Are fans getting carried away?

[Kelby]

Assuming we can avoid injuries, I still think there are quite a few questions about our side.

How will Keary and Collins recover from their ACL's? How will SST go after he dropped off last year? JWH another year older, has he still got it? Sam Walker - how will he develop? Verrills - was he affected by that eye as badly as it seems or is off the boil completely?

If all of the answers are positive and things go our way, then we could possibly win it but I genuinely feel that Penriff and the Storm are still comfortably ahead of us.

I feel like 2023 will be a more genuine shot for us and I say that because despite all the younger guys getting a shot last year and fast tracking their development, I think they'll still need another year to become consistent week to week players...and we get Smith who will be massive for us.

Regardless, I'll be there week in week out cheering them on and I can't wait for it to all start.

At full strength, we not not behind the storm. Neck and neck with the riff atm due to their depth being depleted..

[ChookMaster]

I’m really keen for rd 3. We’ve been on the other end lately with the vermin so full strength hopefully we can run riot and give it back to LM.

[Juggler]

Hmmm. I'm not convinced that we are at the level of the Storm, Souths & Panthers. We don't look as good as we did in 2019.

Remember that most of our injuries were in the backs in 2021. With the above sides, I don't think we matched them in the forwards and then failed to finish them off.

What needs fixing...
- still not convinced that Sitili is a starter
- our hands (collectively) hold the ball as well as a dead dolphin
- ill-discipline.

Whether we match those three teams will depend on how well they adjust this year.
Storm - have lost a few players and don't seem to have the depth in the forwards they once did, but they still have Bellamy.
Souths - will miss Reynolds. New coach has great pedigree in lower comps & has rep for getting the best out of his players. Bennett leaving effect?
Panthers - have lost a few but they aren't key players. 2023 may hurt more but have great juniors coming through now that they've fixed that part of their structure.

A lot depends on how well we are treated by injury & suspension.

[Thirteen]

Hmmm. I'm not convinced that we are at the level of the Storm, Souths & Panthers. We don't look as good as we did in 2019.

Remember that most of our injuries were in the backs in 2021. With the above sides, I don't think we matched them in the forwards and then failed to finish them off.

What needs fixing...
- still not convinced that Sitili is a starter
- our hands (collectively) hold the ball as well as a dead dolphin
- ill-discipline.

Whether we match those three teams will depend on how well they adjust this year.
Storm - have lost a few players and don't seem to have the depth in the forwards they once did, but they still have Bellamy.
Souths - will miss Reynolds. New coach has great pedigree in lower comps & has rep for getting the best out of his players. Bennett leaving effect?
Panthers - have lost a few but they aren't key players. 2023 may hurt more but have great juniors coming through now that they've fixed that part of their structure.

A lot depends on how well we are treated by injury & suspension.

Good post.

I think we needed to add an experienced forward this year. If one of two of our experienced forwards go down then we will be exposed. The young guys are good but there’s nothing like experience. I know the young guys had experience last year but you can’t expect them to suddenly become hardened and seasoned first graders just because of this. That would take 2 or 3 years of first grade.

I think Burton was key for Panthers. He’s a big lost for them. He was one of their best in the GF. They will be weakened by his loss.

[mattyh]

Good post.

I think we needed to add an experienced forward this year. If one of two of our experienced forwards go down then we will be exposed. The young guys are good but there’s nothing like experience. I know the young guys had experience last year but you can’t expect them to suddenly become hardened and seasoned first graders just because of this. That would take 2 or 3 years of first grade.

I think Burton was key for Panthers. He’s a big lost for them. He was one of their best in the GF. They will be weakened by his loss.

i think one of the things that catches ypung forwards in the nrl is week to week consistency for 20 + weeks . young forward can maybe string a couple of games together but then a couple of duds, etc.

shows that guys like jwh , hass , jfh, cords are just true tough bulls .

[NorfolkStreetKid]

I think we will win the comp, if we get a reasonable run with injuries, or go very close. Top 4 for sure, and at least a GF spot. Our backs are the best in the comp, and forwards with JWH, TKO, Collins, Sammy V, Crighton, and Rads, plus Sitili, Baker and the Butchers, and a 14 like Watson or Hutch.

[roostermcgregor]

"Originally posted by NorfolkStreetKid

I think we will win the comp, if we get a reasonable run with injuries, or go very close. Top 4 for sure, and at least a GF spot. Our backs are the best in the comp, and forwards with JWH, TKO, Collins, Sammy V, Crighton, and Rads, plus Sitili, Baker and the Butchers, and a 14 like Watson or Hutch.



