Here's the thing about 2024

xanderalexander

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Gus has come out and said that we only have a few players contracted in 2024. Now, I'm a big fan of Gus and have absolute faith that he will steer our club back on track. But I've got some issues with that comment.

1. It's essentially a subtle message to those whose contracts expire at the end of next season that the club is counting down the days until they can be sent packing;
2. It could possibly state to the market that our club will have another 'war-chest' of cash and that we are more than likely going to be able to afford paying overs for recruits;
3. It suggests that 2024 is potentially also a write off as there will be a whole swathe of new players who will need 1-2 seasons to form combinations and gel as a team.



******For those TL;DR - I'm worried about the message our club has basically put out in the last few days that we will essentially be buying a brand new team and hoping to be competitive in 2024/2025******




The following players are contracted for 2024:

* Addo Carr (wing/fullback)
* Burton (if he takes his player's option and remains) (5/8 or centre)
* Kikau (2RF)
* Max King (2RF)
* Kiraz (centre)
* Mahoney (hooker)
* TPJ (2RF)
* Schoupp (centre)

Of the current squad, unless there is a massive improvement, I'd personally only want to offer a contract extension to the following:

* Topine (2RF)
* Patolo (FRF)
* Hetherington (FRF)
* Biondi Odo (halfback/hooker)
* Casey (wing/fullback)

The 2024 team currently looks like this (unless I've missed something obvious)

1. Declan Casey + 0
2. Josh Addo Carr + 0
3. Aaron Schoupp + 0
4. Jacob Kiraz + 0
5. vacant
6. Matt Burton + 0
7. Bailey Biondi Odo + 0
8. Jack Hetherington + 0
9. Reed Mahoney + 0
10. Chris Patolo + 0
11. Tevita Pangai Junior + 0
12. Viliame Kikau + Jackson Topine
13. Max King + 0
__________
14. vacant
15. vacant
16. vacant
17. vacant

To summarise:

- According to Gus, we will have around $6.5m - $7m to spend on another 17-22 players
- We will need a top-tier halfback ($1.2m max)... Halves off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Munster, Drinkwater, Dylan Brown, Ben Hunt, Sam Walker, Hastings
- We will need a top-tier fullback ($1.1m max)... Fullbacks off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Niu, Cobbo, Nikoll-Klokstad, Savage, Will Kennedy, Drinkwater, Tabuai-Fidow, Latrell Mitchell, Daine Laurie
- We will need wing and coverage x2 ($900K max)... Wingers off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Tupou, Staines, Penisini, Sean Russell, Maika Sivo, Murray Taulagi, Tuala, Dom Young, Garrick, Marzhew, Katoa, Mulitalo, Savage
We will need FRF/2RF coverage x5 ($2m max)... FRF/2RF off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Flegler, Tapine, Talakai, McIntyre, Josh King, Bunty Afoa, Brodie Jones, Leo Thompson, Condon, Nanai, Liam Martin, Sorensen, Tago, Blore

That leaves around $700K - $1.3m - $1.8m to spend on a further 8-13 players, provided the above can stay on budget.


Which players would you be targeting and what would you suggest the Bulldogs pay per year?

Do you think we should be looking more closely at those in our lower grades for development across the next 18 months?

Given our development programs won't start generating quality NRL players for at least another 3-5 years, do you think it's worthwhile announcing to the world that we will be buying two-thirds of a team for 2024 and expecting to play finals footy in 2024/2025?
 

TwinTurbo

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We shouldn't forget or overlook that we have 10 (maybe 11) vacancies at the end of this season. So undoubtedly some, maybe half, of the vacant spots for 2024 will be filled in 2023. As a result there will be plenty of gelling going on next season.

Always a Bulldog
 

DogsOfWar1704

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We’d be dumb not to make a play for Munster atleast. Then try get a class fullback. And promote a few juniors.

1. ?
2. Jac
3. Schoupp
4. Alamoti
5. Kiraz
6. Munster
7. Burton
8. King
9. Mahoney
10. Tpj
11. Kikau
12. ?
13. Topine

14.?
15.?
16.?
17. ?
 

diddly

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Gus has come out and said that we only have a few players contracted in 2024. Now, I'm a big fan of Gus and have absolute faith that he will steer our club back on track. But I've got some issues with that comment.

1. It's essentially a subtle message to those whose contracts expire at the end of next season that the club is counting down the days until they can be sent packing;
2. It could possibly state to the market that our club will have another 'war-chest' of cash and that we are more than likely going to be able to afford paying overs for recruits;
3. It suggests that 2024 is potentially also a write off as there will be a whole swathe of new players who will need 1-2 seasons to form combinations and gel as a team.



