2024 Round 9 v Sea Eagles: Teams and Previews *Teams p1

[BadnMean]

Well, there’s certainly been an overreaction in here to what is a pretty understandable team list.

Hoppa at fullback, that’s fine. Stewart needs a rest and Rapana’s still injured. They did it in the trials and he played well so it’s not completely out of left field.

He may not be exciting and speedy but Hopoate is a solid first grader. People here acting like he’s the second coming of Damon Booby.

Cotric back, also fine. He’s been playing well in NSW Cup and Schiller is leaving at the end of the year. No brainer.

Whitehead back, we all knew it would happen. And at this stage, with the lack of experience all over the park, I don’t mind it. An experienced, old head will help. With Hosking out, it’s not like our edge forwards have been playing the house down - in fact Hudson should be thanking his lucky stars he’s still in first grade, because he’s had a dreadful start to the year.

Guler back, again fine. We know he’s next man up and at least Mooney is still there, which I’m very happy with.

So that just leaves Levi and Starling. Levi had a shocker last week, no doubt about it. Got hooked and deservedly so. But - and I know this is tantamount to blasphemy around here - he hasn’t been terrible this year as a whole. Ricky almost always gives players a chance to bounce back, and I think that’s what has happened here. It’s not like Woolford is banging the door down.

Starling I don’t like it, but if we’re going bench hooker he’s probably a more dynamic choice than Woolford.

So overall I’m actually pretty happy with this team, given the circumstances.

Stewart gets a rest next week. It's a bye. Why drop him after a decent showing for a non event?

Hopoate is a solid reserve grader. A limited back up FG'er- clarified.

I'm dying to know your Levi stance since he is objectively one of the worst hookers in the game- as in (ahem) demonstrably and numerically over a decade; worst win % I've ever seen in a FG player or hooker with 50+ games...

and also this particular season; literally worst defensive hooker in the competition

and also awful attack vs other currently available hookers in the squad; you can fit all D Levi's attacking/kicking stats for 5 NRL years (not counting SL gaps, no tricks, just seasons plapyed) inside about 2 seasons of Woolford- who we all agree is just average...

I've put all those arguments against numerous times (worst win % as a FG player/hooker; worst defensive hooker in the comp this year; barely a try or lb assist over his entire career let alone outdoing rivals in the squad over a season etc etc

Apart from being crap for a very long time, What's your argument FOR D Levi?

[Neeeegz]

Woolford will make our attack better like he did last year... he needs to play or this game is already lost

[Rickmando]

Btw what a dumb call to rest Chevy for this week, when there’s a bye coming up next week.

Show me an 18 year old that doesn’t want to play as much footy as he possibly can while he’s young and keen. He made his FG debut a few weeks ago, is probably still riding on a high.

Just pick him somewhere - he gets a good rest next week anyway.

If he had been killing it, sure. Keep him there. But he hasn’t been and has got hammered. It’s the right call.

Pick him in reserves then. If hes not injured, give him another game and then let him have the bye like the rest of the squad.

This is just another arrogant, “I know better” call from the coach. Making it all about himself.

[Hong Kong Raider]

We don't have to tell Levi how **** he is during this game. DCE will say that to him to his face

[Regs Revolution]

Btw what a dumb call to rest Chevy for this week, when there’s a bye coming up next week.

Show me an 18 year old that doesn’t want to play as much footy as he possibly can while he’s young and keen. He made his FG debut a few weeks ago, is probably still riding on a high.

Just pick him somewhere - he gets a good rest next week anyway.

If he had been killing it, sure. Keep him there. But he hasn’t been and has got hammered. It’s the right call.

Pick him in reserves then. If hes not injured, give him another game and then let him have the bye like the rest of the squad.

This is just another arrogant, “I know better” call from the coach. Making it all about himself.

Hahaha, I have to say, your wild speculations are entertaining.

[Hong Kong Raider]

I just knew DCE would get off. It is classic NRL.

The NRL lawyer didn't have a counterargument to the previous Hastings case where the dominant player in the tackle got Grade 2 charge while the less dominant second player was less culpable and only got Grade 1

[Botman]

Looking at the incident honestly, i'd be furious if a raiders player missed a game for what DCE did in that tackle
But i still wish they threw the **** book at him.

[-TW-]

Looking at the incident honestly, i'd be furious if a raiders player missed a game for what DCE did in that tackle
But i still wish they threw the **** book at him.

