The next season issue

[Cheese sandwich]

A salary cap bloated on broken, aging stars well past their prime.

Key positions occupied by players who are of reserve grade standard.

A coach who it's still difficult to gauge if he's doing a good or bad job for various reasons.

Is season 2021 going to be worse?

????????????

The big issuezzzzzz

 

[roboshark]

Depends how long SJ out. And if we can pick up any rough diamonds

And of course. Moylan

 

[Frenzy.]

A salary cap bloated on broken, aging stars well past their prime.

Key positions occupied by players who are of reserve grade standard.

A coach who it's still difficult to gauge if he's doing a good or bad job for various reasons.

Is season 2021 going to be worse?

????????????

The big issuezzzzzz

Do the top 2 confirm the third.

Points to him being up against it but still getting the side to limp into a semi for mine.

Throw in the injury toll, the number of rookies needing to be blooded, Xerri, Josh Morris spitting the dummy, an experienced back up hooker going down before a shot was barely fired and whatever else went wrong.

These are not excuses, they are genuine reasons. Sometimes a side, usually one every year, rolls behind the 8 Ball with not much anyone can do to get out of being snookered

 

[chewsta]

In all honesty we aren't that bad.
For the most part we fielded a team that was wearing Jets jerseys last year. We still made the 8 with a halfback that most people would flick in a heart beat.
Not to mention a front row combo of Woodsy and Fifita that had no Mongrel and laid no dominant go forward platform.
All the newbs will get better with experience.
Graham, had a weird year. Something is going on there.
SJ, had a great year but needs someone to compliment him and I don't think its Chad.
We need a forward pack that is all aggression and a coach that knows when to rotate them.. A whole pack of Nathan Brown type lunatics would be awesome in front of SJ.
We need players that want to hurt every merkin that is not in a sharks jersey, not soft cocks that want to laugh at full time.

 

[snout]

In all honesty we aren't that bad.
For the most part we fielded a team that was wearing Jets jerseys last year. We still made the 8 with a halfback that most people would flick in a heart beat.
Not to mention a front row combo of Woodsy and Fifita that had no Mongrel and laid no dominant go forward platform.
All the newbs will get better with experience.
Graham, had a weird year. Something is going on there.
SJ, had a great year but needs someone to compliment him and I don't think its Chad.
We need a forward pack that is all aggression and a coach that knows when to rotate them.. A whole pack of Nathan Brown type lunatics would be awesome in front of SJ.
We need players that want to hurt every merkin that is not in a sharks jersey, not soft cocks that want to laugh at full time.

In a nutshell.

 

[Weaponhead]

The good is the development of the young forwards - Talakai, Rudolf, Hunt. Brailey is quality in attack and needs to develop strength in defence. Katoa has grown.

Johnson had his most consistent season.

The obvious issues are senior players on top much money who don't offer value. Moylan is a chief example. Wade isn't the player he was three years ago.

Big issues for next year are the spine. Kennedy just doesn't have the tools. Chad is ordinary and going backwards. Johnson is likely to be out for a long time and big doubts he is the same player. That's three major issues with only Brailey settled as a spine player.

No cap space to recruit makes it difficult to see much improvement next season.

 

[shadowboxer]

Solid and accurate posts prior via frenzy and chewsta.
Been battling all year and will again next year for sure. Just Moylan alone is enough for mine, let alone losing SJ and Royce recently. Hell we are Newtown running on empty.

 

[Thick Skinned Shark]

More kudos to Jo Mo IMO! He had the boys pumped for tonights game!

 

[Ads]

Will drop out of the 8 unless the obvious is fixed.

 

[Jimmy O]

Biggest concern. Goal line defence. Fix that and we win games.

 

[Weaponhead]

Biggest concern. Goal line defence. Fix that and we win games.

Agree. Their first try last night was abysmal. About 8 missed tackles in 2 plays. Poor contact without sufficient desperation.

 

[carinashark]

Agree ,we know what a top line goal defence looks like,2016. It’s harder now though with 6 again and then 6again.......

 

[tye]

One of Moylan, Dugan or Fifita needs to go for us to bring in some new blood & start the rebuild in key positions

 

[DJDL]

It's Moylan for mine, though I'm unsure if it's a good move.

Dugan has been outstanding this year, and deserves to finish his contract.

