Round 17 v Dragons

[Lucas]

Interesting selections coming up for CB with all the origin guys out. Does Glasby/Welch/someone else??? get called up? signed 3 blokes this week, do any of them play? Do we get Finucane back?

I'm predicting we'll be without Billy, Munster, Felise, Chambers, JAC and Glasby.

1 Young (we've kept him around for a reason and it's obviously this week. Farewell)
2 Suli
3 Blair
4 Scott
5 Olam
6 Hughes
7 Jacks
8 Welch
9 Smith
10 NAS
11 Stimson
12 Hoffman
13 Kenny

14 Brandon
15 P. Kaufusi
16 Finucane
17 Tui (or do we play Vete?)

Or does Cam play in the halves to allow Brandon to play 9 and have more minutes?

Excited for this. I do love watching our stars play but it's also super interesting to see how a depleted lineup goes.

[bula]

I'd like to see Hughes at fullback and Croft brought in.

[yourhero]

I'd like to see Hughes at fullback and Croft brought in.

Agreed completely.

[Lucas]

Agree as well. Don't think it will happen though.

[blazza18]

Croft wasn't named for Easts today so maybe he's injured?

Do we do the unthinkable by playing Smith in the halves? I don't want to see Young at fullback.

[Mattpoet]

Walters could come in too

[Deadpool]

I would go with
1. Hughes
2. Vunivalu
3. Young T
4. Scott
5. Olam
6. Jacks
7. Croft

But I think they’ll go Blair at centre and Young on the wing

[RobbieRoss]

I throw in a couple of curveballs

1. Drinkwater
6. Hughes
7.Jacks

Or

1. Hughes
6. Walters
7. Jacks

Both Drinkwater and Walters played today for Easts . Croft did not.

[Deadpool]

Maybe Croft didn’t play because they want him to be right for Thursday and not coming in on the back of a 5 day turnaround

[Mattpoet]

That is a distinct possibility

[yourhero]

Playing the Dragons at (arguably) the right time. Need those 2 points with;
1. How close the top 8 is, and
2. With half of the teams getting their bye this week.

If we win, we maintain 3rd place and close the gap on the Dragons (and first place) to 2 competition points.

If we lose, we potentially have the same competition points as the team coming 8th.

[yourhero]

Dragons have an unbelievably soft draw... This is their run to the finals;

Rd17 A - Storm (Origin affected) (3rd)
Rd18 H - Tigers (10th)
Rd19 A - Cowboys (15th)
Rd20 A - Roosters (6th)
Rd21 H - Warriors (5th)
Rd22 A - Eels (16th)
Rd23 A - Tigers (10th)
Rd24 H - Bulldogs (14th)
Rd25 A - Knights (12th)

[Cameron]

Why are Melbourne Storm 1.52 and St George are 2.55 for the game? We have a 5.5 point line?

Both teams have been hit just about equally as hard with Origin and injuries.

[yourhero]

I guess the betting agencies see us as having greater depth. But it is still somewhat surprising, particularly with our injuries up front.

As selfish as it is, I really wish Glasby wasn’t selected for the Maroons.

[Cameron]

Good point yourhero.

Hopefully the agencies are right.

I would say that it will come down to which ever team makes the least mistakes as both will have unproven combinations.