General Your 2024 lineup

I rate the order of our centres as: RTS, Pompey, Ali; Berry

RTS - experience, big game player, defensively solid, high work rate, etc

Pompey - experienced, better than Berry defensively, elusively quick without looking it.

Ali - great all round game with big upside with more experience. X-factor. Lethal attack and solid defence.

Berry - solid but lacks x-factor, defensively solid but litte in attack. The comments about how he adds to the combination of the right edge - it was all SJ and has happened every year SJ has fired - Fusitua, Maumalo now DWZ leading try scorers.

Having said all that, like with our 6, Webster has multiple first grade standard choices and someone good is going to have to wait for an opportunity.
 
Need to see how the next preseason games goes but this is my team.
1. CNK
2. DWZ
3. Berry
4. RTS
5. Montoya
6. Metcalf
7. SJ
8. AFB
9. Egan
10. Afoa
11. Capewell
12. Niukore
13. Harris

14. Walker
15. Barnett
16. Ale
17. Tevaga
Exact same team for me except CHT to replace Jazz at number 17. Bunty showed he can do a job starting with AFB. As you say, this weeks trial will be key.

It is amazing that Ford, Pompey, Jazz, Lussick and TMM cannot get into this imaginary 17. Plus Ali and Laban are knocking on the door.

We have been lucky with injuries so I see our depth as necessary for the year long campaign. Can't wait for this weekend!
 
What did everyone make of jazz on the weekend?
I’ve been a critic of his dummy half work but it was probably the best service he’s given which led me to wonder if he’s been training there?
If he could spend 15 minutes a game there it would give our bench a much better balance.
Yeah he was very good and him and Walker still have chemistry.

Jazz hates playing DH eh, he knows his passing has not been good enough. Maybe his confidence is growing now that he is getting older, he looked really comfortable out there.
 
What did everyone make of jazz on the weekend?
I’ve been a critic of his dummy half work but it was probably the best service he’s given which led me to wonder if he’s been training there?
If he could spend 15 minutes a game there it would give our bench a much better balance.
I think Sironen showed last year what Jazz could do in that position. Just needs his service to be standard for 15 to 30 minutes
 
What are people's thoughts on Niukore starting the year in the second row? My take on a comment that Slade Griffin made in his chat with TWL was that he was probably going to play middle, but cover 2nd row. With Ford (clearly a Webster fav), Capewell and Laban, I would have thought it makes sense for the prop rotation to be AFB, Barnett, Niukore and one (or two) of Ale, Jazz, Bunty.
If Jazz has been working on his passing game and can double as Egan / hooker cover, then I'd pick a four forward bench and not carry a utility. The versatility of our squad gives Webby so much flexibility - there are some tough decisions ahead.
 
What are people's thoughts on Niukore starting the year in the second row? My take on a comment that Slade Griffin made in his chat with TWL was that he was probably going to play middle, but cover 2nd row. With Ford (clearly a Webster fav), Capewell and Laban, I would have thought it makes sense for the prop rotation to be AFB, Barnett, Niukore and one (or two) of Ale, Jazz, Bunty.
If Jazz has been working on his passing game and can double as Egan / hooker cover, then I'd pick a four forward bench and not carry a utility. The versatility of our squad gives Webby so much flexibility - there are some tough decisions ahead.
What I gathered is that you can start wide and push in.... not so much the other way around

So he starts at 2nd row then after 30 or so covers 20 to 30 in the middle. Same as last year effectively. but Ford or someone other than Curran replaces him now.
 
For those advocating for Bunty to start because you think it was successful ploy in 2023, he started 16 games & we were behind in 10 of these at halftime...
If his efforts this preseason earn him that jersey, good on him, but there's a bit of the Mandela Effect going on amongst some fans
 
For those advocating for Bunty to start because you think it was successful ploy in 2023, he started 16 games & we were behind in 10 of these at halftime...
If his efforts this preseason earn him that jersey, good on him, but there's a bit of the Mandela Effect going on amongst some fans
So Bunty was solely responsible for those 10 we were behind in?
 
What I gathered is that you can start wide and push in.... not so much the other way around

So he starts at 2nd row then after 30 or so covers 20 to 30 in the middle. Same as last year effectively. but Ford or someone other than Curran replaces him now.
Yeah that's fair. I recall that point from Slade too. Does that mean Barnett is very unlikely to move back to an edge? Last year, it looks like he is adjusting his game to play more of a middle role.
 
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