Round 23: Dolphins vs Newcastle Knights

[Chris]

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.

With the number of centres Wayne has recruited and the age of the Hammer, I'm not sure where Wayne expects to use him going forward but this week he might have been better suited to the centres than Niko.

I like Niko in the 17. Or filling in for any spine position in the event of an injury crisis but I have doubts over his ability in the centres.

 

[DolphinLungren]

With the number of centres Wayne has recruited and the age of the Hammer, I'm not sure where Wayne expects to use him going forward but this week he might have been better suited to the centres than Niko.

I like Niko in the 17. Or filling in for any spine position in the event of an injury crisis but I have doubts over his ability in the centres.

Would be good to see him play, but I don't think Trai has any sort of future at The Dolphins as Hammer has to be our set and forget fullback for the next 5 years. Has to better than Niko there though, I just don;t get that.

 

[Chris]

Would be good to see him play, but I don't think Trai has any sort of future at The Dolphins as Hammer has to be our set and forget fullback for the next 5 years. Has to better than Niko there though, I just don;t get that.

100%. Niko is an excellent bench utility. Come on to give JMK a rest or if there's an injury in the backline or if SOS is having a shocker. But recently it seems Wayne is determined to play him in the run on team.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Roosters beat Manly. If Broncs beat cowboys, dragons beat eels and we beat knights - dare we dream?

 

[Red]

Roosters beat Manly. If Broncs beat cowboys, dragons beat eels and we beat knights - dare we dream?

First beat Newcastle and then dare to dream. The Sydney Rorters were very impressive last night. If any team is going to make a surge to get into the top 8, I'd say it would be them.

 

[DolphinLungren]

First beat Newcastle and then dare to dream. The Sydney Rorters were very impressive last night. If any team is going to make a surge to get into the top 8, I'd say it would be them.

I'm a dreamer There are a lot of teams 4 points away from 8th.

But back to reality - I have no clue how Kodi is going to defend against Bradman Best in the centres. Maybe Wayne is gonna do the old Hammer-Niko switcheroo?

 

[Jetty]

I'm a dreamer There are a lot of teams 4 points away from 8th.

But back to reality - I have no clue how Kodi is going to defend against Bradman Best in the centres. Maybe Wayne is gonna do the old Hammer-Niko switcheroo?

I feel the team absolutely must have Hammer at fullback. Move around the wingers and centres all you like but keep Hammer at fullback. that would be my advice to Wayne.

 

[DolphinLungren]

I feel the team absolutely must have Hammer at fullback. Move around the wingers and centres all you like but keep Hammer at fullback. that would be my advice to Wayne.

I agree. With Niko/Val against Best/Gagai, we are basically giving away an extra 3 maybe 4 tries, so we just gotta score more points ourselves. And the only way of doing that is with Hammer in the spine.

Switching Hammer to centres will maybe save a couple of tries, but from an attacking perspective it will limit us from scoring even more, especially because Kodi has proven to be quite good in attack at centre.

Our center options this year suck, that's the crux of it. Next year is a different story.

Also more than ever we need especially Kenny to step up, and along with Kafusi, to basically smash Ponga and be all over him like white on rice everytime he touches the ball early on in this game.

 

[Jetty]

I agree. With Niko/Val against Best/Gagai, we are basically giving away an extra 3 maybe 4 tries, so we just gotta score more points ourselves. And the only way of doing that is with Hammer in the spine.

Switching Hammer to centres will maybe save a couple of tries, but from an attacking perspective it will limit us from scoring even more, especially because Kodi has proven to be quite good in attack at centre.

Our center options this year suck, that's the crux of it. Next year is a different story.

Also more than ever we need especially Kenny to step up, and along with Kafusi, to basically smash Ponga and be all over him like white on rice everytime he touches the ball early on in this game.

As far as I can see, there aren't any really good options for centre but some better than Niko. Bostock or Jennings or move Tessi to centre and Bostock or Jennings on the wing. Not great but I think better than Niko.

Bostock has had almost an entire season to get used to the big hits and hard running. He's on an extended bench so he can't be going too bad. Even though he ws thrown in the deep end before he was ready early in the season.

 

[DolphinLungren]

As far as I can see, there aren't any really good options for centre but some better than Niko. Bostock or Jennings or move Tessi to centre and Bostock or Jennings on the wing. Not great but I think better than Niko.

