And you said I had to stop talking sense!
That's wonderful but we're expected to come second last. I don't think we will and instead finish just outside the bottom four. If we're being serious we can't rely on that.
Another way of looking at it is instead of the club looking for pre-made Dogs players that fit, other coaches (Bellamy, Richo & Bennett) take those players and make them fit. They don't seem to be bothered about taking on these ones that we are too good for and are contesting the Top 4 every year?? DNA will come through success and building you can't expect marquee players to bend for that crap of a struggling club....and they aren't! Everyone appears to be telling us to fook off.
I would chase To’o from the Panthers,to replace Okunbor and put Smith in the centre’s ..
I would of been after a hooker, centre (potentially another winger since Reimis can play in the centres), prop and winger as soon as November 1st hit last year for 2021. I would of wrote this year off (if we're being serious unless there is a miracle it already is) and put everything into 2021. Now there are less options (I don't care if other clubs haven't recruited for 2021, they have for 2020 and got them over one year early or retained) and we're going to be relying on players breaking contract. Looking through the options now and it's almost better to wait another year and just front load contract and go again for 2022 (are we just going to keep doing this until 2030?) At the time (November last year) every position besides Hooker with Grant being the only real option there (Turpin turned us down) there were options. Either way we're going to have to entice players to come with money as we're not an attraction and to be frank we're almost the last NRL club a player will want to sign for. We know we've been in for players and we've got none of them where there was actual competition for them (just before anyone brings up DWZ there was no competition besides the Eels and that was for centre where he obviously doesn't want to play). Mid season signings are our best bet but they're also not guaranteed and we have to spend X amount of our salary cap before the start of the season.
I'm sorry but those signings are not enough to have us expected to not finish in the bottom four and even better make the eight. I honestly don't think it'll change much at all and we'll still have a lot of money to spend.
I think were a good chance of the top 8 for sure. I have my doubts about getting any more decent recruits for 2020, I am more thinking about a good result next season in the hope of luring some decent players across for 2021. Fingers crossed
Couldn't agree more mate. Would love to see Averillo and Harper given plenty of time this season to see where their best fit is for the future and would love to see Wakeham given the #7 shirt for the season and Lewis, Cogger and Averillo fight for the #6 jersey. That way come 2021 when we have the war chest we know if we have the right kids in the kennel or if we have to go out and recruit a marquee 7, 6 or 9. I think 2020 is going to provide us with plenty of answers for 2021 and beyond and for me, I'm happy we are giving the local juniors first crack at cementing a spot before we open the war chest in 2021
Sure - those coaches/clubs have built great systems/cultures - no-one denies that - but we are still putting that together so I’ll reserve my judgement until I see who we’ve signed for 2021. There’s simply no evidence that players are specifically turning us down - all rumour. Most 2021 signings to date have been retentions, not players moving elsewhere having deliberately brushed the Dogs.
The question asked was..
At first, I personally thought that the 8 is a bit of a stretch for us.And you said I had to stop talking sense!
I think the squad is in better shape than it was 12 months ago in all key aspects - experience, skills and attitude.
There is simply no reason we cannot push into the 8 this year with a better start, a bit more consistency and never say die attitude (some good luck with injuries will obviously also help).
Green is still contracted to the Warriors and is a stead head in that team. Good luck
I still expect some movement before the NRL season start. There could be a domino effect.
Remember that was us, we were a powerhouse. Even higher then the Rorters and it wasn't that long ago. Unfortunately it was all thrown away. My concern is Lyn is trying her Dad's blue print and perhaps does not have her own plan or a plan B. I don't know if it can work in an era of no loyalty and players who couldn't care less. The evidence to me is that no-one has said yes and until we do make that signing that is how the evidence will look.
To'o is slightly better than what we have.
But it’s not evidence mate, it’s speculation (re: ‘failed’ signings). As for the blueprint - we’re not there yet. I’ve said repeatedly on here, this board needs 2 terms / 4 years to turn the ship around (done) and set the course for the future (next 2 years). If they don’t deliver in these next two years good chance they’ll be gone too. Lynne has recently won two awards for leadership and is CEO of Paralympics Australia - she’s no dope and you don’t get awards or those kinds of jobs if you’re not fit for them. The assumption that she’s automatically applying the Bullfrog blueprint is only because she’s his daughter and the only evidence I’ve seen of her doing anything similar to her dad is the restoration of the family club approach - embrace the players, their welfare and families. And that’s a good thing in my view. DWZ among others seem to agree. Any other comparison just can’t be made because the eras are so different.
Why do other clubs do that tho? We're in the same boat as them and possibly worse (to be honest we are compared to a lot of them). Tigers are paying 600k a year for Doueihi why? They're in a much better position than us (attraction wise) and I know that's hard to take considering how much BM i've seen thrown towards them.
Green is 33 going onto 34.
We do agree about looking after players, their families, the fact she will have 2 terms and then be judged. I do hope they succeed and I love how DWZ is talking us up. Surely that helps.
Wouldn't be a bad team USO. If only we could nab Munster as well!
Is that the same experts that said we were certainties for the spoon the past two seasons?
It's where we're expected to finish at the start of the season. There are always teams that do better or worse than what's expected. I've already told you that and also that I think we'll finish just outside the bottom four. It's a lot more likely we get the wooden spoon than make the eight tho. I believe we over performed last year. We've barely strengthened whereas others have (e.g. Cowboys) as well as I believe a few of the teams that finish below us are better than us on paper and had a poor season last year (e.g. Dragons). Titans are the only team I can say we're "certainties" to finish above with the Warriors close to that.