Given the raft of injuries across first grade I thought it best to collate it all together to see where we currently sit. Have sorted it into positions.
1. Iongi
2. Twidle
3. Russell (maybe back this week)
4. Samrani
5. Simonsson
6. Pezet
7. (Moses groin but still playing)
8. (Paulo carrying an injury but still playing)
9. (Smith carrying an injury but still playing)
10. Hopgood
11. Kautoga
12. Tuilagi
13. Doorey
14. Tuivaiti
15. (JAC ribs but still playing)
16. Ryan Matterson
17. Jake Tago
18. Richie Penisini
Replies
Can add Matterson, RIchard Penisni, Jake Tago (could be back from concussion) to that list.
We also only started 28 players, so that's 2 fg players down. Matto makes us 3 down even before any injuries occur.
I can understand starting with 28 players. We did the same last year and landed Walker and TDS. But we've been too slow to act this year. Ryles has mentioned multiple times we need a middle and a back.
Respectfully, relying on off-field incidents / unhappy players leaving their club & pouncing due to chance doesn't appear to be the best strategy, Super?
Could understand 1 as an ace up the sleeve if confident with current roster, but the 2026 roster was not in that position.
The inuries are horrific, no denying, but we arguarbly had no genuine starting front rower in pre-season, and perhaps 1 strike outside back but he is being hampered by age. We didnt have a 5/8th in R1, or in R7.
If there are roster spots, and to MoN's own words 'cap relief would help tremendously', then to Mace's point, why wait? We have our own cap space, strike now & fight for cap-relief afterwards?
Have you heard anything concrete in regards to recruits incoming?
Yeah, it was obvious last year that Matto would not play again so they knew we were 3 down and took a punt.... Hoping for another 2 JAC's
Have I heard anything regarding recruits? No.
And regarding the strategy. Well every club does it.
Every club may well do it but this time it has it blown up in our face like Nth Korean ammunition...oh well...there's always next decade.
Mark O'Neil needs to cut his daily Tingha Palace lunches short and start manoeuvring in getting Xerri, Tago or Timoko.
While he's added... Drinkwater would make an excellent no.6 for us next year. Sell him the dream. I can see him and Mosses carving it up.
That's actually a great idea. Drinkwater is not a great defender and I wouldn't want him at FB but at 6? I think he'd be absolutely ideal!
Added to that is Murray Taulagi still unsigned for 2027 and now going to Easts.
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