Rumoured and Confirmed Signings Part2

[ACTPanthers]

All these juniors that will now want to leave because of Hiku's signing were in the same position 2 months ago when we still had Idris!

If Gould, Griffin and those in the know think we need experience that isn't there who am I to argue.

Welcome to Penrith Peta. Go hard son!

People have opinions.

I don't necessarily agree with everything MX has said, but I see his point with regards to this possibly holding one of the young guys back

What I do hope is, if Hiku isn't playing good football, he is replaced without fuss with someone who wants to own it.

 

[abpanther]

You're underestimating Hiku and over rating Jennings and Blake, who were quite frankly shit last year, and a long way from being ready for first grade. Add in the fact Jennings can't play 2 games in a row without getting injured and I think Hiku's signing is a good one.

Exactly

Hell Hiku is a 23 year old international, he's still got improvement left in him.

Rennings and Blake were terrible last year, they need more time and development, if they decide that they want to go because they don't want to put in the time to craft their game and make it to the top then that says a lot about them.

Opportunities will come, they always do, like I said I can't see Mansour or Moylan playing a full season

 

[Luke Bowden]

All these juniors that will now want to leave because of Hiku's signing were in the same position 2 months ago when we still had Idris!

If Gould, Griffin and those in the know think we need experience that isn't there who am I to argue.

Welcome to Penrith Peta. Go hard son!

Exactly what I have been saying.

Welcome Aboard Hiku! Train hard and rip in!

 

[Luke Bowden]

They had a full 1-7 with no spots available for him at full strength. He was a fix it player covering wing, fullback and centre. He was also off contract and worth more to us then to Sea Eagles.

Hiku was also covering the same positions but was part of their full strength side and under contract for less than his current market value. If he were a game breaker they would have kept him for the length of his contract as they re-signed him a while ago before his value would have gone up.

We also had plenty of spots with no clear favorite for the position back then. So Whare made sense to buy as we had a lot of spts up for grabs.

Until yesterday we had one spot up for grabs and some great talent fighting for it. We were in an ideal position to develop a young player.

Blake and the Jennings boys aren't ready for fulltime NRL. They need another season in Reggies. Hiku is skilful player who will teach them heaps. If they choose to leave, so be it, Gus and Hook have to put the team 1st. We haven't had a solid centre pairing since 2003.

Signing Hiku is a very good move. But that's just my opinion.

Go Panthers!

 

[chrisD]

mx,
Gould has confirmed the 1.3 million as reported by josh massoud is overstated.

Journalists often make up figures saying "dt understand the contract is around $xxx". Once its in print they then just say "reported $xxxx contract" and the next journo will guess even higher and so on. The initial guess becomes lost in print and fans just take it as fact.

Given the recruits and retention we have made in recent years, i think its pretty obvious that we don't pay "overs" anymore.

And Gould often flat out lies where it suits him.

 

[mxlegend99]

All these juniors that will now want to leave because of Hiku's signing were in the same position 2 months ago when we still had Idris!

If Gould, Griffin and those in the know think we need experience that isn't there who am I to argue.

Welcome to Penrith Peta. Go hard son!

Idris was moving into the forward pack and his contract was nearing its end. Hiku will be in the backline for the next 3 years.

A glimpse of a permanent first grade spot has disappeared completely now. Everyone of those guys is now depth and nothing more.

 

[mxlegend99]

And Gould often flat out lies where it suits him.

Yeah i dont see how our days of paying overs are done. We outbid everyone to sign Hiku. Same with Merrin.

If Eels offered the same he chooses them for sure.

 

[abpanther]

Idris was moving into the forward pack and his contract was nearing its end. Hiku will be in the backline for the next 3 years.

A glimpse of a permanent first grade spot has disappeared completely now. Everyone of those guys is now depth and nothing more.

Mansour is off contract after this season, that's one spot available after this year

Moylan could very well move to the halves, that's another spot open

Plus injuries happen every year

Why are you overlooking these things?

 

[mxlegend99]

Mansour is off contract after this season, that's one spot available after this year

Moylan could very well move to the halves, that's another spot open

Plus injuries happen every year

Why are you overlooking these things?

Im not overlooking those things. I addressed Mansour potentially leaving and would consider that a downgrade. Would have rathered keep Mansour then sign Hiku.

Moylan is supposedly playing fullback this year and while they keep saying a move to the halves is on the cards, it's always sometime in the future and never actually in the progress of happening.

