Rumoured and Confirmed signings - Part 4

[franklin2323]

I think the main difference in Cleary pre and post Origin is we watched a kid with huge potential pre and now expect an Origin winning half post. The other is, nobody in our side can hold onto the ball.

Exsilium, go ahead and add half of the game (defence) to your list and he is close to the best half in the league.

Cleary has always struck me as a Cronk type. Not a natural footy player but precise, well drilled and consistent. If we had a quality structure (and hooker) I think Cleary would really start to reach his potential.

Origin has just raised the unrealistic expectations. He is still 20 with around 50 games experience. Just needs a consistent spine to further develop

 

[herbert henry1908]

Hook is where x-factor goes to die.

In 7 years as head coach not a single half has played their best footy under Hook. Not to say they havent been decent under him. But like clockwork they go and improve under a new coach that lets them use their ability. Corey Normsn is onr of the best examples of that. He looked to have no vision or x-factor under Hook. 12 months away from him and he's actually a decent player. Scummy human. But decent player.

Nathan is only 20 years old and until a fortnight ago had spent his entire NRL career under a coach who didnt want his players backing themselves.

In 2 weeks he has already began running more and having a variety of kicks up his sleeve. We still have no game plans or set plays as such to execute though. He's a player who will do exactly what his coach wants. Put him under a Bellamy or Bennett and he goes on to have a Cronk like career. Bennett would do wonders for a number of our players.

To blame it all on hook needs another explanation for Cleary doing nothing attacking wise in the origin series. Not even in the dead rubber when the pressure was off did he show glimpses.

Cleary’s age also isn’t the issue, far more relevant is his experience. He’s played 54 FG games, this is the point he should be improving.


Cleary isn’t a bad player, he’s just not a good halfback. If he’s always going to follow instructions & not play what’s in front of him he’ll never make the step up. Cleary himself has talked about needing to play what’s in front of him, Fittler said it during game 3, but he hasn’t been able to execute that.

Our best phase of the season was actually when Cleary was out of the team. We went 5-2 without him.

Perhaps if we got Bellamy or Bennett to the club, but what’s the chances of that? You’d be mad to pay Nathan Cleary $1m a season.

 

[umina panther]

$1m is standard for a halfback now

 

[martielang]

Hook is also responsible for global warming as well.

 

[umina panther]

Hook is also responsible for global warming as well.

I wouldn't put it past him tbh

 

[chrisD]

He's not that good but yeah a million is what the market is going to say he's worth and you're not going to get anyone tested and competent for less than that. I'd be happy with Cleary/Maloney, Cleary/Luai or Maloney/Luai, but we need to buy either a 1 or a 9. And then if we have anything left a destructive middle ball runner. And a new coach.

 

[TheFrog]

Hook is also responsible for global warming as well.

All of us are responsible for that.

 

[franklin2323]

$1m is standard for a halfback now

This is the thing. Most teams have a half with a $1m price tag

 

[franklin2323]

He's not that good but yeah a million is what the market is going to say he's worth and you're not going to get anyone tested and competent for less than that. I'd be happy with Cleary/Maloney, Cleary/Luai or Maloney/Luai, but we need to buy either a 1 or a 9. And then if we have anything left a destructive middle ball runner. And a new coach.

Our 9 options next year are Katoa with 30 odd games and Egan with 11 games.

Fullback. Edwards less than 20 games. DWZ with about the same amount of games at FB.

So we have more issues than the halfback

 

[umina panther]

This is the thing. Most teams have a half with a $1m price tag

And out of all the younger halves I'm very happy to bet on Nathan to kick on

 

[OldPanther]

He's not that good but yeah a million is what the market is going to say he's worth and you're not going to get anyone tested and competent for less than that. I'd be happy with Cleary/Maloney, Cleary/Luai or Maloney/Luai, but we need to buy either a 1 or a 9. And then if we have anything left a destructive middle ball runner. And a new coach.

Edwards is our FB and Egan our 9.

 

[franklin2323]

And out of all the younger halves I'm very happy to bet on Nathan to kick on

He has the right attributes to have a good solid career. A Matt Orford type or hell even an NRL Pearce (Take out the NSW Dud and he has had a decent enough record at club level).

just get the rest of the spine to develop with him and we are fine. The stuff he can't do can be covered elsewhere. Luai's spark for example

 

[franklin2323]

Edwards is our FB and Egan our 9.

Both very early in their careers though.

Word is Isaac Luke can't get a start for next year. I'd take him

 

[OldPanther]

He has the right attributes to have a good solid career. A Matt Orford type or hell even an NRL Pearce (Take out the NSW Dud and he has had a decent enough record at club level).

just get the rest of the spine to develop with him and we are fine. The stuff he can't do can be covered elsewhere. Luai's spark for example

This. If our spine of Cleary, Egan, Luai, Edwsrds can develop together it'll be a force when they all have 100+ games.

 

[OldPanther]

Both very early in their careers though.

Word is Isaac Luke can't get a start for next year. I'd take him

They won't ever have experience if we don't play them. I'll take an experienced player as a short term mentor but that's it.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

Just to clarify I'm not saying Cleary won't develop into a player similar to Cronk but I wouldn't bet 1 million+ of our cap in the hopes of that. If it comes to that I'd rather let him go and use that money to lure down Tapau and something else. Move Maloney to halfback and Laui to *second receiver. Maloney's plays 5/8 but halfback has always been his preferred position.

 

[herbert henry1908]

$1m is standard for a halfback now

Is it?

There’s less halfbacks earning $1m than there are doing so.

From my count it’s probably only 4/5 that are reported to be on money in that territory.

 

[franklin2323]

This. If our spine of Cleary, Egan, Luai, Edwsrds can develop together it'll be a force when they all have 100+ games.

We have chosen the long game. So should play it out we will be a force over the next 2-3 years as it all falls into place

 

[Bob]

Both very early in their careers though.

Word is Isaac Luke can't get a start for next year. I'd take him

So would i for 2 years to help Egan along

 

[franklin2323]

So would i for 2 years to help Egan along

That was my thinking too