Benji 2025 and Beyond

[twentyforty]

Last in. NRL
Last.in reserve grade
Last.in WNRL
Last.in.Matts (Balmain)
Last in SG Ball (Balmain)
2nd.last in that other female.comp

Anyone see a pattern?

Ink, If the last game of the season provides any insight into the culture of WT then we are sinking further into the abyss. We have won 3 of these games since 2014.

2014 26-10 Sharks

2015 30-32 Dragons

2016 10-52 Raiders

2017 28-16 Warriors

2018 10-51 Rabbitohs

2019 8-25 Sharks

2020 24-28 Eels

2021 0-38 Bulldogs

2022 10-56 Raiders

2023 12-54 Sea Eagles

2024 26-60 Eels

I realise we have some good players signed for next season, just as we've had previously. Players and coaches come and go, but the cavalier mediocrity remains.

 

[Saturnalia]

I've mentioned this before, we don't execute at speed.

I saw one play at the spoobowl (an inside ball to mason) that was actually executed at pace. Everything else was in slow motion, stunted, or both.

This is a coaching issue. The halves don't look like they know what they're doing. The outside backs don't know what the halves are doing. The forwards don't know which one of them is getting the ball from Api.

It's just disjointed.

It's like they only see each other on gameday.

 

[Tucker]

A draft would be helpful though

First pick of the bunch the last few seasons

We picked up Api for 2023 and Luai for 2025….surely both would have been number one draft picks?

 

[Robbie's Love Child]

Give Benji a chance with this sort of line up, excluding any other signings. If we fail to be in the running for the 8 close to the end of the season in 2025 then reexamine.

1 Bula

2 Skelton
3 Olam
4 Turuva
5 Luke L


6 Galvin
7 Luai


8 Hunt
9 Api
10 Klemmer
11 S. Fainu
12 S.Pole
13 J.Bird


14 Seyfarth
15 Twal
16 L.Fainu
17 S.Fainu

 

[Mccarry]

Let’s look at Friday nights backline
2x half’s that are teenagers
2x Centre’s that are reserve graders at best

2x Wingers (1 leaving & 1 imposter)
1x fullback that is not NRL ready

I don’t care who the coach is with that backline no one is going to succeed.

I’m happy to support Benji as the coach for the next 2 years and I will be expecting to be reminded of this after any big losses next year in and around the winning games.

Yes, I observe the same thing but ask yourself the next question.
Benji knew that going into the game right?

Explain to me then how the game plan was to constantly spread the ball on tackle three?

With so much change in the team explain to me how he choose to take the just play football, have fun approach. You know what… he gambled badly and lost.

Benji needed to produce a boring game plan with low risk. He needed to focus on line speed and kicking deep. He needed to avoid players that are unfamiliar with playing with each other spreading the ball under pressure.

Benji is a rookie coach. I hope he feels humiliated when he reflects on his game plan. He needs to realise the modern day NRL is structured. It needs a plan that is earned and not based on hope and how he wanted to be coached.

Yes, high self belief, young super stars will respond, but everyone else?

 

[Mccarry]

No idea if Benji is a good coach or not.

I support the Bengals in the NFL and they got a young unproven coach 4 years ago. First season ran last and fundamentals of defensive and offensive line were getting dominated by the opposition, great vet players were unhappy and played badly and were moved on or left. 2nd year not much better, finished 4th last (out of 32) and again just could not compete physically. Throughout that time the young players seemed to be drinking the koolaid because they backed him and liked him. Then third year they make the Superbowl and the Bengals had their best season since the 80s. At the end of that 2nd season most the fanbase (including me) were absolutely livid he'd been retained. Everything looked terrible, absolutely no progress, defense an embarrassment. They kept him, team started winning. Fans were wrong.

I don't know if Benji is any good. Api believes in him, luai and others want to play for him. I guess I just mention the Bengals and their coaching to say that you can't always judge coaching by performances on the field. It takes players and coaches time to adjust and get things to go the way they want. I hope this is true of Benji, I'd love for him not to tarnish his career with a bad coaching stint.

Thank you, I needed to read this

 

[batboy]

I've mentioned this before, we don't execute at speed.

I saw one play at the spoobowl (an inside ball to mason) that was actually executed at pace. Everything else was in slow motion, stunted, or both.

