I don't like the defector being named...just cos he's a defector... Spencer is lucky...  other than that all seems reasonable...

Actually knowing refs, there could be more than 17 send offs ...

Refs vs fans...

Sure there'll be 17 send offs, but still...

The Mock 17 consisting of 17 fullbacks vs any Jersey Flegg side...

$$$$$$$$$$$$....

North Sydney Bears vs all comers... U know the Bears will get in.. they'll play anyone... Please... Anyone... Please...

And I haven't even got to Greece vs Lebanon!!!!...

Why the fuck these NRLo jokers can't figure out a 3 week stoppage to the comp for this shit is beyond me....
There's plenty of content... plenty of good footy that can be played, would want to be played by players...

Something like...
3 x boys origin

Surely they can't can't keep 19th man out of a club game...

He might get a run if Nicho doesn't make a full recovery. 

IMO the team selection is pretty good.

I'm not real happy that they are using Burton as 18th, 19th or 20th man. He misses a club game and may nkt evrn take the field in the SOO. What a waste.

Maybe 2 of them just couldn't handle the heat.

Parra / Souths featured some defence that wasn't up to reserve grade standard, as wathe Dragons second half effort.

At least the Dragons had some excuse, playing s busted forward in the centres.

I would pick a Panthers oriented spine, Yeo, Kenny, Luai, Burton, Edwards + Api on the bench.

The young Fins half Katoa, or Latrell would be the alternatives to Burto, Latrell might be suspended and young Katoa is a bit young.

Yeah I would play Latrell ay 5/8, a team needs at least one funky selection.  Some of Latrell's second half kicks were the best part of the Souths/ Parra game. 

I would have Tago and To'o on the left, Critter and Kiraz on the right with Staggs being the alternative on the right, possibly pushing Critter to the left or to the wing.

They would need to add some forwards Angus C and Martin starting second powers IMO,  Hudson young on the bench.

Props I would have big Tom Hazelton on the bench, I am not sure if any Roosters props qualify to play for NSW they have some good players. 

The Parra props have been ordinary, only a few Parra forwards have impressed and the only one who can play for NSW is Cartwright. Haumole O is another contener, perhaps start him and play Martin off the bench.

I don't really want our guys to be picked, but I think that they will be.

The losing sides didn't have fresh legs... ;)

How wierd.... of the six games so far this weekend five of them the winner has scored 40 points or more!

A great weekend!!!...

I see the flat track bullies got outbullied tonight.

I'm waiting by the phone...
Jerome was very very good at 7 tonight... Maybe he and Burto in that halves???...

Shark fin soup on the menu, and Mage just called and asked if I could play halfback.

I told him $1 million per game and 5 slabs of beer for my agent Dman.

With SOO,  Kiraz could move to centre to cover for the lack of Critter, that will only be a problem if both Kiraz and Critter are selected. In that case Perham or Clark.  If would like to see young Clark get a run.

Wingers we have Wilson and Skelton in the wings.

If Burton is selected Hutch can replace him.

If Curran is selected then Farmer and / or Mann can cover it,

I think that we might have more players selected than the Knights and the Eels which are our next 2 opponents.

However, we have the squad depth to handle it well and it is a chance to give some of the guys playing well in reserve grade a shot at NRL.

Generally agree, but the difference in Fish after one week's rest was stark.

I'm not the only one who thinks NRL squads are tired, DCE mentioned it.

Throw in SOO  for those playing it, and teams being without their best players, depth is important and the comp is even.

Hutch, Mann, Fish, Curran, Kiks, and the real King, have got through a truckload of work this season. Some of them getting a rest will be a good thing.

Sexton has come fresh at a time when many other sides are tired and depleted. The main thing Sexton might have been missing is confidence. He will never get a better chance to cement that.

He also looks like a more mature, composed, consistent, engaged, and energetic player.  IMO there is little doubt that he has built his game in reserve grade. 

So our coaches are very good, but things are also falling into place at a good time. 

Now is absolutely the time to do it... So if this was a part of CCs plan whether it went one way of the other, credit to him...  He looks to be a fine coach...

As for Crutch played well against ACT, great... But a 1 in 11 strike rate ain't good enough... It's worse than Mutch Misses...

I'm sure Crutch is a great clubman and good bloke... He is also a very good footy player that can cover many positions... He may very well be a key cog if we can crack the 8.... But he ain't no week in week out 7...

