Terrible

[Bowie79]

We need a quality centre, it's probably our achilles heel. Souths now have Mitchell and Wighton, a quality pairing. For what it's worth I believe that this is our strongest team atm.

1 Tedesco
2 Suaalii
3 Smith
4 Manu
5 Paulo
6 Keary
7 Walker
13 Radley
12 Crighton
11 Nat Butcher
10 Collins
9 Smith
8 JWH (C)

14 Turpin
15 Egan Butcher
16 Sitili Tupouniau
17 Lodge

18 Brown
19 May
20 Hutchinson
21 Baker

That's probably the best team we could field, but I reckon the achilles heel is our lack of confidence, and not ability. The dropping of Walker imo was not right and wouldn't have helped his confidence, but when eventually called back into the team he should be given the freedom to do his thing and not play too structured as directed by the coach (I'm guessing). He looked far more threatening when his short kicking game was utilised.

[Steggles]

Roosters squad and positions covered - includes both full contract NRL players and Development/Extended Bench contract players (Highlighted) - Watson could cover the halves and possibly Fullback if required but more a forward utility nowadays.

The squad is more than capable and just need to work towards a consistent 80 minute game week in week out which is what is missing to be a real premiership contender - less injuries as well would greatly help

Fullback - Tedesco/Manu/Suaalii/Allan/Sandon Smith
Wing- Toops/Paulo/Manu/Suaalli/Momirovski/Billy Smith//Allan/Karawalevu/Katoa/Pauga/ Henare-Schuster
Centre- Manu/Suaalii/Hutchinator/Billy Smith/Momirovski/Allan/Toia/Pauga/Henare-Schuster
5/8- Keary/Walker/Hutchinator/Manu/ Sandon Smith
Half - Walker/Keary/Hutchinator/Sandon Smith
Lock - Radley/Watson/Brown/ N Butcher/E Butcher/Whyte/Brandon Smith
Second Row- Crichton/Sitili/N Butcher/ E Butcher/ N Brown/Whyte/Wong/Brandon Smith/ El-Zakham
Front Row - JWH/Collins/Lodge/Thomas/Terrell/Whyte/Wong/ El-Zakham/Thomas/Napa
Dummy Half - Brandon Smith / Hutchinator/ Turpin/ Radley/Watson/ Deakin/Moriarty

in my opinion, we will struggle to achieve 80 minute consistency if we persist on chopping and changing the side and having players play out of their natural positions.

What would be just as useful as some consistency is a purposeful game plan that targets opposition weaknesses, for example, how the Dragons targeted our left edge defence time and time again on ANZAC day. Without a solid plan our players look lost and resort to trying to use individual brilliance and Hail Mary plays in attack. Maybe that’s why a potent weapon like Teddy goes on spin cycle so often. We can blame Walker, Suaalii, Hutchinson and others as much as we like, but our coaching staff need to formulate a good plan each week for the team to execute. Look how Bennett coached teams generally beat us, even when they’re not expected to, with cattle that are not a patch on ours individually. Bennett is the best at delivering his team a simple, easy to execute plan that will blunt an opposition’s attack and exploit their defences. He develops the plan by studying and understanding his opposition just as well as he knows his own team. He evolves. Our plan is to go out and play “Roosters footy” every week, but everyone knows what that looks like nowadays and it’s easy to counter. Most times it’s simply waiting for the Chooks to self-destruct by dropping balls, giving away stupid penalties and 6-agains, then more easily execute their plan when we have little left in the tank. Is that why we don’t score many points in the second half?

Is our ill-discipline due to the lack of a structured plan or are our players just not as smart or capable as those in other teams. I don’t believe the latter for a second. We can blame the refs and the bunker as well, but they don’t make us drop balls, throw forward passes, hit players in the head, etc.

We get frustrated on here because the plan doesn’t seem to change, regardless of who is playing in what position. Anyway, that’s my opinion for what it’s worth.

[Steggles]

We need another quality centre, it's probably our achilles heel. Souths now have Mitchell and Wighton, a quality pairing. For what it's worth I believe that this is our strongest team atm.

