1st Semi Final vs Roosters @ AAMI Park

[Papenhuyzen23]

Here we are guys, week 2 of the finals and it’s all do or die from this point on, we have just had one of our most demoralising and darkest days and there’s not much time to dwell on it, now the dust has settled and the doomsayers (myself included) have had time to cool off it’s time to focus on the task at hand.

We will see what the guys are made of, will we fold and shut up shop after such a tough result or will it galvanise us? Well we typically don’t lose 2 in a row and are usually quite fired up after a loss so the latter would be fantastic to see, the boys are used to winning and being the elite players of the competition so the fallout and humiliation should spurn on the Grants and Munsters etc to prove they are still the best in the business.

The Roosters are an interesting match up, they have a lot of injuries and are no where near full strength but they showed so much heart, desire and defensive resolve to scrape past the Sharks and we could certainly take a page from their book in that regard, I’m sure “Cheese” will be up for a big one against us too!


Potential line ups -



1. Nick MEANEY
2. Will WARBRICK
3. Reimis SMITH
4. Justin OLAM
5. Sua FA’ALOGO
6. Cameron MUNSTER
7. Jahrome HUGHES
8. Tariq SIMS
9. Bronson GARLICK
10. Tepai MOEROA
11. Eliesa KATOA
12. Nelson ASOFA-SOLOMONA
13. Josh KING

14. Harry GRANT
15. Tom EISENHUTH
16. Tui KAMIKAMIKA
17. Alec MACDONALD

With the injuries to Paps & X and the potential HIA stand down for Seve and Loiero I think this might be the best line up for us, personal opinion of course, I think we need to start big and aggressive with our form forwards which means no room for Welch at all, and I think Harry after 20 minutes worked beautifully earlier this season so that might be another option to let Garlick take that early sting out of the game, recalls for Olam, Reimis, Moeroa & Macca for me and Sua I think deserves a shot with the injuries either in the 1 jersey or on the wing.



1. James TEDESCO (c)
2. Junior PAUGA
3. Billy SMITH
4. Corey ALLAN
5. Jaxon PAULO
6. Luke KEARY
7. Sam WALKER
8. Fletcher BAKER
9. Brandon SMITH
10. Lindsay COLLINS
11. Siua WONG
12. Nat BUTCHER
13. Victor RADLEY

14. Sandon SMITH
15. Egan BUTCHER
16. Terrell MAY
17. Angus CRICHTON

It’s already been confirmed this morning Sua’alli, Manu and Tupou won’t be available for this game which is huge, that’s most of their backline strike. JWH is still suspended also, they are busted and on the short turnaround and have to travel to AAMI, if we are fair dinkum we give them a hiding but it’s all about how we respond to the Brisbane defeat.


It ain’t over til it’s over as they say, let’s see if the boys can rally and shake the competition up!

[Mattpoet]

Welch is playing. Everyone hoping that will change is hoping in vain.

[Insomniac]

Exactly - Welch is captain FFS... as if CB will drop him.

[Mattpoet]

Jennings is playing QCup today. I wonder if there's any temptation to play him in the worst case scenario where Coated is out and Young and Seve fail HIAs through the week...

[yourhero]

Parachute Fa’alogo into the #1 asap.

I would have Jennings on the wing ahead of Sua or Meaney. After the injuries, I don’t understand why he would be playing today.

If Reimis isn’t a lock at centre, I would be tempted to not even watch at all.

1. Fa’alogo
2. Warbrick
3. Smith
4. Olam
5. Coates / Jennings
6. Munster
7. Hughes
8. Welch (though I would love to leave him out)
9. Garlick
10. Tui
11. NAS
12. Katoa
13. King

14. Grant
15. Moeroa
16. Sims
17. Eisenhuth

18. Seve

[Papenhuyzen23]

I’m sure Welch won’t get dropped, but he deserves to.

I like the idea of Sua in the 1 too, throw something at the Roosters they won’t expect, he is explosive and unpredictable might be the key to unlocking the stagnant attack.

[nacho]

No chance Sua plays, can't imagine he goes from playing a reserves grade team in final round to an elimination final with a prelim on the cards. Hope I'm wrong, but I won't be.

[yourhero]

I agree, Sua is no chance. But he should be. I’d rather go out swinging than limp out pathetically.

Meaney
135 Metres
1 Tackle Break
0 Line Breaks
0 Line Break Assists
2 Errors
1 Tackle
3 Missed Tackles

[yourhero]

It was a typical Meaney FB game (in defence) to be honest.

Ineffective tackle on Staggs try.
Nowhere to be seen for Walsh try.
Ineffective tackle on Riki try.

No involvement on Cobbo try but not expected to be.

[blazza18]

Meaney is such a weird player. Doesn't seem like a player who would pout or get lazy but the guy constantly takes business decisions defensively. Always there but never actually there.

I'd be surprised if Sua played fullback but wouldn't be surprised if he did play. Listening to Bellamy talk about him before and after his debut and Bellamy seems to genuinely think highly of him.

[Mattpoet]

He's got to be considered for the wing. Especially if Seve and Tonunaipea are potentially out. He was the leading tryscorer for the Falcons this year, that's worth thinking about after a week when we didn't score if nothing else.

[The Black Dot]

No chance Sua plays, can't imagine he goes from playing a reserves grade team in final round to an elimination final with a prelim on the cards. Hope I'm wrong, but I won't be.

I completely agree. Not at this time but next year?

[yourhero]

The Raiders threw caution to the wind and almost came away with the win in Newy. I feel if we play conservative as we typically do (next week or the week after), we are no hope.

Gotta roll the dice somewhere.

[glennb]

Does anyone know when tickets go on sale or information. Last week storm was putting out social media information everywhere for an away game. Nothing this week for a home game. I can’t find information anywhere

[Scooter]

7:50pm Friday at AAMI Park has been confirmed.