Team get named today - predictions?

[The Lip]

Players could be rested perhaps as next week is the game to put the best available 17 on the field - sure they could be playing for 5th place if Storm beat Parra or a Home final first week irrespective of the result of the Parra vs Storm game. - The Roosters of course may play Souths back to back if Parra beat the Storm

But when you finish 5/6/7 or 8th your playing knock out footy and it shouldn't really matter where you play so winning this last round game isn't really the priority - next week is - if you can freshen up some players at this stage of the season it may pay dividends going forward.

Hard to argue with that - but it's Souths - hate to have another blowout game that scars us for another few years!

I do think having it at home is a bit of an advantage though - far more so if we were still SCG funnily enough - I think everyone will look forward to playing at the new stadium for the first few games they play there at least and if it's another Sydney side the crowd will be 50/50 at best.

[Vee08]

A few unfortunate injuries and suspensions. Be thinkin' that Collins, Toops and Rads are out. What's supercoach Robbo gonna do?

I'm thinking...

1. Teddy
2. Momirovski
3. Drew
4. Manu
5. Sua'uli'i
6. Keary
7. Walker
8. JWH
9. Verrills
10. Lodge
11. Crichton
12. Butch
13. Watson

14. Gildart
15. SST
16. Egan
17. May

---

The above gives us a 'weak side' but I think our middle's pretty tight, so hopefully this restricts their last tackle options. I like the versatility too. Lotsa options for Watson, Drew, Gildart and (for example) Butch to move around.

No 'outs' are good (particularly when we know that our full-strength roster gave bel... I mean... headache too much trauma to do a generic, 3 minute presser for the fans). But these 3 are just tragic. I don't wanna think about 'what if' but if JWH gets suspended (emotional game + refs will be after him) and somebody else goes down, we're looking pretty lean.

Damn Lodge and Gildart were 'the right pickups' though ay. To anybody who questions Robbo's recruitment... it's almost as if he predicted this sorta situation and wanted to be prepared.

best option imo given the circumstances… except Baker in for May… Baker bigger body, better defender, can also cover an edge… defence wins big games… May a good carrier and finds good yardage, but hasn’t made his presence felt, off the ball… just my opinion.

[Johnny Brass]

Not a popular view but I wouldn't be playing JWH against the bunnies, it's just not worth the risk getting him suspended when it's not going to change the equation in that we will be playing a knock-out final game the following week.

[Kelby]

Perhaps this week?



1. Teddy
2. Manu
3. Momirovski
4. Gildart
5. Suaalii
6. Keary
7. Walker

8. SST
9. Verrills
10. Lodge
11. Egan Butch
12. Nat Butch
13. Hutchinson


14. Watson
15. Wong
16. Baker
17. May

18. Naiqama

[Vasco]

SST to play lock and Watson to stay on the bench. Baker and E Butcher to be the front row rotations.

I also don't like Momo on the wing. He's too slow.

A lot of gas used up last week and will be drained again this week.

[DP1990]

1. Teddy
2. Naiqama
3. Momirovski
4. Manu
5. Sua'uli'i
6. Keary
7. Walker
8. JWH
9. Verrills
10. Lodge
11. Crichton
12. Butch
13. Egan

14. Watson
15. SST
16. Hutch
17. May

No way, Naiqama gets a crack over Gildart. Even Hutch in the centres is a better option.

[DP1990]

One part of me is saying to rest some of the essential players as next week should be our main focus/priority but bloody hell do we really want to send out a second rate side against Souffs when it's 1. The main opening game of our new stadium ? This game will go down in the history books and last thing I or any Chooks fans want is another bloody ugly thrashing from those muppets across Anzac Parade 2. Isn't a home knockout final game the week after what we want ? I would rather play with our best available 17 and win with potentially a final game the week after at our new ground instead of Bankwest or bloody Aami Park or stupid Homebush.


Our recent record against them has been shocking and whether we field our best 17 or not as a club, our reputation and image in this rivalry is once again on the line. We cannot keep getting our arses kicked by them, it has to stop ! Last week against the Storm was a turning point and against a Heavyweight side that has had our number since early 2020. We need to turn up and we need to win.


