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[olBj]

I certainly agree to a point but i will say that those wingers who do provide that skill set are poor in other areas. The error rate and pathetic defense from the high leapers like Saab, Young, Sewer leee lee, is startling under close observation.
Im happy with our wingers by comparison to many in the league

Our wingers are not as vunerable out wide recently since the defence stoppedracing out of line and slide in defence better. But would still love more speed, especially when we have slow centres!

 

[olBj]

Our wingers are not as vunerable out wide recently since the defence stoppedracing out of line and slide in defence better. But would still love more speed, especially when we have slow centres!

Slow centres right now that is@

 

[Percy Horne]

appreciate the sentiment Captn. 100%, our pack will get us into the game. But you don’t have memories of being camped in our end all of the 2021 grand final?

In the context of the wingers. People seem to forget the wingers primary role is to score tries. It always has been and always will be. Yes we were camped in our own end for much of the 21 GF but in the end we got back into the game with a try by AJ. I would rather go into a GF with a winger who has scored the guts of 200 tries than a winger who is a yardage maker from the back. AJ's only fault in his game is his size, that is why he doesn't make yardage, everything else he does with aplomb. He has great hands, good defence, reliable under the high ball, great positional play and gets to the try line.

 

[Kempy]

In the context of the wingers. People seem to forget the wingers primary role is to score tries. It always has been and always will be. Yes we were camped in our own end for much of the 21 GF but in the end we got back into the game with a try by AJ. I would rather go into a GF with a winger who has scored the guts of 200 tries than a winger who is a yardage maker from the back. AJ's only fault in his game is his size, that is why he doesn't make yardage, everything else he does with aplomb. He has great hands, good defence, reliable under the high ball, great positional play and gets to the try line.

What that highlights to me with what you’re saying is how fit must have we been back then? How did we hold on for so long and finish the game stronger?

There were 3 big moments in that game. The first one was the intercept. We finally were getting good field position and had the numbers. If Crichton doesn’t get that we score. The ball needed to go to Gagai.

The next one was the missed conversion by Adam. Somehow we were kicking to tie the game. Get that and we are in a different frame of mind.

The final one was the Murray break. This is the one that I keep mulling over. What if we had back up? What if Murray doesn’t look for support and steps him? Even the next play. What if we go left?

How we were even in that game shows how good of a side we were that year. Why I am excited for what the next few years hold with Wayne back.

 

[Pplspoet]

In the context of the wingers. People seem to forget the wingers primary role is to score tries. It always has been and always will be. Yes we were camped in our own end for much of the 21 GF but in the end we got back into the game with a try by AJ. I would rather go into a GF with a winger who has scored the guts of 200 tries than a winger who is a yardage maker from the back. AJ's only fault in his game is his size, that is why he doesn't make yardage, everything else he does with aplomb. He has great hands, good defence, reliable under the high ball, great positional play and gets to the try line.

Agree that yardage isn’t everything Percy, but to say a wingers job is to score tries is out of touch with the way the game has gone IMO.

Any work your outside backs do reduces the amount of work your forwards have to do, which saves energy for line speed and controlling the ruck.

Graham and Wighton have a good carry. And I think we can afford a finisher with some speed on the left (given what we’re going for on that side). But the right winger should probably be a tank if we’re fairdinkum.

Penrith are the benchmark here and this is how we compare.

Average run metres:

Too - 209
Tago - 133
Alamoti - 133
Turuva - 158
= 633

Johnston - 102
Wighton - 146 (based on 8 games centre)
Graham - 133 (2023 stat)
Gagai - 105
= 486 (-147)

Look at the top 60 average run metres players in the game. There are about 5 forwards in the list.

Your back 5 control your yardage game and it’s an area we need to improve.

Like I said, not so much to make the 4, but to win a comp.

 

[Bruster]

I still have not ruled a line through Clarke for 2025 left wing yet, although i do have my ruler out. A Wendell Sailor type would do. I don't know if WB would spend $$$ on a winger, so it looks like an internal promotion. The powerful ball runners (tanks), Milne and co really lack any sort of speed for that position. Munro, (if he can stay fit), checks most of the boxes, but not the "tank" box. Gagai is a revelation to me. Prior to round 1, I would have said no way, now, he is a good back up if Munro is unavailable.

 

[fixer]

What that highlights to me with what you’re saying is how fit must have we been back then? How did we hold on for so long and finish the game stronger?

There were 3 big moments in that game. The first one was the intercept. We finally were getting good field position and had the numbers. If Crichton doesn’t get that we score. The ball needed to go to Gagai.

The next one was the missed conversion by Adam. Somehow we were kicking to tie the game. Get that and we are in a different frame of mind.

The final one was the Murray break. This is the one that I keep mulling over. What if we had back up? What if Murray doesn’t look for support and steps him? Even the next play. What if we go left?

How we were even in that game shows how good of a side we were that year. Why I am excited for what the next few years hold with Wayne back.

Losing Arrow who played next to no part in the game when he got taken out by Kikau was also a huge moment.

 

[Bruster]

I like the quote that Forwards win games and Backs decide by how many. One of the reasons I like Munro is that I still have visions of Cam Smith kicking downfield from his 40 and JAC chasing and scoring. When we turn and chase, it looked like the Flintstones where we just run in mid-air. Happened more than once. There is more than having pace for a winger, but it sure is a good attacking option for a Latrell if he has a winger with that kind of pace.

