2024 Bulldogs Finals Bound!?

[King Gus]

Whats the deal?

If bulldogs don’t finish higher than 15th I delete my account and if bulldogs finish higher than 15th he deletes his account.

 

[D.O.W.]

I think that helps us (no big names) less ego…if we get the defence right and we just graduate by that I mean little improvements….last year was a roller coaster from week to week…I think the pack we have will improve.

Bang on, we’ve never really been that team with the big flashy names, more so built on grit, mental toughness and determination (and we typically always recruited that type of player).

I can’t seeing us get a 1M+ Haas or AFB caliber middle, It’ll be a Hamlin Uele/Tyrell May type complemented by our pathways talent for years to come..

 

[Marki]

The comparison was last year's backline attack versus this year's, against the same opposition, not against a SOO team.

You think Crichton only "looks fine on paper", interesting.
You think Kikau and Preston only "look fine on paper", interesting.

Of course there is always the risk of injury, but unlike last year we have some decent backups in all backline positions, so we won't have to rely on players with only at best single digit NRL games.


Always a Bulldog

I've never paid too much credence on experience in rugby league...

I feel you value experience over ability way too much.

Never singled out Chrichton as only good on paper, I was talking about the backline as a whole.

Oh, and if experience is so important, why did Preston do so well with none?

Experience is important in tight or high stakes games. For anything else, a rookie is equal enough as long as he has ability.

 

[Marki]

If bulldogs don’t finish higher than 15th I delete my account and if bulldogs finish higher than 15th he deletes his account.

Define "higher" !

 

[King Gus]

Define "higher" !

14

 

[TwinTurbo]

I've never paid too much credence on experience in rugby league...

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it.

I feel you value experience over ability way too much.

I treat it as an ingredient, in an RL season there are lot of ingredients, for the individual player as well as the team as a whole (that includes coaching staff).

Never singled out Chrichton as only good on paper, I was talking about the backline as a whole.

Crichton is an important member of the back line. Similarly you also classed Kikau and Preston as "only good on paper".

Oh, and if experience is so important, why did Preston do so well with none?

But how much better would he have gone with experience? Maybe this season we will find out. You want a counter, tell me that TPJ didn't waste his talent with his inability to hack it game after game? The experience was too much for him.

Experience is important in tight or high stakes games. For anything else, a rookie is equal enough as long as he has ability.

The vast majority of people in the world would consider experience to be a vital ingredient in the success of an individual or a team. There are plenty of examples of players with talent and ability that never played a single NRL game. There are even more extremely talented players that only played a handful of games and then found the week in week out physical and mental strain too much for them to handle.


Always a Bulldog

 

[CrittaMagic69]

If bulldogs don’t finish higher than 15th I delete my account and if bulldogs finish higher than 15th he deletes his account.

Neither account holds any real value hehe

 

[King Gus]

Neither account holds any real value hehe

Don’t care as long as he goes.

 

[bradtalo]

So you don’t believe that an attacking backline of Crichton, JAC, Xerri, Kikau, Burton, Sexton, Preston, Tracey and Kiraz won't score more points than last year’s backline containing Perham, Alamoti, Flanagan and Averillo, interesting.

The way I see it there’s plenty enough speed, evasiveness and power in this year’s backline to rack up plenty of points no matter where on the field the attack starts.

Always a Bulldog

I agree our back 5 look very good but without decent props to get them field position and average halves in Burton (no passing game) and Sexton I can't see our backline getting a lot of good opportunities unfortunately. More NRL experience means we'll tackle better on our tryline but our middles will continue to get steamrolled so the whole team will again be under constant pressure in defence for long periods in our own half. This then drains energy when in attack. Our goal line defence last year was the worst I've ever seen in a Dogs team. I hope I'm wrong but this is the way I see it without 2-3 big strong middles and a very average 7 in Sexton. I'm amazed Gus wasn't able to sign 1 decent prop from those that were available since mid last year

 

[GoTheDoggies]

All the haters will have egg on their face when we break the finals drought in 2024.

 

[TwinTurbo]

I agree our back 5 look very good but without decent props to get them field position and average halves in Burton (no passing game) and Sexton I can't see our backline getting a lot of good opportunities unfortunately. More NRL experience means we'll tackle better on our tryline but our middles will continue to get steamrolled so the whole team will again be under constant pressure in defence for long periods in our own half. This then drains energy when in attack. Our goal line defence last year was the worst I've ever seen in a Dogs team. I hope I'm wrong but this is the way I see it without 2-3 big strong middles and a very average 7 in Sexton. I'm amazed Gus wasn't able to sign 1 decent prop from those that were available since mid last year

I think most people would agree that we need 1 quality prop, but 3 quality middles you have got to be kidding. Right now there isn’t 1 quality prop available, and last time I checked we have Mahoney and Curran who are quality middles with Turpin and Mann as decent back ups. Plus 2nd rowers often defend in the middle and Kikau plus Preston are not exactly slackers either.

