2015 lineup

[storma01]

So we now look to 2015 for premiership glory again and was wondering who people though would be our top 17 and 28th man???

Mine would be:

1 slater
2 korobete
3 fonua
4 chambers
5 o neill
6 green
7 cronk
8 j bromwich
9 smith
10 mclean
11 proctor
12 harris
13 hinchy

14 learoyd-lars
15 k bromwich
16 griffin (I dont think he adds anyting but I rekon belly will have him in the team. I would much rather l put mann or hampton in this spot.
17 norrie

18 weston

Now the team I would love to see

1 slater
2 koro
3 mann
4 chambers
5 o neill
6 green
7 cronk
8 j brom
9 smith
10 mclean
11 proctor
12 fonua (he aint a centre)
13 harris
14 hinchy
15 learoyd-lars
16 norrie
17 k brom

18 hampton

[sallymay]

Cam Munster has to be there but if not add norrie

1 Billy Slater
2 Marika Korobete
3 Mahe Fonua
4 Will chambers
5 Young Tonipapia
6 Ben Hampton
7 Cooper Cronk
8 jesse bromwich
9 Cam smith
10 Jordan mclean
11 Kevin proctor
12 Tohu harris
13 Ryan Hinchcliffe
14 Blake Green
15 Cameron Munster
16 Tom learoyd-lars
17 Kenny bromwich
18 Bryan Norrie

[Inglis#3]

1. Billy Slater - Full pre season under his belt hopefully unlike last year. Should make a difference.
2. Cameron Munster - He's a must. Could do the goal kicking too. Wouldn't be too burnt out to do it playing on the wing.
3. William Chambers - Atrocious final game of 2014 from Will however he'll be one of our best again.
4. Justin O'Neill - Needs to play a lot better than he did this year when he played otherwise Mann shall replace him.
5. Marika Koroibete - Will be even better with a full pre season under his belt with us.
6. Blake Green - Best choice here to start. Hoping Noma can push for a spot so then he can take the goal kicking reigns. Green to move to lock and Hinchcliffe to the bench or drops out completely (won't happen with Craig as coach though).
7. Cooper Cronk - Must improve his running game. Has been weak over the past few seasons.
8. Jesse Bromwich - Perfect. Keep doing what you're doing Jess.
9. Cameron Smith - Keep your head out of the back of the scrum, Cam.
10. Jordan McLean - His best position. Not sure what Craig's been doing naming him at lock.
11. Kevin Proctor - Needs to step up. I'd hate to see the amount we're paying him but I highly doubt he was worthy of it this season. Player that needs to step up the most next season.
12. Tohu Harris - Nothing needs to be said. Can handle starting each week I'm sure.
13. Ryan Hinchcliffe - Holding onto his position by the skin of his teeth. Much improvement needed in 2015.

14. Mahe Fonua - Might need a few weeks in reserve grade to learn the rigours of being a forward though.
15. Nelson Asofa-Solomona - He's ready. Showed in his time in NSW Cup that he can handle playing with the big boys.
16. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs - His impact is needed. Hopefully can impress in the pre-season.
17. Felise Kafausi- Third best prop on our roster.

[blazza18]

^^^ Like the look at that side with the exception of Fonua on the bench. Kenny Bromwich would bring more to the team as a bench forward than Mahe. Green moving to lock is an intriguing idea. Adds another attacking option for a team that dearly needs more.

[brisbanestorm]

Do you guys think Slater will finish his career at fullback? Not that I have seen Munster playing in the QLD Cup but from what i read here he's been killing it at fullback. Might be an option to rotate Billy from fullback during games in a similar way to what happened when he started his career / what the Roosters have been doing with RTS.

I also like the idea of an attack orientated lock so hopefully Kenny B breaks out during the pre-season. Probably need his size over Greens

[bula]

I think its too late in Billy's career to make that move plus we have Green to play there.
I like the idea though.

[blazza18]

Roosters move Mini to the wing, RTS to fullback when they're in attack and change back when they're defending. Slater means way too much to our attack to do the same thing imo.

[yourhero]

I agree, it is too late to be moving Slater to 5/8. He has never had to defend in the front line for long periods of time and when he has spent small amounts of time there, his defence has been scratchy... His technique is very solid however. Slater's ball playing ranges from world class to very average. And none of that factors in what we lose by not having him back there, organising defence, fitting into our attacking structures seemlessly or always being in the right position (best ever positional fullback - without question).

HOWEVER... A part of me still would love to see Billy shift to 5/8 and Cam Munster get some time at the back. If he is the long term fullback replacement for Slater, having a transition period for a few years where he can play in first grade alongside Slater/Cronk/Smith would surely have some significant benefits as opposed to throwing him in once those guys are done.

Munster has been tearing it up in QLD Cup and has a huge work ethic. Slater's attack at first receiver can be dynamic when he ever jumps in there and he looks dangerous when at first receiver from a scrum.

As I said in my first paragraph, it is likely not the best option for the team for a number of reasons... but a part of me would love to see it. If nothing else but to give Munster his chance to shine.

[brisbanestorm]

I don't think I made myself very clear. I'm not suggesting to move Slater to 5/8, as has been pointed out it is too late to do that. What I'm saying is to play Munster on the wing and give him 10-20 minutes at fullback here and there. I certainly wouldn't shift Slater permanently but the fact that we are out of the competition so early this year makes it glaringly obvious that we need to start looking beyond the big three.

During big games or tight contests by all means leave Slater at fullback for the full 80, but Munster will develop a lot more with Slater around him than he would being thrown into the deep end when Slater finishes.

[Mattpoet]

well said.

[riders of the storm]

1. Billy Slater, 2. Justin O'Neill, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Mahe Fonua, 5. Marika Koroibete; 6. Shaun Nona, 7. Cooper Cronk; 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Jordan McLean, 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Kenny Bromwich.

Bench: 14. Ryan Hinchcliffe, 15. Bryan Norrie, 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs.

[sallymay]

I'd completely forgotten about Shaun Nona

[yourhero]

1. Billy Slater, 2. Justin O'Neill, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Mahe Fonua, 5. Marika Koroibete; 6. Shaun Nona, 7. Cooper Cronk; 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Jordan McLean, 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Kenny Bromwich.

Bench: 14. Ryan Hinchcliffe, 15. Bryan Norrie, 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs.

I'd love to see that. Great line-up. Question mark over Nona, the rest looks really good.

[Inglis#3]

Blake Green's not coming back here to run the waters..

And Munster should be a certain starter on the wing. Would have him well ahead of Juzzy based on their respective form this year.

[Scooter]

I agree Green is likely to be first choice five-eighth. I would have the sixes in this order Green, Nona and Hampton. I know he is only relatively young but I wasn't impressed at all with Hampton this year.