With new 2019 signings, several 2018 debutants and players returning from serious injury what now is the unofficial pecking order for the top 17? Niukore played the second half the season when Ma'u sustained a serious injury and looked to improve each and every game. Gutherson flipped between fullback, centre and 5/8 with varying results, but at fullback our results was pretty good. French bounced between fullback and wing and appeared to struggle after returning from his knee injury. Mahoney made the grade when Pritchard was in rehab. Mannah looked a very different player off the bench and his attacking stats confirmed this. Smith at times looked pretty handy as a utility and other times struggled. Takairangi played heavier, primarily in the fowards, with subpar to pass results. Should Takairangi strip weight and play left centre inside Ferguson or should Ferguson or Gutherson play left centre? Salmon appeared comfortable in first grade, but we suspect he will be suspended for 2 to 4 games for his drink driving conviction and some say Salmon may be more suitable at centre then 5/8? With the exception of one bad game George Jennings was handy and unexpectedly fast (well faster then Micheal). Maiko Sivo looks the goods, but should we hold him back as he is returning from a serious shoulder reconstruction? Should we blood Greg Leleisiuao early in the season or should he spend time under Rip Taylor to iron out some weaknesses? Assuming Dylan Brown is upgraded should he start the season at 7 or 14 in first grade or get more time playing men in the ISP? Evans and Terepo finished the season well, but where do they stand now? Is Alvaro ranked number 2 prop behind Paulo or further down the pecking order? Should Lane start in front of Moeroa or play from the bench?
In my opinion the new pecking order for "Round 1" is listed below, but this could be very differnent to BA's ranking. What do you think?
1. Gutherson
2. Ferguson
3. Takairangi
4. M.Jennings
5. G.Jennings
6. Moses
7. D.Brown
8. Paulo
9. Mahoney
10. Alvaro
11. Nuikore
12. Lane
13. N.Brown
14. Ma'u
15. Moeroa
16. Terepo
17. Mannah
Replies
Hi mate, I try and do bloggs to start discussions and be more footy focused, particularly this time of the year.
Sivo may get the nod if fit and able to play both trials. I may be wrong but my understanding is that his shoulder injury was serious and a minimum 6 month recovery? As he didn't get operated until around early October he may not be ready for both trials and may be held back by BA? Sivo's extra height and size is what we need on the wing over George. Having Sivo and Ferguson on our wings will significantly help out our kick returns and give us two big extra make-shift forwards in attack.
Takairangi would only play centre if Gutherson plays fullback as we are lacking options in the centres. It will be a massive waste playing Ferguson at centre as we bought him for his kick returns on 5th tackle. Taka at centre inside Fergo could be handy as Taka would always look to set up Fergo and not hog the ball like M.Jennings. As a foward I think Taka has slipped down the pecking order and would be back with Rip Taylor for the start of the season.
I think with Smith his kicking really hurt him and was the catalyst for getting dropped. Smith's running game and defense is pretty handy but his passing game and more so his kicking game hurt him in the end. But if Brown plays 7 at the start of the season we may have to have Smith on the bench as an emergency back up if Brown struggles?
The comment playing against men was only towards young Dylan Brown, not Mahoney. Mahoney is ready for first grade. But don't be surpised if we sign another more experienced hooker to support Pritchard and Mahoney.
I'd be very surprised if Stephano Utoikamanu is upgraded prior to round 1 as he is ineligible due to being outside the top 30 (current position). I also think picking Stephano in front of senior guys early in the season would significantly affect squad morale with the older guys (ie., you need to earn your stripes prior to leapfrogging seasoned first graders).
I think Ma'u will get the benefit of the doubt as he was injured not dropped and he highlighted he was playing with a busted shoulder prior to the facial injury. The extra time off over the break will do him a world of good. I personally would go for two taller and heavier backrowers in Niukore and Lane to start the game and ease Ma'u in from the bench. Ma'u is also very versatile and could play lock, centre and hooker, therefore he could be our new Edwards off the bench? Having Paulo, Niukore and Lane in our starting back with N.Brown gives us a much better attacking pack, much better.
