We'll need a new five-eighth.

[Nicola Tesla]

On the contrary I've been critical of the lack of talent coming through the pathways in recent years.

Toby Rodwell is as good as I've ever seen come through our grades as a half.

Can he kick further than 35metres? Seriously, has he got a decent long kicking game or one that can develop.

[King Salvo]

Mate I didn't bring up Thurston!

"Generational player" or freak is just a name given to special players like Thurston and you can definitely have more than 1 coming through at the same period. E.g Cam Smith, Billy Slater.

Cronk was a great player however I wouldn't classify him as a generational player. Ditto Mini, Cordner, SBW, Inglis etc. Just my opinion.

FYI Thurston played 37 games for QLD and 38 for AU.

As for my expectation for Sandon. For mind he's another Jackson Hastings , Kyle Flanagan who show plenty of promise whilst they're playing Jersey Flegg however struggle to perform in the NRL and are eventually moved on by our club.

That was his career total and mine were as at 2015 as you said the difference in the game was Thurston in the 2015 GF.

Very premature though to right off Sandon though

[King Salvo]

On the contrary I've been critical of the lack of talent coming through the pathways in recent years.

Toby Rodwell is as good as I've ever seen come through our grades as a half.

Not sure what you mean by lack of talent though - As I said in an earlier post a succession plan is not as simple as some on here make it out to be

Take James Tedesco for an example as when the club signed him I assume the club seen him a long term NRL fullback for the club - 10 years or so perhaps who knows

So when do you start developing and training up his eventually replacement if he is a a 10 year player still producing the goods in games which he is.

Anyone being trained up and developed to NRL standard say from 2018 to eventually replace him will not be hanging around too long if all they play is a game here and there.

You're training up and developing players for other clubs to sign - a common complaint by development clubs that they are never reimbursed for developing players,

You talk about Toby Rodwell a 7 - if Sam Walker stays long term as a 7 and is playing great footy where does Toby play if also seen as a 7 when NRL ready - Obviously some other team will sign him if he is NRL ready.

[Rooster_6]

Can he kick further than 35metres? Seriously, has he got a decent long kicking game or one that can develop.

I would've said Chad Townsend (but given his kicking in the trial), there's a very real possibility that Rodwell has the best general play kicking game at the club currently (Walker undoubtedly the best attacking kicking game).

Despite being smashed in the first half we actually held field position pretty well in the 2nd half in the trial against the Dragons so Rodwell never really had to exert himself on any of his kicks but a few examples where he's clearly kicking within himself and focusing on the timing of the ball dropping rather than just purely height or distance.

https://youtu.be/7xMlTD7BoGg?si=B8ZYI2n8U7bPDlvC&t=3359 - Cross field kick
https://youtu.be/7xMlTD7BoGg?si=B8ZYI2n8U7bPDlvC&t=3700 - 40/20 attempt
https://youtu.be/7xMlTD7BoGg?si=B8ZYI2n8U7bPDlvC&t=3829 - Bomb
https://youtu.be/7xMlTD7BoGg?si=7UL76rKULFSdKFkm&t=4079 - Yardage kick

[Bates]

That was his career total and mine were as at 2015 as you said the difference in the game was Thurston in the 2015 GF.

Very premature though to right off Sandon though

Sandon could potentially be a better 9.

[Rooster_6]

Not sure what you mean by lack of talent though - As I said in an earlier post a succession plan is not as simple as some on here make it out to be

Take James Tedesco for an example as when the club signed him I assume the club seen him a long term NRL fullback for the club - 10 years or so perhaps who knows

So when do you start developing and training up his eventually replacement if he is a a 10 year player still producing the goods in games which he is.

Anyone being trained up and developed to NRL standard say from 2018 to eventually replace him will not be hanging around too long if all they play is a game here and there.

You're training up and developing players for other clubs to sign - a common complaint by development clubs that they are never reimbursed for developing players,

You talk about Toby Rodwell a 7 - if Sam Walker stays long term as a 7 and is playing great footy where does Toby play if also seen as a 7 when NRL ready - Obviously some other team will sign him if he is NRL ready.

Clubs are not building succession plans at junior rep level, that is nonsense.

The scouts and clubs are looking to stockpile the best talent they can get their hands on irrelevant of who's playing in the first grade side. Plain and simple.

