Can we turn this horror injury toll to an advantage?

[Radical Rat]

So as much as a nightmare as this injury toll has been. Is it possible for this to work in our favour at the back end of the season?

Most of the injuries seem to be in the 6-12 week bracket (aside from Lawrence who should apparently be back in in July).

Everyone knows you don't want to be peaking early. If we can
get close to a full strength team on deck by around rounds 12-18, I reckon we can start building nicely for a late charge home. If all injuires heal well, half our team is gonna be fresh at the back end.

Of course this all depends on us managing to hover around the 8 in the meantime, but I reckon we've got the depth to do that. Anyway just trying to find a positive out of all this.

 

[BuffaloRules]

They need to win 50% of their games until Round 14 and then win about 8 of thier last 10 when everyone is back from injury....

This should get them 34 points and third or fourth on the ladder...

They still have got a reasonable squad without lote and lawrence so still quietly confident...

 

[851]

Winning against the odds breeds confidence,if we can somehow manage a win on sunday who knows what could happen then.

 

[Tigerm]

IMO the trouble is, that in the forwards, we are down to our 3rd tier group (Woods & The Shirnack boys) they are playing extremely well, but who's next if they go down? I mean we have lost Cayless, Moors & Flanagan (2nd tier), has Galloway gone a season injury free? I think the backs are OK for the moment, but if Lui is gone, then you can't have too many more injuries there either? I guess we can do nothing but hang in there & with Robbie & Benji, we are always a chance.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

With all these injuries (6 regular starters if you include Ryan - and Sheens does), regular season record doesn't really matter to me as long as we make the finals and are full strength. So I'm not fussed about finishing top four or anything like that, as long as we get to the playoffs and have everyone back on deck I like our chances against anyone.

But, we've got as much depth as we've had through 12 years so I fully expect us to be competitive each week, particularly seeing as our two most important players are still on the paddock.

 

[Tigerm]

We have 23 games left (46 pts) + the 4 pts we already have. Possible 50 pts. Any predictions on how many we need to make the top 4? The way the results are going at the moment, it is going to a tough season for anyone to stay consistent.

 

[N.C.]

If we had been playing a more sketchy brand of footy then I'd be worried. But to be 2/3 at this point is good. Injuries will slow us down but it's not like we've wobbled into 1/3 and we've just lost our one-and-only game breaker... It may take a week or two to steady the ship but I think with the rest of the team playing pretty well together we're in good shape and can afford a few setbacks. The kids who step into the breach will grab the opportunity with both hands, and both Brown and Daniela have delivered for us before... We're fine.

 

[lolly12]

Tough times ahead for us the next 2months so we would be happy to win 50% with no more serious injuries, then with a fully fit top 17 available we will be very hard for any team to beat later in the season , great feeling in the club 2011

 

[madunit]

So much, possibly too much of this sides success hinges on having a fully fit and firing Farah and Marshall both playing.

If either one of those gets injured/suspended, we could be in for some big trouble.

 

[Tigers Tale]

The injury toll is bad at the moment, no question. Losing players of this calibre is difficult for the club; however, this early in the season isn't too bad in my opinion.

I have seen other clubs forced to bring young kids into cover positions and these kids, by the end of the season have developed very nicely. I have seen the Broncos do this quite a bit.

The upside, as I see it, is that by the time our regular stars come back, we have several replacements with serious first grade exposure, not like what happened with BMM where he made his debut in a semi.

Also, when some of the older guys do move on, it isn't such a culture shock for those young guys to move into first grade. Barring more injuries the team will have a reasonably good balance and a core of young players with serious first grade experience waiting in the wings.

All we need to do is hang on to the top 8 during this rough patch with injuries.

Just my thoughts on the matter....

 

[N.C.]

Over the next six weeks we'll face:

R4 Roosters "away" (SFS) - currently missing Perrett, Watts, Cherrington
R5 Rabbitohs home (SFS) - currently missing Pettybourne with a 3 week suspension
R6 Titans away (Skilled Park) - currently missing Harrison, Friend
R7 Broncos home (SFS) - currently missing Hoffman, Anderson
R8 Raiders away (Canberra Stadium) - currently missing Campese, Tongue
R9 Bye

Info sourced from various websites and may be unreliable. Anyone got any inside mail on other clubs' injury lists?

