What shape are we really in?

[Delboy]

I must admit this has been a frustrating season

Like most people I am beginning to occupy some thoughts aout what we will look like next year

1. We are losing about 6/7 NRL contracted players, with no evidence or rumour of signings apart from the very unlikely Cronk

2. Wenty are playing awful, given our usual strength in this competition, it is doing nothing to give us any hope that we can expect anyone to move up like say Horo

3. NYC is dreadful, whether underage or just plain awful recruiting , nothing to come out of that lot

4. Some concerns that the coach has lost the dressing shed, and was last year an accident rather than a plan by the coach

At the end of all this, the biggest concern is the statements that we don't have much left under the salary cap, and if the recruitment of a fringe player from N Qld is anything to go by, ouch

No rumours from the pariahs of the press that we are chasing even the like of LOD, and even Watts went to the Rorters, this could be setting us up for a lean year in 2011

Hopefully I am being ultra pessimistic, but the light at the end of the tunnel may just be a freight train heading towards us

 

[Maroubra Eel]

You've got to expect we will lose a few players after winning the comp. That's just the salary cap at work spreading the talent to the weaker sides.

 

[Johns Magic]

A coiled shape, much like you'd see on the front lawn in the morning.

 

[Eels Dude]

A coiled shape, much like you'd see on the front lawn in the morning.

In other words it's the same shape as a Kurt Gidley?

Overall, we're underachieving this year... but are squad for next season is still pretty solid. Any side which features Hayne, Mannah, Hindy, Tahu, Fui, Poore should be strong enough to build a good side around. Just need to find a way to score points. We've definately got the forwards, we've got the outside backs, we just need someone in between who can create an attacking play.

 

[bartman]

Not to mention Delboy more regular distracting headlines in the press (well, Josh's Telegraph anyway) than Fitzy ever created in his time....

Last year we over performed, this year should have been the year people were counting on for a major result, the years to come were always going to be harder with back ended contracts and upgrades and less depth and talent than we had lining up for this season. Lean times ahead imo.

 

[Fathead]

Find a decent halfback that is willing to bring all the loose ends together and we would be leading the competition.

 

[Stagger eel]

Delboy's 100% correct...

we have arguebly the worst depth in the comp at the moment with 2 very poor under performing feeder teams and we're losing up to 7 players in the top 25 and we haven't made a solitary noise about any signing other than a bloke who was always going to stay at his club...

Meanwhile, the Warriors, Roosters, Bulldogs and Knights are killing it in the player market and we're sitting on our hands doing nothing...what a joke.

 

[Avenger]

My concerns are:

• The loss of form of the majority of players particularly Mortimer, Inu, Moimoi, Mateo and Reddy. Hayne cannot do it all on his own.
• The reason why players like Kris and Matt Keating have not kicked on.
• The Tahu situation.
• The lessening impact of Grothe.
• The gradual decline of Hindmarsh and his effectiveness.
• The reluctance of blooding Mitchell whom we have nurtured since his teens.
• The constant speculation of Anderson being replaced.

 

[Parra Steve]

Our top 17 is amoung the best in the comp, but once we started to get injuries or players form dropped then we had nowhere to go and the guys outside that 17 aren't up to grade play, the quality over quantity hasn't worked, we neeed to buy at least one great signings then build solid signings around him for next year.

 

[yy_cheng]

Our top 17 is amoung the best in the comp, but once we started to get injuries or players form dropped then we had nowhere to go and the guys outside that 17 aren't up to grade play, the quality over quantity hasn't worked, we neeed to buy at least one great signings then build solid signings around him for next year.

I wouldn't say that.

Our top 13 maybe but not 17. I can't even name a decent bench

1. Hayne
2. Burt
3. Reddy
4. Tahu
5.
6. Humble
7. Robson
8. Mannah
9. Mortz
10.Fui
11.Hindy
12.Smith
13.Shackleton

14. M.Keating
15. Manuokafoa
16.Poore
17.

Horo not resigned yet I believe and I don't understand why.
We'll probably resign Oake coz he'll be cheap but Horo would be better value.

