Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Mystery said:
You honestly believe that the roster is good enough to play finals?

Interesting
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If our roster isn’t good enough to make the finals where almost half the teams in the comp make it, then maybe Richo isn’t doing as good a job as some claim. It shouldn’t be a high bar to sneak into the 8 at least once in 15 years.
 
BAGNF05 said:
A coach is there to bring a group together for a common cause. If that group never had the common cause in them, the coach is basically moot. It’s why Pascoe kept knifing good coaches and nothing changed at all, in fact we got worse.
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It’s weird that Bellamy never encounters these sorts of players. Players will buy in if they believe in what a coach is doing.
 
supercoach said:
If you think we are a big chance of top eight you have to find 9 rosters that are weaker than ours. That’s when it gets interesting, I see a couple of standouts that are below us, but I also see a lot of teams that are about our standard. Injuries suspensions and luck will play a big part.

Just to have a team that is competitive for change will do me and hopefully win more than they lose
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I reckon in most years the top 4-5 spots and the bottom 3-4 spots are mostly determined by roster quality. The ones in the middle, say 6th to 13th, are more heavily influenced by luck (injury, draw), desire (reflected in defensive effort) and discipline (reflected by penalty counts, sin bins, sticking to a game plan, etc.) Tigers have a roster now that should sit comfortable in the 6th to 13th range. Our draw is OK, hopefully we don't get injuries to key players. If we improve desire and discipline we can finish top 8. they have been an achilles heel in the past though, and if they don't improve then roster quality will only get us away from the very bottom, but nowhere near the 8.
 
You are fooling yourself if you think a coaches success is not owed largely on the back of the resources that are available to him.
Obviously some will always be better than others - but successful clubs maintain and attract strong rosters which gives their coaches the best opportunity to achieve results. It makes me laugh when excuses are made for Easts if they don't finish in the top 4 because of injury, and yet can still field a team with 5 internationals. It brings Robbo back to the field regardless of how good of coach he is.
 
Telltails said:
You are fooling yourself if you think a coaches success is not owed largely on the back of the resources that are available to him.
Obviously some will always be better than others - but successful clubs maintain and attract strong rosters which gives their coaches the best opportunity to achieve results. It makes me laugh when excuses are made for Easts if they don't finish in the top 4 because of injury, and yet can still field a team with 5 internationals. It brings Robbo back to the field regardless of how good of coach he is.
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Footy players are footy players. Half the time they’re probably not even listening in team meetings. God given talent still goes a long way in what is a very simple sport tactics-wise.
 
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Good Coach v Good Roster?

You need both. It’s that simple.

You need good players that can play better than most and then a good coach to bring the team together, instill and lift the standards that the team of players themselves want. Basically, bcoz there is som much more as well.
You’re not coaching nrl for any length of time if you’re not a good coach. (Jason Taylor). And as much as I don’t think Robbo is a shite coach it will be good to watch him deal with a below exceptional roster. Just the same as it would e with Bellamy, Wayne at Newcastle was interesting.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
If our roster isn’t good enough to make the finals where almost half the teams in the comp make it, then maybe Richo isn’t doing as good a job as some claim. It shouldn’t be a high bar to sneak into the 8 at least once in 15 years.
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Everyone is saying we're building for 2026, 2025 should be a much better season if Benji is a good coach and he has luck with injuries
 
Buttface said:
Good Coach v Good Roster?

You need both. It’s that simple.

You need good players that can play better than most and then a good coach to bring the team together, instill and lift the standards that the team of players themselves want. Basically, bcoz there is som much more as well.
You’re not coaching nrl for any length of time if you’re not a good coach. (Jason Taylor). And as much as I don’t think Robbo is a shite coach it will be good to watch him deal with a below exceptional roster. Just the same as it would e with Bellamy, Wayne at Newcastle was interesting.
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If roster wasn’t important you would see way more Ponga to Newcastle type moves. That blokes career has suffered by going there.
 
All this talk of making the 8 or coming last.... knowing I'm speaking with Tigers coloured glasses on...

Bottom feeding clubs in 2025- I think Newcastle, St George & Parramatta will ALL struggle next season. Knights have really only lost players from an at best average roster already. Dragons just lost their best organisational player & now Kyle Flanagan & Ilias run the show. I'd say they play hard, but ultimately they won't have the skill. Parramatta is in full rebuild mode & Moses can only take them so far. Or, more to the point, they are a Moses injury away from 17th.

Top tier clubs- Storm, Penrith & Sharks. Penrith might lose their grip on the top spot- losing so much quality will catch up with them eventually. I'd say the Storm look strong for favourites right now. Sharks will be consistent, but probably fall into that 'getting shown up' at finals time. That said- for regular season, I'd say they are top 2.

Wild Cards- Broncos & Bulldogs- these 2 could go either way- but I suspect BOTH get worse in 2025. There's a culture issue at the Broncos- not sure if Madge can fix that without changing the roster. Bulldogs, for mine, over achieved in 2024 & are not as strong as the media would like you to believe. They could very well be in the bottom-feeder group, if at the higher end of that mob.

The Rest- Hard to believe the Tigers don't improve, simply through roster upgrades. Souths would be a safe bet to improve due simply to Bennett.

Cowboys & Manly are clubs that could go either way. I suspect both probably go well enough to make the 8.

Roosters will likely drop off, but I doubt it is cataclysmic. Probably edging around the 8, maybe just below.

Titans really needed to get an extra #7 of quality. Without it, they are probably short on high-end quality in their backs, and likely at the bottom end of this group.

Dolphins are similar, but have much better quality in their backs & MIGHT just be good enough to be in the 8. Ben Hunt would have put them in, IMO.

Canberra typically overachieve & play hard. That young 5/8 they have goes well. If they get on a roll, they could be Top 8 contenders.

Warriors are similar to Canberra...but probably more likely to fall away. If they hit a form steak- good enough for the Top 8. But I suspect just outside it.

I honestly believe the Tigers are in with a genuine shot at Top 8 in 2025. There are far fewer 'locks' in the playing squads next season.

Storm- Quality & consistent
Sharks- Consistent
Panthers- Quality, consistent, however- losing a lot in Luai, Fisher-Harris
Souths- Bennett probably squeezes to Walker/Mitchell lemon dry & makes the 8
Manly- Not consistent, but decent quality. Aging. Tend to disappoint.
Dolphins- Better than advertised. Tough.
Cowboys- Consistent enough. Townsend, Holmes could be missed
Tigers- Probably the BEST upgrades in the NRL for 2025. Luai puts us in the picture.
Raiders- Always play better than they are on paper.
Roosters- Still got quality players. Walker/Smith out long term will hurt though.
Broncos- quality is there- massive questions about culture for mine. Could capitulate.

Warriors- Not consistent enough. Fisher-Harris is a boost though.
Bulldogs- Played well in 24. But nowhere near as much quality as results. Losing players.
Titans- Great forwards. Very little quality out wide. Will probably get exposed.
Dragons- Kyle Flanagan runs this team...
Eels- Rebuild. Moses takes them as far as they can go.
Knights- Average quality at best- then lost Saifiti etc.
 
Mystery said:
But we haven’t in 12 or so years. I just think based on the cattle there are at least 8 better squads than ours.

Depth will be a major issue.
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Yes our depth sucks. We have accelerated too many kids ahead of schedule. That said, this is the most experienced squad we’ve had, maybe ever.
It’s time to put the big boy pants on.
 
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