Fifita ain't what he used to be, no question, but he appears to be getting over his injuries bar a slight hamstring issue judging by his strapping. It's the first time in about 3 years the guy hasn't been heavily strapped around his knees. Let's see what he looks like after the next pre-season. I'm hoping he can get back to some good form, as he has shown glimpses of it the last couple of weeks. His experience would be very hard to fill as well.

Moylan is a tough one. I feel for the guy. He is class, no question, but where does he fit into our setup?
His body is just clearly not up to the rigours of fullback anymore, which leaves five eighth. Well he's not getting SJ's spot, and I don't see an SJ / Moylan halves pairing working.

His one saving grace might be the injury to SJ. If he is expected to be out for an extended period next season, I see a Chad / Moylan halves pairing as our best option. Or, if you're amongst the "Chad must go no matter the consequences" brigade, Trindall / Moylan.

Tracey? Meh...

 

[Griffoshark66]

Tracey would be a better option at FB than Will K.

 

[Frenzy.]

I think it is more complex than just fixing the goal line defence.

The defence is actually pretty soft and disorganised anywhere from about 30-20 metres out. This is turn is what is putting pressure on the goal line defence. The side defends pretty well in the front half of the field. Last night, first half, prime example. The team are pretty good front runners when there is no pressure. The other top 7 teams all apply pressure and we didn't cope. We're not good under adversity yet. I stress YET.

They will be. When they understand the defensive structure the coaching staff want, when they start to trust each other, know when a guy can be left for your partner, when you gotta jam, when it's OK for wingers to to jam, when the frontline forwards need to compress a little (this one has been very poor - we leave gaps under the sticks at least once per set when the try stripe is being attacked). When markers have learnt to read the play better and stop going the same side. When to use a shooter. when to keep a straight line. When they learn to count. When we have a good talker at the back who can quickly analyse an attack

It's understandable actually. You don't just cobble together a team that bears little to no resemblance to years past and expect them to click and win. I see similarities to the current mob from Darug. Bunch of young guys who have largely come up through the ranks together. This Sharks side can mimic the rise of the Panthers in 2-3 years.

Reflect on the Broncos game as an example, if you will. Out in the backs the only old fart was SJ yet the others all clicked. They were comfortable amongst "their own". They had more trust in and more understanding of each other that game. The game was only kept relatively close because of concentration issues which is normal when you have the kids in the A Team.

The future is bright IMO.

I feel all-a-fluffy!

 

[Frenzy.]

Tracey would be a better option at FB than Will K.

Don't mind that idea. Have floated it myself before.

I don't think Kennedy is as bad as everyone says. He wasn't really ready for this year and probably would have been happy with 2 or 3 games. He's still got L plates on and people forget this and want him to be Slater like.

I don't like Tracey at all as a half/6. Very low involvements. I reckon at fullback he could play a similar game to Pappyhouseen. Similar because Pappy would not be looking so good anywhere other than the Storm or similar. ConTR would be not far behind in speed and he can tackle well technically.

 

[2012....Sharks Year]

Don't mind that idea. Have floated it myself before.

I don't think Kennedy is as bad as everyone says. He wasn't really ready for this year and probably would have been happy with 2 or 3 games. He's still got L plates on and people forget this and want him to be Slater like.

I don't like Tracey at all as a half/6. Very low involvements. I reckon at fullback he could play a similar game to Pappyhouseen. Similar because Pappy would not be looking so good anywhere other than the Storm or similar. ConTR would be not far behind in speed and he can tackle well technically.

I haven’t given up on Kennedy either. Needs to put on a little more muscle. Gotta remember he’s working with 2 wingers who are still learning the ropes too. Think both Moot and Big Sexy made 2 errors each last night. All 3 have come along nicely in their first full seasons. Other clubs that are going through rebuilds such as the donkeys and cows are fighting out the spoon... at least we are competing during our rebuild.

 

[Special K]

We need to find a replacement for Prior and a new fullback.

 

[shaggs]

If the spine contains Kennedy, Townsend and Tracey next year, we will struggle.

I love Dugan, but I’m not sure if he adds any attack any more. His defence is always willing. He runs hard and straight when he gets it, but he isn’t going to beat anyone with footwork.
Ramien needs to have his role re-assessed.

BS and Ron, will be better after consistent game time. Maybe a summer to fix the mental weaknesses that cause the errors.

BHU, Rudolf and Nikora, have massive contact issues. I reckon technical issues. The enthusiasm and motor of the two big blokes can’t be questioned.