Samrani, for mine, has done enough to be locked into a bench spot. His pre-season form has been consistent, and he offers enough impact and reliability to justify selection.
The toughest call was Guymer vs Doorey. While Doorey has shown some positives, we’ve also seen a few defensive blunders during the trials, which makes the decision marginal. Guymer’s steadiness probably gives him a slight edge right now.
I think Joash simply has to be picked. His versatility is a big tick — he gives the side coverage across multiple positions, which is invaluable in a match-day 17.
I’ve left Luca Moretti out for now purely due to his late pre-season injury, but once fully fit, I have him ahead of Doorey. If he gets a clean run health-wise, I see him forcing his way into the squad sooner rather than later.
Overall, the squad feels well balanced, with only a couple of genuine selection headaches — which is exactly where you want to be heading into the season.
1. Iongi
2. Addo-Carr
3. Russell
4. W. Penasini
5. Simmonson
6. Pezet
7. Moses
8. Jnr Paulo
9. Smith
10. Hopgood
11. Williams
12. Kautoga
13. Debelin
14. Walker
15. Sam Tuivaiti
16. Doorey
17. Da Silva
18. Samrami
19. Joash Papali’i
Unlucky omissions - Guymer, Morretti, Kelly
Replies
It is the same 1-17 as last night with Joash and Samrani
Done, sorted, how good.