Pick Your Team Cowboys v Warriors - Round 14, 2024 PICK YOUR TEAM

[Dannevegas]

Around the end of the year and for finals, when we have a fully fit squad would like to see this team.
It’s a hard one in the halves, with Johnson being out, and Martin and others really stepping up. But we’ve seen them together and it doesn’t work.
Martin’s an awesome backup 7 thou.

Centre’s another hard one, Roger has to be there I think, and Leiataua would be my other pick. Has only got 2 chances and looked real good both games playing on one leg in one of them.
I like Pompey but he’s just too slow, that’s the only down side of his game imo. Halasima looks ready for grade he’s an aggressive version of Jeremiah nanai. I think Sifakula could find a bench spot as a middle as well

Nicoll-Klokstad
Montoya
Tuivasa-Scheck
Leiataua
Watene-zelezniak
Metcalf
Johnson
Fonua-Blake
Egan
Barnett
Ford
Niukore
Walker

Harris-Tavita
Ale
Afoa
Halasima

 

[ToiletDuck]

TMM was the preferred option at 6 post Metcalf and to be fair, the last 2 games has shown why. I don't see CHT producing that many try assists with short balls the same way TMM was able to against the Pamfers. That alone means he should be persisted with when SJ comes back. It's the game plan that needs to be tweaked to accommodate what he has to offer - ie, SJ doesn't get the ball every single time on the last tackle.

I also don't buy in to the left and right halves thing. TMM swung both sides against the Pamfers and it worked effectively. There's no reason he has to park himself on one side of the field when SJ returns. The game plan has to work towards the strengths of our play makers. If he gets 5 touches the whole game and doesn't run the ball then he'll look slow, cumbersome and out of touch again.

I also wouldn't continue to cycle through different halves pairings. SJ will almost certainly miss more games this year with niggles. You need some consistency there. TMM has shown he can be effective without SJ, which is important for the side, combinations etc. For me, CHT is the one that makes way at this stage.

Having said all that. If SJ isn't 110% fit post the bye, then there's no real reason to rush him back for the trip to Townsville. Remember post his latest injury he was training 20 mins a week to try nurse his chronic achilles issue. That will likely continue to be an issue for the rest of the season..

 

[MrFrankWhite]

TMM was the preferred option at 6 post Metcalf and to be fair, the last 2 games has shown why.

He didn’t play 6 last 2 games.

 

[Wrighty]

TMM was the preferred option at 6 post Metcalf and to be fair, the last 2 games has shown why. I don't see CHT producing that many try assists with short balls the same way TMM was able to against the Pamfers. That alone means he should be persisted with when SJ comes back. It's the game plan that needs to be tweaked to accommodate what he has to offer - ie, SJ doesn't get the ball every single time on the last tackle.

I also don't buy in to the left and right halves thing. TMM swung both sides against the Pamfers and it worked effectively. There's no reason he has to park himself on one side of the field when SJ returns. The game plan has to work towards the strengths of our play makers. If he gets 5 touches the whole game and doesn't run the ball then he'll look slow, cumbersome and out of touch again.

I also wouldn't continue to cycle through different halves pairings. SJ will almost certainly miss more games this year with niggles. You need some consistency there. TMM has shown he can be effective without SJ, which is important for the side, combinations etc. For me, CHT is the one that makes way at this stage.

Having said all that. If SJ isn't 110% fit post the bye, then there's no real reason to rush him back for the trip to Townsville. Remember post his latest injury he was training 20 mins a week to try nurse his chronic achilles issue. That will likely continue to be an issue for the rest of the season..

Supposedly just before the pec tear SJ was close to returning full time to training.

 

[ToiletDuck]

He didn’t play 6 last 2 games.

Yeah but it shouldn't be the difference between totally ineffective and really effective. The number on your back also doesn't have to dictate whether you're first or second receiver. Some clubs play left and right halves, and hence they're both first receivers depending on which way the ball is going. You have to give him a shot with SJ after a couple of weeks receiving far more ball than he has had in the first part of the season, and try find a way where they are both getting an equal share of good quality attacking ball. That simply hasn't happened until now.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Can't believe posters are leaving Jazz out of the 17. Both stints off the bench impressive (and maybe longer than previous). His presence on the field gave me renewed confidence that we would win and maybe this applied to the team as well!

The thing that I would love to see from our team, and more in particular guys like Jazz, Kosi, Dallin and Ford, is a little bit more footy IQ.

Other teams are going to target them, especially if we've lost our review.
With 7 or 8 to go they had an obvious strip on Jazz - I've seen it done to the above mentioned as well, but when the opposition are down they often try a sneaky little strip or rip the ball out, and as we know the ref loves to give things against us. So it's actually an easy one for the ref, call it against us and then it's our fault if we've already blown our review.

