Best 19 in 2027

jamesgould said:
Think I'd go with this, except swap Hopwood and McEwen, I reckon Jermaine would excel playing there for 80 minutes. And that gives the option of Crossland moving there if McEwen needs a break, or Phoenix can play 80 at hooker, Smith can come on somewhere else if needed. A lot of options.

That forward pack and bench looks great suddenly, and Croker and Saulo still there as a back up beside all this!
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I’m not sure McEwen has much of a passing game through, whereas Cody does?

McEwen can still play big minutes at prop and Crossland is most likely going to to play some 13 with either Smith or Graham on the bench
 
It is rough on Croker but I’d tend to lean the same way. I don’t think he does anything that Hopwood can’t already do, and with a much higher upside. It’s also kind of the perfect role for Hopwood being able to play behind two other props and having less of a burden of leading the team in that way as a 21-year old who’s still clearly a year or two away from really filling out. He’s always had a good passing game through the juniors so I’d back him to pick up that part of Croker’s role. McEwen also had a bit of a passing game, and was even briefly playing as a ballplaying lock just before debuting.

I also think Lucas, Manuleleua and McEwen are all too good to not be playing 80 minutes ideally, so I don’t hate the idea of Lucas getting the first shot at Gagai’s jersey. Outside backs get even stronger with yardage and arguably in attack as a whole. If it’s not working you can pivot to Winter/Hunt, but I think it’s worth considering.
 
It’s definitely rough on Croker but we’re trying to be the best footy team in the world, if someone else gets that jersey that’s the way it is. There will be a role for him in the team whether or not he starts.

That being said I think he plays a big role defensively and I think in terms of his talk, his reading of the game, etc, so you have to catch him on that stuff to get said jersey. He gets folded in contact often but with the full prop rotation fit he shouldn’t have the same physical burden.
 
Yeah honestly I do not think Justin thinks in terms of a “best 17/19”. He has always looked at it as a squad. There are some guys who are clearly first choice fixed position specialists, but that’s maybe about 1/4 of the squad at most.
 
I think we need to find a way to play Manuleleua, Lucas and McEwen as close to 80 min each every week as possible. Unfortunately to do that someone will have to loose out and I think that person will be Croker

It is extremely unfair on Croker given how well he played this year, but in my opinion, the other 3 guys have overtaken him. That’s not a knock on Croker as he was great for us this year

When it comes to where Manuleleua, Lucas and McEwen play, could Manuleleua possibly play lock for us or would that take away from his other attributes too much. The reason I thought he might work at lock is because of his passing skills
 
I’m very open to trying Dylan Lucas at right centre. I don’t know if he’s got the Gidley flick in him but his line running could unlock some very interesting stuff. Eg swapping Dylan and Jermaine when we get into our attacking shapes, or just running a lot of double leads with Dylan and Jermaine to get Kalyn into 2 on 1’s.

It would be a huge boost to our backfield carry game, Lucas is one of our best at that and you’re halving the amount of tackles he’d need to make per game.
 
Alternate 19 with Lucas at centre:

1. Ponga
2. Young
3. Lucas
4. Best
5. Marzhew
6. Sharpe
7. Brown

13. Croker
12. Manuleleua
11. McEwen
10. Mooney
9. Crossland
8. Saifiti

14. Smith
15. Hopwood
16. Crouch
17. Niukore

18. Hunt
19. Graham

Definitely a very “neat” option which gets all the guys who already have experience into the team.
 
I do think at full strength that’s the best team to field - but once injury happens it’s annoying for Lucas to move all the time and Hunt/Winter not developing. Eg. Manu injuried, Lucas back and then Winter in. Best is not durable as well, he doesn’t play 20 games. I’m sticking with Hunt/Winter to build into a NRL class centre. I don’t like Lucas and Hunt on 5 games when Bradman goes down.
 
