Round 3, 2010: South Sydney Rabbitohs 30 - Sharks 8, at Toyota Stadium

[ABshark]

If I were Ricky this week I'd get Kelly back in the Reggies and bring Vave onto the bench. Not cos Kelly has been going badly as such, but cos we need some more size against the Bunnies and cos that was always the plan with Kelly- give him a taste of NRL, then let him recover and improve in the lower grades.


If Collis is fit he definitely needs to come back into the backline, I just don't know where/how, given Gordon was just about our best back last week.

That said, I'd be tempted to go with:

1) Stapleton
2) Ferguson
3) Collis
4) Pomeroy
5) Covell
6) Barrett
7) Porter
8) Snowden
9) Morris
10) Douglas
11) Millington
12) Tupou
13) Gallen

14) Aiton
15) Vave
16) Cordoba
17) Cuthbertson

With Fergo and Collis on the right, and Pom and Cov on the left.

Which would be harsh on Gordon and would not doubt attract a fair bit of criticism. However, I reckon Fergo's our best winger and Collis is our best centre (atm), and Collis is very much a right-side player- played there all his life. Tough on Gordon though... maybe he should be there instead of the Cov.



*EDIT* Just watched the game again a bit there, and Gordon was really outstanding in defence.

Perhaps it should be

1) Stapleton
2) Gordon
3) Collis
4) Ferguson
5) Covell

with Cov and Fergo on the left, and Gordon and Collis on the right.

 

[Mark^Bastard]

I'd keep Poms and drop Covell maybe.

 

[Ramzyv1]

1. Stapo
2. Gordon
3. Collis (if not ready then Tautai or Wright)
4. Fergo
5. Covell
6. Barrett
7. Porter
8. Snowden
9. Morris
10. Douglas
11. Cuthbo
12. Toops
13. Gallen

14. Aiton
15. Broderick Wright
16. Millington or Pomeroy
17. Vave

I have dropped Albert Kelly with the thought being to bring him up again in about a month. I think both Millington and Poms could be dropped but not sure which. Cuthbo to starting backrower as we need him there full-time now that we are unlikely to see Reece Williams again. Dropped Cordoba to give someone else a go.

 

[Ibanez]

I agree that Kelly should be dropped for now. He now understands how tough first grade is, and what's expected of you. Give him a couple months or so, and bring him back in.

 

[kiwishark]

I agree that Kelly should be dropped for now. He now understands how tough first grade is, and what's expected of you. Give him a couple months or so, and bring him back in.

I half agree, but do you think that Ricky is got him playing the wrong role as a Fullback he should be stiffing around Toops, Gal, Cuthbo, waiting for that offload or a play before the line which will allow him to use his speed in broken or 2nd phase play. From what I have seen he comes on as Fullback and plays 1st receiver or runs out of dummy half which does not suit him.

 

[Ramzyv1]

Well I am very torn on it. I have been very unhappy with him but at the same time don't expect him to take to it like a duck. I want to drop him, get some confidence in NYC then bring him up again but we will need him at origin time in all likelihood and I dont know if throwing him in then will work for him. Basically I guess I will just trust Ricky on this as it is a hard call.

I would prefer to see him dropped though as we need to just get our best players out there to win one game and then worry about everything else after that.

 

[Ibanez]

I half agree, but do you think that Ricky is got him playing the wrong role as a Fullback he should be stiffing around Toops, Gal, Cuthbo, waiting for that offload or a play before the line which will allow him to use his speed in broken or 2nd phase play. From what I have seen he comes on as Fullback and plays 1st receiver or runs out of dummy half which does not suit him.

Fullback is definitely not his position (he's a lousy defender, for one). I'd like to see him in the halves, where no doubt Kelly is much more comfortable. At the moment I feel he's too young, and he's in a team without attacking prowess which seems to look for him to whip out something magical when he comes onto the field. Personally I'd like to see Ricky try him in the halves. It doesn't have to be a whole game, but try one half of a match and see how the kid fares.

 

[Mark^Bastard]

I reckon swap him and M. Wright. Kelly becomes #6 in NYC and Wright goes to centre for us.

 

[ABshark]

Millington was absolutely one of our best against the storm and by no means our worst against the warriors. Tupou's edge was the one that let in all the points. I've said for ages Id rather Millo play prop eventually and have Cuthbo out on the fringes, but for the moment I think Cuthbo has to earn his starting spot with some consistent football rather than just one good game.

I think Kelly has gone to plan so far. No he hasn't torn it up, but he hasn't looked out of place/ out of his depth either. Let him go back to the reggies and play with Lewis or back to the NYC and play with Townsend and watch him come back in a month or two a much better player, then do the same again. That happening is fine, its unfair to expect more than competent performances from him at any stage this year.

I don't agree Ramzy with dropping Cordoba "just to give someone else a go". He hasn't been our worst either, and has defended well. In fact I can see him playing a lot of first grade this year.

