I hope we don't trade Matto for a winger/centre or Ice. We are a defensively weak team for a top 4 contender and Matto is one of our better players on both sides of the ball especially in defense compared to Ice.
We would be losing one of our advantages by letting Matto go to strengthen our outside backs or even to bring back Ice who isn't needed at all currently compared to an outside back with real class.
The only way we should be even entertaining the thought of Ice coming back is if the Tigers were to pay the baulk of his wages for the full duration of what is left of his contract. Even then I would assess wether it would eat into any funds that could get us a top quality back that we are so desperately in need of.
Maybe we get lucky and someone steps up that is already in the squad but I wouldn't be holding my breath until we actually see them playing next year. We have heard all this preseason hype way to many times before to get ahead of ourselves at this stage.
Defense is our major issue and from what I have seen so far it hasn't been addressed in any different way or even mentioned. Our backs are part of that problem.
I really hope Emu is training the house down and with a sublime attitude. If he is our forwards will be very hard to get over the top of, if we don't lose Matto that is(one step forward two steps back) and Laney has a better run with injury and gets back to his 2022 form.
But like I said defense is our problem and has almost always been since Potato Heads started his tenure. This needs real improvement if we want to be a serious contender in 2024.
I actually think the Broncos, Warriors, Storm and Knights should all be slightly weaker next year due to crucial player losses. Obviously the Panthers will again be the team to beat, but if we can sort out our defense and backs issues, then I think we will be one of the main the main contender. The Cowboys could and should also be on the improve next season and if they get their sh*t together could be a real tough nut to beat also.
Roosters could go either way, but barring to many injuries should make the 8 and if fit will give it a go too, but I really can't see then beating a fit and eager Panthers at full strength. They just don't have the have the right mix at the moment and I think it will take them some more mix and matching to get it right.
Rabbitohs I think will be weaker again up front but again have a deadly backline though. However over a long season of bash and smash to their forwards not a real contender in my opinion. But they do have the slug and if he does have a purple patch at the pointy end of the season might make some magic happen for them if the click with him doing his thing.
Storm will still be a forward or two short of a real contender pack and therefore their spine and backs will suffer for it. So again should not be a real contender.
Sharks are going to be roughly what they were this year and not really threaten the more powerful packs when it matters.
The Titans are the mystery team under Hasler and what he may or may not bring to their defensive structures. If he gets them right in this regard, they could surprise everyone and end up in the top 4, but I can't see them going to the big dance without a seasoned halfback. But like I said, they could go very deep into the finals if Hasler gets them synced defensively which would be great for them, the game and I would like to see. They deserve better. The owners are real RL people and have done wonders for the game up there.
I can't see any of the other teams being anything to worry about title wise. Teams like the Raiders and Sea Eagles will have their moments but not fire any big bullets when it counts.
So to finish off I see 2024 as an opportunity year for the Eels if we can somehow grasp the vital importance defense has and put most of our attention into building an impregnable wall that other teams find near impossible to breach. If we somehow manage to do this then we have the Panthers number and we are one of the few teams that can easily get over the top of them if we learn how to defend correctly and we are connected in this area.
This is what lets us down. We can't weather the storm defensively like the Panthers can and just absorb repetitive punishment when we don't have the ball like the best defensive teams do. If we can somehow find that tough edge and repel teams even when without the ball for 10-15 min spells, then no team can beat us not even the Panthers who are a good team in a very weak competition.
Our window is now if we really want it, but I fear that we aren't doing anything to change the standard of our defense or otherwise we would have moved and brought in new people and ideas that would make a change to our weak as piss under pressure defensive structures. We seem to just rinse and repeat in this area and I just don't get it. Why? I mean every coach worth his salt knows it is the number one metric as to who takes out the premiership almost each and every year.
