biggest improvers?

Billy

Billy

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Number 1
Has to be Leo Thompson. I thought he would probably be a project player in reserve grade who might get a game or two in firstgrade towards the end of the season. He has shown he has a whole range of skills that make him a point of difference to our other forwards, and he is making every post a winner by throwing himself into his work. I think he has a lot more to offer too, as our playmakers find ways to use his skillset.

Number 2
Dane Gagai
I thought he'd settle back into giving us what he gave us in the wooden spoon years, which I was OK with because we aren't paying him superstar money anymore, but he's giving us SOO standard performances.

Number 3
Adam Clune
We bought him as a cheap backup. Circumstances changed and he got to train as our first choice halfback and he has taken the chance with both hands. I think he is operating very close to his ceiling as a player, which is good enough, and for the money he is on, he is an absolute bargain.

Number 4
Dom Young
All the signs were there last year that he was an athletic freak. After learning the ropes last year and putting in his best possible pre-season, he has gone from just under firstgrade level to being a star, and he still has a lot of improvement in him.

Number 5
Hard to pick between Jake Clifford and Tyson Frizell, but I'll go Frizell. He did so well as captain in the last few games that i'd give it to him permanently. I read somewhere the other day that the other players asked him about his improved form and he said he's settled into the team now. I think he's our obvious natural leader.
 
Billy said:
Number 1
Has to be Leo Thompson. I thought he would probably be a project player in reserve grade who might get a game or two in firstgrade towards the end of the season. He has shown he has a whole range of skills that make him a point of difference to our other forwards, and he is making every post a winner by throwing himself into his work. I think he has a lot more to offer too, as our playmakers find ways to use his skillset.

Number 2
Dane Gagai
I thought he'd settle back into giving us what he gave us in the wooden spoon years, which I was OK with because we aren't paying him superstar money anymore, but he's giving us SOO standard performances.

Number 3
Adam Clune
We bought him as a cheap backup. Circumstances changed and he got to train as our first choice halfback and he has taken the chance with both hands. I think he is operating very close to his ceiling as a player, which is good enough, and for the money he is on, he is an absolute bargain.

Number 4
Dom Young
All the signs were there last year that he was an athletic freak. After learning the ropes last year and putting in his best possible pre-season, he has gone from just under firstgrade level to being a star, and he still has a lot of improvement in him.

Number 5
Hard to pick between Jake Clifford and Tyson Frizell, but I'll go Frizell. He did so well as captain in the last few games that i'd give it to him permanently. I read somewhere the other day that the other players asked him about his improved form and he said he's settled into the team now. I think he's our obvious natural leader.
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People say Frizz he isn't a big talker, seemed like he had plenty to say in some shots of him in the past few weeks, I think you could give it to him or Gagai who also seems like he would do a good job, let the Kalyn and Braileys build into it.
 
No 1 Dom Young - struggled to hold the ball last year and get bent backwards on kick returns. No such problems this year.

No 2 Kurt Mann - benfitting from a clear role immensely

No 3 Lachy Fitz - looked so much sharper until he got injured

Special mention Tex Hoy

Guys like Gags and Friz are quality, playing consistently well. I left Leo Thompson out because I've never seen him play, he may just have been born this good.

The improvement in individuals right through the squad looks like it is immense I have to say.
 
I don't know if you call it improvement but Leo Thompson has been a standout for me. He is a handy surprise packet and assuming he's on minimal money as well, only going to get better as well.

Improvement players:
- Dom Young has improved from all of his faults last year, his defence still needs to improve but lets all remember how young he really is (21 in August). If he keeps going the way he is, he is going to be a powerhouse.

Another few surprise packages have been Adam Clune, he had potential but never was given a consistent run in first grade. Now that he has he is really truning heads. Kurt Mann, Dane Gagai and Tyson Frizell have always been solid footballers, but this year they have stepped up even more than expected. Kurt Mann has really taken the 13 jersey and made it his own, could really be pushing for Dally M Lock of the Year when our team is back to full strengthed (around round 10).

On a sad note about Dally M... I was really confident about Leo Thompson giving Dally M Rookie of the Year a run but he will have his work cut out for him with Jeremiah Nanai still eligible. But Leo Thompson will still be right up there with the best rookies this season IMO.
 
For Me AOB he's got them playing as a team and we look good . I read somewhere that anytime Clune (not sure if it's started or played ) they won every time ...
 
