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Round 7: TITANS vs RAIDERS (2025)

My team for Sunday

1. JDG
2. Fitzgibbon (Lofi if fit)
3. BK
4. Sami
5. JoJo
6. AJ
7. JC
8. Mo
9. Verrills
10. RCG
11. Beau
12. Fifita
13. Tino

14. Randy
15. JJ
16. Haas
17. Hau

I've seen a lot of talk re switching JDG & AJ my personal take is leave as is with the exception of switching AJ to the right in attack and JDG to the left. Des has clearly set an expectation of JC middle JDG right and AJ left. Our entire attack is based to attack left and when it gets to AJ he looks lost in the structure and we lose all momentum he stops pivots stutters and either runs back in field or kicks in panic. JDG has looked good when its come his way down the right and had a couple of TA's already since coming in. IMO it would suit their more natural pass AJ just cannot pass right to left. We use our right edge more so to get us in position to set depth left and attempt to attack the right defensive side. I feel that would be perfect for AJ no thought of pass just simply run where as JDG seems to have a better ability to catch pass or run with JC floating through the middle popping up either side
 
Team Titan said:
My team for Sunday

1. JDG
2. Fitzgibbon (Lofi if fit)
3. BK
4. Sami
5. JoJo
6. AJ
7. JC
8. Mo
9. Verrills
10. RCG
11. Beau
12. Fifita
13. Tino

14. Randy
15. JJ
16. Haas
17. Hau

I've seen a lot of talk re switching JDG & AJ my personal take is leave as is with the exception of switching AJ to the right in attack and JDG to the left. Des has clearly set an expectation of JC middle JDG right and AJ left. Our entire attack is based to attack left and when it gets to AJ he looks lost in the structure and we lose all momentum he stops pivots stutters and either runs back in field or kicks in panic. JDG has looked good when its come his way down the right and had a couple of TA's already since coming in. IMO it would suit their more natural pass AJ just cannot pass right to left. We use our right edge more so to get us in position to set depth left and attempt to attack the right defensive side. I feel that would be perfect for AJ no thought of pass just simply run where as JDG seems to have a better ability to catch pass or run with JC floating through the middle popping up either side
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I wanna see D-Rex used more as a playmaker on that left hand side which fits perfectly with what you suggest.
 
Looked much better this week so should be back in, Had some good impact on both sides of the ball.

I'd be dropping JJ for Pahulu and keep Hau in the team, Both have some athleticism we're lacking right now in the pack and we need some spark even if Des gives Hau 6 minutes but whoever he picks there seems to be not really getting used, I'd start Pahulu over Moe, Can still play Moe 45 or so minsbut have it against their bench.

One thing I've been thinking about and noticing in our games which comes from the Walker Bros is despite having usually a similar or better completion rate by a fair bit compared to our opposition, We're not spending any time with the ball (those one outs) which is probably the key thing needed as much as completing.

All the games are examples but using the wins, The Knights game despite us completing 35/43 and Knights 29/43 and they only had the ball for 1m 10s less then we did and possession was 51/49. Roosters was even worse from their end at 24/42 and 36/44 for us, We only had the ball for a minute 50 seconds more and possession was 51/49 again.

If teams are completing even somewhat OK or above basically 70%, We're getting beaten and usually because teams are having the ball for a lot longer in game despite not completing well. This is where I think Des might be a tad off the ball.
 
according to NRL.com AKP was expected to return round 7 but who knows with hamstrings you’d think though if not this week next week
 
Cowabunga said:
Looked much better this week so should be back in, Had some good impact on both sides of the ball.

I'd be dropping JJ for Pahulu and keep Hau in the team, Both have some athleticism we're lacking right now in the pack and we need some spark even if Des gives Hau 6 minutes but whoever he picks there seems to be not really getting used, I'd start Pahulu over Moe, Can still play Moe 45 or so minsbut have it against their bench.

