Whyte

[mightyrooster]

Whyte, Wong, Foketi, Toia, Steep, we have some good players coming through. Whyte has been immense.

[Inflictor]

Both Gus and Whyte should've made that tackle, we were numbered up on the edge and the fullback was offering no threat out the back. Really disappointing that neither of them made that tackle. And last week Whyte made an even bigger blunder on the Tino try.

I absolutely love what we're seeing from him in attack but you just can't be giving up a try every other game. He's got to fix that part of his game.

Agreed. His attack is super but his lazy defence kills me.

If we changed the teams like NFL he would not be in the defensive run-on team.

I just got over that Tino try. Now another week of my wife asking me why I keep shaking my head and saying FFS.

P.S. Wong deserves his own thread more. Just a complete game apart from that penslty. He was a beast tonight. Best he's ever played and been one of our best the last 4 weeks.

[mattyh]

Agreed. His attack is super but his lazy defence kills me.

If we changed the teams like NFL he would not be in the defensive run-on team.

I just got over that Tino try. Now another week of my wife asking me why I keep shaking my head and saying FFS.

P.S. Wong deserves his own thread more. Just a complete game apart from that penslty. He was a beast tonight. Best he's ever played and been one of our best the last 4 weeks.

I actually don't think we're that far away . there have been a lot of positives in the lastc3 games, a few negatives , but I can see the rough outlay of the puzzle robbo is putting together .

if only we could drop our 7 , and play with 12 haha

[Steggles]

I actually don't think we're that far away . there have been a lot of positives in the lastc3 games, a few negatives , but I can see the rough outlay of the puzzle robbo is putting together .

if only we could drop our 7 , and play with 12 haha

And get rid of #5 and play with 11

[KenWiwa]

Thought Wong - who turned 22 yesterday - was great last night. Had a few great offloads (one before half time and setting up the try to Dom), 43 tackles, 135 running metres (the most other than Teddy), no errors of note, and threatened with the ball. Late in the game, if Dom was in the attacking line where he should have been, he would have created another great opportunity. The way that Robbo treated him last year - making him play middle, dropping him to Cup for most of the season, not promoting his offensive skills - was poor for his development and appalling coaching from someone who is supposed to be one of the elite coaches in the game. I was out there last night and our young forwards - Whyte, Wong, Steep - got the better of Souths. But without any creativity or polish, or even quality kicking, in the halves, it is hard to win in the NRL.

[Rooster_6]

Thought Wong - who turned 22 yesterday - was great last night. Had a few great offloads (one before half time and setting up the try to Dom), 43 tackles, 135 running metres (the most other than Teddy), no errors of note, and threatened with the ball. Late in the game, if Dom was in the attacking line where he should have been, he would have created another great opportunity. The way that Robbo treated him last year - making him play middle, dropping him to Cup for most of the season, not promoting his offensive skills - was poor for his development and appalling coaching from someone who is supposed to be one of the elite coaches in the game. I was out there last night and our young forwards - Whyte, Wong, Steep - got the better of Souths. But without any creativity or polish, or even quality kicking, in the halves, it is hard to win in the NRL.

Wong is a much improved player on where he was at this time last year, Robinson makes all his edge players play in the middle early on in their development.

Seems to help build their temperament and understanding of the game when it comes to yardage carries and defensive workload. You highlight his run metres and tackle count.. maybe you have to consider that its somewhat down to his growth from playing in the middle last year?

[KenWiwa]

That's a fair point Rooster_6 and I know Robbo likes to do that. However, for mine, it was overdone. Wong played second-row with Jacob Preston in our Flegg team and I look at the way Preston has been handled at the Dogs as a counterpoint (I appreciate different context and competition for places etc). Wong had a poor game against Manly early last year for sure and maybe you're right in many respects, but I feel like he could have been better positioned for this year.

[Andrew Walker]

Would two Wongs make a Whyte?

Only in your mates Sally’s world

[Rooster_6]

That's a fair point Rooster_6 and I know Robbo likes to do that. However, for mine, it was overdone. Wong played second-row with Jacob Preston in our Flegg team and I look at the way Preston has been handled at the Dogs as a counterpoint (I appreciate different context and competition for places etc). Wong had a poor game against Manly early last year for sure and maybe you're right in many respects, but I feel like he could have been better positioned for this year.

I don't know if Wong and Preston ever really crossed paths in the junior grades at the Roosters. Pretty sure when Wong graduated from SG Ball he was prioritised for the Bears and never actually played Jersey Flegg. I know it's trivial but Wong was always an age group or two below Preston so even in pure years he should be tracking naturally tracking further ahead in his development.

I get what you're saying on Preston's development though, no doubt his consistent exposure to first grade has accelerated his performance but reality is you're only getting that at clubs who are struggling in the bottom 8 like we are this year which is why some of the younger kids like Steep, Foketi, Toia & hopefully some others will naturally develop a little quicker than they would've otherwise but we're also going to have to wear some inconsistent performances as a result of that.

You see Melbourne hold back young kids and play them out of position / in reserve grade all the time and it doesn't seem to have an impact on their long term career growth.

[BTRD]

Angus. Runs on all pumped up. First set, drops the bloody ball. Senior player apparently. Only my opinion, but has been very underwhelming so far this year.

[The Brain]

Whyte great ..Wong real good game Teddy is Teddy..Foketi went well .The rest can suck my kuratz

[Thirteen]

Angus. Runs on all pumped up. First set, drops the bloody ball. Senior player apparently. Only my opinion, but has been very underwhelming so far this year.

Give him a year to year contract. Goes best off contract.

I actually think he’s been okay.

[BTRD]

Give him a year to year contract. Goes best off contract.

I actually think he’s been okay.

Cheers.

[rented tracksuit]

Only in your mates Sally’s world

Your mate.

[KenWiwa]

I don't know if Wong and Preston ever really crossed paths in the junior grades at the Roosters. Pretty sure when Wong graduated from SG Ball he was prioritised for the Bears and never actually played Jersey Flegg. I know it's trivial but Wong was always an age group or two below Preston so even in pure years he should be tracking naturally tracking further ahead in his development.

I get what you're saying on Preston's development though, no doubt his consistent exposure to first grade has accelerated his performance but reality is you're only getting that at clubs who are struggling in the bottom 8 like we are this year which is why some of the younger kids like Steep, Foketi, Toia & hopefully some others will naturally develop a little quicker than they would've otherwise but we're also going to have to wear some inconsistent performances as a result of that.

You see Melbourne hold back young kids and play them out of position / in reserve grade all the time and it doesn't seem to have an impact on their long term career growth.

I am confident that I attended a game where they played together (Ball or Flegg) and they are a shade over a year apart. You're making reasonable points but I still think that last year Wong's development should have been prioritised over Sitili (leaving) or Nat or Egan (who have a lower ceiling IMO but I realise others may disagree). Certainly, I don't believe playing him would have made a material difference in terms of outcome. At any rate, I hope there is no more stuffing around with pushing him into the middle.