Braith Anasta live blog

[Guest]

1) Carney
2) Minichiello
3) Sam Perrett
4) SKD/Williamson/Jones
5) Phil Graham
6) Anasta
7) Pearce
8) Ryles
9) James Aubusson / Nick K / J. Friend
10) Nuasala
11) Cherrington
12) Symonds
13) Myles

Bench:
14) M. Aubusson
15) L. Paea
16) Conn
17)

wow that is frightning. What a weak looking bench, what a horrible looking foreward pack, add to that the julian bailey of the new millenium at hooker (aka Nick K) and we are in for another horrible season.....GO THE ROOSTERS

[Guest]

Spoke to someone from the club and I can confirm that the full strength side is looking like this at the moment:

1. Todd Carney
2. Sam Perrett
3. Phil Graham
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Braith Anasta (c)
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jason Ryles
9. James Aubusson
10. Frank Paul-Nuusuala
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Mitch Aubusson
13. Nate Myles

14. Lopini Paea
15. Martin Kennedy
16. Daniel Conn
17. Nick Kouparitsis

Love the starting line-up. Don't like the bench at all though. Definitely is lacking spark IMO - Jones offers far more pace and impact than Kouparitsas, Symonds is a far better backrow bench man than Conn, and JWH when fit is a shoe-in over Kennedy.

[Guest]

You have to admit it looks a lot stronger with JWH in the side though. I mean, it isn't as bad as it looks.

If JWH was there it would be stronger but imho our depth is weak and we might be still be in the hunt by the end of June but I don't think we have the depth too maintain it. I'll be very happy to be wrong though.

[Andrew Walker]

What is happeneing with Foran ?

[Guest]

This was the starting side in Round 1 2009.


1. Anthony Minichiello
2. Sam Perrett
3. Mitchell Aubusson
4. Iosia Soliola
5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
6. Braith Anasta
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Mark O'Meley
9. James Aubusson
10. Nate Myles
11. Lopini Paea
12. Craig Fitzgibbon
13. Setaimata Sa

Interchange:
14. Frank Paul Nuuausala
15. Shane Shackleton
17. Jake Friend
18. Martin Kennedy

Looks a much stronger side than has been named on this thread. Smith will want to be a bloody good coach.

[TheLoneRooster]

Spoke to someone from the club and I can confirm that the full strength side is looking like this at the moment:

1. Todd Carney
2. Sam Perrett
3. Phil Graham
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Braith Anasta (c)
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jason Ryles
9. James Aubusson
10. Frank Paul-Nuusuala
11. Anthony Cherrington
12. Mitch Aubusson
13. Nate Myles

14. Lopini Paea
15. Martin Kennedy
16. Daniel Conn
17. Nick Kouparitsis

A few thoughts on this side ...
- 1 through 5 just doesn't look or feel right to me whatsoever
- SKD as a centre?? Didn't someone say he wasn't impressing there at training?
- 6 and 7 are the same type of player and therefore predictable
- I'm sort of comfortable with 8 through 13 and really hope for big years from 9 and 11 in particular
- 14 needs to recapture his form from the 'fro days
- 15 has bulked up but can he play?
- 16 is bound to get injured AGAIN before the season even starts (already happened twice in the pre-season)
- 17 doesn't fill me with excitement

JWH has left a bit of a hole there.

[Guest]

A few thoughts on this side ...
- 1 through 5 just doesn't look or feel right to me whatsoever
- SKD as a centre?? Didn't someone say he wasn't impressing there at training?
- 6 and 7 are the same type of player and therefore predictable
- I'm sort of comfortable with 8 through 13 and really hope for big years from 9 and 11 in particular
- 14 needs to recapture his form from the 'fro days
- 15 has bulked up but can he play?
- 16 is bound to get injured AGAIN before the season even starts (already happened twice in the pre-season)
- 17 doesn't fill me with excitement

JWH has left a bit of a hole there.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall has the inside running on that 4 jersey but BJ Leilua is bound to overtake him when the trials start. Ben Jones is in the running for a centre spot but is been considered too small. The person I spoke to mentioned that Smith is looking for a big explosive centre which is why I think he is trialling Shaun Kenny-Dowall in the centres. If Ryan Williamson returns, he will most likely be in the picture for that spot as well, which is why I imagine Smith has mentioned himself that Williamson is a massive part of his plans. Personally I'd love to see Minichiello at the back and Carney at 6 with Anasta at 13 but I trust Smith knows what he is doing. Tom Symonds is still nursing his injured shoulder but if fit, he will run with the team and will most likely get that bench spot off Conn. I was told that Daniel Fepulaei has impressed a lot of people and is breathing down Kouparitsis' neck so there's good competition for a spot there. I aksed whether there were other players that were impressing, Martin Kennedy and Mose Masoe were mentioned. Others that I was told to watch out for were Cheyse Blair and Boyd Cordner as they have been very impressed and Olireti Samuelu, Isaac Maliota and Fine Moeakiola from the NYC.

