Around the Grounds

[Yosh]

So the one club Pezet would never actually play for must be us right? He looks like a solid first grader already.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I’d imagine Crichton will be playing fullback for the dogs next year with Alamoti taking one centre spot and Xerri/Averillo fighting it out for the other.
Credit to Gus he’s done a phenomenal job rebuilding the dogs with some shrewd recruitment and creative salary cap management.

Not a fan of Crichton at 1. He may prove me wrong of course.

 

[HarVeeGee]

So the one club Pezet would never actually play for must be us right? He looks like a solid first grader already.

Yeah I don’t think he’d ever come back.

And honestly I don’t think the club needs to desperately go to him on hands and knees now anyway. No need for a saviour. Assuming KP comes back, we have what looks like a good spine with every player locked up till at least the end of 2025. Only Miller will be over 30 by that time, but as a late age debutant it’s a relatively young 30 with not that many miles on the clock. Let’s see what they can do if given time to build continuity.

Parr has bought us what his predecessors have failed to - time, and license to be patient.

The right prospects for us right now are ones who have a bit of versatility in the short term (eg Pryce, who has the stature to play in the centres or as a bench lock if that turns out to be the best way to bring him into the NRL, is a great fit) and/or are high character kids who are willing to accept and trust that they’ll need to do a solid NSW Cup apprenticeship with us and maybe not get an extended chance in first grade until they’re 22-24 (if Ryan Rivett, who shows obvious potential but I reckon will need a couple pre-seasons at least due to his slight frame, is willing to do that - then he’s perfect for us right atm).

I know the latter type of prospect isn’t as sexy as Pezet or Isaiya Katoa, but heaps of them go on to have great careers, and I would argue benefit from not being thrown into the deep end before they really understand their own games. Maloney. Hynes. Hughes. Luai. Now Braydon Trindall is starting to look like he’s going to be quite a good first grade half (so it’s not just Melbourne and Penrith who can produce these guys lol).

 

[Yosh]

If our spine stays fit Miller, Ponga, Hastings and Brailey could be our spine for the next 5 years and be really competitive. However, Miller is nearly 30, Ponga and Brailey have always been injury prone and Hastings doesn't seem to be able to stay at a club long... I hope they really do stick together and drive us up the table over the next 2 or 3 year though.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

As ever it’s going to come down to luck with injuries, of which we’ve have none. It’s been years since we last kept our spine together for something resembling a full season. I literally can’t remember when we last had our spine actually play even half a season together.

We have a spine right now that I think is good enough to take us up the ladder and into the top 8 consistently but that will really depend on how much footy they actually play together. If I was to bet on it I’d say that Ponga’s days as an NRL footballer are numbered unfortunately, and who knows how long Brailey’s knees will hold together for.

 

[aqua_duck]

Our starting spine is fine, the issue is everything else including the coach, for me the first thing we need to do is bring in some genuine forward depth for the first time in years

 

[HarVeeGee]

Obviously if KP’s career does end soon that changes the calculus somewhat. They’ll figure it out though I think.

 

[Jono078]

The Bulldogs and Warriors are putting on a nice first half of footy.

Man Reed Mahoney might just be the best hooker today IMO.

Jake Averillo might be a guy worth looking into. With the way the Dogs have recruited there might not be a spot for him.

 

[Yosh]

The Bulldogs and Warriors are putting on a nice first half of footy.

Man Reed Mahoney might just be the best hooker today IMO.

Jake Averillo might be a guy worth looking into. With the way the Dogs have recruited there might not be a spot for him.

To eventually take over from Gagai? Both our centres have been top class in 2024.

 

[macavity]

To eventually take over from Gagai? Both our centres have been top class in 2024.

Lucas is a centre. And we have Hunt/Tuala also.

 

[perverse]

To eventually take over from Gagai? Both our centres have been top class in 2024.

If you're coming from the future mate, how do things go this year?

 

[Apey]

Snapped a sneaky shot of this legend before the game today:

 

[ryan.a87]

Tigers apparently chasing Mitch Pearce for this year and beyond on big money

 

[aqua_duck]

Tigers apparently chasing Mitch Pearce for this year and beyond on big money

Sheens is going to send them back to the stone ages by the time he's done which is a shame because I have a genuine soft spot for the tigers and their long suffering and loyal fans

 

[Spot On]

The original Pearce and Pearce 2.0 getting to play together for a team that hasn’t won a game in 2023 and between them will only take up 2 million of the salary cap at the Tigers.

We could be witnessing the dawn of a new type of halves pairing where the coaching staff do not permit the 6 and 7 to kick or run or pass to limit the damage they can do to the team’s chances of winning.

 

[ryan.a87]

I feel like this is the type of story made up by “fox league writer” just so they can get clicks and have something to talk about on nrl360. Only for tigers to put out a statement in a day or two denying it and then running article on that

you get 2 news stories and a segment on nrl360 from one made up story

 

[Apey]

I feel like this is the type of story made up by “fox league writer” just so they can get clicks and have something to talk about on nrl360. Only for tigers to put out a statement in a day or two denying it and then running article on that

you get 2 news stories and a segment on nrl360 from one made up story

Yeah, it has to be made up. I mean I'd take Pearce over Brooks but I'd also take Crossland over Brooks when taking into account salaries...

 

[Jono078]

I'm genuinely grateful I'm not a Tigers fan right now.

Boy do I feel for them. They don't seem to lack some decent talent come through the grades but their club is just a pure mess.

 

[Spot On]

Yeah, it has to be made up. I mean I'd take Pearce over Brooks but I'd also take Crossland over Brooks when taking into account salaries...

We could have had Pearce, Pearcey 2.O and Crossland in the same side if we played our cards right!

 

[Frederick]

Sheens is going to send them back to the stone ages by the time he's done which is a shame because I have a genuine soft spot for the tigers and their long suffering and loyal fans

As long as he ensures we don't get the spoon, I'm ok with it