Round 15 Discussion

[Big Pete]

Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers
Brookvale Oval, Friday June 19 2015
Kick Off 7:45pm

1. Brett Stewart 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Peta Hiku 4. Steve Matai 5. Tom Trbojevic 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Luke Burgess 9. Matt Ballin 10. Willie Mason 11. Blake Leary 12. Tom Symonds 13. Dunamis Lui
Interchange: 14. Feleti Mateo 15. Jake Trbojevic 16. James Hasson 17. Ligi Sao 22. Josh Starling

1. James Tedesco 2. Kevin Naiqama 3. David Nofoaluma 4. Tim Simona 5. Pat Richards 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Dene Halatau 10. Keith Galloway 11. Kyle Lovett 12. Chris Lawrence 13. Martin Taupau
Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Matthew Lodge 16. Brenden Santi 17. Manaia Cherrington 21. Jack Buchanan

---

Canberra Raiders vs North Queensland Cowboys
GIO Stadium, Saturday June 20 2015
Kick Off 3:00pm

1. Jack Wighton 2. Edrick Lee 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Sisa Waqa 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Blake Austin 7. Sam Williams 8. Paul Vaughan 9. Josh Hodgson 10. David Shillington 11. Josh Papalii 12. Iosia Soliola 13. Shaun Fensom
Interchange: 14. Kurt Baptiste 15. Jarrad Kennedy 16. Frank Paul Nuuausala 17. Shannon Boyd

1. Lachlan Coote 2. Matthew Wright 3. Justin O'Neill 4. Kane Linnett 5. Antonio Winterstein 6. Michael Morgan 7. Johnathan Thurston 8. Matthew Scott 9. Jake Granville 10. James Tamou 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Ethan Lowe 13. Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14. Rory Kostjasyn 15. John Asiata 16. Ben Hannant 17. Sam Hoare

---

Gold Coast Titans vs Warriors
Cbus Super Stadium, Saturday June 20 2015
Kick Off 5:30pm

1. David Mead 2. Anthony Don 3. James Roberts 4. Brad Tighe 5. Kevin Gordon 6. Josh Hoffman 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Luke Douglas 9. Daniel Mortimer 10. Nate Myles 11. Ryan James 12. Ben Ridge 13. Eddy Pettybourne
Interchange: 14. Agnatius Paasi 15. Mark Ioane 16. Lachlan Burr 17. Matt Robinson 18. Dave Taylor

1. Tuimoala Lolohea 2. Ken Maumalo 3. Konrad Hurrell 4. Solomone Kata 5. Manu Vatuvei 6. Chad Townsend 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Jacob Lillyman 9. Nathan Friend 10. Ben Matulino 11. Bodene Thompson 12. Ryan Hoffman 13. Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili 15. Sebastine Ikahihifo 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 17. Charlie Gubb 18. Albert Vete

---

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Penrith Panthers
ANZ Stadium, Saturday June 20 2015
Kick Off 7:30pm

1. Sam Perrett 2. Curtis Rona 3. Chase Stanley 4. Timoteo Lafai 5. Corey Thompson 6. Josh Reynolds 7. Moses Mbye 8. Aiden Tolman 9. Michael Lichaa 10. Sam Kasiano 11. Antonio Kaufusi 12. Frank Pritchard 13. Greg Eastwood
Interchange: 14. Danny Fualalo 15. Lloyd Perrett 16. Tim Browne 17. Herman Essese 23. Shaun Lane

1. Dallin Watene Zelezniak 2. Waqa Blake 3. Dean Whare 4. Isaah Yeo 5. David Simmons 6. Jamie Soward 7. Peter Wallace 8. Regan Campbell-Gillard 9. James Segeyaro 10. Sam McKendry 11. Lewis Brown 12. Sika Manu 13. Elijah Taylor
Interchange: 14. Tyrone Peachey 15. Jeremy Latimore 16. Nigel Plum 17. Bryce Cartwright 18. Adam Docker 19. Sam Anderson

