So first team list of 2024 is out, surprising the amount of FG players that are in. I have a couple of observations that i find fascinating. Now does not mean all of them are correct and some are merely questions also.
* Joey Lussick has won 9 spot. I think that was pretty evident in that he is not named in the squad at all, with the expectation he is to play full 80 for a while play him as less as possible before the year so there is limited wear and tear.
* Simonsson and Harper battling it out. Now i was 95% sure both were going to play purely on the battle itself being so close. After 25mins you more likely will see one if not both come off with Cini and Lumelume coming into the Centres. However, only issue with these battles is the sides they are playing, Simonsson will be on the left as he was there last year as the incumbant and Harper on the right but cannot really see if Harper would be good if he is defending on the other side so maybe Harper will swap half way through as Simonsson comes off.
* Jirah Momoisea and Tevita Taumoepenu, two players in top 30, not named at all. Now for all we know they could be injured, but haven't seen pics of them nor report of them on TCT. Momoisea was at the season launch though so he is still at the club. I will preface this by saying Momoisea could be the nicest person put on earth, but what a miserable failure of a signing he became. Wouldn't say he is the worst signing since there was not much expectation when he arrived but at least be a depth option. To go from battling it out with Doorey for a starting back-row spot to being 18th man in NSW cup late in the year says all that needs to be said. That first trial against Penrith last year gave the impression i needed and stuck with it since. Waste of a spot.
* Sean Russell being named was suprising, though i thought he would be named at Fullback if named. Then thought it makes sense having Talagi get as much experience as possible as a Fullback. Though makes me wonder why he is named unless he is actually in a competition with Dunster which i doubt. With both Martin and Lumelume in extended squad i would have been fine with either of them coming in. Hope there is not a competition since Russell is much better than Dunster.
* Rodwell getting the start over Greig, Moretti and Makatoa is purely on the fact he is more suited to being a start than impact forward. I would not read too much into Rodwell starting, if anyone was actually reading into it.
* Ethyn Martin making the cut speaks positively. Since players like Sam Tuivaiti, Jock Brazel and Brock Parker not being named, it is not like BA is naming most rookies for sake of it since it is the first trial. Hope he gets time to impress but so far so good in his development. With Russell and one of either Simonsson or Harper, or both going off around 25min mark, Martin should get some time.
* Josh Lynn is a nice addition. I understand that they had not other choice to be fair below Sanders but still nice for Lynn to see some game time. Also Saxon Pryke is a surprise pick. He has had raps on him in past but never suspected him to get into a named team list, particularly over Tuivaiti for example.
* Heavy use of Flegg players, it is a theme for this club moving forward that can be seen one of two ways. 1) juniors that are good enough now to be relied upon as depth or 2) fast-tracking the development of these kids to prepare for what could be an average year and using these kids as a positive for 2025, like 2018 with the debutants we had. It is overall a nice platform to expose these kids too. MA will get some decent game time, as would Guymer replacing Lane. Just hope these kids are ready or at least ready to be depth players. If things go sideways they will be thrown in.
Overall, footy is back and is exciting. Though important to note that it is a trial, most of our structures will not appear at all. Mostly for the NRL players it is a hit out for fitness and leadership, for the reggies players it is to impress and stake their claim for a spot in top grade. If we lose, it is not an indicator for our season. 2012 we won all four trials we played and went on to win only 6 games all year and claim the spoon. More critique player performance more than coaching and the squad as a whole.
Replies
Like alot of your thought here and appreciate the effort LB.
TBH I think Lane and Matterson are the only locked-in first graders in the team. This is pretty much just the NSW cup team.
Greig, Tuilagi and either Simonsson/Harper would be locks.
Greta blog mate. I'm so disappointed in the club signing momises and Taumoepenu in the top 30. The fact we lost someone like jjbm who I rated so highly is a massive loss.
I understand the signings, well Momoisea's more so. He had raps on him at Newcastle, COVID halted his development and injuries also. We saw him as a high upside signing as he was one of our first signings for 2023. He had the ability to play Prop and on an edge that is why we bought him, also possibly to play Centre with his build. He was a Niukore replacement. It has not worked at all. From his first trial where he was running poor lines, running into his Halfback and Centre. Looked like he was signed to the team the morning of the trial. Then having him in Cup make runs that led him to drop at first contact then be dropped to 18th man during the season. Momoisea has been a bust, probably a nice guy but seems to not put his body on the line.
Taumoepenu had some decent form in Cup but he was just a worker, we had enough of them. Obviously he may have some interest and to keep him with a view of high upside after some development we signed him to a deal where he would get a top 30 spot in 2024 but hoping 2023 he could develop in cup. He barely played, we had to honour the deal. I understand the reasoning for it but it was an awful deal considering the type of player he is.
I did think it was a battle between Simonsson and Harper, until I saw Russell named. Now I am thinking it could even be Simonsson and Harper as the centre/wing combo and BA is using this trial (and possibly the next) to see if they can gel and work together.
That could very well be an option. I remember i had a back and forth on TCT comments section about it with someone, that they said Simonsson is not a winger and wont be considered and i said he will be if both are neck and neck. I disagree with it but it is a possibility.
Thanks for the write up LB.
I did see a Moimoi running out for Warriors this weekend, I’m not sure his position but bring him here just for his name. Haha
And JJBM is in the extended Melbourne squad.
Disappointed we kept Momoisea and let JJBM go, I know ‘that’s footy’ but jeez it’s a let down.
Looking forward to belting Canberra and Indigenous getting up too!
Thing is, JJBM is not even on a development deal with Melbourne. So not many teams preferred him either. If he signed a development or top 30 deal then we say damn missed that one, but at the moment not a real loss as he was not good enough for either development or top 30 at this stage.
Opportunity I guess we are deep at prop and if the young fulla can't break through here he'll look somewhere else.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next