Round 23: Dolphins vs Newcastle Knights

[Red]

Team Tips: Wayne Bennett pulled halfback Sean O’Sullivan from the field in place of Anthony Milford, who went on to score a double against the Bulldogs. O’Sullivan is unlikely to lose his place in the team while Euan Aitken suffered a knock to his knee but is a strong chance of taking the field against the Knights. Elsewhere, Connelly Lemuelu suffered failed a HIA and will be stood down for a week, with Kenny Bromwich likely shifting to an edge and Jarrod Wallace or Mark Nicholls taking over at lock. Poasa Faamausili or Mason Teague could come on to the bench.

---

Benny really needs to stop screwing around with the halves and go with Katoa and Milf.

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

SoS should lose his place. Take a look at another combo.

Knights are hot at the moment, and we need a win.

 

[Equaliser]

SoS should lose his place. Take a look at another combo.

Knights are hot at the moment, and we need a win.

SOS has to go. Since he came back from injury he's been rubbish and is getting worse.

Ponga is the best player in the competition right now.

 

[DolphinLungren]

SOS has to go. Since he came back from injury he's been rubbish and is getting worse.

Ponga is the best player in the competition right now.

Looking at his attacking stats, in 9 games he's had 0 line breaks, 4 try assists and 3 line break assists. He hasn't stood up as the dominant half in any game really, and game management skills seem to be lacking.

He is 14th in the league for average kick metres @ 300m - but that's a long way behind the top 10 who are all over 400m.

Milf has played the same amount of games as SOS (slightly less minutes though), and hasn't been great either. He only has 1 more try assist than SOS and 2 more line breaks and line break assists with similar kicking stats. However - Milf has has only made 66 tackles with 25 missed (wow!) compared to SOS 212 tackles and 23 missed.

It's obvious Bennett is keeping SOS in over Milf because of his defense I'd say. Milf's really stepped up some big hits for impact this year, but overall his D is terrible?

Also SOS seems like a really good bloke who trains his arse off - perhaps Wayne has grown fond of him?

 

[Equaliser]

Looking at his attacking stats, in 9 games he's had 0 line breaks, 4 try assists and 3 line break assists. He hasn't stood up as the dominant half in any game really, and game management skills seem to be lacking.

He is 14th in the league for average kick metres @ 300m - but that's a long way behind the top 10 who are all over 400m.

Milf has played the same amount of games as SOS (slightly less minutes though), and hasn't been great either. He only has 1 more try assist than SOS and 2 more line breaks and line break assists with similar kicking stats. However - Milf has has only made 66 tackles with 25 missed (wow!) compared to SOS 212 tackles and 23 missed.

It's obvious Bennett is keeping SOS in over Milf because of his defense I'd say. Milf's really stepped up some big hits for impact this year, but overall his D is terrible?

That looks bad for Milf but sometimes these stats are misleading. If one makes contact with 1 or 2 others, then drops off the tackle on purpose to get back in position, it's counted as a missed tackle. I don't know if that's the case with Milf but I really haven't noticed him missing a lot of tackles so it wouldn't surprise me if it was true.

Also SOS seems like a really good bloke who trains his arse off - perhaps Wayne has grown fond of him?

His dad, head of recruitment is apparently Wayne's good friend or at least loyal ally.

I think Milf has to start and stay on at 5/8. I'd go with Katoa at halfback but SOS might be better if he has a genuine 5/8 with a good kicking game on with him. Niko at 5/8 and SOS at 1/2 can't continue!

 

[Chris]

My choices for the halves.

1. Katoa and Milf
2. SOS and Milf
3. Milf and Niko
4. SOS and Niko

It'll be interesting for next year. Looks like these are the same halves we are going to have to reply on. Hopefully Katoa turns out to be a gun. He's still only 18. If not, I think we might struggle, especially in the business end of the season.

 

[Josh]

My choices for the halves.

