2018 Trials

[Aliceinwonderland]

Actually in 2013 we were every chance of making the finals, being level with the Knights when the two sides met in Round 19 at Penrith. It is now history that the Knights went on to make the third week of the finals while we crashed on the back of back-to-back-to-back-to-back floggings. You can make all the excuses you like for 2013, but the truth is we were in a position to do some good, and couldn't. Whereas in '16 and '17 were in a position to do some good and did just that.

Fascinating isn't it ? Cleary the coach. Now that you remind me, I remember it well.

 

[mxlegend99]

In a rebuilding year we're in aposition to make the finals and that's somehow a bad thing? We had a f**king terrible squad. It was nowhere near a top 8 side on paper. Gus and Cleary were not expecting finals in his first 2 years.

Our 2016 roster was so much better it's not funny. And we only made it to the finals after Gus stepped in at training and started coming up with the blueprints to beat teams.

 

[TheFrog]

Wow, interesting and thoughtful point. He is a big enough unit. Smith is probably the best ever with the body of an accountant, Clearly could do a good job. Luau to halfback? Kicking options everywhere then......a cunning plan.

Unlikely Cleary will buy it. Halves are worth more than hookers. The Roosters couldn't even convince Pearce to stay as a hooker.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Wow, interesting and thoughtful point. He is a big enough unit. Smith is probably the best ever with the body of an accountant, Clearly could do a good job. Luau to halfback? Kicking options everywhere then......a cunning plan.

If Luai makes FG he’ll be a huge asset. Left foot kicking is worth it’s weight in gold.

 

[TheFrog]

In a rebuilding year we're in aposition to make the finals and that's somehow a bad thing? We had a f**king terrible squad. It was nowhere near a top 8 side on paper. Gus and Cleary were not expecting finals in his first 2 years.

Our 2016 roster was so much better it's not funny. And we only made it to the finals after Gus stepped in at training and started coming up with the blueprints to beat teams.

We lost successive games by 18, 28, 38 and 32 points when still in the running. Probaly by the last one we wewren't in the running any more. If Griffin had a run of defeats like that at the business end you'd be going for his throat. But he didn't. He made the finals at each attempt. It is only your own bias preventing you making the obvious comparison.

The 2016 roster was only better because it achieved more, in particular at the back end of the season. If they had laid down and got beaten by 18, 28, 38 and 32 points at the business end they too would have been considered also-rans.

 

[OldPanther]

We lost successive games by 18, 28, 38 and 32 points when still in the running. Probaly by the last one we wewren't in the running any more. If Griffin had a run of defeats like that at the business end you'd be going for his throat. But he didn't. He made the finals at each attempt. It is only your own bias preventing you making the obvious comparison.

The 2016 roster was only better because it achieved more, in particular at the back end of the season. If they had laid down and got beaten by 18, 28, 38 and 32 points at the business end they too would have been considered also-rans.

I'd be saying how does a better roster and a coach who came out of the Broncos system manage that.

 

[mxlegend99]

We lost successive games by 18, 28, 38 and 32 points when still in the running. Probaly by the last one we wewren't in the running any more. If Griffin had a run of defeats like that at the business end you'd be going for his throat. But he didn't. He made the finals at each attempt. It is only your own bias preventing you making the obvious comparison.

The 2016 roster was only better because it achieved more, in particular at the back end of the season. If they had laid down and got beaten by 18, 28, 38 and 32 points at the business end they too would have been considered also-rans.

Thats a load of shit.

Our 2016 reserve grade side was better than our 2013 roster. At no point in our history were the likes of Newton, Armit, Ciraldo, Tighe, Walsh, Naiqama etc. considered good. Honestly ehat reserve grader would you drop for any of them?

That roster was closer to wooden spoon material than top 8 material. We were in that position because we had to fix our salary cap up. So we had to settle for minimum wage guys no one wanted in the short term.

When your squad is full of largely Knights rejects you will be on the receiving end of floggings.

 

[betcats]

Anyone comparing hooks squads to what we had in 2013 is an idiot.

