How 2015 Is Shaping Up

[sharkadelic]

Agree with most of that except the Leutele part. Saw lots to like here and there last 2 years, and reckon there'll be more improvement / consistency to come. I'd stick with him over Beale to start.

For what it's worth, I reckon:

1. Gordon
2. Holmes
3. Feki
4. Leutele
5. Gagan
6. Barba
7. Robson

Agreed. Like to see Nu get some time off the bench though. Ennis or Robson to lock maybe

 

[Mr Angry]

What is this beale love, rank average.

Bronco reject

 

[Weaponhead]

Beale and Leutele are the same age. Beale has played 92 games for 31 tries. Leutele has played 36 games for 7 tries. Of course tries and games are not the only indicators of a players worth but given the lack of attacking prowess in our team it is a reasonable place to start. We need outside backs who are capable of scoring 10+ tries per season. It has been years since we had a player score 10+ tries in a season.

Beale is clearly a more potent attacking player than Leutele and he has versatility being capable of playing anywhere 1-5. He is not elite but is a damn sight better than the likes of Wright and Ayshford.

 

[TRIALS]

We need another decent prop. That should be a priority before Beale or Stanley.
Who's available in the front row department? Dan Hunts average, is there anyone else?

 

[++ Gregos v.4]

Beale and Leutele are the same age. Beale has played 92 games for 31 tries. Leutele has played 36 games for 7 tries. Of course tries and games are not the only indicators of a players worth but given the lack of attacking prowess in our team it is a reasonable place to start. We need outside backs who are capable of scoring 10+ tries per season. It has been years since we had a player score 10+ tries in a season.

Beale is clearly a more potent attacking player than Leutele and he has versatility being capable of playing anywhere 1-5. He is not elite but is a damn sight better than the likes of Wright and Ayshford.

Really? How is it clear? I'm interested.

You acknowledge the flaw in the stats then go on to blindly rely on them anyway. Bang for buck Loots has many more ticks in his column.

Loots has to be first picked centre for the sharks in 2015.

 

[TRIALS]

I actually agree. If you cant see Leutele's class, you're not watching very closely.

 

[Surely]

Beale and Leutele are the same age. Beale has played 92 games for 31 tries. Leutele has played 36 games for 7 tries. Of course tries and games are not the only indicators of a players worth but given the lack of attacking prowess in our team it is a reasonable place to start. We need outside backs who are capable of scoring 10+ tries per season. It has been years since we had a player score 10+ tries in a season.

Beale is clearly a more potent attacking player than Leutele and he has versatility being capable of playing anywhere 1-5. He is not elite but is a damn sight better than the likes of Wright and Ayshford.

Haha most of Beale's scored on the wing running two metres

 

[Mr Angry]

Really? How is it clear? I'm interested.

You acknowledge the flaw in the stats then go on to blindly rely on them anyway. Bang for buck Loots has many more ticks in his column.
Loots has to be first picked centre for the sharks in 2015.

Yep.

Hopefully we start to use centres.........

We tend not to.

 

[Surely]

Yep, sounds great, though I'm sort of wondering who can even come close to replacing TC's passing / kicking game...

I've seen Holmes throw some lovely passes to put others over the line, he has a very good footy brain and vision, I think ultimately he will make a very good 5/8.

If you have a half and a hooker who can kick you dont need that in a 5/8 , same if you have a 5/8 and hooker who can kick you dont need it in a half.

I'd rather have one who has the speed and skill to make breaks.

 

[cb4]

Really? How is it clear? I'm interested.

You acknowledge the flaw in the stats then go on to blindly rely on them anyway. Bang for buck Loots has many more ticks in his column.

Loots has to be first picked centre for the sharks in 2015.

I'd like to know how you came to the conclusion that Leutele has more ticks in his column than a guy who has played 60 more first grade games, 7 tests for NZ and has a better try per game strike rate.

Leutele was flat out awful this year, I get the sentimental value of him on the left edge with Feki, but for a starting centre to play 23 games, he delivered absolute bare minimum.
If he is our first picked centre then we are in a bit of trouble still.

 

[cb4]

I actually agree. If you cant see Leutele's class, you're not watching very closely.

Being bored, I have looked up his career numbers. There is nothing classy about it. I'm a fan of his but he isn't what you are hoping he will be.
Maybe when our team is all on the park he might look a bit better, but he had the chance to stand up and make a name for himself this year and failed to deliver.

 

[Quigs]

What all our blokes need is to be involved in a team that has winning confidence. Watch them lift then.

We have not had it for the past two seasons.

Forget Raymond, everyone loves winning and expecting to win regularly.

 

[++ Gregos v.4]

Being bored, I have looked up his career numbers. There is nothing classy about it. I'm a fan of his but he isn't what you are hoping he will be.
Maybe when our team is all on the park he might look a bit better, but he had the chance to stand up and make a name for himself this year and failed to deliver.

Come on mate, you're better than that. You could have put Inglis in the centres for us this year and he would have "looked awful".

I'm not begrudging the interest in Beale, it's an upgrade and a necessary one. But if you'd show me the difference in contract fees and still argue that bang for buck Loots isn't a better investment then we'll have to agree to disagree.

Defensively I think Loots is more sound, I think he goes better in the tough stuff coming out of dummy half in our end and I think his contact at the line in traffic is more purposeful than Beale.

My opinion of course.

 

[chewsta]

What all our blokes need is to be involved in a team that has winning confidence. Watch them lift then.

We have not had it for the past two seasons.

Forget Raymond, everyone loves winning and expecting to win regularly.

Good post Quigs, very true!
We get a few big wins under the belt and all of a sudden we are a different animal.

 

[ghoti]

Like this year when we took those two huge come from behind wins in a row......then kept losing til we got the spoon

 

[Card Shark]

Haha most of Beale's scored on the wing running two metres

I always get Dariarse & him mixed up ;-)

 

[coolumsharkie]

Gibbs has retired.

 

[Special K]

I think that speaks a lot about how Flanno feels about Gibbs given our lack of props. He looked off the pace last year but I am shocked a guy like Rose got a contract over him.

 

[bluefox1968]

Gibbs has retired.

I think this is good for us. He was off the pace.

It will be interesting, though, to see if we sign another prop.

The elephant in the room is that Gal should play prop (alongside Fifita), with Toops and Taga coming off the bench as 'prop rotation', so we can only hope the break (and training) served to harden up Flanno, so he makes the RIGHT decision!

 

[island pro]

After being bitch-slapped with a ban, then a massive fine, maybe Gallen has come down a peg or two and would listen?