One thing I've been thinking about and noticing in our games which comes from the Walker Bros is despite having usually a similar or better completion rate by a fair bit compared to our opposition, We're not spending any time with the ball (those one outs) which is probably the key thing needed as much as completing.

All the games are examples but using the wins, The Knights game despite us completing 35/43 and Knights 29/43 and they only had the ball for 1m 10s less then we did and possession was 51/49. Roosters was even worse from their end at 24/42 and 36/44 for us, We only had the ball for a minute 50 seconds more and possession was 51/49 again.

If teams are completing even somewhat OK or above basically 70%, We're getting beaten and usually because teams are having the ball for a lot longer in game despite not completing well. This is where I think Des might be a tad off the ball.
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Thanks Cow. Great stats.

Funny how the less you pass the ball, the more completions you have. Surely Des isn't underestimating our ball skills that much and if so, surely he's got someone drilling us on it.

I've been thinking about starting Pahulu but he defends better than Mo and I reckon we probably shouldn't have Mo and Randy together as much as possible, given their struggles to lock the ball up and not concede ground. So I'd start with Mo with Tino and RCG, bring on Pahulu with Randy.

If anyone is only getting 6 minutes, Des is failing. We might get the win but it's not clever long term. Surely he's not flogging us now to get us in shape for the back half of the season. If so, he's failed his preseason. BUT if anyone is getting minimal minutes, I reckon Klese is probably the man at this stage. I really want to see what Arama can do, now that it's a rebuilding year (hey Mini GF).
 
I'm sticking by the quote It's never as bad as you think or as good and going back on the game there's still enough good things for me to think we'll be all good and going back on the game I think they're going to get there despite how bad it looked and it's probably not a coincidence that Beau being in the centres it's made everywhere weaker when he was performing well in the 2nd row.

The good is they're slowly figuring out how to use JDG more to his assets with the ball and it will work out sooner then later with getting guys one on one, Instead of JJ it will be Tino for example this weekend, The crash plays which they need to pull back on will be Tino as well who can actually catch them most of the time.

The thing I'd be telling that left side and especially AJ is if he gets stuck in shape plays like he has been just give it to BK... BKs rocks and diamonds but usually diamonds down in the red zone and even then the mistake doesn't matter that much when in their zone, AJ is attracting in the half and second rower on those plays so it's not all bad.

Basically every single time on those sweeps where AJ cuts in and jigs which he can continue to do. BK still has a 2 on 2 or the overlap and is going at Sloan with Suli, I'm backing BK every single time at that. AJ just needs to give BK the ball and follow him, BKs clearly getting frustrated out there and I don't blame him, There's a reason basically every half in him ever has given him early ball to create, He's really good at it despite the rocks.
 
Cowabunga said:
Looked much better this week so should be back in, Had some good impact on both sides of the ball.

I'd be dropping JJ for Pahulu and keep Hau in the team, Both have some athleticism we're lacking right now in the pack and we need some spark even if Des gives Hau 6 minutes but whoever he picks there seems to be not really getting used, I'd start Pahulu over Moe, Can still play Moe 45 or so minsbut have it against their bench.

One thing I've been thinking about and noticing in our games which comes from the Walker Bros is despite having usually a similar or better completion rate by a fair bit compared to our opposition, We're not spending any time with the ball (those one outs) which is probably the key thing needed as much as completing.

All the games are examples but using the wins, The Knights game despite us completing 35/43 and Knights 29/43 and they only had the ball for 1m 10s less then we did and possession was 51/49. Roosters was even worse from their end at 24/42 and 36/44 for us, We only had the ball for a minute 50 seconds more and possession was 51/49 again.

If teams are completing even somewhat OK or above basically 70%, We're getting beaten and usually because teams are having the ball for a lot longer in game despite not completing well. This is where I think Des might be a tad off the ball.
Click to expand...
Our sets seem to literally last 15 seconds
 
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