NRL 2023 Finals Week 2 Discussion

[Big Pete]

I'm hoping to see a late change from Storm.

That bench suggests Grant will be playing 80, which isn't the right call to be making, they need someone that can relieve him.

Wishart has been playing at hooker for the Falcons and been doing a really good job from what I've been hearing, I would like to see a late change made to bring him onto the bench.

There's been calls for Faalogo to be brought onto the bench, but that would still leave Grant playing 80.

I was shocked they omitted Garlick from the team last week. I wrote a post about how much success Melbourne have had lately starting Grant off the bench and I agree that it's something they should explore.

Olam is a good inclusion. His form did drop off, but I thought he played himself back into a jersey against the Broncos and when he's on-song Olam is one of the best centres in the competition.

I don't think Bellamy will do it, but Storm fans have been calling for a Faalogo/Warbrick/Meaney back 3 with Reimis pushing Seve out of the centres. I don't think it's the right environment, but as it stands, I'd take Faalogo ahead of McDonald on that bench.

I agree that they need to manage Grant, but that bench looks like a smokescreen just in terms of how bland it is.

Storm fans are also after changes to the forward pack. Welch is struggling and they're sick of his ill-discipline.

 

[Sproj]

I was shocked they omitted Garlick from the team last week. I wrote a post about how much success Melbourne have had lately starting Grant off the bench and I agree that it's something they should explore.

Olam is a good inclusion. His form did drop off, but I thought he played himself back into a jersey against the Broncos and when he's on-song Olam is one of the best centres in the competition.

I don't think Bellamy will do it, but Storm fans have been calling for a Faalogo/Warbrick/Meaney back 3 with Reimis pushing Seve out of the centres. I don't think it's the right environment, but as it stands, I'd take Faalogo ahead of McDonald on that bench.

I agree that they need to manage Grant, but that bench looks like a smokescreen just in terms of how bland it is.

Storm fans are also after changes to the forward pack. Welch is struggling and they're sick of his ill-discipline.

I reckon Faalogo will play. Bellamy knows he needs some spark and that kid offers it

 

[mrslong]

I was shocked they omitted Garlick from the team last week. I wrote a post about how much success Melbourne have had lately starting Grant off the bench and I agree that it's something they should explore.

Olam is a good inclusion. His form did drop off, but I thought he played himself back into a jersey against the Broncos and when he's on-song Olam is one of the best centres in the competition.

I don't think Bellamy will do it, but Storm fans have been calling for a Faalogo/Warbrick/Meaney back 3 with Reimis pushing Seve out of the centres. I don't think it's the right environment, but as it stands, I'd take Faalogo ahead of McDonald on that bench.

I agree that they need to manage Grant, but that bench looks like a smokescreen just in terms of how bland it is.

Storm fans are also after changes to the forward pack. Welch is struggling and they're sick of his ill-discipline.

Won’t somebody think of the storm fans

 

[Culhwch]

I reckon Faalogo will play. Bellamy knows he needs some spark and that kid offers it

Unlikely given the opposition, but could be a confidence-damaging move to throw a kid into a sudden death final with a world of expectation on him.

 

[BroncsFan]

I was shocked they omitted Garlick from the team last week. I wrote a post about how much success Melbourne have had lately starting Grant off the bench and I agree that it's something they should explore.

Olam is a good inclusion. His form did drop off, but I thought he played himself back into a jersey against the Broncos and when he's on-song Olam is one of the best centres in the competition.

I don't think Bellamy will do it, but Storm fans have been calling for a Faalogo/Warbrick/Meaney back 3 with Reimis pushing Seve out of the centres. I don't think it's the right environment, but as it stands, I'd take Faalogo ahead of McDonald on that bench.

I agree that they need to manage Grant, but that bench looks like a smokescreen just in terms of how bland it is.

Storm fans are also after changes to the forward pack. Welch is struggling and they're sick of his ill-discipline.

How is Seve even named ... he was completely out of it after the head clash.

Have they changed the independent doctors now that finals have started.

Looking at the reserves and current make up of the team... I could see them bringing Wishart on the bench for McDonald and Seve dropping out for Faalogo... Reimus into centre and Meaney wing.

Storm have a bit of a free hit this week with rorters absolutely bashed up... so Bellamy could go with an injection of x factor this week as an experiment for next week.

Although will they want Faalogo playing fullback against Cleary's kicking game

 

[Super Freak]

NRL have uploaded the '08 SF between Warriors and Roosters. Probably one of the better finals games of the NRL era.

Despite scoring early and scoring the first try, it was a pretty nervous first half from the Warriors. They struggled to find any kind of rhythm and struggled to contain the roll-on of the Roosters. They had a lot of trouble getting out of their end and getting chances in the Roosters 20.

Half time was the best thing for them. They were able to regroup, reset, calm the nerves and they came out and blew the Roosters way in the second half.

