casta66 wrote: ↑October 1, 2020, 7:38 pm
I was reading the above posts and couldn't believe the lack of support for Young and Sutton.
But then realised they were written 7 weeks ago.
Surely attitude has changed now.
he's definitely made me eat humble pie
Ill say only this in my defence, i still stand by those comments on him as an edge forward, i dont rate him above more than a solid FGer there (was not very good, and i'd argue a bit poor again in the Sharks game out there too). But as a middle forward, he's had tremendous impact and has the skills to be a genuine star in that spot
He didn't look great on the edge against the sharks. Not awful either. He just did a job.
Think the lad is just being played in the right position. He is a good enough edge to cover injuries but he just looks a whole different player at lock
So I think he's pretty safe for a bench spot 2021 because he's versatile but really good in the middle of the field
Pete Cash wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 1:11 pm
He didn't look great on the edge against the sharks. Not awful either. He just did a job.
Think the lad is just being played in the right position. He is a good enough edge to cover injuries but he just looks a whole different player at lock
So I think he's pretty safe for a bench spot 2021 because he's versatile but really good in the middle of the field
That's exactly how i see it
in game you get an injury in the back row and you can stick him out there and know you're probably not going get much impact but he's going to defend well and do his job. And that's all you really want for injury cover. You can survive and win games with him on the edge no problem at all.
To the argue against myself early in this thread, for that reason in the last sentence, is why now i would now have locked into our 17 going forward.
What i think it does do is mean that Ryan and Sia are not in my 17.
It's interesting. Got plenty of middles but suddenly looking thin on the edges. CHN and Whitehead as starters. From there it's guys like Young, Tapine and Horse providing cover. All have proven to be much better middle forwards.
Be good to recruit another centre/backrower hybrid type like Aubusson, Capewell etc.
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Yeah i was saying exactly that in a thread a few weeks ago, i dont know who our 4th edge forward is
Tapine and Young are probably the guys who will go out there to cover injury and given the quality in the middle, that'll be a-ok since Lui, Young, James and Sia arent in my top 17 right now, so even if we lost both Smelly and CHN for a period, and had Tapine and Young out wide, we'd be diminished but OK.
Still wouldnt mind if we had another edge specialist on the books, but i dont think it'll happen.
Botman wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 3:14 pm
Yeah i was saying exactly that in a thread a few weeks ago, i dont know who our 4th edge forward is
Tapine and Young are probably the guys who will go out there to cover injury and given the quality in the middle, that'll be a-ok since Lui, Young, James and Sia arent in my top 17 right now, so even if we lost both Smelly and CHN for a period, and had Tapine and Young out wide, we'd be diminished but OK.
Still wouldnt mind if we had another edge specialist on the books, but i dont think it'll happen.
Might be able to grab a fringe player to fill that need. Murchie, L Bateman and JJ Collins are off the roster this year so might have a spot to fill.
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From what has been reported, we have 26 guys on contract, and it's expected roster sizes will be 28 and our last 2 spots are being saved for Jordy Raps and Sia.
A lot of this depends on what Ryan James we're getting.
If he comes back at anywhere near his best, he slots in as the third best middle for me behind Papa and Taps. He is a very good player at his best - rep quality.
If father time is starting to catch up with him and the effects of injuries are starting to show, he doesn't make the 17.
Since we're also losing Bateman and promoting CHN, there's no way I'd be going in without a back on the bench, and I don't think Sticky will either. That leaves two very tightly contested spots on the bench for the middles, with Havili occupying the third spot in his dual role. If everyone's fit and James gets back to his best or close to it, I've got:
Botman wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 3:14 pm
Yeah i was saying exactly that in a thread a few weeks ago, i dont know who our 4th edge forward is
Tapine and Young are probably the guys who will go out there to cover injury and given the quality in the middle, that'll be a-ok since Lui, Young, James and Sia arent in my top 17 right now, so even if we lost both Smelly and CHN for a period, and had Tapine and Young out wide, we'd be diminished but OK.
Still wouldnt mind if we had another edge specialist on the books, but i dont think it'll happen.
Should really be swapping a middle for an edge. O'Donnell however does look like he can do a job there with his speed and more suited it to it than he is the middle.
I think we’re going to have to make some tough salary cap based decisions on our forwards next season.
According to Daily Telegraph Lui was on just $250k, Will Guler and Horsburgh remain on lower end salary deals or will they have to be upgraded as they develop and improve?
I guess it’s better to be in a place where we can offload forwards rather than be paying overs to bring forwards in.
I’m hoping Sia is on reduced coin for next season and we bring through our younger talent.
afgtnk wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 6:34 pm
A lot of this depends on what Ryan James we're getting.
If he comes back at anywhere near his best, he slots in as the third best middle for me behind Papa and Taps. He is a very good player at his best - rep quality.
If father time is starting to catch up with him and the effects of injuries are starting to show, he doesn't make the 17.
Since we're also losing Bateman and promoting CHN, there's no way I'd be going in without a back on the bench, and I don't think Sticky will either. That leaves two very tightly contested spots on the bench for the middles, with Havili occupying the third spot in his dual role. If everyone's fit and James gets back to his best or close to it, I've got:
afgtnk wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 6:34 pm
A lot of this depends on what Ryan James we're getting.
If he comes back at anywhere near his best, he slots in as the third best middle for me behind Papa and Taps. He is a very good player at his best - rep quality.
