2021 season

[panthersam]

The Macedonians he’s comparing us to is actually Alexander the Great and friends who never lost a battle and literally conquered every bit of land they set foot on for about 12 years, suggesting Alexander just got lucky is incredibly dumb.

The whole piece written is incredibly dumb too. Whoever wrote it will probably have a role at the DT in no time.

 

[soc123_au]

The Macedonians he’s comparing us to is actually Alexander the Great and friends who never lost a battle and literally conquered every bit of land they set foot on for about 12 years, suggesting Alexander just got lucky is incredibly dumb.

That was my first thought too. Obviously written by a f**kwit trying to make themselves appear cultured and well read.

 

[WestyLife]

The Macedonians he’s comparing us to is actually Alexander the Great and friends who never lost a battle and literally conquered every bit of land they set foot on for about 12 years, suggesting Alexander just got lucky is incredibly dumb.

Yeah I like how they try to use history as the examples and figured they were compressing the entire rule of Alexander into our 2020 season. Clever.

But then they talk about getting lucky and arbitrarily taking 10% off their own stats specifically to negatively alter results.

 

[The_Frog]

A Deep Dive in to the 2021 NRL season

Rugby League is a conservative business. No-one associated with it is more conservative than some of its journos, especially fringe ones and those fond of saying things that will get them noticed. So when a team usually known for its mediocrity comes from nowhere to win 17 in a row, some media types cannot cope.

It would be nice to keep players like Mansour, Aekins and Ellis (Whare was omitted), but this is a development club, and new talent is rising through the ranks all the time. You can only have 30 in your squad, and there is a salary cap. Decisions have to be made. Whether the right decisions were made is not yet apparent.

What is most likely to derail this side in 2021, if that is to happen, is injuries. If this side gets key players going down they could have a tough time emulating last year. Tamou is a loss, but he was considered inferior to the likes of Saifiti, Paulo, Haas and Campbell-Gillard at the back end of last year, so is hardly irreplaceable. Mansour likewise, his hard yards will be missed but his errors won't. The travel component was a furphy to try to explain the team's rise. It will be much the same this year as last and every other year.

 

[franklin2323]

I was questioning Naden's defence all year but dropping him for a semi final for a lock who has played limited centre was brain dead imo. I thought we looked our best with the ball last year when May came on for 20 - 30 odd minutes a game and played as a second 5/8th, it was just as baffling to me that we went away from that completely.

Comes across to balance of the squad really

look at the options

3 fullbacks
MWZ a winger
McGrady an untested winger

Or Whare that was past it

That is where we have improved over the off season

 

[The_Frog]

What a load of cum, absolute garbage writing, and this whole article can be said for any club who made the finals, barr the storm of course, parramatta had a great run and most games at home, then they shite the bed a month or two out from finals, roosters had key injuries, and no cronk makes it so much harder to push for their 3peat, canberra lost games they should had won, also probably had the hardest travel during the season, being at campbelltown for home matches early on, and Souths had the right team pushing for the GF, we were just better on the night, had they had a fit latteral, maybe we just lose.
So many teams and so many factors, seems more like this reporter or journo has a bone to pick with eithe club or cleary, and has a hard on for Roman mythology/history

He doesn't like Parra either, and has the Rabbitohs past the post. A change from the Roosters I suppose.

 

[franklin2323]

Nothing looks more stupid then people trying to seem cultured and failing

 

[WestyLife]

Comes across to balance of the squad really

look at the options

3 fullbacks
MWZ a winger
McGrady an untested winger

Or Whare that was past it

That is where we have improved over the off season

Yeah I said the same thing here about being good for forwards but not backs.

 

[franklin2323]

Yeah I said the same thing here about being good for forwards but not backs.

Well you are spot on. Very unbalanced squad over the last few years

 

[Girds89]

I was questioning Naden's defence all year but dropping him for a semi final for a lock who has played limited centre was brain dead imo. I thought we looked our best with the ball last year when May came on for 20 - 30 odd minutes a game and played as a second 5/8th, it was just as baffling to me that we went away from that completely.

