The Dogs are on the rise and whether thats a GF win is hard to tell yet. I don't think they are quite there yet and thats a fair evaluation considering they are building and not buying a comp. Its a 5 year plan and I think the expectation is by the end we will be GF ready. Anything short of that is a bonus.
I think as part of that is having a longer term plan and part of that is development where we provide our own star halfbacks and fullbacks. I don't think it would have been wise to by a star half like Luai as that would end Woods prospects. Sp Sexton is idea for blooding Woods and hopefully he and Burton will be our homegrown halves combo for years to come like in the past.
I think we are pretty well exactly where we should be in year 3. We have totally transformed the side. There was still some dead wood last year but now just about every spot is NRL level or close and will expand our options and create competition.
I think with Thompson next year that will push up into solid top 4 territory and able to compete with Storm and Panthers. We almost beat the Storm in Melbourne last season. We are not far away.
Sitilli and Amone are just what we needed and we should be better with them. I agree there maybe some rebound after achieving above expectations last season. But overall we will start the season in a better position and should win at least as many games. I also think we will be better prepared to peak at the right time and be able to hang in there in most games.
Hopefully we make the finals again and this time go at least one step closer. Maybe even a GF qualifyer or even a GF loss which would give us good experience in how to win. Most sides who build towards a GF win usually lose a GF or go close beforehand.
PS I would not discount Fifita. If fit and injury free he could be a fill in Thompson this year. But he has not had a preseason and is down on fitness. But once he gets there he will be an asset I reckon. If thats the case then suddenly we have three new aggressive forwards compared to last year.
Any idea why Fifita has not been able to have a proper pre-season this year?
Has he picked up another injury?
He looked ok in the purple team pic - fun games challenge - even if he is a bit dwarfed by Jack Todd.
Someone posted that he was a distant last in a run (5km??).
DSF's 2023 ACL injury was supposed to be 'game ready' after rehab,by mid-late last season.
He played 5 games in reggies in 2024 - av 35 minutes/game.
Made good metres & PCM, struggled a bit fitness wise.
Lateral movement was compromised in D (not uncommon after ACL rehab) & he made a few too many errors.
But there is promise, IF FIT, he could be a decent Prop rotation with Max n Sam.
However, he's gotta be able to tackle like Max n Sam.
Those boys have good technique & go hard every minute they're on the field.
If DSF wants it enough, he knows what to do - surely?!
Maybe Jack Todd is a better solution - although - I keep banging on about Todd at #13.
Perhaps Tom Amone?
Or young Jack Underhill??
Any which way - we seem to have significantly better options than in '24 - Potato, Tetevano, Farmer Silly & the White Knight.
