Best 17 for 2025

Ryan

Ryan

SGI Jersey Flegg
GCRV said:
I rate Finau. I thought he should have been first pick winger this year.
  1. Sloan
  2. Finau
  3. Holmes
  4. Suli
  5. Feagai
  6. LKT
  7. Hunt
  8. Frank Molo
  9. Cook
  10. JDB
  11. Su'A
  12. Leilua
  13. Toby Couchman

  14. Liddle
  15. Ryan Couchman
  16. LPT
  17. Egan
How's that?
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Perfect but don't rule out Finau Latu putting pressure on anyone of those forwards except JDB and the Couchmans. Yes, even Su'A who had a shocker last week.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Ryan said:
I hope it's not too early for this thread. Hopefully we get some news about new signings soon but for the moment:
  1. Sloan
  2. Feagai
  3. Suli
  4. Buchanan
  5. _______________?

  6. LKT
  7. Hunt

  8. Frank Molo
  9. Cook
  10. JDB
  11. Su'A
  12. Leilua
  13. Couchman

  14. Couchman
  15. Liddle
  16. Sele or Lawrie
  17. Egan or another one of those highly regarded young forwards. Maybe Latu or Tonga.
Forward pack is well balanced. A couple of big forwards, a couple of fast ones, a couple of workhorses. Including the interchange, a good balance of young and old.
Backline is better than this year too, even without Lomax. Especially if we get a fast winger like Holmes.
Halves might be a problem. Hunt is Hunt but maybe with a skillful partner like LKT, hew can be much better.
Sloan might be a problem as well but hopefully he'll continue to improve. If not, maybe at some stage around halfway into the season Rumble or Ramsey is challenging him. Big ask for both so unlikely but I hope so. There is also Corey Allen who I don't rate very highly but that's just me.
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Goodness gracious me, forward pack well balanced? Not my view. Our props are not going to cut the mustard. JDB in my view is not a prop, F Molo not big enough in size, doesn't make the necessary yardage. We need a big bodied prop to balance our pack. No change to our alleged major play maker, meaning most of our attacking structures remain the same, on one side of the ruck. Flanagan jnr will be our 6 next year no doubt in my mind about that. There should be more speed and attacking options from dummy half but if we dont have the second playmaker it will be defended. The coach won't be blooding our younger players in 1sts before he believes that their time is right, that is not his style. Holmes will be 30 next season and lacks genuine pace he was bought for goal kicking duties but his height means that our bomb option now Lomax is gone will be removed. Unfortunately Sele has been injury prone/ health issues, Lawrie a bygone era forward. Another challenging year lies ahead in an attempt to snatch 8th spot on the ladder and play semi finals football again. Just my views.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
TheRev said:
Webb actually mentioned that SFinau was earmarked as the wing replacement for Lomax, its the first time I've heard that and it makes sense.. the kid is ready and tbh if he hadnt got injured I think he would have played a few more games in 1sts. He will probably play right edge outside Suli.

The only fly in the ointment is Allan, im not sure if hes a better prospect than CTui or SFinau... one of them misses out.

Note: The guys that are off contract Nov 1 (i.e. poachable) do include all 3 of those wingers.. so we shall see if/when Flanno wants to extend them... but I'm not as nervous about wingers as I am Couchies cause I think wingers of their level are replaceable, but the couchies I think are 10+yr club stalwarts.
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Agree
 
D

Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
Holmes has been horrible at centre. Flanno is not going to pay a gun centre 850k, let alone one of the worst centres in the comp. If he was happy to do it then he would've kept Lomax. Holmes will be playing fullback.
 
