Rumours and Stuff

[Timana]

I don’t think we necessarily need a ‘leader’ bro. Honestly if there’s not much between our best and worst forward in the 17 we could just be a real terrier underrated pack that rips in every week. We don’t have to be reliant on one big dog.

Hopgood and Williams are the older heads who both are quite intelligent and are there to steer you he young bulls around.

Riley Smith also has leadership group written all over him.

*PS I should have prefaced this but stating it’s the one day of the year I can’t have a punt so my brain is all over the shop. I’m like an ADHD kid without his meds.

You do need a forward leader. He's there when things get tough, rcg did that for us quite a few times.

Without one you are like the dogs. Good when things go well but under pressure they fold.

The leader is what gives the younger guys direction

 

[hineyrulz]

Williams is awesome

Is he a forward leader??? He was bench player at the Sharks ffs!! He's a damn good footballer but a forward leader is a huge stretch.

 

[Eelementary]

I reckon Smith is a natural leader. I live this kid.

Another out of the box candidate could be Luca Moretti.

I reckon it will be filled by Ryda Talagi one day.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Is he a forward leader???

Yeah why not?

He was bench player at the Sharks ffs!!

He left because he was too good for the bench.

He's a damn good footballer but a forward leader is a huge stretch.

He's a forward and he's a leader. What more do you want ffs

 

[hineyrulz]

Yeah why not?

He left because he was too good for the bench.

He's a forward and he's a leader. What more do you want ffs

You honestly think Williams is a forward leader of a top 4 pack ??? By 2027 that should be where we are pushing. Time for you to stop sniffing glue.

 

[eels_fan]

Williams is a very good forward, so is Hopgood at his best, but neither are, or will ever be, forward leaders.

Sam could grow to be one, but is at least 3-4 years off being capable of that. Rydah could be in 4-5 years, that leaves a yearning gap come 2027.

if we don’t land Keon, we’re still going to need to outlay $800k plus to someone to get that forward leader role in the squad

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You honestly think Williams is a forward leader of a top 4 pack ??? By 2027 that should be where we are pushing. Time for you to stop sniffing glue.

Do you reckon Koloamatangi is a forward leader of a top four pack? Souths haven’t been top four since 2021 ffs. If he was that important why didn’t they keep him?

 

[Lemon Squash]

I suppose it depends what you determine to be a ‘Leader’.

Is a Leader just an Elite Player that goes all day? eg Payne Haas

Are they are Leader because they are the most experienced?

Are they are Leader because they are the most intelligent?

Are they a Leader because they are an intimidator?

Probably a lot of those things but I honestly think it’s team dependant. We have a core group of guys in their mid to late 20s who I think can do a job to bring the young guys through. We will still likely have Junior for another 2 seasons (especially if we miss KK).

Keaon is a great player who probably leads by his actions more than anything. Dragons have lost JDB and have a stack of very talented young guys 22 and under who don’t have anyone there to look up to. They have obviously gone hard because they are desperate.

 

[Stagger eel]

Do you reckon Koloamatangi is a forward leader of a top four pack? Souths haven’t been top four since 2021 ffs. If he was that important why didn’t they keep him?

maybe because they’ve over compensated for guys outside their spine and middles?

 

[Stagger eel]

He left because he was too good for the bench.

and not good enough to start for them? And that was without AFB in their squad who came in after he left.

in saying that, I’m ok with the role he plays in our squa, he’s done particularly well but don’t tell us that he’s a given starting forward at other clubs when he isn’t.

 

[Lemon Squash]

maybe because they’ve over compensated for guys outside their spine and middles?

100% if he leaves Souths they will be in a LOT worse space then us missing him imo.

They have f**ked up. Walker still has it upstairs but his body is shot. It doesn’t matter how good Trell is you can’t afford to be paying a centre $1m + per season.

 

[hineyrulz]

Do you reckon Koloamatangi is a forward leader of a top four pack? Souths haven’t been top four since 2021 ffs. If he was that important why didn’t they keep him?

Is that all on him??? Paying shit merkins like Fatrell,Choady and Wighton stupid money is the reason they have struggled. Murray has also missed a f**k ton of footy the last few years.

If you are pinning your hopes on Williams leading the pack from 27 you are just proving how much mediocrity gets your little Todger all worked up

 

[Poupou Escobar]

and not good enough to start for them? And that was without AFB in their squad who came in after he left.

in saying that, I’m ok with the role he plays in our squa, he’s done particularly well but don’t tell us that he’s a given starting forward at other clubs when he isn’t.

Sharks have a very good pack. Better than most I'd say. But Williams played his best ever season just this year, at our club. He's a leader for sure. He came straight into our leadership group with Paulo and Hopgood. This is something Ryles has complete control over and he would know who the leaders are.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

maybe because they’ve over compensated for guys outside their spine and middles?

Overcompensated or just building a balanced team? Bennett knows what's important.

 

[85 Baby]

Lot of buzzwords being thrown about.

Anyway sourced from a friend who works with player agents - reckons if a decision has been made, it already would’ve been made official, even cited the relatively quick turnaround of Russell to Perth. It’s likely the agent is using the break to let the Christmas cheer/FOMO encourage increased offers in new year, but also the break can let sentiment seep into Keaon that may lean him certain way

 

[Pazza]

i thought bennett didnt like paying front rowers

 

[Stagger eel]

Sharks have a very good pack. Better than most I'd say. But Williams played his best ever season just this year, at our club. He's a leader for sure. He came straight into our leadership group with Paulo and Hopgood. This is something Ryles has complete control over and he would know who the leaders are.

and they were a good pack before they signed AFB too…some clubs just do things a little better don’t they?

 

[Stagger eel]

Overcompensated or just building a balanced team? Bennett knows what's important.

this squad isn’t Bennetts doing so don’t pretend to think that he knows what he’s doing because when even he knows that up against it…

although credit to Bennett for landing blokes like Smith and Fifita on the cheap, they could of been handy for us…

 

[Glenneel]

Pretty sure his name is Mohammed.

Zain is younger brother of Mo, a half back.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Is that all on him??? Paying shit merkins like Fatrell,Choady and Wighton stupid money is the reason they have struggled. Murray has also missed a f**k ton of footy the last few years.

If you are pinning your hopes on Williams leading the pack from 27 you are just proving how much mediocrity gets your little Todger all worked up

I'm pinning my hopes on a well balanced pack. The first thing you need is six merkins on the field who can defend at NRL level. That means you also need a couple on the bench. If you don't have one who can give you 150m every week you spread the load between a few merkins.

No position is essential. You just need the strongest squad you can fit under the cap. There are essential qualities a team needs (e.g. defence, go forward, kicking, tackle breaking) but these don't need to rely on one player. You don't need a star in every spine position. You don't need a 'strike centre', a 'line breaking back rower' or a 'forward leader'. If you have none of these you might be in trouble, but if you have a squad that is strong across the board you'll find that your spine players all start looking like stars, your centres will look very dangerous and your back rowers will make line breaks. Your best middle forward will also stand out.