Rookie of the year will be Nanai unless one of the top four clubs have a break through player that the NRL can froth. If Ilias has a good year he could be in the running as the NRL tends to favour backs over forwards
Nanai is a freak though, the challenge is if he can stay at the same level consistently
 
In all seriousness, I think so far we’ve seen a bit of a rising tide lifts all boats sort of thing with the squad. It’s a much better organised, committed and unified team which has a lot of different ways to hurt you and everyone knows their role. Honestly a bit Melbourne Storm-like so far in that no one is trying to do anything beyond their abilities - everyone is doing what they’re good at, individually and together, and everyone’s job is easier because everyone else is doing theirs.

Clune being the upgrade on Pearce many thought he would be - and were laughed at for saying so - is the most pleasing thing. Not that he’s anything like the talent that Pearce was, particularly not prime Pearce, but Junior at 32 had still never internalised any way of winning rugby league games besides a dominant #7 saying “follow me lads” and hero-balling us to victory (with a little help from his sidekick at fullback). With his declining athleticism that just wasn’t gonna cut it anymore.

Clune is better for us right now because he understands what and who he is as a player, that his role is to help others shine, not to shine himself, and he never tries to do stuff he can’t do. Not in two whole seasons did Pearce even look to bring one of our actual match winners (Bradman) onto the ball the way Clune has. He’d still be good even if he didn’t have that killer pass - the fact that he is good at putting blokes into holes is just gravy.
 
In terms of who’s actually improved the most though, let’s see us in a really tight game with a top side - let’s see who stands up and really makes a difference. Then I’ll have my answer.
 
Not taking anything away from their application but I think the influence of Joey on structures, shape and strategy in attack is what is lifting our spine players in particular... so improvement in Mann(I class him as a 5th spine player), Clifford, Clune(although tough to say 'improvement' in his first season here), Hoy and even Crossland has to be largely down to his 'improvement' into a more senior coaching role.
 
Still_Nutty said:
Not taking anything away from their application but I think the influence of Joey on structures, shape and strategy in attack is what is lifting our spine players in particular... so improvement in Mann(I class him as a 5th spine player), Clifford, Clune(although tough to say 'improvement' in his first season here), Hoy and even Crossland has to be largely down to his 'improvement' into a more senior coaching role.
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One try we scored the ball went from Randall to Clifford to Clune to Ponga to Mann then the backs and we scored ...That was the prettiest try ive seen from us for a while all (5) of our spine were involved and were too much for the opposition ...I loved it...
 
Are we just talking about this year here? If not I'd have to say Jacob Saifiti under Adam O'Brien.
A few years back I was really worried about us being able to re-sign Daniel purely on the basis that he'd want to stay with his brother. Under Browny Jacob had not reached his potential. The potential was always there, he always had the size and the physical attributes. He just seemed to be injured (not his fault), under performing or gassed due to not having a great motor. There was a lot of weeks that he wasn't getting a run in first grade. He's now one of our first picked every week, his impact is outstanding without sacrificing his minutes. So happy to see him accomplishing what everyone always saw of him. Originally he was the "better brother". Now they're a true one-two punch.
 
Can I say fitness levels, better structure and ball control? I believe these things and some class in Gags and Clifford have allowed the whole team to prosper so far. But we need a longer sustained period of time to make any solid judgement. We’ve been on this cliff before lol
 
I'd put Kurt Mann at the top, has to be.

Last season people wanted to fire him in to the sun, this season people are concerned when he is off the field for a HIA. And I don't think he is even going that brilliantly for a ball playing lock, just such a stark change in opinions of him.

Next up I'd be saying Clune, though he wasn't with us previously so not exactly improved for us. But came here with little fanfare and no expectation from any of us that he would own the 7 jersey, but he has.

3rd place I'm going Dom Young. Last season got some starts and although I could see he had it, made some errors and copped some flak which I put down to fatigue. This season looks like he belongs.
 
I suppose the most important question for the rest of the year is, who is going to keep improving?

My top 5 would be Young, Best, Jones, Clifford and Crossland.
 
Clifford is our best performing player who I think is still furthest from his ceiling. I sincerely think Origin is in his future and we should lock him up long term ASAP.

On Kurt Mann, I’ll never slag him off again, no matter what. Yeah he’s frustrated me playing 6, but he really does slog his guts out for us fans and he’s always the guy putting his hand up to take on tough roles for the team where there’s a high prospect of him looking silly if things don’t go well. I’m as guilty as anyone of not really considering how hard it would be to switch between hooker, five-eighth, centre, back row etc, sometimes all in the same season.
 
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