General NRL All Stars

Haha that’s his game- he’s rip, tear and get me outta here.
Should they just tell the Aussie commentators to say mouldy? Their vowels are too different and they can’t roll their Rs.
It hurts my ears.

Yeah, felt sorry for the bloke, every time he said Maddy I had to remind myself the rule - he who tries to say Maori words correctly gets a pass.
 
Add to it Michael Ennis’ poor calling of the game. He’s better suited to European Cricket Teague
You mean you weren’t impressed that each time the Maori lost the ball in the tackle, it was great defence or a lose carry but it was always the conditions when the Indigenous lost it.
 
Man Kodi is terrible. Bennet's structure somehow makes him look good for the dolphins. TMM looked rusty as and like he needs ten pre-season games to come up to the speed of the game. Jazz looked really good at hooker. Good enough to give Egan at 15 minute breather every game.

Where that leaves CHT I don't know as Webby was saying it was possible he would get a hooker/utility role on the bench.

Jesse Arthurs had a night to forget.
 
Yeah I felt for some of the boys a wee bit, Walker, TMM and Jazz all chopped and changed different roles last night, as did a lot of others so there was fuck all cohesion and as a result, it all looked pretty poor in the end.
They'll be better for the hit out, but there was lots of rust tho.

If I'm Metcalf I'd be licking my lips thinking that a good performance tomorrow might get him the nod for Rd 1
 
Yeah I felt for some of the boys a wee bit, Walker, TMM and Jazz all chopped and changed different roles last night, as did a lot of others so there was fuck all cohesion and as a result, it all looked pretty poor in the end.
They'll be better for the hit out, but there was lots of rust tho.

If I'm Metcalf I'd be licking my lips thinking that a good performance tomorrow might get him the nod for Rd 1
It was a good old Aussie stitch up
Play the game in Townsvile
Hot and humid
Last night at that game humidity was 95 per cent
No Kiwi s even those based south of nqld are going to play well - that level of humidity is really tough
 
In knows it's preseason, but this match would benefit from capping the teams at 17 players so cohesion remains into the second half & the quality of the match is higher as a result
17 players and extend the number of times they can interchange, if needed, a bit like playing quarters instead of half's
 
Yeah I felt for some of the boys a wee bit, Walker, TMM and Jazz all chopped and changed different roles last night, as did a lot of others so there was fuck all cohesion and as a result, it all looked pretty poor in the end.
They'll be better for the hit out, but there was lots of rust tho.

If I'm Metcalf I'd be licking my lips thinking that a good performance tomorrow might get him the nod for Rd 1

And I think he will play well and be picked at 6.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was given minimal direction by the coaches last year, just letting him try to play.

This year though, the coaches will have surely developed more planning about what they want from him.
 
I am the only one worried from what they saw from TMM? I guess it was just the all stars match and Latrell coasted as well. But I have never seen a player so off the pace in a game before. I hope he has his confidence back after his broken leg.

When he came to his club I was against it as i viewed him as no better or worse than Metcalf and why acquire someone who is the same as your other option in a key role. It just confuses the pecking order. My view at the time was have Metcalf as our top ranked stand off and keep Asi as our 3rd ranked back up half. I really hope i don't prove to be right about TMM two years after we have acquired him.
PROVE ME WRONG TMM !!!! I want you to.
The other realisation I had while doing the shopping at Countdown and standing in a long line up (don't go grocery shopping on a a saturday morning as that is when everyone else goes) is that Metcalf is simply not our answer at number 6 either or anywhere in the halves or even anywhere on the field. I just see him playing 8 to 10 games then getting some type of injury probably in his hamstrings.
I am starting to think we invest in giving opportunities to CHT.
 
I am the only one worried from what they saw from TMM? I guess it was just the all stars match and Latrell coasted as well. But I have never seen a player so off the pace in a game before. I hope he has his confidence back after his broken leg.

When he came to his club I was against it as i viewed him as no better or worse than Metcalf and why acquire someone who is the same as your other option in a key role. It just confuses the pecking order. My view at the time was have Metcalf as our top ranked stand off and keep Asi as our 3rd ranked back up half. I really hope i don't prove to be right about TMM two years after we have acquired him.
PROVE ME WRONG TMM !!!! I want you to.
The other realisation I had while doing the shopping at Countdown and standing in a long line up (don't go grocery shopping on a a saturday morning as that is when everyone else goes) is that Metcalf is simply not our answer at number 6 either or anywhere in the halves or even anywhere on the field. I just see him playing 8 to 10 games then getting some type of injury probably in his hamstrings.
I am starting to think we invest in giving opportunities to CHT.
My guess is Metcalf will get an opportunity on his preferred (right) side of the field tomorrow to give us a better idea. That said, if he is to play first grade it's likely to be on the left (unless SJ is injured), so on second thought his effort tomorrow might just cloud our views. Off to the game & looking forward to it. I'm sure the match will throw up some conversation starters
 
My guess is Metcalf will get an opportunity on his preferred (right) side of the field tomorrow to give us a better idea. That said, if he is to play first grade it's likely to be on the left (unless SJ is injured), so on second though his effort tomorrow might just cloud our views
For those backing and wanting CHT to get the nod at 6, which was a small minority of this forum in the halves poll thread, there is a small observation to note in that either CHT or Metcalf could have played 7 or 6 tomorrow. CHT is a decent number 7. Why wasn't CHT 7 and Metcalf 6 if we are grooming metcalf to play 6 this year. Maybe CHT is the smokie and they deliberately gave him the 6 tomorrow.
 
