I'm hoping that the end of this year will see a focus on the backline in the same way the forward pack was overhauled last off season.
Sad that there aren't 2 decent half options available. I think we are going to/already have re-signed Brooks.
I'm starting to see some positives in the backline, Bula and Tupou look great to me. Asu is improving and I like Naden as a centre, Toa is hit and miss but is a good backup in my opinion. Issue is there are massive problems in the halves.
Agreed. Still hoping they go through the backs and cast off some deadwood like they did the forwards and grab some good players to fill the gaps. Eg we had Stefano, Pole and then they added Klemmer instead of keeping Tamou.
That's how low we've sunk to. Now we're making jokes about ourselves!!! Funny though.@crowsnest plenty go the chicken little scenario, football is cyclical tigers turn will come.
You are probably right Jedi, nothing to worry about and RL has shown over the years that its just a cycle. Our turn will come, probably just after Newtown and Glebe but definitely before University.
@jirskyr we seriously could be 6 and 1 . And it’s not a stretch to say that . Luke I said before , the best , worst team in the comp I’ve ever seen . Newy and The dogs were absolutely abysmal when they were at the bottom . And to be fair that had Meh teams like us and the warriors to play .
We have had a chance to win all but one game this year .
And we have finally found a fullback , found some wingers who give a crap , and centres in AJ who can change a game . The halves are a must fix . Both need to go in a perfect world , but there just isn’t any halves out there . To be fair though , I thought they played well , just manly defended really well . Which funnily enough , is the reason they are at the top of the table .
The 2 games this year , where is losing was absolutely criminal , was the titans and Knights . The other 5 we either weren’t in it (Broncos) or we played like crap for the vast majority of the game , and came home strong . Parra game we came close and I thought it was a great game .
fwy@jirskyr we seriously could be 6 and 1 . And it’s not a stretch to say that . Luke I said before , the best , worst team in the comp I’ve ever seen . Newy and The dogs were absolutely abysmal when they were at the bottom . And to be fair that had Meh teams like us and the warriors to play .
We have had a chance to win all but one game this year .
And we have finally found a fullback , found some wingers who give a crap , and centres in AJ who can change a game . The halves are a must fix . Both need to go in a perfect world , but there just isn’t any halves out there . To be fair though , I thought they played well , just manly defended really well . Which funnily enough , is the reason they are at the top of the table .
The 2 games this year , where is losing was absolutely criminal , was the titans and Knights . The other 5 we either weren’t in it (Broncos) or we played like crap for the vast majority of the game , and came home strong . Parra game we came close and I thought it was a great game .
I’m just an arm chair critic but a massive problem with our red zone attack appears to be brooks lack of straightening the attack. He mostly passes the ball well before the line with no defender anywhere near him and the defenders just slide and we run out of space. You watch a good team like south’s and they play with depth but their half runs into the line and keeps the defenders compressed in the middle of the field leaving space outwide for an overlap if the fullback is doing his job. I feel like solving this basic issue will give us a genuine chance with the amount of ball we have in the red zone. I still want brooks out of 7 but if uninformed fans at home can see this obvious flaw, what are all the coaching staff looking at?
@crowsnest plenty go the chicken little scenario, football is cyclical tigers turn will come.
We've been saying that for 12 years, and it's only been getting worse.
The current iteration of the NRL is far from cyclical. The rich teams and the well run teams, as well as the rich, well run teams have a mortgage on a finals spot year after year.
We are miles away, and look to be dropping even further.
I was elaborating my "3-Tier" opinion of NRL last Sunday night, over many beers.
There are 3 Tiers of clubs in the NRL and this has been true for about 10-15 years - Top-Tier, Mid-Tier and Bottom-Tier, all made up of about 6 teams. There is little true movement between the Tiers - clubs that do manage to rise a Tier only do so momentarily, and teams that fall from the Top Tier also don't generally stay that way for long.
There are very strong parallels to the English Premier League, where the same 5-6 teams are always in true contention, with 1-2 "Middle-Tier" clubs making a run each season, and a predictable 6-way battle against relegation, with a few Mids also at risk of being caught in the relegation zone. But roughly the same candidates each year, and the effort / luck required to truly transition Tiers is enormous. For example Everton are still in the EPL but have been in relegation trouble for years, and can never compete with Liverpool. Most teams that are promoted find themselves relegated within 5 seasons. Newcastle have become a new Top-Tier team via enormous Saudi funding.
So for the NRL it's an easy system to conceptualise - I say "name for me the likely Bottom 6 teams in an average year". And the responder says, with little hesitation: "Tigers, Knights, Dragons, Titans, Warriors, maybe Bulldogs". That inclusion of "maybe Bulldogs" indicates a team attempting to change Tiers via radical overhaul, and Bulldogs used to be a Top-Tier team. In 2023 that "maybe" group might include Raiders or Cowboys, both of whom are having bad seasons.
