2018 NRL Side

That is a really decent side but unfortunately it isn't reality. Sammy, Mead and Sims on the outer is my favorite part of your selections. Mead won't be in the 17 regardless and it would be great to have the luxury to leave out the other two. Unfortunately, they don't, not currently anyways.
Also Trent has cooked knees and is pretty much done with being NRL standard because of it.
 
I'd consider giving Oates what he wants. Next time he signs, I think it we'll have to offer the backrow position to him to keep him.
 
I'd consider giving Oates what he wants. Next time he signs, I think it we'll have to offer the backrow position to him to keep him.

never promise a player a position ... they need to play where the team needs or **** off ...
 
I'd consider giving Oates what he wants. Next time he signs, I think it we'll have to offer the backrow position to him to keep him.
The dude has the knees of a 70 yo and a body that could breakdown at any minute. Oates will be getting what the Broncos want to give him, not the other way around.
 
Oates is a good chance of moving when Sam retires I think. There are others coming through the system like Sua but Oates will have miles in his legs and more valuable game time.
 
Next year he stays on the wing, 2019 however might be different with Thaiday gone and both Gillett and Glenn starting to age.
 
I'd be happy with Oates in second row and Glenn to the bench as a utility.
 
I'd be happy with Oates in second row and Glenn to the bench as a utility.

So would I, if we had good wingers lying in wait.

As it stands, who would be replacing Oates on the left wing if we moved him in-field.. Mead.. Pearson? Don't get me wrong, I like Pearson, but moving a rep level winger who's one of the best metre eaters & 1 on 1 finishers in the game for Jonus would be up there with one of the stupidest thing we could do.

With that being said, if we sign or develop a really good winger who is a demanding a spot over the next 12 months, I'm all for it.
 
So would I, if we had good wingers lying in wait.

As it stands, who would be replacing Oates on the left wing if we moved him in-field.. Mead.. Pearson? Don't get me wrong, I like Pearson, but moving a rep level winger who's one of the best metre eaters & 1 on 1 finishers in the game for Jonus would be up there with one of the stupidest thing we could do.

With that being said, if we sign or develop a really good winger who is a demanding a spot over the next 12 months, I'm all for it.
I think Mead and Pearson would be serviceable until we get the chance to sign a good winger.
I really hope wayne tries to sign McGilvray.
 
You don’t sign wingers that’s 1 spot that should be able to fill with club juniors.
We have a few younger players we could play there
Issako, Shibaski, Allan, Staggs, Farnworth we could give any of the players a crack if fit and strong preseason trials.
 
You don’t sign wingers that’s 1 spot that should be able to fill with club juniors.
We have a few younger players we could play there
Issako, Shibaski, Allan, Staggs, Farnworth we could give any of the players a crack if fit and strong preseason trials.
20 years ago I would have agreed with you but these days wingers are critical defensively and in attack.
A poor defensive read by a winger (come in early, hang back, too far in) is an automatic try to a good team. A good attacking winger can also get you a try in the corner you wouldn't have got or get your sets on the front foot early. This is without mentioning their ability in the air and back up play.
I'm keen to give the young players a go but if they haven't pushed for when by now I wouldn't want to weaken our team just to give them a crack now. Wing is just as critica as any other position on the field now
 
20 years ago I would have agreed with you but these days wingers are critical defensively and in attack.
A poor defensive read by a winger (come in early, hang back, too far in) is an automatic try to a good team. A good attacking winger can also get you a try in the corner you wouldn't have got or get your sets on the front foot early. This is without mentioning their ability in the air and back up play.
I'm keen to give the young players a go but if they haven't pushed for when by now I wouldn't want to weaken our team just to give them a crack now. Wing is just as critica as any other position on the field now

I'm leaning this way too. Wing is great for a rookie if they are super talented and biding their time for another position, kind of like we have been doing with Oates. But if there's no one pushing for selection in the 17 that can play wing, throwing a rookie there can often backfire. Pearson showed how bad it can go. With more time I'm sure he will improve, but he's not a shade on Oates.

Look at the Premiership wingers for the last few years:

2014: Johnston (tryscoring machine), Tuqiri (a bit WTF but heaps of experience)
2015: Feldt (supremely talented finisher), Winterstein (Seasoned reliable pro)
2016: Feki (meh), Holmes (rep level)
2017: Vinivalu (machine), Addo Carr (super fast & talented)

If we're rebuilding this year and aiming for a premiership next year or 2019, you could throw a rookie in there and hope he succeeds. But no premiership team has had a rookie on the wing. Either established professionals, or young players who have come off at least one full season, usually more, of looking like future rep players.
 
I'm leaning this way too. Wing is great for a rookie if they are super talented and biding their time for another position, kind of like we have been doing with Oates. But if there's no one pushing for selection in the 17 that can play wing, throwing a rookie there can often backfire. Pearson showed how bad it can go. With more time I'm sure he will improve, but he's not a shade on Oates.

Look at the Premiership wingers for the last few years:

2014: Johnston (tryscoring machine), Tuqiri (a bit WTF but heaps of experience)
2015: Feldt (supremely talented finisher), Winterstein (Seasoned reliable pro)
2016: Feki (meh), Holmes (rep level)
2017: Vinivalu (machine), Addo Carr (super fast & talented)

If we're rebuilding this year and aiming for a premiership next year or 2019, you could throw a rookie in there and hope he succeeds. But no premiership team has had a rookie on the wing. Either established professionals, or young players who have come off at least one full season, usually more, of looking like future rep players.
While none of those players were rookies as such, they were all still either on their first NRL contract (and therefore cheap) or low-priced journeymen. It's the perfect position for saving on the salary cap.

I think we'll need to bite the bullet on a youngster sooner rather later, whether it's Pearson or otherwise, for team balance if nothing else. We're probably spending 200-300k too much on our wing pairing in the grand scheme of things.
 
Wishful thinking..
1 Darius Boyd
2 Jermaine McGilvary
3 James Roberts
4 Jack Bird
5 Jordan Kahu
6 Anthony Milford
7 Trent Hodkinson
8 Joe Ofahengaue
9 Andrew McCullough
10 Alex Walmsley
11 Alex Glenn
12 Matt Gillett
13 Josh McGuire

14 Kodi Nikorima
15 Matt Lodge
16 Tevita Pangai Jr.
17 Corey Oates

18 Korbin Sims
19 Sam Thaiday
20 Andre Sevelio
21 David Mead

This is a pretty strange team. Joe Ofa is pretty much mud tbh. Everytime he's started he's been useless. Korbin Sims offered really good go forward for us this year and I think is getting a lot of undeserved hate. Surely Bird won't be playing in the centres... He left the sharks so he wouldn't be in the centres so if wayne threw him in there it would be a bit kick in the gut. I wouldn't be opposed to Hodkinson on the right money but he has dud knees.

Most likely team, based on current signings would be

1. Boyd
2. Oates
3. Possibly Kahu?
4. Roberts
5. Mead (If Kahu is centre)
6. Milford
7. Nikorima
8. McGuire
9. Macca
10. Lodge
11. Gillett
12. Glenn
13. Bird

14. Thaiday
15. Sims
16. TPJ
17. Offa / Sevelio / Utility

I mean they might put Bird at centre which would bump Mead to bench / out of squad and Kahu on the wing with Mcguire or Sevelio (if he's actually decent) going to lock.
 
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