 

[Pomoz]

Thats a load of shit.

Our 2016 reserve grade side was better than our 2013 roster. At no point in our history were the likes of Newton, Armit, Ciraldo, Tighe, Walsh, Naiqama etc. considered good. Honestly ehat reserve grader would you drop for any of them?

That roster was closer to wooden spoon material than top 8 material. We were in that position because we had to fix our salary cap up. So we had to settle for minimum wage guys no one wanted in the short term.

When your squad is full of largely Knights rejects you will be on the receiving end of floggings.

Well the spine was Luke Walsh, Kevin Kingston, Moylan, Naiquama, Segeyaro and Isaac John (changing as injuries occurred). That spine is more experienced than what we had at the end of 2017 and during parts of 2016. Having Whare (fit and in form), Simmons, Mansour and Brad Tighe in the backline is none too shabby. Then Grant, McKendry, Masoe and Plum and Docker cutting people in half. I would expect that team to do better than the team we finished with in 2017. Just having some experience in the spine makes a hell of a difference in big games.

Do I think that team is better when Cleary, May, Katoa and Edwards have games under their belt? Absolutely not, but they delivered the worst attack inside the red zone in the NRL last year and that 2013 side would beat them.

I know you don't consider experience is important MX, but at the end of the day, nobody's winning grand finals with an inexperienced (less than 50 games) spine. Edwards, May and Katoa are two years away from having played 50 games. Cleary needs another 9 games so he at least is getting to "first grader" status this year.

 

[franklin2323]

Well the spine was Luke Walsh, Kevin Kingston, Moylan, Naiquama, Segeyaro and Isaac John (changing as injuries occurred). That spine is more experienced than what we had at the end of 2017 and during parts of 2016. Having Whare (fit and in form), Simmons, Mansour and Brad Tighe in the backline is none too shabby. Then Grant, McKendry, Masoe and Plum and Docker cutting people in half. I would expect that team to do better than the team we finished with in 2017. Just having some experience in the spine makes a hell of a difference in big games.

Do I think that team is better when Cleary, May, Katoa and Edwards have games under their belt? Absolutely not, but they delivered the worst attack inside the red zone in the NRL last year and that 2013 side would beat them.

I know you don't consider experience is important MX, but at the end of the day, nobody's winning grand finals with an inexperienced (less than 50 games) spine. Edwards, May and Katoa are two years away from having played 50 games. Cleary needs another 9 games so he at least is getting to "first grader" status this year.

It is why Maloney shapes our season and why we keep Wallace in as long as we need too.

Walsh's kicking game would ensure the 2013 team wins... Afterall all he had was the grubber

 

[franklin2323]

Actually in 2013 we were every chance of making the finals, being level with the Knights when the two sides met in Round 19 at Penrith. It is now history that the Knights went on to make the third week of the finals while we crashed on the back of back-to-back-to-back-to-back floggings. You can make all the excuses you like for 2013, but the truth is we were in a position to do some good, and couldn't. Whereas in '16 and '17 were in a position to do some good and did just that.

2009 was the same blew great chances to make the finals

 

[umina panther]

It is why Maloney shapes our season and why we keep Wallace in as long as we need too.

Walsh's kicking game would ensure the 2013 team wins... Afterall all he had was the grubber

The worst defender in the comp who gives away the most penalties.....is added to a team whos defense is dogshite and give away more dumb penalties than almost any team. Not sure why people are so excited by this?

He is an attacking weapon but he's not going to do more good than bad imo

 

[franklin2323]

The worst defender in the comp who gives away the most penalties.....is added to a team whos defense is dogshite and give away more dumb penalties than almost any team. Not sure why people are so excited by this?

He is an attacking weapon but he's not going to do more good than bad imo

Gus will find a spot for him to hide him in defence. He was ok for NSW.

 

[umina panther]

Gus will find a spot for him to hide him in defence. He was ok for NSW.