 

[Joely01]

Who cares about next year, we still have this year to go. think about next year later when we are out of this season

 

[IFR33K]

Who cares about next year, we still have this year to go. think about next year later when we are out of this season

Dont hold your breath.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Del,

I agree the NYC at the moment are awful, but there was some light on the Horizon 2 weeks ago when we went with pretty much the Spine of a team that was from this years SG Ball cup side, their win against the Broncos actually showed some skill and determination to win.

Personally from that group of player in NYC, I am still quite confident that Pat O'Hanlon will make the top grade, not just because of his physical size, but when he has stepped up at Wenty a few times he has continued to impress.

As for First grade, I am sure we are all concerned with our lack of recruitment, but I do remember we were also concerned in 2006 with the lack of recruitment leading into 2007.

Personally, I trust the coach, and on the Larger I trust the club. I hope that on the whole the people in are club can actually do the job they were put their to do, and in doing so it leads to further success, but I know that at the moment I am taking that on personal faith.

 

[Delboy]

Mark, the problem is that currently our profile in the player market is as low as it can get.

I am also concerned that the noises are mostly, "we don't have any room under the cap", with our roster and the players off contract etc at the end of this year, the question need to be asked about who put it all together because currently it apprears flawed and unprofessional.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Hi Del,

Oh I don't disagree, I haven't heard anything about us in the player market. We need a good front rower, and some backs and halves no doubt.

Then again I know that there was a great deal of doubt from this board over Poore and Shackleton before they signed on with the club. So again who knows in the fair dinkum department.

 

[fish eel]

I would think for the recruitment next year, we can probably count Shack already as a 'gain'

 

[Gronk]

ATM we are in crap shape. No halves, Tahu has had a breakdown, Guru is out for the season. Hindy is in the doghouse for betting too much (and having a secret bank account), Ando is being hammered by the Board, Hayne & Ando don't like each other. I am sure there is more .. <sigh>

EDIT: Cooper doesn't love us.

 

[Uncle Leo]

ATM we are in crap shape. No halves, Tahu has had a breakdown, Guru is out for the season. Hindy is in the doghouse for betting too much (and having a secret bank account), Ando is being hammered by the Board, Hayne & Ando don't like each other. I am sure there is more .. <sigh>

EDIT: Cooper doesn't love us.

Got that right!

 

[Kornstar]

Got that right!

Do you know what the solution is? Who is to blame? How much more pain are we in for?

 

[Ike E Bear]

Our top 17 is amoung the best in the comp, but once we started to get injuries or players form dropped then we had nowhere to go and the guys outside that 17 aren't up to grade play, the quality over quantity hasn't worked, we neeed to buy at least one great signings then build solid signings around him for next year.

I wouldn't say that.

Our top 13 maybe but not 17. I can't even name a decent bench

1. Hayne
2. Burt
3. Reddy
4. Tahu
5.
6. Humble
7. Robson
8. Mannah
9. Mortz
10.Fui
11.Hindy
12.Smith
13.Shackleton

14. M.Keating
15. Manuokafoa
16.Poore
17.

Horo not resigned yet I believe and I don't understand why.
We'll probably resign Oake coz he'll be cheap but Horo would be better value.

I think PS was talking about this year.

We actually have one of the best benches in the game this year ...

14. K Keating
15. Horo
16. Mannah
17. Poore

It's our halves and, to a lesser extent, our backs that are struggling.

The halves are the real worry, as they are the players who touch the ball the most and they are currently a black hole of creativity right now.

They are getting the platform from the forwards, but they are doing nothing with it.

In losing five or six of our regular first graders next year, having only secured one mid-season signing of a fringey from the lowest ranked team (ignoring Melbourne), things do look diabolical for 2011.

Even accounting for the welcome return of Shackleton, our 2011 will be much, much weaker than this year's if we do not recruit well.

Time is running out.