Re: The best 17 : Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:08 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

For me:

Lomax
Makinson Turner Jones Swift
Hohaia Walsh
Amor Roby Masoe
Wilkin Soliola
LMS

Walmsley Laffranchi Manu* Wellens

*if were going with form alone Manu would be out for Flanaghan

Makinson, after a few years of struggling has finally gotten over second year syndrome, and is rapidly becoming one of the top finishers in the game. He's currently scoring tries that no one else in this country could score.

Jones is a centre. I said it in the off season, and he proved it Friday night. The trick Nathan Brown has is fitting 3 very good centres into 2 positions when Percival returns - but people have been calling for a centre like willie talau for years - josh jones can be that man.

Hohaia has finally shown some of what he's capable of, given the freedom Walsh grants him. I've gone from not caring if he returns to the NRL next year, to hoping we at least have a replacement lined up (he's not in the soliola - tears rolling down my cheek stage, but hey there's a long way to go yet )

Walsh and Amor are everything I could dream them to be. Friday night also showed we should do everything in our power to replace laffranchi with huby (assuming laffranchi is retiring)

Walmsley and masoe both have their stupid moments, but the game where both of them iron it out, were gonna steam roller.

Masoe has proven he's no Feka. And he's getting better and better week on week. The slip ball on Friday wih 3 hanging onto him was great ... Just a shame it was slippers Wilkin as opposed lomax!

Lms is not a prop. We get dominated whenever he starts there. It's not too bad when we pull a TP style of starting him at lock and moving him forward, but he should be left at 13 (where I think he's very good)

Soliola is perhaps the best back rower in the league. He's certainly the form back rower in super league. At the start of the season I would of had him on the bench for impact, but his performances demand long minutes and he can do them.

Manu has been the let down of the year so far. But people suggest he's a slow starter, so I'm willing to give him some more time to pick up his game. He was ambling at times on Friday. In form alone Flanaghan would be ahead of him, and even greenwood.

Greenwood deserves a special mention. Despite not making my cut, he's still much improved on last year, and looks like he could go far.

We need someone to rotate with Roby.

Wellens is currently making the cut by his own right.

This is the closest of the suggestions to my choice of a first 17.

However for HiHo I would put in Wheeler and for Turner (who I thought was awful against Cas) I would have Percival.

I would also probably put Greenwood on the bench instead of Laffranchi who just doesn't cut it.

Re: The best 17 : Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:09 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

For me:

Lomax
Makinson Turner Jones Swift
Hohaia Walsh
Amor Roby Masoe
Wilkin Soliola
LMS

Walmsley Laffranchi Manu* Wellens

*if were going with form alone Manu would be out for Flanaghan

Makinson, after a few years of struggling has finally gotten over second year syndrome, and is rapidly becoming one of the top finishers in the game. He's currently scoring tries that no one else in this country could score.

Jones is a centre. I said it in the off season, and he proved it Friday night. The trick Nathan Brown has is fitting 3 very good centres into 2 positions when Percival returns - but people have been calling for a centre like willie talau for years - josh jones can be that man.

Hohaia has finally shown some of what he's capable of, given the freedom Walsh grants him. I've gone from not caring if he returns to the NRL next year, to hoping we at least have a replacement lined up (he's not in the soliola - tears rolling down my cheek stage, but hey there's a long way to go yet )

Walsh and Amor are everything I could dream them to be. Friday night also showed we should do everything in our power to replace laffranchi with huby (assuming laffranchi is retiring)

Walmsley and masoe both have their stupid moments, but the game where both of them iron it out, were gonna steam roller.

Masoe has proven he's no Feka. And he's getting better and better week on week. The slip ball on Friday wih 3 hanging onto him was great ... Just a shame it was slippers Wilkin as opposed lomax!

Lms is not a prop. We get dominated whenever he starts there. It's not too bad when we pull a TP style of starting him at lock and moving him forward, but he should be left at 13 (where I think he's very good)

Soliola is perhaps the best back rower in the league. He's certainly the form back rower in super league. At the start of the season I would of had him on the bench for impact, but his performances demand long minutes and he can do them.

Manu has been the let down of the year so far. But people suggest he's a slow starter, so I'm willing to give him some more time to pick up his game. He was ambling at times on Friday. In form alone Flanaghan would be ahead of him, and even greenwood.

Greenwood deserves a special mention. Despite not making my cut, he's still much improved on last year, and looks like he could go far.

We need someone to rotate with Roby.

Wellens is currently making the cut by his own right.

We look a hell of a lot stronger with Amor and Walmsley being on the pitch together but then we fall apart when they go off. It's a shame the other props can't carry us until those two come back on.

Re: The best 17 : Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:24 pm  

saint at wire wrote:

This is the closest of the suggestions to my choice of a first 17.

However for HiHo I would put in Wheeler and for Turner (who I thought was awful against Cas) I would have Percival.

I would also probably put Greenwood on the bench instead of Laffranchi who just doesn't cut it.

Hohaia vs wheeler is perhaps the closest battle when everyone's fit. The problem wheeler has is even when he's playing, I'm skeptical as to how long for.

Turner did have a very poor game vs castleford, but I'm a big fan of his in general - nobody deserves dropping on the basis of 1 game.

