We were a team of potential that could not quite get there; we all admitted "BA is a good coach but not good enough for that next level", "The players are good enough, just not that next level". Here we are in a GF. For years we have been a team that has prioritised being underdogs, being written off and playing that to our advantage, plus being known as giant killers until they played us in big games. When it came to playing games where the opposition treated us with respect and pressure was aligned, we faulter.
Now there is a tonal shift in this club for years to come, a winning sense, a sense of teams are coming after us and we want them too. Teams that are seemed to be easy seem to fear us, those who want to go contact for contact early we get into the swing of wanting to get them down and out of the way. BA has created this narrative of us against everyone else, they are coming for us, media and teams, nothing to lose as it is a loss loss. We lose; media will chastise us as window is shut, we are chokers, the roster is not good enough, BA cannot lead us to big wins. On the other hand; we win and the media will apply pressure of they need to win or the window is shut, if they don't win it is a failure etc.
BA has added an Us against them mentality, if we win on Sunday which i am even more confident about considering how we played last night, Penrith we know how to beat and Souths if they are to make it will walk in hobbling and running on pure emotions, this will lead the club to being a powerhouse. Fixing our junior pathways adds more to that. BA, i have knocked you, though mentioned you are a good coach i didn't know if he had it in him to lead us to a GF nonetheless a premiership. Now he is 80mins away from getting a statue out the front of CommBank and being the third coach in a 75 year history of a club to win a title, being one of the first in NRL history to win after 9 years at the helm.
Even better, if we do fall short, we will be even better next year due to this. This is not like 09' were we fluked it with a roster that on paper was not as good as we think with Jarryd Hayne carrying us, this is a team effort to the GF, spine effort with 3/4 of them being here next year with a hooker that has been to a GF also.
All i can say now is i am a believer, i have seen this team do it too many times, but now they got there i am willing to believe. I had hope they could do it and belief they were good enough to do it just didn't know if mentally they could. Last night, they was the strongest i have seen them mentally.
We have grown as a squad and as a club, BA has grown as a coach showing ability to adapt and take risks. We knocked his bench but hey it worked as we got to a GF.
It might sound like "covering his ass incase you lose" but even if we lose i feel better about 2023, going into that season actually excited of what could be. Either going into 2023 as reigning premiers or a team on the search for revenge who you do not want to take on at all. Brown with at 22, with 80 NRL games, a GF apperance, a WC and with Trent Barrett (one of the greatest Five-eighths in the modern era) coaching him in attack, mother of god watch us go back to back or go in search of revenge in 2023.
That win v Canberra woke a sleeping giant.
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A great read LB. I think Parra have the nucleus of a good team in place if they can lock up the halves long term. Two good front rowers (with a couple of good young props in the system). I watched the young Panther prop they have picked up playing against the Cowboys and he looks big and mobile. Both Lane and Matterson have resigned long term deals and are playing the best footy of their careers with more to come. Let's hope they find a way to keep Papalli. I wonder if they might go after Marty Tapau (one year deal on the cheap) or Klemmer from the Knights (There was talk about signing him earlier in the year).
I am hoping that both Brown and Moses will stick around now. Both can only get better, and they are enjoying their footy (Winners always do). It will cost a lot to keep both but that is the benefit in negotiating with players when you are on top- you don't have to pay overs to keep them.
I like our backs, although I think it would be great to pick up a gun centre that can add something extra out wide e.g. Lomax from the Dragons. There is a lot of talk that he is not happy there and they might be interested in moving him on. Might be pushing the cap I know, but we are letting a lot of players go.
I think to stay on top you need to keep getting better even if you do win the premiership.
I think we will keep a few off contract next year with the upping in the cap and the 400k for local juniors, surely can give Brown that 400k and pay the rest on the cap or give it to Penisini.
Blake I reckon will be walked, Lane is my concern atm. But he does love the club and BA so never know.
I think Moses is staying regardless, this is his team, he is the face, why leave that to start a new somewhere else
We have some very good young players to come into the squad as well. Dunster and Russell, although injured this year will be a year older and could be very valuable players in the coming years.
Agreed, we have witness some hard nosed attitude at Parra over the past few weeks, which is something we have not seen for a very long time.
One thing you cannot train or get right overnight or measure is mental toughness. BA has tried to enforce it and now it seems he has finally worked it out.