Season 2025

[Nutz]

Hey mate..no no...disagree and don't value my opinion too much...that's a dicey investment!
Anyway...I'm just thinking that Galvin is already shaping up as a better organising half and i'd like to see him continue to develop in that role...I'd rather have Luai playing his natural game at 6. He's got a lot of Benji and (younger) Shaun Johnson in him which can be match winning on its day but the team desperately needs an organizing steady hand at 7 long-term...I'm not sure that Luaii will be it but Galvin sure does look like he's growing into that role.

* as always I reserve the right to be wrong

Yeh I see where your coming from, our ½ is to be the best we have and your ideas are not wrong.
My only concern about Galvin is he's a running ⅝ and Luia is a jinking, stop start energiser bunny that if he plays ⅝ some of that talent may be lost. Quiet often you see Jarome run around in circles waiting for an opening then offload.
If you had Luai at ⅝ and AD outside him it wouldn't work because they play similar. AD is a ball hog at times.
On the other hand Galvin runs more straighter lines and tries to either beat the opposition on the outside with pace or draw and pop pass.
I've been thinking of this dilemma since AD returned..
I think the ½ spot will come down to who has the stronger kicking game especially short kicks to in goal and bombs...Luai has that edge I think. Secondly who has the best service....Luai seems to like playing left as does Galvin.
There are others factors at play like defensive shoulders and combos eg Galvin and Samuela Fainu are striking up a good pair.
So what's that telling ya...."I have no bloody clue"
It's why Benji is getting paid the big bucks to work all this out during training.
But as a former centre I do know that combos, inside service, defensive trust (inside/outside covering) and effort are a only a few important factors. Out of all the factors feeling comfortable with the player on the inside and outside of you is crucial.
Qld SOO often pick combos that work even if their club form may not be great at the time.

 

[Das Hassler]

Quiet often you see Jarome run around in circles waiting for an opening then offload.

That's my worry...if he doesn't know what he's going to do untill he does it then neither does anyone else...I hope he can evolve into a real halfback as Benji eventually himself did under Bennet at Brisbane and Souths

 

[Tigerm]

That's my worry...if he doesn't know what he's going to do untill he does it then neither does anyone else...I hope he can evolve into a real halfback as Benji eventually himself did under Bennet at Brisbane and Souths

Agree, but he will get first pick of where he wants to play and I think he’s keen on the 7 jumper.
He’ll want to show Ivan, what he’s missing, imo.

 

[Nutz]

Agree, but he will get first pick of where he wants to play and I think he’s keen on the 7 jumper.
He’ll want to show Ivan, what he’s missing, imo.

Since the chin has been out Luai has been outstanding and made young Cole look like a rock star. I reckon Galvin will go to a new level if someone is giving him good service and taking the pressure off him.
If they target Galvin and AD/To'a/Olam then Luai will be putting edge fwds thru gaps.
But Das your points are good and thank God we're not coaching...maybe we should.
Can you coach from a wheelchair...I'll have to ask Bennett.

 

[Das Hassler]

Can you coach from a wheelchair...I'll have to ask Bennett.

Not there yet...luckily I'm nowhere near as old as I look
As for Galvin...it's more than entirely possible we're just developing him for someone else in 2 years time so may as well have Luai at 7 from the getgo

 

[Nutz]

Not there yet...luckily I'm nowhere near as old as I look
As for Galvin...it's more than entirely possible we're just developing him for someone else in 2 years time so may as well have Luai at 7 from the getgo

Well if you still look young, have a go mate.
I'll even finance it, $10 a win plus free booze for ½hr.

 

[Das Hassler]

Well if you still look young, have a go mate.
I'll even finance it, $10 a win plus free booze for ½hr.

$10 a win huh?...damn...I was hoping to be able to buy a pie with sauce

 

[Nutz]

$10 a win huh?...damn...I was hoping to be able to buy a pie with sauce

Mate that was for the sauce, buy your own pie.

 

[Tigerm]

Not there yet...luckily I'm nowhere near as old as I look
As for Galvin...it's more than entirely possible we're just developing him for someone else in 2 years time so may as well have Luai at 7 from the getgo

I’m hoping we improve enough next season for the young blokes to want to stay and build the club up, like they’ve all said that was what they wanted to do.
At this stage, I don’t see that not happening, it may not be top 8, but I think we will be close and they’ll all be a season older.
I mentioned earlier that we will have a pretty good spine, Tito will give us some pace out the back and our young forwards are going great already.

 

[Nutz]

@Tigerm
What's the go with Jimmy Ngutlik in 2025? I think he did his ACL early 2023.
He was going to be be the next big thing for us on the flanks.
He's still in the KOE Cup list on the WT site.
It lists his date of birth as 21 October 2022, age: 1.
At that age he's got a lot of footy left in him
This part of the site is apparently run by the NRL to standardise the club's info..
I wish they get their act together.
The WT injury report doesn't seem to be in the official WT site but is on the NRL site?

 

[Tigerm]

@Tigerm
What's the go with Jimmy Ngutlik in 2025? I think he did his ACL early 2023.
He was going to be be the next big thing for us on the flanks.
He's still in the KOE Cup list on the WT site.
It lists his date of birth as 21 October 2022, age: 1.
At that age he's got a lot of footy left in him
This part of the site is apparently run by the NRL to standardise the club's info..
I wish they get their act together.
The WT injury report doesn't seem to be in the official WT site but is on the NRL site?

