Round 10: St. George Illawarra v Newcastle

[Runner]

this is the only thing that rly matters out of this year.. its why ive been harping for months that the 2027 coach needs 6mths of clean air and optimism.. to get some of these guys to buy in and extend... worst case if we can get them to atleast hang on till january/february, not go signing somewhere this year... but obviously it would be ideal if we could sign them soon..

I feel like LPT has 1 foot out the door already, Halangahu seems open to going.. its the Couchies that im rly scared about.. these guys are home grown, will be 23.5yrs old, 4yrs of first grade.. they r coming into their best years.. if they leave us the fallout will be immense... if its a money thing I think we need to pay the fellas.. but we also need to sell them a vision for why 2027 will be better... starts with a big balling head coach imo.

There is such a good foundation for a top class forward pack especially with KK coming. I can imagine how disheartening it is for the players- not to mention long term fans - but the management needs to find a way to keep the players especially where there has been rumblings from those close to Loko and Jake for example .

It has been obvious for years that we lack the speed and X factor in the backs. Drinkwater and Sami are a start but there needs to be a concerted effort to get some younger strike players as the Holmes and Gutho experience shows.

Once the team can string some wins together a lot of the agitation from players wanting out should go away. The only problem is I can’t see that changing this year. Very hard to see where a win is coming from.

 

[Eric]

I do 1 year older then next year older again .......

Gutho will be ok in his last year on the interchange bench, coming on in case of an injury in the backs or to give Liddle a rest. Holmes might be ok on the wing. So if Drinkwater is fullback, Sami and Holmes wingers, maybe centres Heidke and Buchanan. I'm not really a fan of Suli. Never have been but he's not the worst centre. Especailly if he has a fast winger outside of him. Forward pack will be among the best in the competietion.

1. Drinkwater
2. Sami
3. Buchanan
4. Heidke
5. Holmes
6. LKT or Atkinson
7. Reed
8. KK
9. Liddle
10. Couchman
11. Egan
12. Halangahu
13. Stewart
    
    
14. Couchman
15. Gutho
16. Nick T
17. LPT
18. Hutchinson
19. ????? Finau?

I'm very optimistic about this team. If he's on much less money, I wouldn't mind Leilua being extended to be a forward utility as well.

 

[Saints11]

Gutho will be ok in his last year on the interchange bench, coming on in case of an injury in the backs or to give Liddle a rest. Holmes might be ok on the wing. So if Drinkwater is fullback, Sami and Holmes wingers, maybe centres Heidke and Buchanan. I'm not really a fan of Suli. Never have been but he's not the worst centre. Especailly if he has a fast winger outside of him. Forward pack will be among the best in the competietion.

1. Drinkwater
2. Sami
3. Buchanan
4. Heidke
5. Holmes
6. LKT or Atkinson
7. Reed
8. KK
9. Liddle
10. Couchman
11. Egan
12. Halangahu
13. Stewart
    
    
14. Couchman
15. Gutho
16. Nick T
17. LPT
18. Hutchinson
19. ????? Finau?

I'm very optimistic about this team. If he's on much less money, I wouldn't mind Leilua being extended to be a forward utility as well.

That’s our strongest forward pack

 

[Justadragon]

Gutho will be ok in his last year on the interchange bench, coming on in case of an injury in the backs or to give Liddle a rest. Holmes might be ok on the wing. So if Drinkwater is fullback, Sami and Holmes wingers, maybe centres Heidke and Buchanan. I'm not really a fan of Suli. Never have been but he's not the worst centre. Especailly if he has a fast winger outside of him. Forward pack will be among the best in the competietion.

1. Drinkwater
2. Sami
3. Buchanan
4. Heidke
5. Holmes
6. LKT or Atkinson
7. Reed
8. KK
9. Liddle
10. Couchman
11. Egan
12. Halangahu
13. Stewart
    
    
14. Couchman
15. Gutho
16. Nick T
17. LPT
18. Hutchinson
19. ????? Finau?

I'm very optimistic about this team. If he's on much less money, I wouldn't mind Leilua being extended to be a forward utility as well.

I'm not keen on Buchanan, the rest is fine but we will have a lot to contend with come Nov 1.

 

[Justadragon]

What I would like to see right now is Reed out of the side, he's getting targeted and is now a liability. All this stuff about having someone to protect him was just crap and didn't work at all. I dont want to ruin his career before it starts. Lets face it there were 5 tries scored down his side and in some of those try's he got brushed off as though he wasn't even there. Put him back in ressies and give him time to mature and grow into his body with the ability tackle the bigger guys.
I know he said he was used to tackling Luch and Su'a, but hey watching him against Marzhew and Wong in the previous game indicates to me he's not ready and wont be for a while.

 

[RandomDragon]

whats wrong with Buchannan playing wing? Bostock came through first grade on the wing. Yes he is shorter but so is To'o, turuva etc.

 

[blacksafake]

Gutho will be ok in his last year on the interchange bench, coming on in case of an injury in the backs or to give Liddle a rest. Holmes might be ok on the wing. So if Drinkwater is fullback, Sami and Holmes wingers, maybe centres Heidke and Buchanan. I'm not really a fan of Suli. Never have been but he's not the worst centre. Especailly if he has a fast winger outside of him. Forward pack will be among the best in the competietion.

1. Drinkwater
2. Sami
3. Buchanan
4. Heidke
5. Holmes
6. LKT or Atkinson
7. Reed
8. KK
9. Liddle
10. Couchman
11. Egan
12. Halangahu
13. Stewart
    
    
14. Couchman
15. Gutho
16. Nick T
17. LPT
18. Hutchinson
19. ????? Finau?

I'm very optimistic about this team. If he's on much less money, I wouldn't mind Leilua being extended to be a forward utility as well.

With the exception of LKT I could live with that side

 

[RufusRex]

personally i think that playing stewart/ryan at times on the edge who are middles to me over Halangahu seem a bit odd .. with Sua/Luc coming back though Jake will drop back into cup and at least get minutes.

feels like we are going to lose him - if that is going to happen and we are going to lose him do we try and lose him for something now ...

PS .. i dont want to lose him.

But if we are losing Sua and Luc then pull the trigger and pull out all the stops to keep him.