Rank our Best 18 based on what Tier of quality they are(descriptions in the OP)

[Mustafur]

I did a similar thread last year or the year before, can't remember but I'll have it in 5 stages this time from Elite Rep quality to doesn't belong in first grade.

This is mine(keep in mind like the title suggest I only have what I think is our best 18 essentially what we are playing Parra in round 8 with), it doesn't have to go by whether or not they are playing at a Origin or test level by selection just if you think that is their level, other players taking that spot not included, I made it 18 as new rules make the 18th man a ready to play position more than ever.

This is my list to give an idea(name first in order):


Elite Representative Level: Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan

Good Representative Level: Reece Walsh(honestly borderline top tier on how he is playing, but a few more good games away), Corey Oates, Herbie Farnworth, Adam Reynolds, Thomas Flegler

Good 1st Grade/Outer Representative level: Katoni Staggs, Selwyn Cobbo, Jordan Riki

1st Grade Level: Ezra Mam(close to the next tier just a few things to work on), Corey Jensen, Kurt Capewell, Corey Paix, Jesse Arthars, Martin Taupau, Kobe Hethrington(probably a bit too harsh but we have played soo much better since he last played it's hard to workout where he really is right now) and Billy Walters(I think he is still clearly first grade material but is a link up play from a dummy half run away from jumping a few here).

2nd Tier level(should be playing in Qcup): None(at current)

disclaimer: if you have a different best 18 just use the players you would use for that.

 

[Morkel]

I can see this becoming another "what level is Walsh at" argument.

Agree on all of those but Walsh one level down (on the cusp of rep), and Capewell is on Good Rep (what he brings is unde-rated).

 

[theshed]

on current achievements and not potential:

Elite:
Haas

Top tier:
Reynolds, Carrigan, Walsh

Above average:
Oates, Staggs, Flegler, Farnworth

Solid first grader:
Cobbo, Riki, Capewell, Jensen, Taupau, Mam, Hetherington

Fringe first grader:
Paix, Arthars

Coach’s son Tier:
Walters

 

[Johnny92]

If Riki continues building on what he's doing this season he definitely goes up a tier by seasons end, he'd be close to best backrower in the comp

 

[Mustafur]

Really no interest on this thread lol?

 

[Mr Fourex]

Really no interest on this thread lol?

It seems complicated to know how to participate....

 

[Mr Fourex]

on current achievements and not potential:

Elite:
Haas

Top tier:
Reynolds, Carrigan, Walsh

Above average:
Oates, Staggs, Flegler, Farnworth

Solid first grader:
Cobbo, Riki, Capewell, Jensen, Taupau, Mam, Hetherington

Fringe first grader:
Paix, Arthars

Coach’s son Tier:
Walters

Tsk tsk....I thought you had moved on from such pettiness.

Put BW with the fringe first graders......and the rest of the list is good.

 

[theshed]

Tsk tsk....I thought you had moved on from such pettiness.

Put BW with the fringe first graders......and the rest of the list is good.

lol yeah that bit was just a joke leaning into the Walters meme. I’d put him in fringe

 

[Santa]

Elite:
Reece Walsh
Corey Oates
Kotoni Staggs
Herbie Farnworth
Selwyn Cobbo
Ezra Mam
Adam Reynolds
Thomas Flegler
Billy Walters
Payne Haas
Kurt Capewell
Jordan Riki
Patrick Carrigan
Cory Paix
Corey Jensen
Kobe Hetherington
Martin Taupau
Jesse Arthars

 

[Wolfie]

I'm not sure we have an elite rep tier player. They are the players who are top level, game winning players or players who regularly win big moments in games at every level they play. Former players for us like that are your Lockyers and Webcke's. I dont think as yet we have one of those. Payne is obviously capable of getting to that level, as i think Carrigan and Walsh are, but they arent their yet. Taking of my Pat tinted glasses and looking at things clinically, he's probably our only player who has stepped up and had big games in the big games at rep level.

