2020 season

[herbert henry1908]

Origin 7, premiership 9, gun pack, a 6 in waiting whos very special.

The doom and gloom from you guys is almost on the level of the media and the corona virus

It’s not doom & gloom, it’s being realistic. We’re a middle of the pack team on the rebuild again, probably 2-3 years away from competing for the top 4.

We have some good pieces, but we also have big question marks in key positions still. Most notably 1 & 6.

 

[betcats]

Acticles facts are too vague, just coz merrin and issac luke are in the dragons team, doesn't nessesarely mean they will make finals, maybe a graph with finals contenders showing experience could gague a better showing of experience vs clubs who progress to make final 4 would better,
But again depends on key injuries guys like Thurston or Hodgson made a huge impact on their teams not making a finals run to the GFs, way too many factors that prove that articles historical mathematics are flawed, but in saying all this, penrith being the youngest squad getting the underdog label is better than being the favourites.
Look at our squad at the start of last year, we had experience in nearly all positions, even with peachey, CHN and merrin moving on the previous season, yet as soon as we dropped a lot of guys and new blood came in, 7 in a row, and a blistering newcastle blow out to end the season, but we finished 10th, luke i said each club has reasons for not making the GF, experience in NRL games isn't a major factor

Good post.

 

[John Hamblin]

Sivo is a good example of what you can loose if you don’t give players a chance.

We seem to have a hard time developing players that the team Needs at the right time.

The storm do it best, they obviously identified they needed a fullback to cover Slater and had 3 of the best young players ready to go for it, Smith’s replacements are ready.
Chambers was dropped to give Olam and Scott a place, the list goes on, they just seem to get it right most of the time.

Experience and time together in the spine is very important but I think fire power and speed in the backs is also necessary.

Mitchell and Manu were rookies for the last 2 years but the firepower they add to the team can’t be denied.

Sivo is a sensational ball runner but his defence has always been terrible. This may be why he left us.

 

[betcats]

It’s not doom & gloom, it’s being realistic. We’re a middle of the pack team on the rebuild again, probably 2-3 years away from competing for the top 4.

We have some good pieces, but we also have big question marks in key positions still. Most notably 1 & 6.

You just look for negatives, that isn't realistic it is pessimistic. There are positives and genuine reasons why we can improve on last year.

It is common round here and understandably so, for example an obvious one is many people have decided after two trials, one good and one bad that Naden hasn't gotten better, cant play centre etc that is a negative view, its not realistic.

 

[herbert henry1908]

You just look for negatives, that isn't realistic it is pessimistic. There are positives and genuine reasons why we can improve on last year.

It is common round here and understandably so, for example an obvious one is many people have decided after two trials, one good and one bad that Naden hasn't gotten better, cant play centre etc that is a negative view, its not realistic.

Dude, I literally just pointed out two
positives in my last two posts.

- Firstly I said the club recruited some decently experienced players in the off season

- then I said we’ve got some good pieces

 

[Fangs]

Old mate Herb is easily one of the most balanced and level headed posters on this forum.

He is a long way from the cheer squad and isn't here to sink the boot in either.

 

[betcats]

Dude, I literally just pointed out two
positives in my last two posts.

- Firstly I said the club recruited some decently experienced players in the off season

- then I said we’ve got some good pieces

After saying we can’t even compete for the top four for three years, they are backhanded compliments at best. Teams can go from wooden spooners to one of the premiership favourites in one season dude, but a middle of the road team with some elite young talent can’t improve by a handful of spots in two years? Come on.

 

[kinghippo]

Sivo is a sensational ball runner but his defence has always been terrible. This may be why he left us.

No player is perfect, my concern is we seem to be aiming for a team of solid all rounders and that’s why we don’t score points.
Players like Sivo win games and help score points. Speed, threat and size.
In saying that my point was holding on to the right people and giving them a chance at the right time not necessarily about Sivo himself.

 

[betcats]

Old mate Herb is easily one of the most balanced and level headed posters on this forum.

He is a long way from the cheer squad and isn't here to sink the boot in either.

I tend to see him mostly just talking about why we can’t compete and all the mistakes we have supposedly made. He is intelligent and not wrong about a lot of things but still pessimistic IMO.

Our halfback put on 4 kilos of muscle and got faster and his first instinct is to question if it’s a positive or not? I mean come on, that is turning a positive into a negative because he do

 

[MugaB]

You just look for negatives, that isn't realistic it is pessimistic. There are positives and genuine reasons why we can improve on last year.

It is common round here and understandably so, for example an obvious one is many people have decided after two trials, one good and one bad that Naden hasn't gotten better, cant play centre etc that is a negative view, its not realistic.

