Season "23 bolters.

[Smug Panther]

I think that Bellamy is the best coach going around but Cleary is better than Bennett at this stage of his career. Bennett took over a top 4 side at the Rabbits and despite adding some seriously good players, wasn’t able to get them over the line. What was most disappointing was a) his failure to really develop the juniors and b) the difference between their best and worst performances (which led to them not being in the right spot come finals time). Cleary has taken a team of players that had a lot of promise but horrible structure and terrible inconsistency, and made them in to the most consistently excellent team in the comp, that wins game through outplaying you over an 80 minute performance. It’s tough to game plan against.

In terms of the retention decisions the club has made the right decisions, shown by the fact we are back-to-back champions and the amount of players we have in the WC and SOO. In particular;
- signing up the 6, 7, 13 of this team on longer term deals. Individually brilliant players but amazing as a group. In particular, the decision to anoint Luai at 6 has been shown to be spot on. What he does for the team might be unseen by the untrained eye, but he is a great foil for the other two given what he can do in the final 20 (being dangerous through the run, pass or kick) and his edge defence is first class. He is also amazing for culture. There is a reason he is first choice SOO.
- deciding to go softly at Burton (which they understood meant he would go). Burton might be good in the future but I would argue he is barely living up to his 500k price tags at the moment and isn’t worth 1m, because when you are being paid that much you need to have no weaknesses in your game and able to win matches on your own. Burton needs to a) become a better defend (some of his decisions the other night against Italy were putrid. I would give him a pass saying that he was defending at centre, but his efforts with the Dogs are little better), b) improve his tactical kicking game and c) learn to play both sides of the park.
c) let Api go given he wanted a longer term contract. We all agree Api is great but given what we all saw at the end of the back end of the year it is obvious he is slowing down and not able to be a 80 minute player; that is no negative given his age as he was due to slow down at some stage. Paying someone 800k to come off the bench for the next three years is how you get your salary cap out of whack and I am glad the club is taking a long term view.
- I feel the same about Kiks. Along with Api will be a Panther legend; but while we didn’t see it this year, for a human of his size that relies on athletisicism I see his drop off over the next two years being precipitous.
- I think anyone watching the last 3 months of football that sees Martin as anything but a back rower has probably been drinking a few too many long necks during the coverage. The guy has been an animal and his effectiveness would have been blunted in the middle.

The one mistake I do think the Panthers have made is Fish’s contract. Love him to bits, but the contract size and length for a front rowers really worries me. I fear in 20 months time we will be talking about how we regret that contract, particularly if we have lost Spencer in the interim.

Good post even including your sad little insults but I can forgive you. Living in that dark wet shithole has an effect on people

 

[snickers007]

Post #108 in this thread



you were saying?

With every passing day, I become more and more convinced that Jane is a master level troll.
There can't be any other explanation for it.

 

[Iamback]

With every passing day, I become more and more convinced that Jane is a master level troll.
There can't be any other explanation for it.

It does look that way

 

[jane the pain]

Post #108 in this thread



you were saying?

Oh you got me on this one. What about the other times?

 

[jane the pain]

With every passing day, I become more and more convinced that Jane is a master level troll.
There can't be any other explanation for it.

What makes you say that?

 

[jane the pain]

It does look that way

Same could be said about you. At least I don't revert to pathetic name calling, unlike @snickers007

 

[Blues Riff]

Jerome to Hooker.
And don't tell me he can't pass right. He's all over the paddock for Samoa. With his elusiveness,grubbiness and energy, he'd be great. It's not like he hasn't dabbled there in the past. Can also tackle.

 

[Iamback]

Jerome to Hooker.
And don't tell me he can't pass right. He's all over the paddock for Samoa. With his elusiveness,grubbiness and energy, he'd be great. It's not like he hasn't dabbled there in the past. Can also tackle.

Then who goes to 6? If we don't end signing a back up it might be a genuine option

 

[jane the pain]

Then who goes to 6? If we don't end signing a back up it might be a genuine option

Jack Cole, or Jack Cogger.

 

[Smug Panther]

Jack Cole, or Jack Cogger.

One is too young and the other isn't good enough

 

[jane the pain]

One is too young and the other isn't good enough

Remember Nathan started young, and Cogger will do the job

 

[Smug Panther]

Remember Nathan started young, and Cogger will do the job

Yes the job of a reserve grade half

 

[Iamback]

One is too young and the other isn't good enough

There is no guarantee that Cole even is a half, Centre might be his position

Cogger we need to see in our system. Not being good enough for Dogs or Knights doesn't scream regular 5/8th, Especially in a top team

 

[jane the pain]

Yes the job of a reserve grade half

We shall see

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Good post

Burton was understandable, We had a 6 and went with Luai

My issue with Api is the lack of options to replace him with. 2 cheaper options changed clubs (3 if you count Liddle )

Kenny works in his role now, Luke is unproven and that is the options we are left with.