1. Katoa and Milf
2. SOS and Milf
3. Milf and Niko
4. SOS and Niko

It'll be interesting for next year. Looks like these are the same halves we are going to have to reply on. Hopefully Katoa turns out to be a gun. He's still only 18. If not, I think we might struggle, especially in the business end of the season.

Kotoa has to improve his long kicking. I think Wayne might go SOS and Milf.

 

[DolphinLungren]

That looks bad for Milf but sometimes these stats are misleading. If one makes contact with 1 or 2 others, then drops off the tackle on purpose to get back in position, it's counted as a missed tackle. I don't know if that's the case with Milf but I really haven't noticed him missing a lot of tackles so it wouldn't surprise me if it was true.

I think it is a bit of both. I notice him missing some, but he also drops off early like you said. It does suggest he is lazy, which is also backed up by the fact SOS makes over 3 x as many tackles in similar minutes at 5/8

MIlf averages 7 tackles a match, compared to other 5/8ths...

Hynes 18
Mam 17
Foran 19
Luai 17
Walker 19
Keary 19
SOS 23

It's not a good look for Milf who plays only about 5-10% less minutes this season then them, lol.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Kotoa has to improve his long kicking. I think Wayne might go SOS and Milf.

I'd like to see Niko play with SOS actually. They compliment each other.

Even accounting for playing out of position, Niko's attacking stats are so far ahead of our 3 other halves. Not counting his 2nd game where he only played 2 mins - he's played 14 games for 13 try assists and 18 line break assists (most in the halves) plus 11 line breaks.

He can be a bit of a turnstile in defense (but he still makes 2.5 x as many tackles as Milf lol) and his kicking is not so good, so SOS could help pickup the windfall here as these are his best attributes.

Otherwise Katoa and Milf (and really even SOS too) you can flip a coin. I just reckon Niko should be in there.

 

[Josh]

I think it is a bit of both. I notice him missing some, but he also drops off early like you said. It does suggest he is lazy, which is also backed up by the fact SOS makes over 3 x as many tackles in similar minutes at 5/8

MIlf averages 7 tackles a match, compared to other 5/8ths...

Hynes 18
Mam 17
Foran 19
Luai 17
Walker 19
Keary 19
SOS 23

It's not a good look for Milf who plays only about 5-10% less minutes this season then them, lol.

Doesn't look good at all.

 

[Josh]

I'd like to see Niko play with SOS actually. They compliment each other.

Even accounting for playing out of position, Niko's attacking stats are so far ahead of our 3 other halves. Not counting his 2nd game where he only played 2 mins - he's played 14 games for 13 try assists and 18 line break assists (most in the halves) plus 11 line breaks.

He can be a bit of a turnstile in defense (but he still makes 2.5 x as many tackles as Milf lol) and his kicking is not so good, so SOS could help pickup the windfall here as these are his best attributes.

Otherwise Katoa and Milf (and really even SOS too) you can flip a coin. I just reckon Niko should be in there.

If they compliment each other, they are doing everything not to show it. Last 2 games have been painful with immediate improvement because SOS was hooked, Milf came on or likely a combination of those.

 

[DolphinLungren]

If they compliment each other, they are doing everything not to show it. Last 2 games have been painful with immediate improvement because SOS was hooked, Milf came on or likely a combination of those.

Wasn't last game their 1st time playing together as a combo in the halves? I thought Niko did quite well - SOS had a stinker. It's really a coin toss who we choose to partner Niko there, wouldn't have minded seeing SOS given a bit more time with him.

Honestly I just reckon we are missing an elite half. Ours now are very inconsistent and Katoa too young.

 

[Josh]

Wasn't last game their 1st time playing together as a combo in the halves? I thought Niko did quite well - SOS had a stinker. It's really a coin toss who we choose to partner Niko there, wouldn't have minded seeing SOS given a bit more time with him.

Honestly I just reckon we are missing an elite half. Ours now are very inconsistent and Katoa too young.

I thought it was also those 2 against Penrith. Niko was named at fullback but a late switch had him at 5/8.

Niko was ok but both he and SOS are rubbish long kickers.

