2025 alternate view

[ChookMaster]

Cheese to Souths….

Robson to us…


the talk is getting louder

[SamKerrSimp]

Next year is all about giving youngsters a chance to develop that's what I'm looking forward to the most, it's highly unlikely we make the top 8 so just treat it like 2012

[On the Nose]

The positive for next year is that Robinson finally adapted to the 2020 rule changes (that favour attack) last year. The team picked up the attacking style of play pretty quickly and should be better for a years experience. I thought our attack was great to watch, even Dom Young, kicking on the first tackle, messing up more often than not, in the process, was fun. Hoping Wong gets a chance this year and the team's thereabouts when Sam comes back. Not sure what has happened to Easts long term recruitment planning over the last few years though. There was a time it was our strong point.

[ism22]

Yes Walker is star power but we won’t see that power until about two-thirds into the season when due to our weak roster, it will be too late.

Collins does the little things well but he’s a rag doll. He gets thrown around like my teenage boys throw around my 8 year old. Leniu showed this season that he’s great impact off the bench. He has little impact as a starter. Hopefully this changes.

Goal kicker you have listed three. Walker I’ve not considered as mentioned above. The other two are very make shift kickers.

It’s not just the injuries to the spine players that I think have weakened us. We don’t have a specialist first grade centre (and please don’t tell me Billy Smith!), we have little depth at prop. It will be the Butcher Boys at origin time. We also can’t replace the mongrel of Jarred. Plus we don’t have a specialist 9 until Smith is back. And until Walker returns, we have rubbish halves, one who should have retired and one who is too small for first grade. I was all for Townsend as a back up but as a regular it’s a no no.

I hate to be negative about the team and regardless of my feelings I’ll still be attending majority of games and supporting to the best of my ability but reality is, we aren’t making the 8 next season with the team we have.

Some good points in there. However, I still don't think we're doomed...

- Pauga is a run of the mill 1st grade centre and Mark N may well be a dominant centre. The latter is an if but you've already written off Billy Smith on the assumption that he'll get injured (we'll see!!!) Toia is highly rated.

- Watson is an elite utility who carves up at 9 (plays Origin at 9). We've got a young specialist who will probably get a crack.

- JWH was suspended for most of 2024 and it made little difference. Collins isn't a ragdoll... he plays front row for Australia. Also NAS didn't 'ragdoll' him... he did a grade 3 reckless tackle on him and was given ~8 weeks for it.

Have a second look at some of the bottom-8 rosters. They do not have:

- 3 Origin players (2 kangaroos) in their forwards.

- An Australian captain at fullback, with most of the others being internationals as well.

- A premiership winning half and a prodigal HB with Origin written all over him. If we can wedge our way into the top-8 by making sure of our wins against bottom-8 teams then we could be a dark horse come finals time due to Walker's presence.

- Various youngsters (Whyte, Steep, Va'a) who you look at and go 'faaaark he's got potential!!!!'

- Cash in the bank to spend on 1 or 2 key players if they are available (and the confidence to wait for the right fit rather than making desperate calls to Ben Hunt saying 'NAME YOUR PRICE!!!').

They're poorly coached, have very little finals experience and are constantly scraping the barrel. Yes there are cracks compared with last season. However but for an a sliding doors moment against the Faders, our team last year coulda come 2nd and been handed a golden ticket to the GF.

Top-4... sure... on paper it'll be tough. However, seasons aren't played on paper. I wouldn't bother watching the footy if it were certain that the whole season was a write-off before pre-season had even begun.

[HDTONE]

Some good points in there. However, I still don't think we're doomed...

- Watson is an elite utility who carves up at 9 (plays Origin at 9). We've got a young specialist who will probably get a crack.

Top-4... sure... on paper it'll be tough. However, seasons aren't played on paper. I wouldn't bother watching the footy if it were certain that the whole season was a write-off before pre-season had even begun.

Agree with a lot of this except whose out mongrel and gives the boys are royal rev up ?

Townsend leading the boys around or Sandon......cant say I'm super confident.

The young guys coming through yep 100% on board. Whyte has a heap of potential, I'm hoping Marky really fires up . Still we don't have the side imo to beat a Penrith or Storm. We did but as Rads said they wear you down and a lot of that's on us like dumbass penalties, 6 agains and poor handling where you have to starve those sides of possession not give it to them cheaply.

