Opinion 2025 X-Factor / Top Try Scorer ..

Was thinking about that the other day. We have a lost an x-factor in JAC so someone needs to step up. On paper Critta is obviously our x-factor. Perhaps our other x-factor will be our defence in that we will build on last year and have consistent defensive line speed and pressure for 80 minutes.

Possible other x-factors (totally speculative):
- Sexton starts having games like he did against the dragqueens every other week
- Amone or Hughes steps up and have 160m+ all run metres games every week
- Xerri trims down in the off season, maintains his power output and increases his top speed
- Tracey/Kiraz and Montoya have 450m all run metres between them per game consistently
- Preston to stay fit all year will be an x-factor in attack on the edge

No doubt Kikau will do Kikau things, Mann will distribute and be our key in defence and Burton will save our weaker sets with his boot.

Amone will be our top try scorer in the forwards or close to it. Xerri needs to be our top try scorer in the backs.
 
Big_Kahunas said:
I'm sure this was in jest, but in all seriousness, if Montoya can get run metres like a panthers back then this is a massive win.
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He hasn't done that his entire career, can't see him starting now.
 
Big_Kahunas said:
I'm sure this was in jest, but in all seriousness, if Montoya can get run metres like a panthers back then this is a massive win.
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Honestly it actually wasn’t! Im not the biggest fan of him as I never liked him plsying with us before he left, but he scored twice against us this year and he’s stronger than before

If not him definitely Kiraz
 
Moey91 said:
Honestly it actually wasn’t! Im not the biggest fan of him as I never liked him plsying with us before he left, but he scored twice against us this year and he’s stronger than before

If not him definitely Kiraz
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The most tries Montoya has ever scored in a season was 12 & that was in his rookie season at the Bulldogs. He has only twice ever scored more than 8 tries for an entire season.
 
We don’t have X-Factor as such in our squad. I just hope that Reed, Burton, Sexton & Tracey can get some consistent games all together to get combinations better. Which will hopefully cover for the lack of genuine C-Factor.

Xerri I think with another offseason will be back to his best next season and our top Try Scorer.
 
Helmut Dog Wizard said:
That’s the question isn’t it!

While swapping Fox for Montoya will improve our meterage and kick returns it will do little for our offence with Fox being able to sometimes turn half chances into points.

Burton is an X-factor player but that’s been forgotten because over the last few seasons he’s been burdened with the task of being a chief playmaker.

If Sexton can free him up to run more then Matt can be that guy.

We also have one of the better centre combos in the game so early ball to Critta and Xerri would make sense.

Finally our support play can be improved. I lost count of how many times Kurt Mann got an arm free but went to ground because there was no one to pass to.

So for me I would be thinking early ball to the centres, encouraging Matt to run first to compress the defence and emphasising support play through the middle.

To answer your question and If I had to guess:

Burton would be our X factor and Kiraz our top try scorer…
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Montoya got dropped by warriors last year (possibly twice).. he's average at best... Round 1 team:
1. Tracy
2. Kiraz
3. Xerri
4. Critta
5. Blake Wilson
6. Burto
7. SEX Bomb
8. King
9. Reed
10. Hughes
11. Kiks
12. Sitili
13. Presto
14. Mann
15. Curran
16. Amone (if he plays decent in trials)
17. Underhill/Hayes
18. Haywood
19. Underhill/Hayes
 
For some reason I am thinking Montoya. I think being on the end of our new improved team and that we have been focusing on attack with slick passing and speed I have a feeling that the wingers are going to be scoring a lot. But the thing about Montoya is he has a fair amount of speed but also size.

He may end being similar to the bigger wingers who can also break tackles like Marchew, Young or Mulitalo. Thats not to say that Kiraz won't be up there as well. But Montoya may end up not just being a backup but cement a first grade spot back at the Dogs and be a top try scorer for us.
 
Might a genuine x-factor type player actually be bad for our system. The type of players with huge egos I'm probably thinking more of. I don't know or believe we currently have that type of player or think our recruitment staff would actually be seeking one. Team first mentalities don't accommodate huge egos. Depends how you define x-factor I guess.
 
Thinking more about it, didn't we just unload a player of that description?
 
Have to agree with cmp. There is no one in our current nrl team that has genuine X factor. In saying that I think there’ll be a few players that will have a big year and maybe push for rep honours. In terms of X factor I think it’s likely to come from someone in cup or fleg in 2026 or later.
 
I'd rather our 1 through to 6 gets minimum 10 tries each, with our 2nd rowers adding 5 to 7 each

We dont need an x factor but we sure as hell do have a lot of strike on our edges, both sides
 
What I like about our team right now is that while we have a lot of talent across the park, I can't identify one in particular that leaps out as our absolute X factor. Kiraz, Chrichton, Xerri, Wilson and Tracey are all capable of X factor moments from the outside backs. If Sexton can play close to his best games consistently this season I think he'll create plenty of opportunities for everyone and it'll mean that Burton has less attention on him when it's time to take kicks. If Burton improves his short kicking game he becomes a lot more threatening near the line. Kikau can steamroll players and is bloody quick for a big bloke and he has the presence of mind to know when to hand the call off to someone quicker. Preston and Curran can use footwork to hit holes. And those are just a few of our established players.

As far as top tryscorer goes. I can't really pick that either. None of our current backs really strike me as being hogs who'll always try and ensure they nab the try. They seem to be happy to hand the ball off to someone else if they're not likely to score. But I'll say Kiraz.
 
Xerri and Tracey are my picks for top try scorers .. X Fatcor remains Captain Critta
 
I think Sexton will be the x factor because the brothel he visits before the Chinese meals really puts a kick in his step. On a serious note I think he showed he has "heads up" play potential so if that keeps improving and he goes to the line more I think more breaks will initiate from him.
 
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