What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Rumours (signings, sackings & other NRL stuff)

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,489
Gareth Ellis?

The Ellis signing probably flew under the radar a bit. It was before Burgess and Graham came over so didn’t get the media headlines it would today. He had just won the Man Of Steel though so was a big signing. I don’t know what we paid him but he was worth double whatever it was. What I wouldn’t give to him an Ellis in his prime at the club today....
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
..plus we don’t sign superstars !
It’s y I’m always deeply sceptical when we r linked to an elite player like RTS.

I’d b more inclined to believe it if we were linked to a >30 yr old reserve grade plodder !

We've gotten some good ones though under Clearly. Twal and Tui are good players that just needed a chance. I hope they both kick on this season.

I think we can get good players but not too many elite players leave their existing club unless there are other reasons. We had three f**kwits with us last year.

I'm starting to feel that Cleary can turn this club around because the decisions that he has made to me have been a lot better than what we've had in years. Sheens was great at the start and we were competitive for a while but he made some massive blunders. Cleary has come in and copped it from the start but I think we are a better team this year than last year. I'm also hopeful we get some consistency and then some luck at some point and maybe we can become a good team again.
 

Tigers Tale

Juniors
Messages
1,417
Could not agree more Tiger05. The teams that are winning comps tend to have more introduced players than local juniors...it is now just a fact of life in the NRL.

And loyalty, lets not go there!!!
 

Clifferd

Coach
Messages
10,805
read somewhere that us, warriors knights and panthers produce the most juniors in the nrl and look at the recent success the clubs have had. Zilch. IC has obviously identified this because we only have something like 7 locals in our team this year? Compared to pretty much 70% of our team in recent years
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,489
wasn’t aware he won man of steel the year before, if so he’s probably our last “superstar” signing and he actually kicked on.

Adam Blair also but I think We all know he just came for his quick pay cheque..

I’d say Blair and Lote are probably the ‘highest profile’ signings we’ve made. Both were considered the best in their position at the time, Lote was a big name across the world.

The likes of Prince and Hodgson proved to be great but both had had difficult years at Brisbane/parra when we signed them.

Otherwise it hasn’t been much, well unless you include the initial ones of Hill, McCraken, Seers etc

If Ellis in his prime was around today it would be huge news, look at the media coverage that Walmsley got and he isn’t half the player Gareth was.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 851

macnaz

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
8,331
read somewhere that us, warriors knights and panthers produce the most juniors in the nrl and look at the recent success the clubs have had. Zilch. IC has obviously identified this because we only have something like 7 locals in our team this year? Compared to pretty much 70% of our team in recent years
And we are paying for it in Dollar terms ..
If clubs such as ours turned our backs on junior development the game would be f**ked . The NRL LOVES rich clubs but couldnt car less about the poorer clubs who provide the players for the whole game.. until a payment system is developed we should just avoid juniors all together
 

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,042
Parra would be loaded if that happened. They have developed a shit load of juniors who have signed else where. Still clubs deserve somewhere for all the time and money they've invested in junior development;
 

Magpies Forever

Juniors
Messages
2,208
And we are paying for it in Dollar terms ..
If clubs such as ours turned our backs on junior development the game would be f**ked . The NRL LOVES rich clubs but couldnt car less about the poorer clubs who provide the players for the whole game.. until a payment system is developed we should just avoid juniors all together

This is what has f**ked us. We've focused on juniors and expected loyalty but that hasn't happened. It's not worth doing that.

I have been wondering for the last few seasons whether the NRL clubs should totally hand over their juniors to the NRL itself to develop i.e the juniors development becomes a NRL level responsibility and the NRL clubs are responsible for the 1st and reserve grade and have about 50 odd players on their books to cover both grades. I think its the next step as the existing system is not working at all well. NRL clubs can go after any junior player from any location they want if they see promise in them.

Still plenty of issues with 1st and reserve grade teams / players / transfers / player agents but one step at a time.
 

magpie_man

Juniors
Messages
1,973
Tedescos a merkin, but would still take him back in a heart beat. Moses and Woods hell no

In saying that, it won’t be teddy

No way for me.
Tries to ditch us for Canberra after all his injury dramas only to backflip at the eleventh hour thanks to some pleading from Farah.
The very next contract he can't leave us soon enough, initially for Canterbury but inevitably for Easts...and allegedly for less money.
Screw him, seriously.
And don't even get me started on our former captain.
Moses came out of the whole fiasco with those three looking the best, which is really saying something...
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
No way for me.
Tries to ditch us for Canberra after all his injury dramas only to backflip at the eleventh hour thanks to some pleading from Farah.
The very next contract he can't leave us soon enough, initially for Canterbury but inevitably for Easts...and allegedly for less money.
Screw him, seriously.
And don't even get me started on our former captain.
Moses came out of the whole fiasco with those three looking the best, which is really saying something...

Yep. We need to have standards when it comes to character and integrity within our club and those guys don't cut it.
 

Clifferd

Coach
Messages
10,805
Talks Farah will get the flick from souffs, should we bite the bullet and go there? It’s not like our dummy half options atm are something to brag about

Could be a mentor to ease Liddle in aswell.
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
Talks Farah will get the flick from souffs, should we bite the bullet and go there? It’s not like our dummy half options atm are something to brag about

Could be a mentor to ease Liddle in aswell.

That is a tough one. Our options there are beyond ordinary. I don't see why we don't get him back. The downside is that Benji has always come across as being a decent guy whereas Robbie is a bit of a prick. Will Robbie end up creating a bad culture ? Personally I think IC could handle the situation easily.
 

Clifferd

Coach
Messages
10,805
That is a tough one. Our options there are beyond ordinary. I don't see why we don't get him back. The downside is that Benji has always come across as being a decent guy whereas Robbie is a bit of a prick. Will Robbie end up creating a bad culture ? Personally I think IC could handle the situation easily.

I really think our club is over the whole Farah fiasco. It happened ages ago

If Farah was to walk into WT hq tomorrow morning there is no way he gets free reign like he used to, our club has had a complete make over from our roster being changed, new management and a new coach who doesn’t take any bs
 

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,297
Benji was the same and we welcomed him back with opens arms

He’ll probably end up in esl anyway I guess

Farah was more of a control freak than Benji at the club. I think, in hindsight, Taylor’s sloe job at our club was to move Farah on. Once done, Taylor was done.
 

Latest posts

Top