This is a serious side.

[Dragonslayer]

Yes we are!
But lets see when we do play some serious opposition. Also, lets not forget injuries (big drop from Hunt to Nichols and Vaughan to Latimore for example), wet weather football and rep duties.
On the Dugan V Dufty debate. There really isnt one and certainly not goung to bag either.
Dugan played for us with no half back, 1 rookie centre and 1 busted centre and wingers on their opposite sides. Now we have a half back, centres in form and wingets on their correct sides. It would have been interesting ti see IF Dugan would have excelled under our 2018 set up.
Young Dufty is certainly reaping the benefits and long may he continue to do so.

 

[jeffdragon]

The test will come when we play in the origin period when vaughan, jdb ,friz ,hunt might be missing.
And also we have started well in the past and faltered mid season .

 

[giboz71]

I’m more surprised how poorly the top teams have started.

Storm, Parra, Cows, Roosters, Broncos, Sharks have all struggled. Who would have thought we’d be 4 points clear of the Roosters and the Storm and 6 points clear of the Cows?

I’m resigned to the fact we’ll have a run of losses mid season, but the thing is none of the teams we have traditionally feared are worrying me right now.

 

[ruthless dragon]

Wow, 8 years to assemble a half decent team. So impressive.

Straight Shooter

Stop your whining Reactive View, its the future lets see what this year brings, looking good so far.

 

[Frank Facer]

Love the enthusiasm but ......
2010 forwards would poop over our current pack.
Cooper & Gasiner would poop over our current backs.
Again, love the positive stuff but we just haven’t proven ourselves, yet.
Hopefully we can.

I disagree that our 2010 pack would poop over our current pack. If anything, I think our current pack is better than 2010.

Our current pair of halves is much better than 2010 pair of halves. Gasnier only came back to us mid season and never recaptured his best form for us, but he still is streets ahead of Lafai and Aitken.

 

[Frank Facer]

The test will come when we play in the origin period when vaughan, jdb ,friz ,hunt might be missing.
And also we have started well in the past and faltered mid season .

That will be one game against Melbourne, when they will be missing Smith, Slater, Munster and possibly Chambers.

 

[BennyV]

I disagree that our 2010 pack would poop over our current pack. If anything, I think our current pack is better than 2010.

Our current pair of halves is much better than 2010 pair of halves. Gasnier only came back to us mid season and never recaptured his best form for us, but he still is streets ahead of Lafai and Aitken.

I reckon it’s close but our current pack is yet to be truly tested.

As much as I love JDB, Jeremy Smith eats him for breakfast and asks for more. I’d take a 2010 Creagh over Sims, although Friz pips Beau Scott I think. I’d put Weyman up against any of our current props, but there’s a bit of a drop to Costigan. Prior would probably be on par with Ah Mau, Young is a far better utility than anyone we’ve currently got and I’d take a 2010 Saffy over Latimore or Sele. Which leaves Merrin against Luc, in which case I’d take Trent.

Oh, and I’m a big fan of McInnes. But Fien was massively superior. I get excited just thinking about the pass he threw to Sowie for the FG in the 2010 semi against the Tigpies.

To take it further - the backs in 2010 destroy our current ones in every position, and I’d argue that Sowie in the Bennett years was every bit as good as Widdop is (people often forget just how good Sowie was back then). Hunt is better than Hornby was.

The main difference though is the guy with the clipboard. Bennett brought more to the team than any player could.

 

[Carlton]

Hunt/Widdop.........

I'm sure thats a big part of it but I think there is more to it than just that. I don't know whether its Graham or someone having input behind the scenes. Bottom line is I don't care, just keep doing it.

 

[Slackboy72]

Stop your whining Reactive View, its the future lets see what this year brings, looking good so far.

That merkin would complain if we won 10 premierships in a row. He would say it wasn't as good as the 11-in-a-row.

 

[Frank Facer]

I reckon it’s close but our current pack is yet to be truly tested.

As much as I love JDB, Jeremy Smith eats him for breakfast and asks for more. I’d take a 2010 Creagh over Sims, although Friz pips Beau Scott I think. I’d put Weyman up against any of our current props, but there’s a bit of a drop to Costigan. Prior would probably be on par with Ah Mau, Young is a far better utility than anyone we’ve currently got and I’d take a 2010 Saffy over Latimore or Sele. Which leaves Merrin against Luc, in which case I’d take Trent.

Oh, and I’m a big fan of McInnes. But Fien was massively superior. I get excited just thinking about the pass he threw to Sowie for the FG in the 2010 semi against the Tigpies.

To take it further - the backs in 2010 destroy our current ones in every position, and I’d argue that Sowie in the Bennett years was every bit as good as Widdop is (people often forget just how good Sowie was back then). Hunt is better than Hornby was.

The main difference though is the guy with the clipboard. Bennett brought more to the team than any player could.

Yeah I think it close too. But the more I think about it, I think this pack is better than 2010. I think that Vaughn is better than Weyman. I think that Creagh was better in attack than Simms, but Simms is tougher and has more mongrel. Frizell is better than Scott, even though Scott was very good in defence, they are both very tough. I would take Graham over Costigan. I think DeBelin and Smith could cancel each other out, but I would take DeBelin over Smith right now. Right now Ah Mau is going much better than Prior ever was. Did anyone ever say that Prior was the best interchange forward in the comp? I would take McInnes over Fien, McInnes's defence is much better than Fien. McInnes also plays bigger minutes than Field. Merrin and Luc would probably cancel each other out. I wan't a fan of Saffy and I am not a fan of Latimore, they probably cancel each other out.

As for the halves. I think Widdop is going much better now than Soward ever was. Hunt is also better than Hornby.

