2027 pre-season thread

Ideally we only need Niukore coming in hard emptying the tank off the bench. The advantage is he can also play 2nd row/lock for situations like where we are now, very down on troops.

I also thought he came highly recommended by Brown from his time at Parra
 
He's a perfectly fine player, just an elite bag getter rather than elite on the field, and that frustrates people.

It's pretty clear that he was signed to replace Frizell because he fit into the cap model, doesn't affect the ability to re-sign Bradman, Dom, J Saf etc, that's why POS has done it. I would have brought Barnett back and copped losing one of the outside backs, but POS clearly thinks it's the correct call - and thinks it's achievable - to keep the backline together, hold Jacob, and not shell out big for another experienced forward from elsewhere. Time will tell what was the right call.

Clearly he likes these tweener forwards POS, the Dolphins roster has a fair few of them.
 
I would say DB won’t be available until after the first quarter of the season? That will be interesting what happens if all our spine is available.

All of a sudden we have a pretty deep squad with quality player unable to make FG. Anyway a ways off from that. I’m also excited about our hooker depth.
 
So, Mooney should start the pre-season pretty early.
I think Nuikure should be pretty early.
Kepaoa, Hola, Schiller, Mat Arthur should be reasonably early.
All the guys who played in the GF will only get a month or so before Christmas I think.
The guys pick for World Cup - Best, Crossland, Saifiti, Ponga, Young, and probably McEwen, Manuleleua - might only get weeks before Christmas.
I hope Hagan will get to come back early because he didn't play - just trained with the top guys - maybe Winter, Hunt and McCarthy too, because those 4 guys are the ones who need to put in a solid block of training to challenge for a firstgrade spot.

I think the first group to train will include Mulherin, Nonu, Perkins, Hunter, Butler, Baxter Best if he has recovered from his injury, between 1 and 3 McKey brothers, Jaylan Bishop, I hope Jack Hilliar, but he seemed out of favour, Scott, maybe Kingston Seu Seu, and probably a heap other young guys or trialists to make up a couple of teams to do opposed sessions.

Brown is the only one I can think of who will be doing rehab so far.
 
The players who could improve the most in this pre-season.

Cody Hopwood - we've seen him improve over the season to a point where he was matching some of the best middle forwards in the game over the last month. He was a teenager at the start of the season. He will certainly be motivated to rip into training, and he is still developing into an adult body.

Deisal Hagan - At the start of last pre-season he was the surprise leader in some of the fitness tests and he went from a pretty fringe player at Ball level to being our leader on the road to the Ball grandfinal. He has since excelled in Flegg and reserve grade and made the extended bench in firstgrade 3 times. He is on the bigger side of Hookers and does a lot of time at lock as well. Because he can be effective at lock, I can see him go past Graham as our preferred 14.

Francis Manuleleua - He clearly decided to get stuck into training after he was told by Holbrook that he had the talent but not the fitness after his debut game. I think his stats show he goes very hard in the first half of games and doesn't do a lot after halftime, so I think a long period of working on his fitness will turn him into a much better player for next year.

Lachlan Crouch - Big guy will be super motivated to get into training and come back even better next season. He had some injuries last pre-season and it took him to mid season to get fully fit. He goes into the pre-season fully fit and ready to improve.

Mel Nonu - He joined us as an SG Ball winger this year and looked a bit shaky under the high ball and not really putting his hand up to make hard yards in the early rounds - but was scoring good tries from round one. Over the entire season he just got better every game, till he moved up from Ball to Flegg to reserve grade and was close to best on field in all grades. He is now safe as houses under a high ball, loves doing hitups to a point where he'll go to the other side of the field to have a run, and can still score brilliant tries. He hasn't had a firstgrade preseason yet, but over the season he started to outplay a heap of older guys who have. He could be anything after a proper pre-season.

Kyle McCarthy - He has steadily improved every year. Even though we didn't use him in firstgrade this year, he is a better player than he was. This pre-season he will be training for second row I think, and he just needs to bulk up a bit and he'll be in the mix.

Fletcher Hunt - They have to decide what position he is playing and have him working on the skills and body shape he'll need for the role. It's fair to say he is an outstanding athlete who has very strong aspects to his game and some areas he needs to improve. I think the key to him being a top player is for the coaches to work out where he plays and to make the most of his good points and to work on any areas he needs to improve. I think right centre is where we need him, but I see others think left wing.

ESL - I don't know why the coaches don't seem to rate him, but whatever the problem is, they need to fix it and get him back in the fold, because he has a lot of good areas to his game.

Toby Winter - he is a gifted athlete who got noticably bigger and faster and stronger over 2026. He just need to keep growing really. A born footballer growing into being a star.

Chase Butler - A half who is about as big as many second rowers and has all the skills. He was at school this year, so wasn't able to spend as much time on football as he might like. I think this pre-season he should be right in the middle of everything and could become anything.
 
I'm not sure if it's been noted here, but thanks to our awesome finals run and the world cup. We will have very very short pre-season this year.

The bargaining agreement requires a minimum 8 week break and even more for younger players I believe. So those in the world cup won't be back until January now.
 
Yeah but that’s something every team has to deal with. Even crap teams will have heaps of guys in the World Cup. If anything I think it means there may be less ladder movement next year because no one gets a really long clear run to implement stuff over the off season.
 
As I've been trying to say, it won't be the end of the world if our coaching and training staff get a long period to work with 20 or so up and coming players and a smattering of reserve graders and fringe firstgraders.
We have enough guys who look good enough to reach firstgrade to make it worthwhile to work with them.
It's also been common practice for the last few years to let any of the players use the gym and fields to do "self directed" training.
 
I wonder what the time frame is for Dylan Brown, he seems to be walking fine, no limping so you would assume the recovery is going well. I would really like to see us with a full squad on the paddock including Brown and Mooney. I think although Sandon has done a great job I think Dylan is a step up. Knee reconstructions can be a long term recovery though.
 
Hunt is an interesting case.
He last played 5 weeks ago - round 26 August 30.
But he has been in the 19 for the last 4 weeks.
If they are counting from the last time he played, he's good for day 1 of pre-season.
If they are counting from last time he was in the squad - December start.

I'd say he is the guy who most needs to get the most pre-season time. It could be the difference between a starting spot in round 1 or time in reserve grade.
 
If I’m hunt I’m starting pre day 1, that centre spot is there for the taking as well as being versatile in moving to wing/fullback if injury ie. Lucas to centre which is why I think Holbrook will give him first opportunity. Hunt should aim up and be there day 1
 
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