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Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

Whino

Bench
Messages
3,202
In terms of Hooker if we let go Api for 2022, We will have to start with Kenny and use either Sullivan or Smith for about 20 mins. But I do prefer to get someone in.

No it weakens us. There is no decent short-term replacement for 2022 that will fill the void.
Api stays, and use him to pass on as much knowledge as he can to the young hookers at our club.
 

BossleyPanther

Juniors
Messages
2,117
No it weakens us. There is no decent short-term replacement for 2022 that will fill the void.
Api stays, and use him to pass on as much knowledge as he can to the young hookers at our club.
How does it weaken us long term? We gotta use 2022 to see who can play hooker for the long haul.
 

BossleyPanther

Juniors
Messages
2,117
We are still close to our peak, be insane to not try win the comp. We'll drop off a little in 2023-24 then go again imo
I would love to win a title next year. But I look at the world of probabilities. Losing Capewell was bad. Burton I understand, than I have no idea we let Momo go early. Only to lose Kikau, Api for 2023. So my thinking is use the players who are going to be here for the long haul.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
I would love to win a title next year. But I look at the world of probabilities. Losing Capewell was bad. Burton I understand, than I have no idea we let Momo go early. Only to lose Kikau, Api for 2023. So my thinking is use the players who are going to be here for the long haul.

I can't see back to back. Almost impossible these days. Best we can hope for is get guys upto speed that we win in 2023
 

Whino

Bench
Messages
3,202
How does it weaken us long term? We gotta use 2022 to see who can play hooker for the long haul.

Next year is probably our last shot at a title for a few years. Better to keep Api and Kikau at the club to have a real go at it. 2023 the roster will weaker.
This late in the game you are not going to find a decent replacement for Api in 2022, if you get rid of him. Some of options mentioned over the past few pages are rubbish.
 

The_Frog

First Grade
Messages
6,390
Through his speed Cook always had a high ceiling. Kenny isn't that naturally talented, his thing is he tries hard. Developing footy IQ and summing things up in an instant or on instinct isn't the same as just being born fast.

Cook developed his footy IQ since in the years after he started and he still doesn't play as smart as a guy like Api who just sees the game clearly naturally.
This is correct but it wasn't recognised until well after his 25th birthday. Kenny isn't likely to suddenly pick up a yard in pace, but the penny might yet drop for him as it did for Cook.
 

Girds89

Bench
Messages
2,852
I dont see any reason why kiks and api wont be 110% committed this year.

Not many players win a comp let alone more than one.

Both api and kiks will have the chance to go back to back this year. If thats not motivating enough i dont know what is.

I think tago will have a break out year at centre. I think lenui will finally hit his straps. If tiny gets first crack at the wing i think he will takeit with both hands.

Just need to get cleary back to 100% fitness. If hes fit and firing we will be in the mix.
 

BossleyPanther

Juniors
Messages
2,117
I can't see back to back. Almost impossible these days. Best we can hope for is get guys upto speed that we win in 2023
Hooker is so Vital. Very impossible to go back to back. This is why we should sort out ASAP and use next year as a building ground get the key positions used to eachother.
 

The yak

Juniors
Messages
681
Hooker is so Vital. Very impossible to go back to back. This is why we should sort out ASAP and use next year as a building ground get the key positions used to eachother.
Who are you going to get?
Why shoot ourselves in the foot for 2022 by getting rid of Api in the hope 2023 will be better.
No need to weaken ourselves and strengthen a rival next year.
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,004
Agree. Making short term decisions because we think we have only 2-3 years to win seems like a good way to end up in the bottom four 6 years from now.

We could’ve offered Api more after missing kikau, I’m glad we didn’t tbh, we can be a top four team for a lot longer than 2-3 years if we are smart and disciplined with our cap, paying more than we think a player is worth cause we think we only have a couple years to be a threat is just not smart. And I’ll say this again, there’s every chance Api in 2024 is nowhere near what he was in 2021.
Yet the way things have gone our window looks more likely to be 2-3 years. 20/21/22.

Losing half our grand final team before the 22 season has even kicked off hardly seems like a good way to keep our window open beyond 2022.

