2019 Discussion

[herbert henry1908]

Johns is maybe the best ever but he's almost always wrong

Not this time he’s not

Seriously though I think other rugby league commentators will start seeing this soon. Cleary is a very good footballer, but he’s not a pure natural at ball handling. With his size and speed I think he’d make a very good running 5/8. Something in a Laurie Daley style (Style, not necessarily ability)

 

[herbert henry1908]

The other good news in this talk from Johns is that Maloney may not be in their plans for next year. I doubt Maloney will retire from rep footy, so perhaps the best thing is for them not to select him.

 

[OldPanther]

Poor Yeo

He seems to like hard work.

 

[TheFrog]

Johns is maybe the best ever but he's almost always wrong

He's barred up by Keary's performance in the GF and wants to chuck him into the NSW No 7 on the basis of one game, or one and a half to be generous. I suspect Fittler will be more likely to select him in his club position, if he's over the fact that he's really a Queenslander.

Maloney will have to be dropped, he won't stand down. He was prepared to play for Australia with his crook neck.

 

[franklin2323]

Yeah Yeo to bodyguard Maloney is heaps better.

That and Kikau is ordinary in defence so Cleary can help him. Maloney has the better vision so looks best to use the weaker right side attack too

 

[franklin2323]

He's barred up by Keary's performance in the GF and wants to chuck him into the NSW No 7 on the basis of one game, or one and a half to be generous. I suspect Fittler will be more likely to select him in his club position, if he's over the fact that he's really a Queenslander.

Maloney will have to be dropped, he won't stand down. He was prepared to play for Australia with his crook neck.

Keary would of been my origin 6 last year. Keeps that club left side together. Had big game experience

 

[billypilgrimnz]

I would have Keary over either of Cleary or Maloney, to be honest.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

That is all great, however, James Maloney will not allow Nathan to play his natural game.

He allowed Pearce to be dominant half during Origin because Laurie Daley said it's Peacre's side to run.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

Tyrone May's best attribute is his confidence and he lost that when he did his acl. At least playing at first grade level, when he's playing reserve grade he still seems pretty confident. As much as I like him until he gets over the mental aspect of his injury he shouldn't be in the first choice side.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

Tyrone May's best attribute is his confidence and he lost that when he did his acl. At least playing at first grade level, when he's playing reserve grade he still seems pretty confident. As much as I like him until he gets over the mental aspect of his injury he shouldn't be in the first choice side.

Mathew getting over an ACL sadly takes time (especially the mental aspects of it all). I'm sure he'll step up to the Peach role with confidence and ease come season 2019.

 

[mxlegend99]

Mathew getting over an ACL sadly takes time (especially the mental aspects of it all). I'm sure he'll step up to the Peach role with confidence and ease come season 2019.

Dean Whare still hasnt fully recovered from his ACL injury. He has improved greatly since first returning from it. But he's not at the level he was before his injury.

Inglis is nowhere near the player he was either. May never reached his potential so can still exceed his form before his injury eventually. But it's not going to be within a few games which is all he played. He will be better for the run in 2019 though.

 

[franklin2323]

Dean Whare still hasnt fully recovered from his ACL injury. He has improved greatly since first returning from it. But he's not at the level he was before his injury.

Inglis is nowhere near the player he was either. May never reached his potential so can still exceed his form before his injury eventually. But it's not going to be within a few games which is all he played. He will be better for the run in 2019 though.

May seemed thinner than before. A full off season they can work on that and getting him working in a few positions where we have no depth like centre

 

[Tommy Smith]

How they managed to win with some super inconsistent players in Napa and JWH is surprising

Napa is very frustrating, but JWH is our God. Literally, based on results.

We've lost 3 or 4 in a row without him and won 13 in a row when he plays.

He dominated Fifita in wk 1 of the finals and he squashed Bromwich in the GF. So imo he's back to being the best prop in the game.

The whole "he's average" angle stems from a slow start to the season but mostly last years Prelim where the whole team was awful. Also about a dozen early set errors made our pack look really bad.

The same stigma has stuck for the whole forward pack, mostly due to lazy journalism and punditry, but when I look at the line up I don't get it...

Cordner
Aubusson
Radley
JWH
Friend
SST

Liu
Tetevano
Napa
Matterson

A mixture of stars and very hardened vets - and all excellent defenders. Exactly where the "average" in that pack is I don't know. Kilkenny said it best; maybe, just maybe they're a lot better than the taglines this year have suggested.

