Not getting all the despair

[mickqld]

It'll take a miracle to climb out of the bottom 4. Dogs, Donkeys, Cows will all improve. I can't see any improvement in us when the injury curse kicks in by rd 6. No Turbo, Fainu, Foran, Walker, Suli, Taufua and a few others for most of the year , no decent backup, no new depth signings will see our first spoon.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

The argument of "that team is the same that went busted this year" is not a strong one. Especially with a squad like ours that has young talent coming through.

Look at the Panthers. Finished 10th in 2018 with a big scandal affecting their team, a fullback that was injured plenty and a big name player that was leaving.

But a young Luai, Crichton, Martin broke through, their fullback returned from injury and to form. They made a canny signing of an experienced play in Api and some solid first graders like Yeo had career years.

Now I'm not saying we are going to do a Panthers winning 17 straight and making the gf but what I am saying is a underperforming squad with a sprinkling of young starlets can improve greatly.

If Schuster, Hoppa (if with us) and Haumole really step up. Turbo and Walker return, we get 15 odd games from Foran, get a miracle with Fainu there is potential to go from zeros to heros.

Lots of ifs and buts though

Agreed just no Hoppa - Saab for Hoppa

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

It'll take a miracle to climb out of the bottom 4. Dogs, Donkeys, Cows will all improve. I can't see any improvement in us when the injury curse kicks in by rd 6. No Turbo, Fainu, Foran, Walker, Suli, Taufua and a few others for most of the year , no decent backup, no new depth signings will see our first spoon.

Mate dont curse us

 

[Disco]

It'll take a miracle to climb out of the bottom 4. Dogs, Donkeys, Cows will all improve. I can't see any improvement in us when the injury curse kicks in by rd 6. No Turbo, Fainu, Foran, Walker, Suli, Taufua and a few others for most of the year , no decent backup, no new depth signings will see our first spoon.

I'll bet you a $100 donation to Silvertails that we dont finish with the spoon in 2020?

Absurd comment

 

[manlyfan76]

If the board can sorted and the new signings all play as advertised, the current players play at or above their best and hero boy actually coaches well ( somehow) I think the dogs will be big improvers.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

A lot of “ ifs “ & “ buts” in there , I don’t think we’ll do a lot better in 2021 than this year unless the injury gods are kind to us, our depth is atrocious!!

But stranger things have happened .

If the second tier comps run next year then I think our depth looks a lot better. This year we had a bunch of young talents who couldn’t really develop because there were no games for them to play in.

 

[Cioran]

If the board can sorted and the new signings all play as advertised, the current players play at or above their best and hero boy actually coaches well ( somehow) I think the dogs will be big improvers.

Green’s an astute signing. He will organise the team on the field and make Barrett look like a decent coach. Just like he did at Brookie for a year, if Green fails to fire - or if he gets injured or distracted by a better offer - and the Bulldogs have to rely on Flanagan and Lewis, they will end up like a pile of broken garden furniture.

 

[Nordburg]

Green’s an astute signing. He will organise the team on the field and make Barrett look like a decent coach. Just like he did at Brookie for a year, if Green fails to fire - or if he gets injured or distracted by a better offer - and the Bulldogs have to rely on Flanagan and Lewis, they will end up like a pile of broken garden furniture.

The Dogs have said to Green he is free to leave if the Knights want him back

 

[Cioran]

The Dogs have said to Green he is free to leave if the Knights want him back

Interesting. Do you think Pearce will go back to the chooks?

 

[Disco]

Green is injured, will miss at least half the season right?

 

[Nordburg]

Interesting. Do you think Pearce will go back to the chooks?

Conflicting stories coming out about Pearce.I think the Roosters are keen for him to return until Sam Walker is ready to take over full time and Gould mentioned after Flanagan was released that they’re after an experienced half.But don’t think Knights want to let him go given the lack of quality/ experienced halves on the market.May change if Green comes back and Jake Clifford is allowed to leave the Cows

 

[The better Robbo]

The Dogs have said to Green he is free to leave if the Knights want him back

I thought Green was going back to Knights as an assistant coach

 

[Shoe1]

Healthy fit players = nil desperandum

injuries like 2020 = desperandum

 

[Scorpio]

I thought Green was going back to Knights as an assistant coach

Blake Green

 

[The better Robbo]

Blake Green

Yeah

 

[BOZO]

"Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie", .. I am not getting the same level of despair as many on Silvertails forecast .. I believe we already have a top 6 team roster .. and that all that is required to take us to top 4 and contender status is 2 key signings .. and they may be closer than we predict ..

Let's look at our current squad and depth .. now I know many others would pick a different starting 17 ... you will get my drift as regards injury cover ..

Turbo .. (Funa, Garrick)
Harper .. (Wing depth .. Jorge, Funa, Miski)
Walker .. (centre depth .. Parker, Funa, Harper)
Suli
Garrick
Schuster .. (5/8th depth .. Foran, Walker, Cust, Croker)
DCE .. (halfback depth .. Foran, , Cust, Croker)
Jake ..
Guacamole
Siro ...
Paseka
Fainu
Kapow

Foran
Keppie .. (Prop depth ... Saddler, Sipley)
Boyle
Davey .. (Back row depth ...GoJetSki, )

I have not included any of the young blokes like Burbo, younger Fainu, titmus etc until we know if they are 100% top 30 .. others may ..

The obvious question marks are hooker, and fullback cover ... but I have to figure that if everybody on here can see it ... the powers that be are working on it ...

Conclusion ... If we get a reasonable run with injuries we will be top 6 ... if we get the 2 good signings we all hope for .. top 4 ... but that is my concern, we are not hearing of any moves that give us confidence of strengthening the squad ... let's hope it is all being done on a need to know basis ..

Good post @Woodsie . Just about sums things up
We have enough stars in our team that make our team shine and illuminate the finals
It is the depth players thank sink us all the way to the depth of the NRL ladder
I hope Des can fix this issue up

 

[Woodsie]

Healthy fit players = nil desperandum

injuries like 2020 = desperandum

Nothing adds to, and elevates a footy forum like a bit of Latin .. praeclarus

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Healthy fit players = nil desperandum

injuries like 2020 = desperandum

Good point

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Good post @Woodsie . Just about sums things up
We have enough stars in our team that make our team shine and illuminate the finals
It is the depth players thank sink us all the way to the depth of the NRL ladder
I hope Des can fix this issue up

Our depth was absolute **** , as soon as players started going down we were ****ed!!

 

[manlyfan76]

Our depth was absolute **** , as soon as players started going down we were ****ed!!

I'm sure Schuster could have played earlier, Okalatu could have played more.
Des just didn't .