2020 NRL Season

Discussion in 'The Cesspit: Rugby League Discussion' started by Maroon_Faithful, Oct 7, 2019.

Page 99 of 107

  1. Julian BJ Taylor

    Good question.

    Agree to an extent on Newcastle. When they had it all together they showed more than brief glimpses of looking really good. Frizell should be a good signing but he's reminded me of Papalii for a while now and I'm not sure his best output will be from an edge moving forward. With Brailey back they should be better moving forward but there is still maybe 1-3 too many mediocre at best players playing too much first grade, especially in the outside backs. Though with The Titans being the only bottom 8 side seemingly on the up I agree they should be between 6-8 next season.

    Cronulla won a lot of lucky/scrappy games mid season and they are horrendous. Their roster is very, very similar to the Dragons in terms of a huge percentage of them are players on the slippery slope. Johnson was good in patches but him, Dugan, Moylan, Townsend, Fifita, Woods and Graham are all undoubtedly not the players they used to be. That is a massive problem. And the Dragons are similar carrying Hunt, Norman, Sims brothers, Vaughan and Merrin who are in the same boat.

    You just can't have so many players stagnant or going backwards and expect to turn it around IMO. You have to carry these sorts of players and get experience and solidity out of them but you can't carry 6/7 in a first grade squad and succeed IMO.
     
    Julian, Oct 8, 2020
    #1961

  2. Boobidy BJ Gemmell

    You talking about the ones just named in the QLD side?
     
    Boobidy, Oct 8, 2020
    #1962

  3. Julian BJ Taylor

    yes hahaha
     
    Julian, Oct 8, 2020
    #1963

  4. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    As mentioned I see New Castle missing the 8 comfortably unless they upgrade their roster. They have some absolute numpties in their side. And numpties lose games for teams even if the other blokes are good. Which is why Roosters are so hard to beat. It isn't so much they have Tedesco and SBW it is more the fact they are consistently good from 1 to 17.
    Ponga also played a career defining match in a bad way on the weekend. In life we all go from strength to strength to strength. I think his performance was anything but strong and 2021 for him needs to be about becoming a consistent performer as opposed to a year where he excels and enjoys being at the prime of his powers and career. He showed mental weakness in an extreme way on Sunday, and whether that is the coach's fault or his fault I don't know, but 2021 needs to a year of maturing for him rather than a year of going from strength to strength and leading the Knights into the top 6th. They will do well to get 10th. Frizell couldn't impact much on St George's winning percentage and he won't on the Knights either. Although, to end this post with a PEWS style nuance that i used to badger him about, there is a case to be made that Frizell felt he was pissing into the wind at St George and saw vary little belief that his efforts would translate into a W given the amount of dead weights on that team over the past few seasons.

    My prediction for next year 2021 regular season

    1 Panthers again
    2 Raiders
    3 Storm
    4 Roosters
    5 Eels
    6 Titans
    7 Warriors
    8 Cowboys
    9 Rabbits
    10 Wests
    11 New Castle
    12 Brisbane
    13 St George
    14 Manly
    15 Sharks
    16 Dogs
     
    Hurricane, Oct 8, 2020
    #1964

  5. Tartmaster AJ James

    I don't see the cowboys making the 8 anytime soon
     
    Tartmaster, Oct 8, 2020
    #1965

  6. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    They have JT
    They have Drinkwater who will be an origin half soon and I predict go on to be the Kangaroo stand off in due course
    They have Val Holmes

    Most importantly they have Payton who is going to be regarded as a high echelon coach by all NRL pundits very soon. I rate Madge and Todd is a level up from Madge already despite how new Todd is.
    Cowboys fans are going to the dance next year. Buckle up.
     
    Hurricane, Oct 8, 2020
    #1966

  7. Boobidy BJ Gemmell

    Drinkwater will not play origin for many years without injuries.
     
    Boobidy, Oct 8, 2020
    #1967

  8. Tartmaster AJ James

    JT is gun
    Drinkwater is the epitome of potential, but isn't gonna turn around a trash team by himself
    Holmes is a shadow of his former self
    Payten will probs help, but they don't have any major signings and were really really bad this year

    Within a couple of years they may come somewhat good again, but I'd be very surprised if they even come close to the 8 next year
     
    Tartmaster, Oct 8, 2020
    #1968

  9. Lukic L Popovic

    Can't see the Rabbits missing the 8. I don't really see why they'd regress given they're basically retaining the same squad + adding Arrow and off the top of my head their oldest player is Reynolds who's dogshit anyway and his game probably won't regress. Newcastle shouldn't really do worse either considering they should get Brailey back and are adding Frizzell.

