Thoughts on 2017/2018

[Clifferd]

On a couple of our players who we have playing for next year, does anyone else think Kevvy Naiqama is a real shot at playing fullback? He’s impressed me every time he got the chance this year and killed it for Fiji last night (albeit against USA)

Also Milne looks a talent, has an insane fend on him. Looks pretty Illdisciplined though

 

[BuffaloRules]

Naqaima over Lolo at FB on the back of scoring a couple of tries against A grade level players?

And in case you are thinking....Reynolds is not going to be playing 9 - not in 2018 anyway...

 

[Clifferd]

You can only play whats infront of you but I thought his positional play and select passing were terrific and thats pretty important for a FB. Agree the opposition was nothing to write home about though

 

[Tiger Ted]

You know, all this "coincidence" talk about Brooks and Cleary being off contract at the same time - I reckon it is.

Brooks was only going to get a one year or a two year deal, as he hasnt been good enough for longer, so rather than a coincidence, I would say a 50% chance.

Personally, I would be very very surprised if Nathan plays here.

On another note;

We are building something here and Ivan has done well.
Each year I look at the list of players that changed clubs, as the guys that resign with their current clubs were never going to move. We did well this year.

Ivan has done what most of us were calling for years "gut the team, change the culture and start again."

We have built a team which on paper will be competitive, which is a darn sight better than the last few years. There are still a few question marks, but you cant expect Ivan to have built a premiership side in one year.

For next year, I just want us to be competitive in each game. Edging into the finals would be nice.

Yes & Undoubtedly ud expect us to b more competitive especially due to the cessation of the massive instability that hurt us this season due to the implosion triggered by Isaac the pissant moses & his juvenile puppets.

If we r to sneak into the 8 we r going to need a rapid escalation in ability to game manage by Brooks(a pipedream), an effective transformation to fullback by LoLo & the realisation of Liddle’s full potential.

Personally I will b shocked if we make the 8 mainly coz i don’t c the breakout yr from Brooks we’ve all been craving over the last 4 yrs & the glaring fact that our spine is riddled with ineptitude !!

Due to the expectation that Brooks won’t improve if IC doesn’t entice his son over to Concord then it’s likely IC’s tenure wont survive beyond the ‘19 season !!

 

[Tiger Ted]

On a couple of our players who we have playing for next year, does anyone else think Kevvy Naiqama is a real shot at playing fullback? He’s impressed me every time he got the chance this year and killed it for Fiji last night (albeit against USA)

Also Milne looks a talent, has an insane fend on him. Looks pretty Illdisciplined though

Naiqama is nothing but a depth player for the NRL team.I wouldn’t have thought our spine could get much worse than it’s looking for ‘18 unless of course Kev ends up at fullback !

 

[BuffaloRules]

If IC can't pilot the team into the 8 in the next two seasons than I dont expect him to be here in 2020..,

Bulldogs miss the Top 8 once and a premiership winning coach gets the chop... this is the mentality that breeds success longer term as they have demonstrated..

Ivan has assembled this spine for 2018 and they are all contracted for 2019 so not expecting much to change if they don't deliver next year...

Let's see what develops- I remain optimistic until I see otherwise...

 

[Das Hassler]

Getting into the eight means winning more than you lose if only by one game....and that means winning the close ones for a side like the Tigers.. that's where i think Reynolds will show his value

 

[The Charlatan]

Absolutely we should be having a go at Pearce. He becomes about 10,000% more likeable just by taking those f**king tricolours off.

While I've voiced in the past that I don't think Brooks is as bad as it's often painted out to be, I do think you can't let a decent half get by on the market especially when you've got the coin. We've got to be having a tip at him, even if he doesn't want to come here we can force another club to pay top dollar for him and chock up their books.

 

[BrotherJim05]

Absolutely we should be having a go at Pearce. He becomes about 10,000% more likeable just by taking those f**king tricolours off.

While I've voiced in the past that I don't think Brooks is as bad as it's often painted out to be, I do think you can't let a decent half get by on the market especially when you've got the coin. We've got to be having a tip at him, even if he doesn't want to come here we can force another club to pay top dollar for him and chock up their books.

Lets say we miraculously sign Pearce. Who gets edged out? Brooks or Reynolds? You could play Reynolds off the bench in similar style to Ben Barba during 2015 season (worked well for Sharks), he could even fill in at hooker if absolutely needed (can't believe I actually am saying this) and move Brooks to 5/8. Pretty sure Pearce plays right side anyway so there wouldn't be much difference.

The issue though is Pearce would be a massive disruption. It would cause a merry go round situation with the halves and the media will absolutely beat the shit out of him. He will be the new Robbie Farah with claims of him building a 2nd dressing room and bullying Nathan Cleary when he was out on the piss and now IC doesn't like him and the 2nd dressing room Benji Marshall Jason Taylor blah blah blah

pass for me

 

[Shredder]

Brooks.

But the problem is Ivan needs to look like hes in control. Grabbing Jr Jr so late smacks a little of desperation. And begs the question, "did you not have a plan?"

Jr Jr is polarising. he works well in the Roosters structure and may be another Blair at another team anyway. I mean, his team is packed with origin and international players. Makes it a little easier.

Honestly, if we were to target another half I would want Hogdinson. Him and Grub won an origin series and played plenty of footy together. Barring that, lets see how what we already have plays out.