We've seen this time and time again so for me, if any of those above players get the ball ripped out then that's as bad as an error to me - fucking hold on to the ball with both hands and don't give them the opportunity. You just KNOW it's going to happen...

Also, while I'm on low IQ footy - we know how the 3rd ref treats us. Don't ask for a review unless you are absolutely certain. While I thought we should have won both this week's and last ones, they were too close to call - close to a 50/50. We know that we hardly get the rub of the green here, why don't we save them for the absolute howlers that we get against us - usually there's one or two, so let's not waste it on a marginal call...

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Yeah but it shouldn't be the difference between totally ineffective and really effective. The number on your back also doesn't have to dictate whether you're first or second receiver. Some clubs play left and right halves, and hence they're both first receivers depending on which way the ball is going. You have to give him a shot with SJ after a couple of weeks receiving far more ball than he has had in the first part of the season, and try find a way where they are both getting an equal share of good quality attacking ball. That simply hasn't happened until now.

I get the sentiment, but he was rubbish at 6. In fact in multiple game day threads I called him out for rushing to dummy half and leaving us with only SJ.

I’m not rubbishing him as a player. Quite the opposite, I firmly believe he should be in the top 17.

 

[ToiletDuck]

I get the sentiment, but he was rubbish at 6. In fact in multiple game day threads I called him out for rushing to dummy half and leaving us with only SJ.

I’m not rubbishing him as a player. Quite the opposite, I firmly believe he should be in the top 17.

Yeah I thought he was shite too. I'm still not sure quite how he was so invisible/ineffective and then within a half of football against the Panthers he was suddenly our go to player. Not sure whether it was a confidence thing, given he hadn't really cemented himself as an NRL quality half after so much time out of the game.

In an ideal world TMM manages to keep up this version of himself and we get the addition of SJ and his long kicking game, and what SJ brings with ball in hand when he himself is fit enough to actually take the line on.

 

[CWC]

Oh I hadn't clicked until that last post. RTS isn't back until Round 17 at earliest. Plenty of water and games to flow under the bridge before even conceptually putting him in the line up. CNK will go back to full back and Berry to Centre for Round 14.

The only contention for next game is SJ's return. I like the left field idea of SJ to 6 and TMM to stay 7.

You lost me at Berry

 

[Bluecat]

I would like to see some of the players who are currently out with injury earn their spots back in reserve grade if they're good enough.

Johnson running the plays hasn't worked for most of the season. Why rush him back?
RTS doesn't really have a lock on any position. A better player will need to be stood down to fit him in. Not necessarily a player with better skills but a better player for the team. CNK is the best fullback for how we play. I like how hard Montoya works. Pompey is a better centre. So was the newcomer that took Berry's spot. So what do we do with him? Persevere? Play him in reserves? Sell him back to the Roosters and give some of our younger guys an upgrade?
Tohu needs a break. As does Egan. We are going to lose both of them for good if we're not careful. A fit Tohu Harris is still a top player. Wayde Egan is going to wind up like Te Maire Martin and be out of the game for a long time with a few more head knocks. Which is why I wouldn't put TMM in as hooker cover too.
Berry we have persevered with. We have better centres.
Capewell is good but not hugely better than our other second rowers

I know that I'm dreaming and that it will be business as usual when our expensive players are fit. But if I was picking the team I would put CNK at Fullback with DWZ back on his wing.
I'd bring AFB back (if he's behaving) and let the rest of last weeks team carry on with some careful management
And then rotate some of the injured players back in as the current ones fatigue or get injured. I don't think that any player deserves to play first grade just because of their reputation or what they cost

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I get the sentiment, but he was rubbish at 6. In fact in multiple game day threads I called him out for rushing to dummy half and leaving us with only SJ.

I’m not rubbishing him as a player. Quite the opposite, I firmly believe he should be in the top 17.

I think it was a combination of TMM lacking confidence due to the broken leg last year; being second choice (not training with SJ all preseason) and RTS having issues around his role, compounded by Webster instructing the ball to go to SJ.

He was rushing to dummy half because he knew he wasn’t getting the ball!

Hopefully this has settled him into his role and there will be no looking back.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

A 7 tends to run the team, call the moves, kicks on the fifth tackle etc while a 6 has a more roving commission and plays what he sees in front of him. A prime example is the Panthers where Cleary is at 7 while Leulai plays at 6. Not having a recognised 7 played into our hands.

