Blow It Up

[ghoti]

It doesn’t take a genius to see that we have too much money tied up in certain players who aren’t providing anywhere near value for money - not even value for half of their money.
If we’re talking Premierships, let’s look at the squad and see which players you could see being part of a premiership 17 at the Sharks. In positions where I don’t believe we have a premiership winning option, I’ll put vacant;

1 - Vacant
2 - Katoa
3 - Dugan
4 - Ramien
5 - Ronaldo
6 - Vacant
7 - SJ
8 - BHU
9 - BB
10 - Woods
11 - Nikora
12 - Wade
13 - Vacant
14 - Talaki
15 - Rudolph
16 - Vacant
17 - Vacant

In my opinion, we’re short of 5 high quality players for our top line 17 to be serious challengers (So not quite wrist slitting numbers). We then need much more depth - outside our current top 17, we don’t have anyone knocking the door down for a starting position. Players like Hunt/Williams/Tracey/Trindall should be squad men pushing for a game - but then we’ve got another 9 spots that literally add NOTHING.

Desperately need a 1 and a 6, and players like Wade and SJ on form.

1 good off season of recruitment could make us contenders. With Chad and Moylan gone, that would free up some cash and squad space, but I presume we’ll be paying more than half of Moylans wage if we could shift him, so won’t free up too much.

Good post, I agree with that. 2022-2024 is probably the premiership window from this wave. It lets most of the bad contracts like Moylan's expire, Dugan prob retires freeing up cash, potential moving on of Townsend..if Fifita has a good off-season maybe he comes good, maybe he medically retired.. and the young guys are developed via another year of firsts (and thus might take up a couple of those vacant spots), there will be time and money to get the right people from the market. Plus we get our home ground back, hopefully get more cash in so can hire more support staff and everyone's a little bit more stable and wise.

I'll say it again...there's always the year after next!

 

[Quicksilver]

Oh and Dugan could break at anytime and who knows what the recovery will be like for SJ.

 

[Ads]

Good chat. Ultimately I don’t see Morris taking us forward unless he can be surrounded by people to fix his flaws. That’s probably unlikely.

I do sense the club drifting back into apathy though. A problem we have long had.

 

[snout]

Dont forget we have Bronson back in 2024.
So that will help us run faster in the backs.

 

[Inferno]

Good chat. Ultimately I don’t see Morris taking us forward unless he can be surrounded by people to fix his flaws. That’s probably unlikely.

I do sense the club drifting back into apathy though. A problem we have long had.

What do you see as Morris' flaws?

Without wanting to labour the point as others have said he's working with a roster he didn't build, he's only had one offseason as head coach, is lumbered with overpaid underperforming players and working with a cap fine.

I think the jury is out as to whether he can take us to a premiership but I'm certainly not putting a line through him.

Next year without a cap penalty and with a likely ability to go to market for 2022 with cash in the bank will be the real test.

Making the finals twice in 2 years gets Morris a pass mark from me.

 

[Ads]

What do you see as Morris' flaws?

Without wanting to labour the point as others have said he's working with a roster he didn't build, he's only had one offseason as head coach, is lumbered with overpaid underperforming players and working with a cap fine.

I think the jury is out as to whether he can take us to a premiership but I'm certainly not putting a line through him.

Next year without a cap penalty and with a likely ability to go to market for 2022 with cash in the bank will be the real test.

Making the finals twice in 2 years gets Morris a pass mark from me.

To simplify it. Defence. A HUGE problem that he has made no inroads on. On the flip side he can coach attack. So for me the club needs to find the right specialist to take over the defensive coaching. If they don't I have seen nothing in Morris to suggest he will improve it.

 

[Chimp]

good post.

If we could miraculously clear all our salary cap problems I’d put a good fullback at the top of the Wishlist. Kennedy wouldn’t be on a stack of money so he can stay and push his case while keeping the seat warm- if it works out then all good.

I think we can probably use one of the halves we’ve got on the books for the number 6. Trindall hopefully, but see how it goes.

So if we can just hit up maybe another hard headed forward or two and then the rest of the spots will sort themselves out with squaddies I suppose.

I wouldn’t mind if Woods left either. He does ok but he’s not really my ideal player.

Kennedy would be a good solid back up, and I like Trindall, so he could be serviceable if surrounded by better players.
I’m not a massive Woods fan - doesn’t play the game like I like a prop to do, but that being said, he makes plenty of meters and can be an important cog, provided there are others adding some impact and umph in the pack.

