NRLW

[The Axe of Druss]

Is Jesse considered one of the best players in the game? I'm not a big follower but I hear more about Turnik and Upton I reckon. They might be more physically gifted but Jesse looks like the best half at the club (including the men's). Her kicking game is the best in the game right?

Who the f**k is Turnik?

 

[Burwood]

Who the f**k is Turnik?

Don’t worry, I speak fluent Yosh. Olivia Kernick.

 

[Yosh]

Who the f**k is Turnik?

See what I mean. Casual fan. Lol

 

[HarVeeGee]

Is Jesse considered one of the best players in the game? I'm not a big follower but I hear more about Turnik and Upton I reckon. They might be more physically gifted but Jesse looks like the best half at the club (including the men's). Her kicking game is the best in the game right?

Tamika won the Dally M in 2023 and Kernick in 2024 and it was deserved in both cases, those two and Isabelle Kelly would probably be who most would identify as the best player in the game right now.

Jesse burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2022 and was very quickly regarded as one of the best halves & likely the #1 player in the game at some point in the future, but she didn’t keep improving in a linear way and honestly she was pretty bad last year. People put this down to different things, we definitely played a very Tamika-centric style where Roche and Southwell played a side each and their job was to play to her constantly, she had carte blanche to overcall whenever she liked, even for kicks (which was a mistake overall IMO as Tamika’s kicking game was a bit of a lottery, even though this set up produced the winning play in a grand final). Jesse definitely looks better as an on ball half with the play running through her on both sides of the ruck.

But also Jesse kind of just did a bunch of stuff poorly last year irrespective of role, and looked a bit out of shape tbh. It may just have been that after winning the comp in her first two seasons there was maybe an understandable motivation/application dip. She’s young and only human. Also she was carving up with her running game very easily as a rookie and the standard of the average player keeps getting better so that’s not so easy for her now.

This year it’s clear she has absolutely worked her arse off over the off-season and on form so far she’s pretty clearly the #1 halfback. Overall kicking game is definitely the best, might not have the biggest boot but it’d be up there and her kick selection and placement is likely the best. And she has the best short kicking game by a mile over the next best. She’s not a tearaway breaking the line a lot like she was as a rookie but her control over the game is unmatched by other 7’s in the NRLW right now.

 

[aqua_duck]

Tamika won the Dally M in 2023 and Kernick in 2024 and it was deserved in both cases, those two and Isabelle Kelly would probably be who most would identify as the best player in the game right now.

Jesse burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2022 and was very quickly regarded as one of the best halves & likely the #1 player in the game at some point in the future, but she didn’t keep improving in a linear way and honestly she was pretty bad last year. People put this down to different things, we definitely played a very Tamika-centric style where Roche and Southwell played a side each and their job was to play to her constantly, she had carte blanche to overcall whenever she liked, even for kicks (which was a mistake overall IMO as Tamika’s kicking game was a bit of a lottery, even though this set up produced the winning play in a grand final). Jesse definitely looks better as an on ball half with the play running through her on both sides of the ruck.

But also Jesse kind of just did a bunch of stuff poorly last year irrespective of role, and looked a bit out of shape tbh. It may just have been that after winning the comp in her first two seasons there was maybe an understandable motivation/application dip. She’s young and only human. Also she was carving up with her running game very easily as a rookie and the standard of the average player keeps getting better so that’s not so easy for her now.

This year it’s clear she has absolutely worked her arse off over the off-season and on form so far she’s pretty clearly the #1 halfback. Overall kicking game is definitely the best, might not have the biggest boot but it’d be up there and her kick selection and placement is likely the best. And she has the best short kicking game by a mile over the next best. She’s not a tearaway breaking the line a lot like she was as a rookie but her control over the game is unmatched by other 7’s in the NRLW right now.

Yep agreed, I’d be shocked if her and Aiken aren’t the Jillaroos halves moving forward. Upton is a freak and I personally hold no resentment towards her at all but imo she can be abit of a hard player to gel with for some halves because she’s so dominant and demands the ball so much for good reason.
I think the way the game is going now with defences abit more organised, better athletes, better conditioning, etc you’ll see a proper halfback like Jesse really shine.
In the past it was about getting the ball to your athletes and letting them do the rest, now teams actually have to build pressure, halfbacks need to organise and steer their team around and short kicking is becoming much more important which means proper halfbacks like Jesse, Tayla Preston, Rachael Pearson, etc become more valuable

 

[Yosh]

Does Jesse also have the best goal kicking in the league? Seems like everyone else misses unless it's right in front.

 

[HarVeeGee]

She was one of the best kickers for her first three seasons and yeah like with her kicking game generally she’s now easily the best. Sheridan Gallagher would be one of the best regular goal kickers in the comp too if she played in a different team.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Yep agreed, I’d be shocked if her and Aiken aren’t the Jillaroos halves moving forward. Upton is a freak and I personally hold no resentment towards her at all but imo she can be abit of a hard player to gel with for some halves because she’s so dominant and demands the ball so much for good reason.
I think the way the game is going now with defences abit more organised, better athletes, better conditioning, etc you’ll see a proper halfback like Jesse really shine.
In the past it was about getting the ball to your athletes and letting them do the rest, now teams actually have to build pressure, halfbacks need to organise and steer their team around and short kicking is becoming much more important which means proper halfbacks like Jesse, Tayla Preston, Rachael Pearson, etc become more valuable

Felt like last year’s finals were a bit of an inflection point, the complexity of the shape the Roosters were playing with and Aiken’s command of her passing options were their big point of difference as much as talent. That became the thing you need to catch up to if you want to have success IMO. Broncos flamed out because they relied on bashing the front door down too much. And yeah Jesse’s passing game wasn’t within cooee of that.

