2023 Best Line Up

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
Mattpoet
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I'm thinking our best line up for next year is:

1.Papenhuyzen
2.Meaney
3.R.Smith
4.Olam
5.Coates
6.Munster
7.Hughes
8.Welch (c)
9.H.Grant
10.Kamikamica
11.Asofa-Solomona
12.Chan
13.Sims
14.Wishart
15.Loiero
16.Moeroa
17.Katoa

Rest of squad:
Anderson, J.Grant, Howarth, Ieremia, Jennings, King, MacDonald, Seve, Pezet, Warbrick, Fa'alogo, Nikorima
Bartos
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Nice team but i can't see Howarth missing out being on the coin he is. Would have him on the bench with Chan 18th and Loiero/Katoa starting
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sallymay
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F**k after todays effort for the falcons I don’t know how Jack can even get a spot in the starting line up ..can’t even get through a full game atm
Lucas
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Hey Matt, on what basis do you have Chan in front of Kotoa and Loeiro for an edge spot?
Mattpoet
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I've watched a couple of Catalans games, rate him. It's purely a guess but I think he provides the go forward we need.
riders of the storm
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Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nick Meaney, Reimis Smith, Justin Olam, Xavier Coates, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes (cc), Tui Kamikamica, Harry Grant, Christian Welch (cc), Elisea Katoa, Tariq Sims, Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

Bench: Tyrann Wishart, Jack Howarth, Tepai Moeroa, Josh King.
blazza18
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Forward pack needs to get more mobile and quicker. Don’t love our current options as of now.
big_m
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Youd think Howarth has got to be in the 17 next year or we are not doing well with managing the cap. If he isnt playing nrl next year then its essentially leaving 3 remaining nrl years for 2.5m. Hopefully he gets a solid preseason in and really pushes on.

If Nelson isnt on the edge id like to see him on the bench - always though we were at our best with him coming on fresh after 25 mins against tired bodies.

Feels to me like we have too many edge forwards (katoa, sims, chan, howarth, loiero, macdonald, eisenhuth, lewis, etc) and not enough good middles.
Lucas
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big_m wrote: Sun Sep 11, 2022 6:23 pm Youd think Howarth has got to be in the 17 next year or we are not doing well with managing the cap. If he isnt playing nrl next year then its essentially leaving 3 remaining nrl years for 2.5m. Hopefully he gets a solid preseason in and really pushes on.

If Nelson isnt on the edge id like to see him on the bench - always though we were at our best with him coming on fresh after 25 mins against tired bodies.

Feels to me like we have too many edge forwards (katoa, sims, chan, howarth, loiero, macdonald, eisenhuth, lewis, etc) and not enough good middles.
McDonald is a middle and I think Sims will be a middle for us. Not sure either Eisenhuth or Lewis will be with us next year. Both had incredibly poor years.
big_m
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Fair enough - didnt realise mcdonald was projected as a middle.

On another note, what about big Tepai at starting lock? He played there a fair bit for the eels i seems to remember.
Bullucked
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Lucas wrote: Sun Sep 11, 2022 10:25 pm McDonald is a middle and I think Sims will be a middle for us. Not sure either Eisenhuth or Lewis will be with us next year. Both had incredibly poor years.
Did Lewis get much game time this year? I reckon he offers a bit more in the size and ability department than Trent L.
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sallymay
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Tom and Chris both were injured half the year so it’s not really fair to say they were poor
Lucas
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Don't recall Lewis being injured at all. And Tom is always injured, that's the problem.
blazza18
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I like Tommy if he can stay healthy but probably don't want to be relying on either guy moving forward tbh.
Stormhunter
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The backs pick themselves, the only question is whether George can get his spot back given Meaney is likely to train pre season predominantly at fullback. Or if Warbrick can push into firsts at some point on merit.

Round one middle rotation I reckon
Welch
Tui
NAS (13)
Sims
King (bench 13)
Moeroa
Apart from Jordan that's all of them anyway at this stage...

Katoa and Loiero on edges. Trent deserves first crack after a year in the middle and Eli is nearing 50 games. If either doesn't work they could start NAS on an edge and bring on Howarth (or Chan?) from the bench.

Wishart the bench utility. Only question is if another winger's form pushes Meaney out does he get the 14?

So far we have 27 of 30, so 2 more signings before the season starts. Outside back roster looks full, halves look good and plenty of edge options. Maybe another 9/utility otherwise more middles please!
Personally I hope they keep Tom, but that's the heart talking.
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