Just on Penrith, Merrin & Tamou are creating a giant salary cap black hole in your pack. They're getting paid the same as JWH & Cordner and if you swapped the pair we wouldn't have come close to a comp where as you'd have made a GF imo.

So you need to offload those contracts. They're expensive dead hookers chained to your ankles.

Other than that you're probably only a quality hooker away from seriously competing. But nonetheless, they are big holes.

And yet I still see Penrith as top 4 next year alongside Roosters, Broncos and Dragons so if Gus makes a couple of smart moves you're not far from a comp at all.

 

[mxlegend99]

Napa is very frustrating, but JWH is our God. Literally, based on results.

We've lost 3 or 4 in a row without him and won 13 in a row when he plays.

He dominated Fifita in wk 1 of the finals and he squashed Bromwich in the GF. So imo he's back to being the best prop in the game.

The whole "he's average" angle stems from a slow start to the season but mostly last years Prelim where the whole team was awful. Also about a dozen early set errors made our pack look really bad.

The same stigma has stuck for the whole forward pack, mostly due to lazy journalism and punditry, but when I look at the line up I don't get it...

Cordner
Aubusson
Radley
JWH
Friend
SST

Liu
Tetevano
Napa
Matterson

A mixture of stars and very hardened vets - and all excellent defenders. Exactly where the "average" in that pack is I don't know. Kilkenny said it best; maybe, just maybe they're a lot better than the taglines this year have suggested.

Just on Penrith, Merrin & Tamou are creating a giant salary cap black hole in your pack. They're getting paid the same as JWH & Cordner and if you swapped the pair we wouldn't have come close to a comp where as you'd have made a GF imo.

So you need to offload those contracts. They're expensive dead hookers chained to your ankles.

Other than that you're probably only a quality hooker away from seriously competing. But nonetheless, they are big holes.

And yet I still see Penrith as top 4 next year alongside Roosters, Broncos and Dragons so if Gus makes a couple of smart moves you're not far from a comp at all.

In your dreams mate... we dont want Cordner even if it's for Mez or Tamou. Maloney managed to carry him for 2 games. But couldn't do it for an entire season like Cronk. Poor bastard broke his Scapula in doing so..

Just kidding. Woods and Gallen would be an upgrade on those 2 ffs. Hopefully a pre-season under a new coach turns their careers around. Although im not confident either will recapture their best form again.

 

[TheFrog]

In your dreams mate... we dont want Cordner even if it's for Mez or Tamou.

I'd take him. He'll probably be on the market in another year or two. Put him in the front row.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

Boyd Cordner has had a series of knee injuries. For a guy his age and size it's a big deal. I'd very surprised if doesn't end up retiring early.

 

[PinkPanther]

I find it interesting and weird that the consensus is that Panthers need more experience to be able to win in the finals, but all comments are suggesting getting rid of our most experienced players (Merrin, Maloney, Mckendry, even Whare and Tamou by some). Sure it'd be good to sign a marquee forward to replace them but those opportunities don't often come up. So if the two options are to keep the oldies or to replace them with younger players, which one is better?

 

[billypilgrimnz]

I find it interesting and weird that the consensus is that Panthers need more experience to be able to win in the finals, but all comments are suggesting getting rid of our most experienced players (Merrin, Maloney, Mckendry, even Whare and Tamou by some). Sure it'd be good to sign a marquee forward to replace them but those opportunities don't often come up. So if the two options are to keep the oldies or to replace them with younger players, which one is better?

McKendry is a no-brainer. He cannot be relied on anymore. I would let Merrin go. The rest obviously stay. I would have kept Peachey over Whare, but that ship has sailed and Whare went well last season.

 

[franklin2323]

I find it interesting and weird that the consensus is that Panthers need more experience to be able to win in the finals, but all comments are suggesting getting rid of our most experienced players (Merrin, Maloney, Mckendry, even Whare and Tamou by some). Sure it'd be good to sign a marquee forward to replace them but those opportunities don't often come up. So if the two options are to keep the oldies or to replace them with younger players, which one is better?

3 of the 5 you mentioned are props. Throw in Tim Grant with 189 games. RCG now a test player. We don't have a back with 150 games. We don't have a hooker with 50 games.

So for me if we can replace Merrin and say McKendry with someone to fill those voids we are better off come Finals time then having all the experience at prop

 

[MrBlack]

We don't have a back with 150 games.

I assume your considering Maloney as a half then. But what about Whare??