---

Newcastle Knights vs Cronulla Sharks
Hunter Stadium, Sunday 21 June 2015
Kick Off 2:00pm

1. Kurt Gidley 2. James McManus 3. Sione Mata'utia 4. Dane Gagai 5. Akuila Uate 6. Carlos Tuimavave 7. Tyrone Roberts 8. Kade Snowden 9. Adam Clydsdale 10. Korbin Sims 11. Beau Scott 12. Tariq Sims 13. Chris Houston
Interchange: 14. Tyler Randell 15. Robbie Rochow 16. Joseph Tapine 17. Paterika Vaivai

1. Michael Gordon 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Gerard Beale 4. Ricky Leutele 5. Valentine Holmes 6. Jack Bird 7. Jeff Robson 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Michael Ennis 10. Matt Prior 11. Luke Lewis 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14. Jayson Bukuya 15. Chris Heighington 16. David Fifita 17. Sam Tagataese

---

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
AAMI Park, Sunday 21 June 2015
Kick Off 4:00pm

1. Billy Slater 2. Mahe Fonua 3. Will Chambers 4. Kurt Mann 5. Richard Kennar 6. Blake Green 7. Ben Hampton 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Tim Glasby 11. Kevin Proctor 12. Tohu Harris 13. Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14. Ryan Hinchcliffe 15. Kenneath Bromwich 16. Christian Welch 17. Felise Kaufusi 18. Cameron Munster 19. Hymel Hunt 20. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

1. Darius Boyd 2. Jordan Kahu 3. Jack Reed 4. Justin Hodges 5. Daniel Vidot 6. Anthony Milford 7. Ben Hunt 8. Josh McGuire 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Adam Blair 11. Alex Glenn 12. Matt Gillett 13. Corey Parker
Interchange: 14. Jarrod Wallace 15. Sam Thaiday 16. Corey Oates 17. Matt Parcell 18. Mitchell Dodds 19. Francis Molo 20. Lachlan Maranta

---

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Sydney Roosters
Allianz Stadium, Monday 22 June 2015
Kick Off 7:00pm

1. Josh Dugan 2. Eto Nabuli 3. Euan Aitken 4. Peter Mata'utia 5. Jason Nightingale 6. Gareth Widdop 7. Benji Marshall 8. Leeson Ah Mau 9. Mitch Rein 10. Mike Cooper 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Will Matthews 13. Trent Merrin
Interchange: 14. Jake Marketo 15. Ben Creagh 16. Jack de Belin 17. Heath L'Estrange 20. Rory O'Brien

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Blake Ferguson 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 6. James Maloney 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. Dylan Napa 9. Jake Friend 10. Sam Moa 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14. Jackson Hastings 15. Mitchell Aubusson 16. Kane Evans 17. Siosiua Taukeiaho 19. Suaia Matagi

 

[Big Pete]

R15 Tips
Sea Eagles
Raiders
Warriors
Bulldogs
Sharks
Broncos
Dragons

 

[Porthoz]

Ienie, meenie, miny, moe...

Scum
Cows
Tits
Dogs
Sharks
Broncs
Chooks

 

[Big Pete]

If Manly are going to make a late run towards the finals, tonight has got to be the night.

They've got to forget about the opening 14 weeks of the competition and start again. They've got the players to compete with anyone on their day, they just need to step it up and apply those finishing touches which has been the difference in a lot of their games thus far.

As much as I enjoyed the Broncos win in Round 13, I was amazed at how often the Sea Eagles shot themselves in the foot. The kicker for mine was Ben Hunt's try where he beat four Manly players to the football, got up and strolled over for one of the weirdest tries I've seen this year. It was just mind boggling. How could you let a player like that score in that position?

Regardless, Manly actually got themselves back into the game off the back of some DCE brilliance. They were actually looking threatening during that period but when Foran failed to find Stewart it was basically over.

If they can apply those finishing touches, eliminate those errors they should be too good for the Tigers who are coming off their best performance of the season.

