Team announced vs Knights

[Funky Chicken]

I think Arona has the goods and will prove to be an able replacement for Nate, he also has good hands and is light on his feet.

I know it has been done to death but we really need to get rid of Anasta, he offers nothing to the team in attack or defence and throws the balance of the team out by taking a spot from someone who would offer us more, especially when we have Aubbo, Symonds, Leilua, Arona, JWH, Cherrington who are all much better than Anasta.

[bondi-boy]

Arona is a rookie in first grade, which as Carney [not Todd] found out...is a whole lot different from the lower grades.

One fumbling of a kick can basically cost the game...[Anzac Day Dragons game]...and the fingers of blame get pointed at you.

Rookies can often take time to become champion first graders.

[ism22]

...especially when we have Aubbo, Symonds, Leilua, Arona, JWH, Cherrington who are all much better than Anasta.

Cherro - Never seen him play much 1st grade and he's always injured.
JWH - Is still yet to prove he's got anything... Kiwis capped him so he wouldn't jump ship (had already played for Australia as a kid.) Now they've dropped him and the buzz of being the next SBW has kinda worn off. He's now a tall skinny, white 1/2 maori guy who doesn't quite weigh up with the generic massive Maoris who are bigger and faster.
Symonds - Won us the game against the Souffs and has been alright since, but no world beater. Bit of a halo effect that will wear off after this season IMO.
Arona - Big time Rookie, doubt he can even last 80?
Maubs - Is decent but Anasta's better at kicking/ball handling.

Having a back rower who can also handle the ball is pretty special. Braith isn't a big boppa, but he's never been one. None of the guys listed can play 5/8 in the NRL (or even kick a ball?) so as a well rounded player, Braith wins. We have LOTS of big boppas (not bagging them) but if you're just a big boppa and can't kick/pass/offload/setup plays then you need to be HUGE.

Not saying Braith is the best in the world or anything, but none of our other back rowers can handle a ball like him.

[Guest]

...especially when we have Aubbo, Symonds, Leilua, Arona, JWH, Cherrington who are all much better than Anasta.

Cherro - Never seen him play much 1st grade and he's always injured.
JWH - Is still yet to prove he's got anything... Kiwis capped him so he wouldn't jump ship (had already played for Australia as a kid.) Now they've dropped him and the buzz of being the next SBW has kinda worn off. He's now a tall skinny, white 1/2 maori guy who doesn't quite weigh up with the generic massive Maoris who are bigger and faster.
Symonds - Won us the game against the Souffs and has been alright since, but no world beater. Bit of a halo effect that will wear off after this season IMO.
Arona - Big time Rookie, doubt he can even last 80?
Maubs - Is decent but Anasta's better at kicking/ball handling.

Having a back rower who can also handle the ball is pretty special. Braith isn't a big boppa, but he's never been one. None of the guys listed can play 5/8 in the NRL (or even kick a ball?) so as a well rounded player, Braith wins. We have LOTS of big boppas (not bagging them) but if you're just a big boppa and can't kick/pass/offload/setup plays then you need to be HUGE.

Not saying Braith is the best in the world or anything, but none of our other back rowers can handle a ball like him.

All of our backrowers contribute more than Anasta does. Every single one.

[Guest]

I actually rate Anasta as a 6, he has been playing quite poorly there this year but it is expected when you play the previous season as a second rower and train specifically in that position aswell as bulk up a bit. Back in 2007/2008 when he run the show as the star playmaker he was getting heaps of try assists and displayed a good long and short kicking game aswell as being a rep standard ballplayer. Give him a few years to settle into that role again and you will see results like 08, it's just unfortunate he has Carney there who is a freak of a player. On song, I'd rate Anasta's playmaking qualities over Pearce, would be pretty hard not knowing whether you are going to play in the 12 or 6 every week.

Not trying to defend his mediocre performances this year though i.e hiding on the wing like the coward wearing the number 6 for the blues.

