General Your 2024 lineup

[John Nick]

I can't prove my case with stats so perhaps I don't have a case !!! It is just the eye test.
In 2022 he really moved the needle with some great impact off the bench to my eyes and really showed well. In 2023 he just seemed to fold at the point of impact. Do you have runs and metres for 2022 vs 2023 can you calculate Stalefish his average metres per carry in 2023 vs 2022 in the NRL first grade? That would solve this with stats and would be much better than my memory. Only if you have nothing else to do....I would do it but don't know where i would source that from.

With more time experience in RL you will learn about how props are most effective as the game has been sped up.
For me and the coaches I have spoken with is about props in contact and being taken to ground.
The most important aspect is not being turned over but is being strong enough to go down on their front.
Enabling a quicker recovery and ptb.
The speed of the game is becoming increasingly important to keep up with more and more every year.
A prime example is James Gavet.
Hardly ever been turned over.
Bounced back to his feet and played the ball.

 

[Wrighty]

I'll weigh in if you don't mind.
2022 - he averaged 89m total & 42.3 PCM pg which was 48%. Only a 4 game sample size though.
2023 - 74m total pg, 24.6 PCM pg which was 33%.

For a comparison JFH Post Contact Metres were 32.6% of his total yards in 2023 & Leota 33.4%

Well your interjection is most welcome as it supports my eye test that he made more PCMs in 2022 and bent the line more that year than 2023. We were all pumped up about the dude in 2022 and we thought he was going to be a great role player for us. The whole forum was pumping his tires now here is a 50/50 spilt on him.

 

[Stalefish540]

I'll weigh in if you don't mind.
2022 - he averaged 89m total & 42.3 PCM pg which was 48%. Only a 4 game sample size though.
2023 - 74m total pg, 24.6 PCM pg which was 33%.

For a comparison JFH Post Contact Metres were 32.6% of his total yards in 2023 & Leota 33.4%

He also played a large majority of last season with a heavily bandaged knee, this likely played a part in his output.

I thought he always played 2rf or lock in reggies, so stepping into a propping role when Barnett/Jazz got injured was more out of necessity than anything.

But gave him a pathway to gain some more FG experience which was good regardless if not in his more preferred positions.

 

[Defence]

The main thing ale and sao have in common is that they both should’ve played more first grade.

 

[Lance155]

What are we thinking the bench make up will be position wise. 2 props, a backrower (Walker) and a utility? I hate wasting a spot that isn't used be we tend to cope ok with using 3 players. With HIA becoming ridiculous and going off for a graze to the head maybe someone like CHT would work

 

[BabylonPink]

1.CNK/Tauapiki/RTS/TMM or DWZ? Doyle?
2.DWZ/Tu
3.Berry/Ali
4.RTS/Adam
5.Montoya/Kosi?

6.Metcalfe/TMM/CHT
7.SJ/Metcalf/TMM

8.AFB/Ale
9.Egan/Lussick
10.Barnett/Bunty
11.Ford/Laban
12.Capewell/Niukore
13.Tohu/Walker

14.Walker/CHT
15.Jazz/Bunty
16.Niukore/Ale
17.Lussick/CHT

18.TMM

 

[watcher]

Having Ford and Capewell as 80 minute backrowers has a big effect on the bench IMO. I think it means Lussick can be there to rest Egan. Walker is a given as is Niukore leaving one spot for a log jam of players each of whom have cases to argue.

Stats can be misleading. It seems to me it is a bit of a lottery as to what tackles they get in a set. There are two stats that matter. How fast they get up and get into the defensive and get up into the attacking line.

I coached in Union. It is difficult to just watch one player in a game and have the metrics to measure just his performance. They have GPS etc but the best equipment is still the mk1 eyeball. There are other factors. They are human, they have off days. One big one is the ball they are getting catching the ball on their hip, players creeping. All kinds of shit can happen. Stats help but they are only a guide for a Coach.

 

[cock_o]

I feel Walker was once seen as a utility. Now he is that good at the job he does as a middle forward, that i would rather he is just used as a middle forward.
Bench is.
14. Lussick
15. Walker
16. Niukore
17. Bunty/Ale/Jazz (all going to plan not getting many minutes unless injuries)

 

[Tookey 2.0]

So now that we've seen RTS kill it at the back, I'm wondering if that has thrown any potential spanner in the works.

Essentially Webby needs to pick Ali or Tuaupiki.
Ali seems to be the higher rated junior, so in theory it makes sense to give him as much game time when it comes up (a 3 game stretch is great for a rookie to come in for).

But, picking Ali would kind of fly in the face of everything Webby has already said, so would almost certainly do more harm than good for our overall culture.

Is there any chance Webby picks Ali? Or is everyone sticking with Tauapiki for the first few rounds

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Imagine webby will be good to his word and play TT in rd 1, from what he's shown he's solid defensively and helps in yardage but doesn't bring much to attack, usually the other way round for little tiny fullbacks.

But if he struggles or the team is lacking a bit, fullback is just a way more influential position than left center, and Roger is looking insane, you want your best players to get involved....

Pompey would probably come in, has the combination with Monty and would do a solid job.

It's not a slight on TT, but you'd have the chance for Rog to touch the ball every set, not every 3rd set how tempting is that

 

[Inruin]

So now that we've seen RTS kill it at the back, I'm wondering if that has thrown any potential spanner in the works.

Essentially Webby needs to pick Ali or Tuaupiki.
Ali seems to be the higher rated junior, so in theory it makes sense to give him as much game time when it comes up (a 3 game stretch is great for a rookie to come in for).

But, picking Ali would kind of fly in the face of everything Webby has already said, so would almost certainly do more harm than good for our overall culture.

