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2025 Positivity

Pplspoet

Pplspoet

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Ok, I’m ready to be positive about 2025.

2024 is in the past, Wayne is here, the players have another chance to be fit, Dodd is an exciting prospect, Mellars and Fletcher could have breakout years, Moale is about to come into his own, big years from Mitchell, Wighton and Graham.

Let’s go.
 
It’s going to be interesting to see the difference in the early rounds next season compared to this season. I think the biggest signing we could have for next season could be Trent Elkin.
 
Pplspoet said:
Ok, I’m ready to be positive about 2025.

2024 is in the past, Wayne is here, the players have another chance to be fit, Dodd is an exciting prospect, Mellars and Fletcher could have breakout years, Moale is about to come into his own, big years from Mitchell, Wighton and Graham.

Let’s go.
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Could not agree more and after seeing the other rosters, I am feeling pretty enthusiastic and confident.
Looks like we have addressed some of the main issues with this season so if the team synergy kicks in, we have to be right up there.
 
Good idea for a thread.
First up I am excited about Dodd. We have missed Reynold's kicking game since he left. At only 23 and with a good ESL kicking game there is a good chance of developing into something like Reynold's under Wayne. I am hopeing that he may have other skills that were not developed under the St Helens coach that Wayne can work on. We got this kid out here to be a success not a failure, so we should look at him as a success first.
 
I’m excited about Wighton’s second year here and him actually getting to play out a season alongside Graham in the centres.

For all intents and purposes, we have recruited 2 top 10 centres to the side for 2025. Given Graham didn’t feature and Wighton only lined up there for half a dozen games.

Then off the field, I like his ability to be a bit of a link between the Murray side of the squad and the Cody/Latrell side of the squad.

He’s good for culture and leading drills/setting a standard, etc, and considering how last year went, I’m sure he’ll be empowered to perhaps be more vocal through the preseason.

Using that thinking, on the new recruits front, in addition to Dodd, Aitken, Schuster, Humphreys and Hubner, you can theoretically add Graham, Tatola, Ilias, Munro, S Mitchell, Mellars, Fletcher, and Lovett as newbies in 2025 given they played 6 or less games in 2024.

Throw in Tass, Arrow, Wighton (as a centre) and Mitchell if you like, given they only lined up 8-11 times, so less than half the year.

Combined team, 2025 recruits and 2024 squad who played 11 games or less:

01 L Mitchell (11 Games)
02 Munro (4 Games)
03 Wighton (8 Games At Centre)
04 Graham
05 Mellars
06 Dodd
07 Ilias (2 Games)
08 Tatola (6 Games)
09 Humphreys
10 S Mitchell (6 Games)
11 Aitken
12 Schuster
13 Arrow (11 Games)

14 Hubner
15 Lovett
16 Fletcher
17 Tass (8 Games)

Pretty good side of reinforcements.
 
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Bruster said:
Good idea for a thread.
First up I am excited about Dodd. We have missed Reynold's kicking game since he left. At only 23 and with a good ESL kicking game there is a good chance of developing into something like Reynold's under Wayne. I am hopeing that he may have other skills that were not developed under the St Helens coach that Wayne can work on. We got this kid out here to be a success not a failure, so we should look at him as a success first.
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Yes and we saw many of these skills in the video highlights...now to transition these to nrl and we all be very happy
 
Pplspoet said:
I’m excited about Wighton’s second year here and him actually getting to play out a season alongside Graham in the centres.

For all intents and purposes, we have recruited 2 top 10 centres to the side for 2025. Given Graham didn’t feature and Wighton only lined up there for half a dozen games.

Then off the field, I like his ability to be a bit of a link between the Murray side of the squad and the Cody/Latrell side of the squad.

He’s good for culture and leading drills/setting a standard, etc, and considering how last year went, I’m sure he’ll be empowered to perhaps be more vocal through the preseason.