I'm still in two minds ... shit ... I don't know !!!!

[Bondicigar]

Players could be rested perhaps as next week is the game to put the best available 17 on the field - sure they could be playing for 5th place if Storm beat Parra or a Home final first week irrespective of the result of the Parra vs Storm game. - The Roosters of course may play Souths back to back if Parra beat the Storm

But when you finish 5/6/7 or 8th your playing knock out footy and it shouldn't really matter where you play so winning this last round game isn't really the priority - next week is - if you can freshen up some players at this stage of the season it may pay dividends going forward.

It's just fingers crossed I think.
Maintaining momentum is more important

[Easts75]

Players could be rested perhaps as next week is the game to put the best available 17 on the field - sure they could be playing for 5th place if Storm beat Parra or a Home final first week irrespective of the result of the Parra vs Storm game. - The Roosters of course may play Souths back to back if Parra beat the Storm

But when you finish 5/6/7 or 8th your playing knock out footy and it shouldn't really matter where you play so winning this last round game isn't really the priority - next week is - if you can freshen up some players at this stage of the season it may pay dividends going forward.

If Parra win I would rest players. Either way we will play Souths, the venue will just be different

Storm win, we play our best team. We beat Souths we play Raiders at our home, we lose Parra at Parra, that's a tough game

[Rooster90]

If it was up to me, i'd rest as many players as we can.....although the emotion of a souths game + our new stadium might mean we run out full strength.

Id like to see:

Manu
Carr
Gildart
Momo
Suaalii
Hutch
Smith
TKO
Marschke
Lodge
Wong
Whyte
N.Butch (C)

Deakin
E. Butch
Atoni
May

[BraveTheWorld]

Frankly, I'd be resting borderline everyone.
We're going to have to rip and tear through 4 games in a row to win the comp, and we play an immensely physical style and that's our key to winning.
It'd be nice to play a home final, but I highly doubt that would be the difference in us winning or losing in week 1.

[gragra]

If Parra win I would rest players. Either way we will play Souths, the venue will just be different

Storm win, we play our best team. We beat Souths we play Raiders at our home, we lose Parra at Parra, that's a tough game

I agree

[ism22]

Not a popular view but I wouldn't be playing JWH against the bunnies, it's just not worth the risk getting him suspended when it's not going to change the equation in that we will be playing a knock-out final game the following week.

Almost agree with you TBH. They'll be baiting him and lying down, holding their heads like crack whores at some seedy Redfern brothel the whole time one can guarantee.

Anal-guy has made it clear that (despite NAS, Kaufusi and Munster grubbing it up)... it's JWH, Collins and Radley who are on notice. I suspect he's asked his PA to draft up a few letters to them, making it clear that all grade 1 offences from them will be considered grade 2 moving forward.

That said, we can't just sit down and throw games because Anal-guy's on a witch hunt to knock us outta the comp. IMO we've gotta put our best foot forward every week and play every game to win. I we play like we did last week, Souffs won't have a chance. IMO that's our best insurance policy because if we play hard and fair, we're less likely to get tired/injured/frustrated (and thus suspended). No point going soft.

PS - Eisenhuth had syndesmosis, it's only just come out now!!! The 'INJURY' had NOTHING... NOTHING to do with Collins!!! What happened was that his syndesmosis flared up and we've had to cop a 4 week suspension for it. Sigh...

[roostermcgregor]

We don't want to face Parra in an Elimination final so the best option is to name a full strength squad for this game.
Ism's side as he has named it , but with SST to start at lock.
Go hard with the toughest 6 on the paddock from the start, and get ahead on the scoreboard.
It is a formula that has worked for the Roosters over the last 7 weeks.

[King Salvo]

If Parra win I would rest players. Either way we will play Souths, the venue will just be different

Storm win, we play our best team. We beat Souths we play Raiders at our home, we lose Parra at Parra, that's a tough game

Squads have to be reduced to 19 players 24 hours before kickoff - i.e before the Parra vs Storm result is known