Raiders - Storm - Panthers

[Rooster_6]

That’s going to be the run in this year if we are to get it done & what a challenge it is!!

Geez how good is finals footy.

Curious to see where everyone’s head is at! For the first time over the last few years it still feels like the make up of the final 17 is up in the air & I’m not just talking a couple of bench spots.

SO... if you were Robbo what would be your 17 to lead us home to more Grand Final glory?

[JAF]

I believe our biggest question mark is Flanno - great goal kicker but not the best compliment to Keary at the moment. I believe Lam’s game fills that hole, but then that will leave us without a first string kicker.

This is where SBW could be the key - he is not playing his best footy (particularly in defence) but he adds another dimension to our attack and therefore takes pressure off Flanno and Keary.

If we can somehow get this balance right, then the 3-peat is back on the agenda and I have no doubt that we can match it with Canberra, Storm and the Panfers!

[Tommy Smith]

I would go with:

Teddy
Toops
Jmoz
Manu
Bmoz
Keary
Lam
SST
Friend
Collins
Cordner
Angus
Liu

JWH
Butcher
SBW
Aubo

As for our chances, my head says we're toast. Last night's game was crucial because of the run in you pointed out. We all knew it. Robbo knew it. Also factor in the very leaky defence and the lack of grunt in contact, and the writing is on the wall.

But the heart says in sport anything can happen and you can never write off a champion team. Tbh if we are to somehow pull off the miracle then we need a bit of luck... either one of the Sharks or Eels pulling off the upset, an injury or suspension to a Cam Smith or Papynhuyzen to level the playing field.

But again, after Leicester won the EPL I've always said that sport is the land of miracles. They were 5000-1. We are 7-1 or so. Far from over.

Also the mentality needs to be that we only need to win two games, not three. Because two wins gets us to a GF and from there it's 50-50.

Ultimately if the playing group feel it's over then it's 100% over. But if they still have belief and can build some energy back into their leg speed then it's still possible.

[Rooster_6]

For me it would be;

1. Tedesco
2. Tupou
3. Jorris
4. Manu
5. Borris
6. Keary
7. Lam
8. Warea-Hargreaves
9. Friend
10. Taukeiaho
11. Cordner
12. Aubusson
13. Crichton

14. Liu (prop rotation)
15. Collins (prop rotation)
16. SBW (lock rotation)
17. Tupouniua

Lam - Tough call and I don’t envy Robbo for being the one to make it, we only got to see him for one game in the halves this season before he got injured but I just didn’t haven’t seen enough from Flanagan in big games this season. He’s not the type of player who’s going to create a whole heap of points so his job becomes very simple, close out sets with good kicking & organise the side. He failed to do either last night - learning curve or just not ready yet?

Aubusson - I really think we need to tighten up that right edge defensively and the man Robbo turned to in 2018 when Matterson/Liu wasn’t work on the right edge was Aubo, then again in 2019 the man Robbo turned to when Crichton wasn’t working was Aubo. Our own fans go on about how criminally underrated he was throughout his career... I still think he is! He gives us structure on that right edge with really good line running which opens up space outside him for Teddy & Manu.

Crichton - Geez he’s been a beast this year and I love him at lock forward, I think he’s prone to tiring himself out so getting him on and off the field for a rest throughout the middle of the game seems to do him the world of good. I love the physicality and mobility he offers in the middle and he’s not restricted like he is on the edge where he’s being asked to play in structure, in the middle he can express himself more. His work rate in the middle offsets the the lack of runs we would get out of Aubusson playing on the edge. You could also shift him onto the edge to close out a game if you wanted to finish with some more physicality.

Liu & Collins - I think Liu has to move back into the prop rotation, I like Butcher and I really hope he gets an injury free run next year to prove his worth but he just hasn’t hit his straps this year and whilst he’s good at taking carries late in a set and he had some good carries against the Panthers he’s just not a front rower and when he’s being asked to take those play 1 and 2 carries early in the set he’s just getting pounded. Liu & Collins would give us a very strong rotation.

SBW - Again a tough call for Robbo but a gamble worth taking. Match sharpness just isn’t there but he offers such a huge threat of the bench, his experience in finals type atmospheres will be crucial too.

Tupouniua - Wins out for me over Lussick & Butcher as I think he offers more versatility across the forward pack and if you’re chasing a game he can offer you points. Aubusson would cover the dummy half role & backs if injury occurred.

[dice]

I believe our biggest question mark is Flanno - great goal kicker but not the best compliment to Keary at the moment. I believe Lam’s game fills that hole, but then that will leave us without a first string kicker.

This is where SBW could be the key - he is not playing his best footy (particularly in defence) but he adds another dimension to our attack and therefore takes pressure off Flanno and Keary.

If we can somehow get this balance right, then the 3-peat is back on the agenda and I have no doubt that we can match it with Canberra, Storm and the Panfers!

Flanno costing us more points in defence than he is making up as first choice goal kicker. I have doubts whether Lam would be much better defensively tbh as it is size that seems to be the problem.

I would be tempted to ditch that position altogether. Put Keary at half as per 2018 grand final, and share the 5/8th role with Teddy, Manu, SBW, etc. Friend would need to help Keary kicking out of our own half. The half position then becomes an extra forward position filled with SBW/Maubs. We would be much stronger defensively but obviously lose a bit with our kicking game. I accept this is a desperate measure and highly unlikely to happen.

