The Way too Early Team 2026 Thread

[Old dog]

He was average/decent before the multiple serious knee injuries. He offered absolutely nothing in the end.

You are probably right but if we still had Brailey he would be our 9 or 14 next season, better than what we’ve got.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Brailey isn’t better than Phoenix. He’s a way worse defender at this point, he takes horrific options when he tries to make stuff happen in attack, and a lot of his faffing about behind the ruck is a handbrake. He doesn’t generate more space by doing it. His service is worse and he has shorter passing range in both directions. He was really bad this year. I think a lot of it is struggling to adjust to his body not being able to do what it used to but his work from 9 was an issue.

I really think with Phoenix there’s a fair bit of “this isn’t what a good hooker looks like, aesthetically” with how people are appraising him. I know he has no zip out of dummy half, the solution to this is to ask him not to run much at all and find different ways to attack around the ruck.

Two of the last three grand finalists had Mitch Kenny or Billy Walters starting at 9 and I’m sorry but you can not tell me they are these way better, slicker attacking dummy halves than Phoenix. Billy is close to being the exact same player.

Phoenix playing 80 most weeks next year is a conceivable choice Holbrook will go with and if he keeps it simple instead of trying to be something he’s not we really will be fine there. A smart coach will realise this and design the attack around what he does well rather than try to “fix” him.

Go back and watch our games with him there at #9 in 2023 and keep your eyes trained on him. Look at some of the numbers advantages effective use of his passing range were creating. Tell me we were attacking so well in spite of him after that.

 

[Woody90]

Before his injuries Brailey was a way better hooker than Crossland will ever be…but he fell off a cliff completely after the ACLs and never recovered. I’d have Crossland ahead of him now purely for his enthusiasm in leading the defensive line, but they’re both equally bad in attack atm.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Jayden definitely used to be quite good, it’s just a brutal, unforgiving sport.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Billy Walters is a far better footballer than Phoenix is. Saying they are alike is pretty disengenuous

 

[HarVeeGee]

It’s my sincere opinion that they are extremely similar players, archetypically and in terms of ability. Making it, definitionally, not disingenuous. I’m not even sure Billy had cracked first grade at Phoenix’s current age despite the nepo baby inside track lmao.

Watch two minutes of Billy Walters’ work at hooker then Phoenix, and tell me we’re looking at very very different players, one way more polished and slick out of dummy half than the other.

The difference between them this season has far more to do with team context than any notable difference in ability, in my opinion. If Holbrook sorts some of the weird nonsense the AOB regime has been doing in attack I’m sure Phoenix will mysteriously start to look pretty good again like he did in 2023 or for the NZ national team. Feel free to disagree but I’m not trying to mislead anyone here.

 

[Apey]

They might be similar in career output so far but Crossland isn't capable in his wildest dreams of how Walters has been playing this year. But Walters could very easily just revert back to normal programming in 2026.

 

[mozza91]

Walters has developed in to a very handy player. His work in the halves shits on Phoenix’s from a great height.

 

[Old dog]

Phoenix has become a bit of a favourite due to his enthusiastic effort on the field, most are split if he should be 9 or 13, me he is 14.
Its his enthusiasm that get him rated but basically he is not a starting 13 player, just wholehearted.
Dont get me wrong I like him in our side but while he is I doubt we will be top 4 side

 

[HarVeeGee]

Well, keep that same energy into next year then when we have actually good, creative halves coached by a guy who doesn’t think he can turn Kalyn into Cooper Cronk.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Did we end up signing Fletcher Baker from the Broncos? He and Hola are going head to head in the Qcup GF tomorrow

 

[Knight Tales]

Did we end up signing Fletcher Baker from the Broncos? He and Hola are going head to head in the Qcup GF tomorrow

Was he on our list of players to sign?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Was he on our list of players to sign?

I vaguely remember him being linked to us but i could be wrong

 

[macavity]

I vaguely remember him being linked to us but i could be wrong

That was me saying we should. I don't think theres any actual link there. He hasn't signed here.

 

[James Rick]

1. Ponga
2. Gagai
3. Sharpe
4. Best
5. Young
6. Brown
7. Smith

13. Mooney
12. Lucas
11. McEwen
10. Saulo
9. Crossland
8. J Saifiti

14. Gamble/Arthur
15. Frizell
16. Jones
17. Salesa-Leamoana

Just on what I’ve seen from guys this year, I would be open to young guys like Crouch who’ve been going good in NSW Cup for a while now taking a spot in the team.

With Gagai approaching the end of his career we should be thinking about grooming a successor for what it, in my opinion, the most important non-spine backline position. I think Sharpe has the attributes to do it and he can do just as much good at centre as he was doing at 6, with part of Sandon's role being to get him early ball in space when we get a bit of a roll on. That chat about how dummy half scoots were planned to be a big part of Sharpe's game at 6: guess which centre has done a lot of those in his career.

For all the chat about how Hughes and Munster were converted from fullback to half, the way, way, WAY more common successful transition is fullback to centre.

Hunt would be a great successor for Gagai, can see him being good at centre and a great pairing for Best. Would prefer Sharpe to play in the halves.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Hola completely outplayed Sua who we let go earlier this year.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

That was me saying we should. I don't think theres any actual link there. He hasn't signed here.

It's a good shout too. He has been really good this year for Burleigh and was amongst their best yesterday.

 

[ryan.a87]

Just thinking out of left field here

if Sharpe was moved to wing

could Marzew transition to an impact bench forward role similar to Spencer Lenu

he certainly has the leg speed and size for it

 

[Frederick]

Just thinking out of left field here

if Sharpe was moved to wing

could Marzew transition to an impact bench forward role similar to Spencer Lenu

he certainly has the leg speed and size for it

Yes, but, defence

 

[perverse]

Hunt would be a great successor for Gagai, can see him being good at centre and a great pairing for Best. Would prefer Sharpe to play in the halves.

I really need to focus on this kid next time I watch him play, because I've seen nothing at all to suggest this. Like, nothing nothing. Can someone please explain to me what I am missing about Fletcher Hunt? Is he fast? Strong? Good defense? Is he a good ball player? Tackle breaker? Is there anything that sets him apart from a 100 other outside back prospects across the league, or is it purely just that he dazzled everyone with some good effort under some high balls? I feel like he's been riding the success of like, maybe 3 or 4 good takes under the high ball?

So confused on this one. It's got me stuffed how people are talking about this kid over the likes of even our own other prospects in the outside backs like Votano, etc. The fact that anyone thinks he can replace any part of Gagai's game in the centres at all has me mighty confused.