General Pick Your Team - Rnd 23 vs Knights

[ToiletDuck]

I think you're pretty much right bro. And definitely right about Mateo - he's playing well, but not exactly taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Vague is an apt word for that man.

He looks like he's building towards something at least. The Raiders and Sharks games were his best 2 in recent memory, by a long shot. Yesterday he also recorded 11 runs, 94m, 4 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 1 error. Not amazing stats but decent off the bench. He also had 19 receives, i.e he was used as a link man for almost half of the time he got the ball in hand, and some of his passes out the back looked a lot better than what TL was producing. Though he also ran the ball a couple of times without any intent to offload, which was great. He just needs to find that balance. He's at his worst when the team has no direction and he's catching the ball flat-footed, looking to offload almost before he's even been tackled...that's when it turns to shit.

Just as an aside, we talk about us having a strong bench, as do the commentators. For mine that's been a deliberate decision made by McFadden, especially after those games mid-season when there was a noticeable drop in performance of the side after the first 20 mins. But starting guys like Lousi, Ikahihifo with a clear game plan to bash them out wide with Hurrell and Laumape inside the 1st 20 has created the opportunity to then bring on the likes of Felatio, Matulino and Rapira...which sees us actually become a little stronger heading into that middle part of the game. That's just something I've noticed him tweak over the past few games. It must be tempting to start some of them, particularly Henry and Matulino who you know are 'safe' players..

 

[Matulino's Left Shoulder]

Is it just me or is Ikahihifo in a form slump? Dude's not running with vigor not tackling aggressive just going through the motions by the looks.. wake up buddy.

Same as Matagi where is those devastating punishing runs I saw him do for Samoa at the World Cup? Good work rate and all the rest but he's pretty much done nothing I want more aggression and venom with the ball carries

its cause we never give matagi the frigging ball on kick returns which where he shines the most.
mr queenslander needs to share the hit ups.

we gave him only one yesterday and the crow goes fucking nuts when matagi winds up with anticipation. we need more of that.

 

[Paleaaesina2the20]

its cause we never give matagi the frigging ball on kick returns which where he shines the most.
mr queenslander needs to share the hit ups.

we gave him only one yesterday and the crow goes fucking nuts when matagi winds up with anticipation. we need more of that.

Kick offs and kick returns are given to the prop on that side of the field 100% of the time. The kicking team decides who they want to kick the ball to, not the recieving team. I would hate to see the Warriors go two passes under their own posts off a kick off, would give me a heart attack. Let alone the fact that while you are passing the ball the defence is getting closer...

 

[mt.wellington]

Was thinking as much myself. Has been playing well the few games Ive seen of him. Would not be averse to Solomone Kata making his debut but the games Ive seen him play have been a mix of attacking brilliance and silly handling errors. Unlike the last 2 games Im not taking the Knights lightly and think experience is a must...

 

[Inruin]

1 Sam Tomkins
2 David Fusitua
3 Ben Henry
4 Ngani Laumape
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Chad Townsend
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jacob Lillyman
9 Nathan Friend
10 Suaia Matagi
11 Simon Mannering
12 Sione Lousi
13 Sebastine Ikahihifo
14 Thomas Leuluai
15 Ben Matulino
16 Feleti Mateo
17 Sam Rapira

 

[BA-AD Luck]

1. Tomkins
2. Fuistu'a
3. Kata
4. Laumape
5. Vatuvei
6. Townsend
7. Johnson
8. Lillyman
9. Leuluai
10. Matagi
11. Lousi
12. Mannering (c)
13. Ikahihifo

14. Mateo
15. Matulino
16. Rapira
17. Henry

18. Bukuya
20. Waetford

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

Always like to post my team before reading other's ideas.

Tomkins
Fusitua
Benry (inside Fusitua)
Ngani (with Manu)
Manu
Chad
Shaun Johnson
Rapira
Friend
Lillyman
Lousi
Mannering
Seb

Mutts
Matagi
Leuluai
Mateo

 

[Marshthedarsh]

1 Sam Tomkins
2 David Fusitua
3 Ben Henry
4 Ngani Laumape
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Chad Townsend
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jacob Lillyman
9 Nathan Friend
10 Suaia Matagi
11 Simon Mannering
12 Sam Lousi
13 Sebastine Ikahihifo

14 Thomas Leuluai
15 Ben Matulino
16 Feleti Mateo
17 Sam Rapira


This according to Hurrell being out as suspected. If he's in, Benry > Lousi perhaps?

 

[Far Away Fan]

its cause we never give matagi the frigging ball on kick returns which where he shines the most.
mr queenslander needs to share the hit ups.

we gave him only one yesterday and the crow goes fucking nuts when matagi winds up with anticipation. we need more of that.

Too right. A good kick return almost invariably gives more metres than a mid set hit-up, so whoever gets given a lot of kick returns looks the best on paper. One more reason why stats don't tell the full story.