Is there any chance Webby picks Ali? Or is everyone sticking with Tauapiki for the first few rounds

Sticking with TT. As you say, AW has been all about the next man up so I cant imagine it would gel with the wider group or himself if he didn't give TT the spot, particularly after being in the media saying it's CNK, TT and then we would have to assess from there if we wanted RTS at fullback.

Would he put Ali on the bench as insurance if TT wasn't going well so he could move RTS to fullback and Ali to centre? I don't think he would do that either. Bit of a waste of a bench spot and Capewell can cover centre if that was needed.

 

[Lance155]

There is no way Roger plays fullback while Taine is available. That is very clear. We would need Taine to absolutely tank for it to happen

 

[watcher]

If TT has to be hooked for any reaon then RTS to FB, probably Capewell to Centre. I have a sneaking suspicion based on nothing that Webby has been keeping TTs attacking role in the structure under wraps.

 

[Worried2Death]

7.SJ/Metcalf/TMM

Not convinced Te Maire is a 7 option unless it's a dire emergency, he said himself his kicking game isn't his best asset, I'd stick to SJ/Metcalf/CHT/Walker.

 

[Noitall]

Not convinced Te Maire is a 7 option unless it's a dire emergency, he said himself his kicking game isn't his best asset, I'd stick to SJ/Metcalf/CHT/Walker.

Don’t reckon Walker would be either especially looking that he’s bulked up a bit. I reckon our halfbacks go SJ/Metcalf/CHT. Think if there’s injury to all 3 then we’re really stretched and perhaps TMM is it in that case which is exactly what you said in dire emergency

 

[Worried2Death]

Don’t reckon Walker would be either especially looking that he’s bulked up a bit. I reckon our halfbacks go SJ/Metcalf/CHT. Think if there’s injury to all 3 then we’re really stretched and perhaps TMM is it in that case which is exactly what you said in dire emergency

Do you think we'll need to sign another experienced half to bridge the gap between SJ retiring and the young kids like Soric and Hanson coming through? Not sure if Benny Farr is ever going to be an option.

 

[#robbiemears]

Strap yourselves in, I think we're in for a bumper year! Webby has this team humming. You can see in the calmness and maturity in the first half performance over the weekend. They didn't show their hand, but they revealed just enough to get us all excited. There's not a weakness anywhere, and with RTS nailing down the left side and Capewell bringing discipline and a relentless work ethic to the right, the balance feels about perfect.

The squad is 98% selected for week one now, with probably just one bench position up for grabs - be it Jazz, Ale, or Bunty. Webby made it clear in his interview yesterday that RTS will absolutely be starting at left centre, so TT will shore up the back. And I suspect Lussick will likely spell Wayde for 20 or so each week, a learning from the rigours of last season where they pushed Egan's minutes way too hard. Egan's like a priced piece of porcelain ... don't break him! Meanwhile, Metcalf offers plenty at 6, not the least of which is a (slowly) improving kicking game which will take some heat off SJ and push the left edge to work as hard on the chase as the right always does.

The big conundrum facing Webby right now is how does he get Ali into the side? He can only be held back in NSW Cup for so long before he (and more likely his manager) will start asking questions about what his path looks like with Roger there for 3 years and Rocco still in his early 20s. I sense that Ali is a generational talent so it'd be devastating to lose him to a big spending Sydney club. But that's one for the two Andrews to figure out over the course of this season.

For now, I've never felt better about the club heading into week one. Between the coaching, the competitiveness within the squad, the hard-nosed pros we've got onboard, and the confidence they'd all have taken out of last year, I think we're a real shot. The only question will be whether we have the X factor to compete with the two grand finalists from last season who remain stacked with it.

 

[Noitall]

Do you think we'll need to sign another experienced half to bridge the gap between SJ retiring and the young kids like Soric and Hanson coming through? Not sure if Benny Farr is ever going to be an option.

Feels like they giving Metcalf every chance of being SJ’s successor?

 

[John Nick]

Strap yourselves in, I think we're in for a bumper of a year! Webby has this team humming. You can see in the calmness and maturity in the first half performance over the weekend. They didn't show their hand, but they revealed just enough to get us all excited. There's not a weakness anywhere, and with RTS nailing down the left side and Capewell bringing discipline and a relentless work ethic to the right, the balance feels about perfect.

The squad is 98% selected for week one now, with probably just one bench position up for grabs - be it Jazz, Ale, or Bunty. Webby made it clear in his interview yesterday that RTS will absolutely be starting at left centre, so TT will shore up the back. And I suspect Lussick will likely spell Wayde for 20 or so each week, a learning from the rigours of last season where they pushed Egan's minutes way too hard. Egan's like a priced piece of porcelain ... don't break him! Meanwhile, Metcalf offers plenty at 6, not the least of which is a (slowly) improving kicking game which will take some heat off SJ and push the left edge to work as hard on the chase as the right always does.

The big conundrum facing Webby right now is how does he get Ali into the side? He can only be held back in NSW Cup for so long before he (and more likely his manager) will start asking questions about what his path looks like with Roger there for 3 years and Rocco still in his early 20s. I sense that Ali is a generational talent so it'd be devastating to lose him to a big spending Sydney club. But that's one for the two Andrew's to figure out over the course of this season.

For now, I've never felt better about the club heading into week one. Between the coaching, the competitiveness within the squad, the hard-nosed pros we've got onboard, and the confidence they'd all have taken out of last year, I think we're a real shot. The only question will be whether we have the X factor to compete with the two grand finalists from last season who remain stacked with it.

Well thought out post. Right on the money for mine

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

I think I would give Bunty the start. He looked good in the first trial game. Plus to me Barnett doesn't make much of a dent in the line when he starts at prop for whatever reason. I like him coming off the bench. A bench consisting of Walker, Niukore, Barnett +1 is elite.