[Cockadoodledoo]

A few thoughts on this side ...
- 1 through 5 just doesn't look or feel right to me whatsoever
- SKD as a centre?? Didn't someone say he wasn't impressing there at training?
- 6 and 7 are the same type of player and therefore predictable
- I'm sort of comfortable with 8 through 13 and really hope for big years from 9 and 11 in particular
- 14 needs to recapture his form from the 'fro days
- 15 has bulked up but can he play?
- 16 is bound to get injured AGAIN before the season even starts (already happened twice in the pre-season)
- 17 doesn't fill me with excitement

JWH has left a bit of a hole there.

There is no impact off the bench. Mose Masoe is more dynamic than Kennedy and there is no real attacking spark there either. Daniel Conn will be flat out being fit.. He injured his knee in Thailand (was it a motorcycle accident) and then injured himself recently on a motorcycle accident..

[Guest]

I don't mind SKD in the centres, but if he is there then I would at least put Graham out on one of the wings, and move Perrett to the centres. Graham provides height and speed.

You are right about the bench though. Kennedy, Conn and Kouparitsas are the 'safe options' as opposed to the more explosive talent of Waerea-Hargreaves, Symonds and Jones. I would have JWH and the two rangas on the bench instead when everyone is fully fit - Jones has so much aspects of a young Craig Wing about him IMO, Symonds has Flannery's ability to hit holes out wide and run outstanding lines, and JWH has far more mongrel than Kennedy ever will.

2002 vs 2010

Cayless vs Nuuausala (skillful younger prop with size and talent)
Bonetti vs Aubusson (tough, hard-edged starting rake, good defender)
Cusack vs Ryles (experienced workhorse prop and pack leader)
Fletcher vs Cherrington (big ballplaying backrower with offloading skill)
Fitzgibbon vs Myles (high workrate tough-tackling second rower)
Ricketson vs Aubusson (mobile cover defender)

Wing vs Jones (explosive impact supersub utility)
Flannery vs Symonds (game breaking hole hitter in the backrow/centres)
Morley vs Waerea-Hargreaves (monstrous enforcer with serious agro!)
Lomu vs Paea (strong running bench prop)

That is how I envision our forward pack this year, to be honest. Conn, Kennedy and Kouparitsas are pretty average IMO, little to no impact. With JWH out, I would have thrown big Masoe into the mix, add another monster into the pack, and with Symonds out, I would have trialled the young backrower we bought from Souths - Brad Takairangi.

[novice chook]

I hope Tom Symonds' shoulder recovers quickly. That bench is crap.

I'd have Symonds over Conn in a heartbeat.

And B Jones over Koups as well.

Give the rangas first shot I reckon! At least that would provide a little versatility and utility on the bench, rather than just 4 dumbarsed forwards with little brains and impact to speak of.

[Guest]

Conn and Kouparitsas have to be certainties for a bench spots, they are the only ones who have respectable defence. Both are more than capable of making 25+ tackles. Let Cherrington make his impact the first 15 then sub him. His fitness is deplorable.

I couldn't care less if they play without flare, as long as they complete their tackles and maintain a good line as well as making the complimentary hit-ups. Let the halves and backs create opportunities.

I hope our forwards just stick to their guns and play their game of consistantly eating up metres with a quick play of the ball. None of this eccentric offload bullshit. Tupou was notorious for it and it gave me the absolute shits.

Hit the ball up, make ten metres, get a quick play of the ball, hit holes and maintain a defensive line. Just play high percentage football.

Can it really be THAT easy ? I think so.

[Chookies74]

Let Cherrington make his impact the first 15 then sub him. His fitness is deplorable.

This is what I'm most looking forward to in the first 4 weeks of this year.
Can Bwian get inside Cherro's head, get him fit and then we can see the potential of this big unit.

[Chris]

None of this eccentric offload bullshit. Tupou was notorious for it and it gave me the absolute shits.

I'm with you on that one Mike! The number of times my heart stopped just before Tupous offload...

[novice chook]

Conn and Kouparitsas have to be certainties for a bench spots, they are the only ones who have respectable defence.

Respectable defence in Qld/NSW Cup maybe, where they've played the majority of their careers. Both of these blokes have limited consistent first grade experience, especially Conn who is injury prone to boot.

I don't recall Symonds' defence being a problem in the games he played.
And he's probably played just as many NRL games as Conn.

To me the bench named is far too one dimensional. And it leaves the team in a real hole if one of the backline is injured unless, wait for it, we use yet another second rower in the centres. Or even aim for a front rower.

NC

[Guest]

Someone who spoke to someone high up.. In theory he is officially coming back but they have prepared themselves to move on. It was decided to let him have some time away to deal with some issues. Home sickness I believe being one of them.

I had a long conversation with Ryan today and he sounds great. He is still training hard in country where the minimum temps at the moment are about 33 degrees. He has droped back to 100kg's and feels a lot better for it. I would say the odds of him being back at the Roosters in a good frame of mind are better then good. Expect him back within a month.