Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

[Iamback]

Over the last three years though, we have won over 80% of our games when Kenny has been the starting hooker. And that was without having an attacking threat like Luke to come off the bench to share the hooking role with.

The Kenny / Luke combo should be good enough for us to finish top 4. And then once into the semis and grand final games, our 3 years of big game experience, plus having the best half back in the game, the best 7,6, 13 combination, the best back 3, etc, combined with our proven defence and structures, should still give us a strong chance to win our 3rd consecutive premiership.

Even all of the the bookies have us on the shortest odds for winning the 2023 premiership.

NRL.com has all the player stats since 2016.

Look at Kenny's numbers for kicks, Try Assists, runs etc. He is a great defender and passing is getting better but there is no attack.

No Kikau too, Means sides can really rush up and belt the attacking line. Martin isn't going to offload. Garner is line runner so good line speed should trouble the side.

Luai is pretty good at using footwork to get away, The issue will be if he misses a stack of games.

Yeo is the best player in the sport. Cleary close to him is why we are favourites. If either miss a slab of footy we will be right back in the chasing pack

 

[Iamback]

The reality is that Ivan was already sheltering Api from the opening exchanges come finals time.

He was amazing and a big part of our recent success, but the Api we have seen over the last few years was unlikely to be consistently seen at Penrith going forward, whether he signed with us or not. Very few hookers not named Cameron Smith can cope with the passing of time.

Mitch was trusted by our brains trust to start a finals series; a series we dominated through sheer relentlessness. We are in good hands (both at hooker and from a brains trust perspective).

A few observers, Aaron Woods on MMM was a critic of that move.

Souths Prelim we were down 12-0 when Api came on.

The earlier game v Souths bombed tries kept it close when he also started.

We have won 71 from 72 games when scoring 1st. Having spark to get on the front foot so we can strangle teams later is when we are at our best

 

[Smug Panther]

A few observers, Aaron Woods on MMM was a critic of that move.

Souths Prelim we were down 12-0 when Api came on.

The earlier game v Souths bombed tries kept it close when he also started.

We have won 71 from 72 games when scoring 1st. Having spark to get on the front foot so we can strangle teams later is when we are at our best

Yeah it didn't help us and was a mistake but we were still too good

 

[Iamback]

Yeah it didn't help us and was a mistake but we were still too good

That is it, It's not just Api but Kiks, Burton and Capewell across the past 2 seasons. Eventually we aren't going to be too good to cover such moves

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

Soni Luke will brain it... his ceiling will rise...

I totally agree.

 

[Smug Panther]

I totally agree.

In attack he'll be fine, in defence he'll be a massive weakness

 

[Iamback]

In attack he'll be fine, in defence he'll be a massive weakness

He won't be injected as early as Api was either, Atleast not to start with.

30 mins in round 1 is my tip,

 

[ColdWetPanther]

A few observers, Aaron Woods on MMM was a critic of that move.

Souths Prelim we were down 12-0 when Api came on.

The earlier game v Souths bombed tries kept it close when he also started.

We have won 71 from 72 games when scoring 1st. Having spark to get on the front foot so we can strangle teams later is when we are at our best

Well if Aaron Woods isn’t a fan we should rethink our whole strategy….

 

[Crashtest]

A few observers, Aaron Woods on MMM was a critic of that move.

Souths Prelim we were down 12-0 when Api came on.

The earlier game v Souths bombed tries kept it close when he also started.

We have won 71 from 72 games when scoring 1st. Having spark to get on the front foot so we can strangle teams later is when we are at our best

But we are also a side that plays for the full 80 minutes. We control the middle, wear sides down, get on top and keep defending just as hard till the final whistle.

That’s why a player like Kenny fits in, especially in the first 20 minutes of a game.

 

[jane the pain]

A few observers, Aaron Woods on MMM was a critic of that move.

Souths Prelim we were down 12-0 when Api came on.

The earlier game v Souths bombed tries kept it close when he also started.

We have won 71 from 72 games when scoring 1st. Having spark to get on the front foot so we can strangle teams later is when we are at our best

Who cares what Aaron Woods thinks?

 

[John Hamblin]

But we are also a side that plays for the full 80 minutes. We control the middle, wear sides down, get on top and keep defending just as hard till the final whistle.

That’s why a player like Kenny fits in, especially in the first 20 minutes of a game.

Agree and whilst we will miss both Api and kiks we won all finals games easily. I,m not suggesting we will be as good as last year BUT we will again be VERY hard to beat

 

[Original Name]

Agree and whilst we will miss both Api and kiks we won all finals games easily. I,m not suggesting we will be as good as last year BUT we will again be VERY hard to beat

If we're just as hungry as fit they can cover for flaws in the game of Kenny and Luke. Emphasis on if.

 

[Smug Panther]

If we're just as hungry as fit they can cover for flaws in the game of Kenny and Luke. Emphasis on if.

Maybe. Kikau no longer doing most of Luai's work is my biggest question

 

[Iamback]

Maybe. Kikau no longer doing most of Luai's work is my biggest question

It isn't him doing his work as much as he can pass, kick as well as stream roll defender. Allows defenders to sit back

 

[Original Name]

Maybe. Kikau no longer doing most of Luai's work is my biggest question

If we win so much field position we bury the opposition in their half we won't need that much points to win a game regardless. I don't see a team scoring more 18 points against us in conditions like that.

 

[Iamback]

If we win so much field position we bury the opposition in their half we won't need that much points to win a game regardless. I don't see a team scoring more 18 points against us in conditions like that.

The point smug and myself are making is we will get less time to do our thing.

Tackle 5 you are defending and you know Kenny won't run or kick. Are you not just rushing up and putting pressure on the halves?

 

[CCJohnC]

Happy New Year. My resolutions are to give Kenny and Luke a chance and lets see what Garner brings you all may be surprised how well they go. Having watched quite a few repeats from last season I did not realise how well Luai tackles and against much bigger players and usually on Kikau's side.

 

[Original Name]

The point smug and myself are making is we will get less time to do our thing.

Tackle 5 you are defending and you know Kenny won't run or kick. Are you not just rushing up and putting pressure on the halves?

If the forwards dominate with quick play the balls, line speed and contact in defence like against the Parra in the gf then no you wouldm't. There's no game plan you can draw out for getting dominated in the middle.

E.g first final vs Eels Parra clearly had a game plan pressure Cleary's kicking. Liam Martin gets a good play the ball and it gives Cleary enough time to put up a dead ball game. Penrith score off the back of that.

 

[Smug Panther]

The whole lefthand side will fully need to change the way we attack. Garner is a nice hole runner but he won't draw 2 or 3 players like Kikau did. Luai has had it very VERY easy but I think he's good enough to adapt. Hopefully we see lots of cut-out balls to Tago and even Tago/Garner swapping often. Cleary also needs to play more on the left as well. I'm excited for the possibilities

 

[BxTom]

The point smug and myself are making is we will get less time to do our thing.

Tackle 5 you are defending and you know Kenny won't run or kick. Are you not just rushing up and putting pressure on the halves?

So you are assuming that Kenny won't pass? The dummy half doesn't have to make every play on the 5th. I'm sure that that is the case for most teams too.