1. Clint Gutherson
2. Maika Sivo
3. Tom Opacic
4. Waqa Blake
5. Blake Ferguson
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitch Moses
8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Junior Paulo
11. Shaun Lane
12. Ryan Matterson
13. Nathan Brown
Interchange:
14. Oregon Kaufusi
15. Isaiah Papali'i
16. Keegan Hipgrave
17. Will Smith
Reserves:
18. Haze Dunster
19. Joey Lussick
20. Jordan Rankin
21. David Hollis
Referee: Adam Gee
Replies
1-16 was as expected, with the last spot really between Smith and Lussick until Niukore is back next week.
My opinion is we are 1 big bopper short on the bench. 1-17 pretty predictable. Bring on Friday night! Niukore and Cartwright in the 17 when off suspension and injury list..
I tend to agree - Hipgrave will need to play above his trial form to be a long term bench option.
I'm not sure, with the rule changes and the increased speed, endurance will be more important than power I think.
Not sure big boppers of the bench will be ideal with the new rules.
Papali'i is listed as a prop. So him and Kaufusi will be decent middle options. Brisbane don't have a massive pack with Fifita and Haas not there. Says something about their depth when Pangai Junior is playing prop.
Super, Papali'i is listed as a lock on the eels team web site. My thoughts would be that N Brown would fill the 2nd prop replacement with Papali'i going to lock, Hipgrave shown as second rower could replace Lane or Matto for a spell.
Named as prop in the squad announcement on the Eels website mate.
Teams - Eels (parraeels.com.au)
Shows him as a lock. I would suggest that he will replace Nathan Brown who can go to prop, when RCG/Jnr come off, with Kafusi the other replacement.
For someone who is a bit taller than Stone, but has a bit more muscle than Stone, his work rate is high, and would be better from the lock position, he would play very much like Nathan.
Papali'i is a lock. Not a prop. They can call him prop for the weekends but sometimes stats do tell the story?
The rest of the Eels props are 185cm+ and 110kg+. Papali'i is 182cm and 108kg (and listed as lock on Eels Official!).
Can we just be a little real once in a while?! He is a lock asked to play, most likely, in the middle as a prop. Maybe BA wants the mobility? Though I wonder if Lane (198cm, 110kg back rower) might shift to the middle and Papali'i play on an edge?