Tupouniua is defensive liability. No awareness at all. This is what I posted last night:

Watch how he runs out of the line to take nobody, and the lack of awareness to unplug the hole he had just created.
https://youtu.be/-oDOjzPY9jk?t=142

Then last week he doesn't move up with the defensive line which forces Flanagan to take his man. Then watch his lack of awareness that an overlap had been created and that he was in position to shut it down. Note we were still in the game at that stage.
https://youtu.be/Nj_16NJYkfc?t=93

[Mickie Lane]

I would go with:

Teddy
Toops
Jmoz
Manu
Bmoz
Keary
Lam
SST
Friend
Collins
Cordner
Angus
Liu

JWH
Butcher
SBW
Aubo

As for our chances, my head says we're toast. Last night's game was crucial because of the run in you pointed out. We all knew it. Robbo knew it. Also factor in the very leaky defence and the lack of grunt in contact, and the writing is on the wall.

But the heart says in sport anything can happen and you can never write off a champion team. Tbh if we are to somehow pull off the miracle then we need a bit of luck... either one of the Sharks or Eels pulling off the upset, an injury or suspension to a Cam Smith or Papynhuyzen to level the playing field.

But again, after Leicester won the EPL I've always said that sport is the land of miracles. They were 5000-1. We are 7-1 or so. Far from over.

Also the mentality needs to be that we only need to win two games, not three. Because two wins gets us to a GF and from there it's 50-50.

Ultimately if the playing group feel it's over then it's 100% over. But if they still have belief and can build some energy back into their leg speed then it's still possible.

It has to be that team, it is the most experienced & when the Chooks had Lussick & Sitilli off thats when they looked at their best. Angus has to play 80 minutes.

[elo]

Dice is spot on, Sitili cannot be defending on the edges if he is in the side next week. (I don't have him in mine at all) The Crichton break was outrageously poor defense, he should be given the LBA for it.

Teddy
Toops
JoMo
Manu
Borris
Keary
Flanno
Liu
Friend
SST
Cordner
Aubo
Crichton

JWH
Collins
SBW
Lam

[King Salvo]

mmm go into a final without your best goal kicker thats interesting - the turning point in the game that i previously posted and coach cleary thought as well was when BMorris was bundled into touch.- Tedesco's cut out pass - should have put it throught hands - Penrith scored - penalty as well in the leadup - poor play from Manu coming out of the line and BMorris turning for the kick and being isolated when Penrith put it through the hands and Mansour scored -As Robbo was saying 3 tries i think scored on 5th tackle - players rushing up but not tacking anyone or putting any pressure on- can't afford that.

Kicking was poor - general play and the kicks for Toops were way short for any advantage the Chooks had in height - Toops vs To'o- not sure why that was.

Robbo may not have wanted Flanno to run the ball - no one knows what role Robbo wanted him to play last night

[roosterproud]

We put zero pressure on the riffs halves. They had all night to condider their next option.

Bring on next week

Faiders. Storm riff. All beatable by us we just have to do it right

[BUDDY]

Our achilles heal is that right side defence. It has been most of the season. Robbo has to work this out or we are gone. Sitili is just adding to that problem. He looks like he is in lala land trying to work out where he has to position himself. No urgency about him. Even his attack has been mediocre.
I can't find a place for Maubs either. He is not a backup dummy half and Butcher is a much better defender than both.
Lam can provide spark out of dummy half for 15-20 minutes. Good service and speed. Has defended ok.
Collins deserves to start with JWH being the impact player now. He is playing either gassed or injured.
Can someone buy a couple of rockets and put them up Manu and SST. The best players in the comp in their positions when they are on but both seem to be well off their best.

Teddy
Toops
Jmoz
Manu
Bmoz
Keary
Flanno
Collins
Friend
SST
Cordner
Crichton
Liu

JWH
SBW
Butcher
Lam

[zac]

i'd stick with flanno and have 2 spots between aubo, sitili and butch.

you'd expect jake to play the full 80 so i'd gamble on not having a back up dh on the bench.

[Stewie Griffin]

i'd stick with flanno and have 2 spots between aubo, sitili and butch.

you'd expect jake to play the full 80 so i'd gamble on not having a back up dh on the bench.

I can't see us winning the comp with Flanagan half , and Maubs and Butch off the bench. Thats where we need to tinker in my humble opinion.

[ROC181]

Like there was a massive upset last week, unfortunately for us, don’t discount that there won’t be tonight. Cronulla to beat the raiders and Parra to beat a cocky Storm. Souffs to beat the Knights. Then all we have to do is beat the Sharks, Parra, and because souffs go onto beat the storm and then the riff, it will be the mother of all GF with us meeting souffs... well I can only hope!

My GF team would be
Ted
Toup
Joz
Man
Boz
Kez
Flan
JWH
JF
TKO
Boyd
Gus
Ice


Col
Sits
Butch
Sonny

I like to live dangerously

[milanja]

I’d be willing to sacrifice Flannos goal kicking for the chance of scoring more points, if he can’t make plays, he won’t have a chance to kick goals anyway.

we have bought sonny in, I’d be happy to chance him at 5/8.

[Stewie Griffin]

The return of Friend, SBW and Lam will make a big difference.

Bring on the sooks, we should pump them with fair officiating.