2020 Top 30 Squad

Hughburt6 said:
We have Levi and Brailey, Who have 80 and 70 games each in nrl

not sure what you’re getting as we have Watson as well and Mann at a stretch
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everyone keeps saying we don't have Levi. He is expected to leave.
If we don't have Levi we have 1 experienced hooker in the entire squad, and he's only a few years out of juniors and has his best years in front of him.
Watson is injury prone when playing as a back. If we ask him to play big minutes tackling forwards all year, he is going to get bashed around over a season.
Randall - I'd like to think he has a lot of potential, but it's a massive gamble.
Huth is not ready. He struggled in his few runs in reserve grade this year.

I'll say it again - we need 2 hookers - we have just 2 realistic options - if we get injuries we have dodgy backups at best.
 
Most teams will struggle for coverage if their 1st 2 hooking options are unavailable. Hooker is not a position that teams are 3,4 or 5 deep
 
cheese said:
Most teams will struggle for coverage if their 1st 2 hooking options are unavailable. Hooker is not a position that teams are 3,4 or 5 deep
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all the good teams have decent options for key position injuries, even if it's a Jamie Buhrer type utility.
I suppose you could say we are putting faith in Chris Randall to be that utility backup, and I hope he is up to that, but huge gamble.
 
Think if we have Levi then no problem with hooker, Brailey or Levi at 9 or reserves with Watson at 14, Randall and Huth covering reserves if injuries occur. If Levi leaves then we are short on hookers of quality.
 
[ A bit of an offloader wouldn't hurt.

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In relation to the front row.?
Klem has ball playing ability, don’t think he likes to embrace it as much as he likes hitting it up. He has good hands and footy brain, use it. He could be ya JT or even Jake T. Get him and ponga n co on the same page and they’ll be hard to stop. Should’ve happened this year....damn you browny
 
Is Lino’s injury/operation going to delay his season start, if so then we have a problem at 6 either using a makeshift or an inexperienced player and if use Watson then we loose out having a good utility at 14.
 
with lino out we either need Watson at 5/8 or 14, so probably either Crossland or Randall will have to play round 1
They probably should make the decision early and let whoever they are going to use train with the top team all off season.
 
Hughburt6 said:
Billy do you think Crossland could be a good first grader? I really hope so
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he was 18/19 this year and didn't look physically ready. I hope an off season in the gym will have him ready.
You never know when guys will peak, but you'd have to think he has a lot of improvement in him yet.
 
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/the-mo...tetevano/b9717962-79a0-4138-8242-ed9190646d38

Mole "reporting" that Lino is being shopped around. Not sure what his source is but this seems like a surprising turn of events if true.

KNIGHT TO BE SQUEEZED OUT
The Knights have some great young kids coming through - and Samoan international Mason Lino looks like becoming a casualty of the push to blood the rookies.

Lino played some good footy in his 12 games for Newcastle this season but his services have been offered up to English clubs.

This comes as a result of the Knights' desire to move the likes of Bradman Best, Phoenix Crossland and Starford To'a into their top squad.

All three are destined for stardom and at least two players will have to go for the Knights to fit under the salary cap, with Lino top of the list.
 
By the time Lino is fit after his surgery we'll have paid him for 6 months already and the ESL season will be well underway.
Don't see it happening. Will be off contract at end of 2020 anyway.
 
Lino wouldn't be a big loss if we had someone ready to step right in, but Crossland, Searle and Sasagi aren't firstgrade ready on 2019 form and will need a massive off season to match Lino. I suspect all 3 will in a year or two, but not yet.
 
He wouldn't be on huge money anyway.
I suspect, if it's true, it would be more about freeing up a top 30 spot we could use for a fit player.
Basically we pay his wages for 2020 and he gets a 2 or 3 year contract in the ESL and is off our list so we can give Hoy or Momoisea a top 30 slot.
 
Looks like we’re going into 2020 with a weaker squad than 2019.

Obi has his work cut out for him.
 
At the risk of giving some of you a stroke - we have the NSW under 20s fullback in Hoy, the NSW under 18s and Australian schoolboys fullback in Best and the junior Kiwis fullback in Toa - and Ponga has just been picked as the Australian under 23s 5/8, so some good judges think he could be the best young 5/8 running around.
Now how did that Weighton guy go when he had a whole season to develop into a running 5/8?
 
mozza said:
Looks like we’re going into 2020 with a weaker squad than 2019.

Obi has his work cut out for him.
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Disagree that it's a weaker squad (although I agree that Obi has his work cut out). If anything, our juniors have had another year under their belts with several having had debuts. Obi is apparently good at developing them further, so it may be that he simply likes what he sees in the juniors coming through. The players likely to go during the offseason aren't game changers anyway (Gavet, Lino). They have their moments but I don't think we become weaker necessarily if they leave. Plus, we'll probably pick up some players over the offseason to strengthen the ranks.
 
Forget if Lino goes, more worried he might be out for half season so who is at 6 during that period, not quite ready Crosslands etc or do we go with Ponga by starting to prepare him now. Like Watson better at 14, 9 or 1. Please not Mann but not discounting him.
 
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