Titans Team for 2015 and Beyond

[Pallas]

In this thread I hope to discuss the best possible team we could have this year, as well as the players we would like to see the Titans sign. I know there are other threads that are like this one, but as of yet they remain a bit inactive.

[Titan4Life]

For 2015 I would be looking at this side:
1. Josh Hoffman
2. Anthony Don
3. James Roberts
4. Davin Crampton
5. David Mead
6. Aidan Sezer
7. Kane Elgey
8. Luke Douglas
9. Kierran Moseley
10. Nate Myles
11. Ryan James/Greg Bird
12. Dave Taylor
13. Greg Bird/Ryan James

14. Dave Hala
15. Mark Ioane
16. Pettybourne/White/Robinson/Simpkins/Burr/?
17. Mortimer/Hazard

As for players I would like us to sign for the future, obviously DCE tops the list. Cherry would benefit the cub both on and off the field. He would attract fans, sponsors and other star players to the Titans which I believe makes him worth the $1.1m+ we are offering.

I would also like to see us target a strike centre for the future as well.

[Pallas]

This is the team I would like the Titans to field for the majority of this season.

1. Hoffman
2. Don/FaiFai Loa
3. Roberts
4. Dowling (Note: I would give him the first crack but he doesn't play solid I would replace him)
5. Mead
6. Mortimer/Fogarty/Elgey
7. Elgey/Hazard
8. Douglas
9. Moseley
10. Ioane
11. Bird
12. Taylor
13. Myles
--------------------
14. Hala
15. James
16. Ridge
17. Hazard/Mortimer
--------------------
18. Simpkins
19. Robinson
20. White
21. Pettybourne
22. Crampton

The players numbered 18 to 22 are players who I wouldn't mind on the bench.
--------------------
23. FaiFai Loa/Don
24. Fogarty/Mortimer
25. Burr
26. Binge
27. Falloon
28. Srama
29. Hudson
30. Tighe
31. Zillman
32. Gordon
33. Sezer

Plus the players on train and trial contracts who get signed
--------------------

Gains:

Daly Cherry-Evans

Losses:

Aidan Sezer
Brad Tighe
Beau Falloon
Will Zillman

Resign

Ben Ridge
Kane Elgey
Christian Hazard
Jamie Dowling (Only a must if he plays solid this year as we need more quality centres)
Mark Ioane
James Roberts
Caleb Binge
Davin Crampton
Kalifa Faifai Loa
Jamal Fogarty
Shaun Hudson
Jai Ingram
Nate Myles
Eddy Pettybourne

The Players in bold are musts

[Mr Stupid]

Interesting Pallas,

Can you explain your not including Aiden Sezer but your inclusion of Jaimie Dowling.

[TITAN PETE]

This is the team I would like the Titans to field for the majority of this season.


Resign

Ben Ridge
Kane Elgey
Christian Hazard
Jamie Dowling
Mark Ioane
James Roberts
Caleb Binge
Davin Crampton
Kalifa Faifai Loa
Jamal Fogarty
Shaun Hudson
Jai Ingram
Nate Myles
Eddy Pettybourne

The Players in bold are musts

With all due respect Jamie is a great bloke as is his grand father but if he gets a start in 1st grade with the Titans this season we are in trouble, good for Burleigh & maybe a Super League contract but he's not up to NRL standard for me..
Also think Ridge will struggle to get another contract unless he gets back on the field late this season...Hudson & Fogarty are well ahead of a few players named

[Titanic]

Yep and I reckon Paasi should feature on that list too. I rate Ioane but feel he's too small when we really need some size up front.

[Pallas]

Interesting Pallas,

Can you explain your not including Aiden Sezer but your inclusion of Jaimie Dowling.

I used to like Sezer a lot. He was fantastic in his debut season and I remember his first touch when he fended off DCE to score. Since his debut season he hasn't replicated or improved on that form. Ofcourse you could argue he's been a victim of injuries and poor coaching but I think otherwise. He tends to miss tackles, make bad defensive reads and on top of that take hit ups on his own instead of utilising his backs and edge forwards. This would be excusable if Sezer showed some effort, hunger or urgency in his game. How many times does he punt the long kick into the chest of the opposing back three? How many times does not follow through his kicks. Some here have said that Bird gets in the way of our left side attack and that is absolutely true but last time I checked a half is suppose direct the attack and get players into position. Sezer didn't do his job and to be fair neither did Kelly.

