Round 1 team

[Mickie Lane]

We already know that Sam Walker & Brandon Smith will be out for the start of the season & I would be surprised if all other players are fit for rd 1 but for the sake of picking a side for rd 1 we'll just go with Walker & Brandon Smith being the only 2 not available.
I think Robbo will go with the most experienced players in each position so only 1 rookie makes my 17.

Teddy
Toops
Billy Smith
Pauga
Young
Sandon Smith
Townsend
Collins
Watson
Leniu
Crighton
Radley
N Butcher

Whyte
E Butcher
Wong
Steep

Im not saying thats the team I would pick but thats the team I think Robbo will go with for rd 1 if only Walker & Smith are unavailable.

[Bates]

I just hope we're fit enough to play hard for the full 80 minutes as Maguire has been flogging the Broncos at training.

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

We already know that Sam Walker & Brandon Smith will be out for the start of the season & I would be surprised if all other players are fit for rd 1 but for the sake of picking a side for rd 1 we'll just go with Walker & Brandon Smith being the only 2 not available.
I think Robbo will go with the most experienced players in each position so only 1 rookie makes my 17.

Teddy
Toops
Billy Smith
Pauga
Young
Sandon Smith
Townsend
Collins
Watson
Leniu
Crighton
Radley
N Butcher

Whyte
E Butcher
Wong
Steep

Im not saying thats the team I would pick but thats the team I think Robbo will go with for rd 1 if only Walker & Smith are unavailable.

I think Marky Mark gets the nod over Pauga

[Headless Chook]

We already know that Sam Walker & Brandon Smith will be out for the start of the season & I would be surprised if all other players are fit for rd 1 but for the sake of picking a side for rd 1 we'll just go with Walker & Brandon Smith being the only 2 not available.
I think Robbo will go with the most experienced players in each position so only 1 rookie makes my 17.

Teddy
Toops
Billy Smith
Pauga
Young
Sandon Smith
Townsend
Collins
Watson
Leniu
Crighton
Radley
N Butcher

Whyte
E Butcher
Wong
Steep

Im not saying thats the team I would pick but thats the team I think Robbo will go with for rd 1 if only Walker & Smith are unavailable.

He's on record as saying that they are going to back the young guys coming through, so I think Toia will get a crack as long as he's fit. I also think Nafahu will start and Leniu will come off the bench

[King Salvo]

Tedesco
Toops
Billy Smith
Nawaqanitawase
Young
Sandon Smith
Townsend
Collins
Watson
Leniu
Crichton
Radley
Nat Butcher

Interchange

Moriarty
Whyte
Wong
De La Salle Va'a

Reserves

Egan Butcher
Toia
Steep
Pauga
Xavier Va'a

[GC6]

I just hope we're fit enough to play hard for the full 80 minutes as Maguire has been flogging the Broncos at training.

What makes you think flogging them is any better??

Robbo has a 63% win rate in the nrl and Maguire with a 48%.
Maguire also has a history of either losing the confidence of the dressing room or the higher ups. Although you may say robbo has lost it now he is still holding the roll. As a supporter you should have at least a little bit of trust in the bloke to get us a trophy in the next few years.
Losing our half back and only being 80 minutes away from a grand final is still a big plus. Imagine if Cleary didn’t play the last 20 minutes of 2023. Or Cleary and Hughes went down last season before finals. It would have been a similar story to us.

I read these forums a lot and I worry about your negativity. I hope you have some good people around you.

[Judge Smails]

Toia will be starting, Whyte to Lock

["gaz"]

I just hope we're fit enough to play hard for the full 80 minutes as Maguire has been flogging the Broncos at training.

Have you seen Chad Townsend's podcast "Day 1 Pre-season training" it sounds like they are training hard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=counLlqovhQ

["gaz"]

Sorry about that, I forgot to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. So Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all have a fantastic day and cheers to you all.

[ism22]

He's on record as saying that they are going to back the young guys coming through, so I think Toia will get a crack as long as he's fit. I also think Nafahu will start and Leniu will come off the bench

Or... he'll have Whyte, Wong and Va'a in the squad instead of May.

Tedesco has said we're likely to see Toia debut. I reckon this makes his debut a matter of if rather than when.

[Thirteen]

Mickie if Pauga is our starting centre in Round 1 I’ll shout you an entire night in your favourite whore house.

[Bates]

What makes you think flogging them is any better??

Robbo has a 63% win rate in the nrl and Maguire with a 48%.
Maguire also has a history of either losing the confidence of the dressing room or the higher ups. Although you may say robbo has lost it now he is still holding the roll. As a supporter you should have at least a little bit of trust in the bloke to get us a trophy in the next few years.
Losing our half back and only being 80 minutes away from a grand final is still a big plus. Imagine if Cleary didn’t play the last 20 minutes of 2023. Or Cleary and Hughes went down last season before finals. It would have been a similar story to us.

I read these forums a lot and I worry about your negativity. I hope you have some good people around you.

lol.

[ism22]

Have you seen Chad Townsend's podcast "Day 1 Pre-season training" it sounds like they are training hard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=counLlqovhQ

Decent insights. My only notes are...

1. It likely explains why I saw JWH going down Driver Ave on an e-scooter last year. Though, IMO it's pretty poor that they don't get proper parking. Isn't there still a temp carpark or something?

2. The whole 4 sessions thing is interesting. My hope is that this sorta thing doesn't lead to injuries. There's training hard and there's training smart. Like with my running it's pretty endless how many km I can train a week. However at a point (particularly if there's no gradual build-up), it becomes stupid.

3. Based on the descriptions and driving it looks like he's in the shire. Hopefully means he truely just wants to be with family. Seems like a good bloke who's excited about joining Easts, so I hope this works out for both parties. IMO he's gonna be more useful than a lot of people are thinking.

[BTRD]

We are going to need his experience. Hope he goes well. Great hair.