National Rugby League PremiershipBy W D Nicolson - February 23, 2017
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NRL SuperCoach and NRL Fantasy pundits rejoice - your old mate The Postman is back with his take on the 17 Rabbitohs he believes Michael Maguire will pick for Round 1:
UPDATE 28/2: AIt's Siosifa Talakai v Braidon Burns for the final spot in the three-quarter line. If Talakai plays he'll play centre and Goodwin shifts to the wing, if Burns plays - Goodwin will play centre. Adam Reynolds is out for the first month with appendicitis. Picking Luke Kelly at halfback or John Sutton to five-eighth (moving Walker to halfback) most likely options for Maguire with Inglis to stay at fullback. The other option being mooted is picking Damien Cook at 7 but having Robbie Farah playing more first receiver.
- Greg INGLIS
- Alex JOHNSTON
- Hymel HUNT
- Siosifa TALAKAI or Braidon BURNS
- Bryson GOODWIN
- Cody WALKER
- Luke KELLY
- George BURGESS
- Robbie FARAH
- Dave TYRRELL
- John SUTTON
- Kyle TURNER
- Sam BURGESS
BENCH - Damien COOK
- Thomas BURGESS
- Jason CLARK
- Angus CRICHTON or Zane MUSGROVE
The Postman's Squad Analysis:- Aaron Gray is the only key player injured entering Round 1 - with Maguire set to give Talakai a chance to start in the centres with Bryson Goodwin shuffling to the wing. Braidon Burns is the only other possibility after coming across from Penrith's Under 20s but Talakai looks to have the inside running with Goodwin picked on the wing for the final trial and not at centre.
- Farah will be your starting hooker with Cook almost certainly a fixture on the bench... at least initially. If Farah thrives then Maguire may look to bring that extra prop into his rotation. But from Round 1 - expect both in the 17. With the Reynolds injury there's talk that Cook could be picked at 7 but that would just let Farah play more first receiver.
- Inglis will be at fullback as we all know, with Walker joining Reynolds in the halves. Luke Kelly the backup should anything happen to the halves (see Reynolds injury), with Inglis and Sutton also able to move into the 6 if needed.
- Up front - roll the dice on George or Thomas Burgess starting with the other to the bench. Tyrrell started at prop in the final trial so if Maguire wants to split the Burgess twins up then it'll be Tyrrell or Musgrove starting at prop. Robbie Rochow won't force his way into the starting backrow and must beat out Tyrrell, Crichton or Musgrove for a spot in the 17 with Clark seemingly cemented into a bench role. Crichton might be the unlucky one to miss out on a spot on the bench but he's next in line especially if Maguire chooses to run with a more athletic backrower on the bench ahead of Musgrove or Rochow.
Adam Reynolds (Appendicitis - Round 3 on), Aaron Gray (Knee - Round 8 on), Jack Gosiewski (Knee - Mid-Season), Connor Tracey (Knee - Most of Season). Brett Greinke (Ankle - Round 4 on).
