Throw the chequebook at Hunt

[King Salvo]

There's a huge difference between create and creative. I can create a sandcastle. No big deal and it's not creative. My mate can sand sculpt. He can turn a pile of sand into an Octopus, Mermaid, Dolphin etc. Now that's being creative!

R6 is correct. N Cleary is very efficient at building your basic sandcastle. In fact he's the best in the business however young Sam Walker leaves him for dead when it comes to sand sculpting. Sam is a creative halfback just like Andrew Johns. N Cleary works best within a structure just like Cooper Cronk.

They don't play on a beach and sculpting takes time

Andrew Johns. Cooper Cronk and Jonathon Thurston have the opposite opinion of the way Nathan Cleary plays and they do know a touch more than R6 and you about that position one has to say. You don't listen to their commentary when they wax on lyrical about his game- during the game and post game. Johns is always banging on about how Cleary " creates the play and makes things happen"

Remember the term VFT - Vision , Feel (for the game) and Time - Cleary has nailed this skill and Sam Walker is yet to. - All that "creativity" will be wasted unless you have VFT as a half


The perfect balance

In the modern game, where everything is so structured, a player like Cleary is so important.
Penrith's main man can execute a game plan better than anybody, but it's his ability to play off the cuff and create something out of nothing that makes him the complete package.
“There’s this argument about manufactured and robotic vs ad-lib, and the best-case scenario sits in the middle of it," Cronk said.
"I think Nathan knows what he is about to do before he does it, because he knows the cues from the opposition.

[Lydon]

I like Jake Elliot, I just think Rodwell is the best halfback I’ve seen in my time watching our pathways teams. Including Pearce and Josh Lewis (lol, so do take my opinions with a grain of salt).

Totally agree regarding Rodwell,he needs to be fast tracked in my opinion..Very gifted

I was also a massive Josh Lewis fan,not sure what happened to him..

[ism22]

My memory of Cleary is that he took a while, with people heckling the Riff about their '5 year plan'.

They've come good and winners are always grinners. Good on em! Blah blah blah. However IMO Walker's building into one of the game's beat HBs. Hunt's... gonna retire soon I'd assume?

IDK. I reckon Chad was the best 'currently on the market' buy. Sandon and Walker will be our long-term halves and will do great things.

We lost to the Riff because they're currently invincible and they take EVERY game against us seriously (teams that have beaten them in recent years have mostly been underdogs like Canberra who go in with a cheeky gameplan and well... good on them). We're not cheeky underdogs, we're a heavily analysed team that's had atrocious luck with injuries. OUR TIME WILL COME... heck... it's not impossible for us to regroup and come good in 2024, which is my focus!!! Fark hating on our boys when they're still a chance.

[player 1]

My memory of Cleary is that he took a while, with people heckling the Riff about their '5 year plan'.

They've come good and winners are always grinners. Good on em! Blah blah blah. However IMO Walker's building into one of the game's beat HBs. Hunt's... gonna retire soon I'd assume?

IDK. I reckon Chad was the best 'currently on the market' buy. Sandon and Walker will be our long-term halves and will do great things.

We lost to the Riff because they're currently invincible and they take EVERY game against us seriously (teams that have beaten them in recent years have mostly been underdogs like Canberra who go in with a cheeky gameplan and well... good on them). We're not cheeky underdogs, we're a heavily analysed team that's had atrocious luck with injuries. OUR TIME WILL COME... heck... it's not impossible for us to regroup and come good in 2024, which is my focus!!! Fark hating on our boys when they're still a chance.

Nice post.

Riff's big lead the other night involved the usual phantom 6 agains on our line, a lucky bounce off the goal posts and an uncharacteristic dropped bomb by Toops, which was actually a knock back.

So literally all the luck (if you can call it that where Klein is involved) in their favour.

