Opinion Top 8 in 2022?

[CQDog]

I actually don’t think our spine is as bad as many make out;

Dufty, defence whinge whinge whinge, even the top fullbacks Tedesco and TTrobjevic only make 3 to 4 successful tackles a game, which is exactly the same as Duffy successfully made last year. Attack is his forte, making line breaks, setting up and scoring tries and in recent seasons scoring hasn’t exactly been our strength.

Jackson, yes I include the lock in the spine, his defence is second to none, hopefully with the gains up front he won’t have to burn himself out and be more available for attack, which he is more than capable of.

JMK, injury free, he is far from the worst hooker, like all the others he relies on the big guys laying the foundation for him, getting them defence on the back foot, quick play the balls, did Napa, Atoni or Ogden provide any of that, I don’t think so.

Burton, is there a better running 5/8, and he is just barely getting started, can kick too.

Which leaves 1/2, who is going to put their hand up between Flanagan, BBO, Wakeham and Averillo and demand by their preseason form, hard training and commitment that they get the gig. Competition for spots is good and this one is hotly contested. Interesting to see who takes the opportunity.

Always a Bulldog

Wakeham is the 7 for the start of season. We have always looked better with him in the side. Averillo needs to be better at his kicking and needs to gain that in reserve grade. Ive been watching heaps of games this year in this off season and some of his kicks were atrocious. Wakeham’s kicks were solid
And crafty. His development has been trashed by no reserve grade last year. Getting picked over the shit **** lewis and flanagan. And being out of favour with the covid thing. I think wakeham has alot to prove this season.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Wakeham is the 7 for the start of season. We have always looked better with him in the side. Averillo needs to be better at his kicking and needs to gain that in reserve grade. Ive been watching heaps of games this year in this off season and some of his kicks were atrocious. Wakeham’s kicks were solid
And crafty. His development has been trashed by no reserve grade last year. Getting picked over the shit **** lewis and flanagan. And being out of favour with the covid thing. I think wakeham has alot to prove this season.

Wakeham didn't play halfback all year so why would he start ahead of Jake now? You all need to accept it.

 

[CroydonDog]

Without a half and 9 I don't think we're going to do much damage next year.

Making the 8 isn't exactly a huge achievement when you see a couple of the sides that scraped in this year.

 

[CQDog]

Wakeham didn't play halfback all year so why would he start ahead of Jake now? You all need to accept it.

Wakeham didnt play halfback all year because it took 9 rounds to realise how fucking shit flanagan was as a player. Than he got the call up in round 10 and played through for a few games. Yes averillo is talented and i like him but if burton is gonna be the 6 then averillo shouldn’t be the 7. It does not suit him. Also wakeham then got dropped for
Flanagan due to media pressure and all this other bs. Wakeham also had the covid scandal which Involved about 3 rounds out. As soon as he comes back against manly and tigers we are competitive and end up winning a game. Jake needs time he is very young only about 21 so lets give it to him. I love jake and was one of my favorite players but Wakeham should be given a shot.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Wakeham didnt play halfback all year because it took 9 rounds to realise how fucking shit flanagan was as a player. Than he got the call up in round 10 and played through for a few games. Yes averillo is talented and i like him but if burton is gonna be the 6 then averillo shouldn’t be the 7. It does not suit him. Also wakeham then got dropped for
Flanagan due to media pressure and all this other bs. Wakeham also had the covid scandal which Involved about 3 rounds out. As soon as he comes back against manly and tigers we are competitive and end up winning a game. Jake needs time he is very young only about 21 so lets give it to him. I love jake and was one of my favorite players but Wakeham should be given a shot.

He won't be. Jake has spent the season preparing to play alongside Burton and it won't change unless someones banging down the down during preseason or Jake has a shocker or isn't fit.

 

[Phalangist]

No excuses with this squad for Baz, we now have the talent we just need the plan to go with it or heads should roll.
I'm saying we will be deep in the top 8 if we have the plan and the team stays reasonably injury/judiciary-free.

