Season 2025 Expectations, Predictions & Key Positions.

tig_prmz said:
At this point I'm leaning towards:
1. Bula
2. Laulii (R)
3. Olam (L)
4. Douehi (R)
5. Turuva (L)
6. Galvin (R)
7. Luai (L)
8. Klemmer
9. Api
10. I've got no idea? Sukkar/Twal/Hunt/Fainu
11. S Fainu (L)
12. Seyfarth (R)
13. Pole

14. Bird
15. Hunt
16. Sukkar/Twal/Hunt/Fainu
17. Bateman

It's a tough decision to split S Fainu and Galvin but I think it's the right call.

Props: Klemmer/Sukkar/Twal/Hunt/Fainu looks very weak. I don't know where our metres come from. Bula doesn't exactly make many post contact metres either. The only ones who can do a decent hit up are Turuva and Olam (who hasn't done a good hit up for 2 years though). In the forwards, we have Pole and Hunt who combined last for 40 minutes...

With crap form of Klemmer/Bateman and loss of Papalii/Stefano, I don't know how we get on the front foot. The only assistant coach who "specialises" in forwards is Mr 5 metre run at makers Highno. Bulldogs did amazing this year considering their pack but they killed it with their fitness. Our head of performance is Peter Moussa who has been with us on/off for almost a decade but we have never even been close to a "fit" team.

A lot is going to fall on Luai... what can he do for us?
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Skelton didn't come here to play KOE.
 
tig_prmz said:
tig_prmz said:
At this point I'm leaning towards:
1. Bula
2. Laulii (R)
3. Olam (L)
4. Douehi (R)
5. Turuva (L)
6. Galvin (R)
7. Luai (L)
8. Klemmer
9. Api
10. I've got no idea? Sukkar/Twal/Hunt/Fainu
11. S Fainu (L)
12. Seyfarth (R)
13. Pole

14. Bird
15. Hunt
16. Sukkar/Twal/Hunt/Fainu
17. Bateman
.
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1. Bula
2. Laulii
3. Olam
4. Turuva
5. Skelton
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. Klemmer
9. Api
10. Pole
11. Sam Fainu
12. Seyfarth
13. Sione Fainu

14. L Fainu/ TDS
15. Hunt
16. Twal /Johannssen
17. Bird
 
When you compare our pack to the Roosters, Broncos, Panthers it is very weak and inexperience.
The Roosters in particular have all Tier 1 forwards.
By Tier One forward , I mean an above average 1st grade player, a player that would be selected in NRL 17 man team.
We have one (possibly two) Tier 1 players imo. Sam Fainu and Pole.
Tier two - average NRL standard play (eg above 2nd grade level). Klemmer, Twal, Seyfarth, Hunt, Sione Fainu
Tier Three - inexperience rookies or borderline NSW Cup/NRL level forwards. Johannssen, Sukkar, Miller.

* I have hopes that a couple of the Tier Two and Three levels forwards can jump up a level.
 
Tucker said:
I’m not concerned about our left side attack, it’s our right side defence that worries me.
Maybe Luai will attack on the left and defend on the right?
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How about we don’t worry about whose on the right or the left , instead teacher the players how to defend no matter we’re u find urself on the field , that would be a great start , don’t u think 🤔
 
bptiger 0 said:
How about we don’t worry about whose on the right or the left , instead teacher the players how to defend no matter we’re u find urself on the field , that would be a great start , don’t u think 🤔
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Way too late to reinvent the wheel. They’ve trained their whole lives this way.
 
Tucker said:
Way too late to reinvent the wheel. They’ve trained their whole lives this way.
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In my experience talented kids switch from right to left and vice versa without upsetting their performance too much. You’d prefer to have your general play kickers on their preferred side but if you’re at NRL level and you can’t switch sides, I don’t think you’ve been developed that great. If kids can only pass one way or tackle with one shoulder then in my opinion that’s a training issue.
 
BAGNF05 said:
In my experience talented kids switch from right to left and vice versa without upsetting their performance too much. You’d prefer to have your general play kickers on their preferred side but if you’re at NRL level and you can’t switch sides, I don’t think you’ve been developed that great. If kids can only pass one way or tackle with one shoulder then in my opinion that’s a training issue.
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No shit.
That’s my point.
Have you not been paying attention?
 
3 time NRL last placed.

The club, I don't think, can afford to have one of it's most genuine attacking options, one of it's most talented players, in Latu Fainu in KOE.

Which is why I still think there is a world where Fainu or Galvin play in the centres.

1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Latu Fainu
4. Olam
5. Turuva
6. Galvin
7. Luai
13. Bird
12. Bateman
11. Sam Fainu
10. Klemmer
9. Koroisau
8. Pole

14. Da Silva
15. Hunt
16. Seyfarth
17. Twal/ Sione Fainu
 
The consensus would seem our backs for 2025 are relatively strong but we need one or two forwards to balance the squad, whether that be signing new players (ideally top-tier talent) or some of our fringeys stepping up.

