Savala set to sign new deal at Sydney Roosters despite arrival of Daly Cherry-Evans

[caz]

the latest insta photos have sammy in the 7 and dce in the 6. yeah, with watson in the team, hard to find a spot for benny or hugo. not sure where nat butch fits in. personally i like him as a middle who can cover on the edge if necessary

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

Easy mistake to make they're both mongs

You're a pretty uptight dude at times, eh bro?

[Steggles]

Wong and Steep will be in the 17 in round 1 - If a 19 player team with 6 on the bench - add Savala and Foketi - Talau would be an option too as a reserve outside back on a 6 player bench.

1. Tedesco
2. Tupou
3. Smith
4. Toia
5. Nawaqanitawase
6. Walker
7. DCE
8. Whyte
9. Robson
10. Collins
11. Crichton
12. N. Butcher
13. Watson

Bench

14. Leniu
15. Steep
16. Wong
17. E Butcher
18. Savala
19. Foketi/Talau

I’d think that Wong will be in the starting team in the backrow. Nat B plays much better as a middle forward, less effective on an edge. It’s either Nat or Conor for lock for round 1, although Egan is a real chance as well given his form at the end of last season. I reckon Conor gets the nod.

[Chook2]

Just an enquiry Jaf but did you happen to notice what Nat Butcher was doing?
Is he up & running & was he part of the main team?

The reason I ask is because if he's fit I think he'll be in the run on side & the reason I think that is because he's a Robbo favourite & he's experienced, I think Robbo will go with Gus & N Butcher in the backrow.
Nat Butcher is the ultimate Rooster club man, he's not a big name that does the flash stuff but he's exactly the player a club needs. Takes no short cuts, he is a coaches favourite because he's 100% professional, his training is second to none & his personality is of a non big head, he just does everything right never brings attention to himself or the club.
And for some reason I also think that E Butcher is right in the picture as well.
When Victor comes back & everyone is fit I think we'll look like this

Whyte
Robson
Collins
Gus
Nat
Rads

All hardened NRL players.

Bench
Watson
Leniu
E Butcher
Loalu 105kg 183cm age 23 & should be given a crack.

Wong, Foketi, Steep & Loelu will all just have to wait but they will get their chances because we will get injuries.

Hey Mickie
unsure with Nat had his best year in 23 but fell off in 24 being dropped twice and hardly played in 25
Robbo loves him but I think it will be bench and he will suit us best coming off the bench being able to cover all forward positions but mainly coming in with Leniu as the prop subs for Whyte and Collins! He will have pressure with his brother and now Foketi and steep pushing for these spots too

I think Wong has done enough last year to start on the right edge and I back him to explode off the mark in 26 and take his game to another level!
I’ve got the pack as
Whyte
Robson
Collins
wong
critchon
rads

Watson
Egan butch / steep / Foketi
nat butch
Leniu
so steep and Foketi missing out if all fit

[Bates]

I'd love to see Savala at 14.

My bench for round 1.

Savala
E Butch
Spence
N Butch
...............
TT
Benny

Run on side 1 to 13

Teddy
Toops
Billy
Toia
Sammy
DCE
Whyte
Robson
Collins
Gus
Wong
Watson

[caz]

trials and training form will come into it but i'd like to start with a pack of

leniu
robson
collins
gus
wong
whyte

with connor to come on after 10-15 to replace leniu who would come back on for a 10 min stint before and after half time. leniu's been good for us but i reckon we can get more out of him by using him in short spells

[kakaruk]

The concretor should be on the bench hits harder and runs harder than wing steep and butcher did you see him lifting weights in that video i did and there were 4 players in the background watching him in awe if he doesn’t get a regular run this year I’ll be amazed

[Chook2]

trials and training form will come into it but i'd like to start with a pack of

leniu
robson
collins
gus
wong
whyte

with connor to come on after 10-15 to replace leniu who would come back on for a 10 min stint before and after half time. leniu's been good for us but i reckon we can get more out of him by using him in short spells

This pack worked at times last year but it really reduces our chances in the mid part of the game as we get rolled when we have 4 guys on the bench less then 100kg with no middle to bring on
I’d rather Spencer off the bench where he works best
atm though it’s only butcher potentially to go with him I’d love another 1-2 punch with another larger prop to keep the momentum

while Spencer is good in short spells Watson should come on after 20-25 min when the game is breaking up and we will loose to Many interchanges if Spencer is on and off the field 4 or more times and only 10 min into the game is a waste

I’d back Watson to come on 20-25 min in and not come off giving rads and even Wong a spell, maybe when Robson for 20 min

[Mickie Lane]

This is my pack & bench if everyone is fit & not suspended.
Whyte
Robson
Collins
Gus
Nat
Rads

Watson
Leniu
E Butcher
Loalu

But for Rd 1 I think it will be
Whyte
Robson
Collins
Gus
Wong
N Butcher

Watson
Leniu
E Butcher
Loalu or Steep
If Loalu has been training hard I think he deserves a start in the 17

[Steggles]

