2017 Positivity Thread

[Valheru]

The 2016 season is officially and mercifully over, our worst since 2009 and it is now time to look ahead to 2017. So why will we be better next year and where do you think we will finish?


For me, the below are the important points that see us drastically improve our ladder position.

• No off field pre-season scandal that sees our star half (or any other player) suspended for a third of the season
  
  
• Injuries are part and parcel of the game but surely we get a better run next year, it was about as bad as it could be this year
  
  
• The continued development of the likes of Latrell and Watson and also possibly some of the U20’s premiership side, particularly Manu, Garby, Butcher and Radley.
  
  
• A better draw than this year. We were one of two sides to play every 2015 finalist (apart from ourselves) twice in 2016. Schedules can only truly be assessed in hindsight, but even still, that resulted in us playing 6 of this year’s top 8 twice as well.
  
  
• Having an actual goal kicker
  
  
• Hopefully all of the above leads to at least 3-4 wins out of the first 8, if not more as opposed to the 1 win this year and our season being over before it began. Confidence will grow with early success
  
  
• A higher drive to succeed now that the squad knows what it’s like to be in the cellar.
  

Given our 15th place finish, I see us being big movers next year. I don’t think we make the 4 but 5-8 looks achievable.

 

[Chook]

I think we'll see another slow start to 2017. Robbo has got to get his timing right and he was one game off in 2014-15 so a slow start and a spree finish should see us sitting 4-6.

As you say Mitchell will be a season better and Watson shows enormous potential.

I think Friend needs to lose the captaincy and concentrate on what being a rake.Give it to Cordner or JWH or both.

Robbo showed massive loyalty to a lot of players in 2016, it needs to be returned in spades in 2017.

Chook.

 

[adamkungl]

We'll rip in next year, I'm full of confidence despite the dodgy recruitment. A clean, healthy offseason and our young blokes will be ready to shred this shit comp off the back of Pearce Cordner and JWH.

I like the look of this

1 Latrell
2 Manu
3 Matterson
4 Ferguson
5 SKD
6 Keary
7 Pearce
8 Napa
9 Friend
10 JWH
11 Cordner (C)
12 Aubusson
13 SST

14 Watson
15 Liu
16 Guerra
17 Evans

Moa ???
Frei, Butcher, Radley, Garvey knocking on the door
Toopoo, Copley, Gordon -> reserve grade

Good depth in every position, if we get a good run with injuries there's no excuse to keep anyone in first grade if they underperform.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Adam, last I heard Moa was still unsigned for 2017.

 

[adamkungl]

I'm not sure of our cap situation. We could use him, he's certainly still FG quality even if with reduced minutes.

 

[TheDalek079]

I think Moa is more of a bench option. too bad we let Matagi go

 

[adamkungl]

Would be good to have Moa in the mix in case Evans or Liu don't perform. Evans has to put up or shut up this year

 

[Captain Apollo]

I think Moa is more of a bench option. too bad we let Matagi go

Matagi? I doubt he was gonna stay with us when he was behind JWH, Moa, Napa, Evans and Lui for a front row spot.

 

[OVP]

I think Latrell needs to practice all off-season and stay the whole year at fullback. What's the point of playing him on the wing, he is our future, not Gordon ? Gordon can kick goals from the wing until SST comes back, then we wont need him.

Quietly confident we can make the 8 next year, there were some promising signs in our attack at the tail end of the season and we need to continue on from that. Keary will be a surprise packet and will form a great combo with Pearce. Keary has a very good football brain and will help us enormously.

And yes definitely Kane Evans will be heavily scrutinised. He needs to perform or he's a goner. I really hope he does go back to his 2015 form. will never forget that try he scored against the dogs carrying 5 of them over the line with him. Maybe it was just second-year syndrome, and he comes back stronger than ever.

 

[OVP]

Oh and I think I heard that Matagai is up for grabs again. Penrith won't be re-signing him apparently. Wouldn't say no to his return.

 

[TheDalek079]

Matagi? I doubt he was gonna stay with us when he was behind JWH, Moa, Napa, Evans and Lui for a front row spot.

Liu plays mostly in the back row at the moment. If Moa was moved on instead as it looks like may be happening, then he'd be in our 4 top front rowers

 

[adamkungl]

Gordon offers nothing, he's well past it. I wouldn't put him above any of our backs. Depth signing

 

[Captain Apollo]

Liu plays mostly in the back row at the moment. If Moa was moved on instead as it looks like may be happening, then he'd be in our 4 top front rowers

Lui plays nominally at lock which, these days, plays in the middle of the field, as opposed to the second rowers who play on the edge. There is very little difference between front row and lock these days. Our locks have been playing that way since Robbo came to the club.

 

[Q dave q]

You should grade mitches dog before we pick fluffy up...but only after the avo runs out

 

[Captain Apollo]

Would be good to have Moa in the mix in case Evans or Liu don't perform. Evans has to put up or shut up this year

Well looks like Moa was deemed surplus to requirements as he heading back to the ESL to play for the Catalan Dragons for 2 seasons - http://www.catalansdragons.com/articles-9/146-4407-les-dragons-signent-sam-moa/ (the article is in French)

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/37575076
http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2016/10/sam-moa-leaves-roosters-to-join-catalans/

 

[Parkway_Drive]

Overseas atm so didn't get to see any of the 4 nations apart from some highlights.

Fergo and Cordner by all reports killed it so that is a positive for next year as Fergo was a sack of shit this year.

On the other hand I heard SKD was quite ordinary but what is new. He has always been rocks and diamonds but he tries his heart out and probably should be on the wing anyway.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Joseph Manu has to be in first grade in 2017. He is a gun.

The Giraffe Tupou is too slow to be a winger. He would be better as a fullback, but with another club, since we have Latrell

Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck is probably a year off from being in the NRL.

My backline::

Latrell Mitchell

Joseph Manu, Blake Ferguson, Dale Copley, Shaun Kenny Dowell,

Luke Keary,
Mitchell Pearce

 

[Captain Apollo]

Tupou slow? ROFLMAO.

 

[2 weeks]

If Mitchell wants a career at fullback then he need a major improvement in his goal line defense.

 

[Valheru]

That's the whole point of having Michael Gordon at the club apparently, as a mentor.

In any event, it is positioning that is the issue. Latrell is a great tackler.