NRL 2024
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It is also worth noting that, while there is zero doubt Wayne Bennett is still a great coach, and has this extraordinary ability to get his players to 100% buy in to what he is selling (no one gets a team up for an occasion, even at short notice, like Wayne), it's now 14 years and 4 clubs since he won a comp.
South Sydney have some serious roster issues, and if they think that just adding Wayne to mix is magically going to fix everything is deluded.
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Wayne could probably claim some international success in that wasteland timeframe, but you would not want to follow him for sure.
I don't necessarily think Souths roster is a complete shambles (most of the players there were winning until the middle of last year), but they have clearly neglected their middle forwards and I believe one of the only clubs still without a full-time recruitment manager. They have always relied on their nursery which is currently average at best and have automatically assumed the SG ball success translates to NRL success. On top of that they have media leaks all over the place so players hear from the media before the coach.
They have a significant in house problem which goes beyond what Wayne is likely to fix
Eels have a bye, so BA gets a week off the media roundabout, but since Gutho in surgery and out now for 4 weeks, I am going to assume that unless Moses comes back early, they will be on full coach firing rotation the following week if the lose by a lot.
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The Bunnies have neglected the two key areas of the current iteration of rugby league, middle forwards, and metre eater backs. If you look at their even first choice back three, those guys aren't driving you out of your own end. Latrell will get to dummy half and pass it to someone else, Alex Johnstone is an old fashioned finisher. Their centers don't pitch in either.
And their middles are shit on defense, probably because they are needed early in every set.
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Their player captaincy group has never fronted either as well as continued rumours about different standards for different players. JD sounds like a nice guy, but probably better out than in for himself for where it has got too. I am not even sure who was calling all the shots either, that board has a lot of influence (nor do they agree with each other on anything either)
I cant see a care taker coach doing better either..
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Kristian Woolf won't suffer the same fate imo. The Dolphins have some good kids mixed with some experience, he's seasoned with his experience with Tonga, taken St Helens to a few Super League titles, and isn't at a huge club with the media breathing down his neck and doesn't have any over inflated egos in his roster to deal with. It's a good side for Woolf to establish himself and start a long tenure with the Dolphins.
The Rabbitohs need a strong head coach with the 2 big egos in their side. It ain't a job for rookie head coaches. Their forwards are ridiculously imbalanced where they are full of little men and ball players. Who is the enforcer of that pack? Tom Burgess? Jai Arrow who spends most of the time on the sidelines? It's their lack of size and starch which has led to their downfall in the middle of the park. Ffs they had a ball playing second rower Keaon Koloamatangi starting at prop against Melbourne, their problems start there. Their one signing Sean Keppie has been a complete dud and there's a reason why Manly didn't want to keep him. Their much vaunted left sided attack has also gone out of fashion and they haven't evolved any other way of playing the game. Signing Jack Wighton to strengthen it is a disaster long term as they could have spent the money elsewhere and he also isn't getting any younger, along with their aging roster which consists of Walker and Cook, the latter needs to be moved on. Don't get me wrong, Latrell is part of the problem, but he certainly ain't the whole problem. I think I read that JD got encouraged to go out and get a defensive coach to replace John Morris and refused, instead promoting the NSW Cup coach instead? The results are evident if that's the case. Also, Lachlan Ilias was also a complete dud replacing Adam Reynolds which has set the Bunnies back a few years and Dean Hawkins will have to fill the void for the season until Lewis Dodd comes in. No idea how good he is, but I guess we'll find out next season.
Do the Bunnies need Bennett back? Absolutely.
I assume Sam Burgess will replace Bennett once he's done his time with Warrington In a few years time.
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to be fair also to their attack, Campbell Graham is also a huge out, but the rest have gone missing regardless.
I still dont think it is a coincidence that their losing pattern also started around the time Sam Burgess left. He was a massive influence there and didn't put up with the BS -
@African-Monkey said in NRL 2024:
Usually I don't like wishing bad things upon people and try to look at both sides of the story, but not with Paul Kent. One of the biggest hypocrites society has ever seen. This has made my day.
