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2020 season

Abacus

Juniors
Messages
2,128
Panthers finished 11th in 2015 under Cleary. Griffin took over the team in the next year and they finished 6th in 2016, 7th in 2017 and 5th in 2018. We had as many injuries under Griffin as under Cleary. That's pretty instant improvement.
Finished 11th in 2015, but would have been wooden spooners had we lost spoonbowl.
 

franklin2323

Immortal
Messages
33,546
Look at the last 5 seasons

Finished 4th
11th
6th
7th
5th

A decent sample size to say we were good without being great.

Over that time 3 coaches were used so at some stage it comes back to the players... And now that word rebuild. It was needed you have to pretty start from scratch with a new coach
 

BxTom

Bench
Messages
2,674
Look at the last 5 seasons

Finished 4th
11th
6th
7th
5th

A decent sample size to say we were good without being great.

Over that time 3 coaches were used so at some stage it comes back to the players... And now that word rebuild. It was needed you have to pretty start from scratch with a new coach
Why should a new coach require a rebuild? That's just dumb. So the storm need a rebuild if they get a new coach? Same goes for the Chooks?
 

Pomoz

Bench
Messages
2,989
We had nowhere near as many injuries in 2016-2018 than 2015.
Maybe because we didn't have the Pie Face fitnesses regime under Cleary and the insistence on playing injured players and experience instead of using our juniors to fill in. Round peg, round hole. Back rowers in the centres, that sort of thing. The usual Dave's mate selection of age and experience over skill. I'll give him his due, at least this year he has tried some new players. Once Yeo had been run around in the centres for the umpteenth time, the penny dropped.
 

franklin2323

Immortal
Messages
33,546
Why should a new coach require a rebuild? That's just dumb. So the storm need a rebuild if they get a new coach? Same goes for the Chooks?

Every coach has their own style of play so the top 17 will always change. So yes a new coach takes 2-3 years to get their side. Our issue wasn't so much the players themselves were bad but all on too long deals and no cap space.

Look at the minor premierships those 2 teams have then the lack of 5 year deals. They don't need to rebuild for that reason
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
Every coach has their own style of play so the top 17 will always change. So yes a new coach takes 2-3 years to get their side. Our issue wasn't so much the players themselves were bad but all on too long deals and no cap space.

Look at the minor premierships those 2 teams have then the lack of 5 year deals. They don't need to rebuild for that reason

Rooster won the prem and still changed the roster. Just supporting your point.
 

Fangs

Coach
Messages
13,776
99% written us off this year. So onto 2020.

Some promising signs recently from Cleary. But he needs a lot of support, we can't win a premiership with our current spine.

9 is a massive issue and has been for too long. Katoa is probably our best 9 but is prone to making big mistakes. Go for Korisau. Next option for me would be an older half who we could turn into a 9.

Fullback will be Edwards for now. He has been brilliant the last couple months. We also have a few options in the lower grades who look promising.

Luai should get first shot at 6. Though I'm not confident he will work well with Cleary. If we are honest no one has had a good combination with Cleary. It needs to change.

We've invested to much time and effort into Cleary to move him from the 7. And with Maloney gone we can't afford to. He is 100% the starting half next year. And with the right spine around him he will be effective enough.

Other concern for me is up front. We need a real bulldozer with an offload or some ball play like Big Jake.

If we make changes it's a top 8 team. If the spine remains the same we won't play finals football in 2020. Available players in the market are low. So right now I think next year looks fairly bleak.
 

Fangs

Coach
Messages
13,776
On Josh Reynolds, just a bit too injury prone I think.

I actually think Benji Marshall would be a good signing. Either halves or hooker. Worst scenario he plays reserves but he walks into our 17 IMO. Though I don't see him leaving the Tigers, he will want to rerire there. His age will keep him out of Penrith as well.

Anyone on this forum who actually keeps their eye on the ESL? Raiders getting a fair bit of success with English players. Might be worth a look. There are more players than just Zac Hardaker.
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
2020 spine:

1. Burton
6. Luai
7. Cleary
9. Egan or buy someone

Not trying to insult Edwards but Burton would be our version of Ponga.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
I don't think injuries were all there was to it in 2015, which is perhaps why Gus felt the need to act. We had injuries the year before and the year after, and not many this year by comparison, yet this year is on life support and 14 and 16 were quite good.
 

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