The Clean Out 2025 Edition

[DieHardManlyFan]

We only have two good props in bully and Paseka (injured), one good backrower on Haumole.
One serviceable hooker in Simpkins who is not top notch.
All our problems start with the pack.

Burbo is tuff but average at best.
All our other props should be at best the 4th prop.
Croks won't change anything.

Paseka plays fifo (week on, week off) I was looking forward to seeing him play under Taukeiaho and taking that next step. He also needs to manage his injuries. I’d say he is our most injured player under Turbo

 

[KNUCKLES]

And replace Garrick & Koula with? If you want dollars then release the Trbos. Garrick & Koula would be on less than half what Jake & Tom are on individually! Release the following:
Trbo
Jrbo
Brbo
DCE
Tevaga
Sipley
Waddell
James
Schoup
Vaega
Chee Kam
Matterson
GKCT
Lodge
My 2026 team would be:
Koula
Saab
Garrick
Talau
Faulalo
Lehi
Brooks
Paseka
Simpkin
Aloiai
Olakau’atu
Patolo
Navale
Res: Croker, TKO, Bully, Brown

That team probably wins the wooden spoon

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Sadly can’t see Turbo or Jake winning a premiership in their careers. They deserve one. We need to refresh and revitalise. DCE looks disinterested and has put his cue in the rack so he must go to reserve grade. So much for his professionalism. Seibold needs to fast track our young forwards we can’t win from behind a beaten pack.

 

[Brookie1973]

Genuine question - do we have a football manager and/or a recruitment guy? Mestrov presumably is more discussed on the commercial side as CEO, so who oversees the football operations? Anyone? Who plays our Gus Gould, Shane Richardson role?

 

[Pete W]

Ola'akautu, Hopoate, Paseka, Bullemor, Saab are our only genuine priorities (5)

Brooks, Koula, Garrick, Talau not fussed either way (4)

Navale, Muagututia, O.Large, Walsh, Laiafi, Dunford, A.Large really hoping these guys develop according to their potential - and quickly! (7)

The Trbojevics on around 50% of their current deals (3)

Everyone else can get f*cked - including our coaching department. Brad Arthur, John Morris, Matt Ballin ... literally anyone else. DCE dropped immediately.

 

[LeonardCohen]

A lot is said about our backs but I actually think they’re pretty terrible and near the bottom of the NRL in terms of helping our forwards out of yardage. I would go as far to say that not one of them has a consistently strong yardage carry. Saab is atrocious in this department. He winds up from 15m back behind the play the ball and by the time he reaches the defence, he is usually in line the previous ruck. His play the ball is painfully slow. Garrick was effective at times in the past but these days gets smashed and backs into the defence. Talau and Koula both run hard and have quicker play the balls but still get smashed more often than not.

 

[DieHardManlyFan]

Ola'akautu, Hopoate, Paseka, Bullemor, Saab are our only genuine priorities (5)

Brooks, Koula, Garrick, Talau not fussed either way (4)

Navale, Muagututia, O.Large, Walsh, Laiafi, Dunford, A.Large really hoping these guys develop according to their potential - and quickly! (7)

The Trbojevics on around 50% of their current deals (3)

Everyone else can get f*cked - including our coaching department. Brad Arthur, John Morris, Matt Ballin ... literally anyone else. DCE dropped immediately.

Koula over Saab imo. With the right structure/coaching he could be an origin player. Instead we get to the 5th and just pass and hope he breaks 20 tackles. Same thing with Schmole, look how much better he was when Foz played with him. JT made Boulton look like an origin great.

 

[Pete W]

Koula over Saab imo. With the right structure/coaching he could be an origin player. Instead we get to the 5th and just pass and hope he breaks 20 tackles. Same thing with Schmole, look how much better he was when Foz played with him. JT made Boulton look like an origin great.

Yeah I reckon Koula makes a great winger, especially for yardage. I would also move Haumole to the middle and make him our Payne Hass

 

[DieHardManlyFan]

Yeah I reckon Koula makes a great winger, especially for yardage. I would also move Haumole to the middle and make him our Payne Hass

I personally always loved the Koula/Saab combo. Both strong, fast and electric. The second teams tried to allow for them we had our FB sweeping to the left setting opportunities up for Garrick on the wing. We had the blueprint and spoony had to tinker, that’s the problem with addicts. Too erratic

 

[mickqld]

But 7 weeks ago everyone was saying we had so much depth, especially our backline. Now we have sweet f#ck all.

