What do we need to be legitimate contenders in 2019?

R_A said:
It is hard to make a wish list and when the market is constantly changing (for example this time last year no one would have guessed we would be serious contenders to land Pearce)
So with that said I don't mind the clubs strategy to build around him and Ponga and plug holes from reserves or through other clubs (like picking Ramien)

If Klemmer is serious about parting ways with the bulldogs to help ease salary cap pressure then that would be number one on the wish list of high profile free agents.

Otherwise just hope for a bit more luck with injuries next year
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I don't doubt we'd be seriously entrenched in the 8 if the Safiti's stayed fit, Watson stayed fit, Moga stayed fit and ofcourse Pearce.
 
We have been much improved at times this year, we really need to work on some consistency and hopefully get aafew more depth signings.
 
daniels said:
We have been much improved at times this year, we really need to work on some consistency and hopefully get aafew more depth signings.
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You need players that will walk into the top 17 not depth signings.

Two props and a outside back that will be straight into the 17 then need another few as players pushing the top 17.

Then you can be nailed on top 8 in my opinion.
 
Imo the biggest worry that we have this year is alot of our younger players form has gone down hill compared to last year.
eg:
Levi
Lamb
Dan
Jaccob
Ross (hes not young lol)
Imo opinion they all played better last year. Its an issue that needs to be addressed. Im not sure of thr cause though.
 
Well there's no doubt we improved from last year, but as cowboymen said need top grade players in the starting squad, we have no depth and I think that's been the main issue this year. Also all eyes will be on coach next year aswell with the performance contract Browns got the spine and a few new backs next year just now need to be more in touch with top 8 and defensively improved, I think that's what everyone really wants/frustrated with. That's up to the coach, and pray Pearce and Ponga don't go down for long periods in season lol
 
krustykraz said:
Imo the biggest worry that we have this year is alot of our younger players form has gone down hill compared to last year.
eg:
Levi
Lamb
Dan
Jaccob
Ross (hes not young lol)
Imo opinion they all played better last year. Its an issue that needs to be addressed. Im not sure of thr cause though.
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Dan preinjury was in better form than last year, Levi has had limited opportunities, Jury's out on Jacob as his never fit, Ross and Lamb are fringe first graders that looked good in a really bad team.
 
krustykraz said:
Imo opinion they all played better last year. Its an issue that needs to be addressed. Im not sure of thr cause though.
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Add Sione. Fitz got better early in the season but his form dropped right off before suspension.

If the coach doesn't get scrutinised, then who?
 
We did a really experimental off season, and the experiment failed.
I think the guy who has suffered most is Buhrer. His numbers and impact are way off this year, and he is a guy who punishes himself with a high workrate.
Along with a lot of others, he needs to give that body a rest.
 
As you sad though Billy, we needed to do something along those lines to work up combinations.

krustykraz said:
Imo the biggest worry that we have this year is alot of our younger players form has gone down hill compared to last year.
eg:
Levi
Lamb
Dan
Jaccob
Ross (hes not young lol)
Imo opinion they all played better last year. Its an issue that needs to be addressed. Im not sure of thr cause though.
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A bit harsh on Levi and Dan, Dan I think was going better than last year right at the time he got injured, or at least as well. Levi has not been down on form at all, he has been out of 1sts as coach wanted to go with Griffin and Buhrer on the bench and there is no room for another small body there. See how Levi goes for the rest of this year now that he will be starting.

Jacob hasn't really had a good run at building his form due to injury.

Ross has certainly been quieter this year, Lamb has been disappointing as has Cogger.

Some of the others haven't had much of a go like Stone, King has had some runs, Yates has had limited chances.
 
It's all down to losing Pearce mainly he stays in we are at worst equal 8th best case scenario 5th.

Sadly the worst case has happened.
 
We have terrible defence lets face it, how many of you cringe when the opposition have to football in our 50 just before half time, you can pretty much guarantee we let in a try. Oppositions game plan must be just defend defend defend cause If you get near knights line will pretty much score
 
Billy said:
We did a really experimental off season, and the experiment failed.
I think the guy who has suffered most is Buhrer. His numbers and impact are way off this year, and he is a guy who punishes himself with a high workrate.
Along with a lot of others, he needs to give that body a rest.
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Eh. He hasn’t played 1/4 games this season and when he has he’s been off the bench playing sporadic minutes. A handful of games only playing 30 minutes. If his body can’t handle that workload, then he’s simply not cutout for the NRL.

Frankly, I think we screwed the pooch almost right away with Buhrer. We signed him as a skilful second rower who was in career best form playing on that right edge at Manly. Criminally underrated. Then we don’t play him there severely limiting his effectiveness. Instead he’s been wasted playing lock and hooker. He can fill in there and not let you down, but that’s not his game. That’s not playing him to his strengths. That’s not why you sign him for on presumably decent coin. He had really nice potential playing right second row and I think we’ve all but ruined his career progression tbh. Not sure what Brownie was thinking with him.
 
BargeArse said:
Eh. He hasn’t played 1/4 games this season and when he has he’s been off the bench playing sporadic minutes. A handful of games only playing 30 minutes. If his body can’t handle that workload, then he’s simply not cutout for the NRL.

Frankly, I think we screwed the pooch almost right away with Buhrer. We signed him as a skilful second rower who was in career best form playing on that right edge at Manly. Criminally underrated. Then we don’t play him there severely limiting his effectiveness. Instead he’s been wasted playing lock and hooker. He can fill in there and not let you down, but that’s not his game. That’s not playing him to his strengths. That’s not why you sign him for on presumably decent coin. He had really nice potential playing right second row and I think we’ve all but ruined his career progression tbh. Not sure what Brownie was thinking with him.
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We signed him as a second-rower. He actually played there for us through the pre-season, Nines & his first 4 games for the club. But with Kostjasyn's injury, Brown thought he was the best like for like replacement. By the time we signed Griffin, we had second-rowers who were already better than Buhrer.
 
cowboyman said:
You need players that will walk into the top 17 not depth signings.

Two props and a outside back that will be straight into the 17 then need another few as players pushing the top 17.
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CowboysMan , you are on the money , the players we need are run on material the young team from 2017 is full of fringe players who can be used as back up ,it is obvious that they came to grade too early and need to relearn their craft gradually.

ASJ82 said:
We have terrible defence lets face it, how many of you cringe when the opposition have to football in our 50 just before half time, you can pretty much guarantee we let in a try. Oppositions game plan must be just defend defend defend cause If you get near knights line will pretty much score
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ASJ82 , I am with you on this one , many times I have said Defense wins games and unfortunately when the Attack goes one way then hard back the opposite side our Centres shut down outside to inside and our Winger follows , it doesn't seem to matter which side, both sides do it - call it either "bad read" or maybe it is a bad coaching ploy , but it must change for us to progress as every side has worked it out.

It is stating the obvious that injuries aside we would have been further ahead on the table , how you fix injuries I am not sure.

But what we can fix is
  1. Address the defensive structure with either a changed policy or as intimated somewhere a Changed Defensive Coach , like Jason Ryles.
  2. Prioritise getting at least one ( or two ) dominating run-on prop ( Now ) , lets face it Lillyman and Heighington were supposed to compliment DSaf and JSaf , unfortunately that didn't happen due to injury, if it did Esse Esse would be able to make a real impact instead of being used as cannon fodder. History has shown we need to set a platform up the middle for the Halves to cut loose to be even remotely successful.
 
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