This might sound ignorant or simplistic but why don't they simply teach or apply both roles to both positions? As in why doesn't Sean do both and TMM or whoever is at 6 also do both? I'm also in the mindset of it's really not that complicated is it?

 

[John Nick]

This might sound ignorant or simplistic but why don't they simply teach or apply both roles to both positions? As in why doesn't Sean do both and TMM or whoever is at 6 also do both? I'm also in the mindset of it's really not that complicated is it?

From the facts.
Tmm was useless at 6 and much better at 7.
Make whatever you want from the facts

 

[Kav1]

This might sound ignorant or simplistic but why don't they simply teach or apply both roles to both positions? As in why doesn't Sean do both and TMM or whoever is at 6 also do both? I'm also in the mindset of it's really not that complicated is it?

That sounds good except you must have someone running the team around the paddock. He can (and should) hand over the organising of the team to the 6 while looking ahead for subsequent plays.
There must be an understanding between the 6 and 7 as to when each has that responsibility. Playing together consistently is the key to success.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

This might sound ignorant or simplistic but why don't they simply teach or apply both roles to both positions? As in why doesn't Sean do both and TMM or whoever is at 6 also do both? I'm also in the mindset of it's really not that complicated is it?

Nah I get it - to be honest I think the reality is it's just too hard.

Most players have a few strengths, I can't think of too many halves who have been able to run, organise, kick, and defend really well. JT, Johns, and Cleary come to mind but outside of those guys it's a pretty rare find.

It's similar in a lot of other positions too - you have the back rowers who have a strong running game, and then the ones who are defensively focussed and will rack up 40+ tackles every game.

That's what makes winning the comp so dam hard, it's difficult to find players with a complete game

 

[CWC]

I think it was a combination of TMM lacking confidence due to the broken leg last year; being second choice (not training with SJ all preseason) and RTS having issues around his role, compounded by Webster instructing the ball to go to SJ.

He was rushing to dummy half because he knew he wasn’t getting the ball!

Hopefully this has settled him into his role and there will be no looking back.

People saying he was hiding behind dummy half made me I realize why he was “rubbish” at 6, that kind of play literally reminded me of Metcalf, backing up and still learning everything else, whoever plays 6 could have been instructed to play a role that’s designed for Luke to accommodate SJ’s play.

And the solution is not that hard TBH, we literally had 2 playmakers playing like a 7 in the weekend, both playing ball, running, and taking last tackle options including in the red zone, CHT wasn’t just backing up around the rucks, that template could easily be used for SJ, Manly does it too, if people are obsessed with the numbers, just print 2 No.7 jerseys for a peace of mind?

And if for some reason the renewed confidence and plan (which worked with TMM/CHT) fails, you could swap TMM with CHT, who is injured 50% of the time anyway. And I doubt Webby will rinse and repeat the plan if he teams up TMM with SJ

 

[Inruin]

I think it was a combination of TMM lacking confidence due to the broken leg last year; being second choice (not training with SJ all preseason) and RTS having issues around his role, compounded by Webster instructing the ball to go to SJ.

He was rushing to dummy half because he knew he wasn’t getting the ball!

Hopefully this has settled him into his role and there will be no looking back.

He generally was rushing to dummy half when playing 6 as that was the side majority of opposition kicks were going to. Exactly what LM was doing but TMM did it without a bullet pass to anyone's head or behind them. If he wasn't doing that who gets to dummy half? The 9 is still getting back onside tackle 1 and 2 and sometimes 3. When the kicks go to our right edge SJ was filling the same role.

The rest of your post could easily be correct. He had a pretty good game at 6 versus South's if I recall. Was 6 in our big semi final win again at the Knights. Obviously doesn't fit a narrative of he can't play 6 though.

He is doing well at 7. Makes a difference playing in the halves when your team isn't completely busted. Once SJ is back fit and firing and played a couple of games will be the time to make a call on whether TMM is working at 6 or not (assuming that's the pairing AW goes with). Personally either TMM or CHT work for me. With Roache out it's more likely to be TMM with CHT on the bench as the utility cover IMO.

CNK, TMM, SJ, Egan, Walker is our best spine (1,6,7,9,13) currently if they are fit, with CHT at 6 probably just as good, maybe even better.

 

[CWC]

CHT looked like he could cover centres too, set up Monty a couple of times too, the only position he can’t cover is prop, edge rower, wing, and coach

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

CHT looked like he could cover centres too, set up Monty a couple of times too, the only position he can’t cover is prop, edge rower, wing, and coach

He’s a smart cookie. Give him a few years and coach isn’t out of the question

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Man I hope they play their origin boys. I feel like we've all learnt how good reserve grade players can be...