Former Panthers in the NRL

[Bred not Bought]

SOS dropped.

 

[soc123_au]

SOS dropped.

He was trash last week.

 

[Bred not Bought]

He was trash last week.

He was.

 

[Bred not Bought]

Souffs v Broncos. Barring an unlikely draw one of them will be 0-2.
Part of me wants Souffs. The other part would love the Broncos 0-3 next week.

 

[PennyPanthers81]

Souffs v Broncos. Barring an unlikely draw one of them will be 0-2.
Part of me wants Souffs. The other part would love the Broncos 0-3 next week.

Is there a way they both lose?

 

[Bred not Bought]

Is there a way they both lose?

90 minute Golden point draw with both sides buggered, a few injuries and suspensions.

 

[Hooked]

We play the Broncos next week. As usual they have a seven-day turnaround.

 

[Roosters rule]

Souffs v Broncos. Barring an unlikely draw one of them will be 0-2.
Part of me wants Souffs. The other part would love the Broncos 0-3 next week.

Souffs can be 0-6 by the time their bye comes around as far as I am concerned.

 

[Roosters rule]

‘Always had my doubts’: Legend ‘still not convinced’ Bulldogs star Burton is a five-eighth​

Darcie McDonald from Fox Sports

@darciemcdonald
March 12th, 2024 1:02 pm
Legendary playmaker Greg Alexander has admitted he’s “always had doubts” over whether Bulldogs star Matt Burton is best suited to five-eighth.
Burton has just kicked off his third season with the Bulldogs and a disappointing team performance in Round 1 has sparked a conversation around how the 23-year-old is best used.
The Dubbo product found a home in the centres at the Panthers. He won a premiership in that position and earned a spot in the Dally M Team of the Year too.
But his desire to play five-eighth led him to the Bulldogs.

All of his 48 games for the club have been in the halves — 40 at five-eighth and eight at halfback — but he’s represented New South Wales twice at centre and has played once for the Kangaroos there too.

Matty Johns said on Sunday night that if he were coach Cameron Ciraldo he’d “be putting Burton to left centre” to “really stimulate his running game and really get him going because he is an incredible runner.”

Alexander, who played over 200 games in the halves, agrees with Johns and while dissecting Round 1 on the Fox League Podcast he said that Burton’s attributes fit the mould of a centre perfectly.
“When Matt was centre at Penrith he was one of the best centres in the game and I’ve always had my doubts about him being as effective in the six jersey,” he said.

“That’s not just from looking at him on the weekend against the Eels it’s sampling his footy over the last couple of years.

“I’m still not convinced (that he’s a better five-eighth than centre). I don’t know if he talks enough and commands the ball enough to be a six or a genuine half that’s always in the game

“I think ‘Burto’ is a great hole-runner, he’s big tall and fast. I think centre suits him down to the ground.

“Maybe him and Stephen Crichton on either side and someone else in the six jersey. Let’s throw Toby Sexton in at seven and Drew Hutchison at six and see what they can do with ‘Burto’ in the centres.”

The Bulldogs will have to reshuffle their backline for Round 2 after star winger Josh Addo-Carr suffered a shoulder injury. However the chances of Burton being involved in that reshuffle are slim to none — especially given he’s publicly declared he wants to continue playing five-eighth.

The Bulldogs have made some major recruitment moves over the last few years by luring Penrith premiership-winners in Burton, Crichton and Viliame Kikau to Belmore as well as Addo-Carr and elite hooker Reed Mahoney.

But the team is yet to live up to expectations.

Alexander believes “there won’t be many changes” after just one game but can’t see Ciraldo waiting too long before pulling the trigger.

“If they don’t click soon, there’s not that much of a honeymoon for the players because they’ve got options, they’ve got players that can play in a number of positions... I don’t think he’ll hang on for too long,” he said.

‘Always had my doubts’: Legend ‘still not convinced’ Bulldogs star Burton is a five-eighth

‘Always had my doubts’: Legend ‘still not convinced’ Bulldogs star Burton is a five-eighth

www.foxsports.com.au

Burto would make a great centre for the tricolours

 

[Chins get the wins]

Burto would make a great centre for the tricolours

He'll make a fantastic 6 for you or Melbourne

 

[Roosters rule]

He'll make a fantastic 6 for you

The only problem is with Walker that gives us two running halves. A bit chat unless Walker can further develop his organising abilities and take command of the team he may shift to six in the future to accommodate an organising half. Likely Sandon Smith.

Ideally, I would love to get Burto for next year. Plop him at left centre. Back to 6 when Keary retires.
Bily Smith just re-signed. But he is injured again. Suaalli and Manu are going. I would love Burto next year as our centre. Even better with Gould paying freight.

One thing is for sure he is getting wasted at the Dogs.

 

[Iamback]

Imagine if Burto listened to Ivan.

He'd be a 3 Premiership winner and a centre, Instead of centre at a bum club

 

[MugaB]

Imagine if Burto listened to Ivan.

He'd be a 3 Premiership winner and a centre, Instead of centre at a bum club

Family Club..... remember

 

[Kilkenny]

Bryce talking up Brad Arthur in a fox sports article. Nice to see he turned his career around. Probably hasn’t quite fulfilled on his potential overall but could be a danger on Friday night.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

Another great podcast. Really good stuff.

 

[martielang]

Absolute travesty Mansour never won a comp with us. Genuinely sounds heartbroken by the way it ended with us also.

 

[Bred not Bought]

Hastings finally dropped. Cogs gets his chance at 7.

 

[Fangs]

Hastings finally dropped. Cogs gets his chance at 7.

Overdue and perhaps too late, 0-2 and facing 0-4 (Storm and Warriors next).

Though I would have booted Gamble. Hastings has a habit of taking over the play. I'd have him in the 9 but that may still cause problems.

 

[Bred not Bought]

Overdue and perhaps too late, 0-2 and facing 0-4 (Storm and Warriors next).

Though I would have booted Gamble. Hastings has a habit of taking over the play. I'd have him in the 9 but that may still cause problems.

Knights threw away a win on the weekend.
At home v Storm. No Munster, Welch or Hughes. A good chance for them to get off the mark. No certainty though.
I would have had Cogs as my halfback from round 1. Probably recently bias from me, but I don't rate their other halves.
I think Clune was their halfback for most of their 10-game streak last year?

 

[Fangs]

Knights threw away a win on the weekend.
At home v Storm. No Munster, Welch or Hughes. A good chance for them to get off the mark. No certainty though.
I would have had Cogs as my halfback from round 1. Probably recently bias from me, but I don't rate their other halves.
I think Clune was their halfback for most of their 10-game streak last year?

Definately a good chance. Plenty of outs for Melbourne.

My prediction was they'd miss the 8 this year. If they can't get up this weekend they'll be relying on another massive run of form from Ponga. No guarantees he misses Origin this time around.