Hey Mickie
unsure with Nat had his best year in 23 but fell off in 24 being dropped twice and hardly played in 25
Robbo loves him but I think it will be bench and he will suit us best coming off the bench being able to cover all forward positions but mainly coming in with Leniu as the prop subs for Whyte and Collins! He will have pressure with his brother and now Foketi and steep pushing for these spots too

I think Wong has done enough last year to start on the right edge and I back him to explode off the mark in 26 and take his game to another level!
I’ve got the pack as
Whyte
Robson
Collins
wong
critchon
rads

Watson
Egan butch / steep / Foketi
nat butch
Leniu
so steep and Foketi missing out if all fit

I think Egan might be in front of his brother after playing so well at the back end of last year and the likes of Steep, Foketi and Losalu could also be in front of Nat as their experience grows; time will tell I guess. Competition is a wonderful thing for extracting the best from our players.
Our NSW Cup forward pack will definitely have some decent 1st grade experience.

[Avalon Rooster]

Wong and Steep will be in the 17 in round 1 - If a 19 player team with 6 on the bench - add Savala and Foketi - Talau would be an option too as a reserve outside back on a 6 player bench.

1. Tedesco
2. Tupou
3. Smith
4. Toia
5. Nawaqanitawase
6. Walker
7. DCE
8. Whyte
9. Robson
10. Collins
11. Crichton
12. N. Butcher
13. Watson

Bench

14. Leniu
15. Steep
16. Wong
17. E Butcher
18. Savala
19. Foketi/Talau

it wouuldn't surprise me at all if Conor is 14 and we start Leniu and Nafahu. Our pack worked better when we started doing that towards the end of 2025.

[Avalon Rooster]

This pack worked at times last year but it really reduces our chances in the mid part of the game as we get rolled when we have 4 guys on the bench less then 100kg with no middle to bring on
I’d rather Spencer off the bench where he works best
atm though it’s only butcher potentially to go with him I’d love another 1-2 punch with another larger prop to keep the momentum

while Spencer is good in short spells Watson should come on after 20-25 min when the game is breaking up and we will loose to Many interchanges if Spencer is on and off the field 4 or more times and only 10 min into the game is a waste

I’d back Watson to come on 20-25 min in and not come off giving rads and even Wong a spell, maybe when Robson for 20 min

for bench size purposes and for our future, I'm really hoping we can get DelaSalle Va'a going. He is a ****ing giant. He was disappointing in the extreme last year - his work rate in reserve grade wasn't nearly good enough and he didn't come on at all. I'm hoping that was down to his illness and that with a good offseason he can be fitter and more productive. As you've mentioned, the one challenge with our younguns coming through is that none of them are really big boys and it would be great if he could fulfill his potential

[Chook2]

I think Egan might be in front of his brother after playing so well at the back end of last year and the likes of Steep, Foketi and Losalu could also be in front of Nat as their experience grows; time will tell I guess. Competition is a wonderful thing for extracting the best from our players.
Our NSW Cup forward pack will definitely have some decent 1st grade experience.

Competition for spots is an amazing thing
Egan was on the nose when steep and Foketi came up last year only for him to play his best footy
I think Nat will be a solid bench option for the 2nd middle with Spencer
certainly just need some more middles with size to push some guys now

[Chook2]

for bench size purposes and for our future, I'm really hoping we can get DelaSalle Va'a going. He is a ****ing giant. He was disappointing in the extreme last year - his work rate in reserve grade wasn't nearly good enough and he didn't come on at all. I'm hoping that was down to his illness and that with a good offseason he can be fitter and more productive. As you've mentioned, the one challenge with our younguns coming through is that none of them are really big boys and it would be great if he could fulfill his potential

Yes we seem to be 1 extra big body short
would be great for Spencer and another big body to come off the pine and continue the momentum.
although with the game speeding up they still need speed and footwork as the big and slow guys have been pushed out with the game speeding up

[caz]

This pack worked at times last year but it really reduces our chances in the mid part of the game as we get rolled when we have 4 guys on the bench less then 100kg with no middle to bring on
I’d rather Spencer off the bench where he works best
atm though it’s only butcher potentially to go with him I’d love another 1-2 punch with another larger prop to keep the momentum

while Spencer is good in short spells Watson should come on after 20-25 min when the game is breaking up and we will loose to Many interchanges if Spencer is on and off the field 4 or more times and only 10 min into the game is a waste

I’d back Watson to come on 20-25 min in and not come off giving rads and even Wong a spell, maybe when Robson for 20 min

a lot depends on how we use robson. i'm assuming he'll play the full 80. connor is also an 80 min player, and i reckon him coming on early would still allow him to stay on for the duration. that gives us a bit of leeway on the interchange front.
yes, we did start with the big 3 middles - and it worked - but i think leniu coming off after 10-15 and then back on for the last 10 odd is an improvement. you don't have a period when we don't have one of whyte/collins/leniu on the field and rather than having one of the big 3 staying on for the full 40 you have leniu as a fresh replacement at the tail end of the half, ready to go hell for leather. whether he comes off after 10 in the second half would depend on how the game/interchange situation is.