Peta Hiku - Elite NRL Centre ?

[Izz]

Like for example, surely Gelling was on more money as a starter for Wigan than he's getting here?

Apparently Gelling's girlfriend (who lives here) was injured in a car accident last year and Gelling wanted to be closer to her.

Source: https://anthonygelling.wixsite.com/mysite/feed/s-in-a-bit-1

 

[vvvrulz]

I know OP is unpopular but jeez, there's a lot of negativity in this thread.

Most of us are just disagreeing with the 'elite NRL centre' point and putting our arguments out there.

Pretty much everyone agrees Hiku was generally a valuable buy doing a good job for us.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Perhaps stating the obvious here but ever since we managed to sign Luke and RTS, and then Foran, and now the raft of signings before this season, I've been wondering how we've (a) managed to attract all these players despite being shit and (b) stay under the cap.

The obvious answer is that although we are far from being a glamour club, there actually are a lot of Kiwi boys out there who grew up wanting to be Warriors and who are keen to come home, maybe even for a pay cut. Honestly before they came I would've thought it was naïve to suggest that the likes of RTS, Blair, Luke and Harris had any interest in the Warriors. I would've thought they were happy as Larry pulling in the big bucks in Sydney or Brisbane or Melbourne. Seems like the club does actually have some pull after all.

Of course prior to this season the cliché was that Kiwis only "came home" to the Warriors when no-one else wanted them or when they wanted to slack off. Maybe the secret to success has been under our noses all along? Not necessarily home grown players, but weeding out the players who have come through the professionalism of the Australian system but still harbour some sort of patriotism or childhood dream of playing for the Warriors?

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Under the cap easy. Foran last season, Hiku and Gelling this season dirt cheap
Harris straight swap for Hoffman
Vision for the club going forward is excellent

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

RTS, Luke, Johnson I would've thought were all on "marquee" money but I suspect Luke came for less than I think- good business. But RTS and Johnson are two guys probably on megabucks
To be able to sign both RTS and Luke at the same time- if another club did that I'd be raising my eyebrows
We also had Vatuvei, Mannering, Matulino who I imagine were on big money at the same time as having 3x big name spine players- keeping that under the cap is good management (even though we somehow still managed to be a terrible team)
If we are paying Harris the same as we were paying Hoffman that's very good business (or we were paying Hoffman way too much)

All depends how you slice it and how you perceive various players I guess, if you take an optimistic view of our guys then we start to look like a cap-pushing team- which is good. I'm not saying "are we cheating?" I'm saying "how have we managed to assemble a good value-for-money squad when I've always heard that we have to pay overs?"

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Love Hiku. He has addressed his defense needs some improvement. He has way more positives than negatives being involved and support play. Once he fixes that D like Kata has, he can be called ELITE thank you.

 

[sup42]

Pita went out on the town at the Panthers and got on the Sauce.
Phil Rothfeild mentioned him last night during NRL 360 as an example of when things went wrong at Penrith (the discussion was actually about Manly's drama's).

Pita hit the lowest lows in other words and that is why he was not wanted by anyone.

The thing that interests me about Kearney is that he is quite willing to offer people redemption if they are legitimate, equally he is quite willing to fire people and never give them another go if they disrespect him.

Anthony Gelling on the other hand had to come back to Auckland after his Missus had a bad car accident, he is here to support and look after her. So he literally fell into the Warriors laps.

Two of the Warriors most successful turn around stories would include Hiku and Gavet, both are on lowish money for their output (though James is no longer minimum wage).

Crazy when you think back to the time the Warriors offered Pita Hiku one million dollars (he looked almost worth it then in Manly's colours).

Gerrard Beale is an out an out get by Kearney. His passing game is a big part of the eventual plan for that back line. Gerrard is on reasonable money without being overs for a veteran.

Kearney would have been thinking it is Christmas having two Kiwi international Centers that he has worked with extensively suddenly in his grasp.

 

[vvvrulz]

There is a bit of a Moneyball vibe to it isn't there, we're suddenly stacked with low profile & work hungry achievers

For all the crap we've given him in the past, Mooks appeared to have a recruitment plan after all.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

RTS, Luke, Johnson I would've thought were all on "marquee" money but I suspect Luke came for less than I think- good business. But RTS and Johnson are two guys probably on megabucks
To be able to sign both RTS and Luke at the same time- if another club did that I'd be raising my eyebrows
We also had Vatuvei, Mannering, Matulino who I imagine were on big money at the same time as having 3x big name spine players- keeping that under the cap is good management (even though we somehow still managed to be a terrible team)
If we are paying Harris the same as we were paying Hoffman that's very good business (or we were paying Hoffman way too much)

All depends how you slice it and how you perceive various players I guess, if you take an optimistic view of our guys then we start to look like a cap-pushing team- which is good. I'm not saying "are we cheating?" I'm saying "how have we managed to assemble a good value-for-money squad when I've always heard that we have to pay overs?"

RTS is on big bucks but even he was a straight swap for Tompkins- so our FB spend has stayed consistent for the last 5 seasons.
Harris was a swap for Hoffman.
Mutts, Bull and Thompson together would’ve paid for Blair, Paasi, Pulu with change left over.
Vatuvei, Lolohea and Hingano would’ve paid for the new backs.

 

[sup42]

Big Jim wrote and administered some of the New Cap laws. The Warriors will never exceed the Cap while he is part of the set up.

The Warriors have cleverly done some creative accounting by giving RTS's brother a role at the club as a media fun guy while providing him with that fringe reserve grade opportunity.

Very smart operating, we struggle to fined TPA sponsors here in NZ historically, Doyle has spoken about that in the past.

However that was in the landscape of the Warriors as perennial struggles.

Who knows what is possible if they win this thing.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Gelling was a blessing, originally he was going to try and make Northlands rugby team for the NPC. Got asked to train and trial with us and BOOM in 1st grade

 

[Fangs]

Doesn't get a lot of love in Panther land. Definately didn't have a great time there. Was quite excited with his signing but he had an ACL just like Whare and never really showed any consistent form.

Hiku is playing some decent footy. But his defence is lacking as you already know. Fix that and he will be an excellent signing.