Ins & outs for 2015

[billypilgrimnz]

So, as the squad stands at the moment, where do you think we finish on the ladder next season, assuming minimal injuries (which never happens, but lets pretend anyway)?

I say 5th.

 

[franklin2323]

Given we are settled. Only had minor changes. You would think top 4 playing off for a GF is a reasonable expectation. Younger players a year older so should improve even more

 

[umina panther]

Our success depends on Cartwright and Peach to beat the better teams imo

 

[Panther Pete]

So, as the squad stands at the moment, where do you think we finish on the ladder next season, assuming minimal injuries (which never happens, but lets pretend anyway)?

I say 5th.

Considering we went within a converted try of making the gf this year with half the team out injured for the back end of the season, I have no reason to think we won't be there or there-abouts next year. That depends of course on injuries, if DWZ continues to improve, if Waqa Blake makes the transition to firsts and if Moylan, Seg and Sowie continue to perform. I asked Ivan recently if he expected us to finish where we did at the beginning of this year and he said he didn't, def thought top 8 but not within a whisker of the gf.

 

[Doomednow]

I expect us to be a better team than this year, but really the ladder depends on all the other teams' performances. It only takes 1 or 2 teams to have a stellar year and a couple to get lucky and that might make up your top 4.

I won't be upset if we aren't top 4 is my point. I just want to see further improvement on the field and a decent performance in the finals.

And a year light on injuries for once would be pretty excellent, too. Who knows what happens then.

 

[isaiah]

Considering we went within a converted try of making the gf this year with half the team out injured for the back end of the season, I have no reason to think we won't be there or there-abouts next year. That depends of course on injuries, if DWZ continues to improve, if Waqa Blake makes the transition to firsts and if Moylan, Seg and Sowie continue to perform. I asked Ivan recently if he expected us to finish where we did at the beginning of this year and he said he didn't, def thought top 8 but not within a whisker of the gf.

Who were the half team missing? How many games were the back end? I thought your team was similar to the roosters run the previous year, that is, played almost their best 17 almost every game.

 

[umina panther]

Peach, Taylor and Cartwright thats all our forwards with any ball playing ability and Wallace missed the last quarter of the season.

That made us play Will Smith at 5/8 who is a nsw cup centre. Seg also never got his head right after his fathers death either.

Soward was great this year but the Bulldogs shut him down because he was the only option in the semi.

 

[maple_69]

There was 8 or so others as well but I suspect trolling so will leave it there.

I think Moylan and Seg will step it up again. Idris should be better prepared. DWZ, Cartwright and Peach should also mean we don't have to wait until round 11 to show some flair in attack.

Big question for mine is can Soward perform to that level again and can we avoid injuries for once. All that goes our way and we are a contender for sure.

 

[mxlegend99]

Who were the half team missing? How many games were the back end? I thought your team was similar to the roosters run the previous year, that is, played almost their best 17 almost every game.

We only had one player not miss any game time through injury all season.

In some games at the end of the year, we had 10+ players missing. For half a season nearly we were missing our top two halves partners for Jamie Soward, and then the third and fourth options were injured leaving us to settle on our fifth choice halves partner for Jamie Soward. Will Smith was deadset average at best and a huge step backwards from anyone of Peter Wallace, Isaac John, Tyrone Peachey and Bryce Cartwright.

We only went into one game as favourites in the last 10 rounds or so, due to the ridiculous injury toll we had.

 

[TheFrog]

Who were the half team missing? How many games were the back end? I thought your team was similar to the roosters run the previous year, that is, played almost their best 17 almost every game.

The actual truth is somewhere in between but considerably closer to MX's version than yours.

The side that played Canterbury in the preliminary final was missing Peter Wallace, Tyrone Peachey, Elijah Taylor, Bryce Cartwright, Isaac John and Tim Grant. That's half a 13 man football team. Grant was injured in Round 26, all the others had been out many weeks before that.

It's fair to assume only one of Wallace and John would have played.

 

[mxlegend99]

Yep and injuries were stacked in the halves and second row. Two ofthose second rowsrs were such good ball players that they were3rd and 4th choice halves partners ahead of Will Smith.

It stands to reason our attack would suffer alot with so many injuries to those types of players. replacing a no frills front rower like Brent Kite or a solid winger like Simmons is doable. Replacing your halfback when his top 3 replacements are injured is hard. Isaac John being fit would have been huge for us, leaving us with a more then capable replacement for Wallace.

 

[maple_69]

I think having Capewell and Humble in the halves for most of the season hurt us as well. Given Cleary never wanted to play them in first grade it didn't help keep our actual backups sharp.
Next season I suspect we'll have to go through Wallace, John, Api, Peachey and Cartwright to see Smith in the halves again. Potentially Moylan as well as he will be getting closer and closer to the halves and Dallin hopefully closer to fullback ready.

We have very good depth in the spine which should keep us trucking unless we have absurd injuries.

 

[drago brelli]

I agree

 

[Copperhead]

I have our contracted players as:

Backs:
Moylan, DWZ, Whare, Idris, Mansour, Simmons, Blake, Smith, Aiono, Moss, T.Eisenhuth, Jennings x 2.
Halves/Hookers:
Soward, Wallace, John, Segeyaro, Api, Davis, Scarlett, Tangitau
Forwards:
Kite, McKendry, Cartwright, Taylor, Peachey, Brown, Docker, Manu, Latimore, Plum, BMM, Yeo, Sopoaga, Coates, Smith x 2, RCG, Latu, Saunders, Attwood, Hollis

Anyone know of any others I have missed? Still need an outside back or 2

How about Wellington Albert? I don't know what happened with the controversy over his real age, but he's probably too old for 20's now, is he still with us?

 

[TheFrog]

I have our contracted players as:

Backs:
Moylan, DWZ, Whare, Idris, Mansour, Simmons, Blake, Smith, Aiono, Moss, T.Eisenhuth, Jennings x 2.
Halves/Hookers:
Soward, Wallace, John, Segeyaro, Api, Davis, Scarlett, Tangitau
Forwards:
Kite, McKendry, Cartwright, Taylor, Peachey, Brown, Docker, Manu, Latimore, Plum, BMM, Yeo, Sopoaga, Coates, Smith x 2, RCG, Latu, Saunders, Attwood, Hollis

Anyone know of any others I have missed? Still need an outside back or 2

Sam Anderson?

 

[Randy81]

How about Wellington Albert? I don't know what happened with the controversy over his real age, but he's probably too old for 20's now, is he still with us?

Pretty sure its him in the training pics released on panthers twitter yesterday

 

[broncos2010]

Give you guys one thing a Cartwright, Taylor, Peachey starting backrow next year will be very impressive.

Could probably compare in a couple years time to what manly have had if all of them mature in to top rep players like they like they will or you can compare it to Parker,Gillett,Thaiday all rep broncos 2nd row pack.

 

[MrBlack]

Give you guys one thing a Cartwright, Taylor, Peachey starting backrow next year will be very impressive.

Next best 3 in the club would be

Manu
Brown
Docker

Plenty of depth there....

 

[franklin2323]

How about Wellington Albert? I don't know what happened with the controversy over his real age, but he's probably too old for 20's now, is he still with us?

Yeah he was a 2 year prospect. I will add him and Anderson

 

[MrAnonymous]

Still find it hard to believe Nathan smith is still with us. Was a decent play for us in the Elliot days, would of thought he would of got picked up by an ESL club by now.