General Pick Your Team Vs. Storm

[Hitman82]

Only a day before it's announced, but I'm bored so here you go:

Injured:
Sione Lousi - Prop/Second Row - Knee (out for season)
Steve Rapira - Second Row/Prop - Knee (Out for season)
Sio Siua Taukeiaho - Utility - Leg (Round 12/14)
Dominique Peyroux - Centre - Jaw (Round 11/12)
Sam Lousi - Prop - Foot (Round 10)
Manu Vatuvei- Wing - Sternum (Round 9/10)
Dane Nielsen- Centre - Ribs (Round 8)
Alehana Mara - Hooker - Ankle (Round 7/8)
Simon Mannering - (Round 9/10)

Should be available:
Pita Godinet- Utility - Back (Round 7)
Konrad Hurrell - Centre - Foot (Round 7)
Ngani Laumape - Centre/Wing - Ankle (Round 7)
Jacob Lillyman - Prop - Ankle (Round 7)

This is possibly our worst week for injuries so far. Missing our captain, and half our outside backs, with others under injury clouds.

1 Locke
2 Fish
3 Hurrell
4 Laumape
5 Tupou
6 Johnson
7 Leuluai (C)
8 Package
9 Friend
10 Rapira
11 Henry -
12 Taylor - Tacklebots, transform!
13 Lowrie -

14 Godinet

15 Lillyman
16 Matulino
17 Martel - needs to sort his shit out.

*Ikahihifo misses out because Henry and Taylor are more storm-suitable, plus I'm still angry at his error versus the Raiders.
*Leuluai obvious choice for captain and into 7 to run the show.
*Least experienced backline ever, but still a pretty good one. Having Fish back would be interesting.

 

[ToiletDuck]

That's the team I'd go with. Pretty god awful backrow but it is what it is.

Not sure who I'd make captain, Friend or Leuluai I suppose.

 

[Jay M]

Looks about right - I don't see a lot of other options for ME unless someone is back from injury early. Only changes I could see could be Ikahihifo in the mix somewhere, and potentially the props switching round a bit.

I think he'll leave Leuluai at 6 with Shaun Johnson at 7 though. Wouldn't be surprised if Friend got the nod as captain either.

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

Yeah pretty good team there. I'm not too worried about the guys on the injury list bar Nielsen. We have in my eyes pretty much a full strength backline except for him as long as Laumape and Hurrell are fit.

We really need Godinet and Lillyman to be ready to go too. That backrow looks pretty unexicting but it should be solid defensively. Mateo is one of the worst defending 2nd rowers I have ever seen so he does need to come off the bench and hopefully offer a point of difference offensively.

Friend for captain for me.

Still, this is one very tough ask despite our record v the Storm.

 

[Hitman82]

Mateo is one of the worst defending 2nd rowers I have ever seen so he does need to come off the bench and hopefully offer a point of difference offensively.

Yeah this is why in my opinion he is dreaming with his Origin aspirations. He's a noted defensive flake, which seems ridiculous considering he's a big guy at 194am and 108kg, combined with being very athletic. He should be a good defender... or at least not a shithouse one.

 

[Danpatmac]

won't happen but...

1. locke
2. laumape
3. henry
4. hurrell
5. fisiiahi
6. leuluai
7. johnson
8. matulino
9. friend
10. packer
11. lowrie
12. mateo
13. lillyman (c)
14. godinet
15. rapira
16. taylor
17. matagi

 

[Hitman82]

won't happen but...

1. 
   locke
   laumape
   henry
   hurrell
   fisiiahi
   leuluai
   johnson
   matulino
   friend
   packer
   lowrie
   mateo
   lillyman (c)
   godinet
   rapira
   taylor
   matagi

I dig that team - moving Lillyman to lock would increase our backrow physicality and allow us to play an extra big angry guy in Matagi.

 

[Danpatmac]

I dig that team - moving Lillyman to lock would increase our backrow physicality and allow us to play an extra big angry guy in Matagi.

physically there are a lot of similarities between Gallen and Lillyman. I think if he has the aerobic fitness he could do a similar job for us.

 

[eX | Machina]

Friend or Lillyman for captain.

