Official Dale Finucane

[Sparkles]

I've seen 'books' that suggest both at the same time is the way to go.

Can't vouch for it myself though.

50 Shades of Tazmin Gray?

 

[Sparkles]

Not read that one.
Any other good stories?

Yep, the author really nails it

 

[HaroldBishop]

50 Shades of Tazmin Gray?

I have no idea who that is and I'm not going to google it!

 

[Mr Ryan]

A rusty trombone is pretty good too - so I’ve heard

 

[Western Sharkie]

Yep, the author really nails it

Must have been inspired by all that time spent hanging around the cross roads.

 

[Sparkles]

Must have been inspired by all that time spent hanging around the cross roads.

For a guy that he hung around the Cross a lot he had some pretty conservative views, for sure

 

[Sparkles]

I have no idea who that is and I'm not going to google it!

It's a safe search.... Trust me

 

[HaroldBishop]

It's a safe search.... Trust me

 

[Western Sharkie]

NRLW player - Broncos I think from Memory

 

[BurgoShark]

Dale Finucane - 2023
A few interesting notes on Dale:

• He only averaged 5 more minutes Ball in Play than Toby, 8 more minutes than BHU and 9 more than Kaufusi.
• His worst game for attacking involvement was the one game he started at prop
• His game in round 5 against the Warriors was the one of the best all around performances from any forward in 2023 in terms of involvement. It was the only game all season in which a player:
  • scored 290+ in defence, and
  • scored 290+ in attack, and
  • played more than half a game

 

[bort]

My main criticism of Dale is definitely just that we don't see enough of him - injuries and suspensions have cruelled his impact for us.

I also think, in hindsight, maybe McInness/Williams could have done the job and spent the money on a bigger body, but likely not looking at the same off-field & leadership impact (that we assume Dale has).

Hoping we get good value and game number out of him for his next two seasons. The above workloads look good, but we need them for 20+ games a year from him - it's now been four seasons since he has played 20 games, with last years 13 (of possible 25) being a new low.
Even his first year of NRL he played 14 and he only debuted in round 13!

 

[BurgoShark]

My main criticism of Dale is definitely just that we don't see enough of him - injuries and suspensions have cruelled his impact for us.

Agreed. To be fair, both his suspensions were complete horse ****. The hip drop he got three weeks for, the NRL pretty much came out later in the year and said that in examples like this that they got in wrong, and they have changed the criteria.

That the tackle on Lawrie was even a penalty was laughable. Should have fought that one. Sharks taking the plea was a poor call imo.

I also think, in hindsight, maybe McInnes/Williams could have done the job and spent the money on a bigger body,

Possibly, but injury to Jack has also been a factor.

Imo what we need as all three of these players fit and healthy. It almost never happens.

I think over the last two years the amount of games where these three all started and finished a game healthy and weren't playing low minutes after a comeback or playing a wacky position to cover injuries is less than 10. Could be as low as 5 or 6.

but likely not looking at the same off-field & leadership impact (that we assume Dale has).

I don't think an assumption is necessary. Enough people close to the team have spoken about the role of the older veteran players - specifically Dale, and in general - that we know this is fact.

Hoping we get good value and game number out of him for his next two seasons. The above workloads look good, but we need them for 20+ games a year from him - it's now been four seasons since he has played 20 games, with last years 13 (of possible 25) being a new low.
Even his first year of NRL he played 14 and he only debuted in round 13!

Yeah agreed. Take out the dodgy suspensions and he is almost there.

 

[Gards]

It's not just about Dale being available - he also needs to be better. Too much meh from him (which is ok if he makes 100% of his tackles but he doesn't)

Having an extended run of fitness/not being suspended hopefully helps him find the form we need and expect from him and frankly are paying for

 

[Sparkles]

It's not just about Dale being available - he also needs to be better. Too much meh from him (which is ok if he makes 100% of his tackles but he doesn't)

Having an extended run of fitness/not being suspended hopefully helps him find the form we need and expect from him and frankly are paying for

I still remember the period when he was the rock the rest of the forwards clung to defensively. Everyone was better when he was on the field. By a lot.

 

[HaroldBishop]

It's not just about Dale being available - he also needs to be better. Too much meh from him (which is ok if he makes 100% of his tackles but he doesn't)

Having an extended run of fitness/not being suspended hopefully helps him find the form we need and expect from him and frankly are paying for

Not sure what you mean by meh? He's never been a game breaker.

 

[Wiz]

Dale Finucane is just Aiden Tolman on a fullbacks salary don’t @ me

 

[Gards]

Not sure what you mean by meh? He's never been a game breaker.

Meh by his standards of being a solid leader/workhorse

We got that for his first 4-5 months

Since then his defense has been worse, his carries have been worse, his discipline has been worse. He 's is playing more like a $200k plodder that happens to also be a liability

I still remember the period when he was the rock the rest of the forwards clung to defensively. Everyone was better when he was on the field. By a lot.

Yea he was pretty important to us on the field when he first arrived at the Sharks. He was going well.

I swear all our big players went backwards after that ****en Origin series in 2022 (even those that didn't play in it)

Things were just never the same or as good for us compared to the incredible start to the season we had in 2022. We were just so good to watch and we had some players on fire.

Dale Finucane is just Aiden Tolman on a fullbacks salary don’t @ me

Most expensive leagues club entertainment ever

 

[BurgoShark]

It's not just about Dale being available - he also needs to be better. Too much meh from him (which is ok if he makes 100% of his tackles but he doesn't)

Having an extended run of fitness/not being suspended hopefully helps him find the form we need and expect from him and frankly are paying for

Not sure what you mean by meh? He's never been a game breaker.

Yep - agreed.

Of all middle forwards I looked at, the gap between his "worst" games and his "best" games are the smallest of any player.

Dale just doesn't give you the highs and lows that some of the other guys do. He's the same player every week. That's not "meh". It's a player who the coach trusts to do his job.

 

[bort]

That is a pretty tight cluster, especially if you ignore the bench one, there is really only one low(er) involvement game, and that was with decent ball in play. And we did win it.

Gotta have a bloke who just gets **** done, brings leadership and everyone trusts to work hard as long as he's asked to.

Would have only cost an extra 500k plus whatever else we needed to pay for him to pick us to go up to Tino and had a similar bloke who adds highlights.
Those highlights must fill the hole coming 14th instead of 6th creates

 

[Wiz]

Yep - agreed.

Of all middle forwards I looked at, the gap between his "worst" games and his "best" games are the smallest of any player.

Dale just doesn't give you the highs and lows that some of the other guys do. He's the same player every week. That's not "meh". It's a player who the coach trusts to do his job.

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Who cares if his worst or best game is consistent in there isn’t an extreme low or an extreme high

He’s meh in the impact he brings to the team on the field, he’s not even our best forward let alone in our top 3 yet he’s one of the highest paid and the high profile signing club captain that was brought in to replace Gallen

He’s the one player that is supposed to lead the forward pack and set the tone. If you asked him about his time at the sharks he himself would say it hasn’t been a success