David_Smith12
Frank Row (1)
I agree with both of you on some takes. But nonetheless here are a few of my takeaways from the three-way trial between TSS, Toowoomba, and Churchie this past weekend, especially regarding Churchie’s performance. Although Churchie hasn’t had the most impressive trial period with only one win, I still believe that they have the ability to upset some big names this year. It should be noted that key and returning players Fletcher Austin and Jye Crothers were once again absent in these trials. Austin will be a key player for Churchies attack showing talent in 2023 when he was only in year 10. Crothers will also be huge for Churchie with dominant carries and defence. Injuries may prevent Churchie from fulfilling their potential however this year, with a significant lack of depth to cater for any additional injuries, especially in the front row, with the Tauakipulu brothers out for unknown reasons.
Aside from the injuries, there was still plenty of upside to this team. Churchie seems to becoming more acclimated to new coach Brownhill’s ‘eyes up footy’ approach as opposed to the structured field possession style that Shultz has successfully delivered in previous years. However, this new style is still far from perfect with many failed offloads leading to loss of possession. If Churchie are to perfect this style I seriously believe they could be one of the most dangerous underdogs of the competition.
Standouts from Churchie on the weekend were once again Harry Solofa and Sam Williams. Solofa seems to be thriving under the new system, with dangerous offloading ability allowing him to make defenders second guess which ultimately led to him scoring two tries. My early prediction is an underdog for best forward of the season if not MVP which may not be a favourite pick but he has shown more promise than any other forward I have watched this season.
Williams once again showed off his ball carrying and defence which also led to him scoring two.
Churchie winger Bloxham is another player to watch on offence. His speed and agility will benefit well as a ball supporter, and if Churchie can find him space in attack he could be an impressive and underrated threat.
Finally from Churchie, Treyvon Pritchard still seems like the go-to back for the line. His speed and footwork combined with unsuspecting power in contact will pose a threat to the GPS this year. This should lead to opportunities for the outside backs as he consistently seemed to draw at least 2 in his attack. He especially had a great connection with the new 13 who seemed to gel better after playing 2s the last few weeks.
Now for TSS:
I have read plenty of comments regarding TSS’s pack size and their ability to play ‘bully ball’ due to their sheer size. Although the pack was dominant to some extent, it was evidently not enough to the extent where their ‘simplified’ version of rugby is justifiable. I still believe that TSS is going to be a threat this season, but I hope to see them develop a more skilled version of footy that utilises ball playing more often.
Kingsley Uys was still the most impressive forward for TSS despite having a quieter game than previous trials. His size and strength will continue to lead the TSS pack. I also believe that the centre pairing of TSS will be important for their success with both players looking dominant.
I won’t say much on TGS, but they were quite impressive, despite sending what seemed to be a somewhat developmental team. Standout player for me was Rhymen Tusi at 13. Despite being young, his size led for strong carries. Notably his kicking ability was also quite impressive with good exits.
