Injury Update

[Carlos Parra]

It seems the article was at pains to indirectly stress that Manu's cheekbone must be ok.

I'd like to know just how bad it is, and why did he ditch the helmet and the cheek bandage during the game? If they'd stayed on, his cheek might not have opened up like it did.

Or am I hallucinating?

[NorfolkStreetKid]

With the speed and creativity of our halves, dummy half service is everything. Turpin is a very good starter or relief for Smith

E Butch and Hutch won’t be on the bench when Lodge, Crichton, Watson, Brown and Sitili are available


A very difficult bench to pick, but Turpin and JWH are two of four

I hope you are right. At full strength I don't want Hutch or Watson in the side.
Hutch is a real trier, but a fill in at best, and Watson at dummy half is not the answer.

Dummy half and middle defence are crucial, and Turpin does the job there.
Brown could be massive for us, if he gets back to anywhere near his best,
and even if he doesn't he will be good competition for E Butch , Baker and May

My best forwards line up is
Lindsay, Turpin and Lodge, Angus, N Butch and Rads to start
with JWH and Cheese, Brown and Sitili on the bench,
I reckon that we stumbled on this against Souffs and it works.

[DP1990]

Any news or updates specifically on Matt Lodge ? ... Did his surgery (facial fracture) go well ? ... Expected return date ?

[Rooster89]

1. Teddy
2. Toups
3. Smith
4. Manu
5. Sualii
6. Keary
7. Walker
8. Lodge
9. Smith
10. Collins
11. Sitili
12. Crighton
13. Radley

14. Turpin
15. JWH
16. N.Butcher
17. May or Brown

Wow, if only we could be full strength. There isn't a team on paper that matches us.

Unfortunately matches aren't won on paper.

[Kelby]

Rob Toia gives me the feels. Like the looks of that kid.

Me too.

If Suaalii nicks off, this kid will step up next.

[The Lip]

See what happens. , Turpin has gone better than most expected so he stays I reckon both the butcher boys go back to reserve grade with hutch. Brown hits form and gets a bench spot and Stilli comes back in with angus.Connor could sub in the backs if required rather have him there than the turtle.

Nat won't be making way for anyone on the reserves/rotation unless injured!

[The Lip]

Some great ideas
need the 2 prop rotation or 1 player that can that’s why I think Sitili starting (was there before he was injured) and nat on the bench who can also cover prop like Liu could, that or Egan butcher left out and May or brown as the other front row cover. Makes you miss last year with SST there or Liu in 2021.

watson I think is better cover then Turpin and Turpin covers hooker only, Watson everywhere bar prop, and Brings huge energy and pace end of first half when forward are tired, perfect sub to allow smith and radley to rest for 20min and covers half’s and backs so no need for hutch if injuries

even now no need for Turpin and hutch in the bench we need more forward

also again I love sualli at centre but preferred wing
he’s not the best link/ passer - noticed this playing 1 for Samoa and he on the right wing would give us the 2 best jumpers on both sides, we would score most times - only part here we only seem to cross field kick once or twice a game and half of these go to deep or two shallow, having sualli on the same side as toops reduces our changes of scoring hear as only 1 player can jump

Paulo did well on wing in attack but got caught out getting outpaced a few runs against south’s - the try that Johnston scored paulo was looking at latrell not realising the winder had got on his outside, and if not for teddy / Manu they would have scored again

That try that Johnston scored it was Manu I think it was that had eyes for Latrell he needed to slide and let those inside him cover Latrell but he got hypnotised - as a result Paulo had two men to mark - Mitchell cut one and hit Johnston on the chest - personally I can't blame Paulo for that - it was Joeys mistake imo.

[Inflictor]

Me too.

If Suaalii nicks off, this kid will step up next.

Toia has plenty of potential but this kid Tavita Henare-Schuster looks pretty good too. We are talking 2025 so both could easily be our centre pairing if Suaalii does leave and Keary retires.

[Monaco's Fan Club]

That try that Johnston scored it was Manu I think it was that had eyes for Latrell he needed to slide and let those inside him cover Latrell but he got hypnotised - as a result Paulo had two men to mark - Mitchell cut one and hit Johnston on the chest - personally I can't blame Paulo for that - it was Joeys mistake imo.

Joey was not up to speed fitness wise, which can be expected as he had a short pre season, injury and no trials

regardless, we need to improve that area

[Chook2]

It was a basic 3 in 3, Manu and paulo were both looking at laterell - manu still had the centre and paulo got caught ball watching between centre and wing, paulo looked up and realised Johnston had got outside him
anyway can’t beat pace but manu did look gassed at times

takes a few games to get back into it

[The Lip]

It was a basic 3 in 3, Manu and paulo were both looking at laterell - manu still had the centre and paulo got caught ball watching between centre and wing, paulo looked up and realised Johnston had got outside him
anyway can’t beat pace but manu did look gassed at times

takes a few games to get back into it

Yeah so why was Paulo left to defend 2 players? Manu got sucked into defending Latrell with two outside him. Look at the try from the head on angle - it's on the mini coverage. You see clearly then why Paulo had to defend two attackers. Yeah he could have stayed wider but Manu leaving his man was the reason he didn't hold his width.

Not hating on Joey there - just made a mistake - they happen, particularly around strike players like Mitchell

[milanja]

Yeah so why was Paulo left to defend 2 players? Manu got sucked into defending Latrell with two outside him. Look at the try from the head on angle - it's on the mini coverage. You see clearly then why Paulo had to defend two attackers. Yeah he could have stayed wider but Manu leaving his man was the reason he didn't hold his width.

Not hating on Joey there - just made a mistake - they happen, particularly around strike players like Mitchell

I agree, add to that, the ball from Mitchell was a ripper too.

[Kelby]

I hope you are right. At full strength I don't want Hutch or Watson in the side.
Hutch is a real trier, but a fill in at best, and Watson at dummy half is not the answer.

Dummy half and middle defence are crucial, and Turpin does the job there.
Brown could be massive for us, if he gets back to anywhere near his best,
and even if he doesn't he will be good competition for E Butch , Baker and May

My best forwards line up is
Lindsay, Turpin and Lodge, Angus, N Butch and Rads to start
with JWH and Cheese, Brown and Sitili on the bench,
I reckon that we stumbled on this against Souffs and it works.

your kidding if you think the 800k cheese starts off the bench every game!

[NorfolkStreetKid]

your kidding if you think the 800k cheese starts off the bench every game!

If he is not going to play 80, which seems to be the case, and we are going to carry a second hooker into games then I think having Smith come off the bench makes sense.

[zac]

I agree, add to that, the ball from Mitchell was a ripper too.

a pearler. and helped by the fact that souths have their combinations well established which is why us beating them (to be fair, in a game that could have gone either way) is pretty impressive. we've got way more improvement in us