MB, I want to see Collis and Wright as our centre pairing at some stage this season, but I'm not sure if now is the best time. Like Cuthbo, I'd like to see Matt Wright earn his spot by destroying some NYC sides like Croker and Dugan did before they played NRL so his confidence is high when he comes in to the top grade again.

Yeah, I want to see

1) Stapleton
2) Ferguson/Gordon/Tautai
3) Collis
4) Wright
5) Covell/Tautai/Gordon

by halfway through the season.


We need to temper our expectations of Collis a bit... I hope no one on here is expecting him to be a Greg Inglis with pace and size to burn who breaks the line at will. He's a Steve Bell type centre- smart, good defender, sets up his supports well and with a bit of footwork. I do hope he helps our shape in attack though, and we get depth and timing down his edge.

 

[Wilson]

You can't drop Kelly. That'd be close to one of the worst selection decisions. He's a youngster who's played pretty solid games in the first two rounds. He's been quiet sure, but he really showed flair against the Warriors. Gotta keep him in there. With my post in the other thread, I'm really rooting for this team, even though I'm not a fan of wholesale changes, this is team we play with at intervals in the game (apart from the back 5 shuffle).

1. Nathan Stapleton
2. Isaac Gordon
3. Dean Collis
4. Matthew Wright
5. Blake Ferguson
6. Albert Kelly
7. Scott Porter
8. Kade Snowden
9. John Morris
10. Luke Douglas
11. Anthony Tupou
12. Paul Gallen
13. Trent Barrett

14. Adam Cuthbertson
15. Grant Millington
16. Josh Cordoba
17. Paul Aiton

Defensively, we don't lose anything. We're playing with the similar 13 on the park at points in the game (albiet some players are moved around in different positions). Covell and Pomeroy are dropped, for imo, two better players. We've got more size on the bench, we've still got the versatility through the squad. That really is our best line up.

 

[fancyman]

For mine...

1. Ferguson
2. Gordon
3. Collis
4. Wright
5. Stapleton
6. Kelly
7. Porter
8. Snowden
9. Morris
10. Douglas
11. Gallen
12. Tupou
13. Barrett (c)

14. Aiton
15. Cuthbertson
16. Millington
17. Vave
18. Pomeroy

not bad, looks good but i mite leave stapo at fullback

looks like Ricky is dropping Stapo this week, and Kelly to fullback.
i imagine Stapo will be frustrated,
he got coaches award against the storm, and
then at training during the week he was told if he doesn't perform
this week he will be dropped.
Ricky is under a lot of pressure to produce a new NRL star
after his next Sony bill Williams attempt.and loosing Kingston,
bird,Kimmorley, De Grouse, Simo, etc
so he is very desperate to make Kelly a star.
trouble is when he puts Kelly on it disrupts
the team and every player he replaces.
did you notice when he went on we flattened out.
with all due respect to Kelly, he should start the year off in under 20s
and play maybe half a season in 1st grade.

 

[Murphy]

I reckon swap him and M. Wright. Kelly becomes #6 in NYC and Wright goes to centre for us.

i think kelly should be droped but to be fair he has had nothing to work to
matt wright i can not see being any better

but than again i could be wrong

 

[slide rule]

Going on last year, I reckon Wright is better than Pom. I havent seen Wright play this year though.


As much as I'd like to see it trialed, I really can't see Barrett playing lock. I just dont think it will eventuate.

 

[bort]

wright was crap last year, and having not seen him play this year I say noway should he be in the nrl team, but if he does get picked at any point I will of course give him a chance

 

[Murphy]

watching matt play last 2 weeks in nyc i didnt think much of him he does however stand out he seems to be quite alot bigger than the other boys
put him up in the reggies see how he goes

 

[Ramzyv1]

I don't agree Ramzy with dropping Cordoba "just to give someone else a go". He hasn't been our worst either, and has defended well. In fact I can see him playing a lot of first grade this year.

Yeah very fair point. I am not at all sure about selections at this point because it is the team underperforming, not individuals so while I am tempted to just change some things up it is probably just the team needing to gel and get the basics right. So yeah I probably agree with you I guess.

 

[Murphy]

i dont drop him, while their at it drop covell and pomms vave was more damaging in the trials than cordoba
what happend to tauita how do you spell his name anyway where is he

 

[Mark^Bastard]

I saw Wright playing NYC on the weekend. He was the #6 and really led the team around quite well and had a great effort. I really liked his running game in particular. His kicking was a bit off. For that reason I think he'd be a good centre in the NRL squad.

 

[El Coconuto]

Two things:

1. Albert Kelly absolutely positively does belong in our first grade side.

2. Albert Kelly absolutely positively is not a fullback!

 

[sharkfan4]

i would like to see:

1. Kelly
2. Gordon
3. Collis (if not fit, wright)
4. Fergo
5. Stapo
6. Barrett
7. Porter
8. Snowden
9. Morris
10. Douglas
11. Cuthbo
12. Toops
13. Gallen

14. Aiton
15. Broderick Wright
16. Millington
17. Vave