I'll base my list on not potential but achievments.

Elite rep - Nobody, we dont have anyone who has done it at elite level long enough.

Top Tier rep - Carrigan, Haas, Arey

Good Rep - Herbie, Oates, Capewell (he's up a little higher based on his QLD performances )

Good 1st grade/ Outer Rep - Staggs, Cobbo, Walsh, Flegler

1st grade - Mam, Jensen, Riki, Paix,Taupau, Walters, Arthars, Hetherington.

I'd have a different list if it was just about the NRL.

 

[theshed]

I'm not sure we have an elite rep tier player. They are the players who are top level, game winning players or players who regularly win big moments in games at every level they play. Former players for us like that are your Lockyers and Webcke's. I dont think as yet we have one of those. Payne is obviously capable of getting to that level, as i think Carrigan and Walsh are, but they arent their yet. Taking of my Pat tinted glasses and looking at things clinically, he's probably our only player who has stepped up and had big games in the big games at rep level.

I'll base my list on not potential but achievments.

Elite rep - Nobody, we dont have anyone who has done it at elite level long enough.

Top Tier rep - Carrigan, Haas, Arey

Good Rep - Herbie, Oates, Capewell (he's up a little higher based on his QLD performances )

Good 1st grade/ Outer Rep - Staggs, Cobbo, Walsh, Flegler

1st grade - Mam, Jensen, Riki, Paix,Taupau, Walters, Arthars, Hetherington.

I'd have a different list if it was just about the NRL.

Yeah I just made my list about NRL as the rep thing raises too many variables and makes it confusing in situations like Reynolds and Capewell - the former being a close to elite club halfback but fringe rep player and the latter being a solid but not exceptional club player but a great rep player. Your Haas point being another example - absolutely elite club prop over a season, yet to have his historical rep moment.

 

[BroncosFever]

2nd Tier level(should be playing in Qcup): None(at current)

Ask this question after a loss and you'll have half the team (including the coach) lining up for Wynnum or something.

 

[BroncsFan]

I'll give it a go, but with the caveat being the player in respect to the rest of the league i.e. ranking of the player compared to their peers for the position

Elite (Top 3 for their position):
- Haas (arguably best in his position)

Good (Top 5 for their position):
- Reynolds, Patty

Good 1st Grade (Top 10 for their position):
- Walsh*, Herbie

1st Grade Level (Making most NRL teams):
- Ezra**, Cobbo & Oates (both nearing the next tier though), Flegler, Staggs, Arthars (18th man - backs), Jensen, Kobe, Taupau, Capewell, Riki

2nd Tier level (Depth or Qcup):
- Billy, Paix, Palasia (18th man - forwards)

* Walsh - Probably has to land in Good 1st grade, because there are a lot of good fullbacks in the comp. Teddy, Turbo and Latrell are Top 3... Paps next inline. Gutho, Edwards and Kennedy all fighting for those Top 5 in the position. I think Reece is racing up the ranks though... and just needs to round out his game to be a clear top 5 across the league.

** Ezra - Odd position across the NRL where there aren't many elite 6's. Munster is the clear standout for the position, but beyond that Ezra may be sitting near or in the top 10. If you put him in the panthers team he's possibly creating more than Luai at the moment considering how well he's going with our left edge:
1. Munster
... Daylight ...
2. Cody
3-6: Brown, Keary, Foran, Wighton
7-9: Ponga, Moylan, Luai (only this high because Panthers)
10-13: Burton, Dearden, Ezra, Doueihi
The rest: Katoa (too young to know yet), TMM, Schuster, Amone

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Elite:
Haas
Reynolds
Walsh

Top tier:
Carrigan, Oates

Easy first grade choice:
Staggs, Flegler, Farnworth

Solid first grade option (average):
Cobbo, Riki, Capewell, Jensen, Taupau, Mam, Hetherington

Fringe first grader:
Paix, Arthars, Madden

Nepotism:
Walters

I've seen enough to consider Walsh "elite". No he probably won't play Origin this year thanks to QLD's "loyalty" policy, but by all rights he should be. Ponga is useless unless he has another 50k payday to look forward to, and is one severe concussion away from losing his career altogether.

