General Pick Your Team Rnd 20 vs Manly

[mt.wellington]

Think the team suffered during the Broncos game from too many team changes. Im in two minds about the selection of Thomas Leuluai and Agnatius Paasi. Bit of a catch 22 with both needing top level game time but both probably a touch off the pace. I know both have the goods but can we afford to keep playing them while they find their feet?

We really are missing Sam Rapira and need him back urgently. Still no expected time of return.

1. SAM TOMKINS
2. DAVID FUSITUA
3. KONRAD HURRELL
4. NGANI LAUMAPE
5. MANU VATUVEI
6. CHAD TOWNSEND
7. SHAUN JOHNSON
8. JACOB LILLYMAN
9. NATHAN FRIEND
10. SUAIA MATAGI
11. JAYSON BUKUYA
12. BEN MATULINO
13. SIMON MANNERING

14. SAM RAPIRA
15. SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
16. BEN HENRY
17. FELETI MATEO

Cant justify having Thomas Leuluai on the bench against such a formidable team in Manly. Have a sneaking suspicion Cappy will try squeeze him in somewhere. Just like he wont drop Feleti Mateo.

Ngani Laumape comes straight into the squad with Dane Nielsen dropping to Reserve Grade. Nothing wrong with Dane who has filled in nicely while Ngani was suspended but Laumape offers more and is the future. Really is as simple as that.

Early days but Im hearing from the post mach conference that Konrad Hurrell suffered a head knock so should be ok to play. If he isnt then Dane Nielsen to fill in maybe swapping with Ngani.

Would love to Ben Matulino move back to 2nd row instead of bench prop.

If Sam Rapira isnt yet fit then it'l be one of the usual suspects in Charlie Gubb, Sione Lousi, Sam Lousi or even Agnatius Paasi again. Personal preference would be Sione if he can bring his usual aggressive streak with him. We are going to need it...

 

[matiunz]

Id say above team with TL instead of Mateo, not saying I think TL should be in based off last night I just think cappy will put him in. Hoping TL will be better next week otherwise I may just admit defeat
Fusituas had a couple of bad games now, who is the better option between him and Kata?

 

[jonno]

I didn't think TL had a bad game at hooker, apart from a slow start he was solid, so I'd give him another run to see how he goes next week at home during the day.

Nielson to right wing is a no brainer in my opinion. We leaked three tries down that edge against Brisbanes makeshift back line. Against Matai and Tufoua we could get hammered. So I reckon put the origin winger out there outside Konrad and we've got a rock solid right edge D.

Manu and Laumapi had been handling the left edge D really well, so I'm not worried about that side. But against Lion and Stewart I possibly should be.

We need Sammy Raps back asap. But if not I'd give Sam Lousi another run. He was safe and ran hard against the Eels. His big body could come in handy.

Other than that I'd keep the team the same.

 

[Matulino's Left Shoulder]

Sup Manly

 

[Far Away Fan]

Cant justify having Thomas Leuluai on the bench against such a formidable team in Manly. Have a sneaking suspicion Cappy will try squeeze him in somewhere. Just like he wont drop Feleti Mateo.

Feleti has his good days and his bad days. In a way he's a barometer for the whole side. But what we really need is senior players that give us 100% intensity and reliability week in week out. If a senior player has so many off days, well it's easy to argue that he should be off. Shaun also has off days, obviously, but not so many and when he's good he's electric. He needs senior players around him who turn up every week. And senior players should turn up very week. That's why they make it to that level, right? Otherwise, it's look at your kpi's time.

TL didn't play well, that's more or less agreed all around. Manly aren't a side you take risks with, and Cappy did take a few with his team for the Broncs match. I thought that sticking with players that didn't do too well was what those other coaches did. Cappy dropped Neilsen, for example, which ME wouldn't contemplate. So for me it's a test of Cappy's mettle, whether or not he sticks with TL in first grade for this match.

 

[Matulino's Left Shoulder]

I have a feeling the aussies are gonna stomp down on us gang pushing back in tackles by calling 'HELD' in unreasonably lightening fast times

 

[Iafetas Kickstand Wang]

David Fusitua needs a couple of weeks in lower grade. I've seen it a number of times where experienced coaches will send young blokes back down prior to the outcomes of fatigue, but yesterday Dave looked cumbersome and played God awful footy.

1 Sam Tomkins
2 Ngani Laumape
3 Konrad Hurrell
4 Dane Nielsen
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Chad Townsend
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jacob Lillyman
9 Nathan Friend
10 Suaia Matagi
11 Ben Henry
12 Simon Mannering (c)
13 Sebastine Ikahihifo

Thomas Leuluai
Ben Matulino
Jayson Bukuya
Sam Lousi

 

[Inruin]

I don't think TL will be dropped for this game, but it will be a mistake if he gets as many minutes as he did against the Broncos. I would rather have Friend playing 80 and have 4 genuine forwards on the bench providing direct, simple running.

