How long before we are a Premiership team

[Gippsy]

We need to find a spine that will play 5 years together. Might have it in Sullivan, Amone, Ramsay/Sloan plus a young hooker, (throw the world at Harry Grant!!) but, compared to some of the youngsters getting a run at other clubs, I'm starting to doubt that our youngsters are that good.

 

[TruSaint]

Not sure.

We need to clean up a decade of mediocrity as a result of the BOD and their appointments .

Right now ,we need to remain competitive and relevant. For years we have been mocked as May premiers only to capitulate, breaking all the wrong records.

Its early but I've seen enough to suggest we are no easy beats and that a finals spot may be within our grasp.

If we can sneak into the finals, then aim for improvement in 2022, I will be very happy, as I had us as bottom 4.

Im glad we have Griffin 2 years, as he knows his window of impressing is short and should he want an extension he has to earn it.

The roster as it is is nowhere near competing, but we all knew that. Winning changes everything including attracting new talent to the club.

Work in progress, and Im ok with that.

 

[Unsainty79]

A long time, I think. The gap between the current top 5 & the Raiders versus the rest of the ladder is massive.

We've seen the Knights invest heavily in recruitment over the past couple of years, as have the Tigers, albeit with significant salary cap restraints and really haven't improved much. The Titans have made some massive signings, but again, they look at least a year or so off.

Positively, we have some good juniors coming through and for the first time in a long time, we seem to be able to retain them. Given how big our catchment is throughout the Illawarra & further west, I think it's unforgivable that we are in our current roster predicament.

I don't know whether investing heavily over the next season or so is the way to go, if it is at the expense of our current juniors. Can we cop another 2-3 years of battling for the 8 if there is light at the end of the tunnel? If you look at Penrith, they don't just have a premiership window, the have a premiership decade with their production line. It is definitely the model to follow and given how expansive our geographical region is, we and the Broncos in my eyes are the only clubs who could feasibly utilise their model.

What I will say is, any team who can crack the top 4 really do have a great opportunity to win the comp regardless of what has transpired throughout the season.

 

[Illusion]

Not sure.

We need to clean up a decade of mediocrity as a result of the BOD and their appointments .

Right now ,we need to remain competitive and relevant. For years we have been mocked as May premiers only to capitulate, breaking all the wrong records.

Its early but I've seen enough to suggest we are no easy beats and that a finals spot may be within our grasp.

If we can sneak into the finals, then aim for improvement in 2022, I will be very happy, as I had us as bottom 4.

Im glad we have Griffin 2 years, as he knows his window of impressing is short and should he want an extension he has to earn it.

The roster as it is is nowhere near competing, but we all knew that. Winning changes everything including attracting new talent to the club.

Work in progress, and Im ok with that.

Great post ....

 

[Illusion]

A long time, I think. The gap between the current top 5 & the Raiders versus the rest of the ladder is massive.

We've seen the Knights invest heavily in recruitment over the past couple of years, as have the Tigers, albeit with significant salary cap restraints and really haven't improved much. The Titans have made some massive signings, but again, they look at least a year or so off.

Positively, we have some good juniors coming through and for the first time in a long time, we seem to be able to retain them. Given how big our catchment is throughout the Illawarra & further west, I think it's unforgivable that we are in our current roster predicament.

I don't know whether investing heavily over the next season or so is the way to go, if it is at the expense of our current juniors. Can we cop another 2-3 years of battling for the 8 if there is light at the end of the tunnel? If you look at Penrith, they don't just have a premiership window, the have a premiership decade with their production line. It is definitely the model to follow and given how expansive our geographical region is, we and the Broncos in my eyes are the only clubs who could feasibly utilise their model.

What I will say is, any team who can crack the top 4 really do have a great opportunity to win the comp regardless of what has transpired throughout the season.

This.......

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I actually think we have a premiership window next year. A few things need to go our way though:

- Hunt needs to play consistently the way he was performing pre-injury this year.
- Sullivan needs to rise to what we know he can be and click with Hunt in the halves.
- JDB is acquitted and back to his best (and fitting in with a positive club culture obviously).
- We sign a quality fullback to replace Dufty, or Ramsey kills it at fullback.

