A terrfic overall performance, though now is the time to see it in proper action and see if we can continue this against top teams.
Most Impressive:
Reed Mahoney: This son of a b**** is making it damn hard to hate him, his defence is more aggressive and more stable than before. Mahoney seems to be putting that shoulder to use and getting the most out of it. Mahoney is giving his all and that is all that can be asked, his production with the ball including backing up on loose balls and even that wonderful tip onto Simonsson early in the first half in the rain. Just a wonderful performance from Mahoney, credit where credit is due, still do not like him as immature as that sounds, NRL glasses on says he was best on park.
Will Penisini: A redemption game of sorts for Penisini after a sort of luckluster outing last week. The difference this week? it is quite simple. Mitchell Moses roaming that right side, when you have a player who gets 70% of the ball on your side of the field then you are bound to get at least 30% of that ball. Penisini look damaging in his runs, running low using his legs as the engine towards metre eating. Penisini has taken the old fashioned centre role in attack of gaining metres post contact, similar to Justin Hodges who was one of the greatest dummy half runners the game has seen, Penisini is going down that path. Defensively he was much better, and i think it is extremely important to remember he is still 19 until July. The human body usually stops developing physically at 22, so Penisini the size he has for his age is incredible and he is going to be bigger and more powerful in years to come. Do not want to put the moniker on him and he may look average or good to most eyes, to me i see a future star and origin player in the making.
Bench middle rotation: Again Maka has defyed the odds, 158 metres running, 4 tackle breaks and 2 tries. Maka is not a traditional bench prop has he is more a worker than an impact player, but it is hard to not pick him. It seems we have found the definition of a diamond in the ruff and a cult hero for the next 3 years. Kaufusi also was incredible, 155 metres and 6 tackle breaks. Kaufusi is a bit more of an impact player than Maka and will be our first player on the bench. The issue with Kaufusi i will say worries me a little is, like in 2021, Kaufusi always starts a season off very well then falls in form later in the year. He is 22, so perhaps it is experience that is assisting him but still want to see Kaufusi perform for a whole year, as when Cronulla signed him for 2022 on 400k a year i feel myself it was a bit much as there is potential but no consistency. Overall great start to the year for him hope he can keep it going as there is Greig, Ogden and Rodwell signed up past 2022 to take his spot.
Mitchell Moses: What a performance, the way he led us around the park, full of energy and his kicking in this weather was an inch off perfect. Moses looked ready to go and confident, this is his team and he is taking control as he should.
Dylan Brown: The shift to centre was different and great in hindsight for the future, Brown looks more confident in attack and did not seem out of place at centre. Brown i would have liked to have seen stay at 6 a bit longer as his passing and creating was looking better and better. The short balls he playing to Lane was amazing, more towards how he was in his debut at the same venue in 2019.
Ray Stone: Came on late but looked his bone crushing best, how he was signed further than one year amazes me as he is getting stronger and better each year and will be a terrific Lock for years to come, unfortunately it will be as a Dolphin.
The Coaching Staff: The job BA and the staff have done, getting this team ready to go seems to be off to a wonderful start. Now it can come crashing down if we get a few injuries or tight losses that lower our moral. But atm the the addition of Paul McGregor and Michael Ennis has been positive, BA seems to be willing to take risks and try new things more than ever, short balls with back-rowers running good lines instead of block play after block play, our attack looks amazing where before looked predictable and outdated. Well done BA, an old dog can learn new tricks.
Honorable mentions: Pretty much majority of the team, especially the starting 13. Especially Sean Russell who was the best winger for us on the day.
Most disappointing:
Bailey Simonsson: The one down part on an overall wonderful team performance, Simonsson looked weak and his running sideways was doing my head in. As the game went he started to look better and confident but a player with 43 NRL games of experience he looks inexperienced and not sure what to do in certain attacking scenario's. If Dunster was fit by say round 3 or 4 i would be more happier leaving Dunster and Russell as the wing pair. Simonsson obviously shows something to the staff to warrant signing him, also remember in 2016 when Gutherson was known to be one of the worst players ever when he played on the wing for us in his debut year now look where we are. Must trust BA in his development ability of the past few years to see how he helps Simonsson, but on face value at the moment he is disappointing.
Jake Arthur at 14: Jake Arthur did not make the disappointing list, the decision of how he works his way into first grade has. JA has trained the house down by reports and i am a firm believer in naming the best team available but i have an issue with naming JA at 14. The reason for not being a fan with it is basically to me a 14 must be able to play in the forwards and/or at hooker. JA could probably fill in at hooker if needed but not an ideal replacement. What i think they will be doing is either doing what they did on Saturday by bringing a winger off, Brown to centre and JA to 6, which i do not like in a game situation as it messes up the flow of the game from our halves, bringing in a new distributer on the left side for any reason other than injury is not needed. Another option will be playing a designated Lock role as a third ball player in the middle of the park, this i do not mind as much but i see it as, the bench will more likely be for round 1 (JA, Kaufusi, Maka and Matto) if Brown is out then Matto will start and Stone will come onto the bench, after Niukore returns and mroe likely JA misses out and it is not an issue but is Stone or Rein less valuable on the bench than JA? i do not think so, our team is better with Stone on the bench than JA, that is a stronger team than forcing JA into the team. He played well but do not like what they are trying to do with him at the moment.
Reed Mahoney (again): Disappointment that he is leaving and playing so well, damn you little midget. Hahaha.
Overall it was great to watch but nothing beats the real thing, a week off and back to reality.
Replies
Lol, Reed Mahoney on the Most Disappointing list. Love it LB. Great review again.
Mate it's a trial match , for trialing. JA is very likley going to see out his career eventually as a good utility . He's a player , he deserved his spot. He'd get a run at plenty of clubs. Other than the scorned ex wife dig, good write up.
But in a second trial you usually start to see the make up of what the round 1 team will be, JA at 14 in generally atm i feel is not our best option compared to Stone or even Rein, I like JA too.
I think BA knows what Stone and Rein have to offer for the 14 spot, but probably not as clear for JA. The backline shift could also be testing how the team can cope with a key backline player out injured. I like how BA used these games to try a few different things - that's exactly what they are there for.
Long term Stones gone, and let's face it , you mentioned the hooking role, Stones time at rakes not exactly marvellous. Let's skip the part where we are all PC and blaming BA for playing Stone out of position etc etc etc , I mean when was the last time JA cost us a season ?
To be fair I think JA has done more to deserve his shot as securing a spot than Stone.
Mahoney is one of my favourites and will be while he wears blue and gold
When Guth apparently signs for 780 and Dyl has a player option in his favour for 750, don't you think a paltry 450 offer for our most creative spine member is insulting?
With Moses wrapped up our starting front row should have been our first priority
Oh most definately and Parramatta arent off the hook letting him go, but again it is where Mahoney went that made me furious with him not just Parramatta haha, i know it is petty, but if he went to say Dolphins i would have been furious with Parramatta only.
Dunster is out for year. Simmonson will do a good job, he's fast which a lot on here state weve been missing. He's not a massive body though so don't expect Fergo or even Sivo like charges. He will do what most wingers do and try to centralise the ruck and then if possible straighten up and find a few metres. Second part isn't always possible.
I know Dunster is out for the year, was speaking as if he was not i would rather him and Russell.
Expectations LB, you do not have to make up disappoinments if you don't have them. Impossible to say Simmonsson was a disappointment. Limited opportunities, sound under the high ball, defence good and actually put himself in a position to cover defend, something we don't see much from our wingers. I really find it odious to compare wingers the way opportunities occur for them......I have no doubt that Simmonsson will be one of our buys of the season, if he's not already!
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