Our Finals Chances.

[forby]

We keep winning we make the finals! Simple!
Hard, but possible!

 

[billypilgrimnz]

We keep winning we make the finals! Simple!
Hard, but possible!

Should never, ever have gotten to this stage. Like f**k are we a worse team on paper than the Dragons, Eels, or even Manly. Yet here we are.

 

[OldPanther]

Should never, ever have gotten to this stage. Like f**k are we a worse team on paper than the Dragons, Eels, or even Manly. Yet here we are.

Yes we are actually. We've had 4 different halves combinations since Cleary debuted, 6 if you go back to round 1 last year with the most recent change being about a month old. We are right where we should be with such an inconsistent roster.

 

[mxlegend99]

Yes we are actually. We've had 4 different halves combinations since Cleary debuted, 6 if you go back to round 1 last year with the most recent change being about a month old. We are right where we should be with such an inconsistent roster.

That is a cop out.

Our roster this year has been far more consistent then it has in years... and only this years roster and results matter this year.

Our halves this year were:
TMM/Cleary. Who we trained in the off-season for.
Carty and Cleary, who played half of last year together
Moylan and Cleary who were essentially our halves even when not together.
May and Cleary... a one off pairing that we won with.

We have a better roster on paper this season then last. We have had a better run with injuries. Cleary has played every game, we have only had 2 fullbacks this year and none of our halves combinations was wildly different than we have used before.

Last year we started off with Will Smith, Jamie Soward, Peter Wallace and James Segeyaro as our spine. By finals only one of those was in first grade and not in the position he started the season in.

We should be a lot better this season than last year.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

I think we will win all remaining games but 1.

We shouldn't be where we are, but unlike most, i see genuine reasons.

Carty has been out basically all year, who the team relied on so heavily last year to plug holes and create plays.

The TMM rumours that never went away, causing a rift between the ranks.

Merrin coming off an injury, and than dealing with personal issues such as the break up of his impending marriage. See above (potentially)

Moylan going off the rails, again see 2 points above as TMM was linked to that (either two above might be right, or way off, but something went down)

Mansour being out all first half of the year, still not even at 50% of his previous form

The external pressures of being 'Premiership favorites' with such a young squad it clearly put to much expectation and pressure on them early on.

4 different halves pairing since round 1

Wallace gone for a few months, who is a leader and most often is the one managing the team.

Throw in a coach who has his strengths, but also has a lot of weaknesses.

 

[betcats]

I think we will win all remaining games but 1.

We shouldn't be where we are, but unlike most, i see genuine reasons.

Carty has been out basically all year, who the team relied on so heavily last year to plug holes and create plays.

The TMM rumours that never went away, causing a rift between the ranks.

Merrin coming off an injury, and than dealing with personal issues such as the break up of his impending marriage. See above (potentially)

Moylan going off the rails, again see 2 points above as TMM was linked to that (either two above might be right, or way off, but something went down)

Mansour being out all first half of the year, still not even at 50% of his previous form

The external pressures of being 'Premiership favorites' with such a young squad it clearly put to much expectation and pressure on them early on.

4 different halves pairing since round 1

Wallace gone for a few months, who is a leader and most often is the one managing the team.

Throw in a coach who has his strengths, but also has a lot of weaknesses.

Im sorry This is such a cop out IMO. You don't get perfect seasons, shit is always going to happen. We've ha different halves pairings because that's what this coach decided, that is his fault entirely. Injury wise its been a better year than the last 5 at least.

Moylan going off the rails lol he went out of a hotel when he wasn't supposed to, that was the some total of him going off the rails. You seem to be looking for excuses for the coach.

 

[betcats]

Yes we are actually. We've had 4 different halves combinations since Cleary debuted, 6 if you go back to round 1 last year with the most recent change being about a month old. We are right where we should be with such an inconsistent roster.

Disagree completely, we are much better on paper than the dragons, Eels and Manly. The halves changing doesn't make us worse on paper, its just means we have an indecisive coach of couldn't just do the obvious things at the start of the year.

 

[OldPanther]

That is a cop out.

Our roster this year has been far more consistent then it has in years... and only this years roster and results matter this year.

Our halves this year were:
TMM/Cleary. Who we trained in the off-season for.
Carty and Cleary, who played half of last year together
Moylan and Cleary who were essentially our halves even when not together.
May and Cleary... a one off pairing that we won with.

We have a better roster on paper this season then last. We have had a better run with injuries. Cleary has played every game, we have only had 2 fullbacks this year and none of our halves combinations was wildly different than we have used before.

Last year we started off with Will Smith, Jamie Soward, Peter Wallace and James Segeyaro as our spine. By finals only one of those was in first grade and not in the position he started the season in.

We should be a lot better this season than last year.

So going by that they NEED to give Cleary control of the team. He's the consistent factor we can rely on since he's been in the same position for a while now and seems to understand how to manage a game well regardless of his age.

 

[GongPanther]

After another bias run through the NRL ladder predictor,even with making allowances for two losses against Manly and Cows,we come 6th.

