2019 Top 30

[Aliceinwonderland]

The figure of six is a myth. Are you including the likes of Wallace & Browne in there.

No one wanted Tim Browne to begin with, none of you rated him when he did play with us but conveniently use him to suit your arguments.

Forgot about the players you guys consider reserve graders how much do you think the club had to come up to retain Kikau, Blake, RCG and Cleary to name a few.

Do you think Kikau for example resigned for 300-400K. Don't think so.

If our salary cap is in poor shape, then god knows what description you would apply to at least half the other clubs in the NRL.

Well said. I think our cap is probably in OK shape, the letting go of Merrin I believe had something to do with his fewer minutes and impact in the last part of the year. Allowing the club to re-sign players like Lui Jack and hopefully JFH without being down to bare bones, if one of the development players flies out of the blocks.


Who would have forseen players like Lui, Jack, Cleary, Edwards, Atkins, Blake comming along as quickly as they have in the last 18months. We might have hoped but now it's reality. Sadly Merrin had gone past his usefulness to the squad. Tamou has re-invented himself as a great impact player and probably will stay this year, maybe next too.

 

[OldPanther]

I’m predicting a massive breakout year from Egan. From all accounts he’s training the house down!

Maybe he’s got wind of the Cook rumour.

Good he's my preferred option.

 

[franklin2323]

Well said. I think our cap is probably in OK shape, the letting go of Merrin I believe had something to do with his fewer minutes and impact in the last part of the year. Allowing the club to re-sign players like Lui Jack and hopefully JFH without being down to bare bones, if one of the development players flies out of the blocks.


Who would have forseen players like Lui, Jack, Cleary, Edwards, Atkins, Blake comming along as quickly as they have in the last 18months. We might have hoped but now it's reality. Sadly Merrin had gone past his usefulness to the squad. Tamou has re-invented himself as a great impact player and probably will stay this year, maybe next too.

All that should be happening is our top 5 or 6 are changing 2016 Merrin, Soward, Moylan and Bryce were up there.

Shouldn't mean we can't replace those who step up to those spots to fill gaps

 

[franklin2323]

Nah, that was the team being geared for a fast start to the year to take pressure off the coach. Look back the the preseason media - it was all about we can't be 2-9 again. Same as Dragons, we fired our shots early, gave teams the chance to scout us, injuries, origin, etc - and missed week 3 of the finals by a shanked FG attempt.

That team for the finals had most of the regulars back.

 

[Abacus]

That team for the finals had most of the regulars back.

We never recovered from losing Wallace & Edwards mid-season.

 

[franklin2323]

We never recovered from losing Wallace & Edwards mid-season.

I look at their replacements. Crichton and Katoa both did some good things and some shocking things. All part of learning to be an NRL footballer but it doesn't fill me with confidence that we can cover long term injuries with the squad as it currently sits

 

[Abacus]

I look at their replacements. Crichton and Katoa both did some good things and some shocking things. All part of learning to be an NRL footballer but it doesn't fill me with confidence that we can cover long term injuries with the squad as it currently sits

Typically any long term injuries, particularly to key players, cruels a team's premiership chances. Not sure that many sides can win a comp with their second-choice 1, 6, 7 or 9.

 

[OldPanther]

I look at their replacements. Crichton and Katoa both did some good things and some shocking things. All part of learning to be an NRL footballer but it doesn't fill me with confidence that we can cover long term injuries with the squad as it currently sits

Typically any long term injuries, particularly to key players, cruels a team's premiership chances. Not sure that many sides can win a comp with their second-choice 1, 6, 7 or 9.

Yeah this. Storm have a <40% record without Smith. Dragons crash whenever Widdop gets injured. We probably did better than most making week 2 with multiple season/career ending injuries and our main playmakers both playing injured for half a year. I doubt any other team in the comp achieves the same with Cronk perhaps being the exception as his game management is so elite he can win games by just talking to his team and directing traffic.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

Yeah this. Storm have a <40% record without Smith.

Not that it really matters, but I wonder how many of the games he missed were because of Origin and thus Slater, Cronk, and whoever else were also absent. That would impact the stats somewhat.

 

[OldPanther]

Not that it really matters, but I wonder how many of the games he missed were because of Origin and thus Slater, Cronk, and whoever else were also absent. That would impact the stats somewhat.

Yeah it would. I have no idea and not sure it's a stat we could check.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

Yeah it would. I have no idea and not sure it's a stat we could check.

Yeah, it was just idle curiosity really, rather than trying to debate your point

 

[TheFrog]

NRL.com had us finished 8th last year. Andrew Voss had as 6th...The has been many cases where haven't rated us. It's not like us on here are the only ones saying it

All anyone can really do is take last year's result and look at who comes in and out of the side, but it doesn't always work. It resulted in the Cowboys and Eels being top 4 when in fact they were bottom 4. You just cannot tell what is going to happen from one season to the next. We appear to have problems in hooker and front row but someone might come good at the right time.

 

[franklin2323]

All anyone can really do is take last year's result and look at who comes in and out of the side, but it doesn't always work. It resulted in the Cowboys and Eels being top 4 when in fact they were bottom 4. You just cannot tell what is going to happen from one season to the next. We appear to have problems in hooker and front row but someone might come good at the right time.

Of course in the end those experts have no idea like us they just guess

 

[Panther Mick]

I would rather the (cough cough) experts write us off than over hype us.

 

[betcats]

All anyone can really do is take last year's result and look at who comes in and out of the side, but it doesn't always work. It resulted in the Cowboys and Eels being top 4 when in fact they were bottom 4. You just cannot tell what is going to happen from one season to the next. We appear to have problems in hooker and front row but someone might come good at the right time.

Pretty much. A lot can happen in a short amount of time in this game.

 

[franklin2323]

Pretty much. A lot can happen in a short amount of time in this game.

Any team with a good injury run can push the 8 or top 4. As NQ showed it only takes an injury or 2 and you can be pushing the spoon

 

[Kilkenny]

Any team with a good injury run can push the 8 or top 4. As NQ showed it only takes an injury or 2 and you can be pushing the spoon

Which surely makes our effort to finish in the top 8 even more meritorious given we had a horrific year with injury.

 

[TheEroticGamer]

Cowboys didn't finish where they did because of injuries.

They finished where they did because the competition's trend was quicker defensive line speeds and outside backs jamming in. Something that makes coaches with a coaching philosophy of being reluctant to offload oversee a lot of shit performances from their team.

 

[Kilkenny]

Cowboys didn't finish where they did because of injuries.

They finished where they did because the competition's trend was quicker defensive line speeds and outside backs jamming in. Something that makes coaches with a coaching philosophy of being reluctant to offload oversee a lot of shit performances from their team.

I understand the point Franklin was trying to make. There can be a fine line between a decent season and a not so good season and injuries to key players play a huge part. IN the case of NQ they had an aging roster and didn’t manage it effectively and it caught up with them. I don’t think there poor season was down to the way the game was played. The Cowboys may struggle for a little while until they sort out there roster.

 

[Kilkenny]

It will be interesting to see who fills our remaining top 30 spot?

Surely has to be an outside back whether from within or another low key acquisition.