Coach Brett Cook has named his Wentworthville Magpies to play Penrith in Round 25 of the VB NSW Cup.
Wentworthville Magpies:
1. Justin Hunt
2. Ben Fritz
3. Jake Butler-Fleming
4. Danny Howard
5. Cecil MacKenzie
6. Api Pewhairangi
7. Luke Kelly
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Ben Jones
10. Fuifui Moimoi
11. Joseph Ualesi
12. Lorenzo Ma’afu
13. Lionel O’Mally
Interchange:
14. Sam Gorman
15. Takai Moeakiola
16. Isaac Maliota
17. Nick Kassis
Replies
Not the best side i think they will get beat big time
The backline will be getting a pretty hefty face lift with Holden Cup talent. You already mentioned Fabian Goodall but John Folau and Halauafu Lavaka are graduating from the NYC and will take a place a piece there. Leva Li might also be in the mix after a constantly improving season this year.
It may incite Bourbon Man's wrath (:p) so I will only make it half a team list but this is how Wenty might look in 2015:
1. Hunt
2. Li
3. Goodall/Toutai (One to play NRL)
4. Champion/Morgan (One to play NRL)
5. Lavaka
6. Matterson
7. Kelly
You think we'll keep Kelly?
I think he'll want to go somewhere with more opportunity - he's definitely Super League standard and I can't see us paying anywhere near what he would get over there (which is assuming another NRL club doesn't see something in him?).
It's one of the problems of having three specialist hookers - it doesn't leave room for a fair quality 7/9 utility type.
I guess the question is how deep do we need to go? I think ZDC will be fast-tracked through to seniors next year; and Matterson could partner either half. If you had a season-ending injury to two of those blokes, I think your only option would be to move Hayne up to keep your quality in your halves.
Considering we're going to be wanting to keep our options open for 2015, maybe we do have to risk being skinny in that one position next year?
Actually, Forty, do you think Hunt could be moulded into our back-up seven? We've got him for another two years and I don't see him playing either wing or fullback for us in the NRL? I'm thinking that could be his best chance to play a proper part in the club, if he's going to see through his contract which I'm thinking is on reasonable coin and he'd probably struggle to match elsewhere?
I have Kelly at halfback based on the last thing I was told which was that he is likely to stick around on a second tier deal in 2015.
Even if Kelly were to part ways with Parra I would keep Hunt at fullback. We don't have any natural fullbacks pushing through into Wenty next year and although you can make a case for preferring the likes of Hopoate and Norman for the role of Hayne's deputy that won't do our NSW Cup team much good.
Furthermore, Hunt was given a brief run in the halves this year and came away with mediocre results. Anecdotal evidence and hardly conclusive stuff I know but I feel that the work needed to convert Hunt would not be worth the pay off given that Dockar-Clay and Matterson are also coming through, particularly with Matterson already having half a season of NSW Cup play under his belt.
Assuming what I heard was correct and Kelly does stay on board in 2015 it does create a log jam at Wenty. Given that Brad Arthur hasn't shown any inclination towards a two-hooker rotation you are looking at trying to fit De Gois, Dockar-Clay, Kelly, Matterson and Pritchard into the one line up.
1. Hunt
6. Dockar-Clay
7. Kelly
9. De Gois
13. Matterson
14. Pritchard
Obviously there are a few things that could change this like Dockar-Clay staying in the 20s and/or De Gois/Pritchard nabbing a spot on the bench in first-grade but based on what we have seen (Arthur's preference for one hooker and a middle half) and what we have been told (Holbrook signally Dockar-Clay's promotion) what you see above is my best guess.
Hunt is definitely better than what we saw against Penrith. I'm not sure where he stands in the pecking order now with some big,young outside backs coming through but at his worst he is still a big asset to Wenty (which is a good thing) and he still provides cover for Hayne.
Also, glad to hear the Dockar-Clay is hungry for first grade but has the wisdom and patience to wait for the right time.