Does anyone else feel like a win/loss this weekend will dictate our season.
Personally, I think a win here would be massive. It would put us as 3-2 with a fairly soft draw. This would be a great result considering the teams we have versed, and would put us in the early finals picture
Conversely, I think a loss will be dire. I'm not too sure why to be honest, I just feel like it will put to sleep any finals run aspirations despite how early in the year it is.
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It won't be make or break but it is a game where more fight needs to be shown.
Our line speed and first contact is the worst in the comp and there is no excuse for that. This is basically the same squad as last season, particularly the forward pack and after a poor start to last season we finished the season really strong with wins against top 8 teams.
The boys will bounce back.
anyone hear Moses struggling with a injury & in some doubt?
I don't remember a time when Moses hasn't been struggling with an injury in the last 3 years. Age is definitely catching up to him. I hope he manages to stay on the park this season.
It's why I've brought over the last week when does the club look past Mitchell.Do we continue paying 1.3 per fully knowing we aren't premiership contenders or do we continue down the path of least resistance saying ow well Mitchell or bust.
We know the elephant in the room I feel it's just prolonging the inevitable if we don't make some significant signings to align with Mitchell's prime.
Agree totally - rebuilds can either be partial or full.
If we're competitive (ie top 6) then a partial rebuild makes sense, trying to keep momentum whilst transitioning to the future. Not as transformational, but most clubs won't accept tanking their current roster for future success.
If we're not competitive it may make more sense to rip the bandaid off and just overhaul completely like the Bulldogs did (and to a lesser extent the Tigers). For us that probably means accelerating the world post-Mitch (and post-Junior).
Partial rebuild is more a reboot. Using what you have and just upgrading around them with either juniors or diamond in the roughs or upgrading other areas quickly.
We are not rebooting. But the type of rebuild you are suggesting we are sort of doing and in year 2 of. But at the same time, a coach like Ryles might not be given leeway to just blow it up again when he already did so.
If you are to move on from Moses, it would be with Fletcher. He is still in SG Ball. You have to wait til 2028 to even consider him somewhat ready.
Fair call on Fletcher - I just worry that Ryles isn't going to have the political capital to last through 2 more years of rebuild before we get the two most influential positions in the team (the halves).
I hope we hold the line with Ryles and can give him what he needs to be successful. Rookie coach, drawn out rebuild, new teams entering the league increasing competition for players. I still really rate Ryles, but he's going to need runs on the board within his first 3 seasons otherwise the noise will start to get loud.
That's the issue considering the boards first choice wasn't JR to start with they can use that as leverage to protect themselves.Yes I know a weak position but if it's between the coach that wasnt there favourite over there own jobs from what I'm seeing protectionist measures will be engaged.
We have not really seen any "political type movements" in aspect of our revival, we saw BA go inevitably.....everybody's scapegoat MON has survived....I do not see the argument for Ryles not having the political cattle to survive.
That said circumstances can change if he is specifically identified in the media and by some fans. I am loathe to critique Ryles but then again I question his judgement, picking Pezet (I was never happy with the idea) initially was understandable after the rhetorical explanation, subsequently keeping him going forward is on its lasts legs. The continuing choice of having Walker start is strange, because he acting as a sub, has been a matchwinner. I also happen to think JDB is worth persevering with as we have lost the only other defensive forward (Hopgood) that could match the type of workrate that is required. Talaiga's retention is tricky because he nearly has cemented a position of inconsistency.
In saying all this, these are observations I don't want to make, as whilst I consider them obervations, I am really in no position to make judgements and understand whats happening at the club.
NB Moses doesn't look happy and I am wondering if he thinking, rather than asking questions at this stage as well. Riley Smith is another that is not playing to the standards he has set himself.
Make or Break? I think we will beat Tigers this coming monday, if we don't I think we are in deep shit!
No coach can survive noise forever. Ryles has 3 years of "new rookie coach" buffer. After that the noise will grow. After BA holding on so long and not delivering us to the promised land I doubt we'll give another rookie coach a decade to reach it.
It's the same as any government or management - when you start you can blame everything on the last person. Bad squad, bad cap management, bad systems, bad culture. But after 3 years...there's only one person left to blame because this is now your squad, your cap, your systems and your culture.
Who'd want to be a head coach eh? 🤣
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