our top 17 when we started the year
1. Meaney - an old school running fullback with limited ball skills and slight of build. Left the Knights for an opportunity to play FG. Unproven.
2. Smith - a tall, very fast winger who showed good form towards the end of 2018. Very good.
3. Hopoate - a consistent performer at fullback and centre, has rep experience, but seems to have lost pace during his Mormon mission. Has not played Origin in 4 years despite being only 27 years old now. Past his best.
4. Holland - a fringe/squad player, good goal kicker, has good instincts but lack the speed and athleticism most outside backs now have in the NRL. Replaced a rep standard centre for us in Josh Morris.
5. Okunbor - tall, rangy winger with questionable hands and defence but has potential. Unproven.
6. Foran - one of the best five-eighths in the game while at Manly, a NZ international, but has struggled since leaving the Sea Eagles with unsuccessful stints at the Eels and Warriors before moving across to us. Many have questioned whether his body I starting to break down with all the injuries he has had. Past his best.
7. Lewis - awesome defender, calm demeanour on the field, good kicking game but limited athletically (in particular, his speed) which then limits how effective he can be as a half. Still early in his career. Unwanted at Canberra. Was unwanted by us early last year. Unproven and probably a limited player.
8. Tolman - workhorse, very experienced, makes few errors, slow, never really fulfilled his potential, and has the infuriating tendency of getting/calling for the ball on 4th and 5th tackles in the opposition half. City-Country Rep only.
9. Marshall-King - 24 years old this year. I would assume signed as a half but he could not make a go of it as he lacks any real creativity. Game in defence and does provide good service/passing and is doing a job for us at hooker. Squad player.
10. Napa - Premiership winner, rep player, damaging runner and can put on big hits. Can be erratic and has errors in him. Off field issues did not help. Good.
11. Jackson - Rep player, played in GFs, came up thru the grades, workhorse, good in defence. Has been a bit down on form over the last couple years. Very good.
12. Harawira-Naera - questions in his defence but a very damaging wide second rower. Runs good lines. Very good footwork, has an off load. He and Foran can do great things on the edges.
13. Elliott - a hard worker but I have always thought he lacked impact. Squad player.
14. Lichaa - I really don't want to pile onto him but for all his promise from years back, he just did not develop as hoped. Slow service from dummy half, makes bad decisions. Not FG standard.
15. Fualalo - an ok player off the bench and for depth. Nothing more IMO.
16. Faitala-Mariner - a damaging ball runner but questionable defence. Ok.
17. Sue - an ok player off the bench and for depth, good in defence. Nothing more IMO.
is there a worse spine in the comp? I don't think so... the rep players we have are past their best and aren't getting selected for rep teams now... our bench is poor... our young players have potential but are unproven... our coach is unproven
my only hope this season was that we avoid the spoon, which we have... when we were 3 wins from 14 games, my fears were being realised --> we were in games (eg. against the Storm in Melbourne), but lacked the quality to win and when we were not on, we were getting smashed
not quite sure what to make of the recent good run of form, besides it has been fun f*%#ing with all these clubs trying to make the finals... there seems to be a good chemistry and atmosphere amongst the players, they are great in defence, Foran has been good in his recent stint, Cogger was underrated, and they are playing above themselves --> which is what the 'Dogs have always been renowned for
we seem to be moving in the right direction which is the most important thing considering the general diminishing we were experiencing under Hasler in our results, playing squad and style of play