NRL Round 14 - Storm V Knights - 2:00pm Sunday 9th June - AAMI Park, Melbourne

Lefty

Lefty

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
For me the question with this game is whether AOB will make selection changes apart from those which are forced changes, from the way he was talking at the press conference, it doesn’t sound like there will be many changes.

As we play the Panthers the following week, before another bye and then face Parramatta who appear to be revitalised by the return of Mitchell Moses, we could suffer 4 losses punctuated by a bye.

I’m focusing on watching the Blues play on Wednesday, at least the Blues players will be fully committed.
 
D saf will need to be replaced probably.
If reserve grade form means anything, Mat Croker gets the call, but O'Brien seems to love Hetherington.
 
So how did Hetherington and Croker go as starting middles in reserves I hear you say?

Minutes
Hetherington 59 - 73 Croker

Fantasy points
Hetherington 28 - 56 Croker

Number of runs
Hetherington 8 - 22 Croker

Run meters
Hetherington 75 - 174 Croker

Post contact metres
Hetherington 23 - 68 Croker

Tackles
Hetherington 23 at 85% efficiency - 26 at 96% efficiency Croker

The other starting middle was Sebastien Sua - went off with an injury and later returned to play only 44 minutes - still comfortably beat Hetherington in every stat other than minutes played.

Paul Bryan also beat Hetho in many stats including fantasy points in shortish minutes off the bench.
 
JOJO82 said:
I don't think he will make any changes and that's what causes us the most frustration I believe...
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won 4 from 5 and had 1 poor performance and people want the nsw cup team trotted out 🧐.
Whats frustating is people thinking a broom needs to go through the squad when there is not 1 player in nsw cup who would improve the team and 95% of the cup side would not handle the immense step up to nrl level and would make the nrl side worse.
 
EASBay17 said:
won 4 from 5 and had 1 poor performance and people want the nsw cup team trotted out 🧐.
Whats frustating is people thinking a broom needs to go through the squad when there is not 1 player in nsw cup who would improve the team and 95% of the cup side would not handle the immense step up to nrl level and would make the nrl side worse.
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Pre-freaking-cisely!!!!
 
EASBay17 said:
won 4 from 5 and had 1 poor performance and people want the nsw cup team trotted out 🧐.
Whats frustating is people thinking a broom needs to go through the squad when there is not 1 player in nsw cup who would improve the team and 95% of the cup side would not handle the immense step up to nrl level and would make the nrl side worse.
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Yep if we’re basing things on Mapapalangi, I’m not sure there’s too much depth down there.
 
I reckon it's a lot easier to say 'just put Crossland in the halves' than it would be to actually watch Crossland in the halves. The reality is we have no good options at the moment and weakening other areas doesn't help the situation. Hoping Hastings can get back on track and The Straightener can sprinkle some straight juice on the rest of the teams is our best hope for now, as depressing as that is.
 
jamesgould said:
Yep if we’re basing things on Mapapalangi, I’m not sure there’s too much depth down there.
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To be fair James, I think he was next man up because Jennings has been underwhelming and the club knows there is a footballer there if he gets his body right. He's done very little in reggies attacking wise since he's been back, he's looked rusty, but defended well. But he's young, give him time, it's too soon to tell what his career will look like yet
 
BTP said:
Holy **** ballz I’m glad you’re not in charge. 😂😂 so drop the one half who can at least do good in good form and put the one half who has contributed zero as the main playmaker.

Holy. Hell.
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Let's not take the **** here - the player you're talking about who can "do good in good form" does not exist anymore.

We scraped past 4 teams that are in all likelihood finishing the season in the bottom 8, each of those teams missing first-string spine players so none remotely near full-strength.

We come against one team who may IMO sneak into the bottom of the 8 but are missing ALL of their best players. Dominate field position early, play against 12 men for 20 minutes, and our "good" halfback can't steer us to crossing the white stripe once. The bloke who has contributed "zero" (not necessarily disagreeing with that statement) serves one up on a platter for the "good" half and he bottles it.

I was a massive proponent of his signing and feel for the bloke because injuries sustained via grubby tackling have ruined his career at NRL level. The message needs to be sent that he doesn't have a place with us moving forward, and to pursue his options elsewhere - going back to Cup is the easiest way to do that.

This is all before you throw in the walking liability the bloke has become - attempting to throw the Titans game with his actions and getting swept up again last week before Gagai pulled him away from the scuffle.

I'll acknowledge that the options to replace are lucklustre - but dropping Hastings is a decision with a broader scope than the outcome of our next match.
 
Hastings has been below par but has still put on a few tries even whilst being average overall. Cogger barely touches the ball and when he does he invariably stuffs up. Neither are great options but Hastings is certainly the better option.

I’m happy for them to give Phoenix or even Pryce a go to see what they can do though. How far away is Gamble?
 
BTP said:
Holy **** ballz I’m glad you’re not in charge. 😂😂 so drop the one half who can at least do good in good form and put the one half who has contributed zero as the main playmaker.

Holy. Hell.
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Dude if I was in charge nether Hastings or cogger would be at the club....both worse than each other but Hastings seems to have an attitude problem and is more interested in fighting with people rather than creating something.

Cogger is a 7 and a dominant half...can't have both in the same team.
 
I think the fans want to see change because we’ve just scraped past 4 teams who will, like @MullosLefttoRight said, probably be in the bottom 8 at seasons end. Whereas the Bulldogs who are likely to end up in the bottom half of the top 8 or thereabouts just embarrassed us on home soil by playing 20 minutes with 12 men, were under-strength themselves and yet still managed to win by 30 and only concede a penalty goal in that time.

For a team that won 10 on the bounce and gets near 20K fans to games most weeks, the fans deserve better. There’s no consistency with this squad. The attack is below-average (2nd last in the comp) and the halves that the club has have no direction, leadership, kicking game or idea what to do most weeks. I don’t buy the excuses we dish up, if you want to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.
 
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