What your NRL team wants for Christmas ahead of season 2015
WE have obtained the wish lists of all 16 clubs bound for the North Pole and reveal just what your NRL team really wants this Christmas.
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CHRISTMAS is just around the corner and with Santa and his reindeer set to deliver their presents; we have obtained the wish lists of all 16 clubs bound for the North Pole and reveal just what your team really wants this Christmas.
Broncos
A fullback — It looked like Wayne Bennett got his presents early this year by offloading Ben Barba, Martin Kennedy and Josh Hoffman to make room for Darius Boyd, James Gavet and Adam Blair, but he might want one of them back. With Darius Boyd sidelined for at least half the season with an Achillies injury, Bennett needs a fullback.
The club also hasn’t had a premiership in eight years. Bennett was brought back home to deliver one more of those.
Bulldogs
New shoulders for Josh Reynolds — The five-eighth underwent his second shoulder surgery in two seasons after suffering an injury in the first tackle of their loss to South Sydney in the grand final. This is the second straight pre-season he has missed due to a shoulder issue, having had an operation performed on his right shoulder last year. There is no denying the 25-year-old is a gun, now the most important thing for him, the Bulldogs and NSW is that he get his body right for a big season ahead.
Raiders
A Christmas miracle — Where do we begin? Let’s start at the back. Jack Wighton finished the year at fullback and performed well but the season was over and the pressure was non-existent. Let’s see how he performs with a new halves combination and the threat of another dismal year looming. Speaking of the halves, Ricky Stuart’s biggest wish would be that his new halves combination gels … and fast. With Terry Campese off to England and Anthony Milford in Brisbane, it looks like the halves partnership will be Mitch Cornish and Blake Austin with Josh Hodgson or Josh McCrone the hooker. Iron clad contracts would also be nice with a host of players reneging on deals with the club last season. Canberra have the cap space to introduce some big money recruits but actually getting them in a green jersey proves a harder task than it should be.
Sharks
A punching bag for Shane Flanagan — The Cronulla coach stormed out of a media conference during the pre-season, fed up of answering questions related to the ASADA scandal. Despite the saga drawing to a close at the end of the season, Flanagan cannot escape the drama surrounding the 2011 supplement program. Maybe a session with the bag before each media conference will do the job.
Titans
A fit roster — With half of their squad requiring off-season surgeries as a result of a gruelling 2014, it is fair to say staying on the field will be the biggest challenge the club faces in 2015. With a new coach at the helm, keeping his halves fit will be key. Aidan Sezer showed a lot of promise until injury disrupted his season, finishing with 13 games. With an injury prone Albert Kelly departing the club to take up a deal in England, the pressure is now on Sezer to not only guide the Titans but stay fit.
Sea Eagles
Two halves tied up in a big red bow — It is no secret that there has been a lot of interest in Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran from rival clubs but Manly’s biggest wish would be that both their stars re-sign beyond next season. New CEO Joe Kelly says Manly will offer the halves the biggest contracts in the club’s history but that doesn’t stop another club from throwing more money their way.
Storm
A five-eighth — Following Gareth Widdop’s departure at the end of 2013, the club has failed to find a suitable halves partner for Cooper Cronk. The Storm experimented with Ben Hampton, Ben Roberts and Joel Romelo during the season and have added Blake Green and Shaun Nona to their roster but will one of their new recruits be the answer? Only time will tell.
Knights
A spiritual healer — Following the exit of former coach Wayne Bennett and former owner Nathan Tinkler, the Knights have a fresh start. They need to shoo away any ghosts haunting the Balance training ground and Hunter Stadium and start anew in the post-Bennett era. Who they gunna call? … Ghost Busters!
Cowboys
No more controversial finals finishes — For three years now the Cowboys have bowed out of the finals series in contentious circumstances. This year it was a ruling on a forward pass which denied them, last year it was a seventh tackle try and the year prior a knock-on from Kieran Foran. Fourth year unlucky? Surely not.
Eels
A fullback — Having lost Jarryd Hayne to the NFL, the Eels need an x-factor to wear the number one and replace some of the spark lost following Hayne’s departure. It looks like Will Hopoate will have first crack at plugging the massive hole left by Hayne but with plenty of money in the bank, the Eels could do with a marquee No.1.
Panthers
Magic water — Injuries played a major role in Penrith’s season yet somehow they still managed to go within a whisker of the grand final. A host of players suffered season ending injuries, most notably Peter Wallace, Elijah Taylor, Tyrone Peachey and Bryce Cartwright. Imagine what they can do with a fully fit roster.
Rabbitohs
Another Burgess — Are there any more brothers? What else would you get the team that has it all? They are on top of the world having won the premiership but now they are one Burgess down. Sam has left to play rugby in Bath and left a hole which will need filling. Of course Glenn Stewart has joined the club and will fill the void in the backrow. Maybe he can change his name to Glenn Burgess?
Dragons
Sam Kasiano — According to some reports, the bulldozing Bulldogs forward could be bound for the Dragons next season and his arrival can’t come soon enough. The Dragons were lacking in size last year and despite recruiting George Rose for next season, a player of the calibre of Kasiano would be a welcome addition to any side.
Roosters
A registered contract for Blake Ferguson — While Ferguson may have been given the green light to train with the team, the NRL have not cleared him to take the field come round one. Since joining the Roosters midway through 2014, the 24-year-old has been receiving counselling and completed all the comeback requirements set out by the NRL following his deregistration.
Warriors
Shaun Johnson to replicate his Four Nations form — He was the star of the tournament but the key for the Warriors is making sure Johnson brings that form back to clubland. On a good day the Warriors are near unstoppable but on a bad day it is like watching the Titanic sinking, it is slow, painful and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Over to you Shaun!
Tigers
A peace keeper — The Tigers can ill afford any more drama. With speculation surrounding the future of then-coach Mick Potter, Gorden Tallis revealed that Robbie Farah had told him Potter couldn’t coach. It was an ugly mess which affected the club and its players both on and off the field. Having appointed Jason Taylor to take over Potter’s post, Tigers hierarchy will be hoping the new man doesn’t endure any of the off-field drama as he attempts to lift the Tigers back up the ladder following a 13th place finish in 2014.
Originally published as What your NRL team wants for Christmas ahead of season 2015
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