I actually think that McEwen would be a much better player off the bench either in the middle or giving one of our edges a spell. He is a dynamic runner of the ball and great defender but at times he does seem to run on empty while the ball is in play for long periods. Not to say he doesn't make his tackles or get lazy but I definitely think it nullifies his impact with the ball.

That being said I think I would go with this.

1. Ponga
2. Young
3. Winter
4. Best
5. Marzhew
6. Sharpe
7. Brown
8. Hopwood
9. Crossland
10. Mooney
11. Lucas
12. Manuleleua
13. Croker

14. Graham
15. McEwen
16. Saifiti
17. Smith
18. Crouch
19. Hunt
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Alternate 19 with Lucas at centre:

1. Ponga
2. Young
3. Lucas
4. Best
5. Marzhew
6. Sharpe
7. Brown

13. Croker
12. Manuleleua
11. McEwen
10. Mooney
9. Crossland
8. Saifiti

14. Smith
15. Hopwood
16. Crouch
17. Niukore

18. Hunt
19. Graham

Definitely a very “neat” option which gets all the guys who already have experience into the team.
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I don’t mind the thought process and moving Lucas to centre, I just can’t get my head around it.

To me, they moved Lucas from centre to back row for a reason and that was they didn’t think he was a first grade standard centre, I could be way off the mark on that, but he definitely is a great 2nd rower

There is definitely going to be some tough selection decisions for Holbrook next year and it’s not because guys aren’t playing well, it’s because other guys have improved and jumped them in the pecking order

eg Manulelelua this year - he’s improved that much this year that we are discussing moving Lucas who when fit, is our starting left 2nd rower, to centre or the right edge, even after he represented NSW in origin this year
 
Roundtable said:
Just think Hunt is better. Love Greg and he has been great but Hunt makes us a less fragile side.
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I just think we lose way too much in yardage with Hunt instead of Marzhew. Despite his great performances in attack and what seems to be a natural knack for scoring tries, Hunt is less then solid defensively and has been found out for that on numerous occasions.
 
1. Ponga
2. Young
3. Winter
4. Best
5. Hunt
6. Brown
7. Sharpe
8. JSaf
9. Crossland
10. Mooney
11. Lucas
12. Mckewan
13. Manulalua

14. Hopwood
15. Crouch
16. Smith
17. Graham
18.niukore
19. Marzhew
 
Owey said:
Something i think could elevate our attack next year to work on in off season is to develop a show and go in Fletcher Sharpe's game. We are already dangerous on the left setting up in shape with Sharpe making the decision of short to the back rower (whoever it is, they are going to be a threat for him) or out the back to Ponga. Always dangerous but the good teams are working on ways to counter it. So now the variations have to come. Sharpe has a choice between those two options, give him a third, dummy and run yourself. Running the ball in those situations is just something he doesn't think of at this point. If he learns to sense the space when it is on he would be very dangerous at it. It also makes planning to shut down that side of the field a lot more complex. There are drills you can run all preseason to have him aware of the option.
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So true, his natural instinct is to always cut back infield whenever he decides to run the ball. He never really hits the gas and tries to beat people on the outside whenever the ball gets to him on a shift. I think it's definitely a spacial awareness thing, something that he will get better on with more experience in the position.
 
1. Ponga
2. Marzhew
3. Best
4. Lucas/Sharpe
5. Young
6. Sharpe/Smith
7. Brown
8. Mooney
9. Crossland
10. Hopwood
11. Manuleleau
12. McEwen
13. Croker

14. Smith/Graham
15. Saifiti
16. Niukore/Lucas
17. Crouch
18. Graham/Niukore
19. Hunt
 
1. Ponga
2. Young
3. Winter
4. Best
5. Marzhew
6. Sharpe
7. Brown (Smith early rounds)
8. Saifiti
9. Crossland
10. McEwen
11. Lucas
12. Manuleleua
13. Hopwood

14. Smith (Graham early rounds)
15. Mooney
16. Niukore
17. Croker
18. Hunt
19. Crouch
 
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