We'll actually have the forward pack to match it with some of the best teams next year and we have some big game players in our backline, but where we'll win it is the spine, and teams like Melbourne and the Roosters have proven that time and time again.

 

[Old Timer]

We have an ageing pack incapable of winning a premiership but certainly capable of seeing some young blood rise through the ranks and learn their trade.

Also having Moose and AM will benefit young halves as they transition to 1st grade.

So if Moose and AM last 3 years and Hunt oversees a new 5/8 for 3 years I suggest we will look a bit like the Panthers did a year or two ago and therefore have a premiership window opening 5 years from now.

The club needs to understand this and secure the correct pathway for the best young players we have and also create an environment for other young guns to be part of.

On top of that they will need to secure the two or maybe three SOO quality players (2 - 3 years from now) that put the icing in the cake.

If they fail in that we are far more likely to become an even mire distant memory than a premiership winner.

 

[Illusion]

We have an ageing pack incapable of winning a premiership but certainly capable of seeing some young blood rise through the ranks and learn their trade.

Also having Moose and AM will benefit young halves as they transition to 1st grade.

So if Moose and AM last 3 years and Hunt oversees a new 5/8 for 3 years I suggest we will look a bit like the Panthers did a year or two ago and therefore have a premiership window opening 5 years from now.

The club needs to understand this and secure the correct pathway for the best young players we have and also create an environment for other young guns to be part of.

On top of that they will need to secure the two or maybe three SOO quality players (2 - 3 years from now) that put the icing in the cake.

If they fail in that we are far more likely to become an even mire distant memory than a premiership winner.

Old Timer was about to say the same about the aging pack we have thats why I can't see them playing week in week out with the same intensity .... Need as you say younger players coming on board over the next couple of years ....

 

[Lovemedragons]

I'm getting old, it better come soon.

 

[St Tangles]

Unfortunately the NRL over the last 20 years has started heading in the same direction as The English Premier League

There will be 4 genuine threats each year and most likely the same teams with one smokey every 5 years to keep the punters interested

 

[TruSaint]

Unfortunately the NRL over the last 20 years has started heading in the same direction as The English Premier League

There will be 4 genuine threats each year and most likely the same teams with one smokey every 5 years to keep the punters interested

I can see your point, however if it pans out that way, then we need to be in that top 4 category.

Cant see the NRL propping up Clubs for the sake of it. The EPL is the most watched competition on the planet even though consumers know it's only a handful of Clubs that will win it.

I am one, and I pay to watch the best.

It's all about revenue and TV rights. Saints need to "invest" more as a franchise, in areas that are not capped.

How many times have the NRL come to the financial rescue of Clubs, from Gold Coast, Tigers, Dogs, etc etc. The clubs should be responsible for their destiny. Otherwise give up the franchise.

 

[St Tangles]

I can see your point, however if it pans out that way, then we need to be in that top 4 category.

Cant see the NRL propping up Clubs for the sake of it. The EPL is the most watched competition on the planet even though consumers know it's only a handful of Clubs that will win it.

I am one, and I pay to watch the best.

It's all about revenue and TV rights. Saints need to "invest" more as a franchise, in areas that are not capped.

How many times have the NRL come to the financial rescue of Clubs, from Gold Coast, Tigers, Dogs, etc etc. The clubs should be responsible for their destiny. Otherwise give up the franchise.

With a larger population and the difference in the amount of world wide supporters the Premier League can get away with it

The prestige in just being in the Premier League is massive

 

[TruSaint]

With a larger population and the difference in the amount of world wide supporters the Premier League can get away with it

The prestige in just being in the Premier League is massive

Yes, it's the pressure of staying up in the EPL that works and yes the game dwarfs RL in viewership.
However, fans continue to support " their club".. They get relegated, they fight to come back.

My point is the NRL cannot continue funding poorly run Clubs.

 

[SaintPeter]

Some time after Dufty is gone!!