***Official*** NRL 2008 Thread

[howardj]

Anyway on another subject matter, who are you all tipping to be the Australian full back in the upcoming Test? Call me biased, but surely Billy Slater will have to get the nod. I know Brett Stewart is the incumbent, but Slater outplayed him and the rate he has been going at, I don't see how he can do much more to get picked for Australia.

Hunt.

Current NRL form is sooooo over-rated when it comes to picking rep teams.

 

[howardj]

Just talking yesterday at work....what about Qld's backline this year:

Hunt
Inglis
Hodges
Bell
Folau
Lockyer
Thurston

And Slatsy and Princey waiting in the wings.

Enough to make any Qld'er excuse themselves for five minutes.

 

[James90]

Hunt
Slater
Inglis
Hodges
Folau
Thurston
Prince

Lockyer would need to recover to full fitness and string a few good performances together in a row to get picked.

 

[howardj]

I like Steve Bell as an Origin player.

He meets my criteria for an Origin back - big and rock solid defender.

 

[James90]

Pretty special when you can leave Bowen, Tate and Lockyer out of the backline and still beat NSW man-for-man

 

[chaminda_00]

Pretty special when you can leave Bowen, Tate and Lockyer out of the backline and still beat NSW man-for-man

Is it even close, QLD 2nd XIII would be better then NSW tbh.

Bowen, Tate, Bell, Rogers, Tonga, Prince, Conk

v

Gildey, Lawrence, Gasnier, Cooper, Hayne, Anasta, Wallace

 

[Son Of Coco]

Is it even close, QLD 2nd XIII would be better then NSW tbh.

Bowen, Tate, Bell, Rogers, Tonga, Prince, Conk

v

Gildey, Lawrence, Gasnier, Cooper, Hayne, Anasta, Wallace

NSW have had pretty poor players to choose from in the last couple of years and still gone ok. Was it last year or the year before we lost by a few points in the decider when we shouldn't really have gotten close on paper?

On the other hand, we've had teams that look fantastic on paper before and lost easily too.

Why would Gidley be fullback? I'd doubt this would be the line-up to be honest.

 

[Craig]

Hunt.

Current NRL form is sooooo over-rated when it comes to picking rep teams.

And how did Hunt get to play rep footy? By having good NRL form at the time. I like I said unless Slater screws up big time now and then, I don't see what more he can do, espcially when he got Brisbane's number as well last weekend.

 

[James90]

Is it even close, QLD 2nd XIII would be better then NSW tbh.

Bowen, Tate, Bell, Rogers, Tonga, Prince, Conk

v

Gildey, Lawrence, Gasnier, Cooper, Hayne, Anasta, Wallace

It's true. Strongly disagree with your NSW team though.
Stewart, Grothe and Pearce for Gidley, Lawrence and Wallace.

 

[Mister Wright]

North Queensland prove to me tonight how over-rated Bowen is. Three games in - three losses. Two games out - two wins. Love it. Hate Bowen.

 

[Johnners]

NSW have had pretty poor players to choose from in the last couple of years and still gone ok. Was it last year or the year before we lost by a few points in the decider when we shouldn't really have gotten close on paper?

On the other hand, we've had teams that look fantastic on paper before and lost easily too.

Why would Gidley be fullback? I'd doubt this would be the line-up to be honest.

It's true. Strongly disagree with your NSW team though.
Stewart, Grothe and Pearce for Gidley, Lawrence and Wallace.

Gidley > Stewart (most overrated Fullback in the comp afaic). The sooner people wake up and realise it the better.

 

[James90]

North Queensland prove to me tonight how over-rated Bowen is. Three games in - three losses. Two games out - two wins. Love it. Hate Bowen.

You've gotta be kidding. Bowen should have gotten the green and gold last year. Fantastic footballer.

Gidley > Stewart (most overrated Fullback in the comp afaic). The sooner people wake up and realise it the better.

I have a lot of time for Gidley. Thought he was a good shot at the Dally M for a while last season. I'd take an in form Minichiello over either of them but failing that I'd start with Stewart and have Gidley on the bench.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Signings so far:
Wendell Sailor (mid-season) - drugs to Puff the Magic Dragons (unconfirmed)

Corrected

 

[Mister Wright]

You've gotta be kidding. Bowen should have gotten the green and gold last year. Fantastic footballer.


I have a lot of time for Gidley. Thought he was a good shot at the Dally M for a while last season. I'd take an in form Minichiello over either of them but failing that I'd start with Stewart and have Gidley on the bench.

Nah, I'm not kidding. 5th best fullback in the country at best.

 

[Johnners]

North Queensland prove to me tonight how over-rated Bowen is. Three games in - three losses. Two games out - two wins. Love it. Hate Bowen.

Haha, as if that says anything about Bowen.

I agree that he's only the 5th best fullback, but that's hardly an insult, especially when the 4 ahead of him (IMO) are Hunt, Slater, Mini & Gidley.

 

[Mister Wright]

Haha, as if that says anything about Bowen.

I agree that he's only the 5th best fullback, but that's hardly an insult, especially when the 4 ahead of him (IMO) are Hunt, Slater, Mini & Gidley.

Stewart better than Bowen too.

 

[Johnners]

Stewart better than Bowen too.

Nah, not a chance. Stewart's a hack.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Nah, not a chance. Stewart's a hack.

Bowen certainly hasn't turned up for the 2008 season yet. I heard he's injured though (read it somewhere). He can be brilliant, but Stewart is probably more consistent so far this year.

 

[chaminda_00]

Why would Gidley be fullback? I'd doubt this would be the line-up to be honest.

Gidley provides the extra play marker option which we need with the likely halves more the an better try scorer. Most likey if Gidley doesn't play at fullback he will be selected off the bench and that would mean Farah either plays halfback or isn't selected. Both would just been dire.

 

[chaminda_00]

It's true. Strongly disagree with your NSW team though.
Stewart, Grothe and Pearce for Gidley, Lawrence and Wallace.

Mention why I would select Gidley at fullback before.

Wallace or Pearce doesn't bother me tbh, both are in good form and have a fair bit of potential. As long as those hacks Finch and Mullen stay the **** away from the team and we don't go to guys like Kimmorely or Orford who be most likely be decent, but never be more.

Would go Grothe ahead of Cooper if anything. Lawrence is one of handful of guys in NSW that actually has the talent to be more then serviceable at Orgin level and need to be blooded, even if a few other guys are playing better.