2025 Pre-Season and Predictions

[Valheru]

Ok gents

I've been holding this one off until the Ben Hunt saga was finalised.

2024 ended in disappointing fashion so it is on to 2025 which for me has a lot of unknown in it. We have lost a lot of players in Suali'i, Manu, JWH, Keary, Sitilli, May and Jennings without much to replace them at this stage. In addition we have the two ACL injuries to Walker and B Smith.

If we are being completely honest we need to expect regression and we don't have any real shot at the title in 2025. I think 2025 is more about building for 2026 via development of some key young players in 2025 (Moriarty & Toia to name a couple) and then some recruitment for 2026 with names like Robson and D Brown already mentioned. I do like the fact that the club has clearly identified what we have been doing hasn't worked and it finally feels like we are truly moving on from the 2018-19 core.

Having said that, I don't think the drop off will be anywhere near what everyone is expecting, this is still a quality squad. Literally no one is predicting us to make the 8 (go to the predictions thread on the main board) which I think is insane. Our best team as of right now is per below IMO

1 Teddy
2 Toops
3 Marky mark
4 Toia/Billy Smith
5 Young

6 S Smith
7 Walker

8 Collins
9 B Smith
10 Leniu
11 Crighton
12 Radley
13 Whyte

14 Watson
15 Wong
16 N Butcher
17 E Butcher

18 Townsend
19 Va'a
20 Steep
21 Pauga

That is still a good side, especially the forward pack and is a top 8 team and top 4 on its day. In what is a positive, the pressure is off this team now, no one expects them to do well and Robbo seems to excel when the team isn't packed with superstars (think 2021).

I think we will finish 5-8

 

[Vic Mackey]

Not much going on so I'll bite. If Walker was there for the whole year and they had a decent injury run I'd see no reason Easts wouldnt be top 4 again. However missing your 7 & 9 for at least half the season is a massive blow to any side, we also dont know how theyll come back, a guy like Walker relies so much on his speed and kicking game.

A halves pairing of Sandon Smith and Chad Townsend doesnt strike fear into any team. Smith looks a decent young player, I havent seen huge amounts of him but he looks like a guy with a decent running game. Townsend is about to turn 34 and got dropped by NQ who improved without him. These days hes purely a kicker and organiser.

I love Connor Watson as a player but not sure hes a guy Id want as a fulltime 9, do you have options there? is ZDC still at the club?

I admit I know next to nothing about Easts squad once you get past player 20, however they have generally been pretty strong with 18-20 year olds so may have something there.

I havent really thought about my top 8 yet and if you put me on the spot Id probably have a spot for the Roosters in mine. I feel they need a lot to go right to be up there, however you can say that about most sides, like couple of other teams in the comp it wouldnt surprise me if they came 3rd or 13th.

 

[Valheru]

Not much going on so I'll bite. If Walker was there for the whole year and they had a decent injury run I'd see no reason Easts wouldnt be top 4 again. However missing your 7 & 9 for at least half the season is a massive blow to any side, we also dont know how theyll come back, a guy like Walker relies so much on his speed and kicking game.

A halves pairing of Sandon Smith and Chad Townsend doesnt strike fear into any team. Smith looks a decent young player, I havent seen huge amounts of him but he looks like a guy with a decent running game. Townsend is about to turn 34 and got dropped by NQ who improved without him. These days hes purely a kicker and organiser.

I love Connor Watson as a player but not sure hes a guy Id want as a fulltime 9, do you have options there? is ZDC still at the club?

I admit I know next to nothing about Easts squad once you get past player 20, however they have generally been pretty strong with 18-20 year olds so may have something there.

I havent really thought about my top 8 yet and if you put me on the spot Id probably have a spot for the Roosters in mine. I feel they need a lot to go right to be up there, however you can say that about most sides, like couple of other teams in the comp it wouldnt surprise me if they came 3rd or 13th.

Good summation and it's hard to disagree with any of that.

With Walker we are all hoping he recovers well form the injury, hopefully he is young enough to not have any lasting effects but you never know

RE: the hooker situation, ZDC is still at the club but not listed ont he website as part of the first grade side, just the NSW cup side so take that as you will. The one to watch though is Tyler Moriarty who they have had huge wraps on the last two years. he is listed in the first grade side and I wouldn't be shocked if he was the starting hooker at some point before B Smith returns. Definitely the two rookies to watch this year are Moriarty and Toia, the latter of which I'm led to believe will start in round 1.

 

[marshall stalin]

1 Tedesco
2 Toops
3 Billy Smith
4 Nawaqanitawase
5 Young

6 Sandon Smith
7 Townsend

8 Collins
9 Watson
10 Leniu
11 Crichton
12 Radley
13 Whyte

14 Moriarty
15 Wong
16 Nat Butcher
17 Egan Butcher

18 Steep
19 Toia
20 De La Salle Va'a
21 Pauga
22 Foketi

 

[marshall stalin]

Not much going on so I'll bite. If Walker was there for the whole year and they had a decent injury run I'd see no reason Easts wouldnt be top 4 again. However missing your 7 & 9 for at least half the season is a massive blow to any side, we also dont know how theyll come back, a guy like Walker relies so much on his speed and kicking game.

A halves pairing of Sandon Smith and Chad Townsend doesnt strike fear into any team. Smith looks a decent young player, I havent seen huge amounts of him but he looks like a guy with a decent running game. Townsend is about to turn 34 and got dropped by NQ who improved without him. These days hes purely a kicker and organiser.

I love Connor Watson as a player but not sure hes a guy Id want as a fulltime 9, do you have options there? is ZDC still at the club?

I admit I know next to nothing about Easts squad once you get past player 20, however they have generally been pretty strong with 18-20 year olds so may have something there.

I havent really thought about my top 8 yet and if you put me on the spot Id probably have a spot for the Roosters in mine. I feel they need a lot to go right to be up there, however you can say that about most sides, like couple of other teams in the comp it wouldnt surprise me if they came 3rd or 13th.

ZDC was offered a 1 year contract extension by the Roosters for 2025- I did read he was weighing up offers from ESL teams