2022 Season

Just a little piece of what Jesse Southwell might offer the NRLW Knights....just found this earlier Rugby 7's footage of her on another site and thought I'd whet your appetite before our first game this Sunday evening (I hope she gets a gig straight up)

 
mullenmagic said:
Yeah was wondering how that works for season ticket holders. I assume we won't have to buy another ticket for the NRLW game but not sure what the plan will be with seating.

Probably the first time we'll see some fans rocking up towards the end of first grade.
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Iam thinkin bout gettin there with 5 minutes left of the mens game. That way i should still be in good spirts when the girls run out.
 
Owey said:
Does anyone know if you are a knights member, can you just hang around for the NRLW next week?
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Yes and the NRLW members can attend the earlier games...If they are desperate for a depression fix, that is.

FYI NRLW Membership pack with tickets gives you general admission tickets to 2 matches- this and the other home game against the Eels. The NRWL kick off for the NRL round against the Eels is a 12.00PM for women's game
 
Team for round 1 named tomorrow.

There's a handful of players that I'm pretty certain will be in the starting 13 that can realistically play a number of positions so I'm not even going to try to name a likely side. Most interesting to me is what the plan is for the halves. Sounded pretty definite that Southwell will be the halfback which likely means either Moran is missing out completely or Dibb is playing in the back row. Having an extra playmaker in the back row certainly isn't a bad thing but I do feel Dibb has earned the #6 jersey.
 
Here’s the predicted side from the season preview on NRL dot com:

1. Tamika Upton
2. Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly
3. Emma Paki
4. Bobbi Law
5. Shanice Parker
6. Kirra Dibb
7. Caitlin Moran
8. Millie Boyle
9. Olivia Higgins
10. Caitlan Johnston
11. Romy Teitzel
12. Yasmin Clydsdale
13. Hannah Southwell

14. Jesse Southwell
15. Tayla Predebon
16. Kyra Simon
17. Simone Karpani

Observations:

- As mullenmagic said, Hannah sounded pretty definitive that Jesse would be our halfback. Caitlin Moran was a star at the 2017 World Cup, but had that long lay off from the game and our signing announcement says she had a “solid” couple of seasons in the BMD Women’s Premiership for West Brisbane, almost sounded like expectations management… so on that basis yeah, Jesse starts at 7, Moran will be either a bench utility or is simply there as a halves reserve.

- Olivia Higgins has never in her career been a hooker who plays the full 60/70. Emma Manzelmann is nippy running bench hooker who was just woman of the match for the Gold Stars in the BMD Premiership grand final. Would be very surprised if Manzelmann isn’t on the bench.

- Teitzel actually usually plays in the back row for the Gold Stars and is a bigger girl than any of our other second rowers. It’s probably actually her favoured position even though she played fullback for us last season.

- They’ve simply identified players with previous NRLW experience for the wing, centre and bench forward spots rounding out the squad, and yeah they’re almost certainly not correct in all cases. Emma Paki is the only debutant they’ve picked in those spots and I think she’s considered a bit of an emerging star so I reckon they’re guessing right and she’ll be in the side, on the wing if not at centre. But I would guess at least one of the backs & bench forwards and likely more will lose out to one of the rugby girls/BMD prospects we picked up. Keep an eye out for (winger) Jakiya Whitfield who was in the rugby sevens squad at the comm games with Southwell, and (second row/centre) Makenzie Weale who puts up big numbers in the BMD premiership, I reckon she’ll be on the bench.

- I reckon not picking Dibb at 6 to try and fit other players in is big braining it to a silly extent, hopefully we don’t do that. I do think she will start in the halves with Jesse.
 
Jesse Southwell was equally at home at halfback, hooker and lock in Tarsha Gale.
She could easily do bench utility and slot in anywhere.
 
Billy said:
Jesse Southwell was equally at home at halfback, hooker and lock in Tarsha Gale.
She could easily do bench utility and slot in anywhere.
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I don’t doubt that, but her big sister saying “I haven’t played with another half who controls the game so well” about a 17 year old is a pretty big wrap considering Hannah has played for the Blues and Jillaroos. From what I’ve seen of Jesse she looks like a multiple Dally M winner-in-waiting. Or a winner of the Ali Brigginshaw Medal when Ali retires and they rename the award.
 
I'll take a stab at it

1. Tamika Upton
2. One of the wingers
3. Bobbi Law
4. Emma Paki
5. One of the other wingers
6. Kirra Dibb
7. Jesse Southwell
8. Millie Boyle
9. Olivia Higgins/Emma Manzelmann
10. Caitlan Johnston
11. Yasmin Clydsdale
12. Romy Teitzel
13. Hannah Southwell (C)

14. Emma Manzelmann/Olivia Higgins
15. Kyra Simon/Tayla Predebon/Simone Karpani
16. Tayla Predebon/Kyra Simon/Simone Karpani
17. Makenzie Weale

Tough on Moran but would be tougher to leave out Southwell or Dibb. Hope she does get a run at some point.