Apparently was the first time he's been charged with anything

300+ games and never suspended is a fair effort

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[Rick]

Looking at the incident honestly, i'd be furious if a raiders player missed a game for what DCE did in that tackle
But i still wish they threw the **** book at him.

Agree. But it is also rubbish that some teams appeals actually get heard whilst ours (Horse as an example) just get double downed on.


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[The Nickman]

I haven’t read the thread yet, but just saw the team for the first time and all I can say is ahahahahahahahahahahhaaha **** me, Daryl

**** me Daryl, indeed

[Finchy]

The team you pick when you want to lose 20 - 0 rather than 50 - 20.

Either way.

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Well we couldn’t score a point with last weeks team, I don’t see us scoring 20 with no team changes. To be honest I think this team is just as likely to lose 40 nil. No halfback plus a **** hooker = no points.

[yeh raiders]

Danny Levi needs to be flushed out of first grade.

Ricky is cooked. Anytime we see a glimmer of hope, it’s quickly destroyed.

[gerg]

I haven’t read the thread yet, but just saw the team for the first time and all I can say is ahahahahahahahahahahhaaha **** me, Daryl

**** me Daryl, indeed

What's Daryl got to do with it?

I can understand giving Chevy a spell, but putting Hopoate back there isn't going to be much better. DCE will pepper him with bombs all night and Tommy will leap all over him - well maybe stand on his tippy toes.

Levi and Starling? Sigh. I feel for Woolford. Hope he can find another club, probably ESL is his best option.

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[Rick]

This would have been a great game for Chevy to play. DCE would have shown him exactly where his positioning needs to be for firsts then he could have gone back to Cup to work from there. Not to mention what he could have gained by playing up against Turbo.


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[greeneyed]

Absolutely… and Rapana is likely back after the bye. The coach loves to say players are being rested, not dropped. But actions speak louder than words. Some young players dropped, while the real culprits from last week given a free pass. It isn’t right.

[greeneyed]

Looking at the incident honestly, i'd be furious if a raiders player missed a game for what DCE did in that tackle
But i still wish they threw the **** book at him.

Agree. But it is also rubbish that some teams appeals actually get heard whilst ours (Horse as an example) just get double downed on.

We all know what’s happening here. Unconscious bias, which the NRL does nothing about.

[afgtnk]

2024 Round 9 v Sea Eagles: Teams and Previews



Canberra Raiders v Manly Sea Eagles
Friday 3 May, 6:00pm
Brookvale Oval
Gates open: 4:30pm
Tickets: Click here
TV coverage: Fox League, Kayo
Radio coverage: ABC, Mix106.3, 2CC

The Canberra Raiders head to the northern beaches in Round 9 for an early Friday evening clash with the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval. Who would you like to see line up in green in this match? Name your own team, and then see how close you were when the official teams are named at 4:00pm on the Tuesday before the match. We will have the official squads in the first post of this thread, once they are announced.

Canberra Raiders

1. Albert Hopoate
2. Xavier Savage
3. Matthew Timoko
4. Sebastian Kris
5. Nick Crotic
6. Ethan Strange
7. Kaeo Weekes
8. Josh Papalii
9. Danny Levi
10. Joseph Tapine
11. Hudson Young
12. Elliott Whitehead
13. Morgan Smithies

14. Tom Starling
15. Ata Mariota
16. Trey Mooney
17. Emre Guler

18. Simi Sasagi
19. Peter Hola
20. Zac Woolford
21. James Schiller
22. Hohepa Puru

Injury/Suspension
Pasami Saulo, Back (Round 11)
Corey Horsburgh, Groin (Round 11-13)
Jordan Rapana, Knee (Round 11-13)
Jamal Fogarty, Bicep (Round 20-22)
Zac Hosking's, Shoulder (Indefinite)
Corey Harawira-Naera, Seizure (Indefinite)

Manly Sea Eagles

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jason Saab
3. Tolutau Koula
4. Reuben Garrick
5. Tommy Talau
6. Luke Brooks
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Taniela Paseka
9. Lachlan Croker
10. Josh Aloiai
11. Ethan Bullemor
12. Corey Waddell
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Karl Lawton
15. Toafofoa Sipley
16. Nathan Brown
17. Matthew Lodge

18. Aaron Woods
19. Jakob Arthur
20. Jaxson Paulo
21. Ben Condon
22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong

Injury/Suspension
Ben Trbojevic, Hamstring (Round 10)
Haumole Olakau’atu, Suspension (Round 11)

Officials

Referee: Grant Atkins
Touch judges: Phil Henderson, Wyatt Raymond
Video referee: Adam Gee

Match Hashtags: #NRL #WeareRaiders #NRLManlyRaiders

NSW Cup teams: Click here
Jersey Flegg teams: Click here

Definitely, I watched that towelling at the hands of the Sharks and thought Albert Hopoate must come in. And Danny Levi must stay!

