Backline 2019

[JDHD]

Barring injuries, our backline next year will be

Dufty
Lomax
Aitken
Lafai
MacDonald/Pereira
Widdop
Hunt

And anyone who thinks differently is delusional.

 

[watatank]

tbh there's no guarantees that Lomax will even start in first grade

 

[Dragonslayer]

Barring injuries, our backline next year will be

Dufty
Lomax
Aitken
Lafai
MacDonald/Pereira
Widdop
Hunt

And anyone who thinks differently is delusional.

I agree, you're right on the money here.

Although we want change, there probably won't be any other than the retirement of Gypsy. It's also probably why someone like Herbert is looking elsewhere.

 

[mobels]

... how many players have improved since McDrunk started?

It doesn’t seem like individuals or the team as a whole know how to improve ala our season constantly going downhill from the start.

Frizell, Ah Mau, Vaughan, Sims, JDB, Mike Cooper, Thompson.

He seemingly can get improvement in the forwards but can’t coach any of the backs even if his life depended on it.

 

[My man Gasnier]

... how many players have improved since McDrunk started?

It doesn’t seem like individuals or the team as a whole know how to improve ala our season constantly going downhill from the start.

Yeah spot on, just a shame that we have 5 SOO players and 2 others who were in the frame. That kind of ruins your statement.

 

[Corner_Post]

Yeah spot on, just a shame that we have 5 SOO players and 2 others who were in the frame. That kind of ruins your statement.

Just because they’re reps and good played does not mean they’re improving. I mean using your examples:

Hunt: with Cronk gone and DCE pissing off the squad previously who else was here

Sims: has always been promising and finally got a good run re injuries

JDB: has definitely plateaued. Yes, he is a good defender but his attack is now rather predictable.

Vaughn: been promising for a while and made the most of the opportunity after being stuck behind a plethora of props at the Raiders

Frizell: has brute strength and far and away best player in the team. Plateaued like JDB though.

McInnes: had been stuck behind Farah and Cook.

Aitkin: one good try against Inglis. Does he even know how to pass? Defence and attack has gone downhill.

The ones I am disappointed about most are Frizzell and JDB. They are built for football and have talent. They have such great potential and you could see them going up a few levels but their growth is just stagnant.

 

[Corner_Post]

Compare that with say Bennett.... what he did with Hornby, Soward, Young, Fien, Costigan, Saffy, Weyman, Scott, Prior.

Before he came, how many of them would you say would be premiership players with a couple of them playing Origin.

 

[Crush]

Barring injuries, our backline next year will be

Dufty
Lomax
Aitken
Lafai
MacDonald/Pereira
Widdop
Hunt

And anyone who thinks differently is delusional.

I doubt Lomax will be there, not experienced enough.
Dufty
Pereria
Aitken
Lafai
Macdonald
Widdop
Hunt
Mann will be 17.

 

[giboz71]

I just hope if they are silly enough to have McGregor as coach next year, they at least surround him with decent assistants.

Guys like Taylor, Furner and Cartwright who couldn’t cut it as head coaches are doing fair jobs as assistants. Surely a guy like Matt Elliott would be handy?

Clearly Head, Hornby and Young don’t provide much help. Our attack is just lifeless and lacks variety. We have the players, just not used correctly.

 

[watatank]

There's no way the head coach allows an assistant coach that is a threat to the head coaching role

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Barring injuries, our backline next year will be

Dufty
Lomax
Aitken
Lafai
MacDonald/Pereira
Widdop
Hunt

And anyone who thinks differently is delusional.

I have my doubts re: Dufty.

Unless he improves dramatically in defence and with catching kicks, his career is destined to follow Adam Quinlan.

 

[Como Connection]

I just hope if they are silly enough to have McGregor as coach next year, they at least surround him with decent assistants.

Guys like Taylor, Furner and Cartwright who couldn’t cut it as head coaches are doing fair jobs as assistants. Surely a guy like Matt Elliott would be handy?

Clearly Head, Hornby and Young don’t provide much help. Our attack is just lifeless and lacks variety. We have the players, just not used correctly.

Head's reserve grade team play a good style of footy, I wouldn't flick him, however the other two can go.
CC

 

[blacksafake]

I just hope if they are silly enough to have McGregor as coach next year, they at least surround him with decent assistants.

Guys like Taylor, Furner and Cartwright who couldn’t cut it as head coaches are doing fair jobs as assistants. Surely a guy like Matt Elliott would be handy?

Clearly Head, Hornby and Young don’t provide much help. Our attack is just lifeless and lacks variety. We have the players, just not used correctly.