Bostock has had almost an entire season to get used to the big hits and hard running. He's on an extended bench so he can't be going too bad. Even though he ws thrown in the deep end before he was ready early in the season.

Niu is actually not too bad in defense, even though he hasn't played a lot of centre for us, I reckon defensively he's maybe a 50-70% upgrade on NIko there, whilst still being equally effective in attack.

I quite like Bostock, and that first and only game he played for us against his junior team the Dragons, he was individually targeted big time, but I don;t think that would happen with any other team, and I'd love to see him given another go at wing.

That would leave Niko - I'd probably move him to play instead of SOS starting halfback. It's a coin toss between SOS, MIlf and Katoa, but after last game I'd leave him out and let Milf be the main kicker. Katoa is the better option on the bench than SOS.

If we had time up our sleeve, I'd keep SOS and Niko as starting halves and Milf on the bench. But we still have a tiny shot at making the 8, and based on current form, SOS would be the one I'd leave out, but only by a bee's dick.

 

[Jetty]

Niu is actually not too bad in defense, even though he hasn't played a lot of centre for us, I reckon defensively he's maybe a 50-70% upgrade on NIko there, whilst still being equally effective in attack.

I quite like Bostock, and that first and only game he played for us against his junior team the Dragons, he was individually targeted big time, but I don;t think that would happen with any other team, and I'd love to see him given another go at wing.

That would leave Niko - I'd probably move him to play instead of SOS starting halfback. It's a coin toss between SOS, MIlf and Katoa, but after last game I'd leave him out and let Milf be the main kicker. Katoa is the better option on the bench than SOS.

If we had time up our sleeve, I'd keep SOS and Niko as starting halves and Milf on the bench. But we still have a tiny shot at making the 8, and based on current form, SOS would be the one I'd leave out, but only by a bee's dick.

That pretty much precisely corresponds to my opinion. Except I'd go with Katoa and Milf. SOS has been so bad since coming back from injury.

 

[Josh]

Niu is actually not too bad in defense, even though he hasn't played a lot of centre for us, I reckon defensively he's maybe a 50-70% upgrade on NIko there, whilst still being equally effective in attack.

I quite like Bostock, and that first and only game he played for us against his junior team the Dragons, he was individually targeted big time, but I don;t think that would happen with any other team, and I'd love to see him given another go at wing.

That would leave Niko - I'd probably move him to play instead of SOS starting halfback. It's a coin toss between SOS, MIlf and Katoa, but after last game I'd leave him out and let Milf be the main kicker. Katoa is the better option on the bench than SOS.

If we had time up our sleeve, I'd keep SOS and Niko as starting halves and Milf on the bench. But we still have a tiny shot at making the 8, and based on current form, SOS would be the one I'd leave out, but only by a bee's dick.

If Bostock was left in the NRL, he would have been mercilessly targeted by every team after the Dragons bashed him up. Dropping him was right and in a perfect world, he would have had the whole off season to prepare for for the NRL next year. But now we have this problem, I think he'd be a better option in the backline with Kodi on the bench.

That pretty much precisely corresponds to my opinion. Except I'd go with Katoa and Milf. SOS has been so bad since coming back from injury.

I'd go with SOS and Milf. With Milf taking playmaking pressure and kicking off SOS, I think he will be much better.

 

[Chris]

Dolphins remain 1-17 at the 24-hour update.

 

[Phins Phan]

The only change is Katoa to start and Milford to the bench. Val in the centres and no sign of Trai

 

[Jetty]

The only change is Katoa to start and Milford to the bench. Val in the centres and no sign of Trai

Is Milf just so unfit he can't play for 80min? Last week the team was so much better as soon as he came on.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Anyone just hear Cronk talk up Milford to Wayne and ask if his good form was why he is starting this week- hahaha! Wayne was caught offguard and lost for words almost.

 

[Jetty]

Anyone just hear Cronk talk up Milford to Wayne and ask if his good form was why he is starting this week- hahaha! Wayne was caught offguard and lost for words almost.

Missed it.

 

[Equaliser]

Ponga tore Melbourne to shreds a few weeks ago. They're not the Melbourne of earlier years but still a top 4 side.

Val and Niko better be at the top of their defensive games.

 

[Nashy]

Go Knights!

😶

 

[Josh]

Go Knights!

😶

They have a chance to make the semis, we don't. I'd rather they make the 8 rather than Roosters for example.