I was really happy for the Tigers. They'd been doing it tough ever since they got kept to nil by an understrength Cowboys outfit and it almost seemed unfair because Taylor was seemingly doing the best he could with very little experience. The challenge is whether or not he can get them to back it up for the first time since Round 2. I'm not convinced they can at this stage but if they do win tonight it will be through the work of their middle men in Woods, Taupau, Galloway, Seumanufagai and Lodge. If these 5 can get the Tigers rolling forward, get Cherrington and Brooks around the ruck with Tedesco sniffing for opportunities, they could put on a score. The problem is getting a young team like the Tigers to recognise that.

And I don't think they will. I'm going with Manly and believe DCE will put a disappointing Game II behind him and come out with guns a blazing.

 

[Big Pete]

Foran hands Wests a try.

Great chase by DCE to round Naiqama up so comfortably but the damage had been done.

 

[Super Freak]

Jeez, how does a touchie not see that?

Clear forward pass.

 

[Alec]

DCE killing it early in the 2nd. He can still have a future with QLD, just needs a complete shift in the attack plan to have any chance of succeeding. Which could happen once Smith, Thurston and Cronk retire.

 

[Super Freak]

Ouch..

See how that finger was bent?

 

[Super Freak]

Well, that was stupid from Taupau.

 

[Super Freak]

DCE clutching at his shoulder.

Taupau put on a cheap shot..

 

[Super Freak]

So if the ball gets stripped out, it's play on. But if it gets knocked out, it's a knock on.

What's the difference?

 

[Super Freak]

I bet Manly fans were a bit worried there.

I think if Tigers had their full strength team, it would have been a different game. I think they missed Farah out there tonight.

Apparently DCE's shoulder is fine. It just stung a bit.

I wonder what the MRC will have to say about what Taupau did.

 

[Big Pete]

Just too much inexperience from the Tigers.

They were the better team for the majority of the first half until Brendan Santi got absolutely smashed by Mason. That gave Manly the pill at which point they piled on two tries and regained all the ascendency.

Thought there were some good signs from DCE but clearly he isn't playing with a lot of confidence. Bombed an absolute sitter in the second half and as good as his work was to set up Stewart, it shouldn't have been given because Hiku knocked on in the lead up. I thought his general play was pretty poor too. He keeps crowding his outside men and deferred a lot of responsibility to Foran who had a very mixed game as well. When Kieran is at his best, he has the best timing of anyone in the game. Tonight I thought there were a few instances where he just got it wrong.

The second Moses try was interesting. Seriously don't think it should be a try but I may owe [MENTION=8474]uptheguts[/MENTION] an apology. It appears video referees can now rule on intent and can even over-rule the original interpretation. It's all a bit odd but I get the feeling the video referees just make it up as they go along.

Must say I thought the Tigers comeback was a little artificial. Two last tackle penalties, one of which was off a massive forward pass from Cherrington all seemed as if the referees were giving the Tigers every opportunity since the game was essentially over. Thankfully Maxwell showed some common sense on the Simona no-try. Actually got to give him credit there, looked like a try to me live but Tim definitely lost control on the way over the line.

Anyways I thought the Manly forward pack really stood up tonight. Mateo, Mason, Trbojevic, Sao etc. all brought their A game and they just caught the patchy Tigers out.

 

[Alec]

Looking forward to the Cows/Raiders game. Other than the Bronkers game, this is the highlight of the round for me. Exciting attack and poor defence vs....well, the same thing really. Should be a high scoring game. Hoping the Raiders win so we break away as the lone comp leaders.

 

[Big Pete]

That was a great set from JT.

Went into dummy half, got the Cowboys rolling forward before finishing it off with a nice kick to earn a repeat set.

Now he earns another with a great kick and chase on Wighton.

 

[Alec]

Yeah, Thurston looks in total control.

 

[Super Freak]

That was an interesting decision...

Cowboys get a couple of repeat sets, piling on the pressure on one of the worst defensive sides in the comp and then they decide to take the two..

I thought they would have been better off taking them on again.

But I guess 6 points is better than 4.

 

[Alec]

Really enjoying this game. Both teams can be so exciting to watch.