Your Round 1 Team ?
- Thread starter Billy
- Start date
relicorange94
Anthony Quinn
1.Boyd
2.McManus
3.Gagai
4.Leilua
5.Uate
6.Dobson
7.Roberts
8.Snowden
9.Gidley
10.Mason
11. Rochow
12. Scott
13. Smith
14 Redman
15.Sims
16.McKinnon
17.Cuthbertson
18.Minto
2.McManus
3.Gagai
4.Leilua
5.Uate
6.Dobson
7.Roberts
8.Snowden
9.Gidley
10.Mason
11. Rochow
12. Scott
13. Smith
14 Redman
15.Sims
16.McKinnon
17.Cuthbertson
18.Minto
Hamish171
Adam Woolnough
1. Boyd
2. McManus
3. Gagai
4. Leilua
5. Uate
6. Dobson
7. Roberts
8. Snowden
9. Gidley
10. Mason
11. Rochow
12. Scott
13. Smith
14. Clysedale
15. Sims
16. Mckinnon
17. Cuthbo
It looks pretty standard, but why should we fix things. Everyone is saying things like "Move Boyd to 5/8" and "Mamo in the first grade linup" but why should we change things if they still work. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
2. McManus
3. Gagai
4. Leilua
5. Uate
6. Dobson
7. Roberts
8. Snowden
9. Gidley
10. Mason
11. Rochow
12. Scott
13. Smith
14. Clysedale
15. Sims
16. Mckinnon
17. Cuthbo
It looks pretty standard, but why should we fix things. Everyone is saying things like "Move Boyd to 5/8" and "Mamo in the first grade linup" but why should we change things if they still work. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
Joel
Touche...
What's so appealing with Minto? He didn't even play in the trial and a bit of an insult to Dobson who we definitely need in replace of Mullen.
Aidos
Andrew 'Joey' Johns
I'd go with this team as well.
Houston would be quite unlucky, but seeing his arm grabbing and missing tackles in the 9's has turned me off him again. I think Sims' aggression and impact would add a good balance to the bench as well.
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What's so appealing about Dobson?
Hamish171
Adam Woolnough
Experience and hopefully organisation. He has impressed me with some things so far in his game when it comes to organising a set play or giving a pass off to player in space. This is stuff we are going to miss when Mullo is out and Dobson is the closest thing we have to Mullen at the moment so he is the best option.
slotmachine
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Old man Bennett is pretty conservative, I reckon that's spot on.
Joel
Touche...
Hamish nailed it
Dobson wasn't one of the top halfbacks in the ESL for nothing, organisational is key while Mullen is gone, whereas Minto hasn't cracked first grade. Another reason is switching Boyd to 5/8 isn't going to settle anything seeing as though we have Mullen and Roberts grounded as our halves pairing, hopefully for a long time. Dobson played in the trial and played convincingly, Minto was out with an injury so why would Bennett name him for our round 1 team, while switching up our spine in the process?
The real question is, what's so appealing about Minto? Please give me valid reasons.
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It was a trial, things like that are meant to happen. Uate won't be our fullback anytime soon etc etc, Bennett was just testing combinations in a game situation.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Boyd said in an interview a while ago that he sees himself finishing his career at 5/8 "when he loses a bit of pace".
Being as how he is Bennett's love child and pretty much does what he wants, I'd say he got a run at 5/8 yesterday because he wanted to give it a shot.
I wasn't at the game so can't say if he went well, but if he went anything like OK and wants to play 5/8 in round one, I think he will get the gig.
Being as how he is Bennett's love child and pretty much does what he wants, I'd say he got a run at 5/8 yesterday because he wanted to give it a shot.
I wasn't at the game so can't say if he went well, but if he went anything like OK and wants to play 5/8 in round one, I think he will get the gig.
I guess I'm just a little skeptical cause other top halfbacks in the ESL are Scott Dureau, Rangi Chase and Tim Smith. It's not exactly that I'm so for Minto, more just against Dobson.
rhugh89
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Willie Mason says Knights coach Wayne Bennett has a tough halves decision to make
Willie Mason claims Darius Boyd’s performance in the halves against Canberra will leave coach Wayne Bennett with a selection headache. Source: News Limited
BIG Willie Mason claims the ease of Darius Boyd’s transition to five-eighth in Newcastle’s trial win over the Canberra Raiders in Tamworth has left Knights coach Wayne Bennett with some thinking to do ahead of the side’s season opener against Penrith.
With regular playmaker Jarrod Mullen booked in for surgery today and facing a possible four month stint on the sideline because of a badly torn hamstring, Bennett made the surprise decision to switch Boyd from fullback to five-eighth against the Raiders on Saturday night and start the game with regular centre Dane Gagai at the back.
The smart money suggests skipper Kurt Gidley is still Bennett’s preferred option in the number six jumper but Boyd has, at the very least, given his coach food for thought following a controlled performance that included some brutal front-on defence.
“He can play anywhere. He’s proven that tonight,” Mason said of Boyd after his side’s 34-14 win.
Newcastle’s Darius Boyd scores a try during a clash against the Eels. Source: News Limited
“He slotted in at five-eighth and it was like he has played there for ages.
“I asked him after the game how many times has he played there and he said he’s trained there once.
“It proves that he is just a talent.
"He’s not just one dimensional, he’s got a lot to his game.
"He can kick, he can tackle, he is super fit and he can play 80 minutes wherever.
“I don’t know what the coach is going to do. It’s a good problem to have.”
For his part, Gidley made a successful return after a serious foot injury sidelined him for the back half of last season.
Significantly, when he came on for a 14 minute cameo late in the game, he slotted in at five-eighth and not at hooker, where he has been training during the off-season, scoring a try with his first touch.
