Trial Games

[Equaliser]

Dolphins v Gold Coast Titans, 7:05pm AEDT​

Dolphins team: ​

1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (How can we best take advantage of his speed and has he developed his passing game?)
2. Jack Bostock (I think he'll remain on a development contract and be available from round 10)
3. Tesi Niu (good luck!)
4. Brenko Lee (I think Bennett will be able to get the best out of him. His best is a fringe Origin centre.)
5. Robert Jennings ("Workman" like winger.)
6. Anthony Milford (Going to roll back the clock.)
7. Sean O’Sullivan (Under pressure from Katoa.)
8. Jesse Bromwich (2 more good years please.)
9. Jeremy Marshall-King (Really underrated hooker.)
10. Mark Nicholls (2 more good years please.)
11. Felise Kaufusi (2 more good years please.)
12. Kenny Bromwich (3 more good years please.)
13. Tom Gilbert (Underrated. I think he is going to develop into one of the best locks in the comp this year.)
    
    Interchange:
14. Kodi Nikorima (Good interchange utility.)
15. Ray Stone (Good interchange forward.)
16. Jarrod Wallace (As above.)
17. Herman Ese’ese (Hmmmm, not sure.)
18. Euan Aitken (Come on in the forwards or backs.)
19. Isaiya Katoa (A lot has already been said.)
20. Poasa Faamausili (Don't think he'll make the 17.)
21. Connelly Lemuelu (Good luck.)
22. Valynce Te Whare (Good luck.)
23. Mason Teague (Good luck.)

Analysis: Wayne Bennett has finally unveiled his best 17 with star recruit Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow named at fullback. Ex-Panthers playmaker Sean O’Sullivan has been named at halfback, while Brenko Lee and Tesi Niu are the centres. Skipper Jesse Bromwich also starts alongside Felise Kaufusi, Kenny Bromwich, Tom Gilbert, Jeremy Marshall-King and Mark Nicholls, who will all make their club debuts.

#17 and #10 have long relationships with Bennett. I hope they can squeeze one more good year out but I'm not that confident.

 

[Equaliser]

I was really impressed with the World Club Challenge. I wonder if that fullback, Jack Welsby is worth paying a large transfer fee for?

English champs stun Penrith​

ENGLISH GUN’S NRL AUDITION​

St. Helens fullback Jack Welsby once again caught the eye of NRL clubs with an impressive performance in the World Club Challenge. The 21-year-old scored the first try of the match, supporting Curtis Sironen who broke through the defensive line. “That is so good, so good, and in these conditions, this bloke Jack Welsby, he has the rugby league world at his feet,” Voss said. “He can play in the halves, he can play fullback, he’s got all the skills and he is only 21,” Alexander said.

Welsby reportedly grabbed the attention of multiple NRL clubs with his showing against the Dragons, and with another strong performance he could be hot property. However, according to WWOS, the flyer has signed a long-term deal with St Helens and will command a hefty transfer fee to sign. Welsby finished the World Cluc Challenge with impressive statistics in the pouring rain, running for 81 metres with one try assists, two tackle breaks and a try.

 

[Axel]

We are getting an old fashioned belting.

 

[midlands hobo]

Right edge is tighter without bostock. He's got potential but not this year

 

[Axel]

Right edge is tighter without bostock. He's got potential but not this year

Agree. At least not start the year.

 

[midlands hobo]

I'd like to see stones tackle stats almost perfect technique which is very rare these days

 

[Axel]

I'd like to see stones tackle stats almost perfect technique which is very rare these days

He was one of our better players tonight.

All in all, maybe I was a little too optimistic about this year. Either that or Gold Coast are very good.

 

[Red]

He was one of our better players tonight.

All in all, maybe I was a little too optimistic about this year. Either that or Gold Coast are very good.

They (the Titans) were very impressive in attack.

 

[Equaliser]

He was one of our better players tonight.

All in all, maybe I was a little too optimistic about this year. Either that or Gold Coast are very good.

I think it might be that Gold Coast were really good. We are just average. Probably finish the year 12th to 15th.

 

[Jetty]

Well, that certainly dented our hopes of a good year this year. They put on a clinic for the first 30min.

I think it might be that Gold Coast were really good. We are just average. Probably finish the year 12th to 15th.

I agree. Maybe the media experts are right. We'll be lucky to avoid the spoon this year. How bad was Milford today?

