Team for 24

[ism22]

Agree.

I like Billy a lot, but the fact is Suaalii is a cut above.

I suspect with a full off season of Centre-specific hard training, Suaalii will be fine in the centres.

The guy just offers way too much to leave out.

I think part of his problem right now is that he's leaving the club. You don't wanna waste a good player, but you also don't wanna sink too much time/money into a guy who's leaving at the end of the season.

My thoughts are:

- Teddy, Toops and Manu are the three guaranteed spots. Australian captain, golden boot the club's most prolific try scorer. Guys are picked on form but these guys are a cut above even on their off days.

- Young, Smith and Sua'ali'i are fighting for two vacant spots (a wing and a centre). I don't think it's been decided yet! However, unless the youngsters can learn how to play centre... they're stuck battling it out for a spot on the wing. If it were me, I'd probably stick with the incumbents and force Young to kick the door down (which he will).

- There will be injuries. Whoever misses out, I'm SURE they're gonna end up playing a cr@p load of 1st grade regardless of the pecking order. There's that Pommie dude too (Murphy - 1 year contract I think?), who I'm guessing is just coming over for the holiday and a bit of NRL experience. Will be pinching himself to have played/trained with Teddy, Toops, Manu and the others.

Is it next year that our agreement with the Bears expires? I'm interested to see what our reserve grade team can do without the Bears taking 1/2 our players. Hoping that it's a club people wanna train with as the whole product of having JT coaching the Bears was pretty special IMO.

[B2B]

With the current state of Australian rugby, Sualli may now want to stay with Roosters and who would blame him .

[Vasco]

We have a wealth of talent and there'll be 4-5 quality players unlucky to make the top 17 at present.

It just highlights the fact that, of the things we can control, our success in 2024 will come down to our halves.

I'm sure there will be 8 players missing in round 1 due to pre season injuries.

I seet the training ground was dug up a couple of weeks ago. About time.

From memory it's not closed to the public. Is that right?

[Mickie Lane]

I predict that at no stage of next year will Teddy, Toups, B Smith, Manu, Suaalii & Young all fit at the same time

[Chook2]

People are forgetting how bad Suaali was at centre
next they will be calling for Manu back at 6 and walker to play res again
young will be a certainty - I would prefer him on wing due to out and out pace, not sure how we would go at centre, and moving to the left or Manu shifting to the left

good issues to have though, if suaali and critchon stay there will be a very strong 22 - with our luck of injuries we will need and more

[Rooster1908]

Only talk at this stage but you would blame the kid .Wont get yawnen money of us but
Wallabies rocked by Joseph Suaalii twist as Eddie Jones' job hangs in the balance (yahoo.com)

[Bates]

we've turned a new leaf batesy

Are you free on Saturday night?

[Mickie Lane]

You can add Keary & Walker to my list as well.
I’m 99% sure that one of our backs will be out for a good part of the season next year so our back line will change.
We will need them all.

[Rooster_6]

I don't necessarily think Young will play centre, his defensive reads and shirt grabbing needs work. I do like Billy and his en of season form was nothing short of great, but I think to say he's earned a spot in the 17 over two bona fide superstars in Dom Young and Suaalii based off 5/6 games is premature, considering before his end of season resurgence (after the game against the Storm where he got dominated by Reimis Smith), many of the pen, myself included were calling for his head and hoping Momirovski was healthy for the finals. You're absolutely right, Suaalii's beginning of season at centre left a lot to be desired, but he also was being assaulted from all sides by the media and fans; that can take a toll on a experienced player, let alone a teenager. And lets not pretend like the whole team wasn't crap to start the season. I do believe that come Rd 1, Billy will be playing reggies if Suaalii is here. If Suaalii continues to show that he can't play centre then we can chat about Young vs Suaalii on the wing and Billy at centre, but I do believe that with a clear head and a full pre-season at centre under his belt, he gives us the best chance of winning.

Personally I also think that in the most likely event that Suaalii does go to Union, we shouldn't alienate him as a club. We've seen the damage that he can do at fullback in the game against the Tigers, and the world cup. If we can lure him back come 2027 (Teddy will be mid 30's, Manu early 30's) that would be a coup.

Suggesting Billy Smith has shown more as a left centre than Suaalii or Young definitely isn't premature, it's just fact. Premature is to suggest either Young or Suaalii could crack it at centre given neither have shown anything at centre at a decent standard of the game.

Take Suaalii who is at his best running into open spaces, he struggled at centre when he was running into contact and needed to be running lines for his ball players. Billy Smith on the other hand is far more naturally comfortable running into contact. It just is fundamentally a very different position to wing and the skills required are not easily transferable from one position to the other.

[Rooster_6]

We have a wealth of talent and there'll be 4-5 quality players unlucky to make the top 17 at present.

It just highlights the fact that, of the things we can control, our success in 2024 will come down to our halves.

Will come down to our whole spine.

Tedesco underperformed this year and if we are to win a premiership we need more from our fullback in terms of contributing to our point generation. He had 23 try involvements this year which ranked him 9th in the competition amongst all fullbacks, i.e average.

Brandon Smith only had 12 try involvements which ranks him 12th amongst all NRL dummy halves. For a dummy half who's real focal point is his ability to generate momentum and points for his team not so much his service that's a disappointing contribution.

Yes the halves will need to improve also and I still have major concerns about the lack of an organiser in the spine but I think they all need to step up next year and share the organisational duties if we are to do anything. \ Was a disappointing season all round.

[Rooster_6]

I predict that at no stage of next year will Teddy, Toups, B Smith, Manu, Suaalii & Young all fit at the same time

I see a world where Robinson is carrying an outside back on the bench for injury coverage.

I know it will make so many people on here upset but I think it's an underrated tactic in the modern era.

[Chook2]

I see a world where Robinson is carrying an outside back on the bench for injury coverage.

I know it will make so many people on here upset but I think it's an underrated tactic in the modern era.

Seems to be the 18th man many teams are using an outside back as cover if they get 2 or more injuries then they can use them
but you never know after Robbo’s famous tupou number 14

[Qld Chook]

Everyone is acting on here that the choice will be in our hands.. it won’t.

Have you all lost your memories? Has the last four seasons taught you nothing?

Once we have our mandatory 6-7 injuries it will just be a case of pick whoever is fit.

[Horry]

John Davidson
@johnnyddavidson
Exclusive: NRL outside back Paul Momirovski is closing in on a switch to Super League.

[Steggles]

Can we all swallow our pride and admit that if Suaalii is staying, Billy Smith is not making the 17. I like Billy. His end of season form was tremendous, but realistically who gives us the better chance of winning games.

Billy Smith does.