BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Taniela Tuiaki vibes
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
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TillLindemann
Well-known member
Oh what's this? Jake Simpkin out for a spot of coffee in Kogarah on a weekday? Strewth! Whatever could it mean?
Not sure Souths are a burning ship. If Bennett signs on as head coach I'd bet they finish higher up the ladder than we do in 2025. Souths are a good coach and an attitude adjustment away from being a top 4 team. Not a fan of Bennett as a person but he almost always gets results from teams.
I'm sure Souths could improve with better coaching, but their roster is on the slide and that's not readily fixable. Cook is 32 and turns 33 this season, Walker is 34, Tom Burgess is about to turn 32 and is gone after this season - that's half the spine and their only impact prop. They don't have a halfback, they're paying a million dollars a year to Latrell Mitchell who while talented is nudging towards liability status. The prop rotation is thin, there isn't a decent winger at the club and the depth is so nonexistent that Michael Chee Kam is getting named every week. Could they get their shit together sufficiently that they make finals this year? Sure. But "top four team"? You're dreaming. Their roster as currently constructed is no longer a contender.
If an up and coming coach goes to Souths now they're taking a gamble that (a) the roster can be turned round fairly quickly, and (b) they'll be given enough time to oversee it and come out the other side rather than being scapegoated in the meantime.
(A) is possible: if nothing else, Souths have an almost Roosters-level ability to get players to walk away from the out years of terrible contracts. If Mitchell can't get his head right watch out for him to take the Greg Inglis approach and "retire" rather than pick up the $1m a year he's owed by Souths until 2027. On the other hand, if the club is looking at Wayne Bennett it means they still think they can win now, which would make me very worried indeed about (b).
Respect your POV but I'm standing by mine. Souths will get rid of Demetriou and bring in a quality coach, probably Bennett. They will recruit well and bring on some of their quality juniors perhaps a little earlier than they would have wanted. Mitchell will most probably retire but that won't be a big loss for them. Crowe will be heavily involved in the rebirth and I believe it will happen faster than we've been able to do. By the way, I said they are not far away from being a top 4 club. I certainly didn't say they'd be top 4 this year.
jrtiger
Well-known member
I see both sides. Bennett will absolutely get the best out of the problem child, but Walker and Cook are in the twilight and may not have much left to give. Dean Hawkins is a solid half who would do a decent job if he had a decent forward pack to play behind, but he doesn't have that right now.
what I will give Souths credit for is their succession planning. they're pretty damn good at identifying who comes next and backing them in. say what you will about Ilias but he did get them to a prelim in his first full season. Mamouzelos and Teaupa will both have decent careers, Jye Gray is a future rep player. but these players will take 2-3 years to become consistent first graders.
I really think for Souths its as simple as getting a respected coach that can set standards and drive culture and buy in from the players and reshaping their forward pack and making a few tough calls around Mitchell being moved to the centres and Johnston being moved on. I think Wayne will be able to do that very quickly.
Betterdays22
Well-known member
C'mon Wayne, come to the Tigers. Don't know what drives the man but surely working with Richo and Benji and weaving magic behind the scenes is tempting for this stage in his career, rather than taking on another head coaching role.
Big sliding doors moment for Souths over the last few years was losing Reynolds and taking a gamble on Ilias. They might have missed their window now because of that. In saying that the roster they currently have should 100% still be competing at the top. I agree that in 18 months time they will be looking fairly tired and old and will need some time to rebuild. Hoping Wayne see's the role at the Tigers as a much more attractive proposition.
Big sliding doors moment for Souths over the last few years was losing Reynolds and taking a gamble on Ilias. They might have missed their window now because of that. In saying that the roster they currently have should 100% still be competing at the top. I agree that in 18 months time they will be looking fairly tired and old and will need some time to rebuild. Hoping Wayne see's the role at the Tigers as a much more attractive proposition.
InBulaWeTrust
Well-known member
But would Wayne really go to souths though? From what I have heard, both him and Jason Demetriou have a close relationship, which im sure would factor into any decision he would make surrounding joining the club, paired with the fact that joining the tigers would probably be more rewarding, taking a club that recently has struggled more, and giving them success with Benji, another mate
I thought the reason Bennett was leaving the Dolphins is that he wants to be a coach not a director of football type? How's that going to work given we already have a head coach?
There's a bloke wearing a 2005 era Wests Tigers jersey in about the 3rd row at WWE Monday night Raw at the moment. Is that @Tito Santana ?
Betterdays22
Well-known member
I was unaware that was the reason he was leaving! Hope ive got his energy when im 74.
Well, you said they're "a good coach and an attitude adjustment away from being a top 4 team" - that fairly strongly implies that you didn't think they needed any work done on the roster. Now you're talking about recruitment and juniors, in other words a rebuild job. Which is it? Because I already said it's possible they could rebuild quickly.
Bennett is set to spark a ruthless NRL frenzy. These seven coaches could be axed for him in ‘25
Bennett is set to spark a ruthless NRL frenzy. These seven coaches could be axed for him in ‘25
www.foxsports.com.au
"The Dolphins want him to stay in a coaching director capacity, but Bennett is an on-field coach and he’ll have a whistle in his mouth for the rest of his days."
It would only happen if fainu could make the 5/8 spot his , if not then benji sticks with Galvin , and u only weaken a position if that player is weaker than the one u move , having all three in the team only strengthen the team and many players have been moved over the years to help improve there team ,
Not sure why you're being argumentative, i don't know you from Adam. Of course they'll recruit and bring juniors through - every team does, every year. But every team doesn't bring in a good coach and bring about a change in attitude every year. That's what will make them a top 4 side again. QED.
If True, Could you please somehow grab a screen shot/Photo??????
That would give me immense bragging rights of my NRL WhatsApp Group
I'm not being argumentative, I'm engaging in a discussion. Don't take it personally. To be honest, though - and sorry to be blunt - you're not really making much of a point. I'm asking specifically how you think a team with an increasingly lousy roster is going to be catapaulted back into the top four. If you think a coach and "attitude" is enough to offset the whole "having crappy players" thing, I don't really have anything else to say.
Oh, one thing. Souths' ladder finishes in recent years are 6th, 3rd, 7th, 9th, and they are currently 17th. So becoming a top four side "again" means achieving something they haven't done since 2021. I can't imagine why anyone would think this current Souths roster is a likely candidate to achieve that.
balmain boy
Well-known member
We need pace though, would we take him over Faatape and Feledy as our slow outside back?
Pal, I don’t need to make a point to you. On this forum I only engage with people I respect and who are respectful. You have shown yourself to be neither of those things so I’ve finished talking with you.
