Will we win the comp in 2012?

[Chook Norris]

no. our spine is still relatively weak

[Funky Chicken]

So if Pearce is 5/8, which sounds good to me, who is halfback and where do we put the Greek Princess?

Put him in the coaches box, the Foxsports commentary box, anywhere as long as he isn't wearing a Roosters jersey.

James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce would be a good halves pairing....

[Guest]

Put him in the coaches box, the Foxsports commentary box, anywhere as long as he isn't wearing a Roosters jersey.

James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce would be a good halves pairing....

Ah we can hope and dream Funky Chicken but Princess Anatapolous is going to be there somewhere. To be honest if he has to be there 5/8 is the only place I see him fitting in. We just have too many good young forwards for him to fark that up with his presence. I am dreaming that he may hit some sort of late career purple patch as a 5/8. Pearce is certainly going to have to step up with some creativity though.

[chook 56]

Yep. 5/8th is the only position for Braith, if he has to be in the team.
It's obvious he doesn't like being in the forwards.
Pearce on the other hand needs some help in the halves to get the best out of him.
Could be another long season.....bloody hope not :/

[Ray Stehr]

Short answer - no.

Long answer, 1 through 7 concern me and 8 through 16 don't. Can't win with essentially half a team.
I also have my doubts over the entire coaching structure but particularly the head coach. Therefore, expectations for next year are very moderate which is to improve over this year and finish tenth or better.

I agree with you though I still have huge doubts about FPN. At full strength we have a great pack but 1 to 7 scare the tripe out of me and as you say we can't win a comp with half a team.

[Guest]

This is harking back to the 90s for us but reversed - we had very good back line with origin and Australian reps but a bubble fragile forward pack with Terry and Jason, the osteogenesis imperfecta twins who were out more than they were in. I have horrid memories of David Barnhill as a front row forward as a stop gap - Gould's magic at work.

[Guest]

You'd know if we were in line for the semi's because Hermanson and Lowrie would break their arms about a week out from them.
It was almost an even money bet.

[Guest]

We have the forwards that can win us a comp but we have the worst backline in the competition. No speed and no creativity.

Consider that T Carney, Linnett, and Graham were easily the 3 fastest players in our team. This will be our biggest problem IMO. Opposition will compress their defense as they have been doing against us the last few years (except brief Carney-era), and our forwards will get belted.

[stephenj]

with cooper at 5/8 we could be unstoppable!

[Yak]

Either Tagive or Moga will play left wing and both those guys are very fast. Maybe not quite as quick as Linnett over the 100 but both are faster over shorter distances. Mini's speed is what worries me. We waste so many late set plays trying to put him through on the inside and he just doesn't have the legs for it anymore. Would be good to have Rhys Pritchard play a few games early to see how he goes cos he'd offer more in attack. But that won't happen so we'll certainly have the slowest 5/8th and fullback in the comp.

[Gary Worthless]

Of the non-semis teams this year I believe we are the most likely team to crack Top 4 next year.

Saints, Storm, Tigers, Knights & Cowboys are on the fade.

Baby Broncos, Manly and Warriors will stay up there with dynamic young talent.

We just need our young forwards of MK, Tasi, Friend, Cordner, Guerra, Mose etc to step up and smash teams with their youthful enthusiasm. Hopefully, we can get a good go forward from the 2010 Perrett/SKD 1-2 early hit up combo and then steam-roll for the rest of the set before getting a good kick-chase away (just like Warriors have done this semi series).

I am looking forward to the Roosters in 2012.

[Guest]

right players? yes
right 5/8? Bring back Todd Carney!
right halfback? yep!
right coach? Should've kept tim robinson and let him take over from smithy

[Guest]

Of the non-semis teams this year I believe we are the most likely team to crack Top 4 next year.

Saints, Storm, Tigers, Knights & Cowboys are on the fade.

Baby Broncos, Manly and Warriors will stay up there with dynamic young talent.

We just need our young forwards of MK, Tasi, Friend, Cordner, Guerra, Mose etc to step up and smash teams with their youthful enthusiasm. Hopefully, we can get a good go forward from the 2010 Perrett/SKD 1-2 early hit up combo and then steam-roll for the rest of the set before getting a good kick-chase away (just like Warriors have done this semi series).

I am looking forward to the Roosters in 2012.

Couldn't agree more

[Guest]

Of the non-semis teams this year I believe we are the most likely team to crack Top 4 next year.

Saints, Storm, Tigers, Knights & Cowboys are on the fade.

Baby Broncos, Manly and Warriors will stay up there with dynamic young talent.

We just need our young forwards of MK, Tasi, Friend, Cordner, Guerra, Mose etc to step up and smash teams with their youthful enthusiasm. Hopefully, we can get a good go forward from the 2010 Perrett/SKD 1-2 early hit up combo and then steam-roll for the rest of the set before getting a good kick-chase away (just like Warriors have done this semi series).

I am looking forward to the Roosters in 2012.

storm have dropped in form a bit at the end of this year but knowing them, they'll be back on top again next year. Knights will be better next year with the likes of Bennett, Boyd and Snowden.

Sure Manly have young halves but there forwards are all old and when they're done, their toyota cup players wont help (they came last). Not to mention their centres will be retiring soon.

Of the bottom teams this year, I agree that we'll be the most likely to do well. I also reckon that the eels will be great. In a lot of their games they dominated but weren't able to get the points they deserved. With Chris Sandow they should easily be able to accomplish this. If sharks and raiders get their act together i see no reason that they wont do well but i doubt they'll get their act together.

Roosters in 2012!!!!!!!!!

[TheLoneRooster]

I agree with you though I still have huge doubts about FPN. At full strength we have a great pack but 1 to 7 scare the tripe out of me and as you say we can't win a comp with half a team.

Agree with you about FPN there Ray. That's why I wrote 8 through 16 and not 8 through 17.
I hope the return of Fitzy goes some way to settling FPN and getting the best out of him.