Let's be honest its time for our team for 2021!

Lee is the odd man out. Shibs, showed lack of urgency in getting back to cover today. Not sure what that’s about. Tuala is really impressive, he’s very Newcastle, bit of an underdog
 
packo said:
Lee is the odd man out. Shibs, showed lack of urgency in getting back to cover today. Not sure what that’s about. Tuala is really impressive, he’s very Newcastle, bit of an underdog
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Even Hunt is a Smokey, I think he’s a QLDer, and has been in camp before, unless I’m making it up. Gagai will be on one wing, I’d throw Hammer in the other. Can’t even think of the centre’s
 
To'a was better in defence today than in his first two games. It helps that Tuala is very good at organising the defence.
To'a was also a bit suss under the high ball last year, but he's been as solid as a rock so far.
 
Best is an outstanding young talent.
But he can be quite injury prone.
I'm pretty sure he missed a lot of juniors due to injury?
Hopefully removing this bone at the end of the season helps this.

Tuala is getting better each game. Left centre is his best spot.
I wonder if Best right and Tuala left would be our best possible combo.
 
packo said:
Even Hunt is a Smokey, I think he’s a QLDer, and has been in camp before, unless I’m making it up. Gagai will be on one wing, I’d throw Hammer in the other. Can’t even think of the centre’s
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Morgan and Chambers were the centers last year so at least one spot up for grabs with Morgan missing so much of the season no guarantee he would make the side
 
Morgan will make the side simply because of QLD’s policy of picking and sticking with guys that’s done it in the past. Plus he played pretty good on the weekend.
 
I think tuala has proven he is our long term centre partner to best. Love what he is all about and I really think he has a lot of improvement in him to come.

Does any one know if best has played right centre before? Also @cowboyman you said tuala under-performed out of position from left centre, how so? Like errors? Bad reads? Because I think he has earnt that spot for next season
 
Best has played every position from 1-5 for the Knights and in rep sides including NSW and Australian schoolboys, and his first season at the Knights he played second row as a 14 year old in under 16s. His main positions have been fullback and left centre.
 
R_A said:
Aside from Ponga at fullback if you were picking the QLD team tommorow Tuala would be one of the firs lt players picked in that backline.
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I never considered that. Lee & Hunt you always thought were just on the verge of a possible call up but Tuala has probably surpassed them now in form.
 
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Obviously left centre isn’t a problem Best or Tuala but right is, Moga no thanks and Shibasaki is ok but not ideal. So if all fit, likely start of next season who is on the right, Tuala is going extremely well and I would be hesitant to shift him and we are told he is not so good on right so that means most likely shift Best to right with Hunt outside him. Another consideration is Toa has been going well on left wing so do we keep him even when Lee is back.
Nice problems having quality at 2-5.
 
ApperceptionJosh said:
I think tuala has proven he is our long term centre partner to best. Love what he is all about and I really think he has a lot of improvement in him to come.

Does any one know if best has played right centre before? Also @cowboyman you said tuala under-performed out of position from left centre, how so? Like errors? Bad reads? Because I think he has earnt that spot for next season
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Green stuck him predominantly at right wing when Feldt was out injured then right centre. Tuala isn’t a winger and made a few errors. Green would drop him and Clifford especially at the drop of a hat while underperforming senior players had a green pass.

We know for a fact that Tuala then became complacent and rocked up to training with a bad attitude, got on the wrong side of Green and was basically black listed towards end of last year while Green persisted with Hess, Cooper and Dunn in the centre’s.

Cowboys forum basically agreed they don’t blame Tuala for the way it ended as Green done him wrong and never gave him consistent time in his preferred position.
 
https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/...bsite&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews

Can't read the article, but it looks like Jonah Pezet will join Melbourne.
If Melbourne have offered him a lot of money, I think he might be worth it, or he might not. He has looked better than Crossland in under 16s, but he does have a dad who is a former firstgrade halfback and a top junior coach, and he was playing behind the best under 16s forward pack I've seen.
In short, he's had every reason to look good up to the age of 16/17, but it get's a bit harder now.
 
I notice Cooper Jenkins has been named at prop for Maitland Presidents cup side this week.
3 years ago he was playing wing beside Bradman Best in the NSW under 16s.
I'm not sure having the 19 year old play prop in the second strongest senior comp in the state this year is a great idea, but at least he is getting some good experience in a year when many of our prospects are not getting much footy.
Bayden Searle is playing halfback for Dubbo every week.
 
1 Kayln Ponga
2 Hymel Hunt
3 Enari Tuala
4 Bradman Best
5 Edrick Lee
6 Kurt Mann
7 Mitchell Pearce
8 David Klemmer
9 Jayden Brailey
10 Daniel Saifiti
11 Tyson Frizzel
12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
13 Mitch Barnett

14 Connor Watson
15 Jacob Saifiti
16 Sione Mata'utia
17 Pasami Saulo

other signed players

18 Starford To'a
19 Jirah Momoisea
20 Pheonix Crossland
21 Shibasaki
22 Christian Ma'anaima
23 Dominic Young
24 Tex Hoy

off contract

Green
Aidan Guerra
Brodie Jones
Josh King
Mason Lino
Tautau Moga
Chris Randall
Matt Croker
Luke Huth
Simi Sasagi (has 2 year option)
Tyronne Robert-Davis

Leaving the club

Andrew McCullough
Herman Eseese
Tim Glasby

So we have 6 fulltime spots and 6 development spots to fill for 2021.
 
packo said:
We can’t go back to Mann at 5/8. Something has to give next year. Can’t have Mann and Watson.
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I think he was getting better game after game and we now know what he needs to work on. I'd be happy with Mann at 5/8 next year if he keeps improving at the same rate and works on his passing and kicking games.
 
Billy said:
I think he was getting better game after game and we now know what he needs to work on. I'd be happy with Mann at 5/8 next year if he keeps improving at the same rate and works on his passing and kicking games.
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Mann was great, going fantastic. But the team suffers around him for it. Backs don’t get enough ball and Ponga plays a different role.
 
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