Alex Seyfarth #232

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Sione Fainu, Royce Hunt, Bunty Afoa, Alex seyfarth and Jack Bird.

Even think you have the order pretty much right, Roberts signing is intriguing, looking forward to see what he's got in the trials reports saying he's a big lad.

 

[Vicious]

Even think you have the order pretty much right, Roberts signing is intriguing, looking forward to see what he's got in the trials reports saying he's a big lad.

Ethan Roberts is already a much better edge back row option than Seyfarth, but not even close as a middle forward bench option at this stage of their careers.

 

[Lestronge]

I don’t hate him as a person, just as a first grade NRL player. Believe it or not, I was a big believer when I first saw him coming through NYC and NSW Cup.

I hate that he’s heavily featured in the team despite barely improving in 6 seasons, that he’s a liability in attack 90% of the time and that he’s still giving away the dumb penalties and mistakes. And yes he is shit, and I’ve posted the stats that prove that. His only good quality is his defence yet his stats in that area regressed this season and his side of the field leaked points all throughout the season although that’s not all his fault. The eye test alone shows him losing contact in both attack and defence.

Reality is he would not even be sniffing first grade for a competitive team fighting for a top 8 spot. We are the only club who would’ve given this guy a chance after his second season. I get we've struggled for depth at times but he has been a liability for most of his career yet inexplicably has a cult following on here who were at one point saying we shouldn’t Angus Crichton because we had Alex Seyfarth.

Nah that’s simply not true bro . The warriors went in hard for him last contract negotiation but he doesn’t want to leave Sydney . Same for the dogs . What squad position was offered ? Well who knows , but the truth is as much as you may dislike him , he is valued in nrl circles . I agree though , if he’s in your starting 13 and you planned for it , IMO you’re basically saying I love to lose . Bench role , glue guy for the squad . That’s his spot .

 

[Lestronge]

Unless one or more of our younger emerging players excel during the pre season and impress enough during the trials to demand a spot on our top 17, our bench when at full strength will likely include 3 players out of Sione Fainu, Royce Hunt, Bunty Afoa, Alex seyfarth and Jack Bird.
Based on 2025 you would assume Sione Fainu will be an automatic selection , so the other 4 will battle for 2 bench spots.
As I’ve said previously I don’t think our defence will benefit from having both Royce Hunt and Bunty Afoa in our top 17, it will likely be one of the other.

i was calling for the Taylan May signing long before anyone else on this forum, so I’m well aware what he offers.
We could have Bugs Bunny playing 5/8 on our left and Taylan May would still make a valuable contribution.
Sure Luai started playing better late in the season and started forming a good combination with Samuela Fainu and Taylan May in particular, but he still wasn’t taking ownership and making good decisions on our 5th tackle on a regular basis, surely you acknowledge that’s a concern and something he has to do much better in 2026 if we are to improve ?
As I keep saying time will tell, but I simply do not think Luai and Bula are as good as many on this forum think they are.
If I’m wrong and other are right, there are no more excuses they have to start being much more dominant much more often in 2026 and if that happens it should play a vital role in more wins.
Yes they need the assstance and all 17 players to contribute and not be passengers, but as you have just stated that should not be a problem in 2026.
The point I continue to make in this Alex Seyfarth thread is his 10-30 minute cameo appearance each week if he’s in our top 17 at all will not make or break us in 2026, contrary to what sone people want to believe.

