GNR4LIFE
Well-known member
Yeah, I was gonna say that I have heard Lamb indirectly admit it. I’ve never seen it either. Just have heard about it. There doesn’t seem to be the same level of heartache about 88 compared to 89.
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
I wish we had choices , but we don’t seem to have anyone in mine
GNR4LIFE
Well-known member
We have a very passable pack if we pick it the right way.
8. May
9. Api
10. Klemmer
11. Bird
12. Sam
13. Pole
It’s not great, but it’s serviceable. It makes the most sense to play Bird on the edge given our lack of depth there.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
we don’t even have Matterson as a choice right ?
I see Bird starting the season on the bench …then coming on to spell Pole at 13….
I think Seyfarth will be the starting second row at the beginning of the season…not that he is anything special …but I’m leaning that he is the best they have now…
BunganHead Tiger
Well-known member
I agree that the starting pack is serviceable. We also boast much greater punch added to our backline with the inclusion of Romey, Skelton and Turuva. The problem is that if we start Pole at lock then we are seriously down on impact from our bench. We have big Roycey who is an impact player but we then have Seyfarth, Twal, Sione, and TDS/Latu. And that is a best case scenario barring any injuries. Admittedly it is a better position than we have been in over the last few years and justifies Richo's attempts to sign someone like Kobe Hetherington. If we had someone like Hetherington we could afford to keep Pole and Hunt as impact bench players and still have that X-factor of a TDS or Latu sitting on the pine.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
Given our threadbare depth ..all of those guys are going to be playing plenty of games in 2025 …regardless if they are in the Top 17 in Round 1 …and some of them will be..
I’m hoping Matamua and Tim Johannssen can take a quantum leap to help out as well…
hank37w
Well-known member
Prefer to stick with the cardboard cut out.
I hate to poor water on ur fire , if u think that pack is going to be any better than what we had last year , I think ur in for a rude awakening. May is a great signing , hunt will add a lot more when he comes on , but overall we lose stepho , who on his day was good , papa I think was very good in defence as was Bateman , they didn’t do much in attack but if we had Laui last year things might have been different. But I hope u are right for all our sake
BunganHead Tiger
Well-known member
Gee I hope you are right Tom, and I do hold hopes for Tim J, as well as Sukkar. We really need some of our young fellas to come off. I struggle watching Matamua. I get that he has had big wraps in the Juniors as a ball playing forward but sometimes in a game you just need him to tuck the ball under his wing and run bloody hard at the opposition. I am yet to see that.
jrtiger
Well-known member
Stefano phoned it in for 16 weeks and Bateman gave away 10 penalties and 5 errors a game. the only one we’ll miss is Papali’i.
it’s a better pack that will improve even further providing we find another backrower between now and March.
BAGNF05
Well-known member
Papali’i was mostly injured last year, none of the three submitted 2024 seasons they’d be happy with.
On paper, they’re significant losses but in reality it won’t take that much to improve on their output.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
I’m not the one talking the pack up…although it is an improvement over last year …Im just trying to look at the squad and put forward where I see what they put on the field
Steph and Bateman were ordinary last year BTW …
Tom Shines
Well-known member
I must admit that Matamua has been a disappointment thus far …Im kind of going on Richo talking him up a month ago… all we have is hope right?
jrtiger
Well-known member
while Stefano has been succeeded by May, we’ve effectively replaced Papali’i and Bateman internally with Samuela and Seyfarth.
Ice played a bit of 13 to end the year but he was moved there because of Samuela’s form on an edge. Bird’s effectively come in to play 13 and has pushed the middles down the depth chart.
we’ve also signed a genuine impact prop in Royce, which we can be very excited about.
Bird has come in to push the middles up,he is not the answer ,did you word that sentence right?
jrtiger
Well-known member
nah I meant what I said. for now he’s our starting 13. i’m hopeful by the end of the year that either Matamua, Johannssen, Sione or Kit are in his place though.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
Unfortunately all 4 were at the club last year together though …in what was a terrible pack … Bateman leaving is addition by subtraction though ..
I hope Bird isn’t the starting 13 ..Im looking for more physicality
Matamua is yet to excite me, Johannsen may poses the smarts,Sione 2 early,no thrill from Kit either.Good thing for them to knock an old guy of his perch(/?} to gain their spot
jrtiger
Well-known member
both Seyfarth and Samuela did their entire preseasons in the middle last year. five months’ worth of time and work on the edges will help them immeasurably and should see them improve on last year’s showings. Luai is going to change Samuela’s life.
I agree on Bird but it seems as if he’s the guy. they tinkered with a few combos on the edges thru November and December but Bird in the middle was a constant. I’m concerned as well but I do think he’s a suitable stopgap until someone comes thru or we go to market.