    Cowboys won't, Warriors I can see jumping into the 8 sure but it depends how they respond to Brown joining.

    I can't see the top 5 being the same either. I mean they figure to be the best teams on paper again, but I think if Smith goes you could expect the Storm to regress a bit even if Grant takes over and as good as the Roosters are, they're looking more vulnerable this year than they have and are relying a lot on guys who are nearing the end of their careers.
     
    Lukic, Oct 8, 2020
    #1969

  10. Paddy P Orr

    Especially not next year. I don't expect Payten to just suddenly turn around 3 years of mediocrity.
     
    Paddy, Oct 9, 2020
    #1970

  11. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    I will respond soon. But just want to say the quality of the responses I got was top drawer. You Aussies know your league chops.
     
    Hurricane, Oct 9, 2020
    #1971
    Paddy likes this.

  12. Paddy P Orr

    Still much of our current roster on contract until end of next year so Payten won't really be able to do much rebuild until 2022.
     
    Paddy, Oct 9, 2020
    #1972

  13. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    I am big on Drinkwater so bear in mind I have blinkers on towards him when reading this post.

    His NSW origin stand off competition is:

    1) Luke Keary
    2) Wighton
    3) Walker
    4) Luai

    Luai is weak and rides Cleary's wake. Also word is he wants to declare for Samoa and doesn't want to play Origin. He also has a Kiwi connection he might consider.
    Walker is a confidence player and would not be a good rep pick
    Which leaves Drinkwater needing to pip Wighton and Keary.
    Wighton played 20 games and had a paltry 8 try assists while the sublime Drinkwater had 19 try assists and finished in the top 5 cunts in the league on that category.

    His competition is Keary who is strong and will take a while to inch past, but I back Drinkwater to gain the spot within 36 months at the latest.

    Drinkwater is an old school Stand Off in the cut of Cliff Lyons, and even dare I say the same 'style' as God himself Wally Lewis. He won't be a patch on Lewis's quality but he is cut from that cloth. Scott seems to play a game that brings back images of games of yore for me.
    He is a very exciting talent/prospect. I can see the cowboys men feeling good about going into war next year with him as their playmaker.
     
    Hurricane, Oct 9, 2020
    #1973

  14. Boobidy BJ Gemmell

    That's a lot of words for "He will need Keary, Wighton and Walker to be injured to get a game"
     
    Boobidy, Oct 9, 2020
    #1974
    Hurricane likes this.

  15. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    If you get Michael Morgan back from injury (what is his expected return date Paddy?) then that is like a big acquisition. Your backs are mint while your forwards are underwhelming with a 3-4 notable exceptions.
    Your points for was 368. Morgan is worth maybe 60-70 more points which will give you top 8 offence.
    Your points against was diabolical. 520 points conceeded. Payton should knock at least 100 points off that.
     
    Hurricane, Oct 9, 2020
    #1975

  16. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    JWH penalties, Raiders up by ple Ty,dumb rooster challenges. You hate to see it.
     
    Sultan Pepper, Oct 9, 2020
    #1976

  17. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    Boooo, call that rapana try atty for the spirit of the game
     
    Sultan Pepper, Oct 9, 2020
    #1977

  18. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    Sonny Bill doing the same tonight?
     
    Sultan Pepper, Oct 9, 2020
    #1978

  19. Tartmaster AJ James

    Keary has been one of the best in the comp over the last 2 years,
    Wighton I don't rate as highly as many, but he's still bloody good and would do a job in origin
    Luai has been excellent this year, and not just because he's playing with Cleary. If he declared himself eligible and Keary/Cleary were out, I'd happy take him in origin.
    Walker, Meh

    Even those 3 players are a big mountain to climb for a hot and cold player in a bottom 4 team.

    I hope he does get to that level, because I do rate him.
    But he's a lot of top class player ahead of him
     
    Tartmaster, Oct 9, 2020
    #1979
    Hurricane likes this.

  20. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    +Luai is the best player in the NRL.

    Drives me nuts when teams like raiders take dominant blokes like papalli and tapine at the same time. Hopefully they turn it back on when they're back out there like the Cowboys used to dlin the Tamou/Scott/Taumololo era
     
    Sultan Pepper, Oct 9, 2020
    #1980
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