2023 NRL General Discussion

bort

Jaws
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Far out I really hope Stapo will be ok and makes some good progress/recovery - breaks my heart
Not a good outlook unfortunately in terms of physical recovery.
Looks like he is a complete (spinal cord fully severed) tetraplegic (paralysis to all four limbs and neck).

But the good news is he is alive and still himself. His wife still has a husband, his kids still have a dad.

Certainly a tragic outcome for him but if he can stay mentally healthy it’s not the worst outcome it could have been.

People can survive some pretty incredible things if they stay mentally strong - there is a guy who at 6 contracted polio and has spent the next 70 years in an iron lung. At least Nath can get around in his chair with his wife and kids still.

Hopefully injury is incomplete (spinal cord not severed all the way through) and he does get back a little function yet.
 
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Gumby

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If we sign another good prop like klemmer I really don’t see how Oregon Kaufusi makes our 17. Especially with Williams due back from injury also. Gonna be a good headache to have for Fitz hopefully with multiples blokes pushing for a spot.
 
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If we sign another good prop like klemmer I really don’t see how Oregon Kaufusi makes our 17. Especially with Williams due back from injury also. Gonna be a good headache to have for Fitz hopefully with multiples blokes pushing for a spot.
It would give us a lot of competition for spots wouldn't it.

You'd lock in Toby, Klem, Finucane and McInnes. Leaving 3 spots between BHU, Williams, Hunt, Kaufusi, Wilton/Wade (whichever doesn't start) + a potential utility.
 

bort

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If we sign another good prop like klemmer I really don’t see how Oregon Kaufusi makes our 17. Especially with Williams due back from injury also. Gonna be a good headache to have for Fitz hopefully with multiples blokes pushing for a spot.

Might not make the first choice 17 but if we assume we had a normal amount of injuries last season he likely still gets plenty of runs at the moment.

Games played in 2022
McInness 25
Rudolf 22
Fifita 22
Tolman 21

Hunt 19
Finucane 17
Hamlin-Uele 17
Williams 6
Colquhoun 4
Hazelton 1

On above (minus Hazleton) the middles averaged 17 games. We lose 22 and 21 with Fifita and Tolman, gain 28 with Oregon so there are 15 games to make up somewhere else. Based off of 'average' Williams can likely pick a lot of those games up and while we would hope the main names play as many if not even more Colquhoun and Hazelton can handle the rest if needed.

Obviously this isn't very scientific data but shows how there is a good chance the next couple of middles outside the top 17 are likely to get at least double digit runs. Not sure if our middles had more less or average luck with injury. Seems pretty typical though?
(also I am aware Oregon played more than any of our guys possibly could have but it didn't seem like that was a negative thing so I didn't particularly account for it)

Klemmer strung together 18 appearances and pushes everyone down the depth chart again (not that I think we will sign him) but last year we probably had 8 active middles with Colquhoun and Hazleton very much just depth cover. Take out Tolman and Fifita add Kaufusi and Klemmer and we still have 8 main active middles.
If we get kissed on the dick and have very little injuries so the likes of Williams/Kaufusi play a lot of Cup then so be it, good problem to have, and potentially allows for some players to get a week off at some stage if it would be beneficial in keeping them fit.
 
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Sparkles

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It would give us a lot of competition for spots wouldn't it.

You'd lock in Toby, Klem, Finucane and McInnes. Leaving 3 spots between BHU, Williams, Hunt, Kaufusi, Wilton/Wade (whichever doesn't start) + a potential utility.
Are we definitely locking in Toby? He had some good glimpses but I don't remember his form being great consistently. I could imagine a world where Williams give him a run for his spot in the 17, especially with Toby's limited minutes.
 

bort

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Are we definitely locking in Toby? He had some good glimpses but I don't remember his form being great consistently. I could imagine a world where Williams give him a run for his spot in the 17, especially with Toby's limited minutes.
I think we will have a tight contest on our hands with many of these guys capable of up and down performances.
You wouldn't want to slack in pre-season, or really at any stage.

Throw in Wilton/Graham potentially as middle cover too who will likely take a bench spot, although depending on who is available might just take the 4th bench spot. Seemed Trindall/utility on bench was most common when there were some injuries.
 

HaroldBishop

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Are we definitely locking in Toby? He had some good glimpses but I don't remember his form being great consistently. I could imagine a world where Williams give him a run for his spot in the 17, especially with Toby's limited minutes.
I thought Toby stepped up this year and was very impressive. I'm locking him in.
 