Kiks got a huge offer which was fair enough but the guys we ran with with Sorensen and Smith don't offer the same attack

Re Kiks; there isn’t anyone I can see who will over the next few years be able to do the things Kiks has done for us over the past few years; and that includes Kikau himself. There isn’t a clone available (a fit and firing TPJ is probably the closest) while age will catch up with Kikau over the coming years. Attack on the left hand side is going to need to evolve but we have the tools (fast service from Yeo/Cleary, creativity from Luai, and threat from Tago/May) such that if we can find a good hole runner out left edge can be plenty threatening.

re Api. Ivan was already replacing him with options inside the club. Dress it up with whatever language the pundits wanted (tactical switch) but when it came to the big games at the end of the year Api wasn’t starting. You can’t pay 800k for 3 years for a 30 year old hooker who is already moving to the bench. Kenny is a good player who will do the job, but agree he doesn’t have the spark of Api. But fortunately Luke does, and he will be sharing his minutes with Sorro and Lenui next year; grind them in the first 25, explode over the 15 either side of half time and suffocate them till the end. There will be times when teams stay with us and that middle section will be fraught defensively (albeit Luke will improve as part of the brilliant defensive structure and execution of first grade) and we will lose more games. But that would have happened with an ageing Api.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Good post even including your sad little insults but I can forgive you. Living in that dark wet shithole has an effect on people

The irony is there were times there were I deliberately wrote in the style of Smug….The condescension and the insult about Martin were actually added in later. Not proud of it, but glad you found them insulting and uncomfortable; that was kind of the point. Perhaps you will consider how others read your insults and condescension going forward.

And yes, I do live and work in a global city that is literally at the centre of the world. I have lived in both this ‘dark, wet shithole’ and Sydney for almost the same amount of time, and yet I choose to live here. I know others like the thoughtful @Kilkenny have decided to go the other way; again his choice.

 

[Smug Panther]

The irony is there were times there were I deliberately wrote in the style of Smug….The condescension and the insult about Martin were actually added in later. Not proud of it, but glad you found them insulting and uncomfortable; that was kind of the point. Perhaps you will consider how others read your insults and condescension going forward.

And yes, I do live and work in a global city that is literally at the centre of the world. I have lived in both this ‘dark, wet shithole’ and Sydney for almost the same amount of time, and yet I choose to live here. I know others like the thoughtful @Kilkenny have decided to go the other way; again his choice.

Actually loved my time in the UK

 

[jane the pain]

Actually loved my time in the UK

Did you live there?

 

[Iamback]

Re Kiks; there isn’t anyone I can see who will over the next few years be able to do the things Kiks has done for us over the past few years; and that includes Kikau himself. There isn’t a clone available (a fit and firing TPJ is probably the closest) while age will catch up with Kikau over the coming years. Attack on the left hand side is going to need to evolve but we have the tools (fast service from Yeo/Cleary, creativity from Luai, and threat from Tago/May) such that if we can find a good hole runner out left edge can be plenty threatening.

re Api. Ivan was already replacing him with options inside the club. Dress it up with whatever language the pundits wanted (tactical switch) but when it came to the big games at the end of the year Api wasn’t starting. You can’t pay 800k for 3 years for a 30 year old hooker who is already moving to the bench. Kenny is a good player who will do the job, but agree he doesn’t have the spark of Api. But fortunately Luke does, and he will be sharing his minutes with Sorro and Lenui next year; grind them in the first 25, explode over the 15 either side of half time and suffocate them till the end. There will be times when teams stay with us and that middle section will be fraught defensively (albeit Luke will improve as part of the brilliant defensive structure and execution of first grade) and we will lose more games. But that would have happened with an ageing Api.

I have been for Tago back row for a while due to him offering most of that

As for the internal options for hooker, NSW Cup bench ran with St Marys options. So it looks like an all or nothing play, So really want to see a Plan B.

As for external Jeremy Marshall-King or Verrills both would of been cheaper options, young enough to move on should Plan A go well

 

[Iamback]

Re Kiks; there isn’t anyone I can see who will over the next few years be able to do the things Kiks has done for us over the past few years; and that includes Kikau himself. There isn’t a clone available (a fit and firing TPJ is probably the closest) while age will catch up with Kikau over the coming years. Attack on the left hand side is going to need to evolve but we have the tools (fast service from Yeo/Cleary, creativity from Luai, and threat from Tago/May) such that if we can find a good hole runner out left edge can be plenty threatening.

re Api. Ivan was already replacing him with options inside the club. Dress it up with whatever language the pundits wanted (tactical switch) but when it came to the big games at the end of the year Api wasn’t starting. You can’t pay 800k for 3 years for a 30 year old hooker who is already moving to the bench. Kenny is a good player who will do the job, but agree he doesn’t have the spark of Api. But fortunately Luke does, and he will be sharing his minutes with Sorro and Lenui next year; grind them in the first 25, explode over the 15 either side of half time and suffocate them till the end. There will be times when teams stay with us and that middle section will be fraught defensively (albeit Luke will improve as part of the brilliant defensive structure and execution of first grade) and we will lose more games. But that would have happened with an ageing Api.

I have been for Tago back row for a while due to him offering most of that

As for the internal options for hooker, NSW Cup bench ran with St Marys options. So it looks like an all or nothing play, So really want to see a Plan B.

As for external Jeremy Marshall-King or Verrills both would of been cheaper options, young enough to move on should Plan A go well