But forward-wise, for me, it's all about DEFENCE. It seems some forum members only seem to watch our attack but if I had to choose, I'd much prefer my forwards to be brick wall types even at the cost of being attacking threats.

Don't get me wrong, ideally they'd be both but i'd say their first job is defence and their second job is also defence. We have the attacking skill in the backs but we need that defensive grit up front to allow them to work their magic.

For mine, we need a lock that owns the middle defensively and is not only reliable but impenetrable. I don't even care about the linking option. Just a tackle machine that never misses. That is target number one. Another enforcer-type prop would be great too. Let the back three do the hard carries out of our end and keep the forwards fresh for brick wall defence.

Am I the weirdo for thinking this?
 
Tiger Tarl said:
The consensus would seem our backs for 2025 are relatively strong but we need one or two forwards to balance the squad, whether that be signing new players (ideally top-tier talent) or some of our fringeys stepping up.

But forward-wise, for me, it's all about DEFENCE. It seems some forum members only seem to watch our attack but if I had to choose, I'd much prefer my forwards to be brick wall types even at the cost of being attacking threats.

Don't get me wrong, ideally they'd be both but i'd say their first job is defence and their second job is also defence. We have the attacking skill in the backs but we need that defensive grit up front to allow them to work their magic.

For mine, we need a lock that owns the middle defensively and is not only reliable but impenetrable. I don't even care about the linking option. Just a tackle machine that never misses. That is target number one. Another enforcer-type prop would be great too. Let the back three do the hard carries out of our end and keep the forwards fresh for brick wall defence.

Am I the weirdo for thinking this?
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No you speak sense. The forwards battle is as much defence as it is attack. If it’s 0-0 after 15 mins you’re in the fight (and you might have an opportunity to give Api a spell).
 
Tiger Tarl said:
The consensus would seem our backs for 2025 are relatively strong but we need one or two forwards to balance the squad, whether that be signing new players (ideally top-tier talent) or some of our fringeys stepping up.

But forward-wise, for me, it's all about DEFENCE. It seems some forum members only seem to watch our attack but if I had to choose, I'd much prefer my forwards to be brick wall types even at the cost of being attacking threats.

Don't get me wrong, ideally they'd be both but i'd say their first job is defence and their second job is also defence. We have the attacking skill in the backs but we need that defensive grit up front to allow them to work their magic.

For mine, we need a lock that owns the middle defensively and is not only reliable but impenetrable. I don't even care about the linking option. Just a tackle machine that never misses. That is target number one. Another enforcer-type prop would be great too. Let the back three do the hard carries out of our end and keep the forwards fresh for brick wall defence.

Am I the weirdo for thinking this?
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To be fair- a never-miss tackle machine at #13 could easily be our own Alex Twal.

But I 100% agree- it's far more important to get the defence in the middle sorted out.
 
Tiger Tarl said:
The consensus would seem our backs for 2025 are relatively strong but we need one or two forwards to balance the squad, whether that be signing new players (ideally top-tier talent) or some of our fringeys stepping up.

But forward-wise, for me, it's all about DEFENCE. It seems some forum members only seem to watch our attack but if I had to choose, I'd much prefer my forwards to be brick wall types even at the cost of being attacking threats.

Don't get me wrong, ideally they'd be both but i'd say their first job is defence and their second job is also defence. We have the attacking skill in the backs but we need that defensive grit up front to allow them to work their magic.

For mine, we need a lock that owns the middle defensively and is not only reliable but impenetrable. I don't even care about the linking option. Just a tackle machine that never misses. That is target number one. Another enforcer-type prop would be great too. Let the back three do the hard carries out of our end and keep the forwards fresh for brick wall defence.

Am I the weirdo for thinking this?
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No. You are mirroring what everyone else is saying.
 
If Bateman doesn't return to the club, I would assume Seyfarth steps into the backrow.

That said, Twal to #13 & Bird to the second row could be an option.

Or- Twal to #13, Seyfarth into the second row & Bird into the centres.

In that scenario, you 'could' play Latu off the bench with the ability to move Bird around the field as well.
 
The Chad said:
If Bateman doesn't return to the club, I would assume Seyfarth steps into the backrow.

That said, Twal to #13 & Bird to the second row could be an option.

Or- Twal to #13, Seyfarth into the second row & Bird into the centres.

In that scenario, you 'could' play Latu off the bench with the ability to move Bird around the field as well.
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I think we should be analysing how the Dogs managed to stay in games with a no-name forward pack who were on the smaller side.

A pack of Twal, Api, Pole, Bateman, Fainu, Seyfarth should be able to punch out minutes with Hunt and Bird to provide some impact. They would get dominated physically as there’s no clear alpha players but Canterbury seemed to manage ok.

It’s going to be an interesting watch.
 
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