Mid-season Report Card

[susan]

Has the ITK on here been that there is a push to sign some young forwards for next year?

The approach has to be identifying young “affordable “ high talent and backing them to make the leap.

Good luck signing elite forwards given

1. Our front office and ownership is generally regarded as a basket case ( though Mestrov showing good signs I think )

And more importantly ..

2. The Bears and New Guinea - if an elite forward is going to take a risk going to a weaker current club or a new franchise the money competing with us will be ridiculous, especially with the third party opportunities those new franchise one team towns will provide on top of that.

Not a good time to be shopping which makes our current pack situation bad planning - Vlandys made it obvious expansion was coming soon

No quality 9 for 5 years demonstrates the lack of nouse in big bold letters

 

[Woodsie]

Just pondering ... if the consensus is that we have a below par, second rate pack ... doesn't that then mean our results indicate that we have "overachieved" expectations by being in the top 8 ...

... which after all is the topic of the thread.

... and yes, recruitment is another issue ... but .. separate to how the current available team is progressing ..

 

[Rocky]

A bit like last season - a pass mark, but only just.

I keep saying it, but it makes it hard when your three top paid players are Turbo, Jake and DCE and their output is busted, plodding and headless chicken stuff.

It puts a lot of pressure on the coach and the rest of the team.

 

[Disco]

The approach has to be identifying young “affordable “ high talent and backing them to make the leap.

Good luck signing elite forwards given

1. Our front office and ownership is generally regarded as a basket case ( though Mestrov showing good signs I think )

And more importantly ..

2. The Bears and New Guinea - if an elite forward is going to take a risk going to a weaker current club or a new franchise the money competing with us will be ridiculous, especially with the third party opportunities those one team new franchise towns will provide on top of that.

Not a good time to be shopping which makes our current pack situation bad planning - Vlandys made it obvious expansion was coming soon

No quality 9 for 5 years demonstrates the lack of nouse in big bold letters

I never referenced elite forwards though I do image we will pick one up for 27 when we have cap space.

I was responding to your comment that we have no intent to pick up young pigs.

Wondering what that is based on?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

lol love to know who voted 'dresses neatly'

 

[susan]

I never referenced elite forwards though I do image we will pick one up for 27 when we have cap space.

I was responding to your comment that we have no intent to pick up young pigs.

Wondering what that is based on?

I have no inside info

2027 ? I can just imagine us competing with the Bears and Papua chasing an elite forward. I think the days of nice beaches doesn’t quite get it done these days. A rare elite forward will cost 1 mill or more for the 2027 season . God knows what the truly elite like Haas will go for.

Just a feeling they seem happy with what they’ve been doing - and that probably stems from the fact they have done very well recruiting young backline talent ( which is great in terms of the post DCE era )

Problem is those kids go nowhere with an ordinary pack. I think part of the problem is that they think the current guys will get the job done. I know that seems strange but we are talking about an organisation that basically thought it was in a premiership window without a genuine hooker for 5 years , which gives me little confidence.

The way Siebold talked about Croker it’s hard to escape the fact that he actually thought he was the answer ( before this head knock / injury stuff)
That gives me little confidence in him knowing what is required in the modern game. Just as his obsession with big bodies and old recruits.

 

[Ned]

we've had a pretty easy draw so far, the 2nd half has tougher opposition in most matches, this might make us more optimistic than we should be.

 

[Brookie1973]

For everybody who keeps spelling Seibold incorrectly, just remember the golden rule “i before e except after c” and then ignore it.

 

[maxta]

Good thread 👍
I see Manly a C+....or maybe a B -
Been some nice Wins along the way

The biggest problem is consistency, the difference between Manlys best and worst, is far bigger than a team who would command an A rating

Manlys best is maybe an A
But worst is maybe a D

If Manly can change this factor, could match just about any team in the comp and part of this is keeping an injury free team on the paddock and building momentum
Could well do that over the next month if the players really take opportunity of a pretty handy draw

 

[Thewestisbest]

Losing to a Knights team without any prop forwards after leading by 16.

A big fat D

 

[Thewestisbest]

A bit like last season - a pass mark, but only just.

I keep saying it, but it makes it hard when your three top paid players are Turbo, Jake and DCE and their output is busted, plodding and headless chicken stuff.

It puts a lot of pressure on the coach and the rest of the team.

Not anymore

 

[Rocky]

Not anymore

Good work rate tonight. If only you were on the field. Hope you are paid by post.

 

[Thewestisbest]

Good work rate tonight. If only you were on the field. Hope you are paid by post.

I'm angry.

 

[Thewestisbest]

Good work rate tonight. If only you were on the field. Hope you are paid by post.

Don't worry mate. It's hard to see the forest from the trees sometimes.

It's hard to accept we are going nowhere under a coach who is clearly not up to it.

 

[bob dylan]

I'm angry.

Don't get angry, it's only a game.

Every eeek we know we will either win or lose and with the poor roster we have we are doing ok.

When the Titans knock us over next week things will get interesting. But I said that before the Broncos match.

We have probably the worst half and 5/8 in the NRL who are playing behind a very average pack, which is missing some players.

C+ for me and will be lucky to avoid a bottom 4 finish with our tough run home. Hoping we don't make the 8 because will get crucified by a decent team in a pressure match.