2018 NRL Side

[Cult]

The easiest way to explain it is if the greatest rugby league coach ever decides to select them in the 17 regularly.

 

[Wolfie]

I’ve got a question for everyone, what defines that a player is ready it’s said a lot on here but what is the real details.

It's consistency of performance for me, which is what a lot of younger players just dont have. They can be world beaters one week then awful the next.

 

[broncos4life]

I’ve got a question for everyone, what defines that a player is ready it’s said a lot on here but what is the real details.

When you have thought they are ready for about 2 and a half years.

 

[Foordy]

We haven’t won a premiership in how long and relying on the experienced players isn’t working is it.

I suppose we could go the opposite way (i.e. Newcastle Knights route) and stack our team will inexperienced, talented youngsters ... but i have no interest in find out what it is like for our boys to win the wooden spoon.

not to mention hurting the confidence of our kids by having them lose week after week. that's how you stunt the development of players, potentially destroying their career.

when they are ready, they will get their shot.

 

[Kyall]

I suppose we could go the opposite way (i.e. Newcastle Knights route) and stack our team will inexperienced, talented youngsters ... but i have no interest in find out what it is like for our boys to win the wooden spoon.

not to mention hurting the confidence of our kids by having them lose week after week. that's how you stunt the development of players, potentially destroying their career.

when they are ready, they will get their shot.

Let’s be real they never had very talented players debut over the last couple of years ours on the other hand are real superstars of the future.

 

[Renegade]

We haven’t won a premiership in how long and relying on the experienced players isn’t working is it.

lol yes let's run with a team of youngsters that aren't used to the weekly grind, we'll be world beaters in the first 20mins of round 1 and then get our asses kicked.

 

[Huge]

Let’s be real they never had very talented players debut over the last couple of years ours on the other hand are real superstars of the future.

Yes, that's it, the future. They are not now. The Cows, Sharks and Melbourne all won with a blend of older hard nuts and youthful enthusiastic lads. Wb has it right, we are on track. Haas and co will get their shot.

 

[Kyall]

I’m not saying the whole team has to be players who just made their debut, but players that deserve a shot. Look at some of the greatest players of all time most debut early and never looked back.

 

[Renegade]

I’m not saying the whole team has to be players who just made their debut, but players that deserve a shot. Look at some of the greatest players of all time most debut early and never looked back.

How do you determine who deserves a shot?

 

[Bongo]

Although, I like it when we blood some young players, we need to acknowledge its a long season and we need seasoned players too. What tends to happen is young players fade away after the week to week grind gets to them come the back end of the season. Very few players can be just thrown into first grade and left there. Forwards can be eased in on the bench a bit more easily than backs and halves. I think the best sides have a mix of youth and experience across the park. Although we have a lot of young players who could go on such as Haas, Fifita, Fai, Flegler, Carrigan etc we cant start to think that they all need to be in the team. I think we have more good young players coming through than we have had in a while, which is great. We have also let go some quaility in Hipgrave, Arrow and Collins.

 

[Sproj]

I’m not saying the whole team has to be players who just made their debut, but players that deserve a shot. Look at some of the greatest players of all time most debut early and never looked back.

How many of these include props and second-rowers?

And far more importantly, of those that did debut young, how many were either never dropped or played full seasons from the get-go?

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Have we heard yet if there’s going to be any curtain raisers to the main NRL games? A state under 20’s game or ISC maybe?

 

[Wolfie]

How do you determine who deserves a shot?

Thats the key thing. A lot of them will be rocks or diamonds while they are young. You get some players you just know will be reliable. Opacic, Sims and Kahu fall into that bracket for me. They arent a world beaters, but you know what you will get from them. There probably isnt a great deal of difference between their worst performances and their best. They perform to a level consistently and that level is good enough for them to be a solid, reliable player at NRL level. So they will obviously be in the coaches thoughts as he knows what he will get.

Then we have the likes of Haas, TPJ, Pearson, Ofa, and i'd even throw blokes like Milford and Nikorima into this bracket as well. Capable of being really, really good NRL players when they are on their game, but when they are off form, they look fairly poor and can be liabilities. These, especially the ones with little NRL game time, are the ones that you just dont know what you are going to get from. You can probably carry one, two or maybe even three in the team, but you cant throw a heap of them in. If they all have an off day, you are screwed.

 

[Jedhead]

Thats the key thing. A lot of them will be rocks or diamonds while they are young. You get some players you just know will be reliable. Opacic, Sims and Kahu fall into that bracket for me. They arent a world beaters, but you know what you will get from them. There probably isnt a great deal of difference between their worst performances and their best. They perform to a level consistently and that level is good enough for them to be a solid, reliable player at NRL level. So they will obviously be in the coaches thoughts as he knows what he will get.

Then we have the likes of Haas, TPJ, Pearson, Ofa, and i'd even throw blokes like Milford and Nikorima into this bracket as well. Capable of being really, really good NRL players when they are on their game, but when they are off form, they look fairly poor and can be liabilities. These, especially the ones with little NRL game time, are the ones that you just dont know what you are going to get from. You can probably carry one, two or maybe even three in the team, but you cant throw a heap of them in. If they all have an off day, you are screwed.

I think Kahu is way too good to be lumped in with the performances of Sims and Opacic. Both are good mind you but Kahu is class through and through.

 

[BroncsFan]

The only prop/back rower I can think of in recent times is Jake Trbojevic and even he probably started from the bench for his first year... and was probably brought through out of necessity more than anything.

 

[Allo]

The only prop/back rower I can think of in recent times is Jake Trbojevic and even he probably started from the bench for his first year... and was probably brought through out of necessity more than anything.

CHN and RCG both have been pretty much in the side at Penrith most of the time since debut, save for Griffin’s fuckery

I agree with both sides a bit: obviously they’re still kids and putting them in on that alone can be concerning, especially in systems that aren’t second-nature yet. On the flip-side, they can be game-breakers in they can have no fear and catch oppositions by surprise. It’s a tough line to walk, and while there are desperate clubs willing to throw cash at hyped up rookies, there’s always the danger of losing them if they’re not a regular first grader, hence the calls to play them more often.

I do believe that while he has been a great player and stalwart of the club, I don’t think Thaiday deserves a mortgage on a spot every week, unless his form demands it. People say you need consistency from those older players, but Sam has been anything but that in recent times. I do hope he pulls out all the stops for his last season though.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Any chance someone can post the article on the courier mail site with Gordy saying Boyd should move to 5/8th to save his career.

 

[Wolfie]

I think Kahu is way too good to be lumped in with the performances of Sims and Opacic. Both are good mind you but Kahu is class through and through.

He is good, but his level of performance imo never really alters. You know what you will get from him.