Given our situation having 2 props on the bench is vital for me. Hence laffranchi is there, having wellens, Manu and greenwood on the bench is back row overload! Plus, laffranchi is one of our top tacklers, i think he picks up some unfair criticism on here.

St. Pete: I think in the long run Amor and Masoe starting with walmsley coming on should extend that (aka instead of dominating the first 20, well dominate the first 30) our 4th prop options limit the chance we have of totally dominating like we have done with Amor and walmsley (both options in lms and laffranchi are better in defence than going forward) - but I think were yet to see a fully fit Amor walmsley and Masoe combo yet, and is something to look forward to in the coming weeks!

Re: The best 17 : Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:35 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

Hohaia vs wheeler is perhaps the closest battle when everyone's fit. The problem wheeler has is even when he's playing, I'm skeptical as to how long for.

Turner did have a very poor game vs castleford, but I'm a big fan of his in general - nobody deserves dropping on the basis of 1 game.

Given our situation having 2 props on the bench is vital for me. Hence laffranchi is there, having wellens, Manu and greenwood on the bench is back row overload! Plus, laffranchi is one of our top tacklers, i think he picks up some unfair criticism on here.

St. Pete: I think in the long run Amor and Masoe starting with walmsley coming on should extend that (aka instead of dominating the first 20, well dominate the first 30) our 4th prop options limit the chance we have of totally dominating like we have done with Amor and walmsley (both options in lms and laffranchi are better in defence than going forward) - but I think were yet to see a fully fit Amor walmsley and Masoe combo yet, and is something to look forward to in the coming weeks!

Moses last 15 mins was the best rugby he's played for saints so far.

Re: The best 17 : Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:40 pm  

My strongest 17 if all fit would be:

1) lomax
2) makinson
3) turner
4) percival
5) swift
6) lance
7) Walsh
amor
9) Roby
10) walmsley
11) wilkin
12) Jones
13) Sia

14) wellens
15) Masoe
16) manu
17) LMS


The backs pretty much speak for themselves. Our back 3 is awesome, makinson has to be closing in on England's number 2 shirt! The centres are raw talent but IMO will both come good and hohia and Walsh seem to have hit the ground running together.

The starting front row of amor Roby walmsley IMO is the best in super league at the mo! (and all English).

Good defensive back row to start with and impact from the bench in the form of manu.

Also got to have wellens on the bench he's been immense this year and his critics on here are deluded! He grafts, gives everything for the shirt and more importantly numerous times this season he has come off the bench to steady the ship! Great leadership qualities.

Re: The best 17 : Sat Apr 12, 2014 11:33 pm  

1. Jonny Lomax (No brainer)
2. Tommy Makinson (No brainer)
3. Jordan Turner (Earned his spot)
4. Mark Percival (Has to play when fit and Jones can play back row well)
5. Adam Swift (No brainer)

6. Gary Wheeler (Blind faith probably but he's the best option for me)
7. Luke Walsh (No brainer)

8. Kyle Amor (No brainer)
9. James Roby (No brainer)
10. Mose Masoe (Starting so Walmsley can be on the pitch when Amor is off)
11. Josh Jones (Leave him running wide instead of in the middle of the pitch at loose)
12. Sia Soliola (Has to play long minutes, no brainer)
13. Jon Wilkin (Ineffectual as a second row for me but can play a pivot role at loose)

14. Lance Hohaia (Cover and should spell Roby)
15. Alex Walmsley (We can keep intensity by having one of him or Amor on the pitch)
16. Willie Manu (Will be effective running and tired defenders and popping offloads)
17. Paul Wellens (He's earned his spot over the past few weeks)

Laffranchi, Greenwood, Flanagan and LMS are all perfectly reasonable options to replace any of the bench except Walmsley too.

For a more solid and defensive minded line up you can play Jones at centre, drop Percival out and promote a forward to the 17.

Re: The best 17 : Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:24 am  

LMS is a prop.
Sometimes he is selected at 13, but he plays exactly the same game, which is up the middle.

He looks better when selected at 13 because there's two other props to share the graft. Louis like to pick his runs a bit more in order to deliver a bit more punch, but his defensive workload is always good.

Starting him and Masoe on Friday was a bit of a mistake, in my option.

Re: The best 17 : Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:55 am  

Naming a "best 17" is difficult because certain opposition require different approaches to others. My 1st choice 1-7 is fairly straightforward:

Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Jones/Percival
Swift
Wheeler
Walsh

My front row would always be:

Amor
Roby
Walmsley

There are then numerous different combinations for the back row and bench, a lot of it depending on whether we start with a prop-type player at 13, i.e. LMS or Soliola, or somebody like Wilkin or Jones.

In the 7 remaining places Soliola, Manu, Wilkin, Masoe, LMS will all be there in some capacity plus one of Hohaia/Wellens for utility value. That just leaves one of Flanagan, Laffranchi, Greenwood,etc for the last spot. If Percival was at centre then you also have Jones to throw in the mix for the forwards.

It's good to have so many options, especially in the forwards. I'd love another out and out no.6 to put the icing on the cake though!

Re: The best 17 : Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:04 am  

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Percival
5. Swift
6. Hohaia
7. Walsh
8. Amor
9. Roby
10. Walmsley
11. Soliola
12. Manu
13. Wilkin

14. Masoe
15. LMS
16. Jones
17. Wellens