Instead of it blowing out to 40 nil, we got to 24-10 and rightfully 24-16 - that would have been a major momentum shift that would have given us a realistic chance of an heroic comeback win. The phantom forward pass call by Klein really was one of his best, if not the best of his career to screw us over.

This with a busted team missing many key players.

I feel as demoralised as any of the rest of the actual roosters fans on this site (not the trolls who follow Souffs) and I find it hard to believe they can make it any further - it's just hard to believe things won't continue to go poorly for us.

But I applaud and agree with your sentiment that the side and coach don't deserve bashing.

[The Marshall]

Wishart should be our number 1 target Imo for 2026. He can play anywhere including 1,6,7 and 9. Currently on $350k a year.

That is a good option.

[Rooster90]

Totally agree regarding Rodwell,he needs to be fast tracked in my opinion..Very gifted

I was also a massive Josh Lewis fan,not sure what happened to him..

Ricky Stuart happened - he hated any halfback not named Brett Finch

Hence why Brett Firman, Josh Lewis and Jamie Soward never kicked on with us

[worldbe3]

Yeh I agree, based on Teddy’s performances this year I don’t see a massive drop off from him coming any time soon and in the same way that Robbo valued Minichello’s leadership and defensive understanding of the role in his latter years I think he will continue to do the same with Teddy.

I also agree regarding Sandon Smith, I thought we looked much better going to him than Keary. You can see he’s got some organisation skills which gives me optimism for next year. Just the structure he was running plays with, they way he had Tupouniua running off him and the options he had out the back there were signs he was communicating and setting up plays well.

I like Jake Elliot, I just think Rodwell is the best halfback I’ve seen in my time watching our pathways teams. Including Pearce and Josh Lewis (lol, so do take my opinions with a grain of salt).

How old is Rodwell? I assume he must of being doing his hsc this season because he didn’t appear in Flegg or NSW Cup. Or was he injured?

[Roosterfarian]

How old is Rodwell? I assume he must of being doing his hsc this season because he didn’t appear in Flegg or NSW Cup. Or was he injured?

He is doing his HSC this year so he'd be about 17/18 years old.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Don't throw it at Toups - he might drop it.

[DP1990]

Throw the chequebook at Kalyn Ponga !


There's no way he wants to stick with the Knights and play as a one-man army and not win anything up there till 2027. Play him in the halves with Walker (Sandon to become Hooker). After Teddy finishes up in 2026, shift him to full back or leave him at 5/8 should Manu return.


If he wants to win, be successful, link up with his best mate, Connor, and live life in Bondi ... come to Easts !



PS: Unfortunately, this means, see you later Brandon. It was fun while it lasted !

[Rooster_6]

How old is Rodwell? I assume he must of being doing his hsc this season because he didn’t appear in Flegg or NSW Cup. Or was he injured?

Correct, doing his HSC this year. Will still be eligible for SG Ball next season.

As I said originally I completely appreciate it is an outrageous take.

[Swamptrout]

How big is rodwell? I think we need a big half. 2 midget halves is killing us.

[Rooster90]

How big is rodwell? I think we need a big half. 2 midget halves is killing us.

I'd like to keep Hugo Savala now Walker is out - he is a big body with a big boot and has experience playing with Sandon

[Bansai Pipeline]

You just know it’s going to be Ponga with this club.

We can’t develop playmakers and we love a big signing.

Walker can take or leave the million. Immensely talented but does he really fit Robbo’s mould? Also pretty cheeky asking for 1.5 with no real runs on the board.

[OMR]

You just know it’s going to be Ponga with this club.

We can’t develop playmakers and we love a big signing.

Walker can take or leave the million. Immensely talented but does he really fit Robbo’s mould? Also pretty cheeky asking for 1.5 with no real runs on the board.

that’s the thing that has puzzled me , the $1.5 mil! Did he really ask for that or was it pure speculation? The cheek of his camp to ask for more than Ponga, Cleary , DCE who have proven themselves on the big stage, whilst he’s still developing is quite conceited in my opinion.