D

Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
1. Holmes
2. CT
3. Suli
4. C. Allan
5. S. Finau
6. Kyle/LKT
7. Hunt
8. Saifiti
9. Cook
10. RCG/ Horsborough
11. Leilua
12. Sua
13. JDB

14. Liddle/Kyle
15. R. Couchman
16. T. Couchman
17. H. Sele

Soo many moving pieces but I can imagine something like that as our starting 17 next season.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Dave03 said:
Holmes has been horrible at centre. Flanno is not going to pay a gun centre 850k, let alone one of the worst centres in the comp. If he was happy to do it then he would've kept Lomax. Holmes will be playing fullback.
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That would be most likely so then if that is the case young Sloan will be one of our wingers I take it?
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
Anything is possible over the off-season, opinions or the situation might change (like they did with Lomax/Allan last offseason), but I suspect:

o Fullback: If this is happening, the first hint will be that Max has his contract extended... but Holmes isn't a great playmaker so although he fixes a bunch of Sloans issue.. he's missing some key fullback attributes that could bite us given our lack of creativity elsewhere.

o Left Ctr: This is where I think he is starting next season, and with coaching.. I think Flanno/Young would back him to do enough in defence.. perhaps the really elite centres cause issues for him.. but tbf most centres would struggle with that.. and at NRL level I think he will be passable. Offensively of course he is elite.. that side of his game is intact... and we will need to find ways to get him involved as much as possible.

o Wing: Eventually.. somewhere in 2026/2027/2028.. I reckon he will end up our left goal-kicking winger.... that's not going to be 2025 though.

I wouldn't worry too much about the money, 820k is like maybe 550k in the old cap.. yeah its high, but we were running out of quality options to replace Lomax and we needed some recruitment wins to build on.. not to mention his goalkicking.... and having an unspent war chest doesn't help us.

We were at a point where every player we go after (aside from Cook) is too scared to take a leap of faith to be the first guy to say 'yes'.. but now we are a fringe 8 team with 2 (soon to be 3 or 4 hopefully) good signings for next year.. we should be able to build off that.. if we let Holmes slip over 70k or something.. it could have really hurt our chances to build & retain players in this roster.
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
Dave03 said:
1. Holmes
2. CT
3. Suli
4. C. Allan
5. S. Finau
6. Kyle/LKT
7. Hunt
8. Saifiti
9. Cook
10. RCG/ Horsborough
11. Leilua
12. Sua
13. JDB

14. Liddle/Kyle
15. R. Couchman
16. T. Couchman
17. H. Sele

Soo many moving pieces but I can imagine something like that as our starting 17 next season.
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This is ok if Saifiti, RCG or Horsborough is actually signed but surely Kyle isn't going to be 5/8 again. Look at his stats! Coach thinks he's the best 5/8 in the competition, possibly the best ever but can't fans look at it critically?
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
TheRev said:
Anything is possible over the off-season, opinions or the situation might change (like they did with Lomax/Allan last offseason), but I suspect:

o Fullback: If this is happening, the first hint will be that Max has his contract extended... but Holmes isn't a great playmaker so although he fixes a bunch of Sloans issue.. he's missing some key fullback attributes that could bite us given our lack of creativity elsewhere.

o Left Ctr: This is where I think he is starting next season, and with coaching.. I think Flanno/Young would back him to do enough in defence.. perhaps the really elite centres cause issues for him.. but tbf most centres would struggle with that.. and at NRL level I think he will be passable. Offensively of course he is elite.. that side of his game is intact... and we will need to find ways to get him involved as much as possible.

o Wing: Eventually.. somewhere in 2026/2027/2028.. I reckon he will end up our left goal-kicking winger.... that's not going to be 2025 though.

I wouldn't worry too much about the money, 820k is like maybe 550k in the old cap.. yeah its high, but we were running out of quality options to replace Lomax and we needed some recruitment wins to build on.. not to mention his goalkicking.... and having an unspent war chest doesn't help us.

We were at a point where every player we go after (aside from Cook) is too scared to take a leap of faith to be the first guy to say 'yes'.. but now we are a fringe 8 team with 2 (soon to be 3 or 4 hopefully) good signings for next year.. we should be able to build off that.. if we let Holmes slip over 70k or something.. it could have really hurt our chances to build & retain players in this roster.
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I guess he certainly has next year in the centres with Hayden Buchanan being in NSW Cup for the year and first up in the event of injury.
 
