Opinion Sam Hughes

[Marki]

We had to have turn over, it is a business based on results and if you do the same thing you get the same results
They weren’t reaching their KPI’s so they had to go.
We now have a mixture of hard heads and young guys, exciting times ahead

The issue is that most people know that a good team needs a mixture of elite x-factor players as well as some solid workhorses.

Some workhorse players might already be in our team but look poorer than would coz they are playing behind a poor spine.

I'm a strong believer that you need to put a good spine together before you can fill in positions with solid workhorses players.

Your Scott Sorensen type players don't look good unless you have an established spine that allow all players to play to their potential.

The ideology of needing forwards first to allow your halves to shine is flawed.

Fix your spine, find the right forwards to lay the platform and then watch everyone in the team shine.

 

[Marki]

I liked the look of him last year and obviously the reports from everyone at the club about his preseason are encouraging... Hopefully he steps up but I hope Bulldogs fans temper their expectations..

Hughes could well end up being good but have a bad first month or two. Either way, people need to remember he's a young player that needs game time so we shouldn't over hype him if he plays well or write him off if he doesn't..

The trials will give an insight if it's all just good training and attitude or if it's fruitful on the field.

 

[D- voice]

Totally agree. Unfortunately this good sense approach is going to run into TK gameday mania, and the first dropped ball, missed tackle, or penalty he gives away will make him dead to some of the fanbase, who will howl in derision and blame Gus and/or CC.

Isn't it what the Doom & Gloom brigade supposed to do

 

[TwinTurbo]

Players should be banned for opinions on how they are going in preseason
Talk is cheap

Win games
To have the right to speak

Shut up
And train hard

And then the NRL fines the player and the club for not meeting their media obligations.

Always a Bulldog

 

[TwinTurbo]

The issue is that most people know that a good team needs a mixture of elite x-factor players as well as some solid workhorses.

Some workhorse players might already be in our team but look poorer than would coz they are playing behind a poor spine.

I'm a strong believer that you need to put a good spine together before you can fill in positions with solid workhorses players.

Your Scott Sorensen type players don't look good unless you have an established spine that allow all players to play to their potential.

The ideology of needing forwards first to allow your halves to shine is flawed.

Fix your spine, find the right forwards to lay the platform and then watch everyone in the team shine.

And if there are no good spine players available at the time then you don’t recruit any players, can’t field a team and forfeit games, yep that’s good strategy.

Bonus, when you do find a few good spine players there aren’t any other other players that you need available, yep that’s good strategy.

There is only one strategy that works long term, bring as many players up through your pathways then recruit to fill what you need to field a successful team.

Always a Bulldog

 

[ILiveForDib]

Has the build just a question of tenacity now his stint on Good Friday impressed me. This years has to pose as a building block for 25 youngsters coming through have different solicitude for the club as apposed to signings. Preston is gold as Gus keeps working on pathways we will see more pop up. Hughes is getting a good name from the more experienced boys which is a good sign let’s see if it translates onto the field.

 

[billy beane]

Having a big motor with some size is a good start .... hopefully he has the toughness to match up against the seasoned hardheads.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Having a big motor with some size is a good start .... hopefully he has the toughness to match up against the seasoned hardheads.

Don't think we need to worry about his toughness, just need to worry about his body not failing. Had terrible luck with injuries but sometimes that happens to athletes when they're young and they sort of grow out of it. Just hope we aren't putting too much pressure on him because of our lack of quality ahead of him. An injury to Knight or King and he's starting.

 

[Dogs Life]

Ive watched all the podcasts in the off season, ones with curran, burto, kiraz, preston and Edwards, all raving about Sam Hughes, is this guy gonna be our next big thing? Didnt impress me that much last year, but apparently had an injury.

How did he not impress that much. He made Is debut against South’s on Good Friday and didn’t put a foot wrong and not looking out of place in the NRL. He did likewise in another 4 appearances facing some of the best props in the game.
He’s got a long way to go - he needs 25 NRL games before Ciraldo can even contemplate relying on him. But if all goes to plan he has huge potential.