What I mean by lack of talent is that since the 2016-17 era of Manu, Mitchell, Radley, Butcher, Tupouniua, Collins & Watson you can't point to another time period where we've been able to bring through even one-quarter of that talent, instead we had to go out and pay top dollar for kids like Suaalii & Walker who already had the hype.

[Bates]

Turns 19 this year.
Between he and Walker they have enough ability to play as complete halves. I almost wonder if you'd play them as a split pairing for first receiver and then allow them to roam as a 2nd receiver as they see fit.

OR you just let him settle into first grade as a 5/8.

Toby has it in spades.

[Rooster_Mark]

On the contrary I've been critical of the lack of talent coming through the pathways in recent years.

Toby Rodwell is as good as I've ever seen come through our grades as a half.

I am not necessarily pointing the finger at you, just the Chookpen as a collective. We need a 5/8 who is ready to play First Grade at a high level now. Not a guy who is 18 years of age. I feel like the powers that be at our club have been asleep for the past few years.

[milanja]

That was his career total and mine were as at 2015 as you said the difference in the game was Thurston in the 2015 GF.

Very premature though to right off Sandon though

Am I the only one who thinks that Thurston wasn’t the best player on the field in that grand final? Granville had a massive impact, as did Morgan and of course…….Hunt.

[King Salvo]

Clubs are not building succession plans at junior rep level, that is nonsense.

The scouts and clubs are looking to stockpile the best talent they can get their hands on irrelevant of who's playing in the first grade side. Plain and simple.

What I mean by lack of talent is that since the 2016-17 era of Manu, Mitchell, Radley, Butcher, Tupouniua, Collins & Watson you can't point to another time period where we've been able to bring through even one-quarter of that talent, instead we had to go out and pay top dollar for kids like Suaalii & Walker who already had the hype.

Of course there is a succession plan as why bother with Academies and Junior Reps and or for that matter Senior Reps then if there is no plan to develop players to NRL standard in a succession plan scenario - just recycle and sign players cut by other NRL or EPL Clubs Instead.

No club is going to sign the best 10 junior halfbacks just to stock pile them.

Not much wriggle room to add more to the squad with the numbers of long term established players these past few years

2024 Squad for an example

https://www.roosters.com.au/news/202...-squad-update/

Departures: Drew Hutchison, Jaxson Paulo, Fletcher Baker, Jake Turpin, Nathan Brown, Corey Allan, Paul Momirovski, Ben Thomas

Arrivals: Dominic Young, Spencer Leniu

Elevated: Zach Dockar-Clay (Bears), Tyler Moriarty

[rented tracksuit]

Do you think Robbo has asked him to hold back on special stuff so we can surprise the Broncos?

No. No I don’t.

[TumutChook]

I am backing the Squad and Coach Robinson and his team - looks like I am the only one.

My My My what a bunch of fair weather supporters the Roosters have to already write off the season before a ball has been kicked off proper.

Uncle Nick pull the Roosters from the Comp as they have no chance in 2025 and re-admit them in 2028

Honesty & being realistic isn’t being a fair weather supporter. You can pretend like the rainbow warriors do when they claim they’re cats, unicorns, trans etc but facts are facts. Absolute garbage squad with 0 X factor & will certainly miss the 8, while also taking at least half a dozen 30 point belongings. If this was South’s or Broncos you would be laughing at them which is what everyone is doing to us now. I always want us to win, but I’m also realistic & know there are very few wins in this squad when our spine is the worse in the league & our forward depth is NSW cup standard.

[Bates]

Am I the only one who thinks that Thurston wasn’t the best player on the field in that grand final? Granville had a massive impact, as did Morgan and of course…….Hunt.

That was the best game Granville has played! He was immense and played out of his skin however Thurston won CC Medal and rightly so imo. He delivered when the stakes were high!

Points

3. Thurston
2. Granville
1. Morgan and Scott.

[Lydon]

Toby Rodwell and Sam Walker are the future..

Anyone in between will just keep the seat warm until Toby is ready to go in my opinion.

[King Salvo]

Toby Rodwell and Sam Walker are the future..

Anyone in between will just keep the seat warm until Toby is ready to go in my opinion.

How do you work that out when both are earmarked as number 7's - one will leave