2025 pre season thread

MattyM said:
Players I’m most excited to watch this year:

Bradman Best - Hopefully remains injury free and continues on his upward trajectory.

Kalyn Ponga - As above.

Fletcher Sharpe - Wherever he plays he’ll add another point of attack, electric player, needs to be in the mix somewhere.

James Schiller - Plenty of speed, knows how to find the line. Same with Sharpe, I think we need to find a spot for him.

Dylan Lucas - Had a huge 2024 season. Has to be kept at second-row and only fill in for the backs unless absolutely necessary. Think he’s got Origin footy written all over him.

Tom Cant - Think with time he’ll become a great lock. Goal kicker which we need. Gives Matt Hilder underrated vibes but stockier. May push Elliott out at some stage.

Connor Votano - Freak of nature. All the skills and crazy footwork. Hopefully we keep this kid around for a long time. Hopefully see more of him in Cup and get him developed and playing against bigger bodies.
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I hope Schiller is allowed to jump. He seems very capable under the high ball.
 
krustykraz said:
He will probably have his career best year this year at the Dolphins.
But he wouldn't have if he stayed here.

It was a good move for the club and himself.
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You make it sound like his form will improve for reasons other than an improvement in his effort.

My expectation is that he won't improve much or for very long, because he isn't the player he used to be. I reckon he was giving us his reasonable best.

But if we do see an instantaneous resurgence to his old form that'll be pretty disgusting behaviour
 
Yeah I think D Saf’s issues were more due to long term injury than lack of effort.

Not saying he didn’t phone it in at times but a lot of his issues with his lateral movement were due to his knee and quad issues. I also don’t think he was as bad as some people have made out either.
 
mozza said:
Yeah I think D Saf’s issues were more due to long term injury than lack of effort.

Not saying he didn’t phone it in at times but a lot of his issues with his lateral movement were due to his knee and quad issues. I also don’t think he was as bad as some people have made out either.
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I 'm afraid I'm one who thought DSaff was bad . For at least the last two years . Should have been a wake up call when young Leo grabbed his starting spot . But no seemed happy to warm the bench .
 
Sarge said:
I 'm afraid I'm one who thought DSaff was bad . For at least the last two years . Should have been a wake up call when young Leo grabbed his starting spot . But no seemed happy to warm the bench .
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In 2023 he certainly did. In 2024 I thought D Saf had the slightly better year. Both were below par though.
 
Les Misérables said:
You make it sound like his form will improve for reasons other than an improvement in his effort.

My expectation is that he won't improve much or for very long, because he isn't the player he used to be. I reckon he was giving us his reasonable best.

But if we do see an instantaneous resurgence to his old form that'll be pretty disgusting behaviour
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I think here he was in his comfort zone.
Did just enough to stay in the 17.
Thought of himself as a leader, but was more like "do as I say, not as I do".

I think he'll be trying to impress people at the Dolphins, at least to start with anyway.

Just my opinion.
Time will tell.
 
The Saifiti's have just reached their use by date.
The big boys got pretty beat up by playing NRL well before they were ready and 9 years, starting a 10th - is all they have. Jacob has missed more time with injury, so he might have 1 or 2 more years.
They have also not really looked after themselves like the guys who last a long time do. They aren't exactly fitness freaks.

Frizz talks about getting up every few hours during the night to treat injuries and doing everything he can possibly do to stay fit.
The Safs might cut their beer intake, maybe.
 
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The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd said:
I hope Schiller is allowed to jump. He seems very capable under the high ball.
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I'm not confident Schiller will suit us. I'm not saying he'll play poorly, not at all. I just can't see how we'll effectively use his depth of skill unless he goes way out of his way to make stuff happen the Sharpe does. The wing is a very limiting position, that's why Schiller wants to play centre.
 
Billy said:
The Saifiti's have just reached their use by date.
The big boys got pretty beat up by playing NRL well before they were ready and 9 years, starting a 10th - is all they have. Jacob has missed more time with injury, so he might have 1 or 2 more years.
They have also not really looked after themselves like the guys who last a long time do. They aren't exactly fitness freaks.

Frizz talks about getting up every few hours during the night to treat injuries and doing everything he can possibly do to stay fit.
The Safs might cut their beer intake, maybe.
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That is my issue with them, their big goal was to play NRL, job done, cue in rack from then on. Happy to just tread water and keep the money coming in.

I'd be surprised if DSaf regains his past form, or holds it long. He was running out of tomorrows here due to his complacency, so he went somewhere else he could get a contract and keep the money coming.