The fish easily had his best game for us this week, but like hutch last week, 1 in 11 ain't taking us to finals.... our best side has kiks and Presto starting in second row... CurranAffairs or Mann starting at lock....

Heywouldu, fish, crutch, TTAAFFEE, farmer, Mozza fight it out for the bench...

I think Sexton was playing well enough in reserve grade to deserve a chance.

Hutch was good against Canberra and he may have needed a rest.

If we were going to change the half this is around the time to do it.

I hope Sexton gets a run of games now. If plays the next 5 games and goes as well as we both expect, everyone will agree that he is the best option at halfback. 

Sometimes the measure of a good side is who the coach leaves out.

If Hutch, Mann, Farmer, Wilson, Taaffe, Patolo,  Sutton, and Skelton can't force their way back into our top 17,we are in great shape.

'fresh legs' is a diplomatic way of dumping your 7... Or so I hope... Cos those 7exy legs are much fresher...  The hands are crisper... The foot is :kickier'... And the voice though not as deep is 'talkier'....

Why is everything lucky for us when it's positive???.. Could it not just be we managed things as best we could with what was thrown at us???...  Or credit to our scramble... Cos all good teams scramble well...

Would love to see your 17 fullbacks dominate the ruck and PTB for 80 mins against a team with other positions doing their thing... You know... Like... Forwards...

Yeah but it averaged out as fair.

I think we got the most incorrect penalty I remember,  almost like winning lotto.

As I have mentioned earlier that was a game of two refs. We were blowing up because in the first 40 we were getting the same crap we always cop, yet after half-time it was a pole reversal. I can understand the St Merge fans blowing up deluxe because we had some really dodgy calls go our way and it hurt the Flangettes big time. I had to go and clean my glasses because I wasn't sure I was barracking for the right team with the calls, possession and field position we were being offered.

We signed Tom Amone to play prop next season.

I think that it is the same guy and I was impressed with him when he started out in the NRL playing for Souths. 

Not sure why he ended up playing in the UK. Sooner or later on of these recycled prop signings will  work out for us.

I always doubted that we needed to sign a halfback, now I'm certain that we don't. 

I was very happy with Sexton against the Dragons and also happy with Hutch against the Raiders. Both guys played the best that I have seen them play half in the NRL. And we have O'Neill and Woods.

I would sign the young guy Blaize Talagi from the Eels he is too good to play at that club. If not him then another quality young guy who can play, wing, centre and fullback.

Another player like Curran who can play prop and second row.

Then what we need is a starting prop who can play big minutes and has a bit of size / impact.

Considering the young pups coming through we have most things covered but 2-3 quality players would be a good addition, ideally at least one is experienced and can play NRL from day 1.

In that first half, we were getting our players trapped under the tackled players and couldnt get to marker properly. This allowed Dragons to get on a roll with quick PTB and was certainly the reason for the Liddle try. We were lucky we scrambled enough to not cop more points.

Once we fixed this in the second half and got fsir share of ref calls, we ran over the top of them.

The efficiency in the ruck and marker is a critical part of the game. Win that and it goes a long way to playing the game on your terms.

I think that they were up for it, we conceded some silly penalties and got a few rough calls.

Our defence was a bit lose up the middle and they have powerful ball runners. 

We did miss tackles leading to their 2 trys, but 12-6 was a good score. Could have been better but Foxy needs to squeeze into smaller size shoes or get someone to move the sideline. 

Second half when we turned it on, we got a run of possession and even our pack finished we'll on top of them. 

That is why games are won on defence,  the team that scores gets the ball off the kick- off. A team can pile on the points and have a mountain of posession. 

But it was great that the side could find that energy after 2 hard games and short turnarounds. 

Whatever the reason for Sexton starting the season in reserve grade it has worked.

Second half we ran fast guys at them up the middle and shreaded them, the coaches got it right.

I agree with the need for "fresh legs" and giving Reed a rest.

Overall Sexton has his nose in front at half,but Hutch was good last week.

Next question is if Sexton stays at half can Hutch take some other role in the side?

Salmon went much better after a rest. I have a feeling that a rested Mann and Hutch are going to come in handy.

But as long as Sexton plays well in 7, he keeps the job. He did look a lot better than he did last season.  Playing in a weak team can mess with a player's confidence. 

Hutch helped build the team into what it is today.