OPINION Which player from our main player squad are you looking for improvement most in 2025?

[Mustafur]

At first I was going to just put our main 17 but since Madge is likely to make changes I just put the entire top 30.

I'll add 2 choices to pick.

For me the main one has to be Cobbo, the back end of last season was a disaster and well below what we know he is capable of(I would argue outside Walsh he is the second most naturally talented player in our team), he is capable of being one of the best outside backs in the comp but it all went to shit after origin 1 this year and he needs to show something this year big time especially given our cap situation as we will have to most likely give up on him or Staggs going into the future, Cobbo is obviously the one with the most potential but he has to show it to justify his existence at this club as he has been pretty temperamental with form lately.

The next is a bit more tricky because there is a decently long list here, I think players like Walsh and Reyno who didnt have the best last year is mostly on the lack of games due to injury so I can't be too harsh on them, but Haas defiently could have done better, that said he did play most of his games mid season carrying injury too, then you think of the likes of Piakura who has a rubbish year especially in defence but even still I don't think he dropped off as much as Riki did who is my second vote, Riki in 2023 was a beast, he probably was one of our key players on us getting consistent results with his best in comp kick chase and he was generally just solid in defence as well, all of which went to shit in 2024, and we noticed that big time, he might have been outside Walsh and Reyno's injury's our biggest weakness from the year before but I think had he carried '23 form into '24 that alone probably would have carried us into the 8 atleast this year.

I mean I would love for Baker to improve aswell but I don't really expect it and we have the squad to cover it so it's kinda not important, from what I see he has some talent(ball skills mainly) but he can't implement it at all in any kind of consistency.

What do you guys think?

Yes at current we only have 27 players on top 30 contracts, at least according to Wikipedia who are generally on top of it.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I'll be keeping a close eye on both our starting second rowers. Piaks and Riki need to recover well from a dismal 2024.

 

[Mustafur]

I'll be keeping a close eye on both our starting second rowers. Piaks and Riki need to recover well from a dismal 2024.

Agreed, if Riki can get back to '23 form and Piakura can fix his defence that alone would transform our team instantly.

 

[Morkel]

Riki, Piakura & Cobbo both need to up their game because we know what they are capable of.

But most importantly for our season we need Walsh to improve on his known weaknesses - namely pushing passes and keeping his head in the game.

 

[Fitzy]

Everyone. Not many I can say can’t improve. I’d say probably can’t suck anymore improvement out of Jensen and Carrigan. That’s about it. If we want to improve the rest of them better get to work.

 

[BroncsFan]

I went with Walsh and Piakura.

Walsh is now our main man and will be getting paid the big bucks.

He's already electric in attack and has so much going for him, but his attack was a little one dimensional last year... and his defence has a lot of improvement in it yet as well.

If Walsh improves our premiership window is suddenly open for the next 10 years.

Piakura has a lot of promise, but also a lot of areas to improve in.

His potential is exactly what we need on the edges if he can get there. Great line runner, great footwork in yardage, plays left side and a hard hitter in defence (could be an enforcer on the edge). Unfortunately he's a long way away from being that player.

Hopefully under Madge his defence improves... really the entire team's defence needs to be upskilled to the modern game... and his fitness improves. If he had poor fitness coming into 2024 it may be one of the reasons for his drop in form... there were times where he's got his back to the ball on the goal line... but if that's fatigue then a lot of those 1%'ers get fixed up purely from fitness.

 

[Broncapz]

Defensively we are going to improve a lot.

I feel like Kevie just didn't coach us to defend and flop and defend and flop like Storm and Panthers. Felt like his MO was get back onside quickly. Which made us worse defensively.

We need to be stepping off the mark, getting their markers square. and perfecting the flop, and slow peel out of tackles.

 

[Santa]

Cobbo - seemed to fall off a cliff post origin.

Walsh - teams seem to have his number. He needs to keep improving and evolving to justify the price tag.

Honerabke mention: Mam (of he plays) - I think a bit overrated (and overpaid) - needs to prove the haters wrong.

 

[mitch222]

My list of all who need to start performing

1. Piakura - fix that god awful defence. I still think he should be coming off the bench.
2. Riki - just needs to pull his finger out of his ass. He has the ability to bring a lot to this team in terms of 1%ers but just seems to slacken off without team pressure
3. Hethrington - laughable to think he thinks he warrants starting on an nrl team. Was lucky to not have been dropped last year. Being a contract year might be a blessing because he should at least be focused this year
4. Cobbo - playing a full season would help. Always parks the bus after origin it seems. Maybe contract year might see the best in him.
5. Mam - Was just plain awful last year. Had a golden opportunity to show the club he can lead the team moving forward and failed miserably. Hopefully he has been proper humbled now and gets back to doing the basics right.

 

[mrslong]

Mozer.
If he kicks on, our spine is elite.

Also Piakura. We need a gun backrower.

 

[john1420]

Riki, Piakura & Cobbo both need to up their game because we know what they are capable of.

But most importantly for our season we need Walsh to improve on his known weaknesses - namely pushing passes and keeping his head in the game.

3 people 'both' need to up their game?

Interesting!

 

[Brocko]

Walsh and Cobbo for me.

Walsh because at his best he can be one of, if not the best attacking weapon in the game. But we need to see it more consistently, and with some improvements on the other side of the ball.

Cobbo as others have said. We all see the potential, he can blow games wide open with his size and skills, we just need him to want it, and believe it.

2 backrowers are next. We need to see way more in 25 from both.

 

[Scorchie]

Piakura. Own his role or stand aside - he's been "up and coming" for what feels like 10 years now, time he owns it.

 

[Morkel]

3 people 'both' need to up their game?

Interesting!

Shut up you two.

 

[Wolfie]

Walsh. Once he learns to do the little fullback things in defence then we have the second best player in the comp and somebody that can make a huge difference in attack and defence in big games. At the moment, he's just got the attacking brilliance.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

I didn't vote for him but I'm surprised baker hasn't got any votes yet. He was a spud for us but seemed decent for the Roosters.

 

[Scorchie]

Walsh. Once he learns to do the little fullback things in defence then we have the second best player in the comp and somebody that can make a huge difference in attack and defence in big games. At the moment, he's just got the attacking brilliance.

Who's the best?

 

[BroncsFan]

Who's the best?

Cleary