Ok guys - we DID come 5th - and could have easily been 4th with a Home Final had some dubious calls go our way.
That's not too shabby either way.
I also think there was an element of over confidence in us this year. The "work, and bust a gut at everything we do" mentality left the team. As a playing group, from game one (after the incidents) - our players just looked like they weren't having fun anymore.
All the garbage in management didn't help either - but in saying that, and after our start, I think we admirably all things considered (we could have had all the excuses in the world to just drop our shoulders, but we didn't).
There are heaps of positives to come out of the season too guys:-
1. Keiran Foran (speaks for itself);
2. George Rose's great comeback from an horrific injury;
3. Ben Farrar's player swap with Michael Bani;
4. Jason King having a break out year in my opinion;
5. Anthony Watmough establishing himself as an elite player;
6. Shane Rodney looks to be very good.
With us, I think a lot of our season stemmed from where our energy levels / attitude was at. Playing roster wise, we have one of the best. I mean, Le'Strange, Kite, Rose and Rodney or Hall were on our bench for goodness sakes.
When we fired, we put teams to the sword (Titans, WCC game etc etc).
We also saw our NYC team get the minor premiership, and a lot of emerging players are coming through.
Our QLD Cup team won the whole competition, and again, had some great players starting to emerge.
Next season, with a full off season of hopefully incident free training, a management team that is a lot more stable hopefully, and hopefully less key injuries next year (like Brett Stewart all year remember guys), we will come back as the hunter - not the hunted.
I'm already very excited.
I don't really think Gulovou is a DOWNGRADE as such from Hall, so we are ok there. Matt Cross will probably play in QLD - and for us only when injury arises, and I don't have a problem with Farrar, Foran or Bailey replacing Le'Strange as the utility player - so roster wise, I personally think we have maybe even gone ahead if just slightly.
We're good guys. We'll come out next year, and come out angry, with something to prove.
Just imagine a whole season with Robbo back on his wing, the Bullet at the back.....I think people forget sometimes how good our combinations can be. Imagine Lyon and Ox building chemistry again all year, or better yet - FORAN and Ox. Foran will only get plenty better in my opinion.
Anyway - I'm ranting. Hehehehe