 

[Dogs Life]

He doesn't need to be the next best thing. He only needs to do a job so we at least have a starting prop pairing that isn't going to let the team down (anything else is a bonus). The next best thing (prop) in the NRL is Terrell May and that's who we need to sign for 2025.

If you have got Fox go to on demand and watch the NSW Cup game between us and North Sydney Bears. We lost but the game featured Hughes and Patola against May and Baker. It’s a good match with Hughes getting into a blue at the end after obviously being frustrated. Good watch.

 

[2ndphase]

typical Liverpool scum https://x.com/collinabanter/status/1752432473487601683?s=46&t=Nu9btOwK50GiOHw_ahVMug

Whats this shit doing on here!!
Send this to the soccer forum. Lol

 

[Mitch Connor]

When he was in parra system with a mates son, he said hughes was very good, parra were desperate to keep him.
Front Rowers often bloom late so lets not put too much expectation on him

It was always him and David Hollis.

Hollis never eventuated.

 

[billy beane]

Don't think we need to worry about his toughness, just need to worry about his body not failing. Had terrible luck with injuries but sometimes that happens to athletes when they're young and they sort of grow out of it. Just hope we aren't putting too much pressure on him because of our lack of quality ahead of him. An injury to Knight or King and he's starting.

Toughness was a poor choice of words ....

Just the weekly grind against more seasoned bodies, especially with how little footy he has played concerns me a little .... agree about the pressure.

I'm hoping like everyone else he lives up to the wraps and becomes a mainstay of our team moving forward ..... he certainly ticks some boxes.

Would be huge for our rebuild if he does.

 

[trent_solotar7]

Whats this shit doing on here!!
Send this to the soccer forum. Lol

whoops wrong thread

 

[Freakzilla]

Don't think we need to worry about his toughness, just need to worry about his body not failing. Had terrible luck with injuries but sometimes that happens to athletes when they're young and they sort of grow out of it. Just hope we aren't putting too much pressure on him because of our lack of quality ahead of him. An injury to Knight or King and he's starting.

Liam Knight has only played more than 11 games in a season twice in his career & only once has he played 20+ games. Hopefully he can stay injury free in 2024.

 

[KLil]

Having a big motor with some size is a good start .... hopefully he has the toughness to match up against the seasoned hardheads.

Smart, fast and agile too... Moves like a backrower.

 

[dawso047]

At this stage Hughes reminds me of Klemmer a big and tall prop, without the agility of Hass, AFB, Collins etc I hpoe he is more than that, but at this stage I see a viable NRL prop, but not one of the elite few.

 

[TheAlmightyJish]

At this stage Hughes reminds me of Klemmer a big and tall prop, without the agility of Hass, AFB, Collins etc I hpoe he is more than that, but at this stage I see a viable NRL prop, but not one of the elite few.

Klemmer played plenty of rep footy brother!

 

[Alan79]

At this stage Hughes reminds me of Klemmer a big and tall prop, without the agility of Hass, AFB, Collins etc I hpoe he is more than that, but at this stage I see a viable NRL prop, but not one of the elite few.

Needs to get an extended run to judge his ceiling. Hopefully we get a chance to see what he's capable of when he's had time to build confidence. If he can make 100+ metres and tackle with a high efficiency he'll do for 2024.

I'll say it about every player pushing to become an NRL regular. It's the biggest jump in competition standards going from reserves to the NRL. Some players dip their feet and can't match the requirements, some excel immediately and others take time to produce their best.

Hughes had some good games with us, but only in limited runs. It's a huge opportunity this year for him and others to stake a claim for future duties.

 

[Matthew G]

What exactly didn’t impress you with him last year? Every opportunity he was given last year he was impressive and showed a lot of promise. In what was otherwise a powderpuff pack.

he did okay, just felt like he didnt run his size as much as i thought he would, he also got smashed vs raiders im pretty sure