The Game

[Headless Chook]

I actually think Lachy Lam looks a lot more comfortable at dummy half than he is at 5/8. Through one pass which was a bit high risk after a try which was dropped but otherwise gave good service and had a few runs. That said we need Keighran in there somewhere as the goalkicking is a massive issue.

I had just finished reading the thread and was about to post something similar. I thought he made a difference when he came on.

I still don't get the people wanting Keighran at 5/8th. The only time he played there for us this year he was directly responsible for 3 of the Titans tries. I thought Hutchison was really good on the weekend, he's solid defensively, has a good long kicking game and provides good service to his outside men. I can't see Robbo moving him unless due to injury

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

I had just finished reading the thread and was about to post something similar. I thought he made a difference when he came on.

I still don't get the people wanting Keighran at 5/8th. The only time he played there for us this year he was directly responsible for 3 of the Titans tries. I thought Hutchison was really good on the weekend, he's solid defensively, has a good long kicking game and provides good service to his outside men. I can't see Robbo moving him unless due to injury

I agree. Lam always looks pretty good as the #14 and slotting in at dummy half. It seems his best role at the moment.

[mightyrooster]

Another vote for Hutch to stay at 5/8 and Lam the utilty bench spot. Lam looks much better at dummy half than he's ever done at 5/8 to date. Keighran is a great goal kicker but his defence needs work. I thought the team played well on Saturday and showed a lot of resiliance. I do think that 5 or 6 is our rightful place on the ladder at the moment though, given the inexperience in the halves and the horrid injury / retirement toll.

[ROC181]

I had just finished reading the thread and was about to post something similar. I thought he made a difference when he came on.

I still don't get the people wanting Keighran at 5/8th. The only time he played there for us this year he was directly responsible for 3 of the Titans tries. I thought Hutchison was really good on the weekend, he's solid defensively, has a good long kicking game and provides good service to his outside men. I can't see Robbo moving him unless due to injury

He was playing starting hooker and according to the NRL stats he played 76 mins. He is officially a 5/8, NOT a hooker so he's probably not used to having to be Jake Friend...

[Rooster90]

Some out of the box thinking as I agree that Keighran's defense is not as good as Hutch or Verills but why not try:

Teddy
Toops
Keighran
Manu
Smith

Keighran plays the full 80 so can cover goal kicking in a position he scored 3 tries last time he played there.

We then also don't have to put up with Morris shirt grabbing and Iku dropping bombs any longer.

Won't happen, because Robbo for better or worse is loyal to players that have been in the system longer but a guy can dream.

[horrie hastings]

Bloke is old.

He is 34 years old and in the outside backs in 1st grade.

He can't compete with the quicker and more agile outside backs these days.

We have to accept that. I'm sure he has. He uses his experience and footy smarts to compete these days rather than sheer speed/agility.

2022 will be his final year in the game,for sure.

Funny how Brett was still quite agile and still had good speed at 34 till he got injured. Didn't think JMoz was as playing as good as Brett at the time up till he got injured but he was still very solid and dependable , he seems lost since Brett got injured.

[Mickie Lane]

Some out of the box thinking as I agree that Keighran's defense is not as good as Hutch or Verills but why not try:

Teddy
Toops
Keighran
Manu
Smith

Keighran plays the full 80 so can cover goal kicking in a position he scored 3 tries last time he played there.

We then also don't have to put up with Morris shirt grabbing and Iku dropping bombs any longer.

Won't happen, because Robbo for better or worse is loyal to players that have been in the system longer but a guy can dream.

Smith if he stays fit is a centre & Keighan is not a centre. Every day for 2 hours at training Billy Smith should practice his goal kicking & he could be the main kicker.

[mattyh]

i thought it was a good performance. id stick with hutch at 5/8th, maybe give j moz the week off similar to sst. .

i cant see why so many are unhappy with the performance , we were missinng sst, keary, teddy, plus cords, friend, bmoz thats a hell of a chunk of our round 1 team goneski.

also lam is definitley a utility, he just doesn't look tp be up to the role of starting . i do think he did some ok thungs the other night .

[Mickie Lane]

I think only 2 teams. Souffs or Parra ain't much.

Your right but I think its only 1 team. Anything can happen but when a team gets told at 2pm they need to move State & catch a 9pm flight that night to Qld & get to their hotel at 2am then turn up for the captains run later that day then the following day come out a smash Newcastle have to be admired in my book. I cant see anyone getting near them. Hynes & the Cheese are the 2 best players in the comp at the moment & have been for about 14 weeks.
Any teams with 300+ against are no chance.

[Rooster90]

Smith if he stays fit is a centre & Keighan is not a centre. Every day for 2 hours at training Billy Smith should practice his goal kicking & he could be the main kicker.

From the man himself: https://www.roosters.com.au/news/202...di-sea-change/

“I think my first position is probably centre, then in the halves but I'm playing hooker at the moment.”

[Salvatori Grubber]

I think it was a fantastic performance and can see where Robbo is coming from with his praise.

Beating the Cowboys in an arm wrestle up there, with our best player out and some much needed match fitness gained is really exciting.

Young Smith looks like a supreme athlete - I love his speed off the mark and his general tenacity is encouraging. I’m a believer.

[Mickie Lane]

From the man himself: https://www.roosters.com.au/news/202...di-sea-change/

“I think my first position is probably centre, then in the halves but I'm playing hooker at the moment.”

Well lets see how many games he gets picked at centre.

[Rooster_6]

I really enjoyed the performance, was the first time in a while where I felt like we were in control of the momentum of the game. Even when the Cowboys scored to level I wasn't too worried, we were really disciplined with where we were handing the ball back to the Cowboys and had a lot of success in our early tackles limiting their yardage from their outside backs.

Felt like a team performance again, a real good one for the team confidence and morale. I reckon getting into camp up in Qld for a few weeks will do them the world of good as well.

Really liked the impact off the bench Gus, Butcher and Baker all came on and changed the momentum after Cowboys jumped out to an early lead.

Was Gus's best game in a long time too, almost like he needs to play in the middle third just to remind himself how effective he can be when he just runs hard. Same goes for Radley, was so good to see him running the ball more often, not saying he should stop playing that distributor role in the middle but he needs to balance it with more runs too, he's so effective and potent when he does.

Very impressed by Billy Smith too, super powerful performance in defence and attack.

[Headless Chook]

He was playing starting hooker and according to the NRL stats he played 76 mins. He is officially a 5/8, NOT a hooker so he's probably not used to having to be Jake Friend...

Yep, started at hooker and went to 5/8 when Walker went off injured. Robbo thought so highly of him that he hooked him when Walker was right to go again and he hasn't been seen in the top grade since

[ccfc bondi]

I don't care where Keighran plays but he has to be there. We would've been 6 ahead at 18-all had we got all our goal-kicks and few would've been talking about how close a game it was....we scored 7 tries to 3 for Chrissake!