The skipper is now certain to start against Penrith, but whether it’s at six or in the hooking role remains to be seen, although using him at five-eighth would cause the least amount of disruption to the side.
“It’s good to get the first one out of the way,” Gidley said.
“Wayne told me going in it was only going to be a 15 minute stint and I was confident I was ready to go with all the training I’ve done.
“I’ll start the first game now but I suppose the million dollar question is where I’ll play.
“Darbs (Boyd) went really well tonight at five-eighth and Gags (Gagai) looked really sharp at fullback too and I suppose we’ll sit down with the coach and the leadership group and have a good chat about where is best for me and Darbs and what’s best for the team.’’
Complicating the issue further is a training mishap on Friday that left back-up hooker Adam Clydesdale nursing a knee medial strain and unlikely to be ready for the Panthers clash.
That would leave Travis Waddell and Chad Redman, who was impressive in the second half against the Raiders, as the club’s only hooking options if Gidley plays in the halves.
In typical fashion, Bennett was giving very little away after the game.
“It’s a big decision we’ve got to make so I’m not sure where we are going with that right now,” he said.
“I haven’t made a final decision on it.
"I’ll just have a look at some video and have a look at some training drills and see how it goes.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...decision-to-make/story-fni3gf5j-1226835280740
- BARRY TOOHEY
- THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
- FEBRUARY 23, 2014 10:00PM
Willie Mason claims Darius Boyd’s performance in the halves against Canberra will leave coach Wayne Bennett with a selection headache. Source: News Limited
BIG Willie Mason claims the ease of Darius Boyd’s transition to five-eighth in Newcastle’s trial win over the Canberra Raiders in Tamworth has left Knights coach Wayne Bennett with some thinking to do ahead of the side’s season opener against Penrith.
With regular playmaker Jarrod Mullen booked in for surgery today and facing a possible four month stint on the sideline because of a badly torn hamstring, Bennett made the surprise decision to switch Boyd from fullback to five-eighth against the Raiders on Saturday night and start the game with regular centre Dane Gagai at the back.
The smart money suggests skipper Kurt Gidley is still Bennett’s preferred option in the number six jumper but Boyd has, at the very least, given his coach food for thought following a controlled performance that included some brutal front-on defence.
“He can play anywhere. He’s proven that tonight,” Mason said of Boyd after his side’s 34-14 win.
Newcastle’s Darius Boyd scores a try during a clash against the Eels. Source: News Limited
“He slotted in at five-eighth and it was like he has played there for ages.
“I asked him after the game how many times has he played there and he said he’s trained there once.
“It proves that he is just a talent.
"He’s not just one dimensional, he’s got a lot to his game.
"He can kick, he can tackle, he is super fit and he can play 80 minutes wherever.
“I don’t know what the coach is going to do. It’s a good problem to have.”
For his part, Gidley made a successful return after a serious foot injury sidelined him for the back half of last season.
Significantly, when he came on for a 14 minute cameo late in the game, he slotted in at five-eighth and not at hooker, where he has been training during the off-season, scoring a try with his first touch.
The skipper is now certain to start against Penrith, but whether it’s at six or in the hooking role remains to be seen, although using him at five-eighth would cause the least amount of disruption to the side.
“It’s good to get the first one out of the way,” Gidley said.
“Wayne told me going in it was only going to be a 15 minute stint and I was confident I was ready to go with all the training I’ve done.
“I’ll start the first game now but I suppose the million dollar question is where I’ll play.
“Darbs (Boyd) went really well tonight at five-eighth and Gags (Gagai) looked really sharp at fullback too and I suppose we’ll sit down with the coach and the leadership group and have a good chat about where is best for me and Darbs and what’s best for the team.’’
Complicating the issue further is a training mishap on Friday that left back-up hooker Adam Clydesdale nursing a knee medial strain and unlikely to be ready for the Panthers clash.
That would leave Travis Waddell and Chad Redman, who was impressive in the second half against the Raiders, as the club’s only hooking options if Gidley plays in the halves.
In typical fashion, Bennett was giving very little away after the game.
“It’s a big decision we’ve got to make so I’m not sure where we are going with that right now,” he said.
“I haven’t made a final decision on it.
"I’ll just have a look at some video and have a look at some training drills and see how it goes.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...decision-to-make/story-fni3gf5j-1226835280740
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Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Boyd is a regular player for Australia and Queensland, has won premierships, and he gets big dollars for a reason.
He is one of our senior players and Wayne needs senior players to step up with Mullo out.
Roberts has just been the work experience kid up to this point, but he is a good chance to step up.
Dobson has been a star player in a lessor comp, and he is also a good chance to step up.
Bennett could even find a way to get them all into the side by using either Dobson or Roberts as bench hooker.
Where Gidley fits into the jigsaw is another factor Wayne has to consider. He could even drop him back to fullback. Who knows?
Willie is right - Wayne has big decisions to make - and using Boyd to fill the breach left by the Mullo injury is definately one of his options. That's why we pay him the big bucks.
He is one of our senior players and Wayne needs senior players to step up with Mullo out.
Roberts has just been the work experience kid up to this point, but he is a good chance to step up.
Dobson has been a star player in a lessor comp, and he is also a good chance to step up.
Bennett could even find a way to get them all into the side by using either Dobson or Roberts as bench hooker.
Where Gidley fits into the jigsaw is another factor Wayne has to consider. He could even drop him back to fullback. Who knows?
Willie is right - Wayne has big decisions to make - and using Boyd to fill the breach left by the Mullo injury is definately one of his options. That's why we pay him the big bucks.
