Tonight is the night the premiership window opened.

[The better Robbo]

Just thought I’d put this out there as it’s my summation of us v Melbourne (top sides) and where we are missing.

I think we can win the comp in the next 2 years, that is realistically our window as Daly probably only has 2 more years of top footy in him. But to do so, these are the weaknesses we currently have and need to address moving forward:

We have a good middle, but no “great” premier front rower.

I’ve said it all year on hear and been blasted for it, but Marty doesnt step up and is not the premier front rower to win us the comp.

In reality we have 4 weaknesses, 2 of which will be solved next season (in no order):

1. Inexperience

- our forwards especially will be so much better from this year so i think that almost solves itself on the wide scale.

2. No great centre (weakness moving forward)

- all great teams have a point of attack outside of the spine; i.e Olam 2020-2021, Manu 2019 etc. Parker and Harper are good but one in the same - they should compete for the same spot and we should just back Suli (if he stays) to become that threat, he has it in him clearly.

3. No gun hooker

- Croker has been good but is not gun. Fainu is that gun

4. No premier front rower (NEEDS TO BE SOLVED)

- Marty isnt that. Aloiai probably isnt either but would be a very good second-best prop to start. We need someone who steps up, like say Tapine, or just bank on a young gun like Utoikamanu from Tigs.

If we solve (2) and (4) i think we can win the comp next year

The rest of our side is good enough (back 3, halves, back row, 14 and bench)

With Bullemore and Woods id say that about sorts out our props. This Bullemore will be a superstar, Keppie and Paseka will be coming into their prime and I expect Aloiai to improve further. I wouldn't underestimate Woods' ability to tighten up our middle in defence either!

Definitely need to add a strike centre, it is a weakness, I wouldn't be putting my money on Tuipulotu or Koula for next year. With Suli, Taufua and Funa all gone SURELY this is on top of our priority list! AND this centre must be able to defend, id even consider putting Schuster there if he can lean up a few kg. He could be a Jamie Lyon type centre with ball skills and we know he can defend.

Fainu is extremely important, he has the ability to make average forwards look good, Imagine what he could add to this side! I'm hoping he is off to start the year or at very least back for the last 8 weeks and run into the semis.

We're offloading all our deadwood and expensive duds in Suli and Siro. It will be such a more experience and balanced squad next year and will add exactly what we are missing. Des knows how to build a premiership team/squad.

 

[KNUCKLES]

With Bullemore and Woods id say that about sorts out our props. This Bullemore will be a superstar, Keppie and Paseka will be coming into their prime and I expect Aloiai to improve further. I wouldn't underestimate Woods' ability to tighten up our middle in defence either!

Definitely need to add a strike centre, it is a weakness, I wouldn't be putting my money on Tuipulotu or Koula for next year. With Suli, Taufua and Funa all gone SURELY this is on top of our priority list! AND this centre must be able to defend, id even consider putting Schuster there if he can lean up a few kg. He could be a Jamie Lyon type centre with ball skills and we know he can defend.

Fainu is extremely important, he has the ability to make average forwards look good, Imagine what he could add to this side! I'm hoping he is off to start the year or at very least back for the last 8 weeks and run into the semis.

We're offloading all our deadwood and expensive duds in Suli and Siro. It will be such a more experience and balanced squad next year and will add exactly what we are missing. Des knows how to build a premiership team/squad.

We do need a quality centre.. only problem is there isn't that many around that can both defend at the same time. The ones that can are all signed up long term or are wayy to expensive. Manu, Graham, Olam, Staggs, Lomax etc. I think we dropped the ball a little potentially around gagai, could of been worth picking up before the knights did. Maybe we could convince j moz to call off his reiterment for another year. Other than that I think we have to work with what we have.

Left field option. A longshot at that.
Ngani Laumape could be an Olam 2.0

 

[manly al]

With Bullemore and Woods id say that about sorts out our props. This Bullemore will be a superstar, Keppie and Paseka will be coming into their prime and I expect Aloiai to improve further. I wouldn't underestimate Woods' ability to tighten up our middle in defence either!

Definitely need to add a strike centre, it is a weakness, I wouldn't be putting my money on Tuipulotu or Koula for next year. With Suli, Taufua and Funa all gone SURELY this is on top of our priority list! AND this centre must be able to defend, id even consider putting Schuster there if he can lean up a few kg. He could be a Jamie Lyon type centre with ball skills and we know he can defend.

Fainu is extremely important, he has the ability to make average forwards look good, Imagine what he could add to this side! I'm hoping he is off to start the year or at very least back for the last 8 weeks and run into the semis.