 

[Bruster]

Losing Arrow who played next to no part in the game when he got taken out by Kikau was also a huge moment.

That was a big out. I could be wrong but wasn't Arrow the one who was putting pressure on Clearys kicks?

 

[Rabbitoh1908]

What that highlights to me with what you’re saying is how fit must have we been back then? How did we hold on for so long and finish the game stronger?

There were 3 big moments in that game. The first one was the intercept. We finally were getting good field position and had the numbers. If Crichton doesn’t get that we score. The ball needed to go to Gagai.

The next one was the missed conversion by Adam. Somehow we were kicking to tie the game. Get that and we are in a different frame of mind.

The final one was the Murray break. This is the one that I keep mulling over. What if we had back up? What if Murray doesn’t look for support and steps him? Even the next play. What if we go left?

How we were even in that game shows how good of a side we were that year. Why I am excited for what the next few years hold with Wayne back.

Yes Kempy. Three huge moments.

I have not re-watched the GF but my memory is of how we were locked in our 40 for so much of that second half, if not all?

For me the kick to go 14 all was so arrghhhh and then Murray busting through the middle and no support. We needed Nathan in that instant! Love Merro.

I torture myself to this day thinking of what could have been. I mostly suppress my thoughts, mostly.

Meanwhile a great performance tomorrow night is the best I can look forward to.

SSTID

Kempy, any idea who came up with that wonderful line to describe our feelings re this MIGHTY CLUB of ours SOUTH SYDNEY?

 

[fixer]

That was a big out. I could be wrong but wasn't Arrow the one who was putting pressure on Clearys kicks?

That was my take on Arrow's role. I'm sure he would have been tasked with harassing Cleary as much as possible. As it was Cleary virtually had no pressure on his his kicks for most of the game which resulted in us being pinned in our half for 75% of the match. As Kempy and others have said, we did amazingly well to lose by just 2 lousy points in the end.

 

[bundyrabbit]

That was a big out. I could be wrong but wasn't Arrow the one who was putting pressure on Clearys kicks?

Yes, he was. Massive out in the context of that game.

 

[Bully]

NRL 2024: Tevita Pangai Jr expected to follow Wayne Bennett to South Sydney​

Travis Meyn and Peter Badel

Wayne Bennett is on the cusp of taking another Dolphins player to Redfern with NRL comeback kid Tevita Pangai Jr considering a move to South Sydney next year.
The Dolphins are at long odds to retain Pangai Jr beyond the end of this season after offering the former Bronco a chance to resurrect his NRL career.

Pangai Jr will make his fifth appearance for the Dolphins when he starts in the front row in Sunday’s clash with the Titans at Suncorp Stadium.

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The former NSW Origin prop has injected some size and punch into the Dolphins’ front row since abandoning a boxing career to return to the NRL following his short-lived “retirement” from Canterbury at the end of last season.

But Pangai Jr’s Redcliffe renaissance could soon be over, with the 28-year-old expected to follow coach Bennett to the Rabbitohs next season.

Tevita Pangai Junior has shown promising signs since returning to the NRL. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Dolphins forward Euan Aitken has already signed with Souths and Pangai Jr could be the next to follow the super coach to Redfern as Bennett embarks on a three-year stint in charge of the Rabbitohs.

Pangai Jr quit Canberra in 2015 to join Bennett at the Broncos and that long relationship is set to continue.

Bennett has also offered him a chance to revive his NRL career after the Broncos rejected Pangai Jr’s proposal to return to Red Hill this year.

Dolphins CEO Terry Reader said the club had not reached an agreement to retain Pangai Jr.

“I wouldn’t say everything’s ticked off,” he said when asked if an extension was close to being reached.

“We’ve got a salary cap and maximum amount of spots. There’s a lot to go through before we get to the end of what that might look like.

“It was all about Tevita deciding he wanted to be a footballer again. Wayne told him that.

“Tevita has done a fair bit in the game and as he said, he was only out for a year. His biggest thing was showing everyone he wants to be a footballer and letting his football do the talking.

“His attitude has been great and he’s making sure he’s doing his talking on the football field.”

Wayne Bennett and Pangai Jr have a long history. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Despite not completing an NRL pre-season and only playing limited minutes in the Hostplus Cup, Pangai Jr has been a handy addition to the Dolphins since his signing last month.

He has provided some spark in a front row missing Queensland Origin enforcer Tom Flegler (shoulder) and there have been glimpses of the brilliance he is capable of.

Pangai Jr charged for 126m from 13 carries in last week’s golden point loss to Penrith and could play a pivotal role in helping the Dolphins to a maiden NRL finals appearance this season.

Dolphins fitness chief Jeremy Hickmans said Pangai Jr wasn’t at his peak, but was quickly catching up.

“Tevita is the first to say his fitness isn’t at the top level at the moment,” he said.

“But coming in at this time of the year, he is as good as he can be. He is pretty capable of playing footy, so he knows what he has to do and just has to build his fitness.

“He didn’t do a pre-season, he has had that boxing and time away from footy so we’re getting what we can out of him.”

 

[Squidge]

Penrith were very lucky to get away with that grand final

 

[Kempy]

SSTID

Kempy, any idea who came up with that wonderful line to describe our feelings re this MIGHTY CLUB of ours SOUTH SYDNEY?

I’m not sure exactly which club it came from but think it was a tune that was sung in the EPL that we at the Burrow used to sing at the games.