Clearly another thing she’s worked heaps on, this year she’s looking like arguably the best ball player on the first layer of an attack in the game and honestly it seems like the only thing really going “wrong” with our attack right now (and it’s not a lot, they’ve adjusted to losing Tamika so well, honestly think as a team the attack is about as good as it was last year) is that the option running from the players around her is yet to catch up with how much craft & deception she’s playing with at the moment.

 

[aqua_duck]

Felt like last year’s finals were a bit of an inflection point, the complexity of the shape the Roosters were playing with and Aiken’s command of her passing options were their big point of difference as much as talent. That became the thing you need to catch up to if you want to have success IMO. Broncos flamed out because they relied on bashing the front door down too much. And yeah Jesse’s passing game wasn’t within cooee of that.

Clearly another thing she’s worked heaps on, this year she’s looking like arguably the best ball player on the first layer of an attack in the game and honestly it seems like the only thing really going “wrong” with our attack right now (and it’s not a lot, they’ve adjusted to losing Tamika so well, honestly think as a team the attack is about as good as it was last year) is that the option running from the players around her is yet to catch up with how much craft & deception she’s playing with at the moment.

100%, that right side with McEwen, Parker, Gallagher and Vette Welsh sweeping round the back will be absolutely lethal once they gel properly. The only thing I think we’re missing is a dominant middle like a Millie Elliott or a Caitlin Johnston

 

[Knight Tales]

Jeffries is a much better coach than people give him credit for. Given he has lost so many key players, their form is pretty impressive. Ronnie is a king, but he did have a gun squad for three seasons.

 

[HarVeeGee]

100%, that right side with McEwen, Parker, Gallagher and Vette Welsh sweeping round the back will be absolutely lethal once they gel properly. The only thing I think we’re missing is a dominant middle like a Millie Elliott or a Caitlin Johnston

Yep that is really all we need. The "weakest" part of the side right now is the middles, even though they're not bad, it's just that there's not really a true #1 prop. A lot of girls where you're happy if they're your 2nd or 3rd best middle. Getting a prop as good as CJ or Millie, and having them, Tiana Davison and Kayla Romaniuk as starters, with Predebon, Karpani and Yeo off the bench, would give us arguably the best pack in the comp right now when you factor in Clydsdale and McEwen.

And yeah if you have a halfback who can ram home an advantage like Jesse can & is very happy keeping her team camped down the other end patiently breaking the opposition down, rather than getting antsy and chasing the home run every time, top tier dominant props become even more valuable. Our 1-5 is all good players rather than top tier superstars, but good players playing off the back of dominant middles & a dominant 7 can achieve just as much and often more than elite outside backs in a team with worse forwards and halves.

 

[Haffa]

Giampino looks like she has the ability to crack that prop rotation. She is still only 21 but has the size and aggression of players currently running around in the NRLW. She's also got some footwork for a prop.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Predebon has size, maybe too much cause she looks slower than everyone else.

I would have liked to have held onto Jaz Carter as she has youth and mobility on her side and is still a big enough body in the middle

 

[Frederick]

Predebon has size, maybe too much cause she looks slower than everyone else.

I would have liked to have held onto Jaz Carter as she has youth and mobility on her side and is still a big enough body in the middle

She looks slow, but once she gets a run up she collects the post contact metres like they're Pokemon

 

[Haffa]

Think we dodged a bullet moving Hannah on. She looked out of shape on Sunday against Parra. I know it was a tough slog in the mud but she was walking back into the line after 10 minutes.

 

[Woody90]

Think we dodged a bullet moving Hannah on. She looked out of shape on Sunday against Parra. I know it was a tough slog in the mud but she was walking back into the line after 10 minutes.

I noticed the exact same thing. Definitely lost some fitness over the off season.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Hate to contradict but I think Hannah actually looks fitter than she did with us in 2023 and 2024, she had these sorts of issues with us too, often way worse. She's never gotten back to where she was athletically after doing the ACL but to my eye she's gradually gotten better since 2023, not worse.

But other than that, yes, 100% agree - I think we got out at the right time. Kayla Romaniuk is just a better player right now and another where we forget how young she is - 23, still plenty of room to grow, and having her best season so far this year.

Hannah's thing as a player has always been that she's a legitimate defensive enforcer, of which there were basically none besides her in the game in the first season, and there still aren't that many now. But more of them are appearing so her point of difference is fading... which means she's a long minutes, low work rate player (in a comp where we're seeing more high work rate enforcers each season) which can be very problematic against good teams. Against the Tigers or Raiders who cares but it's all hands on deck vs the contenders. She was kind of awful last year every time we played a good team.

If losing Hannah has no bearing on whether or not we keep Jesse, it's good that she moved on. Was a bit confusing as to why she wanted to leave but yeah we don't miss her.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Predebon has size, maybe too much cause she looks slower than everyone else.

I would have liked to have held onto Jaz Carter as she has youth and mobility on her side and is still a big enough body in the middle

Predz is just way more suited to the bench, but you do also need someone who can punch through a set defensive line in the early going.

Actually think Jeffries uses her very smartly, her first stint is always really short, he just wants 2-3 strong carries, and then her second stint is basically a 'bench prop' stint to get us rolling again when there's fatigue in the game (late first half) - but she's totally unsighted for the last 20 minutes or so of the second when (for example) you might be defending a lead.

A bit unorthodox but it's working. If we find a true #1 prop soon she'll go back to just being a bench wrecking ball.