This is a coaching issue. The halves don't look like they know what they're doing. The outside backs don't know what the halves are doing. The forwards don't know which one of them is getting the ball from Api.

It's just disjointed.

It's like they only see each other on gameday.

Said it earlier in the year (and was howled down)

The shots from training show our boys are always smiling, that and Benji having the ball in every second photo tells me that we’re not practicing at a game intensity.

Also said, we don’t tackle anyone - we just catch them, have been for years….
This also points to no intensity at training…

Watching the storm game last week - they’d have devoured us whole this weekend…

Our culture is dogshit - it’s all about nice guys and mates and performing sometimes…
We’re here hoping Benji can change it - for mine, he helped create it.

 

[happy_tiger]

We picked up Api for 2023 and Luai for 2025….surely both would have been number one draft picks?

A draft pick would be the best junior player coming through ....you could keep Api and Luai as well

 

[clontarfkid]

Thank you, I needed to read this

1 out of 100 end this way..and even more rarely when the coach shows few attributes that wld result eventually in success.
He'll get another year,but unlike the Bengal ballad ....patience will be exhausted with what was a ridiculous appointment in the first place

 

[Tiger_claws]

No idea if Benji is a good coach or not.

I support the Bengals in the NFL and they got a young unproven coach 4 years ago. First season ran last and fundamentals of defensive and offensive line were getting dominated by the opposition, great vet players were unhappy and played badly and were moved on or left. 2nd year not much better, finished 4th last (out of 32) and again just could not compete physically. Throughout that time the young players seemed to be drinking the koolaid because they backed him and liked him. Then third year they make the Superbowl and the Bengals had their best season since the 80s. At the end of that 2nd season most the fanbase (including me) were absolutely livid he'd been retained. Everything looked terrible, absolutely no progress, defense an embarrassment. They kept him, team started winning. Fans were wrong.

I don't know if Benji is any good. Api believes in him, luai and others want to play for him. I guess I just mention the Bengals and their coaching to say that you can't always judge coaching by performances on the field. It takes players and coaches time to adjust and get things to go the way they want. I hope this is true of Benji, I'd love for him not to tarnish his career with a bad coaching stint.

Who Dey!!!

 

[Magpie_Magic]

Looking forward to benji operating with generally a settled halves and backline combination for at least a few weeks playing with 13 on the paddock.

If given that for a few weeks wirh the upgrades on the way we don't see a massive buy in from the senior players and recruits and a major step up his goose will be cooked.

 

[Tigerfourlife]

Love the passion from our supporters but don’t like the hate that comes at benji and the club. Stop letting the media agenda's, emotion and false reality of expectations and look at facts.
We are in a rebuild that takes time and has clearly had a strategy of developing young talent as priority and fixing many things in parallel.
The task is monumental and we are as a club taking huge steps forward.
Benji has had 12 debutants and won more games than last year.
Pascoe and Lee gone.
JL said he came to play for Benji so he is also contributing to acquiring top talent.
Benji has players wanting to play for him and are buying in (they understand it isn't overnight) and are making progress.
We have stopped overpaying players and have moved on players that are not in the roll.
Richo extended ( one of the best in the business).
State of the art training facilities and centre of excellence that is world class.
No club has had to overcome and change as many things as ours have had and still have to change. We are in unique territory which shows how bad our situation was but we have progressed.
90% of recommendations from report have been completed and once the board is finalised Richo and co can focus on executing the next steps to move club forward.
I think we need to give Benji next year and then evaluate how he is performing vs what the plan has asked him to execute.

 

[Merlot]

the only way is up

those that laughed emoji at this ,give ya selves an uppercut . lol

 

[Oldman]

Yes, I observe the same thing but ask yourself the next question.
Benji knew that going into the game right?

Explain to me then how the game plan was to constantly spread the ball on tackle three?

With so much change in the team explain to me how he choose to take the just play football, have fun approach. You know what… he gambled badly and lost.

Benji needed to produce a boring game plan with low risk. He needed to focus on line speed and kicking deep. He needed to avoid players that are unfamiliar with playing with each other spreading the ball under pressure.

Benji is a rookie coach. I hope he feels humiliated when he reflects on his game plan. He needs to realise the modern day NRL is structured. It needs a plan that is earned and not based on hope and how he wanted to be coached.

Yes, high self belief, young super stars will respond, but everyone else?

