Rumoured Targets 3

[Woosh]

Lads! We've just signed a Premiership Winning 5/8th. Literally came on and won the game for Penrith. Good times ahead!

I wouldn’t go that far but Cogger did come on and straighten their attack. Too much side to side from the Panthers in the first half.
Where does he fit into the 17 next season?
You wouldn’t start him over Hastings or Gamble.
However, the club obviously sees him a regular first grader by signing him to a long term deal.

I don’t think you can carry both Brailey and Crossland in the salary cap if the reports are true that Crossland is looking at a significant upgrade.
Newcastle needs to decide who their number 1 hooker is moving forward.
Maybe that would open up a spot for Cogger at 14?
Newcastle also has Will Pyrce coming who can play the 14 Dylan Walker role.

 

[mozza91]

He was ok tonight. Still see him as the NSW Cup 7 for us next year.

 

[Woosh]

Yeah but the length of the deal is the head scratcher.
He didn’t sign on for 3 years to sit in NSW Cup for a year trying to fight his way into first grade.

 

[Knight Tales]

If you didn’t catch the podcast with Barry and AOB the general suggestion made is KPP and Pryce are in the plans for the 17 next year. You can tell Obi is looking forward to them being here, particularly Kai. Wigan is a strong system and along with St Helens they are way ahead of the others. Pryce needs work but is a legit game changer. If it works this is a gun side in wait. And watching the Broncs mobility take it to Penrith it is exactly what we need. Faster, skilled and plenty of tomorrows.

 

[Yosh]

Just watched the last 30 of the grand final to watch Cogger some more. He straightened up the Penrith attack big time. He got Cleary in space and gave him time on the ball. It was Cogger at first receiver and Cleary to second receiver. If Cogger can straighten up our attack and give Ponga space and time on the ball like that, Ponga is going to win another Dally M in 2024.

 

[Knight Tales]

Just watched the last 30 of the grand final to watch Cogger some more. He straightened up the Penrith attack big time. He got Cleary in space and gave him time on the ball. It was Cogger at first receiver and Cleary to second receiver. If Cogger can straighten up our attack and give Ponga space and time on the ball like that, Ponga is going to win another Dally M in 2024.

There is every chance Cogger and Jackson are our halves next year. Gamble has been enormous and deserves to hold his spot. But you cannot deny Cogger has learnt form the best and that will be a huge plus for us. The three years I think is the biggest clue. He is not here to play NSW Cup. Could easily have been part of the Panthers 17 next year.

 

[Old dog]

Assuming Jackson plays 7 you have Cogger 6, I haven’t seem much of Cogger since he left Knights but he was a 7 then and in G/F come on replacing 6 but played as a 7 with Cleary moving to a virtual 6.
Are we sure he is as good a 6 as a 7 and good enough to push Gamble out who would unlikely be the 14 with Brailey 9 and Crossland 14.
Could be very interesting but with all fit we will be strong in spine for 2024

 

[perverse]

I'm actually legitimately concerned that this will unsettle the small sliver of stability we've enjoyed in the halves. If we end up chopping and changing our spine trying to find the best combination then we could send ourselves right up shit creek again.

 

[slotmachine]

If they decide to replace Gamblor with a bloke who wasn't good enough for english super league in 2022 they deserve everything they get.

7. Cogger

(In NSW Cup)

 

[Yosh]

I think we are viewing Cogger an upgrade on Clune. If either Gamble or Hastings gets injured or is out of form, we have a more than solid replacement on hand. Cogger also played 14 for Penrith, maybe he might get a run at 14 for some games as well.

The more I look at it, it feels Brailey's time at the club is coming to and end.

 

[Woody90]

There is every chance Cogger and Jackson are our halves next year. Gamble has been enormous and deserves to hold his spot. But you cannot deny Cogger has learnt form the best and that will be a huge plus for us. The three years I think is the biggest clue. He is not here to play NSW Cup. Could easily have been part of the Panthers 17 next year.