1 Tedesco
2 Suaalii
3 Smith
4 Manu
5 Paulo
6 Keary
7 Walker
13 Radley
12 Crighton
11 Nat Butcher
10 Collins
9 Smith
8 JWH (C)

14 Turpin
15 Egan Butcher
16 Sitili Tupouniau
17 Lodge

18 Brown
19 May
20 Hutchinson
21 Baker

Nailed it there Ray.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

We need another quality centre, it's probably our achilles heel. Souths now have Mitchell and Wighton, a quality pairing. For what it's worth I believe that this is our strongest team atm.

1 Tedesco
2 Suaalii
3 Smith
4 Manu
5 Paulo
6 Keary
7 Walker
13 Radley
12 Crighton
11 Nat Butcher
10 Collins
9 Smith
8 JWH (C)

14 Turpin
15 Egan Butcher
16 Sitili Tupouniau
17 Lodge

18 Brown
19 May
20 Hutchinson
21 Baker

I really like that team.
So you are saying that's our strongest 17 available THIS WEEK, right?
When Toops come back he goes in for Paulo or Suaalii ?
That could go either way for me. Will they admit they made a mistake with Suaalii?
Maybe Paulo is the better option right now on form on the wing.
I would love to see Smithy back if he's ready.
I agree with Turpin on the bench ahead of the loveable handbrake,
but if we run 2 hookers shouldn't we run 4 props instead of 4 back rowers?
Turpin can fill in at back row if needed.

[Ray Stehr]

At full strength Tupou in for Paulo and Watson in for Turpin.

[Ray Stehr]

But Suaalii stays on the wing.

[Thirteen]

Nobody has seen Billy Smith for so long you’ve all forgotten how bog average and slow he is.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Nobody has seen Billy Smith for so long you’ve all forgotten how bog average and slow he is.

Incorrect. Smith will be in the top 3 centres in the NRL if he goes one season injury free. Similar to Campbell Graham.

[King Salvo]

If particular "supporters" on here ever start picking the side including the coaching staff then the Roosters are absolutely no hope

From a pub team footballer , white flagger to an doddering old geezer all with team selection ideas based on the premises of if they like the player or not

Reminds me of Red Faces- Amateur hour at it's best or worst - which ever your take is - Where's Red's Gong - Gong them Red

[bondi.boy]

we nearly lost.
Suli and Moga ran riot down our left side.

Happy with the win.
Radley's sin binning was a total outrage and almost the biggest joke in RL history.

[Thirteen]

Incorrect. Smith will be in the top 3 centres in the NRL if he goes one season injury free. Similar to Campbell Graham.

I hope so Mate. I just can’t imagine him ever being injury free for longer than a few games.

[Vasco]

Nobody has seen Billy Smith for so long you’ve all forgotten how bog average and slow he is.

He may be injury prone but he's not slow.

[B2B]

That's probably the best team we could field, but I reckon the achilles heel is our lack of confidence, and not ability. The dropping of Walker imo was not right and wouldn't have helped his confidence, but when eventually called back into the team he should be given the freedom to do his thing and not play too structured as directed by the coach (I'm guessing). He looked far more threatening when his short kicking game was utilised.

Probably leave Turpin out and put Watson in as our number 14 , offers alot more versatility

[B2B]

We need another quality centre, it's probably our achilles heel. Souths now have Mitchell and Wighton, a quality pairing. For what it's worth I believe that this is our strongest team atm.

1 Tedesco
2 Suaalii
3 Smith
4 Manu
5 Paulo
6 Keary
7 Walker
13 Radley
12 Crighton
11 Nat Butcher
10 Collins
9 Smith
8 JWH (C)

14 Turpin
15 Egan Butcher
16 Sitili Tupouniau
17 Lodge

18 Brown
19 May
20 Hutchinson
21 Baker

Apart from replacing Turpin with Watson , could Watson also play 5/8 as an alternative?

[The Brain]

The real problem is general play kicking .It showed us up as we struggle for field positions and played from our own half a lot..
Walker doesn't possess a big boot yet but does kick usually to the right spot.
Keary has often been average but ok last week....so with a mobile pack who like to offload like Warriors do. We need a huge kicking game we have to tire them out by constantly turn them around our attitude at the moment does not last beyond 39 mins..but I expect we will be more effective soon as Angus ..Sitilli and lodge have a few games under their belts.
.