I think he is a good centre, but i also know he would be an amazing luke Rooney style winger, something we don't currently have, Crichton is a newbie, but has already proved his worth to become our next centre, Whare is dependable, To'o is a genuine freak. My issue lies around Mansour, last year i saw him at magic round running sideways when all he had to do is run straight to score a try, his decision making recently has cost us not only tries, but poor reads on defence, and the players he has been up against are towering over him now, from Vunivalu, Ferguson, Tupou, Don, Felt, E.Lee, Rapana, Maumalou...
basically every team has these giants on the wing, ever since Semi Radradra years ago, and we persist with Mansauce.... when it was our penrith that started the Tall Luke Rooney-esk speedster in 2003, im sure there were other tall wingers back in the day, but we had them running hit ups back then, now its a given

 

[betcats]

I think he is a good centre, but i also know he would be an amazing luke Rooney style winger, something we don't currently have, Crichton is a newbie, but has already proved his worth to become our next centre, Whare is dependable, To'o is a genuine freak. My issue lies around Mansour, last year i saw him at magic round running sideways when all he had to do is run straight to score a try, his decision making recently has cost us not only tries, but poor reads on defence, and the players he has been up against are towering over him now, from Vunivalu, Ferguson, Tupou, Don, Felt, E.Lee, Rapana, Maumalou...
basically every team has these giants on the wing, ever since Semi Radradra years ago, and we persist with Mansauce.... when it was our penrith that started the Tall Luke Rooney-esk speedster in 2003, im sure there were other tall wingers back in the day, but we had them running hit ups back then, now its a given

There is a genuine argument to suggest he would be a better winger, no doubt i've made that argument myself but I always maintained there should be plenty of improvement left in him . I am just referring to the idea a guy who was not even on a FG contract this time last season cant get better.

 

[Fangs]

I tend to see him mostly just talking about why we can’t compete and all the mistakes we have supposedly made. He is intelligent and not wrong about a lot of things but still pessimistic IMO.

Our halfback put on 4 kilos of muscle and got faster and his first instinct is to question if it’s a positive or not? I mean come on, that is turning a positive into a negative because he do

Perhaps it's because I don't disagree on those points. I've got similar concerns.

At the end of 2019 the last thing Penrith needed was a bigger halfback. If it helps his game that's great, but I don't see it as an obvious positive just yet. Except for the buyers of the Men In League calendar.

Old mate @souf aussie panther now that is a pessimist. A damn good one too.

 

[betcats]

Perhaps it's because I don't disagree on those points. I've got similar concerns.

At the end of 2019 the last thing Penrith needed was a bigger halfback. If it helps his game that's great, but I don't see it as an obvious positive just yet. Except for the buyers of the Men In League calendar.

Old mate @souf aussie panther now that is a pessimist. A damn good one too.

Yep sure, a smaller, weaker and slower Nathan would be better, that makes complete sense. Unless they are lying about his mobility INCREASES or the extra muscle hurts his durability there is no way its a negative.

 

[herbert henry1908]

After saying we can’t even compete for the top four for three years, they are backhanded compliments at best. Teams can go from wooden spooners to one of the premiership favourites in one season dude, but a middle of the road team with some elite young talent can’t improve by a handful of spots in two years? Come on.

I said 2-3 years.

Ivan Cleary has only ever coached a team to the top four twice in thirteen seasons. There’s more questions than just our on field talent.


The only recent team I can think of that’s gone from the bottom of the table to the top was the roosters. But that was because of massive injuries and suspensions.

 

[Fangs]

Yep sure, a smaller, weaker and slower Nathan would be better, that makes complete sense. Unless they are lying about his mobility INCREASES or the extra muscle hurts his durability there is no way its a negative.

You think Nathan Cleary was a small, weak and slow halfback in 2019?

 

[MugaB]

I said 2-3 years.

Ivan Cleary has only ever coached a team to the top four twice in thirteen seasons. There’s more questions than just our on field talent.


The only recent team I can think of that’s gone from the bottom of the table to the top was the roosters. But that was because of massive injuries and suspensions.

Panthers 2002, the very next season we win

 

[betcats]

I said 2-3 years.

Ivan Cleary has only ever coached a team to the top four twice in thirteen seasons. There’s more questions than just our on field talent.


The only recent team I can think of that’s gone from the bottom of the table to the top was the roosters. But that was because of massive injuries and suspensions.

Parramatta got a spoon in 2018 and will start 2020 as one of the premiership favourites. They advanced from 16th to 7th in a season.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Our halfback put on 4 kilos of muscle and got faster and his first instinct is to question if it’s a positive or not? I mean come on, that is turning a positive into a negative because he do

Reason I questioned this is because big halfbacks are rare, most tend to be on the smaller and more nimble side of things.

 

[betcats]

You think Nathan Cleary was a small, weak and slow halfback in 2019?

No. But he has gotten bigger and stronger and faster this year, so his 2019 version of himself was slower, smaller and weaker than this current version.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Panthers 2002, the very next season we win

I said recent.

Point is it’s rare, and in that instance we recruited amazingly well.