Reyno is still elite, despite his body clearly deteriorating. You don't walk into a new club and turn it right around like he has and not be considered elite. I'd almost go as far as to say he should be playing Origin with Cleary ahead of Luai or anyone else were it not for him and Cleary wearing the same number.

Carrigan is borderline elite (just needs to get the silly stuff out of his game) and Mam is fast approaching easy first grader. Arthars moves up a tier as soon as Herbie walks out, as does Jensen for Flegler.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

I'll give it a go, but with the caveat being the player in respect to the rest of the league i.e. ranking of the player compared to their peers for the position

Elite (Top 3 for their position):
- Haas (arguably best in his position)

Good (Top 5 for their position):
- Reynolds, Patty

Good 1st Grade (Top 10 for their position):
- Walsh*, Herbie

1st Grade Level (Making most NRL teams):
- Ezra**, Cobbo & Oates (both nearing the next tier though), Flegler, Staggs, Arthars (18th man - backs), Jensen, Kobe, Taupau, Capewell, Riki

2nd Tier level (Depth or Qcup):
- Billy, Paix, Palasia (18th man - forwards)

* Walsh - Probably has to land in Good 1st grade, because there are a lot of good fullbacks in the comp. Teddy, Turbo and Latrell are Top 3... Paps next inline. Gutho, Edwards and Kennedy all fighting for those Top 5 in the position. I think Reece is racing up the ranks though... and just needs to round out his game to be a clear top 5 across the league.

** Ezra - Odd position across the NRL where there aren't many elite 6's. Munster is the clear standout for the position, but beyond that Ezra may be sitting near or in the top 10. If you put him in the panthers team he's possibly creating more than Luai at the moment considering how well he's going with our left edge:
1. Munster
... Daylight ...
2. Cody
3-6: Brown, Keary, Foran, Wighton
7-9: Ponga, Moylan, Luai (only this high because Panthers)
10-13: Burton, Dearden, Ezra, Doueihi
The rest: Katoa (too young to know yet), TMM, Schuster, Amone

I would love to see the list of 10 better centres than staggs.....

 

[BroncsFan]

I would love to see the list of 10 better centres than staggs.....

To be honest, I was probably thinking more about his form over the last 2-3 years rather than this year alone.

On this years he'd likely be in the top 10 across the league, as there is a bit of a dearth of talent in the position, with players like Latrell, Turbo and Wighton being better centres than a lot of centres that play week in and week out.

If I had to bang together a quick list... possibly looking at the below and they're both getting closer to a top 5 and comfortably in the top 10.
1. Manu
2. Val
3/4. Graham, Crichton
5-8. Herbie, Staggs, Ramien, Tago

Talakai is probably not too far off the top centres as well with the amount of meters he makes for sharks every game and being solid in setting up his winger... even if he bombs a fair few of them.

Others like Olam, Lomax and Suli have been way down on what they showed in previous years and Best not yet proving he's anywhere near where he's previously been.

Someone like Suaalii could also start rising up the ladder by the end of the year as well... if rorters get their shit together

 

[mrslong]

I believe a Wally Lewis medal automatically puts you at “elite rep level”. Can everyone amend their lists to reflect as such….plz and thank you.

 

[Mustafur]

I believe a Wally Lewis medal automatically puts you at “elite rep level”. Can everyone amend their lists to reflect as such….plz and thank you.

That is why I put Carrigan there, that said there is some gap to him and Haas at current imo, but either would be straight into a Kangaroos squad at current, with Haas being easily the number 1 Middle picked.

I think if Carrigan was a prop he would be a starter as well, but he is behind Yeo and Murray as a lock.