2022 NRL General discussion

Wiz

Wiz

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bort said:
Foxsports ranking of all teams forward packs
www.foxsports.com.au

Broncos must expand beyond 117kg wrecking ball; Toothless Tigers lack bite: Every pack ranked 1-16

Broncos must expand beyond 117kg wrecking ball; Toothless Tigers lack bite: Every pack ranked
www.foxsports.com.au www.foxsports.com.au
Spoiler, they put us at 10th, although this writer decided to give Talakai a start over Nikora/Wilton... also said he burst onto the scene last year though...
Click to expand...
To be fair Talakai has all the potential and talent to be a starter.. love to see how he would go under a different coach
 
bort

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Wizard said:
To be fair Talakai has all the potential and talent to be a starter.. love to see how he would go under a different coach
Click to expand...
I don't think there was a coach issue there, Morris brought him in and he had a strong first(ish) NRL season in 2020, then 2021 there was some suspension disruption and I still don't think that was a shoulder charge.

He played rounds 6 and 7, then 12 then a bye, then last 11 games of the season but even that was a mix of edge, bench and centre.
I thought he looked like he was struggling to get a rhythm going. I guess you could say that constant shifting is a coach issue...

I'd be happy for Fitz to convert him to a fulltime edge player and I think he can be good enough to start over Nikora/Wilton (give Wilton a bench spot). Or I think we just keep him as an impact middle that can cover edge/centre if we are desperate.

He got 1 vote off us in round 20 and one vote in round 21 (ironically given my thoughts above) for playing centre and then edge. But could be worth noting that he played
Played 80 at edge
Played 80 at centre (vote)
Played 75 at edge (vote)
Played 80 at edge
These are the only games he played 75+ (next best was a couple of 58s) so there is some element of looking better when he has more time to impress, and/or playing better when he is being used more (rather than bench stints).
 
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bort said:
I don't think there was a coach issue there, Morris brought him in and he had a strong first(ish) NRL season in 2020, then 2021 there was some suspension disruption and I still don't think that was a shoulder charge.

He played rounds 6 and 7, then 12 then a bye, then last 11 games of the season but even that was a mix of edge, bench and centre.
I thought he looked like he was struggling to get a rhythm going. I guess you could say that constant shifting is a coach issue...

I'd be happy for Fitz to convert him to a fulltime edge player and I think he can be good enough to start over Nikora/Wilton (give Wilton a bench spot). Or I think we just keep him as an impact middle that can cover edge/centre if we are desperate.

He got 1 vote off us in round 20 and one vote in round 21 (ironically given my thoughts above) for playing centre and then edge. But could be worth noting that he played
Played 80 at edge
Played 80 at centre (vote)
Played 75 at edge (vote)
Played 80 at edge
These are the only games he played 75+ (next best was a couple of 58s) so there is some element of looking better when he has more time to impress, and/or playing better when he is being used more (rather than bench stints).
Click to expand...
Maybe the issue was the old "Contract Comfort" syndrome
 
BurgoShark

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bort said:
I don't think there was a coach issue there, Morris brought him in and he had a strong first(ish) NRL season in 2020, then 2021 there was some suspension disruption and I still don't think that was a shoulder charge.

He played rounds 6 and 7, then 12 then a bye, then last 11 games of the season but even that was a mix of edge, bench and centre.
I thought he looked like he was struggling to get a rhythm going. I guess you could say that constant shifting is a coach issue...

I'd be happy for Fitz to convert him to a fulltime edge player and I think he can be good enough to start over Nikora/Wilton (give Wilton a bench spot). Or I think we just keep him as an impact middle that can cover edge/centre if we are desperate.

He got 1 vote off us in round 20 and one vote in round 21 (ironically given my thoughts above) for playing centre and then edge. But could be worth noting that he played
Played 80 at edge
Played 80 at centre (vote)
Played 75 at edge (vote)
Played 80 at edge
These are the only games he played 75+ (next best was a couple of 58s) so there is some element of looking better when he has more time to impress, and/or playing better when he is being used more (rather than bench stints).
Click to expand...
He was also Newtown's best player in 2019 imho. Played mostly right edge, but filled in at centre when needed.

Defence on the edge has been a bit of an issue at NRL level.
 
Wiz

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HaroldBishop said:
Gone off Fitz already mate?
Click to expand...
Hope not -

On Morris I just don’t think he was the coach that would get the best out of players week on week. Hoping Fitz can unlock that mental part of it for the players
 
BurgoShark

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Thresher Shark said:
Didn't Talakai miss last year's preseason because of injury too?
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Yeah. Shoulder surgery in October 2020. Was out until round 6, then copped a 4 game suspension.

At the half way point of the season he had appeared in 3 games and played 106 minutes.
 
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burgess1978 said:
He was also Newtown's best player in 2019 imho. Played mostly right edge, but filled in at centre when needed.

Defence on the edge has been a bit of an issue at NRL level.
Click to expand...
I nearly put that then remembered our whole team basically sucked at defending in their own positions so it was kind of redundant.

Hopefully Fitz can fix but a more solid middle will also make edges lives easier and also if Talakai can consistently train and play as edge that will help him too
 
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bort said:
I nearly put that then remembered our whole team basically sucked at defending in their own positions so it was kind of redundant.

Hopefully Fitz can fix but a more solid middle will also make edges lives easier and also if Talakai can consistently train and play as edge that will help him too
Click to expand...
I still think his best position is the bench. But happy to be proven wrong.
 
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