Race for the top 8

[Eggspert]

Latrine costs Souffs.

Up up Cronulla.

Give me Latrell over Momo any day. I'm pissed he plays for the scum big time but he's a big game match winner. He was a big reason we went B2B & I'll forever be grateful & find it hard to bag him.

He rightfully deserved all the bagging over the Manu hit but I reckon he knows where his true home is & will eventually come back one day.

[Tommy Smith]

The fat tuurd is a fraud pretending to be a fullback..... too fat to get out of a stroll.... never in position at fullback, does absolutely fark all..... the myth willl be exposed. I think the vermin are history.... we will murder them in the last round and they will miss the finals.

He's perhaps the greatest centre I've ever seen but infuriating at fullback - a Rolls Royce that rarely leaves the garage.

Why was 5' 2", 48kg Kodi Nikorima taking kick returns? When you've got a beast like Latrell? Mystifying.

They'll play the Titans soon and Latrine will look like an Immortal but the week after against a top 4 team he'll make another 60 running metres and have you questioning whether he's actually playing.

[player 1]

Sorry if mentioned elsewhere, but that last Souffs "try" - the bunker up to their tricks again? In what universe is that not a textbook double movement????

Glad they got it though, only to get their thieving hearts broken in golden point. Latrell missing those 3 easy shots was even better.

Easts win and Souffs lose - you can't ask for much more than that to make your weekend.

[BillyBonkers]

The way the tigers are playing, no sure two points in the bank for that round either.
Sadly, the ships sailed long by.
Have to agree probably Raiders at 8.
Also;
Against us, Latrell will remind us how good he is.

[Noosa Rooster]

The Roosters had one of the hardest draws and sure last years form doesn't always transfer to the next season as there are sides that improve and decline from the previous season as well

Yes to win a comp you have to beat everyone although the Roosters have had a series of blocks of tough games to navigate with more to come in the last 5.

Not sure how draws are designed from year to year- not using it as an excuse though

13 games against last seasons other top 8 teams
4 games against current top 4 teams - Broncos and Cowboys
7 other games - Sharks/Warriors/Tigers/Raiders/Bulldogs/Dragons (play twice)

That table makes the Broncos season seem even more impressive.

[milanja]

With us losing Collins and hopefully they lose Carrigan for this game squares that one off, just Egan Butcher short. but hopefully TKO back to make up for that.

Carrigan is a bigger loss for the broncos, than what Collins is to us. Staggs has looked pretty ordinary lately, big chance for momo to step up and keep him that way.

I think we win without too much trouble.

[Rooster_6]

He's perhaps the greatest centre I've ever seen but infuriating at fullback - a Rolls Royce that rarely leaves the garage.

Why was 5' 2", 48kg Kodi Nikorima taking kick returns? When you've got a beast like Latrell? Mystifying.

They'll play the Titans soon and Latrine will look like an Immortal but the week after against a top 4 team he'll make another 60 running metres and have you questioning whether he's actually playing.

To be honest I think relieving Latrell of kick returns is smart but then switch them in attack and let him be free in attack.

Latrell is a powerhouse but I don’t think his body is made for 20+ runs a game, it will just continue to breakdown like we’ve already seen since he made the move to Souths.

[ChookMaster]

To be honest I think relieving Latrell of kick returns is smart but then switch them in attack and let him be free in attack.

Latrell is a powerhouse but I don’t think his body is made for 20+ runs a game, it will just continue to breakdown like we’ve already seen since he made the move to Souths.

Thank you. Someone has finally prevailed with common sense.

For those who are having a crack at LM for not doing the hard yards are the same people who argued back this exact same point when others questioned his work ethic when he was here.

LM will never be that type of player, In fact he openly talks about it - he is not a small agile nippy sort of player like Ted, KP, Walsh etc. Latrell is a powerhouse who reserves himself for the bigger moments in attack. You give him the ball in the oppositions half 9/10 times he will create you points.

Centre is his best position IMO but the slack he is copping on here for that reason is ridiculous.

[Tommy Smith]

Thank you. Someone has finally prevailed with common sense.

For those who are having a crack at LM for not doing the hard yards are the same people who argued back this exact same point when others questioned his work ethic when he was here.

LM will never be that type of player, In fact he openly talks about it - he is not a small agile nippy sort of player like Ted, KP, Walsh etc. Latrell is a powerhouse who reserves himself for the bigger moments in attack. You give him the ball in the oppositions half 9/10 times he will create you points.

Centre is his best position IMO but the slack he is copping on here for that reason is ridiculous.

Teddy small and nippy? Is this a different Teddy to ours?

Latrell isn't that sort of player because HE DOESNT PUT IN THE EFFORT.

If he trained as hard as Teddy then he'd build the body and endurance to be able to handle a heavier workload.

He's a freak athlete but his work ethic often leaves a lot to be desired. The year we went back to back he blitzed the Tigers with one of the all time great individual performances but then bludged for three months.

There's no doubting his impact. A big game, big moment player at centre for us.

But if he's not willing to train harder and work harder then he should just stay at centre where he can trot around like a dressage horse for 70 minutes and mix in 3 or 4 plays of 1-of-a-kind magic.

