Reasons to be optimistic about 2012

[Minh]

We can still be a real top 4 threat even without Moltzen, although I have to say we would be stronger with a player like him.

2011 was a year full of distractions and a very long arduous season starting from our successful WCC. We lost Cam King for the season, Bennett announces departure and Boyd soon follows. We had up to 8 players selected for origin our stocks were so depleted we had to call upon a retired coal miner in Reece Simmons.

Soon after Gaz announces retirement the fatigue of a long season was setting in and Bennett leaving certainly had an impact on the players confidence and motivation. Soward plays busted towards the end there.

After all this we only lose the major semi final by a wobbly golden point field goal against the form team in the competition who would of put 30 points on any other team that night with the legendary Lockyer calling the shots and most things going their way. Not too bad considering what a hectic year we had.

We lose two very good players in Boyd and Gasnier, we have three super talented young guns in Style, King and Rein likely to have more game time and also a host of big aggressive forward recruits. Chase Stanley is no mug either and Vidot looks big fast and strong as an outside back as well. This is enough to suggest that we can still be ultra competitive without all the distractions and uncertainty.

I am looking forward to the fresh start and the continuation of the processes put in place by Wayne Bennett, we have a new young coach Steve Price who has learned from the best and a very good old timer as assistant in Steve Folkes.

Go the Mighty Dragons!!!

 

[Bring back choc]

You go girl!

And BBC, The Nick is right. Your incessant whining is not as funny as it used to be. You're starting to depress everyone

Oh seeiously.. Relax would you!
Should we all hold hands and sing a song whilst we ignore the facts?

I post plenty of positive things. More than Plenty.

It ain't whining. It's reality.

There was a plethora of positive comments prior to 2010 and 2011. Because we had recruited brilliantly and the squad looked the goods. Fact is we have dropped the ball in recruitment and retention.

I have stated a million times there exciting things in 2012:
King, Stanley.... Prior Hopeully being sacked...

What more do you want?
Just calm down.

 

[Mr Red]

i think although a bit dramatic bring back choc does have some valid points..
i guess halfway through next season he will either look like a champ or a chump...

personally i think although we have a team still capable of making the finals, it will be a slide down the ladder to 7th or 8th... mainly due to another season of losing star players (boyd, gasnier) and replacing them with makeshift first graders not capable of maintaining the form needed to play a full season of first grade...
i too am very disappointed with the recruitment for 2012 given the cash we must have had available - especially given gasniers contract was back-ended, meaning we would have had more cash free to spend on gasnier's replacment then the previous season. boyd also would have been one of our highest paid players..

time will tell i guess, but the pressure is already on the coach, he needs these "makeshift" or fringe first graders to really stand up next season...

 

[MattYg1]

Oh seeiously.. Relax would you!
Should we all hold hands and sing a song whilst we ignore the facts?

I post plenty of positive things. More than Plenty.

It ain't whining. It's reality.

There was a plethora of positive comments prior to 2010 and 2011. Because we had recruited brilliantly and the squad looked the goods. Fact is we have dropped the ball in recruitment and retention.

I have stated a million times there exciting things in 2012:
King, Stanley.... Prior Hopeully being sacked...

What more do you want?
Just calm down.

Some part of me is happy that we are going back to our pre-Bennett forum days haha...

Choc is under attack again, recruitment is a concern and player development is scary... these are exciting times :lol::lol:

 

[Fingerbang]

I'd like to know, choc....apart from Jeremy Smith and Darius Boyd, who are these brilliant signings we recruited during the Bennett era? Gower, Penese, Tagive, Greenfield???? And before you say Weyman, Fien etc.....these guys were never touted as superstars before we signed them. They were no different to the recruiting we have got happening now.

 

[gypsy]

And before you say Weyman, Fien etc.....these guys were never touted as superstars before we signed them. They were no different to the recruiting we have got happening now.

Anyone who watched Weyman in the Raiders days would have known he could play. The issue and risk with him was never ability....just injury. He played less than 50 games for the raiders in 6 seasons.

Fien had 196 NRL games, some internationals with NZ, even had one Origin game under his belt by the time we got him.

 

[grouch]

Weyman also had a discipline problem and an issue with endurance. There were many questions hovering over his head - he was never a sure thing

 

[gypsy]

To those who know the game he was. I don't think many peoples endurance would be great playing 48 games in 6 years....
the two go hand in hand, hard to run and get fit with a busted knee. As for the discipline thing, its a bit of aggression, a bit of mongrel. It's good stuff.

 

[Minh]

I was excited when we first announced the Weyman signing, his biggest problem was fitness and he could only go 10 to 15 minute bursts, his other problem was aggro the guy had a hair trigger temper. To be honest Weyman getting fitter and leaner is not as damaging a runner as the older fatter version maybe it's because of the groin problems and I wouldn't mind seeing the guy be a little more aggressive now too. 2009/ 2010 Weyman was brilliant.

