With all the garbage with Sandow and injuries sustained after the bulldogs game, I am faced with the idea of writing my first team blog. With injuries to our top squad we may have an opportunity to try a few things presuming we get the OK from the NRL.
I think we need to use this weeks game against the Cowboys almost as a trial game. I cant see us winning on a Monday night at their home ground, and to me it would be best to pick a team with a few hopefuls and then reassessing the following week to see what worked. I would rather be beaten by 40 and at least try a few things than lose by 6 and not learn anything about the players so often spoken about on this site.
Now I do not fully understand the 2nd tier cap so I am sure there are a few selections that will not be possible.
1. Matterson - Pending NRL approval to use due to injuries to Norman and Robinson. I would use him at 1 purely so he can ease his way into the game rather than having pressure of playing as a half.
2. Semi
3. Hopoate
4. Brad Takairangi
5. Nathan Davis - Again presuming we may get approval from NRL due to injuries
6. Joseph Paulo - only option I see at 6 with Norman and Sandow out.
7. Luke Kelly - see Paulo
8. Junior Paulo
19. Nathan Peats
10. Tim Mannah - Needs to play longer minutes. We lose so much go forward when Mannah is not on the park.
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Cody Nelson - good defensive player to try and control the Cowboys edge runners and Thurston. Also has good hands and may create opportunities to outside backs.
13. David Gower - needs to play full 80.
Interchange:
14. Daniel Alvaro
15. Bevan French - use to interchange with Matterson towards the back end of each half.
16. Tui Kamakamica- time to give him a go, hopefully we can get NRL approval with Wicks out
17. Tepai Moeroa - used off the bench as middle forward. He is too 1 dimensional on the edge so would prefer him used upfront. His size and defense is enough to play him upfront and he has good hands to allow for 2nd phase play which we will need against the Cowboys.
18. Joseph Ualesi
Left Side Set up:
I would look to use Kelly on the left edge purely to catch and pass to Mau, Taka and Semi. These guys are good enough creating opportunities and don't need a half getting in their way. I would also look at switching Taka and Mau in attack at times. This will allow Taka to play almost as a 2nd 5/8 to create room for Mau which in turn may create extra room for Semi, and changes up our attack a little.
Right Side set up:
Paulo to be given a free reign and to work with Matterson. Paulo is a useless lock/forward, but I think may go OK at 6 if given the room to move. Matterson could be good running of Paulo's short balls due to his size and create a few opportunities for Hoppa. Gower to also play a role on the right side to help create opportunities for Hoppa, etc.
I have left off Wicks, Watmough, Pauli (time for a break from 1st grade), Norman, Sandow and other injured players.There are other options in the Wenty team, but my understanding is we cant use these as they are not contracted to the Eels.
Replies
how can you ease a player into 1st grade playing him out of position, not to mention one of the most high pressure positions against the best half in the game.
Apart from catching bombs, which any one playing 1st grade should be able to do, there isn't a lot of difference from the modern day 5/8 and a fullback in attack. Main reason for going with Matterson at 1 is who else is there? French by all accounts isn't ready, Hoppa was useless, Norman is out?
Jesus christ, can we just quit the rest of the season with that halves pairing?
Happy to take criticism Watson, but what are your alternatives? As I said in the post lets at least try something and then reassess. Having Matterson and French in the team gives them opportunities at NRl level also and choices for the following week if the above fails.
1 Reece Robinson ( French if not fit)
2 Semmi
3 Takka
4 Hoppa
5 Morgan
6 Kelly ( god help us)
7 DeGois
8 Mannah
9 Peats
10 Junior Paulo
11 M'au
12 Moeroa
13 Watmough (will play)
14 Pauli
15 Gower (will be okay)
16 Terepo
17 Lussick
all top 25 players except Frenchif Robo is not fit
18 Nelson as can play a few positions as crab is not an option.
I like your team but I would switch Peats and De Gois around, Peats would offer a lot more at halfback then de gois
That's a decent looking team. I hope this is the line up that will be used.
We have plenty of options, crab is not an option unless you want to hold up the white flag. He brings nothing to the side were others do. We also have players such as Vai and Burrito in the top 25 as well.
Matto won't play fullback defensively. When he was training there earlier this year he dropped a fair few catches. Also he's never played there so he probably wouldn't know how to set the defensive line. I'd say that fullback is a lot harder place to defend if you've never played there previously, at least defending in the line you have blokes around you talking whereas at fullback you're by yourself. We also know that Matto is strong defensively in the front line so if he were to come into the team that's where he'd play.
I also don't get the role that French would play on the bench. You say at the back end of each half, does that mean you're going to sub him with for example 10 minutes to go? But then you're only using him at the back-end of each half so you're then going to sub him back off during half time? That's 4 interchanges used up right there.
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