Because we've been fed the same bullsht for the last 10 yrs and no one running this club has a clue how to build a premiership roster.

 

[mickqld]

Now we've confirmed that this year is well and truly fuked realistically what sort of team can we build for next year. Off contract players we need desperately
Payne Haas
Zac Hosking
Josh Curran
Herbie Farnworth
Kurt Capewell
Liam Henry
Blayke Brailey.
Clearly we can't sign all of them and most will probably re-sign with their current clubs anyway but if we don't start clearing out this used car lot and re-stocking with new models then we'll end up like those closed 2nd hand car dealers yards.

 

[manlyfan76]

Now we've confirmed that this year is well and truly fuked realistically what sort of team can we build for next year. Off contract players we need desperately
Payne Haas
Zac Hosking
Josh Curran
Herbie Farnworth
Kurt Capewell
Liam Henry
Blayke Brailey.
Clearly we can't sign all of them and most will probably re-sign with their current clubs anyway but if we don't start clearing out this used car lot and re-stocking with new models then we'll end up like those closed 2nd hand car dealers yards.

Capewell turns 33 next year FYI

 

[Rocky]

A lot is said about our backs but I actually think they’re pretty terrible and near the bottom of the NRL in terms of helping our forwards out of yardage. I would go as far to say that not one of them has a consistently strong yardage carry. Saab is atrocious in this department. He winds up from 15m back behind the play the ball and by the time he reaches the defence, he is usually in line the previous ruck. His play the ball is painfully slow. Garrick was effective at times in the past but these days gets smashed and backs into the defence. Talau and Koula both run hard and have quicker play the balls but still get smashed more often than not.

Agree with most of that but think you are a bit harsh on Garrick.

The general theme of the backline is speed which is great when you are playing inferior opponents or things are clicking. Not so much when you need to dig in and grind it out.
I like all our backs individually, but collectively they are too similar. Need at least one more guy that can take an early hit up.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Remember the last great clean out we had ? It was in 2016/17 during the Barrett / Bozo years ?? That went well, almost won our first spoon

There is no point sacking players without decent replacements. Anyway we've got 16 or 17 of current squad already contracted for next year so they aren't going anywhere unless we are paying part freight - which then lessens our buying power, so what is the point.

 

[mickqld]

Capewell turns 33 next year FYI

Still better than Aloiai, Sipley, Brown, Waddell, Burbo, Jake, Tevaga

 

[manlyfan76]

Still better than Aloiai, Sipley, Brown, Waddell, Burbo, Jake, Tevaga

Could be, but he's not a long term fix was my point.
Could be a "head" coach though?

 

[mickqld]

Off contract end of 25
Jake Arthur, Bullemore, GCKT, DCE, Faulalo, Aitasi James, Dean Matterson, A Schoupp, Sipley, Talau, TKO, Tevaga. Ray Vaega.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Agree with most of that but think you are a bit harsh on Garrick.

The general theme of the backline is speed which is great when you are playing inferior opponents or things are clicking. Not so much when you need to dig in and grind it out.
I like all our backs individually, but collectively they are too similar. Need at least one more guy that can take an early hit up.

Agree, Garrick's definitely the best of a bad bunch when it comes to carrying the ball out of yardage.

 

[mave]

How the fk is Bully still off contract.

He's the only one worth feeding at the moment.

 

[GrahamHughesHairHat]

We have a pack of forwards , who do have go, try hard but other then a few, are not top grade standard.
Would Jazz, Ben, Corey,Nathan,Sipley Simpkin be playing !st grade for any other clubs, maybe off the bench at best. Try hard but slow and low skill levels SEE YA

*Despite the slowing down and zero penetration Jake provides , I think he is an important cog in the team, especially in defence. Needs to have forwards around him that provide impact.

* SE lack leg speed in the forwards in both attack and defence.Opposing forwards march down the field too easily . Bullemore is the only exception, imagine 2 or 3 of his type!