We're offloading all our deadwood and expensive duds in Suli and Siro. It will be such a more experience and balanced squad next year and will add exactly what we are missing. Des knows how to build a premiership team/squad.

Hope that you are right with Bullimor , plenty of potential , just have to wait and see but think that Jake , Schuster and especially Olokau - atu will be our forward back rowers for some time yet . Need that strike factor in the centres , and if not Koula or Tippytoes , not sure who , maybe could get by with either Harper or Parker there in the harder contests but not both on present indications . Certainly would not class Suli as a dud , not worth 550 k to Manly there but an above average performer even with a couple of defects .

 

[KNUCKLES]

Hope that you are right with Bullimor , plenty of potential , just have to wait and see but think that Jake , Schuster and especially Olokau - atu will be our forward back rowers for some time yet . Need that strike factor in the centres , and if not Koula or Tippytoes , not sure who , maybe could get by with either Harper or Parker there in the harder contests but not both on present indications . Certainly would not class Suli as a dud , not worth 550 k to Manly there but an above average performer even with a couple of defects .

Yeah its a shame he was on overs, for less you would keep him. He has that natural x factor about him, where defence can be taught over time. Hopefully for him he can at the dragons. I wish him well

 

[manlyfan76]

5/8 is interesting. Foz has been good but we needed more in games where DCE is under the pump with tactical kicking, which I don't think he did enough and it's probably not his strength. Maybe kicks out of dummy half in those situations would be a good solution.
Shoe has played well at 5/8 but who knows if that's the plan.

 

[QueefRichards]

I dont know. Most players had some finals experience in 2019 and everyone had us as the dark horse for 2020, and it didnt happen.

We also have several rep or former rep players in the squad to collectively steer the team through big moments i.e.

Jake
Tom
DCE
Walker
Taupau
Foran

Walker and Jake were excellent but inexperience isnt an excuse. DCE lacks a cool head under pressure when he feels like he has to make something happen and its one of the reasons we lose composure when we're on the back foot

 

[manlyfan76]

I dont know. Most players had some finals experience in 2019 and everyone had us as the dark horse for 2020, and it didnt happen.

We also have several rep or former rep players in the squad to collectively steer the team through big moments i.e.

Jake
Tom
DCE
Walker
Taupau
Foran

Walker and Jake were excellent but inexperience isnt an excuse. DCE lacks a cool head under pressure when he feels like he has to make something happen and its one of the reasons we lose composure when we're on the back foot

Would that be when his halves partner should step up? I think Foz should be able to do more in those situations

 

[KNUCKLES]

5/8 is interesting. Foz has been good but we needed more in games where DCE is under the pump with tactical kicking, which I don't think he did enough and it's probably not his strength. Maybe kicks out of dummy half in those situations would be a good solution.
Shoe has played well at 5/8 but who knows if that's the plan.

It's a bit of a pickle in my opinion. Foz has been great this year, Schuster started well in the backrow but has come back down to earth of late, and I'm not really sure if his future is in the backrow anymore. Sure he can do a job but I feel we really lack some injection on that edge, where a specialist hole running backrower could prove worthwhile. I think Schuster mite have to go to 6 at forans expense or come off the bench. Some tough decisions to make

 

[manlyfan76]

It's a bit of a pickle in my opinion. Foz has been great this year, Schuster started well in the backrow but has come back down to earth of late, and I'm not really sure if his future is in the backrow anymore. Sure he can do a job but I feel we really lack some injection on that edge, where a specialist hole running backrower could prove worthwhile. I think Schuster mite have to go to 6 at forans expense or come off the bench. Some tough decisions to make

Oppositions mark up in numbers on Haumole and shoe a lot more later in the season

 

[QueefRichards]

Would that be when his halves partner should step up? I think Foz should be able to do more in those situations

Agreed however he is also captain and the highest paid player

 

[Snake]

Given Schuster is the long term replacement for Foran, I wonder if Croker could be the composed 7 we need when Daly retires? If Fainu comes back, we could have him and Lawton as the 9 rotation and Croker as the cool head in halves to steady the ship with Schuster the destroyer?

I think he could have it in him. He doesn’t seem to get flustered, has a decent kick on him and is certainly a top notch defender...he’d be 26 by that stage and very experienced...

 

[manlyfan76]

Agreed however he is also captain and the highest paid player

I f***ING hate talk about pay.
It has nothing to do with playing footy. Performances count wether you play for minimum, average or big coin.

 

[Mataiforever]

Koula is the answer to our centre issue. You think Saab is fast... And he hasn't decent build.

Woods coming in will be good. He does the basics and doesn't hide.

Hopefully Fainu is back at some point.

Walker and Koula in the centres would be amazing to see

Speaking to people who know tolu he’s apparently “by no means a centre” as is too small, so we can probably wipe that one.