[Botman]

I think this is one where I am happy to back the coach… this is an 18 year old kid who’s been promoted probably a little early

I don’t think he’s a 1-2 years away either, I think people saying that are also not people who are watching his development
But it is early and he’s taken a heavy toll. I don’t think having DCE and Turbo run roughshod over him would be particularly beneficial

He’s had a taste in fg, we probably think raps is back after the bye. I think it’s pretty reasonable to give him a rest and bring him back in cup with a plan that he might come back in at the end of the year all the better and wiser for this admittedly rough trial by fire

[Hong Kong Raider]

If you gave Seibold the choice of three players that we would be obliged to pick to be in our side, he would choose Levi, Hoppa and Kaeo. The first two don't offer anything on both sides of the ball. All three will be targeted on Friday.

[greeneyed]

Looking at the incident honestly, i'd be furious if a raiders player missed a game for what DCE did in that tackle
But i still wish they threw the **** book at him.

Apparently was the first time he's been charged with anything

300+ games and never suspended is a fair effort

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It’s not the first time. But under the current judiciary rules it is supposed to be irrelevant. I very much doubt the panel members put that aside.

[Old School Green]

Looking at the incident honestly, i'd be furious if a raiders player missed a game for what DCE did in that tackle
But i still wish they threw the **** book at him.

Agree. But it is also rubbish that some teams appeals actually get heard whilst ours (Horse as an example) just get double downed on.

We all know what’s happening here. Unconscious bias, which the NRL does nothing about.

Yes that Horse one was a disgrace. Even the nrl prosecutor was all about ‘DCE the statesman, ambassador for the game’ etc.
Anyone who thinks unconscious bias doesn’t happen across many facets of the game in some way is in fairyland.
Like the discrepancy this year about which clubs could count the all stars game for suspension for their players. Joke.

[mikeraider]

Raiders team v manly on paper looks like a good combination of experience and youth..

Crotic back in the side with his better defence
Than Schiller with less speed. Chevy was ok on the weekend good touches, and safe under the high ball, but his body size lets him down.

Woolford needs to come on at some stage just to see what he still has to offer, other than what Levi who i thought may have been dropped after the weekends performance, or what Starling dish up when he comes on.
Mooney still on our bench is a good thing but would rather him start, with Papalii coming on afterwards, Paps looked stuffed when coming off on the weekend but is always solid.
Hoppa coming back is good he is solid enough and you get what you need out of him..like to see Weekes get more involved in the plays.

[Old School Green]

On another note Levi probably has a blinder this week, wins the game for us and we all look foolish.

[gerg]

On another note Levi probably has a blinder this week, wins the game for us and we all look foolish.

Ahahaha. You've got talent young man.

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[Regs Revolution]

On another note Levi probably has a blinder this week, wins the game for us and we all look foolish.

I feel for Levi. He tries hard but he just doesn’t have it. He was absolutely gassed last week and was out on his feet. When the commentator pulls him up twice for not keeping up with the game, you know you’re in trouble.

I can live with all the changes but the lack of changes in arguably the most important position on the field, is bananas.

The best combo we could have is:

9. Woolford
14. Puru

The sooner we move towards this, the better.

[Regs Revolution]

It hurts me to say this, but the best result this week is an absolute belting.

