Jordan Miller added to 2024-2026 top 30
Jordan Miller added to 2024-2026 top 30
Ihadnt seen that announcement. That is great news. Miller is one of the young guys I hold great hopes for.
Starford To'a extends until the end of 2026
I was having a look at the lack of experience in the 2024 roster
I think it is a huge risk having so many players with Top 30 contracts who have little or no experience. The number of games played is on the right of the graphic below
Data from the 2022 year suggests that by Rd 16 clubs will have used 27 players on average. From this its reasonable to say that WT will have to rely heavily on a number of these rookies to play anywhere between 5-15 games. That is hugely concerning.
Following on, this post ranks the NRL by age with the average for 2023 being 25.8
If I had to make a guess I would assume that our average for 2024 would be around 23. Maybe I will tally that up next.
It was the story today about Alex Twal that made me want to look this up. The numbers here suggest we need more 27 year olds with 100+ games of experience just like Twal and should not be forcing them out the door.
3 glaring examples of where we have 2024 roster out of sync
- we can afford to carry Feledy or Reilly as rookies but not both
- we can afford to carry Tumeth or Webster Mansfield but not both
- we can afford to carry Miller or Sione Fainu but not both
@mickb I think with the feledy thing , he’s a genuine rookie , but I also think Reilly is old enough where the experience in regards to first grade games is a bit of a wash really . With him and mature age players, maturity is the real word . Which is really what experience is being misinterpreted as.
You can have 75 game , 23 yo immature footballers , who will constantly let the team down .
Or you can have a debutant 25 year old who does his job and gets you where you need to be and does what he’s supposed to do .
Of the rookies in the 30 you’d have to say Miller , Galvin and Mansfield annd Feledy are the 4 that stand out the most as worrying .
The rest , ie. the Fainu brothers , I think they will be fine .
@lestronge you're promoting optimism which is great 😉 We don't know if the youngsters can cut but we'll certainly enjoy finding out!
Galvin - Im going to reserve judgment on for at least 12-18 months. He surely can't play first grade unless he ads 10-15 kgs to his frame? maybe that is your concern as well?
Miller - dominant at junior level but who knows how he'd go against men?
Mansfield - I remember watching in the trial last year at Leichardt against Manly and thought he offered something but think he blew a knee a week later?
For what its worth, my instincts tell me that the youngsters with the most size are the ones with highest potential of making it to 50 and then 100 NRL games. I'm not sure if there is anyone keeping stats on player height but it does seem to my eye that the size of the players is increasing.
Then again there's plenty of forwards who are in the mould of a Reuben Cotter or a Victor Radley so maybe size is not everything.
Alex Twal extends until the end of 2027
Alex Seyfarth extends until the end of 2025.... that makes the top 30 for 2024 full. Someone will have to go to sign anyone else.
Surely something's gotta give!
You would think. Hopefully Nofa at least, but not banking on it.Surely something's gotta give!
Perhaps, with November approaching and pre-season training to start, the decision was made to finalise the top 30?
Or, perhaps the current squad and WT leaders know the magical coaching talent of Benji Mashalll that will transform the same mob who finished last (again) in 2023 into a competitive NRL team. But that's relying on the wisdom and judgement of WT leaders. That's fraught with danger.
What ever the truth is, I won't be renewing the memberships I abandoned in 2023 following the appointment of Sheens, again for 2024. Not so much on Twal and Seyfarth staying, but more on the risk of Marshall being out of his depth as an NRL coach. And, of course, if the independent review finds no reason to punt some or all of Chairman Mouth, Pascoe and Board, I'll be saving thousands into the foreseeable future. Every cloud ...... ?
Perhaps, with November approaching and pre-season training to start, the decision was made to finalise the top 30?
That would be insanity in a squad that has won back to back spoons IMO. Makes sense to leave 1 - 2 spots open for future options, they could always be filled with juniors. Surely Staines is a better option than some on the roster.
I have to believe/hope that they have plans to shake a couple free out of the top 30.
I long stopped believing and have abandoned hope.Perhaps, with November approaching and pre-season training to start, the decision was made to finalise the top 30?
That would be insanity in a squad that has won back to back spoons IMO. Makes sense to leave 1 - 2 spots open for future options, they could always be filled with juniors. Surely Staines is a better option than some on the roster.
I have to believe/hope that they have plans to shake a couple free out of the top 30.
Perhaps, with November approaching and pre-season training to start, the decision was made to finalise the top 30?
That would be insanity in a squad that has won back to back spoons IMO. Makes sense to leave 1 - 2 spots open for future options, they could always be filled with juniors. Surely Staines is a better option than some on the roster.
I have to believe/hope that they have plans to shake a couple free out of the top 30.
I live in hope too. Surely we are not settling on what we have. It's out of balance and too many youngsters. If we are indeed making a play for Best there must be a plan to shed at least one current player. Nofo please!