 

[BennyV]

Yeah I think it close too. But the more I think about it, I think this pack is better than 2010. I think that Vaughn is better than Weyman. I think that Creagh was better in attack than Simms, but Simms is tougher and has more mongrel. Frizell is better than Scott, even though Scott was very good in defence, they are both very tough. I would take Graham over Costigan. I think DeBelin and Smith could cancel each other out, but I would take DeBelin over Smith right now. Right now Ah Mau is going much better than Prior ever was. Did anyone ever say that Prior was the best interchange forward in the comp? I would take McInnes over Fien, McInnes's defence is much better than Fien. McInnes also plays bigger minutes than Field. Merrin and Luc would probably cancel each other out. I wan't a fan of Saffy and I am not a fan of Latimore, they probably cancel each other out.

As for the halves. I think Widdop is going much better now than Soward ever was. Hunt is also better than Hornby.

If you think that Smith and DeBelin cancel each other out then I’m assuming you forget just how good Smith was for us. He owned the field. He provided more intimidation and monger than our current pack combined. The guy was an animal and was our biggest loss after winning that GF.

Sims providing more mongrel than Creagh doesn’t mean much. Creagh was far more reliable in defence and provided much more in attack. His lines, offload and complete lack of self preservation running off Hornby was a massive part of that left edge being so potent.

Will have to agree to disagree on Weyman vs Vaughan. IMO, Weyman is amongst our best props as a JV. He provided the go-forward and impact of Vaughan as well as leadership of Graham. A current Sharks/SOO forward I’ve spoken to said that he was amongst the top 2 scariest blokes in the league to tackle back then (with the other being Fuifui Moimoi). But I’d definitely take Vaughan and Graham over Costigan.

Will also have to disagree on McInnes vs Fien. Fiens defence was fine, and he provided more spark in attack than many hookers these days. His shorter minutes were tactical, as Dean Young played the utility role that Havili should have played for us last year. Different style of hooker, but I froth imagining what a 2010 Fien could do in our current team.

Fair call re: Prior vs Ah Mau. And probably fair about Merrin, he was effectively on debut in 2010 similar to Luc now.

 

[Jersey No 14]

Hey Guys
I'm just as surprised as the next guy with our initial success.
We all know rugby league - and its a long, long brutal season.
My pessimism has been turned, but I BullSh*t you not, we will have injuries (maybe a bad one)
We will have players on rep duty and we will also have players suspended.
Please, sure enjoy this optimism, and the slight summer breeze up your skirt.
but keep our feet on the ground -this is not 2010, this is 2018 - There is a bunch of other clubs who have other things in mind

 

[slippery5]

I've been lead down this pathway before. I'm quietly optimistic, but there is no way I'm going to guarantee we are in this comp as winners at this stage. That would be stupid.

I agree, I'm just saying at this moment we are by far the best performing side.

 

[slippery5]

This thread is no fun at all. In fact it’s too... serious.
And I’m not joking.

Yes, I should have waited until round 26 to post such a SERIOUS thread. Lol

 

[slippery5]

If

Love the enthusiasm but ......
2010 forwards would poop over our current pack.
Cooper & Gasiner would poop over our current backs.
Again, love the positive stuff but we just haven’t proven ourselves, yet.
Hopefully we can.

If I had the choice of 2 players only to choose from 2010, they are my additions.

 

[slippery5]

I agree!! I was thinking this exact thing actually before going to bed last night! DUFTY changes EVERYTHING and proves outright just what a waste of cap and a total plodding speed hump Dugan was!! IM SO Glad hes gone....we were right us ones wanting him gone aswell.... its a different team...

Not to mention he has already missed 25% of the rounds. lol

 

[Carlton]

Yeah I think it close too. But the more I think about it, I think this pack is better than 2010. I think that Vaughn is better than Weyman. I think that Creagh was better in attack than Simms, but Simms is tougher and has more mongrel. Frizell is better than Scott, even though Scott was very good in defence, they are both very tough. I would take Graham over Costigan. I think DeBelin and Smith could cancel each other out, but I would take DeBelin over Smith right now. Right now Ah Mau is going much better than Prior ever was. Did anyone ever say that Prior was the best interchange forward in the comp? I would take McInnes over Fien, McInnes's defence is much better than Fien. McInnes also plays bigger minutes than Field. Merrin and Luc would probably cancel each other out. I wan't a fan of Saffy and I am not a fan of Latimore, they probably cancel each other out.

As for the halves. I think Widdop is going much better now than Soward ever was. Hunt is also better than Hornby.

Got to go with BennyV on this one, Sowie was unbelievable and gets my vote. Not knocking Widdop, but when you think back to how Sowie cleaned up kicks, ran himself, threw that flat long cut out pass to his winger, his kicking game that was gold.

 

[Buz-V]

2010/2018 Mash Up

1. Boyd
2. Morris
3. Gasnier
4. Cooper
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
8. Weyman
9. Young
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Creagh
13. DeBelin

14. Soward
15. Scott
16. Smith
17. Graham

 

[Crush]

2010/2018 Mash Up

1. Boyd
2. Morris
3. Gasnier
4. Cooper
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
8. Weyman
9. Young
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Creagh
13. DeBelin

14. Soward
15. Scott
16. Smith
17. Graham

Is that 2010 Nighty or 2018 Nighty?

 

[Frank Facer]

Got to go with BennyV on this one, Sowie was unbelievable and gets my vote. Not knocking Widdop, but when you think back to how Sowie cleaned up kicks, ran himself, threw that flat long cut out pass to his winger, his kicking game that was gold.

Soward was one of the most over rated players ever. The only part of his game that was better than Widdop's was his long kicking game.