 

[MrWarrior203]

1 Sam Tomkins
2 David Fusitua
3 Ben Henry
4 Ngani Laumape
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Chad Townsend
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jacob Lillyman
9 Nathan Friend
10 Suaia Matagi
11 Simon Mannering
12 Sam Lousi
13 Sebastine Ikahihifo

14 Thomas Leuluai
15 Ben Matulino
16 Feleti Mateo
17 Sam Rapira


This according to Hurrell being out as suspected. If he's in, Benry > Lousi perhaps?

Would be unstoppable especially if Hurrell returns. Good having Leuluai on the bench especially after friends brain farts last week also if the chad is not going to well or if Johnson goes down he's def a must have on the bench also in regards to the centres would def have Henry on Leilua as apposed to laumape he should handle gagai ok fusitua on the wing is a must need that height to contest for them high balls given all that I think we can win easy 20+ with or without Hurrell

 

[jonno]

Is it just me or is Ikahihifo in a form slump? Dude's not running with vigor not tackling aggressive just going through the motions by the looks.. wake up buddy.

Same as Matagi where is those devastating punishing runs I saw him do for Samoa at the World Cup? Good work rate and all the rest but he's pretty much done nothing I want more aggression and venom with the ball carries

Matagi has been average for a while. His tackle percentages and total tackle numbers are low, and his work rate is down.

The work he does with ball in hand is still impressive, hitting just under 10 meters per run, but he's not doing enough of it IMO...

He's probably contributing 2/3rds what Bull is during the same amount of minutes in terms of meters made and tackles completed...

Maybe he's working to get his head round the structures and being in the right place for the block runs etc... One things for sure is he can crank up another gear in the finals. Hopefully that's his master plan....

 

[warriors4sure]

Is it just me or is Ikahihifo in a form slump? Dude's not running with vigor not tackling aggressive just going through the motions by the looks.. wake up buddy.

Same as Matagi where is those devastating punishing runs I saw him do for Samoa at the World Cup? Good work rate and all the rest but he's pretty much done nothing I want more aggression and venom with the ball carries

Yeah ive been keeping an eye on those 2 and they been really disappointing..hope raise their game this week at newcastle..cappy might bring bukya for ikahihifo or spell matagi for lousi.cant wait till tuesday...team selection day !

 

[eX | Machina]

1 Sam Tomkins
2 David Fusitua
3 Ben Henry
4 Ngani Laumape
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Chad Townsend
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jacob Lillyman
9 Nathan Friend
10 Sam Rapira
11 Simon Mannering
12 Ben Matulino
13 Sebastine Ikahihifo

14 Thomas Leuluai
15 Jayson Bukuya
16 Feleti Mateo
17 Sione Lousi

 

[rugged]

Not sure I would do it, but is it a possibility to give Matagi the week off? I think slowly the grind of first grade is wearing on him and not having to make the trip to Oz may be just the tonic he needs. So for something different how about
1 Tomkins
2 Fusitua
3 Peyroux
4 Laumape
5 beast
6 the chad
7 Shaun Johnson
8 bull
9 friend
10 matulino
11 mannering
12 Lousi
13 ikahihifo

14 tl
15 rapira
16 Mateo
17 Ben Henry

With Lousi to spend some time at prop

 

[Gizzyfan]

Tring to get best out of squad for this week. Selecting on premise that Nielson and Hurrell are injured. I also don't think that Friend is playing to required standard, however his omission is more as a rest, at this stage.

Tomkins
Fusitua
Henry
Lolohea
Vatuvei
Chad
Shaun Johnson
Lillyman
TL (Shaun Johnson is the playmaker)
Rapira (against people like Mason experience from the get go)
Mannering
Louisi
Ikahihifo

Mateo
Matulino
Matagi
Kata (bench utility and to take 20 minutes at dummy half, still have that long pass from Broncos trial in my mind)

 

[ToiletDuck]

I would leave Laumape on the right, and Manu on the left. Not for any other reason other than that our attack has been better down our right side all year, that's the way our structures have been set up, and it's where we get success with either Konrad or Ngani.

 

[Sup42]

It's hard to pick teams these days.

I hope Bukuya is right this week. We need the depth of players now. People are getting injured left right and left center.

 

[InsideBall]

It's hard to pick teams these days.

I hope Bukuya is right this week. We need the depth of players now. People are getting injured left right and left center.

He's becoming the forgotten man a little, Jayson.

I mean that literally, I completely forgot about him when I was deciding on my team... haha.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Bukuya was right to go last week wasn't he? I thought he was dropped for Benry...

 

[mt.wellington]

Bukuya was right to go last week wasn't he? I thought he was dropped for Benry...

He was 18th man I think. Was on the field doing extras after the game. Doing suicides with Ben Henry and Sebastine Ikahihifo. Seb was struggling big time. Looked like he was going to puke and didnt complete all the runs...