Injuries happen. But do you think we can keep all those young guys happy competing for a spot IF someone is injured? I don't. No chance. If i were them I would see the writing on the wall and look elsewher. Gus and Griffin have basically told them they don't have faith in them.

I think atleast one of the Jennings boys or Blake commits to a new club in the next few months. All will be open to the idea. who wouldn't look at a new club when this roadblock just hit for becoming a first grade player?

 

[abpanther]

Im not overlooking those things. I addressed Mansour potentially leaving and would consider that a downgrade. Would have rathered keep Mansour then sign Hiku.

Moylan is supposedly playing fullback this year and while they keep saying a move to the halves is on the cards, it's always sometime in the future and never actually in the progress of happening.

Injuries happen. But do you think we can keep all those young guys happy competing for a spot IF someone is injured? I don't. No chance. If i were them I would see the writing on the wall and look elsewher. Gus and Griffin have basically told them they don't have faith in them.

I think atleast one of the Jennings boys or Blake commits to a new club in the next few months. All will be open to the idea. who wouldn't look at a new club when this roadblock just hit for becoming a first grade player?

I don't see what Mansour v Hiku has to do with anything, they play different positions.

Mansour moves on, that opens as spot for someone (say Gennings)

Moylan moving to the halves should happen in the next year or two, that would open up another spot for Rennings/Blake

Injuries do happen and these guys need to be working on their craft so that they're ready to do well when an opportunity arises. Why should it be viewed as not having faith in any of them? Rather a message that there are no freebies and that they need to develop a lot more given their performances last year.

There were plenty of opportunities for all these youngsters last year and while they showed some flashes, they definitely struggled and the team underperformed, I don't want to see that again and it seems Gus has a plan for how to bring these guys through.

Look at DWZ, Cartwright, RCG, etc, plenty of evidence around the club that if you work hard you will get opportunities.

 

[betcats]

Yeah i dont see how our days of paying overs are done. We outbid everyone to sign Hiku. Same with Merrin.

If Eels offered the same he chooses them for sure.

We offered an extra year for one. Just because we outbid teams doesn't mean we overpaid that is ridiculous, especially this late before the season when most teams have their cap filled or close to it. It means pretty much every good player who ever signed a contract was overpaid. If the Jennings boys or Blake leaves cause we signed an international player like Hiku then so be it, right now Hiku is the better player and offers us more.

While I think the 3 young backs will all be very good players Rennings was flat out a liability last year when played in FG and Waqa was also when played on the wing, they might come one next year or it might take another year or two. Both the Jennings boys seem injury prone as well. Hiku is a very good player who offers plenty of flexibility in the backline as well.

 

[maple_69]

Why would Hiku have chosen Parra over Penrith of they offered the same money. Sure he has some mates there but Parra are a basket case and Penrith have a team capable of contending and really furthering his career.

I think what we are fundamentally disagreeing on is whether Hiku is a great player. I think he is, mx doesn't. I can understand if you subjectively don't rate a guy we've brought in that it wouldn't look a good call. I subjectively rate him as an upgrade so I think the POTENTIAL fallout relating to the young guys is worth the risk

We all want the team to be as strong as possible. I'm just stoked we are discussing the pros and cons of signing a NZ international in December rather than Paul Franze. The club is in a healthy place, we are always going to disagree on the best way to maximise the assets available to us.

 

[betcats]

Gus is obviously a great recruiter and salesman, he has shown that since he got here. To assume we paid overs for a guy because he choose us over another club or clubs is as I said, ridiculous.

 

[The yak]

All these juniors that will now want to leave because of Hiku's signing were in the same position 2 months ago when we still had Idris!

If Gould, Griffin and those in the know think we need experience that isn't there who am I to argue.

Welcome to Penrith Peta. Go hard son!

Thank you a sensible reply.

I can't believe the NEGATIVE backlash of some people have on here for a guy that hasn't even played a game for us yet.

 

[The yak]

Injuries happen. But do you think we can keep all those young guys happy competing for a spot IF someone is injured? I don't. No chance. If i were them I would see the writing on the wall and look elsewher. Gus and Griffin have basically told them they don't have faith in them.

I think atleast one of the Jennings boys or Blake commits to a new club in the next few months. All will be open to the idea. who wouldn't look at a new club when this roadblock just hit for becoming a first grade player?

