2023 Will See The Changing Of The Guard

[Novdoggie]

If you notice of late, most of the player movements are coming from teams currently dominating the NRL competition over the past few years. The top teams are bleeding players rapidly and the blood won't be stopping anytime soon. And we are talking about talented top level players in their teams respectively.

Teams such as Penrith who have now lost Burton, Naden and Kikau, the Storm Addo-Carr, Finucane,Hines and likely Brandon Smith, Cameron Munster and Jerome Hughes have or will go to the market. Not to mention Craig Bellamy leaving as head coach which he has held since 2003. Parramatta have also lost Isaiah Papali'i and Marata Niukore. Strong talks of Reed Mahoney leaving and Clint Gutherson still deciding his future the Eels could be decimated come 2023. The Rabbitohs losing Adam Reynold's to the Bronco's could be one of the biggest impacts of player movements we will see. The Rabbitohs have lost their general and this should not he underestimated.

Just like all the above teams mentioned and with the merry-go-round in player movement's could see the changing of the guard within the next year or two.

Going by recent signings, are we seeing teams such as the Bulldog's build a new powerhouse team that could see them dominate for the next five to ten years? And will we see the current top sides struggle to gain ascendancy where we could see rivalries between teams hit new heights due to more and more players ending up playing against their previous clubs? No game will be bigger and meaner than the Bulldog's v Panther's.

One thing is for certain, the NRL is going to have more spite and bitterness at the games than ever seen before. Fans are going to show their passion like never before. And it is almost guaranteed, that teams such as the Bulldog's becoming a force again, their fans will be back baby!

Watch out, the Dogs are coming!!

 

[Scoooby]

We had to make a comeback, and this time the switch is well an truly flicked to Green for GO .!!!!!

 

[Haza]

I think this has a lot to do with the influence of player managers aswell. They have a big influence as to which clubs they deal with.

 

[jof]

There's enough good players for about 10 teams and the NRL want 18 teams so player hopping is just going to get worse. Good for the news sites though, they have tonnes of articles they can churn out non stop about player movement.

 

[TOTTO]

I just like that a few months ago we were the team no one wanted to play for and Burton was crazy for coming here or so the media thought lol.

 

[Alan79]

From the perspective of the fans it's not healthy for the game to have such a huge gap between the best and worst sides. I've been thinking for a few years that they need to adjust the way they apply the salary cap while making offers for players. The concept of Unders allows some teams to circumvent the cap. Can't easily be proven when teams make off the book payments, but the roosters will now have about 4 players happily sacrificing 200k or more per year if we're expected to believe the story they're telling.

What the NRL need to do is to set a rule up so if an understrength team offers 800k for a star player, a team stacked with talent can't come in with an offer that's 30% lower. They need to make a rule where the stacked team has to offer within 10% of the highest bidder. So imagine that two years ago we'd offered Tedesco a million, the roosters offered 700k and got him allowing them to pool 300k towards a pretty handy depth player. You'd assume that uncle Nick will get Tedesco the extra 300k off the books. But it's a huge advantage to still have 300k to offer the next player. If the 10% idea was in play they're not going to be able to get quite the same level of player if they've paid Tedesco 900k. So the 300k player that still represents quality (top 17 player) from a weaker team couldn't be recruited to a team where they're just a depth.

In under 5 years I think it would go a long way to better distributing the talent if you had to offer within 10% of what the highest bidder did.

 

[bullanth]

I think this has a lot to do with the influence of player managers aswell. They have a big influence as to which clubs they deal with.

Most definitely ,some of the top managers dint have a great relationship with the previous management guys like kikau burton etc more than likely would not b here.

 

[Spoonman84]

We need a changing of the guard this year. We simply cannot let any bad habits or losing culture from the previous years to infect next season or we will never get rid of it. Every season for the past few years we have had an eye on the next season before the current one has even started it’s gotta stop. Things need to happen in the short term.

 

[MoNkEy]

Every season for the past few years we have had an eye on the next season before the current one has even started it’s gotta stop.

As long as contract negotiations with other clubs are allowed to occur a year ahead of the current contract expiring, this will continue to happen at every club.

Your point with regard to habits/culture is most valid, though.

 

[albatross]

From the perspective of the fans it's not healthy for the game to have such a huge gap between the best and worst sides. I've been thinking for a few years that they need to adjust the way they apply the salary cap while making offers for players. The concept of Unders allows some teams to circumvent the cap. Can't easily be proven when teams make off the book payments, but the roosters will now have about 4 players happily sacrificing 200k or more per year if we're expected to believe the story they're telling.

