Cronulla have always been a conservative club on and off the field and their reluctance to take a gamble with their roster is reflected in their status as a good but not great team.
The Sharks were torn to shreds 44-10 by a Warriors side last week with Shaun Johnson and Luke Metcalf carving them up with surgical precision.
Two players the club allowed to leave in the past two seasons while Matt Moylan was retained at five-eighth despite modest performances that did not live up to the lucrative deal that had brought him from Penrith in 2018.
He was given a one-year extension for 2022 and after finally getting over his ongoing soft tissue strains, he did enough to earn a two-year deal for this season and next.
The Sharks first chose him over Johnson, whose three-year stint at the club was hampered by a torn Achilles and a serious hamstring injury, but he was dynamic when he was on the field.
And then Metcalf was pounced on by the Warriors early last year and have been rewarded for their astute recruitment with the speedy playmaker energising the team midway through the season after a hamstring problem held him back.
Warriors five-eighth Luke Metcalf. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Metcalf, who came through the junior rep ranks at Cronulla, had already been allowed to leave once for a stint at Manly. The Sharks have made the same mistake twice.
All the while Moylan has been flattering to deceive – during his time at Cronulla he has never consistently gone anywhere near to the form from earlier in his career at Penrith when he quickly rose to NSW and Australian representative honours.
His defence this season has been an ongoing source of frustration for Sharks supporters and jubilation for opponents.
Moylan has conceded 21 line breaks and racked up 18 try causes, more than any other five-eighth in the NRL and in the top five for worst offenders for these two key stats out of all players.
The 32-year-old has been dropped for this Sunday’s stoush with the Sea Eagles at Shark Park while his left-sided comrades, Siosifa Talakai has been relegated to the bench, and Wade Graham (rested, well that’s the official line anyway) will also not be there at kick-off.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon has brought in capable replacements in the form of Connor Tracey at centre and Braydon Trindall as Nicho Hynes’ halves partner while Dale Finucane’s return from a two-game ban offsets Graham’s absence.
The NRL’s best recruit of 2023 has undoubtedly been Reece Walsh who has given Brisbane the extra attacking spark they lacked last year.
But when it comes to under-the-radar signings or recruits who have panned out better than expected, the Warriors go to the top of the class as they have rebuilt their roster following the exit of Walsh and high-profile teammates Matt Lodge, Kodi Nikorima and Euan Aitken.
Matt Moylan (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
Along with Metcalf, they have hit the bullseye with pretty much all their off-season acquisitions.
They have revived the careers of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Mitch Barnett and Dylan Walker after patchy seasons at their previous stops while second-tower Jackson Ford has delivered bang for not many bucks after being undervalued at the Dragons.
Their star recruit Maratha Niukore has brought potency to the pack even though he’s missed five games from a couple of judiciary dramas.
The Dolphins are the other club which has defied grim off-season roster forecasts.
Despite having a full salary cap to spend, they missed out on several marquee free agents but the established stars they did land have formed the nucleus of a team which has a respectable 8-10 record.
Jesse Bromwich, Aitken, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert delivered, as expected, but Wayne Bennett has uncovered diamonds in the rough in Connelly Lemuelu and Jamayne Isaako while teenage half Isaiya Katoa has lived up to the hype as a star of the future.
Connelly Lemuelu. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Looking back at who’s delivered and who’s fallen short of pre-season expectations, Bulldogs fans have every right to be up in arms about their team’s dismal state as they wallow in 15th spot with just six wins from 18 starts.
No club had more roster turnover than the Dogs last off-season but Viliame Kikau’s season has been ruined by a torn pec and Reed Mahoney has tackled his guts out but the club is still no closer to ending their finals drought which stretches back to 2016.
It is their second-worst dry spell in club history behind a 12-year stretch from 1948-59.
Stephen Crichton is on his way to Belmore next year but the chequebook campaign has made little impact in the past couple of seasons. It’s very hard for any club, even one with a proud tradition of success like the Bulldogs, to buy their way out of trouble.
The NRL’s Recruits of 2023
1 Reece Walsh
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
4 Euan Aitken
5 Greg Marzhew
6 Luke Metcalf
7 Isaiya Katoa
8 Jesse Bromwich
9 Jeremy Marshall-King
10 Tom Gilbert
11 Jackson Ford
12 Marata Niukore
13 J’maine Hopgood
14 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
15 Mitch Barnett
16 Connelly Lemuelu
17 Oregon Kaufusi
18th Zac Hosking
Rellum
Roar Guru
Gould also just said he is going to play lock, so if he left the Broncs because they said he was going to play lock, doesn't look like it panned out like he hoped. He looked completely lost in the middle when they threw him in there.
