NRL Round 5 - Knights Vs Raiders - 4:05pm Sunday, 5th April - McDonald Jones Stadium

Let's hope the ex-raiders players have their best game of the year against them.

Im sure Saulo wants to repeat last week at least, and Mooney will need to step up a bit more or Saulo may nick the starting spot.

Actually id start Saulo and see how Mooney responds to that. Plus see how Mooney goes in the middle of the game, him and Friz would be a great bench combo.
 
Yeah I’m definitely a big fan of balancing the rotation like that. I remember the Wayne Bennett Souths team that made the grand final started Tatola and Nicholls with Arrow and T Burgess coming off the bench, at that time Arrow and T Burgess were probably actually their best props and they played more minutes. Worked really well, the starters emptied the tank with physicality in defence & then you have your traditional straight up & down play 1 guy in Burgess + Arrow who in those days was very dynamic and agile for his size absolutely rolling through teams in the middle of the game.

I don’t think any of our middles except J Saf are going as good as that lot was so it’s not an exact 1:1, but I wouldn’t be shocked if that configuration with Saulo playing about 25-30 as a starter with Mooney giving us 50ish off the bench was really effective for us.
 
mozza said:
Anything less than 7 days is too short. Anything more is too much.

I was never an Obi hater like some on here but it is very refreshing not to hear his deep voice umm and ah through press conferences anymore.
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Yeah I was always a massive defender of AOB. Like put last year aside, our defence over 23-24 was pretty exceptional but definitely can see how much this team needed a freshen up with Holbrooks style on show
 
Bit concerned with limited time on field for Saulo, played a bit over 20m starting then only came on for about 5m towards end, like to see him play strong for 30-40mins a game.
Hopefully see Gamble play 6 if Sharpe is fit he can play 1 with Hunt to 18/19 and have Mooney back for Hopwood, Graham 14 for Cant back to Cup with Manuleleau 17
 
Frank McWilliams said:
Bit concerned with limited time on field for Saulo, played a bit over 20m starting then only came on for about 5m towards end, like to see him play strong for 30-40mins a game.
Hopefully see Gamble play 6 if Sharpe is fit he can play 1 with Hunt to 18/19 and have Mooney back for Hopwood, Graham 14 for Cant back to Cup with Manuleleau 17
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No need to change a winning team, mooney back in only change
 
Frank McWilliams said:
Bit concerned with limited time on field for Saulo, played a bit over 20m starting then only came on for about 5m towards end, like to see him play strong for 30-40mins a game.
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I think this is intentional/tactical with Saulo. I think Holbrook asks him to go out there and empty the tank. He looked completely shagged by the time he got subbed off. But he'd impacted the game a lot in his time out there.
 
Frank McWilliams said:
Bit concerned with limited time on field for Saulo, played a bit over 20m starting then only came on for about 5m towards end, like to see him play strong for 30-40mins a game.
Hopefully see Gamble play 6 if Sharpe is fit he can play 1 with Hunt to 18/19 and have Mooney back for Hopwood, Graham 14 for Cant back to Cup with Manuleleau 17
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I would be happy for Saulo to replicate his game v the dogs
 
My round 5 lineup:
1. Hunt
2. Young
3. Gagai
4. Best
5. Marzhew
6. Sharpe
7. Smith
8. Saifiti
9. Crossland
10. Saulo
11. McEwen
12. Lucas
13. Croker

14. Graham
15. Frizell
16. Mooney
17. Manuleleau
18. Gamble
19. De Courcey

Ins: Mooney, Manuleleau
Outs: Hopwood, Cant
 
Junior said:
My round 5 lineup:
1. Hunt
2. Young
3. Gagai
4. Best
5. Marzhew
6. Sharpe
7. Smith
8. Saifiti
9. Crossland
10. Saulo
11. McEwen
12. Lucas
13. Croker

14. Graham
15. Frizell
16. Mooney
17. Manuleleau
18. Gamble
19. De Courcey

Ins: Mooney, Manuleleau
Outs: Hopwood, Cant
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I reckon its pretty close to what the team list will be today. I am interested to see if Mooney comes back into the starting side or if Holbrook goes with a different forward rotation. Can't wait for the match this Sunday. Should be a cracker.
 
What’s everyone’s thoughts on when KP and Brown are back? Don’t think Smith really deserves to lose his starting spot, but I think he probably goes back to 14. He’s really helped steer the ship while undermanned. There’s just nowhere else for Sharpe but five eight. I’m a believer in him excelling in that position aswell under Holbrook, and when he’s not injury affected. Graham coming through and staking his claim for a bench spot also makes it interesting.

Holbrook making it a focus to train different combos in pre season is really paying dividends.
 
Sheent14 said:
What’s everyone’s thoughts on when KP and Brown are back? Don’t think Smith really deserves to lose his starting spot, but I think he probably goes back to 14. He’s really helped steer the ship while undermanned. There’s just nowhere else for Sharpe but five eight. I’m a believer in him excelling in that position aswell under Holbrook, and when he’s not injury affected. Graham coming through and staking his claim for a bench spot also makes it interesting.

Holbrook making it a focus to train different combos in pre season is really paying dividends.
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I was thinking about this earlier today. I understand why the club thinks Smith would be good at Hooker. On the weekend he made a beautiful play out of dummy half, split the defenders and put McEwen down the short side. Smith can cover 6,7 and 9. When Brown comes back i think the 14 is his spot. He could come in at 9 and do what Graham did on the weekend easily. You could shuffle Smith to 6, Sharpe to fullback but why? Smith is the perfect 14.

That's just my opinion though.

Fully trust in Holbrooks decision making with the players positions when Brown comes back, he has done pretty good so far.
 
mullenmagic said:
Sharpe to fullback when Brown is back.
Round 1 spine when Ponga is back, with Crossland playing more lock.

Smith has the vision and confidence to be a really effective dummy half. Almost as if O'Sullivan knew what he was doing when he signed him as one.
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Agree with this. At the end of the day, having a full strength side is pretty rare I think. Well at the Knights anyway. Super stoked with Graham and see how he goes. If he keeps playing the way he is when Brown comes back, Sharpe definitely to fullback.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
If the whole team is fit I would drop Gags and play Sharpe at right centre. Smith halfback, Brown 6. Easy to say “drop a club legend” from the couch though.
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That’s a hugh call. He been having his bad moments Gags, but he keeps playing along side Dom and setting up those passes hard to drop him. I think he has been strong defensively.
 
No way Gags would get dropped for Sharpe. Gags has the tip on pass that opens up Dom, we’ve seen it for years. Still playing well. Sharpe just doesn’t have that in his game (not many centres do) and it would stifle our strong right side attack.
 
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