Stiff. If Gould or Griffen thought one of those 3 was banging down the door to play 20+ games in first grade next year then we wouldn't have signed Hiku.
The pre season is already under way and reports have already come out Blake is struggling at training. Robert Jennings need another 18-24 months in the lower grades before I think he is ready for a permanent spot.
George needs to stay fit and work his defence, positioning at the back and wait for his chance for a wing spot not a centre spot yet.
They are not ready yet.

 

[Cranky Sod]

They had a full 1-7 with no spots available for him at full strength. He was a fix it player covering wing, fullback and centre. He was also off contract and worth more to us then to Sea Eagles.

That is utterly false.

Hiku had 2 years left on his contract with Manly. He resigned with Manly last year on a 3 year deal despite a lucrative offer on the table from the Warriors.
Manly begged him to stay for less. If Geoff Toovey was still coach of Manly he wouldn't be leaving.

Full strength he starts in Manly's side. Reluctantly on the Wing ahead of Trbojevic

Stewart
Taufua
Lyon
Matai
Hiku
Walker
DCE

Manly needed to release him to get Walker in. Had Walker not come Lyon would have gone to 6 with Hiku in the centres.

 

[betcats]

I think he was referring to Whare. Still the attitude from some is hard to fathom, there is no doubt Hiku improves our team so I am happy. If Dallin can stay healthy he will be an international next season(should be already) which means all our outside backs are internationals, we are well on our way to having a gun backline similar to Manly while they were dominating for years. Our forward pack is improving(and still pretty young), just need sort out the halves and we are all set.

 

[ACTPanthers]

Yeah, damn all these opinions people have! Don't they know you're not a true fan unless you follow blindly and say the whole organisation is perfect!? (FTR I don't mind the Hiku signing, but it's just his opinion guys)

 

[mxlegend99]

That is utterly false.

Hiku had 2 years left on his contract with Manly. He resigned with Manly last year on a 3 year deal despite a lucrative offer on the table from the Warriors.
Manly begged him to stay for less. If Geoff Toovey was still coach of Manly he wouldn't be leaving.

Full strength he starts in Manly's side. Reluctantly on the Wing ahead of Trbojevic

Stewart
Taufua
Lyon
Matai
Hiku
Walker
DCE

Manly needed to release him to get Walker in. Had Walker not come Lyon would have gone to 6 with Hiku in the centres.

Uhhh I was talking about Whare. That was my point... when we got Whare he was surplus to their requirements. They had a full backline and he was only ever used when they had injuries... which with Stewart, Lyon and Matai in the backline was quiet often. They didn't NEED him. So he was worth more to us and we had a few openings for him to take. We tried fullback, that was a failure. He moved to centre and from there we haven't looked back.

Hiku on the other hand was part of their full strength team, and he was re-signed early into his stay at Manly when he would have been reasonably cheap to keep. But they wanted to offload him to sign Dylan Walker. They had a good player on a great value contract but opted for a game breaker instead.

I just don't see why we would outbid teams who actually need him when we have 4 established players in our backline, and 4 players who are young, talented, have first grade experience and with a single spot up for grabs for 4 guys to fight their way into the team.

If we have no confidence that Anthony Griffin can get one of those guys to reach their potential. What was the point in signing him? Maybe Ivan Cleary just wasn't as good at developing players as we thought he would be. He failed with quiet a few guys. Kevin Naiqama was good before he came here, was shit for us and then went reasonably well after leaving. Blake Austin was said to be a lost cause. Now he's the best #6 running around for NSW. He failed to get the best out of guys like Michael Jennings, Lachlan Coote, Tim Grant, Sam McKendry etc. who were all quality before he arrived. We have arguably our best crop of youngsters sitting in reserve grade at the moment and people think they aren't good enough for first grade because they had a few average games in their debut year under Ivan Cleary.

I think Blake and R Jennings have a higher ceiling then Hiku does. They definitely aren't near his league yet, but they could have been by seasons end if Griffin is better at developing players then Cleary was.

 

[betcats]

Yeah, damn all these opinions people have! Don't they know you're not a true fan unless you follow blindly and say the whole organisation is perfect!? (FTR I don't mind the Hiku signing, but it's just his opinion guys)

I hate stupid post like this, it is sarcastic and stating the obvious and adds nothing to the discussion. He is posting his opinion and we are posting ours, what is the problem?