Sezer has the potential to be a rep half but at the moment he is our worst half in my opinion. Maybe he finds form, maybe Henry can get the best out of him but I feel as though Sezer takes his position for granted now that he's basically been an auto pick. Another auto pick I don't rate is Fallon but at least he showed effort during his games. Also the emergence of Elgey who in my opinion is the best half in the club atm is another reason I feel comfortable laying the boot into Sezer. Fogarty and Hazard are capable of playing first grade and I'd rather they play first grade instead of Sezer. They might make a few mistakes and have some bad games but I don't doubt they'll put in 100%. Not convinced yet, look how awful our attack was with Sezer in the nines. We lost both games he played in. In the third our attack didn't look constipated with Sezer wasting tackles with the ball. Heck even Mortimer looked better without Sezer. People don't rate Mortimer but at least he puts effort and that's why I have him in front of Sezer. I'm worried that we'll lose Elgey, not get DCE and keep Sezer on an upgraded contract to partner Mortimer in the Halves! In a perfect world I want
6. Elgey
7. DCE
For 2016. I now know why Bulldogs didn't care about losing the overrated hack.

On Dowling from what little game time he's played he's shown enough to me that he more than capable of playing first grade. While not outstanding never once in first grade was he a liability. Defensively I'd argue he's better than Roberts who is the best centre in our club. Robert is more aggressive in his contact but Dowling reads the play better. Dowling also shown he can be a target for a high ball. Take into account he displayed all of this under Carty’s rein. Usually so many players are under developed by Carty’s coaching it's become a cliché. There are two genuine centre options other than Dowling, Tighe and Crampton. Don and Zillman don't count. I like Don but he's not a first grade centre and Zillman!!! Really!!! We complain about his lack of passing skill, his inability to tackle and his poor field positioning and people pencil him in the Centres! Zillman is a fullback and a fullback alone. He just isn't a fist grade one. Tighe is nearing the end of his career and defence has always been a weakness in his game. Crampton is talented and versatile but remember in the Interstate Cup grand final Kevin Naiqama (who's not a proper centre) kept getting on the outside of him. I'd be cautious throwing him in up against a first grade Centre like Hodges or Matai. Then again he could do well but Dowling is one of those players who I'd like to see string 15+ consecutive games, Ryan James is another player in that category. I'd rather see Dowling a local junior get a go instead of someone like Tighe and if you’re convinced on his ability well another reason why I want Dowling in the team is because he sort of reminds me of Matt Rogers. Both can play Centre, FB and FE although only Dowling can play second row. In a way he kind of looks like a young Matt Rogers lol.

Sorry for the long post just my two cents worth.

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With all due respect Jamie is a great bloke as is his grand father but if he gets a start in 1st grade with the Titans this season we are in trouble, good for Burleigh & maybe a Super League contract but he's not up to NRL standard for me..
Also think Ridge will struggle to get another contract unless he gets back on the field late this season...Hudson & Fogarty are well ahead of a few players named

The reason I put Dowling as a must to resign is because we need to retain what little first grade quality centres that we have as Tighe is getting too old. Don't get me wrong, I would love to sign someone like SKD or Gagai to partner Roberts, but as of right now he is the best we've got.

[Titanic]

More like 2 dollars worth but an interesting read Pallas. I couldn't agree more on your read of Sezer and the rest except Dowling who just doesn't do it for me ... I'll give you that he's willing and has some skills but is that enough? I think we are in situation where we need to invent one, Hudson or Li?, or buy one.

[DavidBouveng]

welcome Pallas.

your take on Sezer is like reading my own thoughts. its incredibly close to my feelings, yet i would imagine your are DOwlings drinking buddy for the second paragraph. Freaks me out how we could be so similar in one assessment and poles apart in another.

Respect for the detailed, well thought reply though. Cant argue with a man's opinion when he is prepared to back it up.

post more.

[Show and Go]

I wouldn't mind to see us chasing after a centre like Tim Simona to partner Roberts. That said ideally we would play Roberts at fullback to maximize his time with the ball. Myles, Roberts, Elgey, Fogarty, Faifai Loa, Ioane, Hudson, Ridge would be on my list re-sign.

[Pallas]

I wouldn't mind to see us chasing after a centre like Tim Simona to partner Roberts. That said ideally we would play Roberts at fullback to maximize his time with the ball. Myles, Roberts, Elgey, Fogarty, Faifai Loa, Ioane, Hudson, Ridge would be on my list re-sign.