What the NRL need to do is to set a rule up so if an understrength team offers 800k for a star player, a team stacked with talent can't come in with an offer that's 30% lower. They need to make a rule where the stacked team has to offer within 10% of the highest bidder. So imagine that two years ago we'd offered Tedesco a million, the roosters offered 700k and got him allowing them to pool 300k towards a pretty handy depth player. You'd assume that uncle Nick will get Tedesco the extra 300k off the books. But it's a huge advantage to still have 300k to offer the next player. If the 10% idea was in play they're not going to be able to get quite the same level of player if they've paid Tedesco 900k. So the 300k player that still represents quality (top 17 player) from a weaker team couldn't be recruited to a team where they're just a depth.

In under 5 years I think it would go a long way to better distributing the talent if you had to offer within 10% of what the highest bidder did.

No doubt the debate about spreading talent will gain momentum as the teams expand faster than the talent pool. It won't help the NRL or the game if teams start going bust, so something to ensure reasonable distribution of talent is probably needed. But I think the salary cap is enough. The gap between the best teams and worst teams has always been there, I just think it feels much bigger when our team is last and has had several shitty years.

I also think being an employer of choice is something an organisation has to work hard to become and clubs who achieve that shouldn't be penalised because players are willing to play in that environment for less. Brown paper bags do muddy the salary cap waters, but I reckon there's more danger for the game in rewarding mediocrity than allowing the better run teams to prosper on the back of their hard work.

 

[Ant2611]

I just like that a few months ago we were the team no one wanted to play for and Burton was crazy for coming here or so the media thought lol.

They didn't just think. Every article seemed to be bulldog related. Journo's love kicking the Dogs when we are down. Well we are back on our knees and soon to be standing........ come March we will be throwing punches and by Easter they will be landing...........

 

[Berries]

We need a changing of the guard this year. We simply cannot let any bad habits or losing culture from the previous years to infect next season or we will never get rid of it. Every season for the past few years we have had an eye on the next season before the current one has even started it’s gotta stop. Things need to happen in the short term.

Half this forum picked up to sneak into the 8 with Lewis at halfback, there’s going to be no shortage of optimism for next year on here lol

 

[bricktamland]

We need a changing of the guard this year. We simply cannot let any bad habits or losing culture from the previous years to infect next season or we will never get rid of it. Every season for the past few years we have had an eye on the next season before the current one has even started it’s gotta stop. Things need to happen in the short term.

You know what ? Best thing we did was finally sack Elliot , such a flog. The culture at the dogs can change now cause basically it’s a new team . And coming from winning clubs . Exciting to think Vaughn and Dufty are playing for new contracts which benefits us

 

[Bulldogsforlife23]

Nathan Cleary and luai are still there so Penrith would still dominate but we will be domanating more I hope

 

[Dognacious]

Yeh after a while dominant teams cant afford to keep all their players, coz they all at some point think they are worth more if the team is successful. After a premiership win everyone expects a pay rise. So Penrith will have the most cap pressure right now. Im happy we were able to help Panthers out with that lol. They can thank us later for helping their cap situation

 

[TwinTurbo]

There's enough good players for about 10 teams and the NRL want 18 teams so player hopping is just going to get worse. Good for the news sites though, they have tonnes of articles they can churn out non stop about player movement.

You could be right, but if the 170 good players (17 x 10) are spread evenly around the 18 teams then that‘s far from a problem. What the real problem is is teams being allowed to stock pile players.

FFS Melbourne had 3 top quality hookers in 2020, loaned 1 out and then got him back for the next year. They had 2 quality 5/8’s last season. The addition of the Dolphins helps reduce the chances of that in the future as it eats into Melbourne‘s almost recruiting monopoly is SE Qld since the fall of the Donkeys. The rise of the Titans also assists in spreading that talent pool around.

My view is that the addition of the Dolphins helps with making the league more competiitive, not less.

Always a Bulldog

 

[Vlasnik]

All I read was teams such as Penrith who have now lost Burton, Naden and Kikau, the Storm Addo-Carr and hopefully Reed Mahoney leaving Parramatta. All Bulldogs bound can this day get any better?

 

[gbrussell]

I think this has a lot to do with the influence of player managers aswell. They have a big influence as to which clubs they deal with.

100% correct.

 

[Benno Bulldog]

im thinking that for us 22 may usher in the winds of change. Other NRL clubs like, Manly and Rorters are looking vulnerable really relying on a few players for success. Could all shift quite quickly.

 

[gbrussell]

Not a fan of the Salary Cap and not a fan of any club losing players that have come into first grade through their own pathways system, due to cap problems. There has to be a better way of equalising team strengths, and also better concessions to teams who breed first and buy second.