I just don't see him suddenly changing and gaining the motivation he lacks.
 
Kurriboy said:
That is my issue with them, their big goal was to play NRL, job done, cue in rack from then on. Happy to just tread water and keep the money coming in.

I'd be surprised if DSaf regains his past form, or holds it long. He was running out of tomorrows here due to his complacency, so he went somewhere else he could get a contract and keep the money coming.

I just don't see him suddenly changing and gaining the motivation he lacks.
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Unless, like Mitch Barnett, a change of scenery may result in a stronger finish to his career. The Knights simply couldn’t keep paying his freight for his limited impact.
 
frankLauda said:
On that you’d think that would be a game plan to kick for KKP last year. Not sure how good he is at jumping but he doesn’t need to jump far! The cowboys obvious game plan with Naniah and he’s probably half the height of KPP.
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That's Nanai's strength though, he is athletic and a good jumper. Sure, we should look at having as much in our kit bag as possible, but first we should play to his strengths. Which is his offload and figure out how to unlock that.
 
Gamble looks like his definitely bulked up. Wonder how he would go at lock even just for stint or two though out the game would make good link man to backs
 
The new profile photos are just about complete - just Jye Linnane without one now.
Votano, Hopwood, ESL, McEwen, Ty Thompson etc added in the last few days and 2024 photos replaced by 2025 photos for the rest.

Worst photo - Connor Votano - who looks like "we really doing this"
Best photo - Jermaine McEwen - who looks like he's just about to punch the photographer.
 
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Looking at them on my phone Malachi Smith made me laugh he's a skinny littl ewhite dude sandwiched between Leo and Croker. Tag line "i think they put me in the wrong section"
 
OK, the daughter and I ducked over to training. It was mainly an opposed session so we got a real feel for where players were lining up. For the top side, it was like they were running their rotation middles, Jones, Croker, Hetherington. No sign of JSaf, Elliot doing rehab. So things to note:

1) Fletcher Sharpe lined up in the halves (let's say 5/8) the entire session. He will be there round 1, no doubt. Ball play was largely good. Played predominantly left but set up some good plays down the other side of the park on a couple of occasions. Notably pushed up in support of the ball carrier when he wasn't involved in ball playing. More than enough to get excited about.
2) Cogger spent most of the session as a senior half before swapping with Gamble for the last part of the session. Ponga looked more dangerous down his side of the park than when he came left.
3) Schiller right wing. Looks sharp. Did some goal kicking practise at the end, he's got a massive boot on him.
4) Lucas played left edge, KPP on the right.
5) Friz was playing a middle role and doing some ball distribution at first, basically the 13. Crossland moved there later after playing the same role in the second squad. He did hurt an ankle and went off at which point Cant took over and looked great. Brailey spent the whole session at dummy half before Arthur had a run there late on. As I said above, Elliot was rehabbing.
6) When Best had a rest late on it was McCarthy who slotted in at left centre.
7) Notably in the second squad, Pryce played fullback. With Armstrong gone, he might be first back up to KP, allowing Sharpe to concentrate on the halves.
 
Owey said:
OK, the daughter and I ducked over to training. It was mainly an opposed session so we got a real feel for where players were lining up. For the top side, it was like they were running their rotation middles, Jones, Croker, Hetherington. No sign of JSaf, Elliot doing rehab. So things to note:

1) Fletcher Sharpe lined up in the halves (let's say 5/8) the entire session. He will be there round 1, no doubt. Ball play was largely good. Played predominantly left but set up some good plays down the other side of the park on a couple of occasions. Notably pushed up in support of the ball carrier when he wasn't involved in ball playing. More than enough to get excited about.
2) Cogger spent most of the session as a senior half before swapping with Gamble for the last part of the session. Ponga looked more dangerous down his side of the park than when he came left.
3) Schiller right wing. Looks sharp. Did some goal kicking practise at the end, he's got a massive boot on him.
4) Lucas played left edge, KPP on the right.
5) Friz was playing a middle role and doing some ball distribution at first, basically the 13. Crossland moved there later after playing the same role in the second squad. He did hurt an ankle and went off at which point Cant took over and looked great. Brailey spent the whole session at dummy half before Arthur had a run there late on. As I said above, Elliot was rehabbing.
6) When Best had a rest late on it was McCarthy who slotted in at left centre.
7) Notably in the second squad, Pryce played fullback. With Armstrong gone, he might be first back up to KP, allowing Sharpe to concentrate on the halves.
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Exciting. Thanks Owey.
 
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