News A complete spine, Tevita Pangai Junior and Trent Barrett: Five burning questions – Canterbury Bulldogs

[Phalangist]

Better team on paper in 2021 then 2020

no Foran
No remis smith
No CHN

from the top of my head that’s three pretty decent players
Didn’t include Tolman because I think it was time for him to go and the right call.

 

[Philmus]

Agree. This whole thing about “gelling” is a little over-exaggerated. No doubt the players need to build combos, but if they can do it in one week for the state of origin spectacle, I don’t see why it should take years at club level

Exactly -how long do origin teams have to 'gel' with each other? What about a Kangaroos side, or the indigenous all stars side? its a total load of crap. granted there may be slight teething issues the first handful of games, but they'll be right - they are professionals. the fact its been rehashed in every single article this off season really boils my blood. The boys have been training day in day out together for a couple of months now. they'll be fine

 

[TwinTurbo]

Exactly -how long do origin teams have to 'gel' with each other? What about a Kangaroos side, or the indigenous all stars side? its a total load of crap. granted there may be slight teething issues the first handful of games, but they'll be right - they are professionals. the fact its been rehashed in every single article this off season really boils my blood. The boys have been training day in day out together for a couple of months now. they'll be fine

In those games the opposition has exactly the same (lack of gel) problem. As a result the opposition's defensive structure (lack of) makes the other team's attack look better than it really is, and vice versa. Being rep teams the quality of player is also much higher, so their lack of gel is often covered up by individual player's abilities. Take TT in last year's SOO for example, virtually unstoppable (lack of Qld gel in defense), then TT against Melbourne (plenty of gel) in last year's final, did virtually nothing.

Gel is important when the opposition has it and you don't.


Always a Bulldog

 

[Como Dog]

Don't hide when Averillo drop kicks Cleary out of the NSW and Australian side.

and Dufty will oust Tom Trbojevic in the NSW and Australian sides.

 

[2144superman]

 

[Chris Harding]

We barely made it to the fifth tackle with handling errors last year and I can’t say that the kicks completed we could classify as bombs,

And we were giving away too many repeat sets to get an attacking structure going.

 

[Philmus]

In those games the opposition has exactly the same (lack of gel) problem. As a result the opposition's defensive structure (lack of) makes the other team's attack look better than it really is, and vice versa. Being rep teams the quality of player is also much higher, so their lack of gel is often covered up by individual player's abilities. Take TT in last year's SOO for example, virtually unstoppable (lack of Qld gel in defense), then TT against Melbourne (plenty of gel) in last year's final, did virtually nothing.

Gel is important when the opposition has it and you don't.


Always a Bulldog

Fair point, I do understand what you're saying. But then if that's the case, don't Brisbane with a new half in Reynolds who hasn't played with Brisbane before or got a locked in halves partner, Cronulla with Hynes and Moylan in the halves and Mcinnes potentially at hooker having never played together, Warriors with the new pairing of Johnson and Ash Taylor or CHT, Knights having to use a new hooker due to injury and a new half due to Mitchell Pearce leaving, Tigers with a combo of Brookes/Hastings/Douehi halves and Peachey potentially filling in at 14 in the spine, Cowboys with an inexperienced Dearden in his first full season there to partner the new recruit in Townsend, St George with almost as many signings as we've had, Souths with a new rookie half to cover Reynolds, all have to gel too? Not to mention other players that aren't in a spine position that those clubs have freshly recruited too. Not once have we heard from media about any of those teams having to 'gel' yet all we've heard about our team is the sentiment of it'll take them a while to get used to playing with each other. In line with your comment, if those teams also have to gel, won't our attack look better than it really is?

 

[Dogs Of War]

View attachment 38673

I see a lot of halves pairings in that list that won't even be happening unless injury bites. Bit of a joke really.

 

[Philmus]

I see a lot of halves pairings in that list that won't even be happening unless injury bites. Bit of a joke really.

even looking at it i don't understand. i know i'm biased, but for example how does Brimson whos moving from fullback to partner Sexton who's played 6 games rating higher than us?

 

[Bulldogs09]

How the tigers and dragons rate so high is beyond me. I’d take ours purely on burton alone ffs.

 

[ddt192]

Tigers 8th? With Brooks the myth? LOL Who writes this garbage?

 

[Philmus]

How the tigers and dragons rate so high is beyond me. I’d take ours purely on burton alone ffs.

Brooks is one of the shittest halves in the comp. 9 seasons and never played finals. yet him and Hastings who's not played NRL in 5 years get put into 8th spot...?
Granted, on his day Hunt can turn it on. But he hasn't got the experienced Norman there to take pressure off him anymore, Amone's played 11 games of first grade and is only 19 years old?

 

[Bulldogs09]

Brooks is one of the shittest halves in the comp. 9 seasons and never played finals. yet him and Hastings who's not played NRL in 5 years get put into 8th spot...?
Granted, on his day Hunt can turn it on. But he hasn't got the experienced Norman there to take pressure off him anymore, Amone's played 11 games of first grade and is only 19 years old?

Yeh and Hastings was trash before he left. Hunt has killed it far more at 9 in recent years.
Woeful write up.