[Guest]

Also, Sau and Mcdonnell ruled out for the Knights with Peter Mataútia likely to make his debut at fullback and Siuatonga Likiliki maybe a late inclusion?

[Guest]

Guerra is back and starting!! Be interesting...

we must be hard up

[Spanner in the works]

Arona used to rack up HUGE numbers in the NYC back in 2009, both in yardage and tackles. By all accounts he was very impressive in 2010 for the Jets too.

If anyone out of our current players is ready to step into that lock role, it is him. The only other 'long term' option floating around the NRL at the moment who looks like filling a similar role is that Fensom kid at Raiders.

Shaun Fensom - born 1988

7 runs, 39 metres, 0 offloads, 0 tackle breaks, 29 tackles
12 runs, 69 metres, 1 offloads, 1 tackle breaks, 55 tackles
10 runs, 61 metres, 3 offloads, 0 tackle breaks, 39 tackles
5 runs, 58 metres, 0 offloads, 2 tackle breaks, 25 tackles + 1 linebreak
10 runs, 76 metres, 0 offloads, 0 tackle breaks, 52 tackles
11 runs, 54 metres, 1 offloads, 1 tackle breaks, 37 tackles
10 runs, 64 metres, 0 offloads, 0 tackle breaks, 29 tackles
6 runs, 48 metres, 1 offloads, 0 tackle breaks, 30 tackles
9 runs, 62 metres, 1 offloads, 1 tackle breaks, 38 tackles
15 runs, 135 metres, 3 offloads, 6 tackle breaks, 44 tackles + 1 linebreak
16 runs, 97 metres, 3 offloads, 2 tackle breaks, 75 tackles

Middling to average yards, but plenty of offloads, and some MASSIVE defensive efforts (75 tackles last night). Looks a little bit stronger physically than someone like Hilder, Stagg, Harrison or Johnson - looks more in the Gallen/Waterhouse/Myles/Parker style of workhorse lock with a bit of size and strength about them when running the ball. With our widerunning backrowers consisting of Symonds and Aubusson who are good in defense but don't offer any real size in attack, we need a lock with not only size and strength to function almost as a third prop in tight, but also to rack up a lot of tackles. Myles fit this role perfectly - Smith seems to be trying to force Nuuausala into this role, but it will end up like a Stuart/Tupou thing that will end up destroying Nuuausala's natural linebreaking, offloading game.

I love this guy. He would be one of my first choices in my Origin side if I was coach. Seventy five tackles a game is mind blowing. But you know what is even better. He missed just one. One tackle. You want a guy to keep the ruck tight and tackle everything that moves he is your man. Unfortunately for us, he isn't off contract for another three to four years.

[Spanner in the works]

...especially when we have Aubbo, Symonds, Leilua, Arona, JWH, Cherrington who are all much better than Anasta.

Cherro - Never seen him play much 1st grade and he's always injured.
JWH - Is still yet to prove he's got anything... Kiwis capped him so he wouldn't jump ship (had already played for Australia as a kid.) Now they've dropped him and the buzz of being the next SBW has kinda worn off. He's now a tall skinny, white 1/2 maori guy who doesn't quite weigh up with the generic massive Maoris who are bigger and faster.
Symonds - Won us the game against the Souffs and has been alright since, but no world beater. Bit of a halo effect that will wear off after this season IMO.
Arona - Big time Rookie, doubt he can even last 80?
Maubs - Is decent but Anasta's better at kicking/ball handling.

Having a back rower who can also handle the ball is pretty special. Braith isn't a big boppa, but he's never been one. None of the guys listed can play 5/8 in the NRL (or even kick a ball?) so as a well rounded player, Braith wins. We have LOTS of big boppas (not bagging them) but if you're just a big boppa and can't kick/pass/offload/setup plays then you need to be HUGE.

Not saying Braith is the best in the world or anything, but none of our other back rowers can handle a ball like him.

Good player, but he's got a long way to go before he is a top-tier forward.