Barnett ACL

[Beavers Headgear]

Season over for him unfortunately, big loss

Unusual way for it to go, generally you see them outside of contact

 

[ozbash]

Huge loss..we have cover but not up to his standard..

 

[TheDMC]

Risaster. Poor Mitch. Such is life.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

FMD, what a season we're are having, retirements, last minute medical retirement, players released mid season, now season ending injury.

 

[nswarrior]

Barnett has been so good for the team. He will be a huge loss obviously and hard to see how we fill that gap. Demetrius will step up but who fills in for him.

I thought the season being so wide open we were in with a sniff of going very far this year but now it’s hard to see how we can match the top sides

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Huge loss
But NSW Cup team are firing. Good chance for 1 of the boys to step up

 

[vvvrulz]

What a huge blow, but I've been expecting a bit more from Fish and if he goes up a notch I'm not too worried with how "next man up" has been going for us. Barney wasn't there against the physical af Raiders and we matched them.

 

[Blair]

A nightmare.

So much for all the so-called 'experts' (like Matt Elliott) saying it looks medial not acl. I'll never listen to them - let alone quote them - again. They just gave me false hope.

Will we slide down the ladder now? Remember, when Johnson went down in '15, we were in the top-four. We didn't see daylight after that.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Ah f**k. I said to a mate two weeks ago the guy we can least afford to lose is Barnett.

However, we are not badly placed and even with Barnett/JFH out v Canberra we didn't concede points.

Still feels like someone in the family died.

 

[Blair]

Still feels like someone in the family died.

Tell that to my Mrs. There I was, reading the tragic news, and she's completely oblivious to the pain I'm in.

 

[Blair]

However, we are not badly placed and even with Barnett/JFH out v Canberra we didn't concede points.

Will we now lose the close ones, though?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I'm well known for my positive perspective on things, but....the season's over.

Seriously though - we've been doing really well to win games with a squad that on paper isn't all that imposing. Our strength is our pack and in particular our two outstanding starting props. Barnett is not only our best player, he's the third key middle forward we've lost for the season/forever (Barnett, Harris, Walker). I know our NSW Cup side is stacked with serviceable fringe first graders, but I simply can't expect this team to keep winning regularly. Anything from here is a bonus - which sucks, because while I didn't really see us as a genuine premiership contender, the comp is so hard to call this year that you just never know.

 

[Big Marn]

I think Niukore has to make the transition to prop for the rest of the season. We have depth at second row and Ford is better off the bench. We need 100 game players in our starting front row.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Ah f**k. I said to a mate two weeks ago the guy we can least afford to lose is Barnett.

So you're the one to blame!!

This is a huge blow imo. Yes, we are in a position of depth, and yes our reserve grade team is doing extremely well. BUT to replace a co-captain, SOO player who has been in career best form with us... it's a big whole to fill. It's an odd one, because we have performed well without him, and Fish as well but now it's time to back up and do it consistently.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I think Niukore has to make the transition to prop for the rest of the season. We have depth at second row and Ford is better off the bench. We need 100 game players in our starting front row.

I'm a bit torn because Ford is the obvious replacement to do Barnett's role (particularly the ability to play big minutes and do a lot of defending) but he has been better off the bench. I guess it might be a case of Ford coming off the bench but playing big minutes, while other guys play shorter stints around him. I'm just not sure I have faith in Marata or Bunty to do that job, but hopefully if they are just given 15 minutes to go balls to the wall, they can do a job.

 

[JJ]

Huge loss

TBH JFH was mediocre for much of last year, then engaged when it counted... same here, he's been solid... but we don't have the luxury of cruising like Penrith did... chance for people to step up, that's doable for a few weeks, but long term like this will tell, I think

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Keeping our lofty position in the top 4 just become a helluva lot tougher obviously, but we only need to win 4 from our remaining 12 games to hit 32pts which should be enough to make the 8 even with our shitty PD.

Playing finals should still be the minimum expectation, even with Barnett gone. In fact if we can avoid losing any more key players long term, IMO winning 6 or 7 of our remaining games and making the top 6 is a realistic ambition.

Far cry from what most of us expected at the start of the year of course, but its been that kinda season for a lot of teams.

 

[nswarrior]

I'm well known for my positive perspective on things, but....the season's over.

Seriously though - we've been doing really well to win games with a squad that on paper isn't all that imposing. Our strength is our pack and in particular our two outstanding starting props. Barnett is not only our best player, he's the third key middle forward we've lost for the season/forever (Barnett, Harris, Walker). I know our NSW Cup side is stacked with serviceable fringe first graders, but I simply can't expect this team to keep winning regularly. Anything from here is a bonus - which sucks, because while I didn't really see us as a genuine premiership contender, the comp is so hard to call this year that you just never know.

I am with you. I am devastated, I don’t think people see the amount of work Barnett does in defence. He has been the best forward we have had by far ave the rest of the team follow his lead.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I read today that Barny has played 39 of the last 41 games.
The 2 he has missed is when hes in the Blues camp

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Will we now lose the close ones, though?

That's on goal kicking.