Official 2024 Sharks NRL General Discussion

[bort]

Agree on Stonestreet.

Admittedly I didn't see the entire game, most of it though, Iro didn't really seem to get many chances to be fair.

No he didn’t and often I’d say you can’t hold that against him but he was named ahead of Talakai, his best shot at trying to stay in front was to have a blinder.
If chance didn’t give him opportunity he needed to find a way to create it for himself.

Coach may be happy he just did his role, which is fine for him longer term, but short term it was a missed opportunity to stake a claim.

 

[BurgoShark]

While he didn’t get to flash his talent it wasn’t necessarily a bad trial for him.
Did that and got bashed a few times but didn’t let that put him off.

Iro on the other hand needed to flash in that one but wasn’t able to, for that reason I’d say it was a bad trial from him.

Probably more due to expectations than anything else.

Iro was the better performer on the day - but fans had higher expectations of him (rightly or wrongly).

No he didn’t and often I’d say you can’t hold that against him but he was named ahead of Talakai, his best shot at trying to stay in front was to have a blinder.
If chance didn’t give him opportunity he needed to find a way to create it for himself.

This is such a silly statement that sports fans make. He was playing centre in a team who spent the whole time coming out of their own end, and was outside halves who combined for 9 errors in the game. What was he supposed to do? Run to the opposite side of the field, push Berrell out of the way and chip and chase from his own 30?

I'm far from the biggest Iro fan on here, but it seems a couple of "solid" performances have swung the pendulum too far the other way for some fans. The scorecard on him should read "yardage runs are great, zero errors, defence is improving, attack unknown".

Coach may be happy he just did his role, which is fine for him longer term, but short term it was a missed opportunity to stake a claim.

True. Did his job but didn't blow the doors off. Maybe that was what the coach wanted to see.

Could make a case that he outplayed the guys he was competing with to be next man in (Hiroti and Stonestreet). That might have been the plan all along.

 

[bort]

Probably more due to expectations than anything else.

Iro was the better performer on the day - but fans had higher expectations of him (rightly or wrongly).


This is such a silly statement that sports fans make. He was playing centre in a team who spent the whole time coming out of their own end, and was outside halves who combined for 9 errors in the game. What was he supposed to do? Push Berrell out of the way so he can chip and chase from his own 30?

I'm far from the biggest Iro fan on here, but it seems a couple of "solid" performances have swung the pendulum too far the other way for some fans.


True. Did his job but didn't blow the doors off. Maybe that was what the coach wanted to see.

Could make a case that he outplayed the guys he was competing with to be next man in (Hiroti and Stonestreet). That might have been the plan all along.

Agree he objectively played better than SS and Hiroti. Certainly for left centre he’s got to be ahead of them, rest up in the air.

As for what he could have done better - maybe nothing, if there is literally nothing he could have done better then so be it. Still doesn’t make him stand out to beat Talakai for the spot though I suspect.

Maybe if he finds a bigger hit, a strip, maybe 9 runs for 89m with 1 tackle break needed 1% more effort somewhere knowing his chance was in his hands, maybe he shouldn’t have gone 7-2 for tackles.

You could watch back and say actually he couldn’t have possibly not missed those tackles but at the end of the day seems that performance wasn’t enough to give him first go again the next week, which is what he wanted. (Or perhaps he knew from coach he was still not even close enough a big game could give him first go next week)

Maybe a big hit knocks a ball loose and a couple sets later he scores up the other end. Or perhaps the big attempt ends up another missed tackle or a penalty and he was better off not going for it.
But again, overall, it was a chance I think it’s fair to say he didn’t manage to really grab a hold of, regardless of circumstances.

I’m not criticising him. I agree in the way the game played out he played solid.
But he didn’t win himself a jersey.

 

[BurgoShark]

Agree he objectively played better than SS and Hiroti. Certainly for left centre he’s got to be ahead of them, rest up in the air.

As for what he could have done better - maybe nothing, if there is literally nothing he could have done better then so be it. Still doesn’t make him stand out to beat Talakai for the spot though I suspect.

Maybe if he finds a bigger hit, a strip, maybe 9 runs for 89m with 1 tackle break needed 1% more effort somewhere knowing his chance was in his hands, maybe he shouldn’t have gone 7-2 for tackles.

You could watch back and say actually he couldn’t have possibly not missed those tackles but at the end of the day seems that performance wasn’t enough to give him first go again the next week, which is what he wanted. (Or perhaps he knew from coach he was still not even close enough a big game could give him first go next week)

Maybe a big hit knocks a ball loose and a couple sets later he scores up the other end. Or perhaps the big attempt ends up another missed tackle or a penalty and he was better off not going for it.
But again, overall, it was a chance I think it’s fair to say he didn’t manage to really grab a hold of, regardless of circumstances.

I’m not criticising him. I agree in the way the game played out he played solid.
But he didn’t win himself a jersey.

I was never convinced that Iro was ever a threat to Talakai, but I 100% think he has now played himself ahead of those other two for a jersey if/when a starter goes down. Dykes too (if you considered him a chance at centre).

Would have been nice to see his halves pass him the ball more than one time across two games

 

[bort]

I was never convinced that Iro was ever a threat to Talakai, but I 100% think he has now played himself ahead of those other two for a jersey if/when a starter goes down. Dykes too (if you considered him a chance at centre).

Me either

Do you think he'd start any 2-4 above Hiroti, SS and Dykes if someone went down?
I'm not really too familiar with Iro on right - some players can play either side fine, some can't.

 

[BurgoShark]

Me either

Do you think he'd start any 2-4 above Hiroti, SS and Dykes if someone went down?
I'm not really too familiar with Iro on right - some players can play either side fine, some can't.

I'd pick him ahead of any of them in any spot 2-5 right now.

