Opinion Top 8 in 2022?

[2012]

If the referees like us next year we will make it, if they hate us then no

 

[bradyk]

As soon as we start saying things like if we're full strength and bringing up referees we're stuffed.

 

[Chris Harding]

Manly would have close to a third of their cap tied up in three players, the 2 x turbos and dce. If injury strikes the rest of their roster is not good enough to get them into the 8.

They struggled just without Tom.

 

[Chris Harding]

If the referees like us next year we will make it, if they hate us then no

They don't hate us. They just don't like us.

 

[Philmus]

6 - 9 if Barrett can coach at all

There's only 5 teams with better rosters than us (Panthers, Storm, Souths, Manly, Cronulla).

Others we could easily finish ahead of.

Don't forget about Easts. They still have a gun team with Kearey back, Walker, Tedesco, Tupou, Chrichton, Tuponiua, Radley, Collins. Also Souths without Reynolds still have a better squad than us but they may struggle and become one dimensional with Walker having to be like what Foran was for us, the 1 and only play maker. And without Reynolds in game kicking, goal kicking and also field goal ability, they may not be where they were this year.Time will tell.

 

[Philmus]

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

Hynes is their only real X factor player, their wingers are decent but thats about it.

 

[Philmus]

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.

Like a Reynolds/Walker situation at Souths, Adam kicks and controls that aspect and Walker is free to take the line on, which is what he does well

 

[Bulldogs09]

We just have to be competitive every game. Make the 8 and beat the broncos and titans on the ladder and I’m very satisfied.

Finish higher than the roosters and I’m stoked.

 

[Scoooby]

Have to be top 8, nothing less in my opinion with Gus/TBAZ .. and a new name squad !! It’s looking good.

 

[KiwiDog7]

I have a $1000 bet with a mate that we won’t get the spoon so 15th works for me

I’m thinking 9-13th

 

[Bulldogz82]

I remember back in 2009 and 2012 most fans were aiming for hopefully sneaking in to the top 8 after a disapointing 2008 and 2011. Equal 1st in 09 and minor premiers in 12 with a halves pairing of Keating and Reynolds so in other words we are a chance lol

 

[CanterburybankstownBD]

Have to be top 8, nothing less in my opinion with Gus/TBAZ .. and a new name squad !! It’s looking good.

One of the things I'm hoping for next year is that they play the man in your avatar in the 2nd row. He's a much better edge player than a battering ram

 

[Dog’n’Bone]

the more I think about it the more I realise that our squad SHOULD be top 4 specials next year

STRIKE out wide - Cotric, addocarr, alamoti etc
STRIKE in the halves - burton, averillo
PUNCH through the middle - pangai, Vaughan, patolo, stimpson (actually a damaging hole runner, think Storm ‘18-‘19)

elephant in the room currently the brains trust of the setup - Barrett and ferris. Can they get the best out of our talented roster?

 

[CanterburybankstownBD]

the more I think about it the more I realise that our squad SHOULD be top 4 specials next year

STRIKE out wide - Cotric, addocarr, alamoti etc
STRIKE in the halves - burton, averillo
PUNCH through the middle - pangai, Vaughan, patolo, stimpson (actually a damaging hole runner, think Storm ‘18-‘19)

elephant in the room currently the brains trust of the setup - Barrett and ferris. Can they get the best out of our talented roster?

Like ur thinking… positivity

 

[wendog33]

 

[bradyk]

View attachment 31764

Closer to what it'll be than the other teams they've done. Hetherington second row. Jackson lock. Thompson prop. I don't think Patolo's in the top 30 (if not him then someone else because we'd have 31 in the top 30) so Asiata on the bench makes sense (I'd have Topine but coach doesn't seem to be his biggest fan). RFM probs not fit for round 1 either.

 

[transporter]

It's quite possible, but too many variables to know for sure. I think we'll probably start slow, till everyone starts blending together. Then, things should start to get interesting.

Stupid comment. Just because you don’t like Duffy. Ist game this year against st George he beat us on his own,give the boy a chance

 

[Bulldog Wrestler]

Stupid comment. Just because you don’t like Duffy. Ist game this year against st George he beat us on his own,give the boy a chance

Hey fuckwit, I think you are replying to the wrong comment.

 

[transporter]

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

I like what you said.Duffy is good give him a chance,all these so called supporters whiting players off before the year even starts.

 

[amapusae]

Wakeham does one arsey drop out kick against the worst team of all time in the last round and everyone forgets how unimpressive he’s been in first grade for this whole time