 

[Tiger05]

Do we need Mitchell "f**kwit" Pearce ? I don't really want him here.

 

[Das Hassler]

Pass...he stated fairly clearly a few years back he could care less about the tigers....without team harmony you have nothing....gotta show total faith in the guys already onboard and give them the backing to validate the belief ..bringing in Pearce this close to preseason would just unravel everything.

 

[Vozzy]

Rather have a crack at Keary has more youth on his side.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Yes.. I'll pass on Pearce as well....

I agree with the earlier comment that he has the potential to attract some media drama ( whether his fault or not..) and I think the club has had enough of that over the past few years...

In 2018 I would be more than happy just to see a team of relative no names having a dig each week, minimising the simple defensive errors which have led to many tries these past few years and improving in attack under someone who we think at the moment is a pretty good coach.. If they do those things then I think they can be knocking on the door of the Top 8 even with question marks around the spine...

 

[macnaz]

Its pretty pathetic when we are talking about who will play fullback and will our halfback be any good , then we look at the Rorters with 2 fullbacks and 2 halfbacks .. its a f**king joke!!
So we are to believe this far into the year when all the talent has been snapped up the Roosters just happened to have 1 million left over incase Cronk decided to play on ? As if !!
As far as 2018 goes i can hardly give a shit as the winner is almost a forgone conclusion , whats the point in even trying to compete with that bullshit.

 

[The Charlatan]

Lets say we miraculously sign Pearce. Who gets edged out? Brooks or Reynolds? You could play Reynolds off the bench in similar style to Ben Barba during 2015 season (worked well for Sharks), he could even fill in at hooker if absolutely needed (can't believe I actually am saying this) and move Brooks to 5/8. Pretty sure Pearce plays right side anyway so there wouldn't be much difference.

The issue though is Pearce would be a massive disruption. It would cause a merry go round situation with the halves and the media will absolutely beat the shit out of him. He will be the new Robbie Farah with claims of him building a 2nd dressing room and bullying Nathan Cleary when he was out on the piss and now IC doesn't like him and the 2nd dressing room Benji Marshall Jason Taylor blah blah blah

pass for me

There's options, but Brooks is my pick. You don't sign a good club halfback to play five-eighth.

Grub could always move to hooker or come off the bench but he's done his best work at five-eighth.

Easts signed Cronk with one of the better club halfbacks in the game already on the books. That's why they are successful, and we're not. Pearce also appears to have the public on his side for a change because they feel he is hard done by. The media wankfest about the Pearce name returning to a Tigers franchise (yes, I know it's not Balmain,) will be immense if it did happen.

As for club harmony, we've put the broom through the place and have about six million new recruits coming in from tomorrow onward. Signing Jr Jr won't make much difference IMO, and good coaches adapt when opportunities come onto the market, it's not about saying "I didn't have a plan for Brooks so I'm signing Pearce out of desperation."

Anyway, we'll probably make enquiries and he'll snub us so I guess discussing it will amount to nowt anyway.

 

[Clifferd]

If Pearce was on the market earlier, before we signed grub I probably would have rathered we signed Jr as I think he would be a better foil for Brooks.

Brooks has always striked me as a running half and I absolutely think he would excel with a dominant organising half beside him which admittedly Pearce is at club football. I think Brooks plays better to what’s in front of him rather to a set structure

Clearly did a good job with him at the backend of the season playing to his strengths rather than Taylor forcing him to play to a certain style he wasn’t used to

Anyways for now I’m pretty content with a Brooks/Reynolds combo being a make or break for LB, if he can’t cut it next year with our significant forward pack upgrade well then I don’t think he ever will.

Just my 2 cents. If Brooks has another average season next year I think he’s gotta go

 

[Ron's_Mate]

SMH article says we are one of four clubs interested in signing 115 kg super league prop Alex Walmsley.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ext-big-thing-in-the-nrl-20171030-gzbfrw.html

 

[FootynRacing]

Roosters signed Cronk because he was the best available.
Pearce is now potentially available yet we have shown no interest at all.
It’s why the Roosters are successful and we are not.
Im not a huge fan of Mitchell Pearce but he is miles ahead of Luke Brooks.
I’m hoping we’ve shown no interest because he end goal is to have Nathan Cleary at the club when his current contract at the Panthers is finished.

 

[Das Hassler]

Its pretty pathetic when we are talking about who will play fullback and will our halfback be any good , then we look at the Rorters with 2 fullbacks and 2 halfbacks .. its a f**king joke!!
So we are to believe this far into the year when all the talent has been snapped up the Roosters just happened to have 1 million left over incase Cronk decided to play on ? As if !!
As far as 2018 goes i can hardly give a shit as the winner is almost a forgone conclusion , whats the point in even trying to compete with that bullshit.

Cronk pretty much said it loud and what should be clear about how it really works at the chooks...he went there because they are a strong club and they offer him the opportunity to "expand his business portfolio" ...in other words come here and we will set you up so that your official nrl contract will seem like lunch money....if that ( in the spirit of the rules) is not an inducement beyond any third party agreement then what the hell is?! ...that's how it works..their marquee players sign for their nominal amount and the "opportunities" take care of the rest...whether property or business. The rest of the journeyman squad take it or leave it