 

[Fingerbang]

That's my point....bbc is calling it brilliant recruitment now, after the fact. They turned out to be better than a lot of people thought at the time. Who's to say these new recruits for 2012 don't turn out to be just as good? They haven't even been given a chance to shine yet, and he is writing them off already.

 

[grouch]

To those who know the game he was.

And to those who know the game our current signings are also quality.

 

[Minh]

That's my point....bbc is calling it brilliant recruitment now, after the fact. They turned out to be better than a lot of people thought at the time. Who's to say these new recruits for 2012 don't turn out to be just as good? They haven't even been given a chance to shine yet, and he is writing them off already.

I have to agree with you, we have to give them a chance to shine and we have recruited in higher volume as opposed to just one superstar signing, IMO this adds depth to the team, there is no doubt the 2012 forwards squad has greater depth than in 2011 and competition for positions in the top team will be hot.

We have not signed any real big names Moltzen included, but I think the guys we have are itching to prove their worth in 2012, guys like Chase Stanley and Vidot maybe Moltzen too. 3 juniors I will be watching with interest would be Style, King and Rein and IMO these 3 have nearlyoffset the losses of Boyd and Gasnier in a different dynamic, only time will tell.

 

[gypsy]

And to those who know the game our current signings are also quality.

I've got no doubt they will be. Its not what I'm arguing though.
Merely saying recruiting a Fein, with 200 games and tests under his belt, is a bit different to buying an unknown. By unknown, I mean on the big stage.

I like what we've done as well, and it is a perfect time to look to the future stars...while we still have plenty of experience in the squad. Lets face it, Hornby, Coops, Creagh, Young and co. can't play forever, and we don't want another West Indies to happen to us when they do hang up the boots.

My tip: Kyle will have a massive year, and will have the number 1 stitched onto his back for a long time.

 

[Minh]

Also I would like to add that the guys who have played under Bennett and learnt so much under Bennett do not suddenly forget how to play footy, that is why it is so important to keep the core of the team together and just add finishing touches and fine tune it.

 

[Cagey Mac]

Anyone who watched Weyman in the Raiders days would have known he could play. The issue and risk with him was never ability....just injury. He played less than 50 games for the raiders in 6 seasons.

Fien had 196 NRL games, some internationals with NZ, even had one Origin game under his belt by the time we got him.

Substitute Vidot for Weyman here!
Both Stanley boys have injury history and Kyle under legendary Jeremy Hickman, hope that they pull up well in 2012 and want to see form before relying on them
If Nighty (in lieu of Moltzen) is first choice for #1, it may be on the back of doubts of KS holding up and maintaining fitness in a vital position upon which backline moves are based
Don’t underrate Price as an x-factor for the team too, I’m hoping that he can build on Bennett’s legacy and confuse a few of his opposing coaches who won’t be across his playbook
Fein's tackling style still bothers me and may get worse as he slows down
I hope not but do have doubts

 

[Mr Red]

Anyone who watched Weyman in the Raiders days would have known he could play. The issue and risk with him was never ability....just injury. He played less than 50 games for the raiders in 6 seasons.

Fien had 196 NRL games, some internationals with NZ, even had one Origin game under his belt by the time we got him.

agree 100%
add to that the re-signing of gasnier and its quite evident our recruitment under Bennett was first class..

 

[Fingerbang]

agree 100%
add to that the re-signing of gasnier and its quite evident our recruitment under Bennett was first class..

Not all of it.....Tagive? Penese?

 

[gypsy]

Not all of it.....Tagive? Penese?

Firstly, both of those guys were in addition to quality, higher profile signings.
Secondly, they were stuck behind some pretty decent players.

Tagive as a wing/centre couldn't crack it, he had a real chance in the centres in early 2010....but had a season ending injury in a trial.
Since he recovered, we had 4 internationals in those positions. Good luck shifting them.
Likewise Penese, not many would force their way into a backrow containing Young, Scott and Creagh....in addition to all the other backrowers we had. but whatevs.

 

[Fingerbang]

Firstly, both of those guys were in addition to quality, higher profile signings.
Secondly, they were stuck behind some pretty decent players.

Tagive as a wing/centre couldn't crack it, he had a real chance in the centres in early 2010....but had a season ending injury in a trial.
Since he recovered, we had 4 internationals in those positions. Good luck shifting them.

Likewise Penese, not many would force their way into a backrow containing Young, Scott and Creagh....in addition to all the other backrowers we had. but whatevs.

Okay....so Penese and say Greenfield were brilliant recruiting. Just couldn't crack a spot due to Scott, Young etc. But recruiting Will Matthews who is going to face the same hurdles is poor.....gotcha.

 

[gypsy]

Read the first point I made Fingerbang.

Losing Penese for Matthews is fine. Don't have a problem with that at all. At no stage have I said any of our signings are poor. Just try reading sometime.