If father time is starting to catch up with him and the effects of injuries are starting to show, he doesn't make the 17.
Since we're also losing Bateman and promoting CHN, there's no way I'd be going in without a back on the bench, and I don't think Sticky will either. That leaves two very tightly contested spots on the bench for the middles, with Havili occupying the third spot in his dual role. If everyone's fit and James gets back to his best or close to it, I've got:
BJ wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 6:54 pm
I think we’re going to have to make some tough salary cap based decisions on our forwards next season.
According to Daily Telegraph Lui was on just $250k, Will Guler and Horsburgh remain on lower end salary deals or will they have to be upgraded as they develop and improve?
I guess it’s better to be in a place where we can offload forwards rather than be paying overs to bring forwards in.
I’m hoping Sia is on reduced coin for next season and we bring through our younger talent.
My gut tells me we haven't been tough enough roster management wise heading into next season, and which may lead us to be unable to take advantage of any great opportunities to get more quality into the backline should they arise, or address a problem mid-season, or to absorb some freight charges for guys we want to shift.
n
The guys you've mentioned will need upgrading, as will George who'll likely go for a big upgrade. We're only losing Nico and Bateman out of the guys who'd be considered in a full strength 20ish man roster, and I don't think Nico was on too much in the first place. I'll trust Stick and Mulholland in the end, but it does feel like we've become overstocked in certain areas.
afgtnk wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 6:34 pm
A lot of this depends on what Ryan James we're getting.
If he comes back at anywhere near his best, he slots in as the third best middle for me behind Papa and Taps. He is a very good player at his best - rep quality.
If father time is starting to catch up with him and the effects of injuries are starting to show, he doesn't make the 17.
Since we're also losing Bateman and promoting CHN, there's no way I'd be going in without a back on the bench, and I don't think Sticky will either. That leaves two very tightly contested spots on the bench for the middles, with Havili occupying the third spot in his dual role. If everyone's fit and James gets back to his best or close to it, I've got:
Im not sure CHN is a lock at right edge. I know this kid can play and im sure he'll get first crack but id be lying if i said i had confidence in his defence. Hoping its just because of his time out of the game and unfamiliarity with our structures but he needs to improve in my opinion to hold out the likes of young etc.
BJ wrote: ↑October 3, 2020, 9:13 am
Yep CHN better have a gut busting off season. He’s clearly a step below the rest fitness wise and his defence needs stiffening.
Given how big he actually looks in the flesh, I can imagine him moving to the front row in a couple of years. He won't need quite as much mobility then, if that lack isn't just because of the missing preseason he's had.
zim wrote: ↑October 2, 2020, 10:09 pm
We'd cleared 500k to re-sign Cotric before it fell through. Wonder where that has headed to after he opted for the dogs.
Wondering myself whether that got set aside for upgrades with just a little bit (low tier player) left or if it is sitting there ready to make a play at a boom youngster or sold Fg signing.
No chance Lui is relegated on current form. He’s been close to our best middle.
I can’t see James breaking into the side off the bat. He would need to show something impressive IMO.
We were better off investing in a strike outside back to replace Cotric.
GreenMachine wrote: ↑October 4, 2020, 12:04 pm
No chance Lui is relegated on current form. He’s been close to our best middle.
I can’t see James breaking into the side off the bat. He would need to show something impressive IMO.
We were better off investing in a strike outside back to replace Cotric.
I am generally of that view although Timoko and HSS’s performance against the Shark succoured me a little. In a perfect world, I’d be inclined to find a utility player who can play back row and centre like a Kurt Capewell for example. There isn’t much out there in the backs unless you went the potential route.
Na, you dont pay wingers that kind of money. We were right to let him walk
The backline is struggling and it may still struggle next year without him... id just remind you in all these struggles our backline has had at times this year... has Cotric ever dug them out the hole?
Nope. He's a hell of a player, and wingers are vitally important players but they're easy to find, cheap and having a really great one doesnt actually fix your backline if it's lacking.
Botman wrote: ↑October 4, 2020, 7:01 pm
Na, you dont pay wingers that kind of money. We were right to let him walk
The backline is struggling and it may still struggle next year without him... id just remind you in all these struggles our backline has had at times this year... has Cotric ever dug them out the hole?
Nope. He's a hell of a player, and wingers are vitally important players but they're easy to find, cheap and having a really great one doesnt actually fix your backline if it's lacking.
Depends on if was only $25k or not. I do agree that you shouldn’t spend too much on wingers and centres but you have to be smart and have great talent identification in the situation where you lose 2-3 players in your backline. We haven’t picked the right players as yet.
Yeah - as much as I love Nico and wanted him to stay, I'm glad we stuck to our principles on this one. That's not to say he isn't currently the best player in our backline, IMO he undoubtedly is, but all you're doing is kicking the can down the road if you're forking out a fair whack more than what you've valued him at.
I recently had a look at some 2017 and 2018 highlights, and it was quite staggering to see the different kind of effect he had on the way we played, which formed the basis for why he became so highly rated. The same kinda angled, infield runs, but for far greater profit.
It seems to me that teams have wised up to him a lot, committing more numbers and working hard not to stagger their line when he's looking to cut back in and break tackles. Even though he's still a high quality player and hasn't lost any physical attributes that I can see, it's reduced his efficacy a lot and made him lose a bit of that 'wow' factor'.