Edward

Edward

SGI Jersey Flegg
jodragon40 said:
Goodness gracious me, forward pack well balanced? Not my view. Our props are not going to cut the mustard. JDB in my view is not a prop, F Molo not big enough in size, doesn't make the necessary yardage. We need a big bodied prop to balance our pack. No change to our alleged major play maker, meaning most of our attacking structures remain the same, on one side of the ruck. Flanagan jnr will be our 6 next year no doubt in my mind about that. There should be more speed and attacking options from dummy half but if we dont have the second playmaker it will be defended. The coach won't be blooding our younger players in 1sts before he believes that their time is right, that is not his style. Holmes will be 30 next season and lacks genuine pace he was bought for goal kicking duties but his height means that our bomb option now Lomax is gone will be removed. Unfortunately Sele has been injury prone/ health issues, Lawrie a bygone era forward. Another challenging year lies ahead in an attempt to snatch 8th spot on the ladder and play semi finals football again. Just my views.
Click to expand...
Since the 6 again thing came into the comp, the really big but not very mobile props aren't very effective any more.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
I will credit Fifita for lifting his minutes.. what used to be 2 runs per half is now 3 or 4.. still a defensive liability once those runs are done.. but maybe given 1-2yrs and a few pre-seasons... he's at a place where he can be a decent impact prop in 1sts. That said... he keeps getting suspended (I think he makes mistakes when he gets tired) which is really slowing that development down.

If we didn't have other options, I would definitely keep Fifita... but we have 19yr old Tonga who is a sure thing.. and the 2 Couchmans are also sure things and nrly 21.. thats 3 rly strong young props with a couple of other guys in Flegg and SG systems coming in behind.. so we dont need to clog up a Top30 spot on Fifita, the theory I hear is that Fifita+Tuitavake might be shopped as a duo.. then we could use that Top30 spot to better help the balance of the squad.
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
TheRev said:
I will credit Fifita for lifting his minutes.. what used to be 2 runs per half is now 3 or 4.. still a defensive liability once those runs are done.. but maybe given 1-2yrs and a few pre-seasons... he's at a place where he can be a decent impact prop in 1sts. That said... he keeps getting suspended (I think he makes mistakes when he gets tired) which is really slowing that development down.

If we didn't have other options, I would definitely keep Fifita... but we have 19yr old Tonga who is a sure thing.. and the 2 Couchmans are also sure things and nrly 21.. thats 3 rly strong young props with a couple of other guys in Flegg and SG systems coming in behind.. so we dont need to clog up a Top30 spot on Fifita, the theory I hear is that Fifita+Tuitavake might be shopped as a duo.. then we could use that Top30 spot to better help the balance of the squad.
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Personally I'm not sure if the club even needs Saifiti, RCG or Horsborough. If Flanno signs one of them, I guess that will mean it's the end for Lawrie.
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Holmes played centre this year, what about in the past. Recall much of his prime Kangaroo time was on the wing. What is his best position?
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Eric said:
Personally I'm not sure if the club even needs Saifiti, RCG or Horsborough. If Flanno signs one of them, I guess that will mean it's the end for Lawrie.
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I think we need one big unit bookend. RCG gets my vote. I'd keep Blocka over Faitala-Mariner and Sele. He still gives 100% in every game.
 
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Edward

Edward

SGI Jersey Flegg
I don't look at it like prop or second row or lock. I look at it like middle forward or edge. Middle forwards signed now are:
  • JDB
  • F Molo
  • M Molo
  • T Couchman
  • R Couchman
  • Lawrie
  • Tonga
  • Fifita
  • Faitala-Mariner
  • Latu
It is a bit thin on quality. A few who haven't been good this year and a few who still might be a year away.
 
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