Newtown repeat on foxsports2 NOW!!

[Ray Stehr]

If there's a repeat I can't see Smith doing anything but dropping him

Just like Smith always drops Anasta.

[Guest]

And that's a good point - bosden should have been given more opportunities.

[Guest]

Guerra certainly doesn't have a mortgage on the left backrow spot, he was woeful against the bulldogs close to our worst player. If there's a repeat I can't see Smith doing anything but dropping him

If he drops Guerra after a few good games after previously being one of, if not the, best player for us in the weeks previous I'll give up on Smith forever.
...unless Anasta is dropped too.

[Yak]

Yak, firstly Mitchell should be our hooker over friend every day of the week. I don't think symonds should be in the 17 each week but he should have played more than just the 1 game this year. I thiught symonds was one of our better players in the 1 game hd did play & yet then he was dropped - typical smith lunacy. Most of our forwards have been inconsistent this year. Guerra for example has played well a couple of recent games but before that he has been disapponting this year. Frank Paul is a bludger. Mose is worse than a bludger. Arona offers no quality. Aubbo has been average this year. Yet smith likes to pick on certain players only whilst others get away with murder

I agree with you on Mitchell. And Mose. They're both in terrible form. But I don't think they are players we should just give up on. Friend is best when he scoots out of dummy half and hits his halves on the run. He'll look better having good halves on both sides of the ruck. Both halves that know how to hit a hole in tight too. But right now we need someone that is competent at passing off the ground. Mitchell should be starting. Mose came good, really good, around round 16 last year so he may be close to hitting form but there is really no proven alternatives if we want 4 big boppers in the 17. Isaac Liu from Newtown has been probably the best lower grade forward all year and i personally think he's closer to first grade than Kane Evans. He's got a good fend, decent workrate, and very fast for a prop. If Mose continues to bludge then i'd give him a run for sure. Personally, I didn't think Symonds did anything that special in his one game this year. If Guerra was to be dropped I think Cordner would move to left second row and Frank Paul would go to lock. I think FPN has been very effective this year and we've missed his punch and offloads up the middle. Got a feeling he'll be very good for us in the second half of the season. People on here probably won't be able to look past the perception that he's a bludger though.

[Guest]

Was Symonds playing on the left edge? If so, therein lies the problem. In first grade, Guerra has deservedly cemented his spot on the left edge as our running backrower, with Aubusson on the right. I don't see him being dislodged anytime soon. The way it looks, if Smith persists with the current pack balance:

8. Hargreaves
9. Friend
10. Kennedy
11. Guerra / Symonds (Guerra had his contract extended recently)
12. Aubusson
13. Arona / Bosden (Arona had his contract extended recently)

14. Nuuausala / Takairangi (both off contract at the end of next year, offloading but inconsistent, valuable in short bursts)
15. Cordner
16. Masoe
17. Tasi

[Guest]

Was Symonds playing on the left edge? If so, therein lies the problem. In first grade, Guerra has deservedly cemented his spot on the left edge as our running backrower, with Aubusson on the right. I don't see him being dislodged anytime soon. The way it looks, if Smith persists with the current pack balance:

8. Hargreaves
9. Friend
10. Kennedy
11. Guerra / Symonds (Guerra had his contract extended recently)
12. Aubusson
13. Arona / Bosden (Arona had his contract extended recently)

14. Nuuausala / Takairangi (both off contract at the end of next year, offloading but inconsistent, valuable in short bursts)
15. Cordner
16. Masoe
17. Tasi

I see our side a bit more like this:
1. Minichiello
2. Tagive
3. Leilua
4. SKD
5. Moga
6. Maloney
7. Pearce

Tagive to play outside leilua as the perfect complement imo with his speed and finishing couple with leiluas slide of hand and power. Moga is that extra big body as well as attacking threat that our right edge is lacking having perrett on the wing. It will also be a good way to ease him into first grade outside our 3 most experienced players (pearce, SKD and maubs). RTS to eventually take over from Minichiello and to cover for injuries next year/maybe come in on the wing.

8. JWH
9. Friend
10. Kennedy
11. Cordner
12. Maubs
13. FPN

The frontrow picks itself. I wont even both defending friend but the bloke should wear 9. Maubs is our future captain and though in a difficult patch at present is vital to our side particularly in unison with SKD. Cordner is a must-starter and would form a good combination with Leilua and Tagive imo as well as provide defensive rigidity inside maloney who is a noted weak defender. FPN should also start. His offloads and powerful running as well as his footwork and speed are excellent from lock. He is also our most experienced forward along with maubs so must start.

14. Mitchell/Mortimer/Symonds
15. Arona/Evans/Masoe
16. Tasi
17. Guerra/Symonds/Bosden

Im not the biggest taka fan and having watched the newtown game today, I definitely prefer symonds and bosden. Mitchell or Mortimer contingent on form as cover for injuries to halves/hooker but also to come on either as a direct replacement for friend or pushing him to lock. symonds is another alternative to that utility role as he can also cover hookers and halves so contingent on form, 14 and 17 would be decided. Tasi is indispensible on the bench. between arona, evans and masoe we have 3 strong options for the second prop rotation. masoe, though inconsistent, is a special player on his day, arona is a consistent player that has many elements to his game and evans is our young gun requiring no introduction. I also like the balance of that side (starting and bench). evidently i have put a few alternatives on the bench but i feel versatility is the key to a strong bench as well as form and considering the depth we have and the youth of our squad, no one apart from tasi has established themselves a definite spot on the bench imo.

[Funky Chicken]

I know I'll probably get flamed, and it won't happen but if I was coach my team for 2013 would be;

1. Anthony Minichiello
2. Peni Tagive
3. Tau Tau Moga
4. BJ Leilua (Hard running centre who breaks tackles and who knows how to use his shoulders in defence)
5. Roger Tuivasa-Shek (get used to FG before taking over from Mini in 2014)


6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce

8. Lama Tasi
9. Anthony Mitchell (Unless we can sign Kane Lawton from the Titans)
10. Jared Warea-Hargreaves
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Jack Bosden
13. Tinirau Arona

14. Martin Kennedy
15. Kane Evans
16. Brad Takarangi/Aiden Guerra/FPN (Impact ball playing 2nd rower)
17. Mitchell Aubusson/Tom Symonds

* Tasi, JWH, Kennedy & Evans would be rotated depending who we are playing and who is playing the best
** Cordner and Bosden are our hard running, high work rate players that also have good skills with the ball
*** Arona is the clean up man that every team needs, he has a big motor, will tackle all day and has very under rated ball skills at the line
****Aubusson and Symonds can play centre, 2nd Row, Lock or even 5/8 at a pinch and would play the Chris Flannery type utility role
***** Takarangi, Guerra or FPN would come on against tired defences and use their ball playing skills to carve up

Perrett (130+), SKD (110+) and Friend (80+) for mine are just too hit or miss and I feel we would be better served having them out of the team.

Like I say this is just my opinion, and is probably never going to happen - but if nothing else Bosden has got to be in the top 17 each week, he is such a good player and played two good games and then got dropped yet others play poorly week in and week out and get picked every week.