Suaalii on the other hand looks like he'll do whatever it takes to be the absolute best he can be; so I've no that he'll become a high impact, heavy involvement fullback one day. Because he'll dedicate himself to become that guy. Even Joey Manu isn't much smaller but he takes 25 runs a game from fullback.

Lats doesn't so that though because he (chooses) to not be built for that.

[player 1]

Teddy small and nippy? Is this a different Teddy to ours?

Latrell isn't that sort of player because HE DOESNT PUT IN THE EFFORT.

If he trained as hard as Teddy then he'd build the body and endurance to be able to handle a heavier workload.

He's a freak athlete but his work ethic often leaves a lot to be desired. The year we went back to back he blitzed the Tigers with one of the all time great individual performances but then bludged for three months.

There's no doubting his impact. A big game, big moment player at centre for us.

But if he's not willing to train harder and work harder then he should just stay at centre where he can trot around like a dressage horse for 70 minutes and mix in 3 or 4 plays of 1-of-a-kind magic.

Suaalii on the other hand looks like he'll do whatever it takes to be the absolute best he can be; so I've no that he'll become a high impact, heavy involvement fullback one day. Because he'll dedicate himself to become that guy. Even Joey Manu isn't much smaller but he takes 25 runs a game from fullback.

Lats doesn't so that though because he (chooses) to not be built for that.

And a big thanks to YOU, for prevailing with even more common sense.

Latrell has natural ability up the wazoo, and will continue to win games (like the 2019 GF for us) for whoever he plays for.

Most talent and natural ability? I can't argue with that. Best player, nah.

Could he be? Yeah maybe.

[Johnny Brass]

To be honest I think relieving Latrell of kick returns is smart but then switch them in attack and let him be free in attack.

Latrell is a powerhouse but I don’t think his body is made for 20+ runs a game, it will just continue to breakdown like we’ve already seen since he made the move to Souths.

I'd say bringing the ball back off kick returns is a pretty big part of a fullbacks role. Souths lose a lot of yardage because he throws a 20 metre ball to his wingers which gives the kick chasers more time to tackle them.

[player 1]

Back to the original post topic

Just watching the knights against the dogs - despite a couple of tequilas already this arvo, the knights performance is having a sobering effect on my confidence, given they are one of the 40 point wins we had to build it up. Dismal as can be by the knights, no Ponga still no excuse to be that bad.

[mattyh]

Back to the original post topic

Just watching the knights against the dogs - despite a couple of tequilas already this arvo, the knights performance is having a sobering effect on my confidence, given they are one of the 40 point wins we had to build it up. Dismal as can be by the knights, no Ponga still no excuse to be that bad.

to be fair ...the bulldogs are now a reasonable and heading for good times ahead imo .

[mattyh]

And a big thanks to YOU, for prevailing with even more common sense.

Latrell has natural ability up the wazoo, and will continue to win games (like the 2019 GF for us) for whoever he plays for.

Most talent and natural ability? I can't argue with that. Best player, nah.

Could he be? Yeah maybe.

latrell is a total freak , a moment player . he wont play the 80 , but the big moments he totally owns . spuths are lucky to have him .

im trying to think of a similar player plonly inglis comes to mind ...lazy af ...but when your 12 0 down in the 77 th you'd cut your arm off to have a latrell or gi in your team , maybe shaun johnson too.

[King Salvo]

Updated after Round 20

RACE FOR THE TOP 8


Points for Games the teams should win have been added to their current competition points tally on the right with other games listed as 50-50

As per below - Penrith will be Minor Premiers with places 4 to 8 still up for grabs - Cows/Sharks would be favoured to finish 2 or 3.


Panthers - 36 - Raiders/Storm/Rabbitohs/Warriors/Cowboys - 38 points - 4 50-50 games

Cowboys - 30 - Bulldogs/Roosters/Warriors/Rabbitohs/Panthers - 34 points - 3 50-50 games

Sharks - 28- Dragons/Tigers/Sea Eagles/Bulldogs/Knights - 34 points - 2 50-50 games

Storm - 26 - Titans/ Panthers/Broncos/Roosters/Eels - 28 points - 4 - 50-50 games
Broncos - 26 -Roosters/Knights/Storm/Eels/Dragons - 28 points - 4 50-50 games
Eels - 26 - Sea Eagles/Rabbitohs/Bulldogs/Broncos/Storm - 28 points - 4- 50-50 games

Rabbitohs - 24 - Warriors/Eels/Panthers/Cowboys/Roosters - 26 points - 4- 50-50 games

Roosters -22- Broncos/Cows/Tigers/Storm/Rabbitohs - 24 points with 4- 50-50 games
Raiders 22 - Panthers/Dragons/Knights/Sea Eagles/Tigers - 26 points with 3 -50-50 games

Sea Eagles- 20 - Eels/Titans/Sharks/Raiders/Bulldogs - 24 points - 3 -50-50 games
Dragons - 20 - Sharks/Raiders/Titans/Tigers/Broncos - 24 points with 3 50-50 games



Round 21 Matches

• Roosters vs Broncos
• Storm vs Titans
• Sea Eagles vs Eels
• Rabbitohs vs Warriors
• Raiders vs Panthers
• Sharks vs Dragons
• Bulldogs vs Cowboys