Josh ailomai

[fletch]

the way our current squad is constructed you have the likes of Masoe/Tasi/Ailomai/Moa/Evans/Napa/Arona all fighting for 1 bench spot in first grade in 2013, Kennedy/JWH look like the starting props and Smith has a fascination with starting FPN at lock meaning Cordner starts on the bench and when he is on the field FPN pushing into the front row.

with SBW coming it also mean either Guerra/Maubs will find themselves starting from the bench.

if everyone is fit heading into 2013 it will be a mad scramble to make the top grade starting 17, assuming Smith continues on from his selection process from this year you might have a dozen players fighting for the final 2 bench spots.

Mini
Topou
Moga
SKD
RTS
Maloney
Pearce
JWH
Friend
Kennedy
Guerra
SBW
FPN

Cordner
Maubs

and then the likes of Bosden/BJ/Takairangi/Seluini/Mortimer/Arona/Masoe/Tasi/Evans/Napa/Ailomai/Moa/Symonds/Cherro all fighting for the final two spots on the bench, hopefully it fuels some friendly competition in the off season and drives the players to push each other hard.

another thing it highlights is how forward heavy our top 25 squad is, very little depth out wide and in the halves, out of our current NYC squad only Rokolati seems to have a realistic shot at playing first grade.

[Guest]

the way our current squad is constructed you have the likes of Masoe/Tasi/Ailomai/Moa/Evans/Napa/Arona all fighting for 1 bench spot in first grade in 2013, Kennedy/JWH look like the starting props and Smith has a fascination with starting FPN at lock meaning Cordner starts on the bench and when he is on the field FPN pushing into the front row.

Our pack looks much better when FPN is 'on', however if he can't find consistency his days are numbered. Hopefully competition from the kids coming through fires him up on a regular basis. The fact that Cordner has already pushed FPN into the front row on occassions indicates that Smith has his eye on FPN starting lock position.

[Guest]

the way our current squad is constructed you have the likes of Masoe/Tasi/Ailomai/Moa/Evans/Napa/Arona all fighting for 1 bench spot in first grade in 2013, Kennedy/JWH look like the starting props and Smith has a fascination with starting FPN at lock meaning Cordner starts on the bench and when he is on the field FPN pushing into the front row.

with SBW coming it also mean either Guerra/Maubs will find themselves starting from the bench.

if everyone is fit heading into 2013 it will be a mad scramble to make the top grade starting 17, assuming Smith continues on from his selection process from this year you might have a dozen players fighting for the final 2 bench spots.

Mini
Topou
Moga
SKD
RTS
Maloney
Pearce
JWH
Friend
Kennedy
Guerra
SBW
FPN

Cordner
Maubs

and then the likes of Bosden/BJ/Takairangi/Seluini/Mortimer/Arona/Masoe/Tasi/Evans/Napa/Ailomai/Moa/Symonds/Cherro all fighting for the final two spots on the bench, hopefully it fuels some friendly competition in the off season and drives the players to push each other hard.

another thing it highlights is how forward heavy our top 25 squad is, very little depth out wide and in the halves, out of our current NYC squad only Rokolati seems to have a realistic shot at playing first grade.

This is precisely why leilua will play left centre (as he must be in first grade plain and simple) and therefore moga on the wing. This or SBW must play in the centres because we are certainly forward heavy. good problems to have though. Im glad the majority on here can now see that we have the makings of something seriously special

[Guest]

Our pack looks much better when FPN is 'on', however if he can't find consistency his days are numbered. Hopefully competition from the kids coming through fires him up on a regular basis. The fact that Cordner has already pushed FPN into the front row on occassions indicates that Smith has his eye on FPN starting lock position.

Completely agree. As a player, FPN ticks so many boxes to play lock - footwork, skill, toughness, aggression and enough of a workrate considering the balance of our side - but his ill discipline and inconsistency is almost tupou like which to some extent is why I have somewhat come to the conclusion that we might as well cut him loose as we have guys like bosden and arona who would probably on average to a much better job...

[Guest]

Unfortuneately he wont crack it. JWH, Kennedy, Evans and Napa but id prefer him over Masoe

[Guest]

the way our current squad is constructed you have the likes of Masoe/Tasi/Ailomai/Moa/Evans/Napa/Arona all fighting for 1 bench spot in first grade in 2013, Kennedy/JWH look like the starting props and Smith has a fascination with starting FPN at lock meaning Cordner starts on the bench and when he is on the field FPN pushing into the front row.

with SBW coming it also mean either Guerra/Maubs will find themselves starting from the bench.

if everyone is fit heading into 2013 it will be a mad scramble to make the top grade starting 17, assuming Smith continues on from his selection process from this year you might have a dozen players fighting for the final 2 bench spots.