I have to love your enthusiasm for the Roosters.
But I'll reserve judgment on whether the Roosters backline is the best in the comp until we are at least a half dozen games into the regular season. There may be a few novices in our backs, or newbie guys that haven't played much in the Roosters colours before.
It will be interesting to see how they perform.

[Juggler]

Good post.

I think we needed to add an experienced forward this year. If one of two of our experienced forwards go down then we will be exposed. The young guys are good but there’s nothing like experience. I know the young guys had experience last year but you can’t expect them to suddenly become hardened and seasoned first graders just because of this. That would take 2 or 3 years of first grade.

I think Burton was key for Panthers. He’s a big lost for them. He was one of their best in the GF. They will be weakened by his loss.

Yeah - Burton is a big loss. He was their version of Latrell - pulled them out of the fire a few times.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Good post.

I think we needed to add an experienced forward this year. If one of two of our experienced forwards go down then we will be exposed. The young guys are good but there’s nothing like experience. I know the young guys had experience last year but you can’t expect them to suddenly become hardened and seasoned first graders just because of this. That would take 2 or 3 years of first grade.

I think Burton was key for Panthers. He’s a big lost for them. He was one of their best in the GF. They will be weakened by his loss.

Ofcourse another EXPERIENCED forward, high quality would be great, but find one for less than $600 to $700K who was available, and let me know, then tell me where we were going to get the money.

[Thirteen]

Ofcourse another EXPERIENCED forward, high quality would be great, but find one for less than $600 to $700K who was available, and let me know, then tell me where we were going to get the money.

I’m not privy to the ins and out of our cap and neither are you. Once again you are proving you have bad comprehension skills. All is said was that I would have like to have added another experienced forward.

[Mickie Lane]

I think we will win the comp, if we get a reasonable run with injuries, or go very close. Top 4 for sure, and at least a GF spot. Our backs are the best in the comp, and forwards with JWH, TKO, Collins, Sammy V, Crighton, and Rads, plus Sitili, Baker and the Butchers, and a 14 like Watson or Hutch.

Penrith have the best player/halfback in the game along with the current NSW 5/8 & NSW winger who is nearly the toughest bloke playing the game. Olams the toughest.
Crightons not bad either.
If I did a combined backline between the Chooks & Panthers it would be this

Teddy Rooster
Tupou Rooster
Manu Rooster
Crighton Panthers
To'o Panthers
Luai Panthers Keary Roosters
Cleary Panthers

On current form I pick Luai over Keary but Keary is a gun.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Penrith have the best player/halfback in the game along with the current NSW 5/8 & NSW winger who is nearly the toughest bloke playing the game. Olams the toughest.
Crightons not bad either.
If I did a combined backline between the Chooks & Panthers it would be this

Teddy Rooster
Tupou Rooster
Manu Rooster
Crighton Panthers
To'o Panthers
Luai Panthers Keary Roosters
Cleary Panthers

On current form I pick Luai over Keary but Keary is a gun.

Your opinion and you are entitled to it, but we all know that Luai only got into Origin because Keary was injured, Crighton and To'o are no shoe ins over Suuali and Momi, so as I said, I think WE have the best backline in the comp.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

I’m not privy to the ins and out of our cap and neither are you. Once again you are proving you have bad comprehension skills. All is said was that I would have like to have added another experienced forward.

Wow, you are getting very sensitive, and again have to insult me first, you really do need to grow up. I agreed with you, but just added a real world fact, in that we don't have the money. Surely even you would realize that without having to look at the books.

Calm down, no need for insults, but if you throw them I will fire back.

[Bondicigar]

Your opinion and you are entitled to it, but we all know that Luai only got into Origin because Keary was injured, Crighton and To'o are no shoe ins over Suuali and Momi, so as I said, I think WE have the best backline in the comp.

imo
Potentially the best backline in the comp.
If Suali Smith and Walker fill there potential then yes I agree with your call.
Not there just yet but could change in 6 weeks

[Thirteen]

Your opinion and you are entitled to it, but we all know that Luai only got into Origin because Keary was injured, Crighton and To'o are no shoe ins over Suuali and Momi, so as I said, I think WE have the best backline in the comp.

Kid we could have a backline full of Tyrone May quality players and you’d still say we had the best backline. I admire your passion for our club but maybe sometimes you should remove the red, white and blue goggles. It’s a big call to say we have the best backline when nobody here actually knows who our halves combo will be and who will play in one centre position and one wing position. Maybe we potentially have the best backline.