All in all, it's not the worst draw for us over this tricky stage of the season...

 

[madunit]

if we can scratch up at least 2 wins before the bye i think we'll be more than happy.

 

[bubblesunlimited]

Over the next six weeks we'll face:

R4 Roosters "away" (SFS) - currently missing Perrett, Watts, Cherrington
R5 Rabbitohs home (SFS) - currently missing Pettybourne with a 3 week suspension
R6 Titans away (Skilled Park) - currently missing Harrison, Friend
R7 Broncos home (SFS) - currently missing Hoffman, Anderson
R8 Raiders away (Canberra Stadium) - currently missing Campese, Tongue
R9 Bye

Info sourced from various websites and may be unreliable. Anyone got any inside mail on other clubs' injury lists?

All in all, it's not the worst draw for us over this tricky stage of the season...

R5 Rabbitohs home (SFS) - currently missing Pettybourne with a 3 week suspension

You can add Ben Lowe and Scott Geddes to that list.

 

[super_coach]

This week should tell us what we can expect for the next month or so, a close battle with the result going either way by just a few points and we should be able to be optimistic on the other hand a blow out could set us back a long way. You just cant expect young and inexperienced players to produce week in and week out

 

[Tigerm]

This week should tell us what we can expect for the next month or so, a close battle with the result going either way by just a few points and we should be able to be optimistic on the other hand a blow out could set us back a long way. You just cant expect young and inexperienced players to produce week in and week out

So did we f**k up, by not buying a bit more depth? I guess you don't plan for this many injuries & retirements, but we have them now & I bet the Roosters are smelling blood. Still think it will be one of the games of the season.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

So did we f**k up, by not buying a bit more depth? I guess you don't plan for this many injuries & retirements, but we have them now & I bet the Roosters are smelling blood. Still think it will be one of the games of the season.

Eh? We've got more depth than we've ever had. We've got 11 first graders out injured at the moment. 11. To be able to still field a more than competitive side given that injury toll shows we've got ample depth.

 

[Tigerm]

Eh? We've got more depth than we've ever had. We've got 11 first graders out injured at the moment. 11. To be able to still field a more than competitive side given that injury toll shows we've got ample depth.

I don't disagree with you on this, the point I was trying to make was that we only brought one seasoned grade player as far as I recall this season, that being Utai, we are now playing 18 & 20 yo's in our first team. We must now surely be at the bottom end of our depth & rightly so, perhaps another one or two would now be useful, though as I said, it is hard to plan for this many injuries.

 

[super_coach]

While on injuries it has been well documented in the media that Farah is not 100% and is being nursed through the week to get him ready for game day. My info tells me he urgently requires a operation that will see him side lined for ten weeks and that will happen in a week our two when we get Ellis,Gibbs and Fulton back. In the mean time Hyland and Naderia are being groomed for the gig (thats why they have been doing the warm ups in recent weeks)

 

[bubblesunlimited]

While on injuries it has been well documented in the media that Farah is not 100% and is being nursed through the week to get him ready for game day. My info tells me he urgently requires a operation that will see him side lined for ten weeks and that will happen in a week our two when we get Ellis,Gibbs and Fulton back. In the mean time Hyland and Naderia are being groomed for the gig (thats why they have been doing the warm ups in recent weeks)

Supercoach, you are 110% correct, however it is only 6 weeks recovery from the kind of surgery required.

It is a big decision either way, do it now and get it over and done with but give up on Origin or do your best under duress and then risk it going around semi final time.

Tough call.

Bubbles

 

[Tigerm]

Supercoach, you are 110% correct, however it is only 6 weeks recovery from the kind of surgery required.

It is a big decision either way, do it now and get it over and done with but give up on Origin or do your best under duress and then risk it going around semi final time.

Tough call.

Bubbles

Bubbles, what can you tell us about Payten? He is being nursed through as well, surely?