I guessing Benji might have been thinking playing that way has got the team 2 wins in a row so may as well try and keep it going,
Let’s face it playing a simple no mistake football hasn’t worked for this team for how many years now ?

 

[Merlot]

what another s%&t way 2 roll over -again ,when it counts-fkme a glass 1?@ full .hold the faith peeps

 

[lauriefromleichhardt]

Ink, If the last game of the season provides any insight into the culture of WT then we are sinking further into the abyss. We have won 3 of these games since 2014.

2014 26-10 Sharks

2015 30-32 Dragons

2016 10-52 Raiders

2017 28-16 Warriors

2018 10-51 Rabbitohs

2019 8-25 Sharks

2020 24-28 Eels

2021 0-38 Bulldogs

2022 10-56 Raiders

2023 12-54 Sea Eagles

2024 26-60 Eels

I realise we have some good players signed for next season, just as we've had previously. Players and coaches come and go, but the cavalier mediocrity remains.

Jayden Campbell said at half time against the Panthers that they had a couple of players leaving at the end of the season so they were putting in the effort. Unlike us..

 

[Merlot]

Take ya foil hats off -if Warrington wants Bateman ,who is doing who a deal there,if he isnt inbound 2 us (Burgess) he may absorb some duds 4 us-fingers crossed

 

[palms]

Pretty unforgiving place to learn the NRL.

Strong clubs debut 2-5 guys a year.

We debuted 13 I believe.

Yes but these mistakes aren't isolated to this year. Anyway, as I mentioned I'll give them the first 10 rounds to see improvement in these attitude areas before some sort of heat has to apply to Benji's lack of credentials.

 

[Oldman]

Love the passion from our supporters but don’t like the hate that comes at benji and the club. Stop letting the media agenda's, emotion and false reality of expectations and look at facts.
We are in a rebuild that takes time and has clearly had a strategy of developing young talent as priority and fixing many things in parallel.
The task is monumental and we are as a club taking huge steps forward.
Benji has had 12 debutants and won more games than last year.
Pascoe and Lee gone.
JL said he came to play for Benji so he is also contributing to acquiring top talent.
Benji has players wanting to play for him and are buying in (they understand it isn't overnight) and are making progress.
We have stopped overpaying players and have moved on players that are not in the roll.
Richo extended ( one of the best in the business).
State of the art training facilities and centre of excellence that is world class.
No club has had to overcome and change as many things as ours have had and still have to change. We are in unique territory which shows how bad our situation was but we have progressed.
90% of recommendations from report have been completed and once the board is finalised Richo and co can focus on executing the next steps to move club forward.
I think we need to give Benji next year and then evaluate how he is performing vs what the plan has asked him to execute.

Agree 💯
I’m sure there is a review at the end of each year and decisions made for the following year.
Improvement next year doesn’t mean we finish in the top 8 that could still be a couple of years ahead.
Richo is the man to make the call on the coaching after each year.

 

[batboy]

Love the passion from our supporters but don’t like the hate that comes at benji and the club. Stop letting the media agenda's, emotion and false reality of expectations and look at facts.
We are in a rebuild that takes time and has clearly had a strategy of developing young talent as priority and fixing many things in parallel.
The task is monumental and we are as a club taking huge steps forward.
Benji has had 12 debutants and won more games than last year.
Pascoe and Lee gone.
JL said he came to play for Benji so he is also contributing to acquiring top talent.
Benji has players wanting to play for him and are buying in (they understand it isn't overnight) and are making progress.
We have stopped overpaying players and have moved on players that are not in the roll.
Richo extended ( one of the best in the business).
State of the art training facilities and centre of excellence that is world class.
No club has had to overcome and change as many things as ours have had and still have to change. We are in unique territory which shows how bad our situation was but we have progressed.
90% of recommendations from report have been completed and once the board is finalised Richo and co can focus on executing the next steps to move club forward.
I think we need to give Benji next year and then evaluate how he is performing vs what the plan has asked him to execute.

Media agenda influence?
Cmon now - Benji has had a free run in the media (much like with most fans) they’ve barely made a peep…

Benji has had a couple of recruitment wins, on the other hand To’a, Naden, Sullivan, Sezer, Twal all signed under Benji and underperforming.

I feel the light touch on Benji might go from zero to 100 next year when we start slow…
Not looking forward to it…