 

[ToiletDuck]

I know Lillyman has played a fair bit of backrow, but he's spent the past few years playing limited minutes in the front row, off the bench. I know he's bulked up a lot since his move to the front row too, just not sure how he'd handle a move back. Nonetheless I'd be happy if he ran out in that position, not like we'd be sacrificing a huge amount withou Taylor and/or Henry.

 

[Hitman82]

physically there are a lot of similarities between Gallen and Lillyman. I think if he has the aerobic fitness he could do a similar job for us.

I suspect Lillyman could play 60 min plus. He's a noted gym freak so I would be very surprised if his cardio levels are far behind his obvious strength / hypertrophy work. Man it would be nice to have a big, solid lock making dominant tackles and running hard with an occasional offload.
I like Lowrie, and would definitely keep him in the team but I think he may be suited to running wider as he actually has pretty good footwork and a decent pass on him, also very spatially aware.
When was the last time we had a physical lock???[DOUBLEPOST=1366594256][/DOUBLEPOST]

I know Lillyman has played a fair bit of backrow, but he's spent the past few years playing limited minutes in the front row, off the bench. I know he's bulked up a lot since his move to the front row too, just not sure how he'd handle a move back. Nonetheless I'd be happy if he ran out in that position, not like we'd be sacrificing a huge amount withou Taylor and/or Henry.

Haha, if the Warriors tacklebots were Transformers, you would definitely be a Decepticon.

 

[BA-AD Luck]

1. Locke
2. Fisi'iahi
3. Laumape
4. Hurrell
5. Tupou
6. Leuluai
7. Johnson
8. Rapira
9. Friend (c)
10. Matulino
11. Henry
12. Lowrie
13. Lillyman (copied from a spot on forumer)

14. Packer
15. Matagi / Gubb
16. Taylor / Mateo / Gubb
17. Godinet

Beat them up, Step outside and dazzle; fly home with the two points.

 

[Danpatmac]

It just came to me today as I was looking in the mirror... Gallen and Lillyman have very similar physiques... a bit like mine.
He has played Origin in the back row so knows the position, yes been out of it for a while... but definitely worth a shot in my opinion if he can handle the fitness, plus the penchant for switching 13 and 10 in the modern game.

 

[mode81]

1,Kevin Locke 2,Glen Fisiiahi 3,Konrad Hurrell 4,Jerome Ropati 5,Ngani Laumape 6,Thomas Leuluai 7,Shaun Johnson
8,Ben Matulino 9,Nathan Friend (c) 10,Sam Rapira 11,Feleti Mateo 12,Elijah Taylor 13,Todd Lowrie

14,Carlos Tuimavave/Pita Godinet 15,Ben Henry 16,Jacob Lillyman 17,Russell Packer

 

[Hitman82]

1,Kevin Locke 2,Glen Fisiiahi 3,Konrad Hurrell 4,Jerome Ropati 5,Ngani Laumape 6,Thomas Leuluai 7,Shaun Johnson
8,Ben Matulino 9,Nathan Friend (c) 10,Sam Rapira 11,Feleti Mateo 12,Elijah Taylor 13,Todd Lowrie

14,Carlos Tuimavave/Pita Godinet 15,Ben Henry 16,Jacob Lillyman 17,Russell Packer

*grabs a packet of chips and awaits ShaunJohnson7"

Does anyone know how Tui and Ropati went in the weekend? I haven't heard anything about the Vulcan's latest game.

 

[WellingtonOrca]

Vulcans had a bye. Tui played in the halves for Samoa, was fairly quiet by my reckoning.

 

[Marshthedarsh]

I'd be happy with Ropati over Tupou...

 

[Hitman82]

Vulcans had a bye. Tui played in the halves for Samoa, was fairly quiet by my reckoning.

Cheers, have the T vs S game on record waiting to watch tonight, should be great. No idea how I've managed to avoid hearing the score so far!

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

*grabs a packet of chips and awaits ShaunJohnson7"

Does anyone know how Tui and Ropati went in the weekend? I haven't heard anything about the Vulcan's latest game.

Well its either him or Tupou I guess at the moment. Both I would rather not have in the team but without Nielsen we're not full strength. Although Danpatmac's idea of Henry at centre is another option.

 

[Raurimu Massive]

One thing we'll need for sure is someone stepping into Mannering's shoes on the kick chases or Billy Slater's going to butt fuck us. And not gently.