Spot on

 

[maple_69]

Mansour out for Staines. May replaces Staines on on the depth chart. We're about even here.
Whare, Aekins & Laurie out for Rennings, Momo. Turuva. Decent improvement here.
Hetherington out for Hopgood. Wash.
Tamou out for Leniu. Smith replaces Leniu on the depth chart. Arguably a wash pending Leniu delivering a slice of his potential.
Tetevano out for Eisenhuth. Maybe a slight step down.

Our squad is pretty similar. As others have said, once our lower grade sides are playing each week people will start to remember we have a production line of high quality juniors that can be every good as Laurie, Hetherington, Aekins etc.

Injuries, evolving our attacking structure and matching our intensity/discipline from last year are the question marks not our squad.

 

[snickers007]

Hetherington out for Hopgood. Wash.

I thought Hetherington was very good for the Warriors last year - problem was the size of his salary, and his horrendous judiciary record.

I can't speak for Hopgood's ability, I haven't seen enough of him - but if he has Jack's ability, at 1/3 of the cost, and can string 4-5 games together without a stint on the sideline, I'll be very happy.

 

[betcats]

I thought Hetherington was very good for the Warriors last year - problem was the size of his salary, and his horrendous judiciary record.

I can't speak for Hopgood's ability, I haven't seen enough of him - but if he has Jack's ability, at 1/3 of the cost, and can string 4-5 games together without a stint on the sideline, I'll be very happy.

The cost would be ok if you could trust him to play fg each week, he’s good enough to justify that salary if he can avoid suspension. But he hasn’t proven he can do that yet.

Hopgood and Heathro isn’t a wash on talent but in terms of value it probably is. Hard to compare without seeing hopgood in fg but based on the trial I think he could provide plenty of impact off the bench. He’s basically middle version of Martin with a nice offload and quick play the ball, based on that one trial that is.

 

[Smug Panther]

The cost would be ok if you could trust him to play fg each week, he’s good enough to justify that salary if he can avoid suspension. But he hasn’t proven he can do that yet.

Hopgood and Heathro isn’t a wash on talent but in terms of value it probably is. Hard to compare without seeing hopgood in fg but based on the trial I think he could provide plenty of impact off the bench. He’s basically middle version of Martin with a nice offload and quick play the ball, based on that one trial that is.

Martin is a middle version of Martin ;-)

 

[betcats]

Martin is a middle version of Martin ;-)

His name is now Middle Martin, anyone says j’maine whatever and they are getting banned.

 

[BossleyPanther]

I'm not concerned much about our depth in players. I think it's quite good. I'm hoping leadership isn't missed. Last year's run was pretty good injury. I fear that this year it may not be the same and the hype on the Panthers concerns me. The biggest Threat to our premierships hopes are South's and Canberra. Melbourne and Roosters are on the decline. Tigers would be the biggest improvers this year

 

[Jane Murray]

Nice article.

 

[WestyLife]

Nice article.

Good article.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I'm not concerned much about our depth in players. I think it's quite good. I'm hoping leadership isn't missed. Last year's run was pretty good injury. I fear that this year it may not be the same and the hype on the Panthers concerns me. The biggest Threat to our premierships hopes are South's and Canberra. Melbourne and Roosters are on the decline. Tigers would be the biggest improvers this year

I don’t think Melbourne will decline much. They’ll miss Smith’s leadership for sure, but Harry Grant is a very special player, and actually adds a new dimension to their attack. The key, as always, is the spine. Grant, Hughes, Munster & Pep is a killer spine.

 

[betcats]

Grant is awesome but they have lost their main game manager and a lot of influence with the refs(IMO), they've lost one of their main kickers also. Grants running game will add plenty but the game management and leadership is a big loss with Smith. Defensively also Grant is drop off Smith was always slowing it down in the middle, little Grant will be hard pressed just holding on based of last season.

Every player on that roster besides those added this season had Cameron Smith leading them for their entire Storm careers, its a huge hole to fill. All that being said I still think they might be our main threat for the premiership so im not expecting them to go backwards to much.