2013

[maple_69]

We are not really sure what the deal with our halves is either. Walsh has well and truly had his chance. Coote is a step in the right direction. Siejka has shown he is not ready regardless of Walsh's incompetance.
I like Jennings and Whare for centres as they are young. Naiguma will be solid when given a chance but he's not going to be in the picture when we're competing for a title in 2014/2015.

 

[TeamSatan]

Optimism.....you guys are great.

We have made the semis 2 or 3 times in 10 years...

We lose 2 origin players and buy a heap of bench or
lower graders.
We still have newton ..ciraldo and galea...and smith coming back from severe injury.
Are they the type of players that will take a team deep into september...no.

The odds are massively against us doing any better next season than we did this season.
We need a miracle.

Prediction...bottom 3.

Hope I am wrong.

 

[Big Mick]

Buy a heap of Bench or lower graders?

Lewis Brown and Sika Manu are both Internationals.
Dean Whare is young and already shown in his time starting in the NRL that he is an extremely good player. And just got named in the Kiwi squad this year.
James Segeyaro has also shown incredible level of talent with only upside.
Then throw in younger guys that we've signed from elsewhere that can only get better like Kyle O'Donnell.

The difference in this recruiting years compared to others that the guys we are bringing in....are either proven older guys who can genuinely improve our team or young guys with a chance to prove themselves.

I think it is absolutely ridiculous to say that this recruitment class is filled with bench and lower graders without context applied along with the context that the two origin players play only about 50% of the time.

Throw in the fact a lot of other young kids in our own development pipeline will likely receive an opportunity next year...I don't see how we can't be optimistic about it...

 

[umina panther]

Nailed it Mick

 

[franklin2323]

Are they the type of players that will take a team deep into september...no.

Whare, Brown, Manu all internationals. All played finals footy. Segeyaro finals footy. I think Newton & co will play plenty of games. I think Kingston will get 50-60mins still.

Cleary loves Manu, Brown & Whare ( I have asked him if he wanted them or gus). So they will be in the 17 just where is the question.

Add them to the core squad that won 4-7 to end the season. The bottom of the 8's not out of the question. How high depends on the how much game time, Newton, Kingston, Tighe etc gets.

 

[age.s]

It'll come down to injuries. It usually does.

 

[franklin2323]

It'll come down to injuries. It usually does.

1/2's and props aside we go 4 deep with decent depth. So we can cover some injuries

 

[Big Mick]

It'll come down to injuries. It usually does.

Exactly.

I've said similar as well.

If our top 17 stay fully fit and allow combinations to form and allow the team to feel comfortable each week we'll be fine.

We had won 2/3 before injuries hit at the start of THIS year including great performances vs Roosters & Parra.

If we can stay relatively healthy, we will be fine I think.

It is no secret that the teams that used the least amount of players all year were in the Top 4 to finish the year.

It is a game of atrition and usually the most healthy team wins.

 

[Panthercam]

Looks like Tom humble will sign with us too

 

[Big Mick]

Where did you hear that?

Did you just hear someone say because Gus talked him up on Sunday that he is signing with us?

 

[rem286]

I like the direction the club is headed and we have some good signings but I still think we will just miss the 8 next year and finish around 9-12th place.

Halves and hooker we still lack a bit of class. Hopefully by 2014 Harry and Segeyaro have developed into first graders and solve this problem, but again I don't see that happening. I don't want to be pessimistic but thats how I see it at the moment.

 

[Big Mick]

Again...how isn't Segeyaro a first grader.

Deadset have you seen him actually play? The kid is a gun.

 

[soc123_au]

If we have even an average run with injuries we should be in or around the eight. I can understand the pessimism from some people though. After all we are the Panthers, optimism is usually followed up with disappointment. I can see the signs that that is what Gus is trying to change.

 

[franklin2323]

To be fair Kingston is a favourite. He will get atleast 50mins. Doesn't leave much time for Segeyaro to do his thing.

 

[Big Mick]

To be fair Kingston is a favourite. He will get atleast 50mins. Doesn't leave much time for Segeyaro to do his thing.

Maybe, Maybe not. We'll see when we get there.

But to be honest to suggest that Segeyaro isn't a first grader yet is silly. While this year he has been an impact player and may play the same role with us next year, the kid is most definitely first grade calibre and has all the tools required to be a genuine guy that breaks the game wide open.

He's played mostly first grade games this year (when fit), in a team that was top 5. I'm pretty sure...he will have the class to make us better.

 

[rem286]

Again...how isn't Segeyaro a first grader.

Deadset have you seen him actually play? The kid is a gun.

The first grade comment was mainly directed at young Harry.

As for Segeyaro, he may be up to first grade standard, but I am not really a fan. I know he is young and can probably offer more to the club than Kingston but I wasn't jumping for joy when I heard we had signed him. Yes NQ made the top 5, but I believe most of the season he was out injured and even when fit off the bench as you said, so I would hardly go throwing his name around as if he was the one that got the team up there. The bloke is awesome at giving away silly penalties at crucial times also, loves to jump into tackles and take heads off.

As usual, if anyone disagrees with "BIG MICK" they are an idiot.

 

[Bob]

Maybe, Maybe not. We'll see when we get there.

But to be honest to suggest that Segeyaro isn't a first grader yet is silly. While this year he has been an impact player and may play the same role with us next year, the kid is most definitely first grade calibre and has all the tools required to be a genuine guy that breaks the game wide open.

He's played mostly first grade games this year (when fit), in a team that was top 5. I'm pretty sure...he will have the class to make us better.

Couldn't of said it better myself Mick, I am a big fan of this kid and he WILL make us better

 

[Big Mick]

As usual, if anyone disagrees with "BIG MICK" they are an idiot.

Of course not, but provide some form of evidence to back up your statement which you have done so in this post.

If you provide some back up to statements, I acknowledge opinion.

My pet peeve is people just saying "This guy is shit" and never back anything up with facts.

You have done so in this post and I respect that totally.

 

[ashton]

The first grade comment was mainly directed at young Harry.

As for Segeyaro, he may be up to first grade standard, but I am not really a fan. I know he is young and can probably offer more to the club than Kingston but I wasn't jumping for joy when I heard we had signed him. Yes NQ made the top 5, but I believe most of the season he was out injured and even when fit off the bench as you said, so I would hardly go throwing his name around as if he was the one that got the team up there. The bloke is awesome at giving away silly penalties at crucial times also, loves to jump into tackles and take heads off.

As usual, if anyone disagrees with "BIG MICK" they are an idiot.

I agree with you , we have the worst spine in the Nrl 1, 6.7. and 9.

I am not a fan Segeyaro either.I hope he proves me wrong. We haven,t solved our problems in the halves, Walsh and Coote aren,t the answer.
We have signed about six backrowers, we need halves, we need players that can score tries.

I remember people on this forum a couple of years back talking up Nafe Seluni and wanting Steve Kearney as coach.

 

[abpanther]

My concern with Segayaro (from what I have seen of him) is that while he does offer some impact off the bench in terms of his running from dummy half, he does seem to be a pretty selfish player, I've seen him take wrong options on numerous occasions, I don't think his football IQ is particularly high