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"Whilst the loss of Mich is huge it will be a great reviler of the culture in the club Penrith and Melbourne get injuries but you never truly write them off because the next man up approxh and jersey culture means they are never out.
If we compete…"
If we compete…"
"Was blaze that good? I think he is very raw and maybe needs another yr "
"I wonder if the have Lomax on Right and move Penisini to left. Penisini is a Centre that can adapt, where Lomax has the pass that has him needed on the right.
But I think Lomax would be happy as long as it is Centre in a good team."
But I think Lomax would be happy as long as it is Centre in a good team."
"I think the club is doing the right thing not paying 600 k to 800k for a good first grade player that can boost our chances of winning comp when they can sign 3 or 4 players for the same money that may boost our chances of winning a reserve grade…"
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BA has already stated that the majority of our new signings are for depth purposes. I respect Rabs heaps but he doesn't really understand our situation if he thinks that we've signed players for the hell of it. Our depth next year is excellent and there will be intense competition for spots. All our players will need to consistently perform. That said, I agree that we'll struggle a fair bit next year. Our season will hinge on Sandow and Norman and their ability to create enough points for us. They'll be under huge pressure. I can't help but think that next year will be a repeat of 2011 in that we'll be able to get into the grind well enough but ultimately fail to finish teams off with the killer blow.
We don't have the Origin standard or representative players who would be in any side.
We have plodders or honest toilers at best with the exception of one or two.
Now if you look at the Roosters or Rabbits there is less competition for spots because they have highly credentialed players. The toilers and plodders have no chance.
Depth is a luxury only if your first team is hot shit. If it's not it doesn't mean shit having all this depth.
One of the things that most impressed me with BA was he built his game around the players he had at his disposal. We d idn't have big boppers to dominate the middle of the park, so we played a very expansive game, which got the ball to our couple of strike weapons as much as possible.
This year I reckon we're going to play very direct, very physical - try and pull as much of the defence into the centre and then base our try scoring on making use of numbers, with a big emphasis on forcing the 3rd defender in to make a decision between taking one of our powerful fringe runners or holding to prevent numbers. Pretty much playing a lot like Souths.
The problems with the Dragons is they suck up front. And doesn't matter how good your backs are if your forwards don't do their job.
BA strikes me as very much the sum is greater than their parts kind of coach but its probably fair to say our roster will test that philosophy!
But we lack speed in the centres to take advantage of the overlap. You refer to Souths as an example, yet they have lightning quick centres. We have great thrust and punch on both sides of the ruck with our edge forwards, but I fear that our lack of speed out wide, save for Radradra, will cost us a fair bit.
The other aspect I'm worried about with our centres is neither Morgan or Champion are natural passers of the ball. Taikarangi can shift the ball quickly but Champion prefers to throw a dummy and Morgs is the pin back your ears and run variety of centre so you won't be expecting too many quick hands from those guys. If there is a bolter in our side this year, I reckon it could be Nathan Davis. I just don't think our backline is suited to traditional hole-running centres and is better suited to a guy with size and who can pass, and if Davis manages to develop his physique this off-season he could come from the clouds.
Yeah I have a rap on Davis too and I was very impressed watching his ball playing at fullback, but I question whether he has the speed to make it in the centres. Question for Ham or Forty/20: when could Levi Li realistically be ready for NRL? He is freakishly fast and was one of the big improvers in the U20s this year. How much more development does he need?
Agree Phil I think Davis is very under-rated but he sparked the attack many times when the team appeared to be going nowhere. Good reader of the game, can pass both sides, elusive & when fills out will be hard to contain. Also good goal kicker & long punter of the ball.