Squad succession

[hineyrulz]

Surprise factor on their comment -100...

What signings have we made that will improve our top side?? All back ups at best, we were told it’s wasn’t the coach and his staffs fault for the late season fade out we just weren’t good enough. Which was f these signings does that???


You want to get excited and wave your pom poms around for you buddy BA good for you. Not everyone else is biased like you and are and able to have our own opinions.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So if we had 24 players at 10.14pm on Friday.



How did we sign 4 players the next day and only have 27 players in the squad?

One of the four isn't in the top 30. FFS USE YOUR BRIAN!!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

do you believe we have strengthened our squad ?

With more young players than old ones the squad will naturally strengthen with an extra pre-season.

How have the clubs with better squads than ours gone with recruitment/retention? The Storm and Roosters are (so far) both weaker next year. Raider/Rabbit/Panther have all made squad moves. Penrith will probably be stronger due to improvement of young players but Tamou might be a big loss. It's very exciting.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don't get the hysterical hate for Hipgrave. There is an NRL quality player there who just needs a 'tough' coach to guide him. Hopefully he can follow the same trajectory as Nathan Brown. This is probably his last chance to make it so it is now up to him. I wish him well.

He's got definite potential.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What signings have we made that will improve our top side?? All back ups at best, we were told it’s wasn’t the coach and his staffs fault for the late season fade out we just weren’t good enough. Which was f these signings does that???


You want to get excited and wave your pom poms around for you buddy BA good for you. Not everyone else is biased like you and are and able to have our own opinions.

You need to accept we're not going to have the best squad in any given year. In fact, without a salary sombrero we might never have the best squad in the NRL. Do you enjoy following the underdog or what?

 

[Obscene Assassin]

my concern is both centres, 1 will be out for about a season or so and the other is barely average
without investment or identifying players who can improve the squad we are just rinse and repeat of last season, give or take

This is going to be Waqa Blake's first full pre-season with us, I'm expecting him to improve.

I hope we can win every 3 out of 4 games. That'll be very exciting

 

[Twizzle]

And then you factor in the coaching staff, we will be lucky to finish top 4 next year. With a few injuries to key players we will struggle to make the 8.

I cant see us going too far backwards unless we are riddled with injuries, I just cant see us improving which despite all the restructuring of coaching staff and back office, we were supposed to do

 

[Twizzle]

With more young players than old ones the squad will naturally strengthen with an extra pre-season.

this assumes the young players are better than he existing ones

I've not seen anything to back that up

 

[Poupou Escobar]

this assumes the young players are better than he existing ones

I've not seen anything to back that up

Drown and Mahoney are top 17 players, and half of our spine. For the others (e.g. Kaufusi and Papali'i) they only have to be better than the others next year, not this year. The off season changes plenty of players.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Finally and thank fu*k our club has placed importance on strengthening the "9" position. That in istelf improves our squad. Im always hopeful but if we once again rely on "effort" without recognising some issues that require adjustment then my confidence level drops.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

I don't get the hysterical hate for Hipgrave. There is an NRL quality player there who just needs a 'tough' coach to guide him. Hopefully he can follow the same trajectory as Nathan Brown. This is probably his last chance to make it so it is now up to him. I wish him well.

Having seen Titans games this year, I'm surprised they let him go, so I'm glad he's coming here.

Yes his reputation is giving away penalties but aside from that I think we need another tough backrower with good go forward. You're right hopefully Arthur can help his discipline a bit.

The other signing I like is Papali'i

 

[Gronk]

A big challenge for the club is that Nathan Brown is off contract and I suspect that he will be on every club’s most wanted list.

 

[84 Baby]

then my confidence level drops.

And you’re usually supremely confident in the team

 

[84 Baby]

The other signing I like is Papali'i

Of the external signings I think he’s the only one who will probably be a top 17 regular.
Hipgrave will need to show he can conform to our low penalty ethic.
Lussick will get opportunities just because of his position.
Opacic will likely be a regular next year but will have to show a heck of a lot to not have his position under threat constantly.
Oldfield I think is just Genko’s replacement because I suspect Genko wanted out and not for better opportunities.
Cartwright if he signs I think will be on a very short leash.
The thing I like about the signings is the shortness of contracts

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Of the external signings I think he’s the only one who will probably be a top 17 regular.
Hipgrave will need to show he can conform to our low penalty ethic.
Lussick will get opportunities just because of his position.
Opacic will likely be a regular next year but will have to show a heck of a lot to not have his position under threat constantly.
Oldfield I think is just Genko’s replacement because I suspect Genko wanted out and not for better opportunities.
Cartwright if he signs I think will be on a very short leash.
The thing I like about the signings is the shortness of contracts

BUT NOW THEIR ALL OF CONTRACT FFS!

 

[84 Baby]

BUT NOW THEIR ALL OF CONTRACT FFS!

Then update the Off Contract Thread then FFS!

 

[Matty Bhoy]

I think Opacic might surprise a few.

 

[84 Baby]

I think Opacic might surprise a few.

I don’t think he will.
I don’t think he’ll be terrible but it’ll kinda be like when Taka was our centre. Good at some things, bad at others, but involvement on both sides isn’t huge so usually not much impact on the result.
I don’t think when he was first approached it was as a first choice centre.
If he can take his opportunity, good on him, but to me I think he’s under pressure already

 

[Poupou Escobar]

If he can tackle and run decoys he'll be good enough.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I think Opacic might surprise a few.

Bit of a practical joker is he?