- Jan 25, 2014
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- 42,558
2026 Pre-Season Discussion
- Thread starter McHunt
- Start date
Battler
State of Origin Captain
- Dec 4, 2013
- 8,566
- 9,566
Hopefully he starts getting the JT/ Cronk/ Cleary treatment where any rough contact, even if it’s a legal tackle, is penalised
- Jul 28, 2016
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He has fulfilled the Vlando prophecy and is being utilised as the face of the game... he is on every promo and the image on every news article... he's ****ing everywhere.
Realistically Vlando should be looking to protect his asset and making sure any shots are penalised harshly.
I'm fearful of the WCC against Hull KR more than anything.
An exhibition game where the ESL will want to make it look like they mean anything... poms like to feign that they build their game on physicality, most likely a pom ref over in their slippery shit conditions and on a small field.
- Jul 28, 2016
- 35,616
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I think the T&T guys will be playing Sunny Coast.
Id say we will also have another trial with an NRL team for the fringe guys not heading to UK
- Jan 25, 2014
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I would say he has about as much chance of snagging that spot as what Perham does snagging the fullback spot from Walsh.
I think he's a couple years away from being an NRL player. A year at the very least.
Santa
Guest
- Jun 30, 2020
- 11,669
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You'd have to be pretty damn good to snag a spot from any of our grand final outside backs.
- Jan 25, 2014
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- Jul 28, 2016
- 35,616
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Hopefully they have turned up in good shape... I would say Reece, Patty and Payne are all certainties to be in good shape.
Bhunt and Reyno are vets and you'd expect they would keep themselves fit as well.
Other guys that played rep footy like Staggs, Shiba, Mariner, Piaks and X will be the ones to watch in terms of how they turned up to training.
We do, they have a game agsinst sunshine coast falcons and against souths logan
Footy Fanatic
NRL Player
- Dec 12, 2018
- 1,089
- 1,564
I think Antonio Verhoeven is the higher rated prospect over Coates currently.
Berry Barrigan
QCup Player
- Feb 11, 2025
- 384
- 879
Phil looks like a gun but if his surname wasn’t Coates he’d be getting less attention
broncos4life
International Captain
- Oct 5, 2011
- 28,394
- 30,613
Given his surname I think we need to be very careful of giving him anything.
Footy Fanatic
NRL Player
- Dec 12, 2018
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I think Coates is a fair while off first grade anyway based off how he’s been going in reserve grade.
- Jul 28, 2016
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A few in the know suspect that Antonio is the better prospect, but one thing with the modern game in regards to both of them is yardage game.
Back in the day the big physical wingers made plenty of meters; however the smaller stockier guys seem better at the moment, primarily because they can get between tacklers better and find their front.
It took Xavier Coates a long time to sort out his yardage so he doesnt get completely folded every game, and it has improved a ton... but he can still find himself getting cut in half.
Phil Coates in the U19's definitely looked to have more physicality to his game than Xavier so maybe he's a bit further along... but he did seem to cop some shots even in that game against his own age bracket.
Back in the day the big physical wingers made plenty of meters; however the smaller stockier guys seem better at the moment, primarily because they can get between tacklers better and find their front.
It took Xavier Coates a long time to sort out his yardage so he doesnt get completely folded every game, and it has improved a ton... but he can still find himself getting cut in half.
Phil Coates in the U19's definitely looked to have more physicality to his game than Xavier so maybe he's a bit further along... but he did seem to cop some shots even in that game against his own age bracket.
Depends how the guys have come back this year, Staggs, Walsh, Mariner I'd be pretty confident they've come back in top shape, Karapani probably but abit of a unknown. Shiba is the one i'd be worried about tbh.
Madge has shown his hand that he's happy to change things up to reward the hard workers.
beaseagull
NYC Player
- Nov 13, 2024
- 117
- 146
Not by the club. I still think Tupuse is better than the lot in any case.