We have heaps of depth in the forwards, heaps. But our backs are lacking and it would not surprise me if we signed a guy like Robert Jennings to play left centre. Robert is taller, heavier and faster then Michael and George and played centre all through his lower grades and signing Robert may be more important then an extra hooker or frontrower for the balance of our squad as Smith can be our third hooker?
I also think BA will also give French first crack at fullback. But when I went back through the stats and how we performed when Gutherson was at fullback we did a much better. As Gutherson is a lot stronger defender then French and can play as an extra half I think he should get the nod for the start of the season. By playing Gutherson at left centre it does plug a weakness and hole we have and this may be the main reason why French gets the early nod at fullback. For me fullback is the second most important position on the field and you need an elite player with rounded skills and extreme fitness to play this position and French does not fit this role at this point in time. By the end of the season French looked a fraction of his 2017 form and was more liability then strength. But, with an extra off season in the gym he may be ready for the weekly riggors of first grade fullback??
I don't think we will see any new first grade debutants or very young players early in the season with the exception of Sivo. It would not surprise me if Stone is trained up to be a utility foward and schooled at playing as a back up hooker.
So many unknowns, isn't it great !!!
Assuming that we are unable to secure another experienced hooker what about schooling Manu for the role. Does he have the skills?
Also French’s work load let him down last year. He finished the year in ISP and I think he is most likely to start 2019 there. He is such talented footballer it is such a shame.
Yeah I'm not sure about Manu as a 9. The most important skill for a good 9 is to count the numbers in the defensive line, which way they split etc, that's a skill that is learned over many years, not the sort of skill a career forward at age 30 is really ever gonna pick up. It's also a big reason why I've been opposed to the Phil's idea of shifting Gutho to hooker. It really is a specialist position.
Fair call. Just looking for someone to fill a hole. Given that it has been reported that we only have $800,000 to fill three spots we should not be aiming too high.
Well this is where we are just going to have to be patient with Mahoney I'm afraid. I know there are also big wraps on young Schneider, but no matter what we are just going to have to ride the ups and downs with Mahoney I think.
I don't agree with the Gutho to hooker role but his experience in the halves and especially at fullback should mean the counting numbers thing shouldn't be an issue for him. I'd also question if it's really the hooker's responsibility to count numbers given how close they are to the ruck. I'd think it'd be more of a half's job given they have a better view and are the ones calling the ball.
Ma'u does have soft hands and a decent passing game and his defense is a lot better front on then sliding. Nathan Brown has been that emergency back up hooker to date, but that significantly hurts our attack as Brown is our best attacking forward. If Ma'u's attack drops off he may be suitable to convert to hooker. As Ma'u is one of our smaller fowards at 184cm and 103kg we will not lose important size if he shifts into a back up hooking role. As for a starting hooker role it would need a lot of work, but possible.
Why, the need for Ma'u to be considered as a back up hooker? What that indicates is that for all intended purposes you are writing off Pritchard before the season starts. If a make shift player is needed for the 9 spot, then why not Stone who has played in that position relatively succesfully with Wenty.
While Brown has been used in the 9 spot, I don't believe he made any real fist of it and was wasted there, if there is no other option, then thats another story.
I don't think we can rely on Pritchard anymore, too injury prone. Stone has more of chance playing first grade as a utility then secondrow alone. Smith would be the best utility we have at this point in time as he can play all four (4) spine positions, which is very rare.
BD, Injuries are something that many players cannot escape from, sure he has not had a season yet in the NRL where he has not been out injured, thing is that at least two of the years he was injured in, were the result of being tackled by the opposition and having his knee put out badly in 2017 right at the point of time where he was showing how good he was/is.
Hopefully with the new training staff they can help him in a big way in how to avoid some injuries, how many other eels players over the past few years have had a fair bit of time out owing to injuries? he's not robinson crusoe in that dept.
I personally do no rate Smith that much really, after being signed to a new deal early this season for a 2 year extension for 19/20, he really dropped his worth in my view, how much injury time did he accumulate as well. Also, how much time has Gutho been out injured? Yet still a key man in the squad.
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