SBW to be rested for round 1.

[fletch]

a few more media outlets now jumping on the "SBW is out" bandwagon

if the mail about Cordner/SBW is correct, you would have to guess Arona/Moa would come in, with Langi the darkhorse

I get the feeling Robbo will not play mind games when he releases his team for thursday, so we should know at 5pm this afternoon who will run out in round 1.


the team would look something like this

Mini
Tupou
Jennings
SKD
RTS
Maloney
Pearce
JWH
Friend
Kennedy
Guerra
Maubs
LOD

FPN
Arona
Mortimer
Moa


i'm still not sold on Arona, way too many penalties for being lazy around the ruck, but with Bosden/SBW/Cordner injured and Takairangi/Cherro/Symonds shipped away, there are very few choices left.

[Spirit of 66]

Give Kane Evans his baptism of fire.

[supermario]

Give Kane Evans his baptism of fire.

more likely a baptisim of fire for the bunnies when they face Kane !!

He is a MONSTER !!!

[fletch]

Give Kane Evans his baptism of fire.

he has been injured as well

[Darkone]

As soon as those idiots use the words "likely" or "to our knowledge" it tranlates to we have no friggin idea mate!

all the sucker media are running hot with his "ASSumption"

[Guest]

Our depth is still good Fletch.

Consider that we could have SBW, Cordner, Tasi and Bosden out and we can still name a pack like that. That's not even mentioning kids like Evans, Napa or Langi. Or a few guys at Newtown like Lui or Ailaomai who could do a job off the bench if we get desperate.

[kakaruk]

Matty Johns wouldnt know jack shite about what robbos team selections are imo.

[bondi paul]

its mind games for macguires vermin

[Funky Chicken]

Surely if trial form counts for anything then Sam Moa has to be picked in the 17 (personally I would have him start), the guy played out of his skin and deserves a starting spot, or at the very least a spot on the bench.

[Guest]

God, I hope not. As much as I just referred to this situation as a circus, I'd rather SBW play when fully fit, than risk having him out for 4 weeks now. You don't win a comp in March.

Four weeks is hopeful.

If he re-injures his not 100% pec badly, it could be the season ov er for him.

Surely the coaching staff won't be so daft to play him because of the crowd/TV etc if he's not right to go.

[Yak]

It's still a reasonable pack but with no Cordner and SBW you lose your two most dangerous edge players. Maubs will need to step up cos he will probably play 80 mins. Our backrow depth has gone from excess to very thin all of a sudden. I expect Langi to be called up ahead of Arona should both Boyd and SBW be out. I'd also pick Liu ahead of Arona. Isaac is very quick for a big guy and has a great offload, can play a bit wider should a second rower go down and seems pretty strong and committed in the tackle going off trial form. It's obvious he's worked on that over the break. Also in the Tigers trial I noticed him at second marker pulling Arona off the tackled player a couple of times. He seems to understand the importance of penalties a lot more than Arona who for his average time of the field gives a lot of needless ruck penalties away.

I think the beauty of what Robinson appears to have done this off season is develop defensive and to a lesser degree offensive structures that are understood by the entire playing squad. Every player knows his role within that structure. And therefore no player's absence will majorly affect the team's performance as a unit. You won't see many players play out of position this season. So Mortimer's utility value will be accentuated and he'll probably be picked every week. I'm not saying we're anywhere near this level yet but it's the way the Storm functions under Bellamy. That's why he always has that utility on the bench. Pretty much the opposite to the way things functioned under Smith.

[fletch]

Yak, I agree with you regarding Arona, average footballer very prone to stupid penalties, don't know why they gave him a 3yr contract

its incredible how quickly our forward depth has disappeared with a mounting injury toll and the release of Cherro/Taka/Symonds

without question we have a more talented backline than the bunnies but the problem will be is there enough go forward left in the forward to put them in a position to show their talents.

[elo]

Danny Weidler @Danny_Weidler
Reports he would be ruled out off the mark. Sonny Bill Williams will play v Rabbits Thursday night. About to do a live cross on 11 am news.

From Weedler.

Roosters officials confirmed it to Weelder just minutes ago, he's playing.

[Guest]

From Weedler.

Roosters officials confirmed it to Weelder just minutes ago, he's playing.

Excellent. Never in doubt. It is amazing how so many here criticise the media endlessly but as soon as some idiot farts on twitter or someone heard something from someone who hears something from someone then some goose is on this forum spreading the same bullshit. l

[supermario]

Excellent. Never in doubt. It is amazing how so many here criticise the media endlessly but as soon as some idiot farts on twitter or someone heard something from someone who hears something from someone then some goose is on this forum spreading the same bullshit. l

Pin this one on matty Johns, he is the one who sprouted this on the Grill team this morning