 

[kap123]

View attachment 38673

Theyve got the top 6 right but the rest is pretty subjective. In my opinion, Shaun Johnson is the most overrated player going into 2022. I'm glad we didn't get him for the money tossed around not that I think he is shit. The 2nd which may be controversial is Nicho Hynes. Anyone can look good when you're flogging shit teams in one of the best teams assembled (as Meaney will probably look this year) but some of the wraps he was getting are absurd. Dragons can't be so high given they have a rookie at 6 and I think Hunt is a better hooker than halfback. Tigers need to drop, 8 is an absolute piss take and they've completed disrespected Adam Doueihi.

Mine would be:

1 Panthers
2 Storm
3 Manly
4 Parra
5 Roosters
6 Rabbits
7 Raiders
8 Broncos
9 Warriors
10 Sharks
11 Dogs
12 Titans
13 Dragons
14 Tigers
15 Cowboys
16 Knights

 

[Doge]

Burton has only played 6 games in the halves and no one outside Belmore rates Averillo as a halfback.

Hunt has performed at Origin level and was one tackle away from being a premiership winning halfback.

Brooks being in 8th makes you question the whole list but if you swap them with the Broncos I reckon it’s pretty close.

 

[kap123]

Burton has only played 6 games in the halves and no one outside Belmore rates Averillo as a halfback.

Hunt has performed at Origin level and was one tackle away from being a premiership winning halfback.

Brooks being in 8th makes you question the whole list but if you swap them with the Broncos I reckon it’s pretty close.

That's not true regarding Averillo. Heaps of people know he is really talented but question whether 7 is his spot. Given we have Burton to cover long kicking game, I think Averillo is great at 7 because he is fit so can play that sweeping role quite well on both sides of the field and takes on the line. He was our Player of the Year FFS ("it wasn't hard to be Bulldogs Player of the Year in 2022".... no mate!)

Burton is touted by immortals to be the next Freddy Fittler, enough said!

 

[Doge]

Burton is touted by immortals to be the next Freddy Fittler, enough said!

No pressure Matty

 

[Bulldogs09]

Burton has only played 6 games in the halves and no one outside Belmore rates Averillo as a halfback.

Hunt has performed at Origin level and was one tackle away from being a premiership winning halfback.

Brooks being in 8th makes you question the whole list but if you swap them with the Broncos I reckon it’s pretty close.

And since hunt did that (which in my opinion was far more to do with how good Milford was that year) he has dished up 6 years of meh….

 

[Doge]

He’s been unlucky, once he got his confidence back from the GF he had a run of injuries. He was QLDs player of the series last year and he only played one game.

If he was our halfback with Burton we would be in the top half of this list.

 

[Philmus]

Theyve got the top 6 right but the rest is pretty subjective. In my opinion, Shaun Johnson is the most overrated player going into 2022. I'm glad we didn't get him for the money tossed around not that I think he is shit. The 2nd which may be controversial is Nicho Hynes. Anyone can look good when you're flogging shit teams in one of the best teams assembled (as Meaney will probably look this year) but some of the wraps he was getting are absurd. Dragons can't be so high given they have a rookie at 6 and I think Hunt is a better hooker than halfback. Tigers need to drop, 8 is an absolute piss take and they've completed disrespected Adam Doueihi.

Mine would be:

1 Panthers
2 Storm
3 Manly
4 Parra
5 Roosters
6 Rabbits
7 Raiders
8 Broncos
9 Warriors
10 Sharks
11 Dogs
12 Titans
13 Dragons
14 Tigers
15 Cowboys
16 Knights

Agree that Hunt is a better 9 however they've got Mccullogh there so Hunt will be playing 7. Moylan is so hit and miss and frequently injured, as i'm sure he will be this year. I dont think Hynes is going to able to carry the team as well with so much pressure on him. He'll be OK, but definitely shouldnt be as high as they are in that list

I'd swap Roosters and Parra, Keary has returned and Sam Walker is a gun. Dylan Brown can go missing in games and I feel like Moses has a tendency to flop in big games.

Also don't know how Blake Taffe will go at 7 with Walker, big question mark there

1. Panthers - Dont even need a write up for Cleary and Luai
2. Storm - Jarome Hughs one of the best 7's in the game, Munster off the drink with a point to prove
3. Manly - Only this high is Foran doesnt break down, but both halves look good with TT in the team
4. Roosters - Keary's return will be a big boost in their halves
5. Parramatta - Moses is decent, Brown goes missing but there are far worse options
6. Raiders - Fogarty will probably end up steering the ship like Sezer did to allow Wighton to run the ball more
7. Rabbits - Question marks on Taffe may lead to more pressure on Cody and affect his natural game
8. Warriors - SJ has experience, Taylor without the pressure of $1m may come good, if not CHT wasn't terrible last year
9. Broncos - given that Reynolds will probably play with a revolving door of 5/8 in Gamble/Walters/Kelly
10. Sharks - Moylan will surely get injured at some point in the year. Who comes in to partner Hynes?
11. Dogs - Burto will be right with a bit of time getting back to 6 instead of centre, not sure who plays 7 at this point
12. Tigers - No Douehi in that list when hes the best half at the club, Brooks is a flop and Hastings has been in ESL for 5 years
13. Dragons - Amone an 11 game rookie
14. Titans - Brimson into 5/8 from fullback untried in NRL, Sexton played only 6 games or something
15. Cowboys - Dearden is terrible and Townsend coming off injury in a shit team
16. Newcastle - Drinkwater and Clune... no confidence in either to be honest. Theres an article today saying Newcastle has approached Milford. Still have them in last if thats the case