The Rumours Thread

[Ronnie Dobbs]

i know most on the forum are not fans of llias but for me he can move a team around the field, he is a good size takes the line on can tackle short kicking game seems ok, not sure about his long kicking game, I would take a chance on him.

Good mate is a Souths diehard.

likes Ilias. Said he’s a good kid. Been scapegoated a bit.

Yes.

 

[dragon-ss]

Ilias would be good. He has ability. With Cook and Gutherson in the team, it reduces the need for Ilias and Flanagan to do everything. Particularly Cook can play make a lot more from dummy half or a 13 role later in the game. The issue weve had is Hunt deciding he had to touch the ball every single play, we dont need that.

 

[jak]

Ilias would be good. He has ability. With Cook and Gutherson in the team, it reduces the need for Ilias and Flanagan to do everything. Particularly Cook can play make a lot more from dummy half or a 13 role later in the game. The issue weve had is Hunt deciding he had to touch the ball every single play, we dont need that.

welcome to the forum mate, good luck

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Interesting the consensus seems to be Atkinson > Ilias, but truth is Ilias is only 6 months older than Atkinson and has a lot more week to week FG experience. I personally would prefer Ilias as I feel like he was one of the fall guys of a toxic culture at Souths the past two seasons. No surprise Cook is a big supporter

My only concern with Ilias is that he suffered a major injury, when will he be fit to start training let alone playing, how much will the injury impact him physically and psychologically, can we afford to have a player miss all preseason due to injury and possibly miss 4-6 weeks of the season..

 

[Jubilee]

My only concern with Ilias is that he suffered a major injury, when will he be fit to start training let alone playing, how much will the injury impact him physically and psychologically, can we afford to have a player miss all preseason due to injury and possibly miss 4-6 weeks of the season..

The injury was long ago now. And he has had his physical. My question is why him over Douehi? Was it Cook's advice?

 

[justadragon]

FFS when a journo writes "whoever lands Hunt becomes a lot more of a premiership threat overnight" now I know there is something terribly wrong with our media. I must have missed something over the last 6 six years that we threatened all those premierships.

 

[TheRev]

I think we're getting the spoon

If I was analysing the rosters (without emotions) I would agree, clearly 17th... but I also thought we would be Bottom 2 in 2024, and I could not have predicted the 4-5 big name teams struggling, and I dont think they will again.. esp the 2 now under Bennett/Maguire.

Parra might be the one side that has a worse roster.. Tigers make me cranky they got so many signings even while carrying guys like Bateman, Sullivan, LFainu, Duahei in their roster..

But.. we still might actually land Atkinson and a decent prop.. thats why I didnt want to make predictions yet.. I need to see who else is coming..

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

The injury was long ago now. And he has had his physical. My question is why him over Douehi? Was it Cook's advice?

The injury was meant to have him out for 40 weeks if i remember correctly
Is he running, is he doing a preseason with souths?

 

[BLM01]

I think its ok, but currently we have no halves and no props that are going to change a game for us.

Unless we get an atkinson and a prop I cant see us doing much

Lodge to come

 

[justadragon]

Just getting rid of the problem children will do wonders for the team. We now have distinct leaders. I'm expecting some of our more fancied juniors to step up. As a club in total we are certainly on the improve. Dont underestimate what leadership and morale will do to a team. Give Ilias a chance, give Sloan a chance , you just never know what might happen.

 

[TheRev]

FFS when a journo writes "whoever lands Hunt becomes a lot more of a premiership threat overnight" now I know there is something terribly wrong with our media. I must have missed something over the last 6 six years that we threatened all those premierships.

I've noticed that this year, that noone who analyses the game really has a deep analysis of players.. its surface-level.. most of us seem fairly confident that a club expecting Hunt to be a controlling 7 will be very dissapointed.. and it will make me really happy to see a side lose games off the back of it...

But.. if a coach is astute enough.. they will play him at 6 or 9.. the dogs for example, they would just let Burton kick the ball as usual.. so maybe a coach knows what they are getting.. but the media certainly don't understand his flaws.

 

[possm]

Lodge to come

I hope we are aiming for Atkinson and Thompson.

 

[TheRev]

Lodge to come

If hes a done deal.. he fits the bill.. big body capable of powerful runs.. we dont need huge numbers of runs.. they just have to be strong ones when we need impact.

We prob wont do any better for 2025..

 

[possm]

Just getting rid of the problem children will do wonders for the team. We now have distinct leaders. I'm expecting some of our more fancied juniors to step up. As a club in total we are certainly on the improve. Dont underestimate what leadership and morale will do to a team. Give Ilias a chance, give Sloan a chance , you just never know what might happen.

Sloan has had his chances as our fullback over the past few years. It is time he went to reserve grade and upgraded his skills.

Atkinson is our target and if we miss him, then surely we will seek out another.

 

[blacksafake]

Good mate is a Souths diehard.

likes Ilias. Said he’s a good kid. Been scapegoated a bit.

Yes.

Heard the same from a Souths tragic mate.

 

[Overseadragon]

I think we're getting the spoon

I think you underestimate our coach I think this year's time beats last year's team so let's see who's right .........

 

[SGI2010]

I think you underestimate our coach I think this year's time beats last year's team so let's see who's right .........

Exactly right, the team we have now is better in the outside backs + Fullback and Cook/Liddle’s combo + the Couchman’s a year older.

Another year of coaching and honestly who knows with Illias. He had 2 extremely ball dominant players in the spine and he was a young half just starting out in the NRL.

He’ll have less pressure and much more opportunity to prove himself

 

[Biglance]

i appreciate the discussion, im just being negative

 

[Jubilee]

The injury was meant to have him out for 40 weeks if i remember correctly
Is he running, is he doing a preseason with souths?

In the end, it became a three-month period out. Big improvement on the original estimate of 40 weeks.The injury was early April (?) so he must be back training now. The surgery must be terrific.

 

[dragon-ss]

The injury was meant to have him out for 40 weeks if i remember correctly
Is he running, is he doing a preseason with souths?

Yes hes training in pre season with them