Then you say "name the likely Top 6 teams". And the responder says "Storm, Roosters, Rabbits, Broncos, Panthers, Sharks".
Cool, and the rest of the teams are "Mids".
It takes enormous effort, money and change to move between Tiers. This is especially true because improving your tier requires another team to drop a Tier, so they either have to falter or you have to out-compete them. The true Top 6 team, even if they have bad year, usually have the means to regain their tier within a few seasons. Clubs like Manly or Eels, who have definitely had a few good years at times, are always at risk of falling back into the Mids (or worse). Broncos were a Bottom team but only for a handful of seasons.
The "whys" for this Tier Demographic are fairly obvious, over time - top-tier financing, lifestyle and post-career opportunities, ability to build personal brand and rep career in winning sides, general consolidation of best playing and coaching talent, willingness to take paycuts to obtain those non-salary benefits.
I believe the Salary Cap still works, but not as much as it used to when the salary cap was much lower. If a Bottom Tier team are willing to offer you $1.1 million over 5 years, but you can secure $1M over 4 years at your successful incumbent, that's a lot of money to give up, but it appears many players will take that deal. Money does talk, but it talks less when you already have the player earning a stack of money in a short period. There are also the non-salary risks of going to Bottom clubs including personal hardship and enjoyment, loss of form and rep opportunities, decreased personal brand opportunities.
The NRL used to say "start of any season every team has a chance to win, and you never know who it will end up being". And for a while, maybe 8 years, they were right. Since then it's consolidated into these 3 Tiers.
I believe the Salary Cap still works, but not as much as it used to when the salary cap was much lower.
It still works, but being smart about how you use it enables you to become successful and then become a 'destination club'. The issue we've had is lack of success compounded by atrocious salary cap management. 4 years for Brooks at $1m, 4 years for Nofo at $500k, Mbye at $1m a year, 4 years for Reynolds at $750k, Musgrove, Peachey, Ballin, McQueen, Packer, Lolohea, Jennings, Tamou, Leilua. All absolute duds. Now we have the money but noone wants to come here, and can you blame them? I'd play anywhere else for less - i'd rather play in the Super League.
We're in this mess solely because of our own poor decisions and no other reason. We deserve to be where we are.
I’ve been reading of the consequences to Souths’ roster should they sign Wighton. Really hope we have a red hot crack at Campbell Graham. The way our outside backs have improved lately (& hoping they continue on that trajectory) he’d be the icing on the cake.
Both Hawkins & Taaffe off contract this year & would at the very least give us serious competition amongst our halves, without breaking the bank. Let’s raid those bunnies!
Possibly throwing a few darts here, but noticed Drew Hutchison off contract this year. I’ve always seen him as the Mr fix-it for the roosters. Could he do a job for us for a couple of years? Doesn’t seem to be any more halves of note available until end of 2025.
I’ve been reading of the consequences to Souths’ roster should they sign Wighton. Really hope we have a red hot crack at Campbell Graham. The way our outside backs have improved lately (& hoping they continue on that trajectory) he’d be the icing on the cake.
Both Hawkins & Taaffe off contract this year & would at the very least give us serious competition amongst our halves, without breaking the bank. Let’s raid those bunnies!
Possibly throwing a few darts here, but noticed Drew Hutchison off contract this year. I’ve always seen him as the Mr fix-it for the roosters. Could he do a job for us for a couple of years? Doesn’t seem to be any more halves of note available until end of 2025.
Hawkins and Taafe would be our best halves by miles. If we had them this year as our 6 and 7 we’d have won more games than lost.
What is your fascination with pairing players with Brooks, Brooks is the handbrake, he is the one constant in all this failure, and needs to go ASAP@tigertownsfs 450k or 500k for Johnson would be a good deal and partner with Brooks you might get him for similar money. Not a bad combo for 2 years
What is your fascination with pairing players with Brooks, Brooks is the handbrake, he is the one constant in all this failure, and needs to go ASAP@tigertownsfs 450k or 500k for Johnson would be a good deal and partner with Brooks you might get him for similar money. Not a bad combo for 2 years
Basically I am a sicko.
in truth I like the guy and want to be able to celebrate seeing him achieve something in our colours during his career. Also think that his running and defence are very strong so can play a role outside the right 7. And I think he will be cheap relative to his output in his next contract if the right 7 is found.
And I think he will be cheap relative to his output in his next contract if the right 7 is found.
What do you think his current output is worth, in $ terms?
@avocadoontoast Nobody besides the tigers would even consider giving him a contract which sums us up sadly.
@avocadoontoast Nobody besides the tigers would even consider giving him a contract which sums us up sadly.
I'm fairly confident that we aren't offering him a contract.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
