General Are we the real deal?

How far will we go this season?

  • Won't make the top 8

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Grand Final

    Votes: 16 57.1%
  • Make the prelims, not make the GF

    Votes: 11 39.3%
  • Stumble into the finals and get eliminated week 1

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Week 2 of finals

    Votes: 1 3.6%

  • Total voters
    28

Dlenai

With this season statistically being the best start to a season ever since our inauguration in 1995, the question has to be asked - how far will we go this season and are we the real deal?
 
Trying to Predict anything these days is next to impossible, a couple more key injuries and we could just as easy slide down the ladder. Our points diff is pretty good atm, a top 4 spot with a home semi would be vital to go deep. Whether we can maintain these performances with the available players is another story.

I'll say week 2 on the positive side.
 
So many variables go into it


One in particular is reffing. It's algud to know the rules but refs tend to have sets of rules that are front and centre of their minds at any one time. So having favour with refs is key at the right end of the season.
 
Honestly think we’re heading top 4 and it becomes a lottery once there depending on who hits form best in September.

We just have to be there or there about every year and give ourselves the best chance.

But this year is definitively going to be one of those big opportunities to convert a great season into a championship!
I’m not saying Penrith are unbeatable but Top 2 is crucial to avoid playing them if we do go the distance. Provided we stay relatively injury free and Mets finds some of the form we saw out of him last season, I reckon the top 3 is locked in.
 
The rule set really favors us this year. More so than any other team, imo.

The boys are pumped.
The depth is good.
The windows open.

Time to steal that premiership trophy.
The rules may favour us more than any other team, but……. we’d beat the Panthers in the big one?

I think we’re gonna win it, but not this year. Or next year, either, although I think we’ll make the 2027 Grand Final. 2028 is our year.

There are a few things which need to happen before we win it.
1. Sort out the halves situation. Someone with match winning flair who can kick conversions from the sidelines would be great. That may turn out to be Tanah, but he’s probably not going to be fully fit again until mid season next year and a lot can happen in that time.
2. We need to have a fitness and conditioning programme which is of such a high standard that major injuries are very rare. That’s possible, the Panthers have it, why don’t we?
3. We have some terrific youngsters who with another two years will mature into their roles and leave the errors which come from over exuberance behind.
Grand Final next year, in 2028 it’s the big caboodle.
than the Panthers?
 
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I’m not saying Penrith are unbeatable but Top 2 is crucial to avoid playing them if we do go the distance. Provided we stay relatively injury free and Mets finds some of the form we saw out of him last season, I reckon the top 3 is locked in.
Yea man, we were 2nd this time last season and everything that could go wrong did - Metcalf and Barnett ACL, depth exposed, drop of form)

We still were 4th until the final week.

We should coast into top 4 even if our form dips, maintain this and we stay top 2.
 
I’m not saying Penrith are unbeatable but Top 2 is crucial to avoid playing them if we do go the distance. Provided we stay relatively injury free and Mets finds some of the form we saw out of him last season, I reckon the top 3 is locked in.
As much as the Panthers are scary, any team can upset you on the day.

The Dolphins and Cows are possibly the form teams at the moment. Late season it could be someone else.

Last season the Broncos meandered through the season and came from nowhere to take out the competition with a month of brilliant Walsh inspired play.

Honestly think everyone could go on a run come finals and you just have to be there about consistently.

Top 2 and a bye definitely helps.
 
I’m not saying Penrith are unbeatable but Top 2 is crucial to avoid playing them if we do go the distance. Provided we stay relatively injury free and Mets finds some of the form we saw out of him last season, I reckon the top 3 is locked in.
I am going to say they are unbeatable if they have all their key men fit.

They will beat anyone. And it is merely a fact of life. They are better than everyone else by some margin and that is because they are the greatest team the code has ever seen and their game plan is superior.

They have shaken off the adjustment phase from losing multiple star players from their best ever side, and this year no one is looking even likely to get anywhere near them.

Even if we beat them next week, I wouldn't compare that to playing them in a final.

I hate Penrith, not even a fan of Ivan. So no glazing here.

I think if by some miracle we add a little more class to our team (probably gonna take a gamble on two of our Junior stars, that we could tip the balance in one off games if those lads have blinders and bring their speed and unknown factor - but that could backfire heinously).

But yeah, I think throwing in Linane this season and pair him with AKP to create the fastest edge in the NRL, is the exact type of hail Mary it would take to change what is looking like an unbreakable script.

Should we do that? no probably not, because it is too risky for my blood.
 
The rules may favour is more than any other team, but……. we’d bet the Panthers in the big one?

I think we'll get a better idea, with the Panthers game. Granted they have some outs, but I'll be looking at the packs, regardless of outcome.

Time will tell with the 7 situation. Webbys an outside of the box thinker, so I'm sure he has something up his sleeve.

The reason I mentioned rules is because ref handling is a big part of the modern game.

Should it be? Probably not.
 
With this season statistically being the best start to a season ever since our inauguration in 1995, the question has to be asked - how far will we go this season and are we the real deal?
Sometimes these threads which pop up after a big win are silly and premature ejaculation, I would say not this time.

It is time.

We are allowed to talk about our prospects, we are the second best team in the NRL (with qualifiers, an in form full squad Broncos probably very well may bump us to third).

But the point is, we are a top four club, and not by ladder, by deeds in battle, by shattered shields and swinging swords, we are one of the mighty and entitled to talk in the glow of our hearth.

Are we the real deal? I think I have answered that, without talk of winning the whole thing, then yes, yes we are.

But for some, only winning the title means 'real deal' and in ordinary peace time that would be fair, but this is unfortunately for us, the era of the greatest team in history, so talk of real deals by measure of the rings on Grand final day is too singular for my taste.

If we do reach the last step, and see the mountain, I will spend all of my waking hours and more, dreaming of how we summit that peak.
The Gods may step in and grant us favor on that day (because a hero's quest against this foe is lost without the meddling of Zeus, Jupiter, or Oden).
 
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They don't give out trophies for April/May premiers, even if they did, we'd be runner up!

What other teams are good though, ignoring penrith.

Manly if this Foran effect thing keeps going, its all the same players who've underwhelmed the last few years though.

Roosters stacked, but they don't play ivan-ball, turn it over too much. Dolphins also good combination of hard workers and explosive players, bad karma hanging over them for the coach though.

Knights don't see it, Rabbits starting their injury run, Tigers same, Sharks, Cowboys, Broncos, Raiders are WLWL teams

Even if Bulldogs and Storm pull out of their tailspins they'll be making up the numbers.
 
The rules may favour us more than any other team, but……. we’d beat the Panthers in the big one?

I think we’re gonna win it, but not this year. Or next year, either, although I think we’ll make the 2027 Grand Final. 2028 is our year.

There are a few things which need to happen before we win it.
1. Sort out the halves situation. Someone with match winning flair who can kick conversions from the sidelines would be great. That may turn out to be Tanah, but he’s probably not going to be fully fit again until mid season next year and a lot can happen in that time.
2. We need to have a fitness and conditioning programme which is of such a high standard that major injuries are very rare. That’s possible, the Panthers have it, why don’t we?
3. We have some terrific youngsters who with another two years will mature into their roles and leave the errors which come from over exuberance behind.
Grand Final next year, in 2028 it’s the big caboodle.

I agree, though sometimes things just fall onto your laps and you have to take it, some individual sport or team coaches just win titles early in their career. Panthers are the hot favorite but nobody have bashed them yet and I reckon Webby is 1 of the few coaches that knows how to beat them, just need the tools to do it consistently
 
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