 

[Red]

1.	Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow​
2	Jamayne Isaako​
3	Kodi Nikorima (Aitken dropped or injured?)​
4	Valynce Te Whare (Glad he's getting more chances. He's no been "bad" but just needs to work on his defence a bit more.​
5	Tesi Niu​
6	Anthony Milford​
7	Sean O'Sullivan​
8	Jesse Bromwich​
9	Jeremy Marshall-King​
10	Mark Nicholls​
11	Felise Kaufusi​
12	Connelly Lemuelu​
13	Kenneath Bromwich​
14	Herman Ese'ese​
15	Josh Kerr​
16	Isaiya Katoa (on the bench in case SOS has another shocker?​
17	Jarrod Wallace​
18	Max Plath​

 

[Dolph]

1.	Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow​
2	Jamayne Isaako​
3	Kodi Nikorima (Aitken dropped or injured?)​
4	Valynce Te Whare (Glad he's getting more chances. He's no been "bad" but just needs to work on his defence a bit more.​
5	Tesi Niu​
6	Anthony Milford​
7	Sean O'Sullivan​
8	Jesse Bromwich​
9	Jeremy Marshall-King​
10	Mark Nicholls​
11	Felise Kaufusi​
12	Connelly Lemuelu​
13	Kenneath Bromwich​
14	Herman Ese'ese​
15	Josh Kerr​
16	Isaiya Katoa (on the bench in case SOS has another shocker?​
17	Jarrod Wallace​
18	Max Plath​

Niko at centre? Aitken must be injured but what's going on with Brenko Lee? He was supposedly only a week or two away about 2 months ago.

 

[Equaliser]

1.	Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow​
2	Jamayne Isaako​
3	Kodi Nikorima (Aitken dropped or injured?)​
4	Valynce Te Whare (Glad he's getting more chances. He's no been "bad" but just needs to work on his defence a bit more.​
5	Tesi Niu​
6	Anthony Milford​
7	Sean O'Sullivan​
8	Jesse Bromwich​
9	Jeremy Marshall-King​
10	Mark Nicholls​
11	Felise Kaufusi​
12	Connelly Lemuelu​
13	Kenneath Bromwich​
14	Herman Ese'ese​
15	Josh Kerr​
16	Isaiya Katoa (on the bench in case SOS has another shocker?​
17	Jarrod Wallace​
18	Max Plath​

Milf coming back in was a no-brainer after the immediate transformation in the team when he came on last week. Though I'm not sure if it wasn't more of a case of SOS no longer stinking it up so badly.

 

[Chris]

Milf coming back in was a no-brainer after the immediate transformation in the team when he came on last week. Though I'm not sure if it wasn't more of a case of SOS no longer stinking it up so badly.

Milf had to come in but does Wayne absolutely need Niko in the run on team? Don't we have any better centre option? Maybe Tessi in the centres and someone else like Jennings or Bostock on the wing?

 

[DolphinLungren]

Milf had to come in but does Wayne absolutely need Niko in the run on team? Don't we have any better centre option? Maybe Tessi in the centres and someone else like Jennings or Bostock on the wing?

Agreed - we're not making finals now, should give Bostock some experience on the wing for next year.

 

[Chris]

Agreed - we're not making finals now, should give Bostock some experience on the wing for next year.

Not only that, but having Niko play in a position he's unsuited to while players much better suited to that position can't get a look in, surely can't do anything good for their confidence. Keeping in mind Tessi, Bostock and Jennings are all on the books for next year as well.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Not only that, but having Niko play in a position he's unsuited to while players much better suited to that position can't get a look in, surely can't do anything good for their confidence. Keeping in mind Tessi, Bostock and Jennings are all on the books for next year as well.

Niko is our fix it man, we are lucky to have him. Out of our 4 halves, he is the only one with any sort of consistency too. It's a shame he has been moved around everywhere.

Anyone else notice Trai Fuller is named at 19? This is his first time been named on our extended bench. No idea where he would fit in, but he's been a gun at fullback for Redcliffe, so congrats to him.