Manzelmann is good enough to start IMO, I'll be surprised if her and Higgins aren't splitting minutes pretty evenly.

Paki & Weale do seem the most likely rookies to break into the team. 3 big middle forwards on the bench when you've already got 3 of the better middles in the comp starting and likely playing big minutes seems unlikely so Weale is a good shout for the bench I think, maybe even starting if one of Clydsdale/Teitzel plays centre instead. Only other listed second-rower after Weale is Tiana Davison who's never played a game of league.

Shanice Parker, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly, Jakiya Whitfield, Nicole Nathan, Kiana Takairangi & Tamsin Barber are all listed as wingers and Stephens-Daly is the only one I'm really familiar with, so not even going to try to guess. Her, Parker & Takairangi are the most experienced. Barber, Takairangi & Nathan are a bit bigger than the rest of them if that's the direction we choose to go in, though I don't think Barber or Nathan have played a game either.
 
The most glaring difference in the standard of the women & men’s game is the quality of kicking, NRLW halves just don’t put the kind of pressure on with their kicking game that the men do atm. The requirement of the modern NRL winger to do a lot of yardage work rather than just a fast guy who stands on the wing and scores tries is a necessity the women’s game doesn’t have atm, heaps of NRLW wingers don’t run for 50m a game. They’re likely just looking for the speediest and most skillful options I daresay, maybe factoring in that at some stage whoever they pick might have to try and tackle Izzy Kelly a few times.
 
Higgins was the premiership winning hooker last season, but yeah it wouldn't shock me if we're calling for Manzelmann to start after a little while. She is a dangerous little player. Shanice Parker has played a bit of rep footy so she'd be a good shot for the wing. Jakiya Whitfield while no NRLW experience, was part of that rugby sevens squad, so surely she'd be a good chance of nabbing a spot on the wing. Would have to think they're fairly high level to be apart of that.
 
Manzelmann looks like she’s about 50kg dripping wet, she’s so small hahaha. Higgins is more that style of hooker who can come back on and give you minutes at lock. Also Higgins is a local girl and is likely back at the club for the long haul, where’s Manzelmann will almost certainly play for the Cowboys next year. Definitely think Higgins starts all season, but Manzelmann is likely to have the more impressive individual moments.
 
mullenmagic said:
I'll take a stab at it

1. Tamika Upton
2. One of the wingers
3. Bobbi Law
4. Emma Paki
5. One of the other wingers
6. Kirra Dibb
7. Jesse Southwell
8. Millie Boyle
9. Olivia Higgins/Emma Manzelmann
10. Caitlan Johnston
11. Yasmin Clydsdale
12. Romy Teitzel
13. Hannah Southwell (C)

14. Emma Manzelmann/Olivia Higgins
15. Kyra Simon/Tayla Predebon/Simone Karpani
16. Tayla Predebon/Kyra Simon/Simone Karpani
17. Makenzie Weale
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Gonna try and name the exact 17. If I’m right I’ll look very savvy:

1. Tamika Upton
2. Kiana Takairangi
3. Shanice Parker
4. Bobbi Law
5. Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly
6. Kirra Dibb
7. Jesse Southwell
8. Millie Boyle (c)
9. Olivia Higgins
10. Caitlan Johnson
11. Romy Teitzel
12. Yasmin Clydsdale
13. Hannah Southwell (c)

14. Emma Manzelmann
15. Tayla Predebon
16. Kyra Simon
17. Simone Karpani
 
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HarVeeGee13 said:
Gonna try and name the exact 17. If I’m right I’ll look very savvy:

1. Tamika Upton
2. Kiana Takairangi
3. Shanice Parker
4. Bobbi Law
5. Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly
6. Kirra Dibb
7. Jesse Southwell
8. Millie Boyle (c)
9. Olivia Higgins
10. Caitlan Johnson
11. Romy Teitzel
12. Yasmin Clydsdale
13. Hannah Southwell (c)

14. Emma Manzelmann
15. Tayla Predebon
16. Kyra Simon
17. Simone Karpani
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Absolutely nailed it 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀
 
I think Karpani is fairly small/mobile compared to other forwards, she'll fill in on an edge if need be I'd imagine. But Teitzel & Clydsdale will both be expected to play the full 70.
 
Billy said:
Kira Dibb was named NSW cup player of the year playing for North Sydney.
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I've got to say that I've thought Kirra has been a little bit off the pace this NRLW season based on my hi expectations of her as a player...she hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination, she has definitely been solid.

I've got 2 theories:

1) I just get the sense that she has been carrying and hiding an injury this season(just a gut feel) and
2) I also think it has been a bit of a challenge for her to find her groove and balance in the side with Jesse Southwell coming in and immediately taking a dominant halves role - I think she hasn't been able to find her rhythm in our games to date and they are still figuring out how to play together and compliment each other

And again, this is not a complaint but it has got to be hard over such a short season and with so many personnel changes - I do hope they get to build up that combo this weekend and into the finals series

I don't think it is that far off but it just hasn't clicked yet for mine...but when itt does, I think we can go to another level again 😉
 
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