Sharks v Manly - First Trial Game 2018 Saturday Feb 17 Shark Park 7.30pm

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I reckon you’ll see them every week in Newtown.

As for Blayke being small, he looks to have put on a bit of muscle this off season. He is already a bit bigger than he was last year.

How do you reckon Newtown will fair? There was some standouts in that second half that will most likely end up playing for them. A Hodko and Flanno combo could be a real standout, and if these other young fellas aim up, they could be in for a good year.
 

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I can't get the posts suggesting lock for Blayke - wtf?
i haven’t seen said posts, but I think you may have the wrong brother. I would have Jayden there before Blayke. Surely there is a way to fit them both in the team.
 
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i haven’t seen said posts, but I think you may have the wrong brother. I would have Jayden there before Blayke. Surely there is a way to fit them both in the team.

Not right now there ain’t.

Blayke may be an excellent player but like most who are coming out of the 20s they need time to adjust to NRL football.
If we a huge injury toll, then yes perhaps he’d get a run but not if we’re all healthy.
 

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Not right now there ain’t.

Blayke may be an excellent player but like most who are coming out of the 20s they need time to adjust to NRL football.
If we a huge injury toll, then yes perhaps he’d get a run but not if we’re all healthy.
is he old enough? I don’t get the “let them play against men first” talk. Did Brailey play NSWCup? bird probably only played a few games too
 
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is he old enough? I don’t get the “let them play against men first” talk. Did Brailey play NSWCup? bird probably only played a few games too
Not all players will play NSW Cup before transitioning into the NRL from the 20's but it helps bridge the gap to a degree. The physicality just isn't there in the 20's, NSW Cup still isn't NRL standard physicality but it's a step closer.
 

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Not all players will play NSW Cup before transitioning into the NRL from the 20's but it helps bridge the gap to a degree. The physicality just isn't there in the 20's, NSW Cup still isn't NRL standard physicality but it's a step closer.
a baby step maybe. Our newton is going to be made up of fringe first grade players and graduating NYC players (some still elligable for 20s)... I think the only big difference between first grade and NSWCUP and NYC is the urgency and their wrestling. Bird struggled with that when he came in and was quick to let them up. Ramien handled first grade just fine and the “grown men” probably come off second best.

A lot of BJJ fighters say to get better, you shouldn’t be facing people of similar ability, you need to be thrown in the deep end against the best. That would be the best way to bridge your gap
 

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How do you reckon Newtown will fair? There was some standouts in that second half that will most likely end up playing for them. A Hodko and Flanno combo could be a real standout, and if these other young fellas aim up, they could be in for a good year.
They should be decent. Those two halves with a combination of a few good veterans and standout young guys. The main issue with the NSW Cup is that they are punished for the NRL team being successful. Newtown had a pretty good team in 2016 but Capewell was (their player of the year) was kept out as injury cover for the NRL team. The NSW Cup is always won by someone whose NRL team either doesn't make the finals or goes out early.


a baby step maybe. Our newton is going to be made up of fringe first grade players and graduating NYC players (some still elligable for 20s)... I think the only big difference between first grade and NSWCUP and NYC is the urgency and their wrestling. Bird struggled with that when he came in and was quick to let them up. Ramien handled first grade just fine and the “grown men” probably come off second best.

A lot of BJJ fighters say to get better, you shouldn’t be facing people of similar ability, you need to be thrown in the deep end against the best. That would be the best way to bridge your gap

Ramien played one game ... against Newcastle!!! He also played most of last year in NSW Cup so he has had his time there already.

As far as "playing against men" goes, that is usually something said about forwards and halves. The four "Queensland teams" (by which I mean the 3 actual Qld teams and Melbourne) have for a long time preferred to have young forwards and young halves play some Qld Cup, even while 20's eligible. No such reservations exist for outside backs - the main thing there is just being able to live with a few defensive errors while they are young. I can think of a few guys who were dreadful defensively when they came in as young players but got better after a few seasons - Tate, Val, Tahu, Croker. I'm sure there are plenty more.

Also keep in mind that Jayden Brailey was the the player of the whole competition in 20's. He was going to be more likely to make the jump than most. You could also argue that hooker doesn't really count as a forward position that needs that seasoning in NSW/Qld Cup.
 

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Blayke still definitely looks like he still has more filling out to do. No rush at all.
 
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