 

[Chimp]

Good post, I agree with that. 2022-2024 is probably the premiership window from this wave. It lets most of the bad contracts like Moylan's expire, Dugan prob retires freeing up cash, potential moving on of Townsend..if Fifita has a good off-season maybe he comes good, maybe he medically retired.. and the young guys are developed via another year of firsts (and thus might take up a couple of those vacant spots), there will be time and money to get the right people from the market. Plus we get our home ground back, hopefully get more cash in so can hire more support staff and everyone's a little bit more stable and wise.

I'll say it again...there's always the year after next!

There’s a couple of important tests for Morris that he needs to pass before I’ll be sold on him being a potential Premiership coach.
1 is recruitment - he’s not had the chance to recruit properly given our salary cap issues - but we need to see if he’s able to attract players of the right calibre and fit for the team.
The 2nd is fixing up some obvious issues with our defence - it’s been atrocious all season, and we don’t look like improving. Now, I’ll hold off fully holding him to account for that, as he’s restricted to a degree by the cattle he’s had available - but I expect it to be resolved for the start of next year - if after 5 to 10 games next year we’re looking no better, than I say part ways at the end of the 2021. We should certainly be in no rush to extend Morris as I can’t see he’ll have a list of clubs waiting for him to come off contract.

 

[eddiesmith]

I think making finals this year is a great result and better than expected

We were forced to dump Josh Morris then suddenly they release the news on Xerri they’d been sitting on for 6 months...

We’ve been under the pump with a lesser salary cap, it’s hard enough to compete with the Roosters non existent cap without being further behind everyone else.

If we can offload Moylan and Chad, add 2 of a quality winger, centre or fullback to the squad then some of these players that have looked good this year go back to being quality depth.

If you can get games into your youth and get them finals experience whilst on the rebuild then you’re doing a great job.

Just look at the panthers to see how quickly your fortunes can change

 

[coolumsharkie]

You forgot Stuart Raper

HAHAHA

 

[Tiger Shark]

Alot of these perceived issues with defence has a lot to do with the youth in our squad.

It's no secret the best defensive teams are generally battle hardened and have several key experienced players in their squad. We're lacking that at the moment.

Alot of these players will get better next year from this years experience and another pre season under their belt. Learn how to handle things under fatigue better. Make better decisions.

And it won't hurt to get a better defensive coach in obviously.

And we defn need to make a few smart recruitment decisions.

 

[Chimp]

Alot of these perceived issues with defence has a lot to do with the youth in our squad.

It's no secret the best defensive teams are generally battle hardened and have several key experienced players in their squad. We're lacking that at the moment.

Alot of these players will get better next year from this years experience and another pre season under their belt. Learn how to handle things under fatigue better. Make better decisions.

And it won't hurt to get a better defensive coach in obviously.

And we defn need to make a few smart recruitment decisions.

Absolutely - young rookies will be hit and miss. It’s vital they’re surrounded by some good old pro’s who have defence in their DNA. We lack that, for the first time in a LONG time!

 

[MilkShark]

To simplify it. Defence. A HUGE problem that he has made no inroads on. On the flip side he can coach attack. So for me the club needs to find the right specialist to take over the defensive coaching. If they don't I have seen nothing in Morris to suggest he will improve it.

I dont think you can just hire a defense coach and fix the issues

I feel like the problem is greater than that

 

[Tiger Shark]

Absolutely - young rookies will be hit and miss. It’s vital they’re surrounded by some good old pro’s who have defence in their DNA. We lack that, for the first time in a LONG time!

Yep, if we had a Gal, Lewis or Ennis in the squad we'd be in a better position, that's why I think some key signings will significantly change this team. Couple that with the players getting more expereinced.

Look at the Panthers, now I'm not saying our players equal some of there's but the principal is the same, let them get experienced and a key signing like Api and look out.

 

[BatteredFlake]

You forgot Stuart Raper

I have tried to forget him too, but its not easy!

 

[bluefox68]

...a key signing like Api and look out.

Panthers probably had the worst hooker in the NRL, and they traded up to probably the best one (apart from C. Smith)...

 

[Tiger Shark]

Panthers probably had the worst hooker in the NRL, and they traded up to probably the best one (apart from C. Smith)...

I think there's a few better than Api, some of his service is terrible but he's exactly the type of hooker the Panthers needed.

 

[Ads]

I dont think you can just hire a defense coach and fix the issues

I feel like the problem is greater than that

If they are greater than that then we need to blow it up.

 

[Version IV]

I dont think you can just hire a defense coach and fix the issues

I feel like the problem is greater than that

We didn't have defensive coach as Barrett has signed him as his attacking either Bomber or Bazz have this coach doing wrong job

 

[MilkShark]

If they are greater than that then we need to blow it up.

I’m on your blow it up team bro