Positives

[Sandra's Bollocks]

You make valid and reasonable points Btrain as you always do. For me personally, I can't stand the thought of going backwards after all the years of heartache. Many, including myself, may overreact at even a glimpse of what was, in fear of reliving those dark days. So cut us crazies some slack from time to time will ya? hahahaha...

 

[Sword]

Preston reminds me of a young and more modernised Josh Jackson.
Would love to know if he could play lock. Love his work ethic and has the ability to get under the skin of opponents

 

[finchie]

Alomoti is a right centre
He loses all his skill on the left
He has a right arm carry and a left hand fend
He also steps off his right foot only

you blunt every single one of his prowess on the left

 

[finchie]

With tpj out for a while
Rfm needs to play middle
Preston or Davey to start with kikau on the left

f wadell the turd off immediately

 

[Bazildog]

TPJ needs to fuck off to boxing.. I’m over the flog.

 

[wendog33]

Yep. Along with a few other decisions I'm giving Ciraldo 4/10 for his season preparation. Lots of talk, nice guy stuff, but we've heard that too many times before....
Rugby League is not that complicated. Seriously.

4/10 might be a bit rough Find it in your heart to bump him up to 6.5/10.

It's all unknown at this stage. He has some sorta theory behind all the decisions? Gus approves? We will come good. It will take longer than we had hoped tho...but he better wise up with these selections if the guys under fire don't return the faith he shows in them or he will end up Baz Mk2.

 

[Teddybear]

Agree

It is like asking a younger tiger woods to play left handed just when he has been elevated to hit the pros ( ....)

Same with Avo he is a fullback all day long and a great athlete.

Dont worry apparently our coaching staff know what they are doing..and dont get me started on the halfback situatio n

Alomoti is a right centre
He loses all his skill on the left
He has a right arm carry and a left hand fend
He also steps off his right foot only

you blunt every single one of his prowess on the left

 

[B-Train]

You make valid and reasonable points Btrain as you always do. For me personally, I can't stand the thought of going backwards after all the years of heartache. Many, including myself, may overreact at even a glimpse of what was, in fear of reliving those dark days. So cut us crazies some slack from time to time will ya? hahahaha...

I get it bro. The last thing I want is another season of struggling. I just think this year will be a big improvement despite the loss. We weren't as good as we looked against Canberra, but we aren't as bad as we were against Cronulla either... We're somewhere in between and as long as we're fighting for a top 8 spot for the last month of the season, then I'll be happy.

 

[billy beane]

What's CC thinking with that? Play under stress but it's a pretty accepted fact that putting your body under extreme heat and physical stress is debilitating for days. Have seen no evidence it builds any short or long term benefits. Maybe sports science has changed ?

Playing under extreme physical stress becomes a mental issue (mind goes to dark places) ... good way to find out who can hack it and who can't.

Wouldn't worry about the physical side of things as our training staff are the best available ... we also have 12 days to our first game.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

Alamoti is one of the few players who has made a noticeable improvement over the break.
In fact, I'm struggling to think of another one. Thompson perhaps although I know that is controversial.

I reckon Alamoti definitely looks better defensively. That was my main concern about him, but I’m comfortable having him debut in round 1. At some point you’ve got to play a kid with his raw talent and size and he’ll learn plenty as he goes. He even looks more physically capable now. Not getting dominated so much when tackled. I agree with Thompson too. Sharks have one of the best packs around and Thommo was our best forward making good yards and post contact metres.

 

[D.O.W.]

Even in a bad loss you can still find positives. It's a trial loss against a quality team. It's a long season.. Which hasn't even begun yet.. We could beat Manly in round 1 and the same people thinking we're going to get the spoon and wanting to drop/sack everyone now will be organising a ticker-tape parade after one win.

I hope we do win because if we lose this place will be unbearable.

The real fans and those with sound knowledge of the game are realistic and measured.

To beat Manly at Brooky, with the team they have, particularly off the back of trial form where their A and B teams were extremely fluid (without Tommy) is going to be tough, we should be under no illusion.

We will have to be near perfect in all aspects of the game - I think we’re all super curious on two fronts:
1. What team is CC going to roll out after seeing two sides to our trial performances.
2. What will our style of play look like and how resilient is this team under “new management” (captains and coach).

 

[Sauce Head]

We won 7 games last year. If we doubled that, we may squeak into the finals. That would be an overachievement because I don’t expect us to be 50% better across the 2023 season.
Honestly, how can anyone have that expectation given the very, very low base we are starting from.
Alas, the knives will be out after rd1 on here if we lose.

 

[Harry Oz]

4/10 might be a bit rough Find it in your heart to bump him up to 6.5/10.

It's all unknown at this stage. He has some sorta theory behind all the decisions? Gus approves? We will come good. It will take longer than we had hoped tho...but he better wise up with these selections if the guys under fire don't return the faith he shows in them or he will end up Baz Mk2.

Fair enough.
6.5/10

One way or another, his honeymoon period will be very short.
First 4 weeks of the draw are easier than rounds 5-8. So he needs to deliver a noticeable improvement sooner rather than later.

 

[Benno Bulldog]

Ciraldo has always had Stars has he ever had to sack anybody..,.old timers would know Gould has sacked halfbacks at critical times quite fearlessly and against the grain of popularity. I have faith in the dynamic duo…Goulds philosophy of play your best players should hold the club up ok … just got to work out who they are….

 

[dog 4life]

1 6&7 is key. We had many changes in the first 20 minutes but didn't score and that played a big part in loosing confidence. Until we get the right players in those positions i can't see anything changing tbh

 

[flamebouyant]

the one thing I did like as I was at the game is Perham was very vocal in defence and this is something that good fullbacks do. This is also a red flag why Avo won’t work- he barely talks!

Can you explain this to me since you were at the game? When Kikau cam off for his HIA we had the ball. The tv camera showed this, but after Kiks went off cronulla were on the attack. What actually happened??

 

[GUSLER]

We didn’t really have a prop on first team bench. They replaced TPJ with Brown. No wonder our go forward stopped after 20. Patolo was injured too. If Patolo and Pele step up then we will be ok this year.

 

[Brendan7]

Can you explain this to me since you were at the game? When Kikau cam off for his HIA we had the ball. The tv camera showed this, but after Kiks went off cronulla were on the attack. What actually happened??

1 on 1 steal. Forget who ran the ball up was a great play but dumb ball security it’s those things we need to clean up

 

[flamebouyant]

1 on 1 steal. Forget who ran the ball up was a great play but dumb ball security it’s those things we need to clean up

Camera man must have been too busy checking Kikau out. Didnt hear any me tion if it in commentating either. Bizzarre. Glad to have the reason why though. Cheers.

 

[Brendan7]

Camera man must have been too busy checking Kikau out. Didnt hear any me tion if it in commentating either. Bizzarre. Glad to have the reason why though. Cheers.

it was a forward that took it up and it was one of those stupid two men in and one rolls off (don’t get me started as this should be a strip)