PRE-GAME [Round 13, 2023] Broncos vs Warriors

[1910]

Piakura was the only player that got rested on the weekend. So assuming that means he is in for the Warriors.

Been a significant change this season from Piakura, he's shown a lot more initiative in his play for Norths.

I was pretty crictical of him last year particularly in the finals where I thought he said not my sort of game so I will just cruise and missing 10 tackles in a Grand Final.

This season haven't been easy for Norths and he's been involved,

Against Mackay- great performance I liked it a lot. Madden missing, Norths in disray coming off a flogging- Mackay score first two tries and that would normally signal Piakura saying I will be out there. tough runs, and did a great job helping out Ahearn. Complete opposite to the state final.

Two hit ups in the Horne try.

Fighting to play the ball for his team and then team mates scoring on the back of that.

80 minutes in 7/8 games.

Didn't miss a tackle for the first time in 29 games.

Defending like a missile against Leslie and Easts.

The try against Souths from the Madden kick was all effort and just fantastic to sprint 50m and get there.

It's that magic number of 30 or so Cup games that I always want players to play. This is his best chance to have an impact at NRL. Has to start not from the bench, eight minutes off the bench won't show anything. He needs to get a feel for the game and work with Reynolds. He has been such a clean runner this year and Madden has worked well with him the same as Gamble did too.

 

[1910]

Add in his try against the Tigers too- His try on the left was off a short ball and he kept driving to the line pushing off Tigers to score. The fact it was in the 79th minute down 30-4 is the pleasing thing about the Piakura's effort.

 

[Johnny92]

Walsh, Cobbo, Flegler, Carrigan in the QLD side

 

[Manofoneway]

Walsh, Cobbo, Flegler, Carrigan in the QLD side

I know. Now the question arises, who fills in for Walsh at FB. Sailor?

 

[Johnny92]

I know. Now the question arises, who fills in for Walsh at FB. Sailor?

Options would be Sailor, Herbie or possibility Arthur's.
Sailor would be most similar to Walsh and actually plays fullback
Herbie or Arthur's would mean Mariner would probably get a game and a look to next season for that centre spot

 

[Volvo Driver]

Very surprised at Walsh getting picked. Slater obviously sees himself in Walsh! :)

Walsh has been pretty erratic that past couple of games and thought that wouldn't be what Slater wanted in SOO. Happy for him though. Just don't get hurt please!!

Ponga had that really poor game against the Eels but bounced back against the Titans. Thought he'd done enough to keep his place, considering he was man of the match in game 3 last year.

Please don't put Herbie at Fullback, please.

 

[winslow_wong]

Very surprised at Walsh getting picked. Slater obviously sees himself in Walsh! :)

Walsh has been pretty erratic that past couple of games and thought that wouldn't be what Slater wanted in SOO. Happy for him though. Just don't get hurt please!!

Ponga had that really poor game against the Eels but bounced back against the Titans. Thought he'd done enough to keep his place, considering he was man of the match in game 3 last year.

Please don't put Herbie at Fullback, please.

Hopefully one on one time with slater will do walsh a world of good for his fullback play.

 

[Manofoneway]

Very surprised at Walsh getting picked. Slater obviously sees himself in Walsh! :)

Walsh has been pretty erratic that past couple of games and thought that wouldn't be what Slater wanted in SOO. Happy for him though. Just don't get hurt please!!

Ponga had that really poor game against the Eels but bounced back against the Titans. Thought he'd done enough to keep his place, considering he was man of the match in game 3 last year.

Please don't put Herbie at Fullback, please.

Yeah, Whilst I think agree that Herbie would be similar to Dylan Edwards as a FB, outside of running the football hard he just doesn't have the other skills we require. I think Sailor is the obvious choice given he would have had plenty of time at FB in Qcup rather than ask players to play out of position. Maybe something like.

1. Sailor
2. Oates
3. Staggs
4. Farnworth
5. Arthars
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
8. Jensen
9. Walters
10. Tapau/Palasia
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Heatherington
14. Paix
15. Willison
16. Palasia/Tapau
17. Te Kura
18. Mariner

 

[mrslong]

Yeah, Whilst I think agree that Herbie would be similar to Dylan Edwards as a FB, outside of running the football hard he just doesn't have the other skills we require. I think Sailor is the obvious choice given he would have had plenty of time at FB in Qcup rather than ask players to play out of position. Maybe something like.

1. Sailor
2. Oates
3. Staggs
4. Farnworth
5. Arthars
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
8. Jensen
9. Walters
10. Tapau/Palasia
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Heatherington
14. Paix
15. Willison
16. Palasia/Tapau
17. Te Kura
18. Mariner

 

[Sproj]

So...is Capewell fit to play?

Let's assume worst case scenario that the Qld boys are all out AND we lose Capewell and Oates doesn't return:

1. Sailor
2. Arthars
3. Staggs
4. Farnworth
5. Mariner
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
8. Palasia
9. Walters
10. Jensen
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Hetherington

14. Paix
15. Taupau
16. Willison
17. Te Kura

Time to see what some of these kids have. Piakura and Mariner to me are must ins, we need to give them some experience to see what we have with them.

 

[007]

What about Herbie to FB and Mariner to center?

 

[Sproj]

What about Herbie to FB and Mariner to center?

I like it.

 

[nopatience101]

When we are already going to be down on experience I dunno about picking kids for the sake of it if we have other more experienced options. I would pick Periera before Mariner, not only for his experience, but his carries out of our end, which we will need being down on forwards.

 

[1910]

I have fears about Sailor which I keep saying- people just ignore the handling errors and focus on the running. He dropped the ball three times on Saturday night and gave away two penalties that's five let offs in a game from an important position.

Round one- dropped two.
Round two- dropped one and a penalty.
Round four- dropped one and sat watching a ball on the dead ball line until Piakura ran 50m and scored- two penalties.
Round five- dropped three.
Round six- dropped one.
Round seven- two penalties
Round eight- dropped three
Round nine- dropped three and two penalties.


It's too much.

 

[Manofoneway]

What about Herbie to FB and Mariner to center?

I like it.

Possible, I like it in theory but in practice I think it just makes more sense to bring in a backup FB that plays similar to Walsh. Would love to see Herbie have a crack at FB but it might change how Mam and Reynolds play too much if he is out of position. I think minimal additional disruption is key over Origin so that the existing combinations we have left are able to work as they would in any other game.

 

[Sproj]

I have fears about Sailor which I keep saying- people just ignore the handling errors and focus on the running. He dropped the ball three times on Saturday night and gave away two penalties that's five let offs in a game from an important position.

Round one- dropped two.
Round two- dropped one and a penalty.
Round four- dropped one and sat watching a ball on the dead ball line until Piakura ran 50m and scored- two penalties.
Round five- dropped three.
Round six- dropped one.
Round seven- two penalties
Round eight- dropped three
Round nine- dropped three and two penalties.


It's too much.

So basically, Reece Walsh?

 

[1910]

So basically, Reece Walsh?

Walsh does make too many errors but he's making them in the NRL- what does three drops in Cup become in the NRL?

If you don't have that attention to detail playing Cup, I fear what it could be in NRL under fatigue and under pressure.

 

[nopatience101]

Walsh does make too many errors but he's making them in the NRL- what does three drops in Cup become in the NRL?

If you don't have that attention to detail playing Cup, I fear what it could be in NRL under fatigue and under pressure.

The real question is what does three drops in nrl become in origin?