BurgoShark

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Might not make the first choice 17 but if we assume we had a normal amount of injuries last season he likely still gets plenty of runs at the moment.

Games played in 2022
McInness 25
Rudolf 22
Fifita 22
Tolman 21

Hunt 19
Finucane 17
Hamlin-Uele 17
Williams 6
Colquhoun 4
Hazelton 1

On above (minus Hazleton) the middles averaged 17 games. We lose 22 and 21 with Fifita and Tolman, gain 28 with Oregon so there are 15 games to make up somewhere else. Based off of 'average' Williams can likely pick a lot of those games up and while we would hope the main names play as maby if not even more Colquhoun and Hazelton can handle the rest if needed.

Obviously this isn't very scientific data but shows how there is a good chance the next couple of middles outside the top 17 are likely to get at least double digit runs. Not sure if our middles had more less or average luck with injury. Seems pretty typical though?

Klemmer strung together 18 appearances and pushes everyone down the depth chart again (not that I think we will sign him) but last year we probably had 8 active middles with Colquhoun and Hazleton very much just depth cover. Take out Tolman and Fifita add Kaufusi and Klemmer and we still have 8 main active middles.
If we get kissed on the dick and have very little injuries so the likes of Williams/Kaufusi play a lot of Cup then so be it, good problem to have, and potentially allows for some players to get a week off at some stage if it would be beneficial in keeping them fit.
Expanding on this to include all forwards and bench players (regular season only).

10 positions for 24 games = 240 games played. 232 were played by the same 13 players.

As you said, in a fairly normal year injury-wise a straight swap of Klemmer, Kaufusi, healthy Williams for the games played by Fifita, Tolman, Trindall would still see 12 guys playing plenty of footy. No Klemmer means you use depth guys in that 13th spot.

Brailey 24
McInnes 23
Wilton 22
Nikora 22

Rudolf 20
Fifita 20
Tolman 20

Hunt 18
Graham 16
Finucane 15
Hamlin-Uele 15
Trindall 11
Williams 6
*
Talakai 3
Colquhoun 2
Hazelton 1
Miller 1
Metcalf 1
 

bort

Jaws
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Expanding on this to include all forwards and bench players (regular season only).

10 positions for 24 games = 240 games played. 232 were played by the same 13 players.

As you said, in a fairly normal year injury-wise a straight swap of Klemmer, Kaufusi, healthy Williams for the games played by Fifita, Tolman, Trindall would still see 12 guys playing plenty of footy. No Klemmer means you use depth guys in that 13th spot.

Brailey 24
McInnes 23
Wilton 22
Nikora 22

Rudolf 20
Fifita 20
Tolman 20

Hunt 18
Graham 16
Finucane 15
Hamlin-Uele 15
Trindall 11
Williams 6
*
Talakai 3
Colquhoun 2
Hazelton 1
Miller 1
Metcalf 1
Colquhoun looked okay though so not dire if he steps up into the 13th spot.
Leaves the likes of Hazelton, Miller, Dykes, Iro (and Hiroti, Taukamo or Martin or new signing) to fight over the 8 games under the asterisk in your list... if necessary.

edit: Berrell too although I thought we had a chance to get him a run last season and never did
 

Gards

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Williams will be the one making way for new players in the Forwards, like Kaufusi

Depends how much Fitz wants to play with his shiny new toy. Williams should be in the mix and if he finds his 2021 form is arguably the better player but Kaufusi should also improve more over the next few years + Kaufusi is a bigger body although Jack is a very strong bloke

Are we definitely locking in Toby? He had some good glimpses but I don't remember his form being great consistently. I could imagine a world where Williams give him a run for his spot in the 17, especially with Toby's limited minutes.

Toby got more minutes in 2022 and was a good consistent performer for us, he really improved. His 2021 season is the stinky one where I didn't care as much about hanging onto him but he had a strong 2022 and really fixed up alot of his game plus got fitter.

So yea I would say we are defs locking in Toby for a starting spot, the question will be who pairs with him in the front row assuming no Klemmer. BHU & Hunt both did a good job of it until the finals came round where they seemed to struggle (BHU more so)
 

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Sounds like BHU has become one of Fitz's preferred jiu jitsu sparring partners. Nowhere to hide now.
 

Gumby

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BHU came back from injury too soon IMO. We had no choice though cause we needed that big body in the 17. Before he got injured he was playing some good footy.
 

Wiz

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Fk there is a lot of talk about a player that’s not even going to come here

Klemmers ears must be going Red
 
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