2024 pre-season discussion: Pre-season Premiers

What I am hoping to see again this year is belief. We know it's us and Panthers again this year, I just hope the boys do too. You could see their confidence and belief grow through the season. By the time the GF rolled around, they KNEW they could beat every single other team in the comp.

Considering a few years ago a chunk of this squad were spooners, and it's an absolutely remarkable turnaround. But I want to see them take that confidence - and, dare I say it, arrogance - another step into 2024. Again, we KNOW we can beat every single other team in the comp. There's not another team that can go with us when we put the foot down, the GF showed that. 2023 was the breakout year, 2024 is when they show it wasn't a flash in the pan. Despite the loss of key personnel, we will be a better side.

If the boys find that ruthlessness in 2024 we will absolutely go all the way.
 
McHunt said:
We're not doing too bad when Kobe is the weak link.
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He has origin written all over him… but at the same time just don’t see how he gets enough minutes for us.

People(/normies) talking about Carrigan moving to prop and Kobe moving to 13 (which is very unlikely), but I wouldn’t even be mad if we just put Hetherington at prop. Maybe he does a job like cotter?

Also I just want to mention that I’ve had literal dreams of Cobbo playing centre... No context or nothing else interesting to add, just wanted to let people know 🤣
 
Any inside idea, who takes Flegler's vacant 8 jersey?

I really am hopping Willison does step up with his shown potential and make a real fist of it. Or do we think it is between Baker or Jensen? Jensen can do a job for a few weeks, but he isn't the future, just a solid prop for our rotation.
 
turkeysnow said:
Any inside idea, who takes Flegler's vacant 8 jersey?

I really am hopping Willison does step up with his shown potential and make a real fist of it. Or do we think it is between Baker or Jensen? Jensen can do a job for a few weeks, but he isn't the future, just a solid prop for our rotation.
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Surely Jensen starts. Worked well with an impact prop replacing him in past season and a bit.
 
turkeysnow said:
Any inside idea, who takes Flegler's vacant 8 jersey?

I really am hopping Willison does step up with his shown potential and make a real fist of it. Or do we think it is between Baker or Jensen? Jensen can do a job for a few weeks, but he isn't the future, just a solid prop for our rotation.
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If I had to guess I’d say round 1 preferred forward pack and bench would be

8. Haas
9. Walters
10. Jensen
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Hetherington
16. Baker
17. Taupau
 
theshed said:
If I had to guess I’d say round 1 preferred forward pack and bench would be

8. Haas
9. Walters
10. Jensen
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Smoothy
15. Hetherington
16. Baker
17. Taupau
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Would agree with that except for 17. Taupau.

Kevvie has typically filled that 17 jersey with someone that can play multiple roles, but mostly middle and second row (Palasia, Piakura (Capewell to middle), etc.) and he doesn't usually play them for very long... typically only getting 20mins a game. He also had Mariner there for dogs in Belmore with Cobbo moved into the middle roving role when he came on... I think that was more to do with a shortage of squad numbers than anything.

So that spot could potentially be between:
- Hunt: not my preference, but has been recruited to the club, so may have been for a reason. He's pretty much the only other player identified as a second rower on the club website as well (not that it means anything)
- Willison: talk last year that he was training as back up second rower for one of the games... and I think he came on for Piakura once late in the season for a HIA?
- Oates: left field option, but does provide that utility value from the bench... if he's not in the 17 then I can see him being the 18 jersey pretty much all year

I think there's a real chance that Hunt gets it, if the thinking is that Piakura may need a spell throughout games... unless Kobe is setup to play some second row during games or they move Patty to the edge at times (least preferred in my eyes).

If Kobe learns to be our back up second rower then it's there for another middle whether that be Willison, Taupau, Te Kura, etc.

I like the idea of Oates on the bench, but it would come down to how many minutes Kevvie would be wanting to use him for. If he needs someone to play 20-30mins on the edge every game, then that may be too much of a liability... but if the 17 jersey is for emergency situations and would only be required for sub-20 mins normally, then Oates can cover a lot of roles, but also just come into the middle for 15mins or so.

It would take work from Oates to transition to that kind of role, but our squad has depth issues at the moment so something needs to be done to have players covering more positions if needed
 
BroncsFan said:
Would agree with that except for 17. Taupau.