Maybe best not to get too pumped and be happy if we get a finals spot.

[XLVII]

Storm are great at dealing with players leaving and still being top 4. I'm not confident we can do same.

[XLVII]

The positive for next year is that Robinson finally adapted to the 2020 rule changes (that favour attack) last year. The team picked up the attacking style of play pretty quickly and should be better for a years experience. I thought our attack was great to watch, even Dom Young, kicking on the first tackle, messing up more often than not, in the process, was fun. Hoping Wong gets a chance this year and the team's thereabouts when Sam comes back. Not sure what has happened to Easts long term recruitment planning over the last few years though. There was a time it was our strong point.

Dom Young started the season like champagne and ended it like a stale domestic beer.

[Bates]

Cheese to Souths….

Robson to us…


the talk is getting louder

Now that is great news if it's accurate.

[Bates]

Storm are great at dealing with players leaving and still being top 4. I'm not confident we can do same.

Welcome kcab #47

[mightyrooster]

Cheese to Souths….

Robson to us…


the talk is getting louder

Source?

[theGman]

Cheese to Souths….

Robson to us…


the talk is getting louder

If that's the case then Souffs young rake Peter Momouzelos must be peeved badly.

He's been patiently plying his trade for a few years in the lower grades behind Cook, and rather than be the starting hooker, he plays second fiddle again.

[Bansai Pipeline]

Rads should get the C before Teddy retires in my opinion.

I think he'd be weirdly more respected by the officials.

Teddy seems easy to ignore. He's too slow to put his case to them.

[Thirteen]

Some good points in there. However, I still don't think we're doomed...

- Pauga is a run of the mill 1st grade centre and Mark N may well be a dominant centre. The latter is an if but you've already written off Billy Smith on the assumption that he'll get injured (we'll see!!!) Toia is highly rated.

- Watson is an elite utility who carves up at 9 (plays Origin at 9). We've got a young specialist who will probably get a crack.

- JWH was suspended for most of 2024 and it made little difference. Collins isn't a ragdoll... he plays front row for Australia. Also NAS didn't 'ragdoll' him... he did a grade 3 reckless tackle on him and was given ~8 weeks for it.

Have a second look at some of the bottom-8 rosters. They do not have:

- 3 Origin players (2 kangaroos) in their forwards.

- An Australian captain at fullback, with most of the others being internationals as well.

- A premiership winning half and a prodigal HB with Origin written all over him. If we can wedge our way into the top-8 by making sure of our wins against bottom-8 teams then we could be a dark horse come finals time due to Walker's presence.

- Various youngsters (Whyte, Steep, Va'a) who you look at and go 'faaaark he's got potential!!!!'

- Cash in the bank to spend on 1 or 2 key players if they are available (and the confidence to wait for the right fit rather than making desperate calls to Ben Hunt saying 'NAME YOUR PRICE!!!').

They're poorly coached, have very little finals experience and are constantly scraping the barrel. Yes there are cracks compared with last season. However but for an a sliding doors moment against the Faders, our team last year coulda come 2nd and been handed a golden ticket to the GF.

Top-4... sure... on paper it'll be tough. However, seasons aren't played on paper. I wouldn't bother watching the footy if it were certain that the whole season was a write-off before pre-season had even begun.

Not only will I be watching it, I’ll most likely be at every game. My support never wavers no matter how good or bad I think the squad is. I’m here for the long haul. I hope to be wrong with my sentiments but I don’t think I will be .

[Thirteen]

Next year is all about giving youngsters a chance to develop that's what I'm looking forward to the most, it's highly unlikely we make the top 8 so just treat it like 2012

Well said Sam. Will be great to see Va’a, Wong, Toia and Mark N in action. I also rate Tait.

[Thirteen]

If that's the case then Souffs young rake Peter Momouzelos must be peeved badly.

He's been patiently plying his trade for a few years in the lower grades behind Cook, and rather than be the starting hooker, he plays second fiddle again.

Young Peter will still get half a game as Fat Cheese can’t last any longer than 40. The sooner we let this chump go the better. I hate having players at the club knowing the club doesn’t actually want them there. I’ll be surprised if we can’t offload him before the season begins. One of our worst buys for a while. Almost up there with Fatty Vautin.