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Rumours and Stuff

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,885
I'd prefer Billy Smith, but he's a good 2nd option

Yes he is an excellent defender and effort player too. Those knees are a worry, but unless we can sign a quality junior from somewhere there isn't much available in the top grade.

Who's the first option?
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,885
I remember when the storm were over the cap and during those real dominant years between 2006-2012 the one side that troubled them was the warriors especially in finals against the odds.

Webster knows the Penrith system I reckon they were a sneaky chance of an ambush.

They have enough quality forwards to win the yardage game. And unpredictability with the attack to trouble Penrith.

Any team with a decent spine, quality half and good strong quality forwards would be more then a match for this Panthers team. Experience is the Panthers greatest asset now against the best teams. While other teams are getting their sh*t together on the big occasion the Panthers are drilling you a new one. The storm are the only team with enough experience in the top 4 to not be a problem, but they have the same issue if not slightly worse then the Panthers. They too have some average players sprinkled in their roster.

The only roster that is better then the Panthers and by a lot, is the Broncos, but they are very inexperienced at finals footy. Hopefully it won't faze them, but easier said then done.
 

T.S Quint

Coach
Messages
14,484
Haze injury i reckon takes 18 months - 2 years to recover from at best after returning not just the rehab.

I reckon a full pre-season and judge him next year.

That's one of the worse knee injuries i have seen where he has torn ACL, MCL & PCL all in one go.

I'm not sure if he will ever fully recover from something like that.
He was never going to be a superstar, but could very well have been a decent FG winger if he never had the injury.
Now it is hard to see him ever getting to that stage, tbh.
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,885
Poor Gus. Not much sympathy around for a merkin that talks himself up 24/7.

I am sure he knows his shit, but I have been saying for a long time that there is no magic wand. It doesn’t matter how good a driver you are in F1, the team with the best car in that year will win everything. Ask Lewis Hamilton about that.

Likewise, it doesn’t matter how good your coach is, you need the best squad deep into the 20’s to have sustained success.

Gus joined the Pennys in 2012 when their Flegg team were stacked with Moylan, Reg, Carty etc and the club were spending or about to spend huge cash on their juniors. Was he the catalyst to this or did he ride the wave of a junior system that has gained its own momentum ?

Storm don’t have this luxury, so they have had to set up systems in QLD which costs huge cash and significant time. It takes Storm decades to set up these systems and they are constantly tweeking them (North Sydney Bears 2024).

Gussy, you can’t expect instant short term success at the Dogs (unless you are somehow able to sombrero an international team like NRLW roosters). I think he’s feeling the pressure simply because he’s been talking himself up so much. Maybe that 80 year old pub sugar daddy doesn’t have the patience for a 5 year plan ?

You are so off base.

He has setup a Storm style system in the most fertile junior area in NSW. It is a matter of time mate as it was with the Panthers. The Dogs are coming off an even worse state junior wise(non existent) than the Panthers. So time is the key. His scatter gun signings have always been part of his rebuilds. Throw the spaghetti to the wall and see what sticks.

A genuine half is the key and a palooka or two up front. He obviously knows this but as he keeps saying they are currently impossible to get. So again, he is playing for time. And if the Dog are wiser and more patient then you, he will eventually get there like he did with the Panthers. But finding a Cleary or even a Maloney doesn't happen every day.

It took us 30+ years to find Moses ffs!
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
77,476
You are so off base.

He has setup a Storm style system in the most fertile junior area in NSW. It is a matter of time mate as it was with the Panthers. The Dogs are coming off an even worse state junior wise(non existent) than the Panthers. So time is the key. His scatter gun signings have always been part of his rebuilds. Throw the spaghetti to the wall and see what sticks.

A genuine half is the key and a palooka or two up front. He obviously knows this but as he keeps saying they are currently impossible to get. So again, he is playing for time. And if the Dog are wiser and more patient then you, he will eventually get there like he did with the Panthers. But finding a Cleary or even a Maloney doesn't happen every day.

It took us 30+ years to find Moses ffs!
You just repeated what I said. Twit.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
62,867
Like I said it's a very weak comp. I mean haw can a team lose their general, what two years in a row for a significant period of time during the middle of the season and replace him with an average backup and virtually not miss a beat or when they field half a reserve grade team and still win?

By all rights their team this year is carrying a few average players to say the least, but at the moment they look like champions because of the way the team is drilled, but more significantly, the quality of the majority of the teams that are playing is very ordinary.

But also even though they have had some injuries during the season, during each semifinal series they have always been at full strength and generally well rested leading in. This is the first series they they go in with an injury to a playmaker and what happens the Warriors do even better and take out their only real and best playmaker.

Panthers by 15+, if not 20+ at some stage during the game.

40+ Penrith
 

Soren Lorenson

First Grade
Messages
7,565
Borderline first grader without his injury I feel. At best he becomes a back up. That's his ceiling.

Not fast, not big not strong. He is never going to be a quality starter.
Disagree. He was showing enough to suggest a solid first grade winger imo before the knee. Maybe not rep quality, but better than borderline. Such a shame.
 

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