Round 1 - Bulldogs vrs Broncos; Pre-Match Discussion

[Bucking Beads]

So I've been thinking a lot about this and I've come to a few conclusions. Thaiday is going to be used as a lock similiar to Glenn Stewart. Good passing skills and decent ball playing skills. Parker to prop allows that to happen. If this is the plan it gives us an extra guy to do some ball playing which I think Thaiday is quite capable of. Hoffman to fullback which is a shame but it is our best option. Barba in the 6 with the long term view of him staying there. Obviously it leaves us with 2 shitty wingers but hopefully they step up or someone does.

 

[Dexter]

I know some think it's a lock that Maranta will be in the side but I can't see Vidot missing out, the guy at least bends the line on kick returns and is good out of dummy half to start our sets, unless Mills is the one to be left out.

 

[Cult]

This game has a few players in it and is worth a watch.

 

[Morkel]

I'm sold. Maranta for PM. Sorry, Maranta for FB!

 

[Harry Sack]

On Maranta, he made a fantastic try saver on the weekend. The warriors scored a tackle or 2 later, but Maranta came from a fair distance from memory and made a great covering tackle.

Shit winger though.

 

[Harry Sack]

I know some think it's a lock that Maranta will be in the side but I can't see Vidot missing out, the guy at least bends the line on kick returns and is good out of dummy half to start our sets, unless Mills is the one to be left out.

Vidot isn't missing out IMO. Mills probably will though, the guys a centre and it's obvious when he plays on the wing.

 

[noisetheory]

what makes you think vidot is going to be there? hasn't been sighted since first trial. i doubt its because hes an automatic selection...

 

[Russell Coight]

dont know if its been posted but the dogs are still chasing hoffman according to raylene castle.

 

[bazza]

I don't understand the logic behind moving Parker to prop and moving Thaiday to lock. Wasn't the whole reason we bought props so that we wouldn't play back rowers as front rowers?

Thaiday is ineffective through the middle, just like Parker is ineffective as a prop. Thaiday should be used just as he is for QLD and AUS. Same goes for Parker. You'd think that after a successful World Cup, were Both Parker and Thaiday were great, we'd use that at club level.

Thaiday can ball play from his preferred right fringe, while Parker can continue what he always does. He is not the man to be taking hit-ups on the first or second tackle.

We get monstered in attack and defence already as it is due to our rather small props. Against the Warriors, Parker was just getting man handled by much bigger forwards. It makes no sense why he'd be used as a prop. He is perfectly effective as it is as lock forward.

 

[Huge]

From what I saw, Mills at centre is the best bet. It's his natural position and he's quick. Reed is positively slow these days . Like most players playing unfamiliar positions Mills is unfairly criticised for his efforts on the wing. You could use Reed at hooker to give Macca a spell or as an extra forward. I know Reed has a good combo with Hoffman but Mills is a decent centre with size and pace.

 

[bazza]

I tend to agree that Mills should be right centre until Hodges is back, while Copley at left. I wouldn't mind seeing Reed on one wing with Vidot on the other. If not Reed could come off the bench as a loose forward. He was quite effective in previous games as a back rower.

Mills played centre for the Sharks NSW Cup team and played well in the final. He too is an Australian schoolboy, so he obviously is talented, just needs an opportunity. It also doesn't help his cause when he's forced to play out of position. The thing I would like about having the below backline is we have real size and enough speed:

1. Barba/Hoffman
2. Vidot
3. Mills
4. Copley
5. Reed/ do we have any other fit options?
6. Hoffman/Barba
7. Hunt

The thing about Mills is he is pretty quick and a pretty strong runner. Remember when he steamrolled S. Johnson? That's the sort of things that create attacking opportunities. He would beat his opposite defender on most occasions it would seem with those sort of carries. Same with Vidot and Copley. All three are quick in open space, and would be a handful because of their size something we havn't had the luxury of having for a while now.

 

[Harry Sack]

what makes you think vidot is going to be there? hasn't been sighted since first trial. i doubt its because hes an automatic selection...

Wasn't he one of our shining lights in the first trial? As far as him not being sighted, I thought he copped a minor injury?

From a personal point, if he is left out of the Rnd 1 squad and he isn't injured then Griffin is 100% fucked in the head.


InB4 posts about Vidot definitely missing out on Rnd 1 because Griffin is fucked in the head etc etc.

 

[Harry Sack]

1. Maranta
2. Reed
3. Mills
4. Copley
5. Vidot

Fo shizzle my nizzle. **** Hoffman.

One of the problems we have Imo is too many players, especially backs, that we feel loyal too. The above is obviously a bit of a joke (although not far off) but seriously, they need to shake it up a little. Maranta is a shit winger but apparently does well at 1. Put him there or **** him off to Qcup and if the rest of the team don't like it, stiff shit. Mills is a quality centre but isn't a wingers ass, so play him at centre or stick him in Qcup etc etc. So many of our players seem to be in the 17, simply because they've "come through the system" or were there last year....even though there are possibly better players for their position.

 

[bazza]

Hook just is to loyal to them, and those players are getting way to comfortable and not aiming up. He also likes to fit all the players in the team regardless of what positions they play or their strengths or weaknesses.

But then again, we haven't had the depth to challenge positions like we do now so I can only imagine and hope that blokes will be picked on form, and dropped if not in form.

I'm rather convinced with my backline that I mentioned above. That's a pretty big, yet fast back line, that would most likely be a hand full to defend against. It's pretty flexible, in that the centres and wingers can interchange a couple times throughout a game if needed

 

[Alec]

I'm becoming less and less impressed by Reed. He's been really ordinary in attack ever since he entered his second season, but now he's missing tackles too.

 

[noisetheory]

I'm rather convinced with my backline that I mentioned above. That's a pretty big, yet fast back line

but ya got reed on the wing.

 

[hayseed]

If we're playing by that game, you can't comment on Griffin either, because you don't know what he does behind the scenes.

I don't think Maranta is heartless though, just not a very good winger.

He isn't heartless at all, he just lacks the speed needed to be a successful winger, he is a good defender and is very safe under the high ball, he has a ton of heart, unfortunately pace and confidence are his major drawbacks.

 

[Ghibli]

My team:

1. Barba
2. Vidot
3. Copley
4. Hoffman
5. Reed
6. Strasser
7. Hunt
8. Hannant
9. McCullough
10. Kennedy
11. Glenn
12. Thaiday
13. Parker

14. Nikorima
15. Gillett
16. McGuire
17. Hala/Ofahengaue/Wallace