Then there's also that famous hit up from Ruben Wiki where he's just charging towards the defence with everything he's got, roaring along the way and knocks out Soliola. I wonder if in today's game if Roosters would have got a penalty for it and Wiki put in the bin?

 

[1910]

Unlikely given the opposition, but could be a confidence-damaging move to throw a kid into a sudden death final with a world of expectation on him.

He is 20 and played two years of Cup- not much more you can do to get a player ready.

 

[Culhwch]

He is 20 and played two years of Cup- not much more you can do to get a player ready.

How many NRL games?

 

[1910]

How many NRL games?

Clearly its's one but if you don't play him because he has only played one NRL game then you never play him again.

Only one way to move on from one game.

If he was a teenager and played no Cup, I'd be agreeing but he's had a good two years and been great the last month for the Falcons- If you can't pick a player under those conditions something is wrong with your system.

There is nothing more you can do to have a player ready.

 

[Culhwch]

Clearly its's one but if you don't play him because he has only played one NRL game then you never play him again.

Only one way to move on from one game.

If he was a teenager and played no Cup, I'd be agreeing but he's had a good two years and been great the last month for the Falcons- If you can't pick a player under those conditions something is wrong with your system.

There is nothing more you can do to have a player ready.

I was genuinely asking, by the way, I wasn't sure if I'd missed earlier games, and I knew you'd know.

I'm not saying they shouldn't play him, or that he's not ready - I don't know him from a bar of soap, clearly, so I have no idea about that. Just that it could be a high-pressure situation to throw a young and inexperienced at this level player into.

As I said, it's probably not going to eventuate given the opposition this week. But it's set up to potentially end badly. A debut a couple of weeks ago that got everyone across the league calling him the next big thing. His next game is a sudden death semi-final, where he's coming onto the bench - in place of the much-storied Paps, no less. He could very well be thrown in to the action when they are down, and be expected to add that unmeasurable quality, 'spark'. Or possibly worse - put on when they are up, and commit an error that sees them lose.

It's all speculation and and what-ifs at this stage - but it's just something that stuck me. And of course there's nothing to say that if any of these worst-case scenarios eventuate it would even affect him adversely.

 

[1910]

I was genuinely asking, by the way, I wasn't sure if I'd missed earlier games, and I knew you'd know.

I'm not saying they shouldn't play him, or that he's not ready - I don't know him from a bar of soap, clearly, so I have no idea about that. Just that it could be a high-pressure situation to throw a young and inexperienced at this level player into.

As I said, it's probably not going to eventuate given the opposition this week. But it's set up to potentially end badly. A debut a couple of weeks ago that got everyone across the league calling him the next big thing. His next game is a sudden death semi-final, where he's coming onto the bench - in place of the much-storied Paps, no less. He could very well be thrown in to the action when they are down, and be expected to add that unmeasurable quality, 'spark'. Or possibly worse - put on when they are up, and commit an error that sees them lose.

It's all speculation and and what-ifs at this stage - but it's just something that stuck me. And of course there's nothing to say that if any of these worst-case scenarios eventuate it would even affect him adversely.

I don't disagree it could go wrong, but I think it reaches a point in your development where if you don't have faith in him then you have bigger problems. Clubs talk about next man up storm have always done that pretty well.

If I thought he could do a job on Friday then he's in, second game wouldn't worry me.

I don't think there is anything else you can do to make him ready. That 30 or so Cup games is as good as it gets.

 

[Culhwch]

I don't think there is anything else you can do to make him ready. That 30 or so Cup games is as good as it gets.

More than Anthony Seibold would give you, for sure.

 

[1910]

More than Anthony Seibold would give you, for sure.

It's probably "over-cooked" really for 2023- players are getting younger all the time. Your debut at 18/19 is more normal than ever before and playing longer too. Once you debuted at 21 and were washed up at 29.

20/21 years old debut and playing 30 Reserve grade games was the norm. Lockyer still played reserve grade the day he played his first NRL game even though he was young and playing Colts too and Lazo didn't debut until he was 21.

I was just recently told in relation to Thurston that even after the Cowboys got him they were still a bit have we done the right thing here- $250k is a lot of money. Dogs were playing the Cowboys, so Murray and Parr watched the Reserve grade to see Thurston and he destroyed the Bears 64-14- they walked away happy with their investment.

I think most times the lower grade- Cup doesn't lie too much especially after 30 games.

 

[Sproj]

Latest updates of note:
- Johnson should play
- Jahrome Hughes unlikely

 

[Broncapz]

I don't know why they don't stick with Olam. The guy is a scary tank.

 

[mitch222]

I don't know why they don't stick with Olam. The guy is a scary tank.

They are trying to force him out of the club. Apparently he is on really good money and the storm need more money to revamp their forward pack.

 

[BroncsFan]

Latest updates of note:
- Johnson should play
- Jahrome Hughes unlikely

Storm treating the broken rorters like a bye round to get Hughes fresh... hope it backfires on them... although it would basically give Panthers a bye round into the grand final

 

[Sproj]

Hughes officially out.