Thieves Like Us
Ben MacDougall
And stop those bloody stupid grubber kicks from a yard out!
NRL Round 16 - Dolphins Vs Knights - 5:30pm Saturday 21 June - HBF Park, Perth
- Thread starter Lefty
- Start date
Thieves Like Us
Ben MacDougall
Can someone show this to our halves before Saturday’s game please? https://www.facebook.com/reel/1282404953254966?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
frankLauda
Matthew Gidley
I hope Ponga backs up in this one. Jsaf would have been nice but having a bunch of FGers back I’m feeling slightly optimistic. Not sure we win but I don’t see us folding defensively like the cows and dragons.
What I noticed with our defence is we don’t rush teams, say like the Dogs. We more hold our line and move with play.
What I noticed with our defence is we don’t rush teams, say like the Dogs. We more hold our line and move with play.
Defence wins games
Todd Bates
Wow, we tend to forget how great Joey was until you see reels like this. He would still be way on top of the tree in today’s game.
Nathan still has a way to go atm.
Beatell
Darren Albert
Yeah it wasnt only the straightening it was the speed he moved forward also, the fact he could think so fast on the fly is insane.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Still the GOAT.
Lefty
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Always was, always will be.
MullosLefttoRight
Tim Maddison
I feel like Arthur is some time away from doing big minutes at NRL level, but would like to see him integrated into a 25-30 minute role by the end of the year.
Full-strength lineup for the end of the season:
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Greg Marzhew
3. Bradman Best
4. Dane Gagai
5. Dom Young
6. Fletcher Sharpe
7. Tyson Gamble
8. Tyson Frizell
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Jacob Saifiti
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Phoenix Crossland
14. Matt Arthur
15. Mat Croker
16. Jermaine McEwen
17. Leo Thompson (Edit: had Tom Cant here hence the spiel down the bottom - completely forgot Leo existed)
I don't enjoy keeping Brailey but he's defensively sound and I don't see Arthur as ready to do 50 NRL minutes. If Arthur did reach that point I would start Crossland at 9. I believe Crossland at 13 is essential to our attacking structure finding any success, so don't want him to do 50 minutes at 9 each week shielding Arthur.
If Gamble manages to stay fit and show some form he takes halfback from Cogger.
McEwen has done enough for me to be in our top 17. Croker can take the bulk of the minutes required from the bench, 20-25min stint is all McEwen needs to do - if Arthur manages bigger minutes than expected we can drop Brailey and add an extra forward.
Probably a controversial take at the moment but I still believe in Tom Cant as a middle - not a hill I'll fight to the death on but he would take jersey 17 for me now. ESL needs to do a lot of work on his motor in Cup. Jones can at best "do a job" but provides very minimal impact coming off the bench and certainly isn't defensively dominant, Cant brings genuine leg speed and works just as hard in D. If Hetherington had any form and fitness behind him he could leapfrog all of the above but I don't see it happening this year.
Full-strength lineup for the end of the season:
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Greg Marzhew
3. Bradman Best
4. Dane Gagai
5. Dom Young
6. Fletcher Sharpe
7. Tyson Gamble
8. Tyson Frizell
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Jacob Saifiti
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Phoenix Crossland
14. Matt Arthur
15. Mat Croker
16. Jermaine McEwen
17. Leo Thompson (Edit: had Tom Cant here hence the spiel down the bottom - completely forgot Leo existed)
I don't enjoy keeping Brailey but he's defensively sound and I don't see Arthur as ready to do 50 NRL minutes. If Arthur did reach that point I would start Crossland at 9. I believe Crossland at 13 is essential to our attacking structure finding any success, so don't want him to do 50 minutes at 9 each week shielding Arthur.
If Gamble manages to stay fit and show some form he takes halfback from Cogger.
McEwen has done enough for me to be in our top 17. Croker can take the bulk of the minutes required from the bench, 20-25min stint is all McEwen needs to do - if Arthur manages bigger minutes than expected we can drop Brailey and add an extra forward.
Probably a controversial take at the moment but I still believe in Tom Cant as a middle - not a hill I'll fight to the death on but he would take jersey 17 for me now. ESL needs to do a lot of work on his motor in Cup. Jones can at best "do a job" but provides very minimal impact coming off the bench and certainly isn't defensively dominant, Cant brings genuine leg speed and works just as hard in D. If Hetherington had any form and fitness behind him he could leapfrog all of the above but I don't see it happening this year.
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Other than Cant I think that’s provably the best side we could name at the moment.
KPGreatness
Todd Bates
I don’t really believe in the whole “they aren’t ready” stuff, obviously not under 17.
In the old days they thought “if you’re good enough, than you’re in”
Like Gould said during the origin u19s game he said something along the lines “this is as physical and as fast as any nrl game, you could play them tomorrow they will be fine”.
And Arthur did, playing the entire game and scoring a try, he is a very fit kid, I will back him to play 80 in the NRL.
In the old days they thought “if you’re good enough, than you’re in”
Like Gould said during the origin u19s game he said something along the lines “this is as physical and as fast as any nrl game, you could play them tomorrow they will be fine”.
And Arthur did, playing the entire game and scoring a try, he is a very fit kid, I will back him to play 80 in the NRL.
waynesworld
Andrew Tangata-Toa
Gus also says all the time he wouldn’t let anyone under the age of 21 play first grade.
Frank McWilliams
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Leo T is still with us for this season, leaving but way better option than 14-17 listed.
3 hookers is too much, if we want Arthur drop Brailey.
Good looking side but I would have Leo and Jones for Brailey and Cant if we are still thinking win win win
3 hookers is too much, if we want Arthur drop Brailey.
Good looking side but I would have Leo and Jones for Brailey and Cant if we are still thinking win win win
MullosLefttoRight
Tim Maddison
The worst team in the NRL would put 100 on an u19s Origin side. The gap between these games and first-grade really is that big.
Gould speaks with hyperbole to enhance the game at hand, you could possibly slot a few u19s players into an established nrl team and they'd do a job - a team of 18/19 years olds would get annihilated. Cody Hopwood is a great example, probably the most dominant forward in last years match despite being a year young - he's currently doing a solid job in NSW Cup, yet is not really close to our first-grade side despite us losing most of our middles.
I do agree with the "if you're good enough" idea, there are obvious prodigies who are generally physically gifted enough to compete with grown men at 18 and often dominate reserves at those ages. Arthur is doing a decent job in Cup - he's not tearing sides to pieces every week, rarely plays 80 minutes, and is a very small body who can struggle defensively at that level. In summary, I don't believe he is good enough at this stage to be doing 40+ minutes at NRL level, though it is in our interests to integrate him gradually.
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MullosLefttoRight
Tim Maddison
Good spot, Leo had completely left my brain after he got suspended til seemingly the end of time.
Have edited to reflect changes - Cant drops out of the side entirely and removes the need for my pre-emptive defence of him.
I do feel ESL doesn't have the motor yet but from what I've seen he has the makings to be a great prospect for us. I've like everything he's done so far on the field. Good defence at least.
what's that pong
Jason Hoogerworf
You don't pick your half based on defence that is a weak mentality.
A half's job is to steer the team and organise and set up point scoring opportunities.
Thieves Like Us
Ben MacDougall
Agreed, defence should be a given.
Out of the two, surely Hastings has the edge over Cogger when it comes to steering a team around.