Totally agree with all of that, but I doubt Simona would come to the Titans. Another good option would be Ricky Leutele from Sharks who is a Queenslander and has represented Samoa with Simona. Both of them are cheaper options than Matai, SKD and Gagai.

[Pallas]

Yep and I reckon Paasi should feature on that list too. I rate Ioane but feel he's too small when we really need some size up front.

Sam Moa, Paul Gallen and Matt Scott aren't considered giants of the field but their height is not a excuse to not put them in the team. Remember, last year Ioane was the only prop that broke tackles and bent the line. He has been pushed back sometimes, but he is an X-Factor prop who would compliment Douglas' workhorse game. 50/50 on him starting, but he is too good to play QLD Cup. See his performance against the Dogs' monster forward pack in Rd26, he really stepped up in a injury ravaged team.

- - - Updated - - -

welcome Pallas.

your take on Sezer is like reading my own thoughts. its incredibly close to my feelings, yet i would imagine your are DOwlings drinking buddy for the second paragraph. Freaks me out how we could be so similar in one assessment and poles apart in another.

Respect for the detailed, well thought reply though. Cant argue with a man's opinion when he is prepared to back it up.

post more.

Thanks

lol I can see why you might think I'm Dowling's Drinking buddy based on my positive comment, you might also think I have an agenda against Sezer based on my first comment but that's just my opinion on both of them. I do like Dowling but not enough to think we shouldn't be exploring options on the market for centres and I really hope Sezer proves me wrong, but I doubt he will.

[Hail Sezer]

Welcome to the forum mate, way to make an entry!

I agree with the general consensus in that your points on Sezer are bang on, but I tend to hold an alternative opinion of Dowling.

In terms of who we should be targetting, a strike centre is the obvious position. We've got Hudson coming through and he may be an option after a few years of qcup..however on the current market I would pursue an up and comer that we can bank on long term:

Euan Aitken - Strong defensive centre who is a noted hole runner. Really strong for his size..check out his highlights on YT for an indication of how far above his weight he punches. Decent pace and an adequate skillset has him lined up for an NRL birth for the dragons as well, despite still being eligible for U20s.

Solomone Kata - Jack Gibson medal winner 2014 (award Roberts won in 2013). Laumape/Hurrell mould. Built like a house, low centre of gravity and strong acceleration. With a host of centres at the warriors ahead of him (koni/ngani/fusitua) he may well be looking for a first grade opportunity elsewhere.

Waqa Blake - Penrith's up and coming top prospect who ripped apart NSW cup last year. Should play NRL rd 1 this year with Idris being injured. He's like a more refined version of Leva Li.

me and my flatmates are now going to watch Better Call Saul but I will resume this post afterwards

[Pallas]

Welcome to the forum mate, way to make an entry!

I agree with the general consensus in that your points on Sezer are bang on, but I tend to hold an alternative opinion of Dowling.

In terms of who we should be targetting, a strike centre is the obvious position. We've got Hudson coming through and he may be an option after a few years of qcup..however on the current market I would pursue an up and comer that we can bank on long term:

Euan Aitken - Strong defensive centre who is a noted hole runner. Really strong for his size..check out his highlights on YT for an indication of how far above his weight he punches. Decent pace and an adequate skillset has him lined up for an NRL birth for the dragons as well, despite still being eligible for U20s.

Solomone Kata - Jack Gibson medal winner 2014 (award Roberts won in 2013). Laumape/Hurrell mould. Built like a house, low centre of gravity and strong acceleration. With a host of centres at the warriors ahead of him (koni/ngani/fusitua) he may well be looking for a first grade opportunity elsewhere.

Waqa Blake - Penrith's up and coming top prospect who ripped apart NSW cup last year. Should play NRL rd 1 this year with Idris being injured. He's like a more refined version of Leva Li.

me and my flatmates are now going to watch Better Call Saul but I will resume this post afterwards

Agree with all of that. Blake as well as Yeo might be good options to get as they don't hold a clear place in the Panthers.

[teke]

I wouldn't mind to see us chasing after a centre like Tim Simona to partner Roberts. That said ideally we would play Roberts at fullback to maximize his time with the ball. Myles, Roberts, Elgey, Fogarty, Faifai Loa, Ioane, Hudson, Ridge would be on my list re-sign.

if mead isn't getting fb Roberts has no chance. I'd only resign roberts and Myles outta that list