I have little love for Ivan Cleary but from what everyone has witnessed from Daine Laurie he must be licking’ his chops.Here is the coach that has caused us so much residual grief and pain through the most reckless and injudicious signings profiting from us once more.He’s really having the last laugh here,and also at a bargain basement premium.
What really rankles is the fact that we’ve been in possession of a diamond but have failed to realise or utilise its qualities and treated it more like rubble.
The same for mine has to be said from the Jackson Hastings perspective,albeit a different commodity but of undeniable value nonetheless.
I know recruitment and retention at WTs is a thorny issue,and hindsight a beautiful thing,but when we look back at the cash we were willing to splash for Mitchell Moses amongst others,allowing Daine Laurie out the door for a song defies logic.I really don’t know who presided over this one but ultimately it is so,so frustrating and shortsighted.We persisted with the likes of Wakeham and Will Smith over the player with genuine X-factor.Maybe I’m missing something here in the chronology,please someone correct me,but as far as I’m concerned Daine is admirably serving apprenticeship at the moment….for Penrith.I’m gutted.
Should have blooded Bula from rd 1 tbh… Laurie was struggling at fullback for the most part of 22It was said by a lot of people Laurie should have a crack at 6. The fact Sheens and Marshall just didn’t see it is worrying.
I was a huge supporter of the Sheens/Marshall coaching plan, but I was completely wrong.
They did see it, but Laurie got injured and then concussed - he was unavailable for a number of weeks. Don't forget Sheens had Laurie training at 5/8th during the pre-season, he made a song and dance about it. You have become such a neg.
Laurie would have played since Doueihi went down, if he had been regularly fit.
It was said by a lot of people Laurie should have a crack at 6. The fact Sheens and Marshall just didn’t see it is worrying.
I was a huge supporter of the Sheens/Marshall coaching plan, but I was completely wrong.
They did see it, but Laurie got injured and then concussed - he was unavailable for a number of weeks. Don't forget Sheens had Laurie training at 5/8th during the pre-season, he made a song and dance about it. You have become such a neg.
Laurie would have played since Doueihi went down, if he had been regularly fit.
I have become negative. 2 wooden spoons in a row will do that to you. He was playing reserve grade for a period when he could have played 6. Go back and look it up.
How many wooden spoons will it take for you to pull your head out of the sand and realise the problem with the club is not cyclical, it’s structural. You’ve been defending the club every year for a decade, and you’ve been wrong every single year.
It was said by a lot of people Laurie should have a crack at 6. The fact Sheens and Marshall just didn’t see it is worrying.
I was a huge supporter of the Sheens/Marshall coaching plan, but I was completely wrong.
They did see it, but Laurie got injured and then concussed - he was unavailable for a number of weeks. Don't forget Sheens had Laurie training at 5/8th during the pre-season, he made a song and dance about it. You have become such a neg.
Laurie would have played since Doueihi went down, if he had been regularly fit.
I have become negative. 2 wooden spoons in a row will do that to you. He was playing reserve grade for a period when he could have played 6. Go back and look it up.
How many wooden spoons will it take for you to pull your head out of the sand and realise the problem with the club is not cyclical, it’s structural. You’ve been defending the club every year for a decade, and you’ve been wrong every single year.
Only thing I will say, is check out those games he played at 6 in reserve grade, he was horrible.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
@garry some players are like that. He’s got a terrible attitude so I think he’s only motivated when in first grade. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a horrible attitude to have and I’m no fan of Laurie, but we’d be higher up the ladder if he was there earlier in the season (after AD went down)
@garry some players are like that. He’s got a terrible attitude so I think he’s only motivated when in first grade. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a horrible attitude to have and I’m no fan of Laurie, but we’d be higher up the ladder if he was there earlier in the season (after AD went down)
I honestly don't think he wants to be here, he has shown a rubbish attitude in first grade as well. I believe his change in form has more to do with the fact he is going back to Penrith than being in first grade.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
@garry He was unfortunately surrounded by inept players in his defence. He has grabbed his chance now, alas for us all too late. He still has to work on his defence though. But that’s Ivan’s problem.
I thought he was our best last night, but I think as a fanbase we tend to get carried away with a couple of good games. He would need to show me a lot more for me to be convinced. Though from what he has shown the last couple of weeks he looks like a player that would suit the up-tempo explosive game that I believe would appeal to Benji. He would need to show he can maintain that form and attitude for an extended period. I would prefer to have him signed next year over AD though.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
Hindsight is 20/20 but by far the better option was to let brooks go to Newcastle at end of last season. We would have started season with Hastings/AD (yes I know slow) halves combo and then when AD went down Laurie comes into 6 and we promote Bula into top 30 rather than waiting until 2 months in to play Bula. I think we would have won 3 or 4 more games and have at least saved ourselves from our current ridicule. Still fine to recruit Fainu to replace Hastings but the fact that we have to replace both halves at the end of this season shows how diabolical the roster management has been.
It’s not obvious at this point that Sullivan is a better 6 than Laurie and we have just given Sullivan a 4 year deal…..
Would've... should've... could've... whatever!
Daine has been a better 6 for the last couple of games than others this year but you know what, the results have still been the same!
In saying that, I do like the eyes-up and fast running style he brings to the position, and really Sullivan can be similar but better. With Sezer doing a better job than Brooks in organising and steering the side, we'll be far better off next year than this year.
Then next year when we’re struggling again I can hear the excuses already: we have new half combination and bula is only in his 2nd year and still working out the kinks
Would've... should've... could've... whatever!
Daine has been a better 6 for the last couple of games than others this year but you know what, the results have still been the same!
In saying that, I do like the eyes-up and fast running style he brings to the position, and really Sullivan can be similar but better. With Sezer doing a better job than Brooks in organising and steering the side, we'll be far better off next year than this year.
sezer won't be able to back up like Brooks does when breaks are made
Then next year when we’re struggling again I can hear the excuses already: we have new half combination and bula is only in his 2nd year and still working out the kinks
it will be fine Sezer is the "Organising half" the club needs ...
looking forward to seeing excitement of Sullivan and fainu in the halves at some point on 2024