Using that thinking, on the new recruits front, in addition to Dodd, Aitken, Schuster, Humphreys and Hubner, you can theoretically add Graham, Tatola, Ilias, Munro, S Mitchell, Mellars, Fletcher, and Lovett as newbies in 2025 given they played 6 or less games in 2024.

Throw in Tass, Arrow, Wighton (as a centre) and Mitchell if you like, given they only lined up 8-11 times, so less than half the year.

Combined team, 2025 recruits and 2024 squad who played 11 games or less:

01 L Mitchell (11 Games)
02 Munro (4 Games)
03 Wighton (8 Games At Centre)
04 Graham
05 Mellars
06 Dodd
07 Ilias (2 Games)
08 Tatola (6 Games)
09 Humphreys
10 S Mitchell (6 Games)
11 Aitken
12 Schuster
13 Arrow (11 Games)

14 Hubner
15 Lovett
16 Fletcher
17 Tass (8 Games)

Pretty good side of reinforcements.
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Well stated PP
 
I am excited about our right edge for the first time since 2014. Comparing the speed of our right wingers since Loti, none come close to Munroe, except perhaps Jaxon Paulo but I can't recall any other. I thought Paulo did a reasonable job until he was moved to left centre. Munro so far is better and proved himself very capable under the high ball against the Warriors last year in the rain. In the few games he played this year he has shown some good speed and that he is up to NRL level. Looking forward to CG or Latrell putting him into some space on the right. Also looking for Latrell or Dodd to kick down field for Munroe when the opponents left edge is up, like Cameron Smith did for JAC a few years back for Storm. Also with ball movement to the right and using Munroes pace, there is a real possibility of some long range trys. Munroe will only get better this offseason under WB. A lot to look forward to. We finally look like having strike on both edges in 2025.
 
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Exciting new era for us. While it’s a generally imbalanced squad, Wayne can bring them together and get them firing and I think we’ll be in with a shot.

Always exciting to see a host of new players come in and a bunch of youngsters get their shot to nail down a starting position.

Really has a 2012/2018 vibe about it.
 
Pplspoet said:
Ok, I’m ready to be positive about 2025.

2024 is in the past, Wayne is here, the players have another chance to be fit, Dodd is an exciting prospect, Mellars and Fletcher could have breakout years, Moale is about to come into his own, big years from Mitchell, Wighton and Graham.

Let’s go.
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I’m sure our fitness will be in order that’s for sure Wayne will flog them this pre season.

I don’t think we will have an issue scoring points.

What will be telling is how we got defensively to get back to being a top 8 or top 6 team we must defend much better that will go a long way. Errors and shit will happen and being penalised it’s how you defend against it.

We need to do better in the forwards too to then give out halves and backs the opportunity to do what they can do! If we are soft in the forwards we will struggle against the top 4-6 sides.
 
Rabbits21 said:
I’m sure our fitness will be in order that’s for sure Wayne will flog them this pre season.

I don’t think we will have an issue scoring points.

What will be telling is how we got defensively to get back to being a top 8 or top 6 team we must defend much better that will go a long way. Errors and shit will happen and being penalised it’s how you defend against it.

We need to do better in the forwards too to then give out halves and backs the opportunity to do what they can do! If we are soft in the forwards we will struggle against the top 4-6 sides.
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Hang on, hang on, I don’t think you understood the brief, there seems to be some negativity seeping in there 🤔
 
Rabbits21 said:
Ok well I hope we can defend better it will go a long way is that better lol
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For the positivity bend, this side showed in the first half of 2022, even without Wayne, the ability to be a defensively strong side is present.

For all the talk about attitudes and fair weather talent, Graham, Arrow, Murray, Duncan, Wighton, Moale, Aitken, Tatola… these guys all like the physical side of the game and can do a job without the ball.

I’ll add, Walker and Dodd look a solid defensive halves duo, and while Mitchell might get pinged at times for positioning, he does organise a defensive line well.

A lot may come down to the 9’s ability to not be a target, but I find Ilias and Humphreys solid names for the hat re: defence and agility.
 
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