I don't know of examples where he played right centre, but he's definitely played his fair share of wing. Couple of games at second row too.

Players can adapt. Sifa was a right-side player prior to NRL.

 

[bort]

I'd pick him ahead of any of them in any spot 2-5 right now.

I don't know of examples where he played right centre, but he's definitely played his fair share of wing. Couple of games at second row too.

Players can adapt. Sifa was a right-side player prior to NRL.

I don’t know if leaving 5 off was a typo or a brain fart haha, anyway must be coffee time.

Think I’ve seen him play left edge, centre and wing (and at FB). Agree that right could be an option. If Hiroti is playing right centre for Jets though I could also imagine him being slotted straight in. Or not. Happy to back Fitz to get that one right.

 

[BurgoShark]

I don’t know if leaving 5 off was a typo or a brain fart haha, anyway must be coffee time.

Think I’ve seen him play left edge, centre and wing (and at FB). Agree that right could be an option. If Hiroti is playing right centre for Jets though I could also imagine him being slotted straight in. Or not. Happy to back Fitz to get that one right.

Hiroti has some runs on the board after his one game cameo last year. Iro is clearly the better player on yardage though, and that is what an outside back spends a lot of his time doing.

I’d pick Iro, but yeah. Not going to throw the toys out of the cot if Fitz goes with Hiroti in that situation.

 

[bort]

Hiroti has some runs on the board after his one game cameo last year. Iro is clearly the better player on yardage though, and that is what an outside back spends a lot of his time doing.

I’d pick Iro, but yeah. Not going to throw the toys out of the cot if Fitz goes with Hiroti in that situation.

Generally speaking Iro definitely more likely to make more meters, especially over an extended period of playing.
Hiroti made 139m in game he played (wing) last season, not massive but Ramien made 126, Talakai 144 and Tracey at FB only 160 so not like he wasn't in the realm of the other players in that game.
Katoa made 193m but that was padded a little making Trell look dumb.

Hard to gauge also IMO who would be wing #3
I guess maybe Iro/Hiroti might get the jump if it was immediate but down the track form would play a bigger role one guys start playing consistently in Jets.

 

[BurgoShark]

Generally speaking Iro definitely more likely to make more meters, especially over an extended period of playing.
Hiroti made 139m in game he played (wing) last season, not massive but Ramien made 126, Talakai 144 and Tracey at FB only 160 so not like he wasn't in the realm of the other players in that game.
Katoa made 193m but that was padded a little making Trell look dumb.

Hard to gauge also IMO who would be wing #3
I guess maybe Iro/Hiroti might get the jump if it was immediate but down the track form would play a bigger role one guys start playing consistently in Jets.

I mean more oomph

Well that and he didn't drop the ball cold on the weekend.

 

[bort]

I mean more oomph

Well that and he didn't drop the ball cold on the weekend.

Passes the vibe check for a more oomphy player

 

[stalefish]

looks like tuks has been given an upgrade for '24 and '25 and #29 on our roster this year according to NRL.com

looking at the squad with afb we'll have 7 specialist props next year and thats not including williams and colquhoun.

i wonder with hunt and kaufusi both starting theyre battling it out to see who stays?

 

[bort]

looks like tuks has been given an upgrade for '24 and '25 and #29 on our roster this year according to NRL.com

looking at the squad with afb we'll have 7 specialist props next year and thats not including williams and colquhoun.

i wonder with hunt and kaufusi both starting theyre battling it out to see who stays?

It's potentially who stays for 26 onwards though, so it's not a big rush

Hunt has a full contract for 25, obviously an extension is a thing, but he's secure for next year either way.
However a good showing by him could attract that Warriors payday and I think we'd be relatively open to releasing him early (for 25) to them in a show of good faith if he requested.

Kaufusi has a mutual option which often seem to require a decision by around 1/3 of way into season before.
Believe he got solid pay from us so think he should be happy to take it up if we are, not sure he'd be well positioned to negotiate too much of pay bump and extension currently.
Although again being just a mutual option getting his year off to a good start to attract Warriors offers could be in his best interest (from a $ POV).

Given their position in our depth once AFB arrives I'd almost say they are competing for a too good to pass up Warriors offer more than they are an extension from us to start this season.

 

[stalefish]

it a well played situation by fitz to really put this soft underbelly in the forwards to bed if the big boys are all fired up for spots

id say tuks has signed for something similar to what burns did so works out a good squad filler for '25

 

[Western Sharkie]

Yeah - thought that was odd. Almost like two different AI’s wrote those sections.

Also worth calling out that Fitz denied several release requests from Tracey before finally letting him go. Didn't want to let him go but in the end he did the guy a favour and let him get paid.

 

[Seenoevil]

NRL news 2024, Paul Gallen asked by Cronulla Sharks to meet American billionaire while in Las Vegas

 

[egg]

NRL news 2024, Paul Gallen asked by Cronulla Sharks to meet American billionaire while in Las Vegas

Hope he owns a big brown paper bag company and/or is CRAP at golf if he takes the Sharks under his wing

 

[Proud Shark]

Hope he owns a big brown paper bag company and/or is CRAP at golf if he takes the Sharks under his wing

I'd prefer his passion was rebuilding run down suburban grounds. But would settle for yours too.

 

[MrDravid]

Pilot Medical Update - Jesse Colquhoun

Promising Sharks forward Jesse Colquhoun is set to be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a foot injury in last Friday's trial against the Bulldogs.

www.sharks.com.au

 

[bort]

Pilot Medical Update - Jesse Colquhoun

Promising Sharks forward Jesse Colquhoun is set to be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a foot injury in last Friday's trial against the Bulldogs.

www.sharks.com.au

If there is a Bulldogs trial next preseason I say we just give Colquhoun the night off!