Mini
Topou
Moga
SKD
RTS
Maloney
Pearce
JWH
Friend
Kennedy
Guerra
SBW
FPN

Cordner
Maubs

and then the likes of Bosden/BJ/Takairangi/Seluini/Mortimer/Arona/Masoe/Tasi/Evans/Napa/Ailomai/Moa/Symonds/Cherro all fighting for the final two spots on the bench, hopefully it fuels some friendly competition in the off season and drives the players to push each other hard.

another thing it highlights is how forward heavy our top 25 squad is, very little depth out wide and in the halves, out of our current NYC squad only Rokolati seems to have a realistic shot at playing first grade.

get rid of them!
theyre rubbish and taking up cap space

[Guest]

i still reckon it should be

rts
toups
moga
skd (henry covers injury)
oldfield
maloney
pearce
hargreaves
friend (until someone better comes)
kennedy
guerra
cordner
bosden

evans
napa
aubusson (playing a mick crocker role)
taka (playing a chris flannery role)

formula for success.
no farken 'utility player needed.
no farken 'impact' player needed.
no farken 'game-winning' player needed.

[milanja]

i still reckon it should be

rts
toups
moga
skd (henry covers injury)
oldfield
maloney
pearce
hargreaves
friend (until someone better comes)
kennedy
guerra
cordner
bosden

evans
napa
aubusson (playing a mick crocker role)
taka (playing a chris flannery role)

formula for success.
no farken 'utility player needed.
no farken 'impact' player needed.
no farken 'game-winning' player needed.

We didnt have a game winner this yr, and we did really well.

Jets should enjoy SBW then. highest paid reserve grader in history.

[Cockadoodledoo]

That's right Roz. This is the same fella who broke Cordners's jaw in 2009 with a deliberate forearm. Injuries earlier on this year
robbed him of making his first grade debut.

also did 8 weeks for making contact with a referee in the U20's.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Completely agree. As a player, FPN ticks so many boxes to play lock - footwork, skill, toughness, aggression and enough of a workrate considering the balance of our side - but his ill discipline and inconsistency is almost tupou like which to some extent is why I have somewhat come to the conclusion that we might as well cut him loose as we have guys like bosden and arona who would probably on average to a much better job...

Arona has zero impact in attack and defence.. His runs or tackles do not hurt.. Bosden for me does the same job with a lot more effectiveness.

[Guest]

Tasi must be kept. He is a class above a lot of the other front rowers hovering around the edge of our team, and can (and will) easily be as good as JWH and Kennedy.

Leilua is the ideal bench utility now that we have some quality in the outside backs. He can play centre, wing or backrow, is naturally an impact player, and with a bit of bulk could develop into a T-Rex type weapon. Also, Moga, given time, will be a very good centre.

I'd have:

1. RTS
2. Tupou
3. Moga
4. SKD
5. Oldfield
6. Maloney
7. Pearce
8. Kennedy
9. Friend - although unless his game significantly progresses, I would give Seluini a go.
10. JWH
11. SBW
12. Cordner
13. FPN

14. Leilua
15. Tasi
16. Evans/Masoe/Aiolomai
17. MAubs/Taikarangi/Guerra

The problem amongst all this potential is that I don't think Smith understands or initiates any individual training whatsoever. Friend's passing off the ground has not improved at all over the years, Pearce's footwork is still too predictable, although getting better, FPN still goes in and out of games, JWH runs into contact too high - even a guy like Tau Tau, who needs to learn when to go himself and when to pass, probably won't, because we don't seem to have any sort of individually focussed coaching.

I hope over the off season Smith works with the team, but also to iron out the significant flaws in a few of our blokes, because then I reckon we'll start heading towards all the 201X premierships people are talking about.

[BUDDY]

Tasi must be kept. He is a class above a lot of the other front rowers hovering around the edge of our team, and can (and will) easily be as good as JWH and Kennedy.

Leilua is the ideal bench utility now that we have some quality in the outside backs. He can play centre, wing or backrow, is naturally an impact player, and with a bit of bulk could develop into a T-Rex type weapon. Also, Moga, given time, will be a very good centre.

