How Roosters plan to win the 2012 Grand Final

[RoMo]

How can any talk of union converts be complete without discussions of Cameron Douglas and John Mulvihill

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

o'connor & hawthorne both converted to league through saints.

And both were bloody successful!

Pity that bloke from Hurstville-Kogarah can't remember the names of the hundreds of failures....or even ten failures.

 

[gregstar]

f*ck i was filthy flemming let o'connor go.

seems like yesterday.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Incidentally, if Brian Smith fails to get the club to the top eight in 2010, and to the top four in 2011, then Brian Smith might not be coaching the club in 2012. Nick Polites wants to win a premiership in 2012. There is nothing in Brian Smith's resume that suggests he can win a Grand Final. Absolutely nothing!

Either Nathan Brown, or better still Mick Potter, may be on board as coach in 2012.

 

[stuke]

I doubt Mason will be there in 2012

I doubt Mason will be there by 2010.

 

[ouwet]

Shaun Kenny-Dowell is one of the worst wingers in NRL IMO.

 

[adamkungl]

My side for next year would be (assuming we sign Carney, and Mason stays on)

Perrett
Minichiello
Aubusson
Williamson
Kenny-Dowall
Carney
Pearce
Nuausala
Friend
Myles
Cherrington
Mason
Anasta (c)

Jones
Symonds
Paea
Sa


maybe shuffle the centres around, swap Symonds for Aubusson. Either one can play centres or backrow/lock. Another option is putting Jones in centre (improved massively in his short time there this year) and both Symonds and Aubusson on the bench.

Possibly bring a forward onto the bench instead of Jones.

Imo we're a side bursting with talent, and a cleanout is not necessary. Our downfall has been three things:

-we got in a habit of losing, and this showed against the warriors and the titans, both games we were winning with little time on the clock, and we lost. We have forgotten how to win. We can't close out a game.

-Our defence is clueless. Every player in the side can tackle, but we seem to lack the structure. If a team gets near our line, they will score. This to me is Smith's most important job.

-Discipline, on and off field. Off field has cost us players a few times through the year. But on field has seen us get slaughtered weekly by the referees until very recently. As much as I'd like to believe Robert Finch is making us pay for sacking his unco son, it seems more likely that we just have no discipline.

 

[_STING_]

My side for next year would be (assuming we sign Carney, and Mason stays on)

Perrett
Minichiello
Aubusson
Williamson
Kenny-Dowall
Carney
Pearce
Nuausala
Friend
Myles
Cherrington
Mason
Anasta (c)

Jones
Symonds
Paea
Sa


maybe shuffle the centres around, swap Symonds for Aubusson. Either one can play centres or backrow/lock. Another option is putting Jones in centre (improved massively in his short time there this year) and both Symonds and Aubusson on the bench.

Possibly bring a forward onto the bench instead of Jones.

Imo we're a side bursting with talent, and a cleanout is not necessary. Our downfall has been three things:

-we got in a habit of losing, and this showed against the warriors and the titans, both games we were winning with little time on the clock, and we lost. We have forgotten how to win. We can't close out a game.

-Our defence is clueless. Every player in the side can tackle, but we seem to lack the structure. If a team gets near our line, they will score. This to me is Smith's most important job.

-Discipline, on and off field. Off field has cost us players a few times through the year. But on field has seen us get slaughtered weekly by the referees until very recently. As much as I'd like to believe Robert Finch is making us pay for sacking his unco son, it seems more likely that we just have no discipline.

I agree with your points but the team will be different.
Sa and SKD will be wearing a blue jersey. Conn will likely replace Sa. I'd rather bring back Royce Ayliffe than SKD. He is faster and can defend much better. Symonds will start. I'd rather have him at centre than Maubs but I think he will be used as a backrower. Hargreaves will also start IMO. I think there are also a couple of Toyota Cup players that can push their way in. A lot of lazy players there that need to lift their game or they are gooooorrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnn.

 

[adamkungl]

Well, at least unlike the early stages of this year, there will actually be competition for every position. Trying to pick centres in the first half of this year was a painful experience

 

[AlbertRosenfeld]

How many NRL centres make 3 line breaks per match?

That is the kind of thing one expects from the likes of Inglis, Hodges and Gasnier.

Well now the Roosters have one such talented player. His name is Tom Symonds, and as long as Brian Smith is not a complete psycho, Tom Symonds will be a regular member of the first 17 every week in 2010.

So too will Ben Jones, even if off the bench. His only weakness seems to be defensive. He ran in the wrong direction when Wade McKinnon began his swerve through the Roosters defensive line, and thereby left a yawning gap for McKinnon to run through on his 90 metre run for a try. Ben Jones may partner Symonds in the centre if Todd Carney comes, while we await the preparation of the Roosters future star centre JP du Plessis.

But the important thing is that Brian Smith has to be given benchmark criteria to fulfill. Top eight in 2010 and top four in 2011. If Smith cannot satisfy those demands, he must be fired mercilessly. It is a business, as Smith himself has acknowledged. Mick Potter, who took Les Catalans from last position in Super League to third place in the space of one year, and now coaches St Helens, would be the ideal replacement.

 

[adamkungl]

You are thinking waaay to far ahead. Its pointless to include JP in any side, regardless of the year, until we see what he can do.

 

[Non Terminator]

Let alone Jones and Symonds who are still rookies.

 

[adamkungl]

regardless, next year is going to be very, very interesting

 

[Sans Souci Sainter]

Don't go counting on Minichiello for next year.

He'll probably sprain his hymen this week and be out for 87 weeks.

 

[Non Terminator]

Definitely. I still wonder what side Smith would pick. Trials could tell what he's got planning, if anything.

 

[_STING_]

How many NRL centres make 3 line breaks per match?

That is the kind of thing one expects from the likes of Inglis, Hodges and Gasnier.

Well now the Roosters have one such talented player. His name is Tom Symonds, and as long as Brian Smith is not a complete psycho, Tom Symonds will be a regular member of the first 17 every week in 2010.

Symonds has a lot of good judges excited about his potential. Fittler said on radio yesterday that he is a superstar in the making. Fit, I can't see him not being in the starting side next year. But he doesn't have the speed of Inglis, Hodges or Happy Feet. He reminds me a lot of Ben Kennedy running out wide and he will probably have that kind of role rather than a true centre. I think Williamson is more the guy you are portraying with speed and strength quite capable of making three or four breaks a game.

I always thought Jones was a bit small but he is a gutsy player who gives 100% each week. I think he is a quality player. We have a few ready made players in Toyota Cup. JP is a bonus but I'll wait for him to play half a season in Toyota Cup before I make any judgement. He has a long way to go before he is a star.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

The main thing we have to watch is the power of the coach.

You all remember that Ricky Stuart let Jamie Soward go to St George, and stuck with the brat Finch. Now look at Soward vs Finch! Which one is making the waves?

We must stick by the rising stars: Pearce, Symonds, Jones, Williamson etc. as well as our established talent like Sam Perrett, and not let Brian Smith, with his arrogant authoritarian style, arbitrarily dump them.

 

[mongoose]

Damn thats a good plan... every other team may as well give up in 2012.

 

[adamkungl]

this guy knows.

 

[neeknitsuj]

I thought Anderson was the one who let Soward go. And Finch was gone before Soward.

Anyway who is this JP du Pless person and what's with the hype around him? Sounds like another Sisa Waqa.