******For those TL;DR - I'm worried about the message our club has basically put out in the last few days that we will essentially be buying a brand new team and hoping to be competitive in 2024/2025******




The following players are contracted for 2024:

* Addo Carr (wing/fullback)
* Burton (if he takes his player's option and remains) (5/8 or centre)
* Kikau (2RF)
* Max King (2RF)
* Kiraz (centre)
* Mahoney (hooker)
* TPJ (2RF)
* Schoupp (centre)

Of the current squad, unless there is a massive improvement, I'd personally only want to offer a contract extension to the following:

* Topine (2RF)
* Patolo (FRF)
* Hetherington (FRF)
* Biondi Odo (halfback/hooker)
* Casey (wing/fullback)

The 2024 team currently looks like this (unless I've missed something obvious)

1. Declan Casey + 0
2. Josh Addo Carr + 0
3. Aaron Schoupp + 0
4. Jacob Kiraz + 0
5. vacant
6. Matt Burton + 0
7. Bailey Biondi Odo + 0
8. Jack Hetherington + 0
9. Reed Mahoney + 0
10. Chris Patolo + 0
11. Tevita Pangai Junior + 0
12. Viliame Kikau + Jackson Topine
13. Max King + 0
__________
14. vacant
15. vacant
16. vacant
17. vacant

To summarise:

- According to Gus, we will have around $6.5m - $7m to spend on another 17-22 players
- We will need a top-tier halfback ($1.2m max)... Halves off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Munster, Drinkwater, Dylan Brown, Ben Hunt, Sam Walker, Hastings
- We will need a top-tier fullback ($1.1m max)... Fullbacks off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Niu, Cobbo, Nikoll-Klokstad, Savage, Will Kennedy, Drinkwater, Tabuai-Fidow, Latrell Mitchell, Daine Laurie
- We will need wing and coverage x2 ($900K max)... Wingers off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Tupou, Staines, Penisini, Sean Russell, Maika Sivo, Murray Taulagi, Tuala, Dom Young, Garrick, Marzhew, Katoa, Mulitalo, Savage
We will need FRF/2RF coverage x5 ($2m max)... FRF/2RF off contract end of 2023 that I would shortlist are: Flegler, Tapine, Talakai, McIntyre, Josh King, Bunty Afoa, Brodie Jones, Leo Thompson, Condon, Nanai, Liam Martin, Sorensen, Tago, Blore

That leaves around $700K - $1.3m - $1.8m to spend on a further 8-13 players, provided the above can stay on budget.


Which players would you be targeting and what would you suggest the Bulldogs pay per year?

Do you think we should be looking more closely at those in our lower grades for development across the next 18 months?

Given our development programs won't start generating quality NRL players for at least another 3-5 years, do you think it's worthwhile announcing to the world that we will be buying two-thirds of a team for 2024 and expecting to play finals footy in 2024/2025?
Plenty of cash to keep Burton in 24 if the club wants to.

Have you seen much of Casey? - He can do some good things but he is Okunbor/ Naden/ Dufty standard with his brain explosions (sin bins) and handling
 

WillieMasonFan

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I read somehere that Bulldog had declined to take up the option for Heatherington for 2023? Did I get this wrong?
 

B-Train

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You're reading way too much into Gus' comments. Just two weeks ago Gus said Baz would be the coach long after he leaves.. Take what he says with a grain of salt.

He's saying this about 2024 to lower expectations, to buy time for these players and the new coach, and to tell other players and managers that we'll have a tonne of cap space in 24 and we're open for business.
 

Doge

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Sounds like Gus is going for a Newcastle type rebuild where we spend 2022/23 giving the young guys as many games as possible while we cut the dead wood then start rebuilding the roster in 2024
 

boggie23

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What ever minimum contract players you have you slot in your u20s reserve graders.

Problem with this current team are we have probably 20-25 of those players currently in the squad.

Think of this. Naden was one of the reserve graders at Penrith who at the end would come in under origin time. For us he was our starting centre. And Then was dropped to starting centre.

He was and is a reserve grade talent in most teams. Dogs being stupid paid overs to bring him in supposedly as a “marquee” type player or big name. I was against it last year and I was proven right this year.

If we get a very strong 17. You take the risk and fill in the rest of the spots with fringe first graders or juniors. Hetherington for example would be an excellent bench player. Even patolo and Ava would be very solid reserve graders who can come in when needed to fill a spot for a week or 2 off the bench. Your problem is when these guys along with Waddell, Stimson etc start and play big mins. Recipe for disaster.
 

xanderalexander

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We shouldn't forget or overlook that we have 10 (maybe 11) vacancies at the end of this season. So undoubtedly some, maybe half, of the vacant spots for 2024 will be filled in 2023. As a result there will be plenty of gelling going on next season.

Always a Bulldog
Good point mate.
 

xanderalexander

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We’d be dumb not to make a play for Munster atleast. Then try get a class fullback. And promote a few juniors.

1. ?
2. Jac
3. Schoupp
4. Alamoti
5. Kiraz
6. Munster
7. Burton
8. King
9. Mahoney
10. Tpj
11. Kikau
12. ?
13. Topine

14.?
15.?
16.?
17. ?
1. Cobbo
6. Burton
7. Munster
9. Mahoney

#jizzinmypants
 

_G-Dog_

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I hope the duds get cut and fuck off to other teams.

Let's get serious, we will have only 5 or 6 good FG'er that deserve to be a Bulldog.
Yep I reckon Gus knows that.. if its FlanagAn longterm he also built recruited a premiership winning roster..
 

xanderalexander

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Plenty of cash to keep Burton in 24 if the club wants to.

Have you seen much of Casey? - He can do some good things but he is Okunbor/ Naden/ Dufty standard with his brain explosions (sin bins) and handling
It's been a while since players were able to fine tune their craft in reggies. Hoping that from what I've seen of Casey, his potential can be resolved while playing the lower grades. He looked good in the trials.
 

diddly

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I m optimistic about 2023, kikau Mahoney tpj Burton addo Carr is nearing the nucleus of a good team. Add some fitness n hard nosed coachalso believe Gould is pushing the under promise over deliver scenario.
 
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