Sharks hid him and they were still his stats. They are FAR better than us defensively

 

[franklin2323]

Sharks hid him and they were still his stats. They are FAR better than us defensively

I will find the video of Buderus about this. He pretty much said Maloney rushes up to be a step in front of the defensive line. Hits them hard enough they Atleast slow and Graham finishes them off.. The penalties are the concern though

 

[herbert henry1908]

The worst defender in the comp who gives away the most penalties.....is added to a team whos defense is dogshite and give away more dumb penalties than almost any team. Not sure why people are so excited by this?

He is an attacking weapon but he's not going to do more good than bad imo

Takes pressure off Cleary to a degree though. That could have a net benefit for Cleary.

Missed tackles are bad but we need to make sure they don’t turn in to line breaks. There’s a chance we can nullify it.

 

[umina panther]

I will find the video of Buderus about this. He pretty much said Maloney rushes up to be a step in front of the defensive line. Hits them hard enough they Atleast slow and Graham finishes them off.. The penalties are the concern though

He's a speed bump you're better than this myth Frankiln

 

[umina panther]

And I make all these posts hoping to be laughed at by round 10. Just dont see it

 

[mxlegend99]

Well the spine was Luke Walsh, Kevin Kingston, Moylan, Naiquama, Segeyaro and Isaac John (changing as injuries occurred). That spine is more experienced than what we had at the end of 2017 and during parts of 2016. Having Whare (fit and in form), Simmons, Mansour and Brad Tighe in the backline is none too shabby. Then Grant, McKendry, Masoe and Plum and Docker cutting people in half. I would expect that team to do better than the team we finished with in 2017. Just having some experience in the spine makes a hell of a difference in big games.

Do I think that team is better when Cleary, May, Katoa and Edwards have games under their belt? Absolutely not, but they delivered the worst attack inside the red zone in the NRL last year and that 2013 side would beat them.

I know you don't consider experience is important MX, but at the end of the day, nobody's winning grand finals with an inexperienced (less than 50 games) spine. Edwards, May and Katoa are two years away from having played 50 games. Cleary needs another 9 games so he at least is getting to "first grader" status this year.

Fullback - Whare x5 games, Naiqama x2, Moylan x13 games, Coote x4 games

5/8th - coote was first choice. Injured Round 2 though. tom humble and isaac john split the season...

Halfback - luke walsh

Hooker was kingston. Segs on bench

That was by far the worst halves pairing in the competition and none of those halves were considered NRL quality by another club. The fact they got as many games as they did for us is testament to how shit our roster was back then

Fullback was a f**king mess thanks to the contracts that year. Whare was brought here with promise to get first crack. And was terrible. Wes got next shot and when injuries hit we could use Moylan. But he was forced out of the team for Wes one week and the last 4 games when Coote was fit.

Our centres were primarily Dean Whare after Round 5 and the other alternating between Lewis Brown, Wes Naiqama and Brad Tighe. One class centre and fringe first grade centres... in the case of Brown and Wes ghey coildnt nail a position.

Mansour split the season with Travis Robinson and James Roberts on the wing.

Our pack gave heaps of games to superstars Ryan Simpkins, Matt Robinson, Clint Newton and Cameron Ciraldo.

Honestly on any given day of 2013 we had 3 or 4 forwards who were reserve graders, a reserve grade halves pairing and half a backline that sucked.

Clearys first 2 years the only signings we made were players no one wanted. Gus signed unwanted journeyman with experience. He said he needed those types of players as we werrnt going to win many games and he didnt want to throw our young guys to the wolves.

Cleary wasn't perfect. But youre on drugs if you think that was a top 8 roster. Heres the spines of the 5th to 8th teams... all shit on ours.

8th place - Cowboys with Bowen, Thurston, Lui, Thompson
7th place - Knights with Boyd, Mullen, Gidley and Buderus
6th place - Bulldogs with Barba, Reynolds, Hodkinson and Ennis
5th place - Sharks with Gordon, Carney, Robson and De Gois

Tell me which spine ours was better then in the bottom half of the top 8?

 

[franklin2323]

He's a speed bump you're better than this myth Frankiln

By round 5... You will be begging to have Maloney's babies.