We are yet to fill the spine up with a quality 7& 9

 

[Phalangist]

I actually don’t think our spine is as bad as many make out;

Dufty, defence whinge whinge whinge, even the top fullbacks Tedesco and TTrobjevic only make 3 to 4 successful tackles a game, which is exactly the same as Duffy successfully made last year. Attack is his forte, making line breaks, setting up and scoring tries and in recent seasons scoring hasn’t exactly been our strength.

Jackson, yes I include the lock in the spine, his defence is second to none, hopefully with the gains up front he won’t have to burn himself out and be more available for attack, which he is more than capable of.

JMK, injury free, he is far from the worst hooker, like all the others he relies on the big guys laying the foundation for him, getting them defence on the back foot, quick play the balls, did Napa, Atoni or Ogden provide any of that, I don’t think so.

Burton, is there a better running 5/8, and he is just barely getting started, can kick too.

Which leaves 1/2, who is going to put their hand up between Flanagan, BBO, Wakeham and Averillo and demand by their preseason form, hard training and commitment that they get the gig. Competition for spots is good and this one is hotly contested. Interesting to see who takes the opportunity.

Always a Bulldog


Mate you can’t be serious with this comment


JMK, injury free, he is far from the worst hooker, like all the others he relies on the big guys laying the foundation for him, getting them defence on the back foot, quick play the balls, did Napa, Atoni or Ogden provide any of that, I don’t think so


I think he is the worst hooker in the game,let’s hope cook suprises us all and becomes our number 9.

 

[UndeadShadowMan]

Burton is our only decent spine player the likes of Flanagan, Wakeham, JMK, Duffty ect are not top 8 quality players I'm expecting 10-12th

 

[speedy2460]

If the team remains injury free, they are a top chance of making top 4.
A lot depends on the 7 and 9. I see BBO and Cook filling those roles.
BBO reminds me a lot of Polla-Mounter.

 

[kmr07]

I actually don’t think our spine is as bad as many make out;

Dufty, defence whinge whinge whinge, even the top fullbacks Tedesco and TTrobjevic only make 3 to 4 successful tackles a game, which is exactly the same as Duffy successfully made last year. Attack is his forte, making line breaks, setting up and scoring tries and in recent seasons scoring hasn’t exactly been our strength.

Jackson, yes I include the lock in the spine, his defence is second to none, hopefully with the gains up front he won’t have to burn himself out and be more available for attack, which he is more than capable of.

JMK, injury free, he is far from the worst hooker, like all the others he relies on the big guys laying the foundation for him, getting them defence on the back foot, quick play the balls, did Napa, Atoni or Ogden provide any of that, I don’t think so.

Burton, is there a better running 5/8, and he is just barely getting started, can kick too.

Which leaves 1/2, who is going to put their hand up between Flanagan, BBO, Wakeham and Averillo and demand by their preseason form, hard training and commitment that they get the gig. Competition for spots is good and this one is hotly contested. Interesting to see who takes the opportunity.

Always a Bulldog

But making tackles isn’t the only yardstick you should be measuring. What about bomb defusal? What about putting your body on the line and picking up that loose ball? These sort of plays can make the difference between winning and losing. If you look at the way Tedesco plays, he’s always in everything leading by example. Dufty even fell for a dummy to no one from Averillo ‍♂. To me that’s lack of effort in putting your body on the line for your team.

Let’s just hope Dufty can score more / create more points than he is going to be letting in.

 

[CQDog]

He won't be. Jake has spent the season preparing to play alongside Burton and it won't change unless someones banging down the down during preseason or Jake has a shocker or isn't fit.

If Jake can fix his last tackle kicks inside our own half to spirals, bombs and kicking in space between the full back and winger instead of just a normal kick to the fullback/ wingers throat and know how to pass towards open wingers and see the play then yes i support him being the half and no one else will be but wakeham does this better than averillo. Averillo is very young and this year was basically his rookie year in his preferred position and im happy to be proven wrong, just glad we have two young prospects who will battle it out for a prime position in this footy team compared to it being cogger, flanagan and lewis fighting it out.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

If Jake can fix his last tackle kicks inside our own half to spirals, bombs and kicking in space between the full back and winger instead of just a normal kick to the fullback/ wingers throat and know how to pass towards open wingers and see the play then yes i support him being the half and no one else will be but wakeham does this better than averillo. Averillo is very young and this year was basically his rookie year in his preferred position and im happy to be proven wrong, just glad we have two young prospects who will battle it out for a prime position in this footy team compared to it being cogger, flanagan and lewis fighting it out.