Kevvie has typically filled that 17 jersey with someone that can play multiple roles, but mostly middle and second row (Palasia, Piakura (Capewell to middle), etc.) and he doesn't usually play them for very long... typically only getting 20mins a game. He also had Mariner there for dogs in Belmore with Cobbo moved into the middle roving role when he came on... I think that was more to do with a shortage of squad numbers than anything.

So that spot could potentially be between:
- Hunt: not my preference, but has been recruited to the club, so may have been for a reason. He's pretty much the only other player identified as a second rower on the club website as well (not that it means anything)
- Willison: talk last year that he was training as back up second rower for one of the games... and I think he came on for Piakura once late in the season for a HIA?
- Oates: left field option, but does provide that utility value from the bench... if he's not in the 17 then I can see him being the 18 jersey pretty much all year

I think there's a real chance that Hunt gets it, if the thinking is that Piakura may need a spell throughout games... unless Kobe is setup to play some second row during games or they move Patty to the edge at times (least preferred in my eyes).

If Kobe learns to be our back up second rower then it's there for another middle whether that be Willison, Taupau, Te Kura, etc.

I like the idea of Oates on the bench, but it would come down to how many minutes Kevvie would be wanting to use him for. If he needs someone to play 20-30mins on the edge every game, then that may be too much of a liability... but if the 17 jersey is for emergency situations and would only be required for sub-20 mins normally, then Oates can cover a lot of roles, but also just come into the middle for 15mins or so.

It would take work from Oates to transition to that kind of role, but our squad has depth issues at the moment so something needs to be done to have players covering more positions if needed
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Yeah Taupau’s position is the one I’m least confident in but I do think he’ll be there. Baker can play second row, and so could party. We don’t have a great utility forward option on our roster currently. Though Palasia was terrible in that position too.

I think Willison will make his way in as a full time player before season end. I would think we start with experience early on. Just my thoughts though
 
I beg to disagree, and think Willison will lock himself into the 17 somewhere. ARey in a recent interview said big spots to fill for the likes of Mariner, Piakura and Willison. I know we just got Baker and Hunt, but surely we show faith in those we have developed. He was going well until his latest injury last season. I think this season is the season to really step up.

I think we run, Hethero and SMoothy (Smoothy covers/shares min with Walters), Hethero comes in the middle 20-30min agression and intensity, typically when Carrigan has a spell. I know we have two guys who can consistently play 65+ each week, but we need to blood these young bucks.

Jensen I can see starting the season until Williwon/Baker are ready to start and take that role, He is servicable and consistent from the bench, but doesn't have that agression/different body type Fleg had (Willison does, get the offload away/find the line). I think Tapow will only get game time if injury/SOO cover. His expereince around teh club is great as it is.
 
One advantage would be not having Cobbo tested under the highball near our ingoal, a weakness in his game making several during the season. Compare that to Arthars where you could count the mistakes with fingers on one hand.
 
GCBRONCO said:
One advantage would be not having Cobbo tested under the highball near our ingoal, a weakness in his game making several during the season. Compare that to Arthars where you could count the mistakes with fingers on one hand.
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I don’t think a 20 year old short inexperienced winger is necessarily going to be an improvement on that. In saying that I think Cobbo going to the left is fucken amazing. Defence needs to be on point but that edge is going to be fucken threatening as all shit. Mam, Piakura, Cobbo and Arthars with Walsh and Reyno chiming in on plays on that left edge. **** that’s scary for defences. In saying that they do have the ability to concede just as many as they can score and I think that will be the key this year and this pre-season.
 
Credit to @Sproj for calling this.

Walters:

“That’s the plan – to move Selwyn into centre. He’s probably a bit more natural there than on the wing. So far he has been really good there. I guess we’ll find out more when we start playing and he has to start making tackles and all those things the great centres do.”​
​
“He is still only young and maturing in that space with his fitness levels and strength. They will get better as the year goes on. His footy IQ is very good. He’s a very intelligent player, which you need to be in centre, particularly defensively which is where I think he’ll be a good asset for us with the way he reads the attack. We’ve got some good options there. Part of this time of the year is to have players in training situations to see how they handle that. Deine is obviously a good young player, it’s just a matter of finding the right position for him.”​
​
“We’ve got a shortened pre-season so we’ve got to ramp it up as best as we can. The squad is in great shape and we’re looking forward to another good season. The next six weeks is about us reconnecting as a group, particularly those guys coming in in those new positions to be formidable and comfortable in their roles. They also need to contribute in a way to help our team move forward. We’re a bit restricted with what we can do and how we can do things. Without overkill, it’s about getting the most out of our sessions.”​
 
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