And with today's big news out of Parra that Gutherson is gone for the year,our chances have firmed in.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Im sorry This is such a cop out IMO. You don't get perfect seasons, shit is always going to happen. We've ha different halves pairings because that's what this coach decided, that is his fault entirely. Injury wise its been a better year than the last 5 at least.

Moylan going off the rails lol he went out of a hotel when he wasn't supposed to, that was the some total of him going off the rails. You seem to be looking for excuses for the coach.

TMM f**king his mrs was more the 'off the rails' i am referring too.. 1 night out was only what was printed in the media, there was A LOT more going on than just that.

You say cop out, that is fine. We all have opinions, we are not early 20 somethings in the fish bowl that is the NRL. We simply do not know if it is or isn't.

 

[OldPanther]

Disagree completely, we are much better on paper than the dragons, Eels and Manly. The halves changing doesn't make us worse on paper, its just means we have an indecisive coach of couldn't just do the obvious things at the start of the year.

I said after the byes we should start to see improvement and I was right. It might be the coach's fault (I think it absolutely is) but it doesn't change that it's held us back.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

So going by that they NEED to give Cleary control of the team. He's the consistent factor we can rely on since he's been in the same position for a while now and seems to understand how to manage a game well regardless of his age.

Cleary should be, but expecting a 19 year old kid who hasn't played a full season to dictate what happens when his halves partner, is the captain, is a lot harder than one would think...

Cleary has put games away in the last 2 weeks, only when Moylan was off or not playing. He looked a world beater. When Moylan is there, he takes a backseat, but this needs to be his team.

 

[betcats]

TMM f**king his mrs was more the 'off the rails' i am referring too.. 1 night out was only what was printed in the media, there was A LOT more going on than just that.

You say cop out, that is fine. We all have opinions, we are not early 20 somethings in the fish bowl that is the NRL. We simply do not know if it is or isn't.

Moylan and TMM still like each others posts on instagram so I doubt TMM did anything like that to Moylan.

 

[GongPanther]

After another bias run through the NRL ladder predictor,even with making allowances for two losses against Manly and Cows,we come 6th.

And with today's big news out of Parra that Gutherson is gone for the year,our chances have firmed in.

EDIT:I should add that also St George and Manly's chances also get a leg up.Assuming a winning record between now and the finals.

 

[OldPanther]

Cleary should be, but expecting a 19 year old kid who hasn't played a full season to dictate what happens when his halves partner, is the captain, is a lot harder than one would think...

Cleary has put games away in the last 2 weeks, only when Moylan was off or not playing. He looked a world beater. When Moylan is there, he takes a backseat, but this needs to be his team.

This is the problem with not havibg an off season with a halves pair. There's no balance. Griffin needs to sit them down and tell them Cleary is 1st half and Moylan 2nd.

 

[betcats]

I said after the byes we should start to see improvement and I was right. It might be the coach's fault (I think it absolutely is) but it doesn't change that it's held us back.

What you mean is the coach held us back, it doesn't change the fact that on paper we have a top four squad.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Moylan and TMM still like each others posts on instagram so I doubt TMM did anything like that to Moylan.

Bro's before Hoe's..........

 

[OldPanther]

What you mean is the coach held us back, it doesn't change the fact that on paper we have a top four squad.

I agree. The only difference between us and a premiership winning team is consistency. Now we have settled to some degree we are 7 from 9 and are making a run for the finals. This is why May need to be 6 if Moylan is out. He'll stay out of the way and let Cleary work.

Edit: I also think Griffin was an idiot and if he moved Moylan as soon as Martin was out we'dbe on 24 or 26 points right now.

 

[mxlegend99]

Im sorry This is such a cop out IMO. You don't get perfect seasons, shit is always going to happen. We've ha different halves pairings because that's what this coach decided, that is his fault entirely. Injury wise its been a better year than the last 5 at least.

Moylan going off the rails lol he went out of a hotel when he wasn't supposed to, that was the some total of him going off the rails. You seem to be looking for excuses for the coach.

Yep... and all those teams above us have had issues too.

We have had a much better season as far as team changes go this year. Yet we have performed worse.

Moylan, Blake, Peachey, DWZ, Cleary, Tamou, RCG, Yeo, Latu and Merrin had all played 90% of games if not all of them up until now.

Edwards and CHN have played less than they should of because the coach was indecisive.

Kikau, Akauolo, Leota and Browne have all been in and out of the team because the coach was indecisive.

Weve had a few injuries that effected us. But the biggest ones were Mansour who we knew was out late last year and Cartwright who was never allowed to develop in one position anyway. Wallace is arguably not a loss with Rein available and JFH being out allowed CHN to cement a spot.

Outside of Mansour, every injury has helped force the coaches hand into a better move he never would have made.

Even the recent Merrin injury could finally force Carty into his best position and ultimately force Browne out

 

[franklin2323]

So now that Dragons have Won and they have the easiest draw known to sport I don't think we get past them. The Eels are up next and they only need 3 the commentary said. I have a sinking feeling about this year. Do people think we can make the finals still?

We will catch Manly, Parra and Dragons. Dragons F/A might get them finishing higher