We have Burton so why would anyone else be our primary general play kicker? Jake when he doesn't have to do the bulk on the kicking performs a lot better.

 

[CQDog]

We have Burton so why would anyone else be our primary general play kicker? Jake when he doesn't have to do the bulk on the kicking performs a lot better.

True but then he doesn’t get involved at all. When he was 6 with flanagan for the first few rounds we saw he just went missing and had threads after games telling him to get dropped and how he went missing. I dont think Wakeham would go missing imo as he is a crafty individual who is the most likely to cut out pass to a wing and take the line on or kick before the 5th compared to averillo

 

[CrittaMagic69]

True but then he doesn’t get involved at all. When he was 6 with flanagan for the first few rounds we saw he just went missing and had threads after games telling him to get dropped and how he went missing. I dont think Wakeham would go missing imo as he is a crafty individual who is the most likely to cut out pass to a wing and take the line on or kick before the 5th compared to averillo

Because Flanagan was totally incompetent in his role and negatively impacted Jake

 

[CQDog]

Because Flanagan was totally incompetent in his role and negatively impacted Jake

Fair but two running halfs might not work together, i think a crafty, skillful passing half we saw glimpses in Wakeham this year and a couple of games last year might work better than two running halves. I guess we will see in pre season and trials. Its too early to be discussing this anyway.

 

[Dognacious]

Cronulla, better roster ……….. really!

Moylan, Fifita & Graham, between the 3 of them they will be injured more than they play and McInnes is coming off a horrid ACL.
Damien on his day is as good as any centre, but he doesn’t have them often enough, who is the other centre, Xerri is still persona non grata.
Tracy is about 5 rungs on any ladder below Burton.
Fitzgibbon in his first year as coach replacing the very player popular Morris, who knows how the long term players will react.
Finucane is a Jackson clone, he‘s just been playing in a better team.
They don’t have anyone to compete with Thompson or TPJ.
Cotric & JAC compared to SKatoa & Mulitalo, I’d call that a win for us.
My opinion, neither of the Braileys has progressed as much as many thought, their reputation is higher than their achievements to date.

Sorry, but I can’t get even close to them having a better roster.

Always a Bulldog

I think bottom 4 for sharks next year. Shocked they got near the 8 this year

 

[Bulldogsteve]

Fair but two running halfs might not work together, i think a crafty, skillful passing half we saw glimpses in Wakeham this year and a couple of games last year might work better than two running halves. I guess we will see in pre season and trials. Its too early to be discussing this anyway.

ive read all the reply's, averillo was preferred this year in every game and he will start 7 and he deserves it. Wakeham is seriously over rated imo, and thats coming from a halfback. Averillo gives us 2 attacking options both sides of the ruck.

 

[CQDog]

ive read all the reply's, averillo was preferred this year in every game and he will start 7 and he deserves it. Wakeham is seriously over rated imo, and thats coming from a halfback. Averillo gives us 2 attacking options both sides of the ruck.

I think ive been proved wrong lol and im not mad to admit it now. Burton will be doing the out of trouble kicking which I didn’t really set that in lol. If it was averillo than we would be in some trouble

 

[Bulldogsteve]

I think ive been proved wrong lol and im not mad to admit it now. Burton will be doing the out of trouble kicking which I didn’t really set that in lol. If it was averillo than we would be in some trouble

Actually if you watch the games this year averilo has a good boot on him. Just needs to get some variety in his kicking game with spiral and floating bombs

 

[CQDog]

Actually if you watch the games this year averilo has a good boot on him. Just needs to get some variety in his kicking game with spiral and floating bombs

Idk mostly poor. Same as flanagan’s kicking just end to end nothing and the occasional out of the full. Good thing about averillo he does take the line on.