterested, frustrated or just short of a gallop. He was much better this week but still looks off the pace for 1st grade. His kick returns lacked venom, it's like he's running into the defence at 80%. I don't know how bad his foot injury was but if it's curtailed his pre-season then he'll need to use actual game time to get some conditioning back into his legs. Best he does that in cup for the next month or so.

Zyon was a stand out in the weekend but he's got 20 minute stints in him at best. He runs twice as hard for half as long, he'll earn some 1st grade runs off the bench for impact this season for sure.

 

[Lance155]

If Berry was going to take Pompey's spot I think I would rather wait until after the next game. Whoever plays right centre this week is marking Talakai - that's a tough defensive assignment for a young player returning to first grade and Pompey being a bigger body might be a better bet for containing him.

Agree, although Talakai has dropped off a lot recently. Matter of time before he moves back into the pack

 

[Paulo24]

Agree, although Talakai has dropped off a lot recently. Matter of time before he moves back into the pack

Never been the same since he had the origin shocker. Poor thing.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Yeah not too confident about this one. Sharks just have too much strike across the park and when they flick the switch its hard to keep up.

Gonna need most things going in our favour from possesion to territory to penalties etc. If our forward pack can do a job on theirs then we maybe can limit what their halves and back 5 can do......big ask tho, at times i thought we we're just barely holding on against the Dogs, better game management/Shaun Johnson like performance from their halves and they probably shouldve iced that game.

Sharks play pretty flashy these days, the Bald Brothers taking this game to the gutter probably our best chance, make it a grind,

 

[Sup42]

You cannot have a team that is built on one prop and the rest are either midgets or glorified backrow converts and take out a big center like Pompey for Berry.

Back five either have to be very fast like Dallin Watene-Zelezniak or hard running like Montoya, Pompey, and to a lesser extent Kosi, although Kosi is coming on now so that is great.

Berry gets eaten alive running into contact, just cannot afford to have someone like that until he starts ripping it up in NSW cup...not merely getting by and having good games, we need to see tackle breaking, or side stepping or showing some speed, or great ball playing, or most importantly strong defence and carries out of our end.

Our small pack is reliant on strong kick returns. Can't have skinny dudes getting folded coming out of the back field. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak gets away with his greyhound build by going hard and being very fast over ground to give good tackles one and two or three.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was MOM in a few games last season and he gives the backline the missing dynamic, blinding speed.....you cannot leave him out for Kosi. I am a big fan of Kosi, but the balance of the team when you have a big slow powerful centre is better served by a ultra quick Winger.

Happy to see Dallin Watene-Zelezniak have a cup run first mind, I guess it depends on his fitness which might fine.

Kosi might beat Dallin Watene-Zelezniak one day for that spot, but I have not seen any MOM performances from Kose to put that argument forwards.

Vaileas spot is the one with question marks, Pompey is too good at defence and heavy contact to leave out, he has that spot sewn up as far as I see it.

 

[TheMorningEmu]

Never thought I would say this, not this soon anyway

Kosi has done enough to keep his spot !!

Rest of those predictions look pretty good as well

Not quite the same situation but I think Webster will approach it the same as Taine & Charnze a few weeks back- the replacement player has played well, but ultimately there is a international level player that earned the spot in the preseason, that is now healthy.

Kosi got a contract extension just the other week so he knows the team has confidence in him, but he just isn’t at the level of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak quite yet.

I still reckon they give Dallin Watene-Zelezniak a week or two in reserve grade as they did with Tevaga when he came back though, then bring ‘em back in for against the Knights or Cow’s

 

[Tianasnow14]

Is there a world that when we're are in the red zone Shauny or Te Maire Martin cross kick bomb to Kosi's wing? Hes starting to become confident under the high ball, and he can leap as well. Could possibly add another bow to the attack?

 

[Tonbridge (Swanley)]

Walker can play first receiver like Harris.

I'd go with Walker as 13.

1 to 7 as per last week.

8: Addin Fonua-Blake
9: Egan
10: Barnett
11: Ford
12: Nuikora
13: Walker

14: Bunty
15: Jazz
16: Ale
17: Sironen

18: Curren
19: Lussick
20: Berry

Would love to have Curren on the bench, but loath to make too many changes.

Happy to replace Kosi with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak if he's available.

 

[Makasene]

Sharks looked very good, Hynes almost unstoppable.

I will be very surprised if we win this.

Dragons d-line was running backwards at times.

I don't think he will have as much room.

But he is extremely dangerous, possibly Blues 6 this year

We will have our work cut out for sure