Since 2020 we have lost a pretty handy starting side:

1. Aekins/ Laurie
2. Mansour
3. Whare
4. Momirovski
5. Naden
6. Burton
7. May
8. Tamou
9. Koroisau
10. Tetevano
11. Kikau
12. Capewell
13. Hetherington / Burns

Losing a LOT of experience is a poor way to keep being a top side. We aren't going to be able to bring in 2x new centres, 2x new second rowers and a new hooker and just continue like we have been playing. We saw just how thin our depth actually was through the Origin period after the players we lost in 2020.

We had enough to interchange a few positions just fine. But once you start losing mass players that little bit of experience and quality accumulates a lot to be a big difference.

Ultimately winning a grand final makes it worth it. But talking up losing all these players as no big deal or even as a good thing is just ridiculous. Would love to be proven wrong. But we wont be a premiership threat in 2023. Can't even see us being a top 4 threat but hopefully Nathan keeps improving so he can atleast keep us flogging shit teams like Manly/Roosters this year.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
Hooker is so Vital. Very impossible to go back to back. This is why we should sort out ASAP and use next year as a building ground get the key positions used to eachother.

Hooker is normally but what do we really need.
Top passing game - Kenny often throws behind Yeo and Cleary. Give them crisp ball and with the space others get go from there.

Defence - That is a must

Aside from that an odd run or kick. The number 1 priority will be getting good ball to the halves and Yeo.

The other stuff Api provided was just a nice luxury we could afford at the time
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
Yet the way things have gone our window looks more likely to be 2-3 years. 20/21/22.

Losing half our grand final team before the 22 season has even kicked off hardly seems like a good way to keep our window open beyond 2022.

Since 2020 we have lost a pretty handy starting side:

1. Aekins/ Laurie
2. Mansour
3. Whare
4. Momirovski
5. Naden
6. Burton
7. May
8. Tamou
9. Koroisau
10. Tetevano
11. Kikau
12. Capewell
13. Hetherington / Burns

Losing a LOT of experience is a poor way to keep being a top side. We aren't going to be able to bring in 2x new centres, 2x new second rowers and a new hooker and just continue like we have been playing. We saw just how thin our depth actually was through the Origin period after the players we lost in 2020.

We had enough to interchange a few positions just fine. But once you start losing mass players that little bit of experience and quality accumulates a lot to be a big difference.

Ultimately winning a grand final makes it worth it. But talking up losing all these players as no big deal or even as a good thing is just ridiculous. Would love to be proven wrong. But we wont be a premiership threat in 2023. Can't even see us being a top 4 threat but hopefully Nathan keeps improving so he can atleast keep us flogging shit teams like Manly/Roosters this year.

The only one in that side that is in their prime is Burton. The rest are the sort of players you would expect to lose
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
If Nathan is fit and we have most our pieces around him we are every chance to win

Not having the world Club challenge is a bonus. On Nathan though. No pre season and he didn't sound to confident they would risk him for round 1.
So lets use the round 3 as the target. We are talking 2-3 games for him to get up to speed.
Then we lose him, Luai, Yeo, Toó and possibly a few others to Origin.
Lose the in game flexibility Burton, May and Capewell brought. and need to blood a few rookies.

We will be up around the top 4 again but going back to back will be a huge effort. I do think we will see another couple of premierships with these halves though.
 

Girds89

Bench
Messages
2,852
Is this the guy currently wearing six and can't pass left to right?

He can definitley pass left to right. Thats the natural passing side for a left hander.

He plays on the left because you predominantly tackle with your outside shoulder and you want that to be your stongest tackling side.

Hence why he plays left and nathan right.

You dont get to nrl level, state of origin level and not be able to pass one way..

Cmon munky.

Iamback, dont agree with your opinion on kennys service at 9 either. Hes a good solid 9 who gets good clean ball where it needs to be. Yes hes nowhere near as crafty as api and other elite 9s but you barely ever see him make mistakes or throw poor passes behind players.

The best way to describd kenny is mr reliable. He just does a job. If he plays 80 you can bet your bottom dollar he will make 50 odd tackles with probably no misses. And stuff all mistakes.

Very rarely does he getting his passes wrong.

We are lucky with api. He was the perfect mix for cleary and luai.. he knew exactly when to run and when to get early ball out to nath. A huge reason canberra struggled at times this year was hogdson was just trying to do to much and he took all the time away from the halfs.

I think if kenny gets his oppurtunities this year he should definitley look to run more but hes main priority should be just getting good early clean ball to yeo and nath which so far in his career he does very realiably.
 

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