I'd have:

1. RTS
2. Tupou
3. Moga
4. SKD
5. Oldfield
6. Maloney
7. Pearce
8. Kennedy
9. Friend - although unless his game significantly progresses, I would give Seluini a go.
10. JWH
11. SBW
12. Cordner
13. FPN

14. Leilua
15. Tasi
16. Evans/Masoe/Aiolomai
17. MAubs/Taikarangi/Guerra

The problem amongst all this potential is that I don't think Smith understands or initiates any individual training whatsoever. Friend's passing off the ground has not improved at all over the years, Pearce's footwork is still too predictable, although getting better, FPN still goes in and out of games, JWH runs into contact too high - even a guy like Tau Tau, who needs to learn when to go himself and when to pass, probably won't, because we don't seem to have any sort of individually focussed coaching.

I hope over the off season Smith works with the team, but also to iron out the significant flaws in a few of our blokes, because then I reckon we'll start heading towards all the 201X premierships people are talking about.

Great team BF. I wouldn't be surprised if Cherro, Napa, Moa and even Tago get a crack at some stage.
I wish we had better depth in the backline.
It will be interesting who they let go for 2014 with plenty of good players missing out.

[Guest]

Tasi must be kept. He is a class above a lot of the other front rowers hovering around the edge of our team, and can (and will) easily be as good as JWH and Kennedy.

Leilua is the ideal bench utility now that we have some quality in the outside backs. He can play centre, wing or backrow, is naturally an impact player, and with a bit of bulk could develop into a T-Rex type weapon. Also, Moga, given time, will be a very good centre.

I'd have:

1. RTS
2. Tupou
3. Moga
4. SKD
5. Oldfield
6. Maloney
7. Pearce
8. Kennedy
9. Friend - although unless his game significantly progresses, I would give Seluini a go.
10. JWH
11. SBW
12. Cordner
13. FPN

14. Leilua
15. Tasi
16. Evans/Masoe/Aiolomai
17. MAubs/Taikarangi/Guerra

The problem amongst all this potential is that I don't think Smith understands or initiates any individual training whatsoever. Friend's passing off the ground has not improved at all over the years, Pearce's footwork is still too predictable, although getting better, FPN still goes in and out of games, JWH runs into contact too high - even a guy like Tau Tau, who needs to learn when to go himself and when to pass, probably won't, because we don't seem to have any sort of individually focussed coaching.

I hope over the off season Smith works with the team, but also to iron out the significant flaws in a few of our blokes, because then I reckon we'll start heading towards all the 201X premierships people are talking about.

good team and I agree with a lot of it. The only thing is that although i agree that leilua is the ideal utility, with SBW coming in next year we need to field either SBW or leilua in the centres because maubs and guerra both deserve first grade starting spots more than oldfield and tupou so moga to wing, leilua/SBW to centre allows maubs and guerra permanent spots in the side which is better for the team imo

[Guest]

good team and I agree with a lot of it. The only thing is that although i agree that leilua is the ideal utility, with SBW coming in next year we need to field either SBW or leilua in the centres because maubs and guerra both deserve first grade starting spots more than oldfield and tupou so moga to wing, leilua/SBW to centre allows maubs and guerra permanent spots in the side which is better for the team imo

I take your point, but there are a couple of issues with those changes.

The first is that, although I think he'd be a brilliant centre, SBW must be played in the backrow to maximise his involvement. He can run wide, but needs to be around the ball and hitting holes all the time.

The second is that if you put Leilua in the centres and Moga on the wing, you are playing Moga out of position. This is the wrong way to approach Tau Tau's development. Despite some very strange criticism on here, he has been remarkably good in his debut year - show me any other outside back who has come into a team coming second last and looked as comfortable as he has. Guys like Folau, Hurrell etc., came into well drilled and successful sides. Moga walked into a shambles and held his own. Furthermore, his defence isn't as bad as is said on these forums. Against Canberra he was lambasted for the ankle tap attempt. Perhaps this wasn't the best option, but fundamentally, that was Anasta's defensive error - Moga was not at fault. People concluded that he simply doesn't care; I reckon some of you should rewatch our last short kick off, and check out who the bloke is that is trying to drag a Raiders winger over the sideline from about 10 metres in (and very nearly gets it done). Sorry roz, this isn't aimed at you, simply those saying Tau Tau isn't up to first grade, which is rubbish.

Moga will be a freak one day. He needs to be given time in the centres, which is where he will be long term. He is not the kind of guy that needs to be eased in - he excels with the ball, and his defensive issues (which are exaggerated) won't change much from wing to centre; it is urgency not reads that he somewhat struggles with.

Yes MAubs and Guerra are good, but both can go up and down. I'd rather see Tau Tau given a shot in the centres, especially given the wealth of excellent backrowers at our disposal.

[Guest]

Blind Freddy your spot on mate.
Another point, who pays +$800,000 for a bloke to run around in the centres