For those backing and wanting CHT to get the nod at 6, which was a small minority of this forum in the halves poll thread, there is a small observation to note in that either CHT or Metcalf could have played 7 or 6 tomorrow. CHT is a decent number 7. Why wasn't CHT 7 and Metcalf 6 if we are grooming metcalf to play 6 this year. Maybe CHT is the smokie and they deliberately gave him the 6 tomorrow.
Only Webster has a handle on that.
And that's his job.
Personally I like the explosion of Metcalf and would love to see how he does outside SJ.
Only time will tell
 
CHT is a decent number 7. Why wasn't CHT 7 and Metcalf 6 if we are grooming metcalf to play 6 this year. Maybe CHT is the smokie and they deliberately gave him the 6 tomorrow.
Got to disagree with you on CHT being a decent number 7. If the game was on the line would you want the ball in his hands? Losing record as a #7 in age grade footy, NSW Cup & in the NRL. He might carve out a career as a reliable second option, such as Blake Green had, but he isn't the guy you want running a team or taking a game by the scruff of the neck when it's in the balance. Don't think Metcalf is a viable #7 longterm either. Whilst he had more success coming through the grades, that was as a #6/Fullback
 
Got to disagree with you on CHT being a decent number 7. If the game was on the line would you want the ball in his hands? Losing record as a #7 in age grade footy, NSW Cup & in the NRL. He might carve out a career as a reliable second option, such as Blake Green had, but he isn't the guy you want running a team or taking a game by the scruff of the neck when it's in the balance. Don't think Metcalf is a viable #7 longterm either. Whilst he had more success coming through the grades, that was as a #6/Fullback
The combination of Metcalf at 7 and CHT might give us more chance of winning tomorrow than vice versa but what is the objective of tomorrow? Winning? Or trying out our combinations and giving people a run in the positions they will likely be a candidate to play in during the year?

Chanel has played 16 NRL matches at half back (and 27 at standoff) his 16 is more than Metcalf has played as Metcalf has never played a NRL game at half back.
 
Got to disagree with you on CHT being a decent number 7. If the game was on the line would you want the ball in his hands? Losing record as a #7 in age grade footy, NSW Cup & in the NRL. He might carve out a career as a reliable second option, such as Blake Green had, but he isn't the guy you want running a team or taking a game by the scruff of the neck when it's in the balance. Don't think Metcalf is a viable #7 longterm either. Whilst he had more success coming through the grades, that was as a #6/Fullback
What’s your thinking on TMM?

He was superb at the Bronco s in 22

But with injury he has looked a shadow of himself at Nzw.

Do you think he can come back to 22 form?
 
What’s your thinking on TMM?

He was superb at the Bronco s in 22

But with injury he has looked a shadow of himself at Nzw.

Do you think he can come back to 22 form?
He was good at fullback for them, don't know if he's the answer at 6 these days. He has patience and a calm presence, good defence. Metcalf might be better in time if his hammies hold up. CHT who knows, could be a revelation setting up the left edge with Webby's magic.

It's going to be a real conundrum when SJ retires. Anyone here know Jahrome Hughes? Wish he'd consider being Johnson's successor, he'll be 30 next year but I can't think of anyone else who comes close as a 7.
 
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Yeah I felt for some of the boys a wee bit, Walker, TMM and Jazz all chopped and changed different roles last night, as did a lot of others so there was fuck all cohesion and as a result, it all looked pretty poor in the end.
They'll be better for the hit out, but there was lots of rust tho.

If I'm Metcalf I'd be licking my lips thinking that a good performance tomorrow might get him the nod for Rd 1
Àdam Blair didn't know what he was doing.

TMM did not have a chance in that game, yeah he dropped a ball, but he was brought in too late to an already in disarray back line.

We could have done with a ten meter spacing between teams, nothing can be learned when a Ref ignores the ten and ruck infringements.

Bet Webster was annoyed at the way TMM was used, he learned nothing watching that piece meal showing.
 
Yeah the refs were shocking
At one point the indigenous fb returned the ball from behind the try line to the 22 only thing was he stepped on the dead ball
Line and clearly out
The channel nine team replayed it and just laughed didn’t comment just laughed.
Pretty ordinary all round.
 
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