This imo is very telling.
It really annoys the bejesus out of me every time the camera turns onto L plate in the box & sitting next to him is Hornby & someone who I don’t know. Now Hornby was a good calm player but not really what you would call a smart player. When things are not going well I think that L plate is on his own as far as having another opinion to bounce off. What also compounds the issue is Young is the other down on the bench. Maybe this is the way he wants it as he’s too stubborn to listen to anyone hence the moving on of JD.

 

[j0nesy]

Barring injuries, our backline next year will be

Dufty
Lomax
Aitken
Lafai
MacDonald/Pereira
Widdop
Hunt

And anyone who thinks differently is delusional.

I think you’ll be pretty close to the mark and this is the most likely scenario.

If MacDonald goes, and given Nighty’s retirement, I think they’ll be looking to sign a quality winger. They’ll probably be unsuccessful in doing so though and end up with Pereira, who I’m not sold on yet but did pretty well against Newcastle.

A bit left field but I’d try Aitken on the wing and Lomax at centre.

 

[giboz71]

This imo is very telling.
It really annoys the bejesus out of me every time the camera turns onto L plate in the box & sitting next to him is Hornby & someone who I don’t know. Now Hornby was a good calm player but not really what you would call a smart player. When things are not going well I think that L plate is on his own as far as having another opinion to bounce off. What also compounds the issue is Young is the other down on the bench. Maybe this is the way he wants it as he’s too stubborn to listen to anyone hence the moving on of JD.

100%.

Any time cameras pan to the coaching box, ours just looks second rate.

Robinson has Taylor and Fitzgibbon next to him. Seibold has Furner. Flanagan has Jim Dymock. Bennett has JD. Alll career coaches with loads of experience.

Then you have Mary with Hornby and Young next to him.

Is there something wrong with this picture????

 

[possm]

I’d like to see Aitken play at left centre in the trials, if Lomax is ready to go on the right, but it would only be a short-term option. Aitken’s likely spot is off the bench.

2020 I’d expect they’d be budgeting for Marsters left centre. I don’t see us heading anywhere but towards a young back five with Sailor and Saab around as well.

I've always held the belief that we should ensure we have a strong competitive side each and every year. We should always aim to put a better team on the field each year.

Sometimes, timing is not right and the idea of keeping a young junior who has potential does not work out. Some players are just not ready for first grade when we need them so it is either they are content to wait until their is an opening or just move on to another club. The idea of promoting players that are not up to it is absolutely silly.

 

[aquiin]

I was just talking about their depth chart. If you can get an extra year out of Lafai and re-sign Marsters that would be the ideal.

We went through this in 2007-9 and I think we make slightly different decisions this time.

Also on Aitken, just want to see how he’d go on that side.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

Sign Gutherson.

1. Dufty
2. Pearson
3. Gutho
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa

6. Widdop
7. Hunt.

Gutho easily interchangeable to fullback if Dufty isn't cutting it and Lafai brought back in to play left centre.

Speed, skill, strength. Yum.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Sign Gutherson.

1. Dufty
2. Pearson
3. Gutho
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa

6. Widdop
7. Hunt.

Gutho easily interchangeable to fullback if Dufty isn't cutting it and Lafai brought back in to play left centre.

Speed, skill, strength. Yum.

I like Gutherson, he's been poorly coached imo, very underated.

However, i dont see him as a priority target, af least in our recruitments eyes. I'd be happy to have him though.

I still think Hayne is the #1 target and that will be for fullback. I think it will be:

1. Hayne
2. Pearson
3. Lomax
4. Lafai
5. Periera

Dufty will become the super sub from the bench.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I like Gutherson, he's been poorly coached imo, very underated.

However, i dont see him as a priority target, af least in our recruitments eyes. I'd be happy to have him though.

I still think Hayne is the #1 target and that will be for fullback. I think it will be:

1. Hayne
2. Pearson
3. Lomax
4. Lafai
5. Periera

Dufty will become the super sub from the bench.

Gutherson is a weapon, he was easily looking at a NSW bench spot this year is Parramatta didn't have such a poor season.

If the whispers about the situations as it stands with Hayne is true, then we're not bowing to his manager's wishes... So it looks like we will likely miss out on Hayne. Which I don't mind at all. I'd play Hayne as a centre anywhere if he came to us.

I also think that Robson should be our super sub next year. That kid is too good to keep in ISP for any longer, and it will give McInnes the rest he needs, because he was obviously fatigued towards the middle/end of the year.