Assuming Jackson plays 7 you have Cogger 6, I haven’t seem much of Cogger since he left Knights but he was a 7 then and in G/F come on replacing 6 but played as a 7 with Cleary moving to a virtual 6.
Are we sure he is as good a 6 as a 7 and good enough to push Gamble out who would unlikely be the 14 with Brailey 9 and Crossland 14.
Could be very interesting but with all fit we will be strong in spine for 2024

Honestly if they pick Cogger over Gamble to start the year I’ll seriously consider handing in my membership.

 

[Woosh]

I think you’ll find Hastings to 13 is on the cards than dumping Gamble.

 

[Old dog]

I think you’ll find Hastings to 13 is on the cards than dumping Gamble.

So you are virtually saying Cogger is better 7 than Hastings and Hastings is a better 13 than Elliott or at the least a better fit

 

[Woosh]

So you are virtually saying Cogger is better 7 than Hastings and Hastings is a better 13 than Elliott or at the least a better fit

Hey? Not my team.
Personally I think Leo would make a good 13. He has the best pass out of any the forwards at the club.
I would shift Frizell to the middle. He has never been a hole runner or a big offloader.
I would stick with Hastings and Gamble in the halves.
I would like to see what Pyrce can do in the 14. I think he has similar attributes to Dylan Walker.

 

[Old dog]

Hey? Not my team.
Personally I think Leo would make a good 13. He has the best pass out of any the forwards at the club.
I would shift Frizell to the middle. He has never been a hole runner or a big offloader.
I would stick with Hastings and Gamble in the halves.
I would like to see what Pyrce can do in the 14. I think he has similar attributes to Dylan Walker.

You made the comment, based on what? You think we will find Hastings at 13 but now say Leo is your preferred 13.

 

[Knight Tales]

Noone rated Gamble before the season kicked off outside of a depth player and same with Crossland. Look how that ended. Cogger would not be here had he not had a year in the greatest development system this game has perhaps ever seen. Same with Jenkins. O’Brien knows what he is after in a player. He may have taken a long while to show, it but a little faith would not hurt now he has shown he can turn it around.
As for whoever is threatening to hand in your membership, I don’t think anyone here will stand in your way. But chances are it is all hyperbole.

 

[PhilGould]

Hastings & Gamble created space for their outside men at a high level all season. Cogger did it in the final 20 minutes of a game coming off the bench with fresh legs. It's much better than him shitting the bed in the same scenario but it shouldn't change the plans. Hopefully he carries that over and our NSW Cup team can not be a joke for once.

 

[Burwood]

Hastings and Gamble were the two guys barking orders and holding the other 15 players in the team accountable every week- I can’t see Cogger replicating that.

 

[Woody90]

Noone rated Gamble before the season kicked off outside of a depth player and same with Crossland. Look how that ended. Cogger would not be here had he not had a year in the greatest development system this game has perhaps ever seen. Same with Jenkins. O’Brien knows what he is after in a player. He may have taken a long while to show, it but a little faith would not hurt now he has shown he can turn it around.
As for whoever is threatening to hand in your membership, I don’t think anyone here will stand in your way. But chances are it is all hyperbole.

It was definitely a hyperbole but Gamble was a proven performer in our team all year. We would be crazy to disrupt the combinations developing in our spine just because Cogger won a premiership playing 20 minutes.

Just because a player has been in Penrith's system doesn't mean they automatically deserve selection or will automatically do well out of that system. In fact the opposite usually occurs. Look at the likes of Burton and Kikau.

Cogger coming in is great in the sense that it will keep pressure on Gamble and Hastings to perform every week. Aside from Gamble being injured or disciplinary issues though, there's no way Cogger should get first crack over Gamble to start 2024.

 

[Yosh]

All good. We have had terrible squad depth for decades, literally decades. Good to see some players in reserve putting pressure on our top players.