Watching manly and their basically injury free side destroy a travelling interstate side round 1 has me jealous. Why can't we have our full strength side play round one against a travelling team like the cowboys, titans or dolphins. That would be awesome way to kick off the year.
Instead we are playing interstate against a basically full strength side that never loses round 1 without our halfback (Moses), probable replacement halfback if also not injured (Hawkins), both wingers (addo-carr & simonsson), bench forwards (Lane & Matterson), and Kautogo who I understand trained all off season on the left outside Brown.
I'm sorry, but logically we are going to lose this one big time. It makes no sense footywise for any other outcome. It would potentially be the biggest round 1 upset of all time if we manage this today.
Common Parra, find a way. Please!!!
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Was thinking the same we must be the only team that has there starting half back out for the first 6 weeks, our starting wingers are injured and we have the same crappy forward pack as last year I read somewhere matto is injured of course he would be hes soft!!!
Imagine Manly going down to Melbourne without Saab, Hopoate, DCE, Ben Turbo, Waddell and bullemor. Not to mention their backup half Arthur. They'd have to play Brooks and reserve grade lock Matterson in the halves. They would get pumped by 50 plus. Anyone that thinks otherwise is deranged.
Great point about who's missing from the backline
Biggest Round 1 upset? I think it would go down as one of the biggest upsets in League history.
where is our medical team ...too many golf days....we have the worst Rd one Injury list the WORST ffs ...
Luck will change our way. South's have the same issue last year and this year. Panthers do too but just have the system in place. No point making excuses we just gotta give it our best shot and support the boys
Well I've never believed in that superstitious bs, so it must be something else.
JAC and Simmonson were always going to be out.
Lane is now reserve grade standard
Kautoga would be a risk anyway and is raw.
Brad arthur having destroyed development and our nsw cup squad with having it full of other club’s rejected players is a huge part of the problem with the club now having to debut half a dozen newbies.
Ryles needs to fix many left over ba issues starting with ousting Lane, Dunster, Cartwright and Werimu, then getting games into our existing younger developers like Ryley Smith, Sam Tuivaiti, and Mataele for starters
We're already on the right path. The dragons fans already have it in for Gutherson and want Sloan back at fb. Sivo was also playing busted, and RCG only has one or two good years left anyway.
The dragons are now criticising Fanno for making the dragons the next Dad's Army.
JAC and Simmonson were always going to be out. Great point. A whole off season knowing this is different to them being injured in a trial or something.
Lane isn't what he was at his peak but still offers more than Doorey (at this stage of their careers). My opinion, sure.
As for Kautoga I am not even sure I have that right but it did seem like Williams was gonna play prop based only on rumour and trials. It's certainly possible I have this wrong but we all know Brown is far more dangerous with a massive backrower next to him. I suspect this was identified by Ryles and why he earmarked kautoga all offseason. Again, maybe I got this all wrong. It certainly looked effective for brown's try in the first trial though. Eyes on Kautoga and brown slides through.
I don't think its bad luck.
I've echoed the same sentiment before that Ryles has an uphill battle trying to undo the BA legacy. I've just shied away from voicing it with the recent squad developments. Don't want to be called a 'Seagull supporter' again.
The first round draw will always be what sells tickets - in this case, it just happens to be Student Vs teacher. Hoping for an entertaining game
I reckon It's all about TV viewership,hence $$$ for NRL. Ryles v his old mentor Bellamy.
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