[Canberra Milk]

People thinking Hoppa is not that bad a choice for fullback, do they watch other teams, or just the Raiders?? Every team has a strike fullback. All of them. Hoppa is not even a strike winger

With an already weak spine, this is devastating. I'll hope for some good metres and carries but I can't see us playing anything other than grindball. Very depressing to be here, when just not long ago we thought we were ushering in a new era of the (old) fast attacking green machine

[Hong Kong Raider]

People thinking Hoppa is not that bad a choice for fullback, do they watch other teams, or just the Raiders?? Every team has a strike fullback. All of them. Hoppa is not even a strike winger

With an already weak spine, this is devastating. I'll hope for some good metres and carries but I can't see us playing anything other than grindball. Very depressing to be here, when just not long ago we thought we were ushering in a new era of the (old) fast attacking green machine

Spot on. Even reserve FBs like Tristan Sailor, Trei Fuller, Armstrong, Jye Gray, Fa’alogo, Taine Tuapiki, Blaize Talagi are better than him and offer more strike.

Hell - **** Connor Treacy and Taaffe are even **** better. He’s the worst out of all 16 teams this week

[RedRaider]

Hoppa, with his patented 'sit down' method of bomb taking will be a target. Turbo and Saab will not have to jump for the ball because Hoppa will already be on the ground.

Some saying earlier in the week that Ricky would not make 4 changes to the side and then - he did. Hoppa, Cotric, EW and Guler all in. But he WGD'd the change he should have made. After producing the hook last week for DL he rewards his performance by picking him in FG again??

The main issue I have with the Chevy situation is that he was not picked in NSW Cup. There was no mention of injury. If he is not injured then I would have had him back on the park to practice the lessons of the 3 NRL games he has played. Over coming the disappointment of not being selected is part of the growth cycle, but he can't show he can over come it, sitting on the sideline. I note there are 2 TBA's in the NSW Cup backline and the currently selected FB has played center earlier this year.

[Finchy]

On another note Levi probably has a blinder this week, wins the game for us and we all look foolish.

Is this another Billy alt account?

[Lui_Bon]

I'm just going to say what you are all thinking:

It will be at least 60 nil.

[Kryptonite]

Danny Levi needs to be flushed out of first grade.

Ricky is cooked. Anytime we see a glimmer of hope, it’s quickly destroyed.

I love Stick, the culture he has built and his legacy as a former great player from a truly golden era but the man is an imposter of a coach who has been given a job for life by a club CEO who has lost touch with reality and remains in his position only by name sake and perpetuated nepotism


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[Raidersteve]

Absolutely… and Rapana is likely back after the bye. The coach loves to say players are being rested, not dropped. But actions speak louder than words. Some young players dropped, while the real culprits from last week given a free pass. It isn’t right.

If Chevy was dropped he would be playing cup. He has been smashed physically in his last couple of games, yes he has got up and charged back for more which is great. Physically and mentally it's going to take a toll on the kid being hammered physically and on the scoreboard week after week in his first games in the nrl.

Team selection is tricky with the injuries we have. We have no experience in key positions so when we get badly beaten it is a balancing act between rectifying the issues and maintaining some form of stability which is needed for such a inexperienced spine.

Levi was awful against the Sharks but overall this season hasn't been as bad as being made out to be in here. Starling hasn't offered much with limited time on field. Woolford by all accounts hasn't been bashing the door down in cup games but wouldn't work in the Starling role as he isn't really an impact player (not that Starling has been offering much of that either).

If Levi has another bad game Friday he should be dropped but until we get some troops back it is going to be tough times and dropping Levi for Woolford isn't going to change that.

[The Nickman]

Absolutely… and Rapana is likely back after the bye. The coach loves to say players are being rested, not dropped. But actions speak louder than words. Some young players dropped, while the real culprits from last week given a free pass. It isn’t right.

That’s exactly my thoughts. This is disgraceful behaviour from the coach, and his inability to fix the actual issues with our current team are going to expose us to even more unnecessary pain, which he will then double down on and blame injuries

The excitement I had for this season just weeks ago has been flushed down the toilet with another Rocky Stewart coaching masterclass

[The Nickman]

Raiders team v manly on paper looks like a good combination of experience and youth..

Crotic back in the side with his better defence
Than Schiller with less speed. Chevy was ok on the weekend good touches, and safe under the high ball, but his body size lets him down.

Woolford needs to come on at some stage just to see what he still has to offer, other than what Levi who i thought may have been dropped after the weekends performance, or what Starling dish up when he comes on.
Mooney still on our bench is a good thing but would rather him start, with Papalii coming on afterwards, Paps looked stuffed when coming off on the weekend but is always solid.
Hoppa coming back is good he is solid enough and you get what you need out of him..like to see Weekes get more involved in the plays.

Like you, I think the one thing I’m most excited about this week is the return of Crotic, mike