21 MAN SQUAD v MANLY

[Yak]

Based on the last month of football what does everyone think Sammy V brings that Ben Marschke doesn’t..

I think Verrill’s has the better running game but any other attributes?

Passing accuracy, engagement of markers, inside pressure defensively, grip in the tackle and short kicking game. Plus the bigger run threat as you’ve said.

[Yak]

I also am a big fan of those saying Lam start and switch with Marschke after 25 mins. Walker on after 25, plays out the game. Marschke returns with 25 to go. Only uses two interchanges. Realistically another six for our bench middles to play the middle 35 if we risk them all on the field at the same time. But may also mean Baker doesn’t get on if Radley goes the 80. We could hold that interchange for as long as possible so we’re not left with zero changes with 20 to go.

[Lydon]

Passing accuracy, engagement of markers, inside pressure defensively, grip in the tackle and short kicking game. Plus the bigger run threat as you’ve said.

So maybe we will need Lammy alternate with Ben during the match as he offers a lot more in attack from that position, with Sammy playing 7!

[ROC181]

Ben is of the Jake friend mould so he's a tough little bugger with plenty of tackles. He won't be doing any head high tackles cause he's too short. He's passing is also better of dummy half than Verrills mostly because he only concentrates on just that and if anything, he wont be doing as many forward passes. IMO he starts.

[zac]

don't know how long benny can play - 80 mins is probably a bridge too far. no doubt he'll start at 9 - a bigger body doing the tough defensive work and lam to go into 9 at some stage. sammy will play good mins in the halves and i think it makes sense to start him and give him the full 80 to put his stamp on the game. if lam comes off the bench for 50 mins he'll be able to cope with the extra defensive work

[Roosterfarian]

Verrils running game has been virtually non existent this season so I don’t think we’ll see too much of a difference when Ben gets a run. If anything, he looks to be more solid in defence.

[HDTONE]

I'm hoping Tupouniua has a big game, He's got bloody good future same with Egan who looked a bit nervous. I get Lam starting and bringing in young Sammy later. My real big fear for us is Ikavalu and I think Manly will target him cause he's more error prone and tbh makes me nervous.

[Easts75]

Passing accuracy, engagement of markers, inside pressure defensively, grip in the tackle and short kicking game. Plus the bigger run threat as you’ve said.

Short kicking game ?? How many examples of this have we seen from him this year ??

[Yak]

Short kicking game ?? How many examples of this have we seen from him this year ??

To be honest off the top of my head I can only think of one that led to a drop out. But having seen a bit of him in lower grades he is much more adept at kicking from dummy half than what a I’ve seen from Marschke which granted is less.

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

don't know how long benny can play - 80 mins is probably a bridge too far. no doubt he'll start at 9 - a bigger body doing the tough defensive work and lam to go into 9 at some stage. sammy will play good mins in the halves and i think it makes sense to start him and give him the full 80 to put his stamp on the game. if lam comes off the bench for 50 mins he'll be able to cope with the extra defensive work

I think he can go 80. I'm backing Benny for a big game. What a year it has been for him and now he finds himself playing finals football.

[Johnny Brass]

I also am a big fan of those saying Lam start and switch with Marschke after 25 mins. Walker on after 25, plays out the game. Marschke returns with 25 to go. Only uses two interchanges. Realistically another six for our bench middles to play the middle 35 if we risk them all on the field at the same time. But may also mean Baker doesn’t get on if Radley goes the 80. We could hold that interchange for as long as possible so we’re not left with zero changes with 20 to go.

That is the best way to go in my books as it gives marshke an extended break either side of halftime and Lam is the bigger body at the start of the game in the halves and allows Walker to come into the match once a little sting has gone out of the contest.
My concern with Robbo is when he plays Jared and Rads too long and they don't have much punch left at the back end of the game, it's so hard to take them off but we need them in the last 20 minutes being effective.

[redwhiteblue]

Who cares who the ref is, dead set the victim complex is off the chart sometimes. Robbo smashed the nail the other day: this is the roosters we don't do underdog tags at any point, we don't do excuses, we don't do woe is me and conspiracy theories or extra curricular motivation because putting on the jersey and going out to win regardless of who is playing is all the motivation you need.



This team has shown how tough they are and have shown an unprecedented level of digging in the trenches and fighting until the end, some of these fans in this thread and in others are the exact opposite of what the players have shown this year. It's an embarrassment to read sometimes and really gives life to the stereotype of the piss weak Roosters fan that's only watching when the team is winning well. Bagging any player this is year is soft, we're in the finals in the final 6 with half the team missing and people still want to complain.

Even if we get smashed 60-0 for me this is a top tier season equal to any premiership; I've not seen anything like it before. I can remember sitting in front of the coaches box all year in 2009 just praying for tonight to be the night the team has a dig and they've done more than that this year.

We were right there with you during what I like to call the Year of the Migraine..the worst was that final game against North Qld which was also Fitzy's last game. That was also the year I stopped listening to breakfast radio as I never knew what player was going to do what next. Then the next year look where we ended up..this team reminds me of the 2010 squad. Like anything in life, you take the good with the bad. The club sent me a signed jersey that year to thank me for sticking with them with my small business sponsorship at the time. I still have it as it's a good reminder of life's ups and downs.

[The Brain]

I'm hoping Tupouniua has a big game, He's got bloody good future same with Egan who looked a bit nervous. I get Lam starting and bringing in young Sammy later. My real big fear for us is Ikavalu and I think Manly will target him cause he's more error prone and tbh makes me nervous.

unfortunately with Taki out he has to play more up the middle unless Nat Butcher can take the hit ups and spare him for the fringes.

[Spirit of 66]

Although we're now quite comfortable with some of the lesser lights who are now regulars in our team, had you shown me this team list at the start of the year and told me it was going to be our semi-final squad, I'd have assumed our team was about to be wiped out in a plane crash.

I'm sure we'll whinge and moan if we're beaten on Friday due to a dropped ball from Iku or EButch, or a poorly timed dummy half pass from Marshke, or a missed tackle from Baker, or a wrong option from Hutch, but they were all meant to be playing for the Bears this year. Stand and applaud even if we get whipped. It's a friggin' miracle they're in the finals. And if we win, Robbo is a shoe in for coach of the year... and maybe coach of the century.

[Johnny Tobin]

Although we're now quite comfortable with some of the lesser lights who are now regulars in our team, had you shown me this team list at the start of the year and told me it was going to be our semi-final squad, I'd have assumed our team was about to be wiped out in a plane crash.

I'm sure we'll whinge and moan if we're beaten on Friday due to a dropped ball from Iku or EButch, or a poorly timed dummy half pass from Marshke, or a missed tackle from Baker, or a wrong option from Hutch, but they were all meant to be playing for the Bears this year. Stand and applaud even if we get whipped. It's a friggin' miracle they're in the finals. And if we win, Robbo is a shoe in for coach of the year... and maybe coach of the century.

If we lose there will be plenty of blow ups after the game and probably for the next couple of days.

After that we will sit back and be proud of what they achieved.