If right, we'd have a completely loaded team, and would need to offload some players. 36 players are listed below. Who gets the chop (top 25 are in a squad, so cut 11)?
01. Brett Stewart, Tom Trbojevic
02. Jorge Taufua, David Williams, Cheyse Blair
03. Steve Matai, Brayden Wiliame
04. Peta Hiku, Delroy Berryman
05. Clinton Gutherson
06. Jamie Lyon, Manaia Rudolph
07. Daly Cherry-Evans, Riley Travers, Jack Littlejohn
08. Darcy Lussick, Willie Mason
09. Matt Ballin,
10. Nate Myles, Josh Starling
11. Feleti Mateo, Jesse Sene-Lefeo
12. Tom Symonds, Blake Leary
13. Jamie Buhrer, Justin Horo
14. Jayden Hodges
15. Brenton Lawrence, James Hasson
16. Jake Trbojevic, Ligi Sao, Uiti Baker, Michael Chee-Kam
17. Dunamis Lui, Tyson Andrews, Siosaia Vave
then a couple of NYC call ups? If we are after DCE, Myles and Lussick, maybe we have to rationalise guys, and lose maybe a Brenton Lawrence for a Ligi Sao. Lose a Justin Horo for a Dunamis Lui to get a certain top 17 start? Maybe no - we would need to shed 11 or more.
To start with, the players I'd look at moving on:-
01. David Williams (love him, but want him to get 1st grade time on the park)
02. Cheyse Blair (Tom Trbojevic & Brayden Wiliame make him somewhat surplus)
03. Delroy Berryman (Had his shot, and we have depth/utility already in the centers)
04. Jack Littlejohn (If DCE stays, Travers should be his under study)
05. Manaia Rudolph (HATE giving up a 5/8, but Buhrer, Lyon, Bullet can all play 5/8 worst case)
06. Siosaia Vave (By all reports, has looked ordinary in Premier League)
07. Michael Chee-Kam (Has not lived up to expectation unfortunately)
08. Uiti Baker (Same goes for Uiti - just needed to find that next level - and our depth kills him)
09. Willie Mason (I watched an old Dogs game yesterday - and he's a shadow of that player - retires)
10. James Hasson (Out with Hasson, in with Lussick - I love Lussick tbh as a player)
11. Jesse Sene-Lefeo (Killed me this one, but he has really dropped off in form and impact)
Therefore, my top 25 are: Brett Stewart, Tom Trbojevic, Jorge Taufua, Steve Matai, Brayden Wiliame, Peta Hiku, Clinton Gutherson, Jamie Lyon, Daly Cherry-Evans, Riley Travers, Darcy Lussick, Matt Ballin, Nate Myles, Josh Starling, Feleti Mateo, Tom Symonds, Blake Leary, Jamie Buhrer, Juston Horo, Jayden Hodges, Brenton Lawrence, Jake Trbojevic, Ligi Sao, Tyson Andrews & Dunamis Lui.
That has quality written all over it, and I also think one of the best rosters on paper. I also think this team would do really well for Toovey. I feel bad for the other players, but this IS a business after all these days.
Thought's?