Sexton may well end up at 1/2 but that not guaranteed, Taaffe is a damn good half (made to play fullback due to necessity) and he’ll be pushing all the way through preseason, trials and every game after that. In the same vane more than half of the team that runs out for Round 1 wasn’t here last season, it’s just time wasting trying to use last year as any basis of comparison.

Everyone knows who was supposedly available and who wasn’t really available and who failed the medical. So let it go, nothing we post will change what has already happened.


Always a Bulldog

 

[bradtalo]

I think most people would agree that we need 1 quality prop, but 3 quality middles you have got to be kidding. Right now there isn’t 1 quality prop available, and last time I checked we have Mahoney and Curran who are quality middles with Turpin and Mann as decent back ups. Plus 2nd rowers often defend in the middle and Kikau plus Preston are not exactly slackers either.

Sexton may well end up at 1/2 but that not guaranteed, Taaffe is a damn good half (made to play fullback due to necessity) and he’ll be pushing all the way through preseason, trials and every game after that. In the same vane more than half of the team that runs out for Round 1 wasn’t here last season, it’s just time wasting trying to use last year as any basis of comparison.

Everyone knows who was supposedly available and who wasn’t really available and who failed the medical. So let it go, nothing we post will change what has already happened.


Always a Bulldog

Yes I'm hoping Taaffe gets a shot at 7 also. Former NSW under 19s 7 with Burton at 6 in the same team. To be top 4 we need 2-3 strong big middles but if we could even get 1 it would help a lot. I hope Gus is doing everything possible to sign Terrell May and Hamlin-Uele from the Sharks. Money shouldn't be an issue after we missed Luai.

 

[Bulldog wazza]

I'm going to call this season a break out for a number of changes in our squad that have been with resilience and pride in their roles as NRL players bringing the teams closer to that allusive top 8. I like our backline and indeed see the previous spine of Mahoney Burton Sexton being stronger this season with my choice for Number 1 to go to Blake.
Prop Forwards are more reliable this year if managed well in rotation and stay healthy with King and Knight. Kiks Presto Curran Mann along with our Juniors to show a harder edge and relentless pursuit to working harder and smarter.
I doubt we see a repeat of last year's injury crisis and do see perhaps other teams will perhaps under estimate us.

 

[The_Chimpster]

I'm an eternal optimist but we have a better chance of nasheed being our GM than us making the eight this year

 

[D0GMATIC]

Yes I'm hoping Taaffe gets a shot at 7 also. Former NSW under 19s 7 with Burton at 6 in the same team. To be top 4 we need 2-3 strong big middles but if we could even get 1 it would help a lot. I hope Gus is doing everything possible to sign Terrell May and Hamlin-Uele from the Sharks. Money shouldn't be an issue after we missed Luai.

To get Terrell May, we'd have to move someone along to accommodate Taylan. I'd hate to lose Kiraz . . . But we'd have to jettison either Fox, Xerri Skelton or Kiraz for it to happen

 

[surfdog]

I could see Warriors, Knights and Raiders missing the 8, Sharks not sure but wouldn't be surprised. Souffs just have to good a squad ( like easts ) to miss. eels /cows /eagles should be in the mix. If we can get a better run with injury and and a bit of starch in our defence there should be a few more winnable games on offer.Think we miss finals but will give a few sides more trouble this year.

 

[ILiveForDib]

I could see Warriors, Knights and Raiders missing the 8, Sharks not sure but wouldn't be surprised. Souffs just have to good a squad ( like easts ) to miss. eels /cows /eagles should be in the mix. If we can get a better run with injury and and a bit of starch in our defence there should be a few more winnable games on offer.Think we miss finals but will give a few sides more trouble this year.

Think we will be more competitive in periods of games we have more quality at hand our down fall will be sustaining it for 80 minutes. Sexton won’t dissapoint I hope but when you’re lining up against the likes of SJ for example and halfbacks who can dictate play you just get squeezed out of games.

Do agree that we will win a few more our defense out wide will be a night and day improvement to previous years. We have more attacking threat games should be closer you just don’t make the 8 when you compare our halves and middle to the rest.