Bula isn’t in this teams top 3 players . By next season I’m hoping Makasini and Haywood have pushed through , as well as the may brothers .
Have you ever played in the halves ? It’s difficult , especially if the other team has realised that’s where all the creativity is coming from. They limit space , make you put the ball in other people’s hands sooner than you want . If you have options that have thier own gravity , all of sudden there’s space for you . That’s what May provided down the left . Now teams will factor him in , which means they will be really picking thier poison down that left .
It’s all connected like I keep saying . You can’t have a player who the opposition doesn’t really mark . It pretty much kills your attack . You’re talking micro seconds . That’s the difference between great attack and meh attack .
Teams like the raiders and bulldogs , have proven a star team is always better than a team of stars . As great as those teams were , how many bulldogs players are genuinely in your top 20 ? I honestly have 1. Chricton.
As for the raiders , I honestly have 1 has well in Tapine .
For me the top 20 players in the game are as follows ; 1. Walsh . Tedesco. Cleary, Hass , Munster , Hughes , Tapine , Grant , Yeo, Carrigan , Hammer, luai , Chricton , Metcalf , Ponga, Lomax(gone now),Mitchell(be much higher if he got on the field ) Hynes , Edward’s , Angus . I’m sure I’m forgetting someone .
The storm have had the same model since the day they started 3- 4 gun players then a bunch of journeymen around them , most being elevated to “gun” by thier play for them , when they leave they return back to norm. Thier talent identification at both ends of the spectrum , especially the back end is to be applauded . They’ve currently got guys like Nick Meaney , king Seve even Shawn blore , guys who were on thier third nrl team by the time the storm had them .
You could say in Blore case the potential was always there for all to see , but the whole nrl didn’t see it in Meaney and Seve . We were offered Meaney and went down the Laurie path . He went to the dogs who said thanks but no thanks after a year or two .
Even thier stars , guys like Cronk and now Hughes and Munster , neither of which had the “next big thing tag” I don’t even think Munster made any rep teams in the lower grades . Man anyone can go to any footy match in Australia and point out the best player on the field , as being the one who scores all the points. But when you really look, in a lot of cases the reason the team wins is because all 17 are doing thier job , bought in and know thier role . As Ponga has found out this last year … you can’t do it by yourself . Especially when your number 2 , and 3 stars are so enigmatic as is the case in best and Safiti .

 

[Vicious]

Bula isn’t in this teams top 3 players . By next season I’m hoping Makasini and Haywood have pushed through , as well as the may brothers .
Have you ever played in the halves ? It’s difficult , especially if the other team has realised that’s where all the creativity is coming from. They limit space , make you put the ball in other people’s hands sooner than you want . If you have options that have thier own gravity , all of sudden there’s space for you . That’s what May provided down the left . Now teams will factor him in , which means they will be really picking thier poison down that left .
It’s all connected like I keep saying . You can’t have a player who the opposition doesn’t really mark . It pretty much kills your attack . You’re talking micro seconds . That’s the difference between great attack and meh attack .
Teams like the raiders and bulldogs , have proven a star team is always better than a team of stars . As great as those teams were , how many bulldogs players are genuinely in your top 20 ? I honestly have 1. Chricton.
As for the raiders , I honestly have 1 has well in Tapine .
For me the top 20 players in the game are as follows ; 1. Walsh . Tedesco. Cleary, Hass , Munster , Hughes , Tapine , Grant , Yeo, Carrigan , Hammer, luai , Chricton , Metcalf , Ponga, Lomax(gone now),Mitchell(be much higher if he got on the field ) Hynes , Edward’s , Angus . I’m sure I’m forgetting someone .
The storm have had the same model since the day they started 3- 4 gun players then a bunch of journeymen around them , most being elevated to “gun” by thier play for them , when they leave they return back to norm. Thier talent identification at both ends of the spectrum , especially the back end is to be applauded . They’ve currently got guys like Nick Meaney , king Seve even Shawn blore , guys who were on thier third nrl team by the time the storm had them .
You could say in Blore case the potential was always there for all to see , but the whole nrl didn’t see it in Meaney and Seve . We were offered Meaney and went down the Laurie path . He went to the dogs who said thanks but no thanks after a year or two .
Even thier stars , guys like Cronk and now Hughes and Munster , neither of which had the “next big thing tag” I don’t even think Munster made any rep teams in the lower grades . Man anyone can go to any footy match in Australia and point out the best player on the field , as being the one who scores all the points. But when you really look, in a lot of cases the reason the team wins is because all 17 are doing thier job , bought in and know thier role . As Ponga has found out this last year … you can’t do it by yourself . Especially when your number 2 , and 3 stars are so enigmatic as is the case in best and Safiti .

Ponga did win the Dally M a couple of seasons back with virtually the same team around him.
Moses, Dearden, Brown to name a few would appear in many too 20 player lists well before Luai based on form from the 2025 season and the end of season internationals.
I agree on you stating it is much harder for halves to have time and space to excel when there are limited attacking threats in their team.
As you have been saying, our overall best 17 looks a lot stronger in 2026, so no more excuses, it’s time for our highly paid players to play up to their price tags.