Rellum
Roar Guru
It is general thought that what ever he said was dubious at best. The NRL had no issue with the Broncs conduct. I very much doubt they wanted him to play lock given we have Carrigan and Hertherington there and there is no way he was a chance of playing Hooker with Mozer coming through the club. What we desperately need is young halves coming through. He was a shoe in to be our future 6 once Reynolds went down or retired. He just had to show patience. Now I think he is in real danger of being forgotten or ending up at the Dragons
Noel
Roar Rookie
I can get on board with most of that except the decision with Hiku. You could argue the toss about Hiku's superior defensive reads as a long-term centre, but it was clear as day that both Feldt and Hiku were on a steady decline. That decline proved much steeper, I admit, but I never thought it was a battle between Drinkwater and Hammer. It was always a decision about Hiku. The Hammer had to ask for a release from his contract, and Drinkwater had already re-signed, so it couldn't have been about salary cap pressure at the time. If it was, that is an even bigger blunder. I'll always consider it an error to have let him go, but am glad that all three parties concerned (Cows, Dolphins and the Hammer himself) seem to be doing well. Like I said, it's probably made all the more stark because the Cows have a recent history of making good decisions.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Spot on David. I hear so many commentators say that the Panthers are successful because they have the largest junior base. If that were true, what was happening for the other 43 years they won nothing, or the ten year stretch without making the finals? And what about the Eels and the Wets Tigers? They have massive junior areas. I lived in Penrith and you only need to drive around on a Saturday and see the locals playing footy. Yet in 2011, their spine consisted of Kingston (Eels), Burns (Manly), Walsh (Knights) and a single local junior, Coote. You can have as much talent as you like, but if you don't develop them and invest in coaching, sports science, medical support and have a programme to bring players through, then it amounts to nothing. I don't know the detail of what changed at the Panthers, but you don't fluke having 13 of 17 players from your development process play in a winning GF team.
rakshop
Roar Rookie
I actually think this one was a no brainer. I wrote a comment last year before the Hammer was released that we would have to decide between the Hammer and Drinkwater due to salary cap pressures. It was inevitable that one had to leave. The Hammer for all what he brings, is replacable. With the current backline we have, Drinkwater is not as easily replaceable. If they kept the Hammer, they would have to go back to the open market to find a new 6 and 7 because The Hammer isnt a playmaker which requires more emphasis in the halves to create. Townsend is a game manager, Dearden has a better running game than passing. Therefore you need a playmaker at 1. If you choose The Hammer over Drinkwater you would have to change the entire recruitment and tactical methodology. An argument would have been to play the Hammer at 4..... BUT.... we already had Hiku (who at the time was playing really well) and Holmes. It easy to think that if we only had kept the Hammer what we would have been. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but reality is we couldnt afford both in the long term given the squad structure. I still think they made the right call. I would also say that The Hammer probably has also made the right call because he has more freedom to play in the Dolphins structure than he ever would have under the Cowboys.
Noel
Roar Rookie
Semi has been a great pick up. I thought he was just okay at the Raiders, but he's proven to be much better than that, I reckon. But I think his gain only offsets the loss of the Hammer. Given how many good decisions the Cows make, that one will always be a bit of a head scratcher.
Noel
Roar Rookie
That whole situation stank to high heaven. If what Oloapu was saying was true, then nevermind the NRL enforcing the contract, no court would find the contract valid. Would have been vitiated in an instant. Yet, the NRL maintained that the contract was enforceable, and the Dogs must have agreed given they paid the Broncos compensation. They both can’t be right. Having said that, I agree completely that he does not look like a 13 at all. His front line defence is poor. He clearly has some playmaking ability about him – he dominated reggies almost immediately when he switched to the Dogs – but he’s got a lot of development before he’s a genuine first grader.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Loosen up yourself. Just a light hearted jibe at the Titans. Who have signed many, many players that they shouldn’t have. I wouldn’t put it past them to sign anyone . :stoked:
Emcie
Roar Guru
"Straight from the horses mouth" :silly:
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
loosen the grip , Would Penrith sign Oloapu with Matt Adamson ? Not a chance.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Yet he wasn't from Kempsey , that's where he was born. Why did he play for Bowraville (which I know very well) if he lived in Kempsey?
Dodgy Dragons
Roar Rookie
Aaron Woods?
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Titans cop plenty of crap. Don’t put them in the don’t cop crap basket. :laughing:
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Yet Inglis was from Kempsey . Such retorts only work , if you are accurate in what you are saying. Otherwise it also loses something along the way. :stoked:
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Matt Lodge
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Another junior player, with his manager, demanding top 30 spot and position same as Josh Schuster & Jayden Sullivan, Glad the Broncos dumped him, and after the media cheap shots has assured he will never play for Broncs, Dolphins or Storm and probably Rooster, Titans & Cowboys who will not cop that crap
Horses for Courses
Roar Rookie
No thats him saying it, he literally said it on camera to Nine. "Now since then I have been told I am not part of the full-time squad and they want me to play at lock or hooker and change the shape of my body. "I've never met Kevin and barely heard from the club. When my new manager asked to see their letter of offer to me, the club told him they had lost it… how does that happen?"
Emcie
Roar Guru
...thats just you saying it...
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Trust in Gus' 25 year plan.
WithTheDawn
Roar Rookie
Walsh always at the top of these lists, but as a Warriors fan I’m at least as happy with CNK, perhaps more so. Walsh has a higher ceiling, but let’s too much rubbish come into his game. Char zen has been excellent this season, more of a steady hand than Walsh would be.