 

[Axel]

WAYNE BENNETT WASTING TIME WITH MILFORD​

Wayne Bennett has always been a sucker for a hard luck story. But the old super coach is wasting his time trying to resurrect Anthony Milford’s career.

You’d much rather see Bennett give the gun teenager Isaiya Katoa the chance to develop a partnership with Sean O’Sullivan from the get-go, with O’Sullivan very impressive in what was an overall pretty disappointing Dolphins performance. Milford has had his chances and he’s wasted most of them. The Dolphins fans deserve a fresh start.

---

Milford was good in the first trial game. Terrible in the second. He deserves first chance in round 1 but he can't afford another shocker until he has put in at least 4 or 5 good games. Otherwise back to QLD Cup.

 

[Equaliser]

WAYNE BENNETT WASTING TIME WITH MILFORD​

Wayne Bennett has always been a sucker for a hard luck story. But the old super coach is wasting his time trying to resurrect Anthony Milford’s career.

You’d much rather see Bennett give the gun teenager Isaiya Katoa the chance to develop a partnership with Sean O’Sullivan from the get-go, with O’Sullivan very impressive in what was an overall pretty disappointing Dolphins performance. Milford has had his chances and he’s wasted most of them. The Dolphins fans deserve a fresh start.

---

Milford was good in the first trial game. Terrible in the second. He deserves first chance in round 1 but he can't afford another shocker until he has put in at least 4 or 5 good games. Otherwise back to QLD Cup.

Definitely on thin ice.

 

[Paul]

DOLPHINS’ DEFENSIVE ISSUES​

The Dolphins have some serious defensive issues to fix ahead of Round 1 after their edges were badly exposed against the Titans. Tesi Niu and Brenko Lee were playing in the centres but Greg Alexander believes one of those spots will go to Warriors recruit Euan Aitken.

“This is a team that hasn’t played together before so you can expect some issues in terms of combinations and moving up together and someone coming out of the line to try and solve the problem, but they’ve got to sort it out pretty quick. “They’ve got Oliver Gildart, who can play in the centres, Euan Aitken played in the centres last week and Wayne said I’m buying you as a centre even though he played back row for the Warriors last year, but he was their best player last year.

“I don’t know what you do with Euan Aitken, I think he had some defensive problems last week, maybe it’s getting him back into the centres again and getting him used to it. “Brenko Lee, Tesi Niu, they haven’t played a lot of first-grade in the centres.” Cooper Cronk agreed it was an area that coach Wayne Bennett needs to urgently address.

“As a defensive edge the centre is the decision maker, the centre is the one who makes the decision and the winger backs his decision up and at the moment Brenko Lee is getting caught all over the place, Tesi Niu on the other side too. “Wayne Bennett will have to fix that… But (halfback) Sean O’Sullivan has had some nice touches.” O’Sullivan could end up playing in the halves alongside Isaiya Katoa this season after veteran five-eighth Anthony Milford struggled against the Titans.

 

[Equaliser]

‘We need to be better’​

Dolphins captain Jesse Bromwich said the side “played like a team that had our first game together”. “Of course we need to be better,” he said. “We are not really happy with the way we performed. Our edge defence was pretty leaky at times … and we’ll work hard to make that better.”

The form of Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, and the nous of teenaged half Isaiya Katoa, when he came on, were bright spots in an otherwise forgettable display. Bromwich said Tabuai-Fidow was a “special talent” and would only grow better at fullback.

 

[Jetty]

‘We need to be better’​

Dolphins captain Jesse Bromwich said the side “played like a team that had our first game together”. “Of course we need to be better,” he said. “We are not really happy with the way we performed. Our edge defence was pretty leaky at times … and we’ll work hard to make that better.”

The form of Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, and the nous of teenaged half Isaiya Katoa, when he came on, were bright spots in an otherwise forgettable display. Bromwich said Tabuai-Fidow was a “special talent” and would only grow better at fullback.

There's no doubt Bromwich was a great player in his prime. Even past him prime, he was very good. But he's turning 35 this year, isn't he? Can someone who relies on size and power remain a good player after 34? I hope Bromwich can be the first but I'm skeptical.

 

[Equaliser]

There's no doubt Bromwich was a great player in his prime. Even past him prime, he was very good. But he's turning 35 this year, isn't he? Can someone who relies on size and power remain a good player after 34? I hope Bromwich can be the first but I'm skeptical.

He was very quiet against the Titans the other day. Didn't come close to even bending their defensive line.