Yeah, Jimmy has gone quiet since he’s come back, which is surprising, whether he’s still not 100% I don’t know.

 

[Vic Mackey]

I'm watching Caberra v Knights and seeing young stars like Weekes and Strange carve up. The comp is full of these stars who won't go backwards, they just keep getting better because they are freaks.
Clubs seem to unearth these stars regularly but we don't.
Yeh we unearthed Bula but our youngins are making debuts and then not going on with it.
I expected Taylan DaSilva to make an impact of the bench this year but we need Api to play big minutes. With Jake Simpkins gonesky Taylan is our future after Api.....is he??
What's the go with Onitoni Large. Superstar, but is he being thrown into the melting pot.
Hopefully our new found energy in pathway development headed by our CEO can fix this and gets some stars.

Hey mate agree with what youre saying however I think its easy to forget just how young most of our guys are. Talyn, Galvin, Kit, Mason, Miller can all still play SG Ball. They can all play Jersey Flegg for another 3 years!

Kaeo Weeks is 22, hes probably played about 50 nsw cup games. Ethan Strange is a year older then our guys and played a whole year in nsw cup last year. A year in nsw cup against men is so invaluable. I dont think any of the guys Ive mentioned have played more then 15 nsw cup games.

The biggest issue is the club has thrown them all top 30 deals a year or two before most are ready for it. Im hoping by this time next year all those guys are further along and looking ready to come in for some NRL time.

 

[Nutz]

Yeah, Jimmy has gone quiet since he’s come back, which is surprising, whether he’s still not 100% I don’t know.

Exactly, sort of proves my point that we shouldn't, as fans, have to go searching for info.
The guys only mid 20's I think so if he's good enough to make a rep side and star with only a couple of games under his belt, who knows how good he could be. Olam could mentor him. Chew the betal nut together and talk it up.

 

[Nutz]

Hey mate agree with what youre saying however I think its easy to forget just how young most of our guys are. Talyn, Galvin, Kit, Mason, Miller can all still play SG Ball. They can all play Jersey Flegg for another 3 years!

Kaeo Weeks is 22, hes probably played about 50 nsw cup games. Ethan Strange is a year older then our guys and played a whole year in nsw cup last year. A year in nsw cup against men is so invaluable. I dont think any of the guys Ive mentioned have played more then 15 nsw cup games.

The biggest issue is the club has thrown them all top 30 deals a year or two before most are ready for it. Im hoping by this time next year all those guys are further along and looking ready to come in for some NRL time.

Yeh your right mate. Most are under 20.
Players like Gordon Whippy (23) I thought would kick on.
Luke Laulilii really looks the goods to me (18) and I'm hoping he's a keeper.

 

[Nutz]

That's my worry...if he doesn't know what he's going to do untill he does it then neither does anyone else...I hope he can evolve into a real halfback as Benji eventually himself did under Bennet at Brisbane and Souths

Ha ha. I can recall Benji's team mates back in 05 saying that they had no idea what Benji was doing and neither did Benji.
When you have these freaks in your side the other players have to give him options eg decoy runners, runners changing angles, dropping off and rejoining and always expect to receive the ball etc.
Luai has a great pass and one play that he's capable of is allowing his outside man to beat his opposition by running wide late and allowing the ball to beat the defence. It's an artform. Jarome will work well Olam and Galvin will work with Samuela Fainu. Galvin needs to be able to play left and right. AD can so it will be interesting to see what happens.
One thing is for sure....our whole team has to become more athletic. I mean run faster, tackle harder, they need to be stronger.

 

[Tigerm]

Ha ha. I can recall Benji's team mates back in 05 saying that they had no idea what Benji was doing and neither did Benji.
When you have these freaks in your side the other players have to give him options eg decoy runners, runners changing angles, dropping off and rejoining and always expect to receive the ball etc.
Luai has a great pass and one play that he's capable of is allowing his outside man to beat his opposition by running wide late and allowing the ball to beat the defence. It's an artwork. Jarome will work well Olam and Galvin will work with Samuela Fainu. Galvin needs to be able to play left and right. AD can so it will be interesting to see what happens.
One thing is for sure....our whole team has to become more athletic. I mean run faster, tackle harder, they need to be stronger.

Cutting out the errors will help.

 

[Nutz]

Cutting out the errors will help.

Absolutely agree as it's killed us this year hey, as did poor discipline.
However completing sets at 100%, no missed tackles, no unforced errors etc doesn't guarantee a win but combining well, support play and the team playing on the same page will have a greater chance of winning. Combos are crucial.
It's a miracle that the Chin got injured enabling Jarome to run the show at the Pamfers, which he's done very well and his good form has carried over into the SOO.
This is exactly what was needed before coming to us next year. It couldn't have been scripted any better.

 

[Das Hassler]

That's my worry...if he doesn't know what he's going to do untill he does it then neither does anyone else...I hope he can evolve into a real halfback as Benji eventually himself did under Bennet at Brisbane and Souths

Re Luai -
Well....I'd say that concern of mine has well and truly been put to bed now. Also I think it's fair to say that Ivan ( and more than one or two salty Panthers folk laughing at what we paid) have got their answer direct from Laui now as well

 

[Tigerm]

Who do they keep, who do they not?

 

[Tigerm]

Who do they keep, who do they not?

For me:
Seyfarth, Pole and Matamua are must keeps.