 

[Inruin]

1. Sam Tomkins
2. David Fusitua/Dane Nielsen
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Ngani Laumape
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. C Money - Chad Townsend
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Feleti Mateo
9. Nathan Friend
10. Jacob Lillyman
11. Ben Henry
12. Simon Mannering
13. Sebastine Ikahihifo

14. Suaia Matagi
15. Ben Matulino
16. Jayson Bukuya
17. Sam Lousi/Sione Lousi/Charlie Gubb

 

[MrWarrior203]

My Team

1. Tomkins
2. Laumape
3. Hurrell
4. Neilsen
5. Vatuvei
6. Townsend
7. Johnson
8. Lillyman
9. Friend
10. Matulino
11. Henry
12. Bukuya
13. Mannerring

14. Mateo
15. Matagi
16. Ikahihifo
17. Lousi (Sione)

Tough call on fusitua but cappy is hard and I think he will drop him for a week or two make him work harder in nsw cup on defence he will come back stronger then we can get back to our best back line of
Tomkins
Fusitua
Hurrell
Laumape
Vatuvei
Townsend
Johnson
We are missing Rapira still so Lousi gets the nod for me won't be disappointed if Gubb gets it either.
TL to play NSW cup didn't add anymore than our regular bench boys and hindered our combos

 

[InsideBall]

I have a feeling the aussies are gonna stomp down on us gang pushing back in tackles by calling 'HELD' in unreasonably lightening fast times

That is EXACTLY what they're going to. Did you see the game last night, when they were showing the ref cam, and Ben Hannant was in their face telling the refs that we were pushing them backwards after they called held?...

They were calling held literally as soon as we made the tackle, it gave us NO opportunity to dominate the tackle.

Subtle cheating by the refs at its best/worst...

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

1 Tomkins
2 Fusitua
3 Konrad
4 Ngani
5 Manu
6 The Chad
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Lillyman
9 Friend
10 Matagi
11 Benry
12 Mannering
13 Seb

14 Havili
15 Matulino
16 Mateo
17 Sam Lousi

 

[Wellington Warrior]

That is EXACTLY what they're going to. Did you see the game last night, when they were showing the ref cam, and Ben Hannant was in their face telling the refs that we were pushing them backwards after they called held?...

They were calling held literally as soon as we made the tackle, it gave us NO opportunity to dominate the tackle.

Subtle cheating by the refs at its best/worst...

They weren't so quick to call held when Fusitua was in trouble and got dragged a few metres into touch were they....

 

[warriors4eva]

wouldnt gubb the grubb come back in, not sure why he was dropped for broncos game !

im loving his aggression

 

[Marshthedarsh]

Ngani Laumape comes straight into the squad with Dane Nielsen dropping to Reserve Grade. Nothing wrong with Dane who has filled in nicely while Ngani was suspended but Laumape offers more and is the future. Really is as simple as that.
.

Bang on. Nielsen has definitely improved from his last stint in the team, but Ngani > Dane is as clear as day (maybe not today though ). Still a few times he's neglected to pass to Manu in space, but his D has been quite good.

It was our right edge defence that killed us last night. Konrad going off made things more difficult - and Fusi got a spray from him earlier on.

In the end we lost by one try, and the ones we conceded were all pretty weak. Usually we'd have an advantage at Suncorp - but the Rise for Alex round meant a lot more Brissy fans turned up for their team. Ahh well - onto next week at home.

 

[InsideBall]

1. Sam Tomkins
2. David Fusitua / Solomone Kata
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Ngani Laumape
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Chad Townsend
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Sam Rapira
9. Nathan Friend
10. Jacob Lillyman
11. Jayson Bukuya
12. Ben Matulino
13. Simon Mannering

14. Ben Henry
15. Suaia Matagi
16. Sebastine Ikahihifo
17. Sione Lousi / Thomas Leuluai

 

[Rick O'Shay]

That is EXACTLY what they're going to. Did you see the game last night, when they were showing the ref cam, and Ben Hannant was in their face telling the refs that we were pushing them backwards after they called held?...

They were calling held literally as soon as we made the tackle, it gave us NO opportunity to dominate the tackle.

Subtle cheating by the refs at its best/worst...

Fully agree and it's been a weapon for us. Needs to be a discussion with the ref's bosses about it and get some clarification on what is a dominant tackle

 

[Rick O'Shay]

They weren't so quick to call held when Fusitua was in trouble and got dragged a few metres into touch were they....

Last night I actually thought I heard them say held and couldn't figure how Fusi didn't get a penalty. Will have to watch that piece again

 

[Waiting For Premiership]

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Solomone Kata
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Ngani Laumape
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Chad Townsend
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Sam Rapira
9. Nathan Friend
10. Jacob Lillyman
11. Ben Henry
12. Ben Matulino
13. Simon Mannering

14. Jayson Bukuya
15. Suaia Matagi
16. Sebastine Ikahihifo
17. Sam Lousi

Have to lose Neilson, bring in new blood, BUT only one...Wish the Fish wasn,t out for the season tho. Stop the bombs too, dumb, no brainer play. Hope Cappy can turn this around against Eagles if not were out of 8...Storm deal to the Broncs, Cowboys kill the Dogs

 

[pompower]

1. Tomkins
2. Fusitua
3. Hurrell
4. Laumape
5. Vatuvei
6. Townsend
7. Johnson
8. Lillyman
9. Friend
10. Matagi (Rapira if fit)
11. Bukuya
12. Henry
13. Mannering

14. Mateo
15. Ikahihifo
16. Matulino
17. Gubb (Matagi if Rapira is fit)