To take this further, Paul kent got fucked up. In hospital with broken ribs and a collapsed lung
And there is absolutely zero sympathy for the bloke. Anywhere. That should tell you all.there is to know.
@mariner4life said in NRL 2024:
@African-Monkey said in NRL 2024:
Usually I don't like wishing bad things upon people and try to look at both sides of the story, but not with Paul Kent. One of the biggest hypocrites society has ever seen. This has made my day.
To take this further, Paul kent got fucked up. In hospital with broken ribs and a collapsed lung
And there is absolutely zero sympathy for the bloke. Anywhere. That should tell you all.there is to know.
The video is reminiscent of the match that ended Rick Rudes wrestling career. Right in the lower back.
Never heard of this guy but he looks like a fluffybunny and googling him has reinforced this.
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New coach, same shit for Souths (not that Hornby would have been able to do anything on a 2 day turnaround and losing those backline players).
Penrith were as bad as i have seen them in years and smoked them. Souths were absolutely gassed with half an hour to go. But when you have Edwards and Yeo, and those middles and their tackling, everyone else just has to have a few moments and you're home.
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If Tedesco is fullback for NSW at Origin time, I will be shocked. Edwards is the number 1 fullback right now (eligible for NSW), bar none. I don't even think it is close. Still will probably not get picked.
Souths are unfit and disinterested, Hornby did well to even field a team and given new injuries, next week will be interesting.
Wayne gets to decide between Parra and Souths, he must be loving the bidding war behind the scenes.
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sort of following on from those last two posts, i started thinking, who would you name if you had to pick a rep side of the NRL to take on anyone else? Regardless of nationality, sort of an All NRL first team?
Mine is packed with Panthers
Props: AFB, JFH, Haas and Big Tino
Hookers: Grant and Robson
Back Row: Chrichton, Nanai, Fifita, Yeo (shout to Patty Carrigan who deserves a spot, but Yeo is amazing)
Halves: Cleary, Mam
Centres: Manu, and shit, one of Cobbo and May (for completely different reasons)
Wings: To'o and Coates
Fullback: Fucking pick one. I think it's Edwards, but would anyone blink if you put Walsh or Papy in there?Heaps of 50/50s, especially in the back row.
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Props: Hard to argue with any props
Hookers: Grant picks himself, the back up hooker/ bench hooker could be debated. If you had a front row like that you could argue even Egan goes up the picking order or an out of position Ben Hunt. Robson a good shout though, or Api K ahead maybe
Back Row: Crichton and Fafita by default. Yeo/Carrigan middle. No argument from me. Then you have Olakau'atu, Katoa, Nikora, Nanai all good edge backrowers
Halves: Cleary (who is back up? Hughes, then DCE? Hynes,), Mam (or arguably Munster still in front). Brown plays well at 6, but can't cover 7.
Centres: Timoko probably my best centre, Manu, Holmes, Garrick, Farnsworth, Cobbo, May again for all different reasons
Wings: To'o and Coates, shit there are some amazing wingers too, Mulitalo on fire this year, Dom Young etc
Fullback: Edwards or Walsh and then a heap of close names too. -
I picked Robson because he has a sweet pass and he's tough as fuck. Perfect to start, then Grant comes on to run.
Back row i picked Nanai because no other option can score tries like he does.
Half: If i needed a back up half, for this team, it's one of the old heads like DCE or Reynolds. At 5/8 while Munster is awesome when on, he's been off for a fair while now, while Mam has been on fire.
Good shouts in the centres, no shortage of options. Especially when you think neither of us includes Staggs or Talakai -
New coach, same shit for Souths (not that Hornby would have been able to do anything on a 2 day turnaround and losing those backline players).
Penrith were as bad as i have seen them in years and smoked them. Souths were absolutely gassed with half an hour to go. But when you have Edwards and Yeo, and those middles and their tackling, everyone else just has to have a few moments and you're home.
@mariner4life Yup dead right. Any other team and they would have had to fight very hard for the 2 points.
Latrell will have to play at the back next week with Gray out and Walker and Wighton might have to make up the halves with Hawkins down.