He’s a wing or fullback, nothing else they said.

If tolu is to get into the side it probably means Garrick to centre

 

[KaZa]

Speaking to people who know tolu he’s apparently “by no means a centre” as is too small, so we can probably wipe that one.

He’s a wing or fullback, nothing else they said.

If tolu is to get into the side it probably means Garrick to centre

Yeah he's a full back by trade. But he's been playing in the centres/wing in lower grades and NSW cup. So possibly testing the waters there.

Could play him at full back and Tom in the centres in the future but that's unlikely. Think your right.. ultimately he will start on the wing. Garrick in the centres could be an option. Saab is a winger only imo. Who knows. I think Koula could handle centre if he puts a bit more size on.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Given Schuster is the long term replacement for Foran, I wonder if Croker could be the composed 7 we need when Daly retires? If Fainu comes back, we could have him and Lawton as the 9 rotation and Croker as the cool head in halves to steady the ship with Schuster the destroyer?

I think he could have it in him. He doesn’t seem to get flustered, has a decent kick on him and is certainly a top notch defender...he’d be 26 by that stage and very experienced...

I have no inside mail whatsoever so I'll defer to those who may be privy to whispers, but do the club really see Schuster as our long term option at 6 ?? I'm not convinced, but it has only been one season to go on and not playing that position either, so may be a premature assessment.

 

[HK_Eagle]

I f***ING hate talk about pay.
It has nothing to do with playing footy. Performances count wether you play for minimum, average or big coin.

Yeah, i think that's a fair point. Money shouldn't be the deciding factor in this. Having said that, the (c) next to his name justifies much of the criticism and disappointment with DCE in games like last night.

 

[Eagle1]

With Bullemore and Woods id say that about sorts out our props. This Bullemore will be a superstar, Keppie and Paseka will be coming into their prime and I expect Aloiai to improve further. I wouldn't underestimate Woods' ability to tighten up our middle in defence either!

Definitely need to add a strike centre, it is a weakness, I wouldn't be putting my money on Tuipulotu or Koula for next year. With Suli, Taufua and Funa all gone SURELY this is on top of our priority list! AND this centre must be able to defend, id even consider putting Schuster there if he can lean up a few kg. He could be a Jamie Lyon type centre with ball skills and we know he can defend.

Fainu is extremely important, he has the ability to make average forwards look good, Imagine what he could add to this side! I'm hoping he is off to start the year or at very least back for the last 8 weeks and run into the semis.

We're offloading all our deadwood and expensive duds in Suli and Siro. It will be such a more experience and balanced squad next year and will add exactly what we are missing. Des knows how to build a premiership team/squad.

Good points there champ, your correct with props rotation so things looking great for our premiership window

 

[Karshy]

Salaries are hugely important in moulding a premiership winning roster.

DCE is a 700k halfback taking 1.2M out of the cap.
Marty Tapau is 500k prop reportedly being paid 850k next year.
Moses Suli at 550k was a very expensive back up
Siro at 600k also a very expensive back up.

Unfortunately between DCE and Marty we are paying 850k in overs IMO. This year we paid 1.15M to Suli and Siro as back ups. Thankfully we get some back with Foran probably one huge unders to be here relative to his 2021 form. I suspect he is here on 200k contract but probably worth 400-500k.

Given I expect Suli, Siro, Jorge, Funa, Gosiewski, and Sadly Keith Titmus wont be on contract next year and Dylan Walker probably gets downgraded about 200k per year as he is very unreliable, the club should have somewhere in the vicinity of 2.4M in the cap to spend. If I was Des i would use the 2.4M to

• Upgrade Haumole and Schuey as they look like they are rep level backrowers (400k)
• Upgrade Foran, Garrick and Sab who have been exceptional this year (300k)
• Add Bullemor and Woods to the club (600k)
• Promote 2 emerging players to the top 30 (300k)
• Promote De Luis in top 30 as a great value back up (150k)
• That should leave 1 spot in the roster with approx 650k to spend preferably for a right centre. (this price range is probably a Jimmy the Jet or Curtis Scott type, although I would love it if we could pick up Lomax or Best)

 

[QueefRichards]

I f***ING hate talk about pay.
It has nothing to do with playing footy. Performances count wether you play for minimum, average or big coin.

Doesnt factor into getting the best out of the players but it does factor into getting the best players.

 

[manlyfan76]

Doesnt factor into getting the best out of the players but it does factor into getting the best players.

But the problem is, it is only brought up when players are down.
Look at Turbo, where is the talk about his salary gone now?

Parra don't have any million dollar players. Which is the counter to any salary argument