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Tevita Pangai Junior off contract.

B

BennyV

Referee
Messages
22,550
Frank Facer said:
So if we do make the top 4 this year, are the Mary bashers going to say that we made the top 4 because we have a good coach, or are they going to say, we made the top 4 because we have a superior roster than we did in previous years that Mary coached us? I am sure it will be the later.

Supercoach Jack Gibson said that the best coach is the best recruiter. He meant that the best coach is the one who has the best players at his disposal. Gibson also said that if you have got the best halfback, then you are half way there (to winning a comp), he was referring to having Peter Sterling as his halfback at the time, who is one of the top 3 halfbacks I have seen along with Johns and Thurston.

We were leading the comp after 8 rounds or so last year, with the worst halfback in the comp and a team that was tipped by many to get the wooden spoon and Mary was our coach. At the time, Mary looked like the best coach in the game. lol We now have Ben Hunt as our halfback. That makes a massive difference than having Mcrone as our halfback. As I previously said, I think Bennett restricted Hunts game, while Mary is giving him a licence to take control of the team and to play both sides of the field. I have also predicted that Hunt will find career best form this year. If he does so will that be because of Mary?

I have Easts as one of the 3 teams that can win the comp this year, that isn't because they have Robinson as their coach, it is because of the roster that they have. If Mary was coaching Easts this year, with the roster they have, I would still have them as one of the 3 teams who I think can with the comp.

Bennett who many on this site think is the Messiah has not won another comp in the last 7 years and won't be winning one this year either, because he doesn't have the cattle to win a comp.
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Lol at thinking you've proven a point based on hypoethicals! We will have to see at the end of the season, and we'll revisit then. IMO, Top 4 is a pipe dream because while our players have the ability to win games, it's up to Mary to develop the game plan, keep spirits up, coach basic skills and develop players to find the best balance in the team - things that Mary has proven his inability to do.

Couple of other things.
- Lol at the references to Gibson. Not only was he coaching in a different era (without the absolute scrutiny on players, tactics, game plans etc that coaches face today) but what do you expect the guy to say? He is a leader (a true leader, not a self-promoting blame-shifter like the assclown we have coaching us at the moment) and a humble guy at that. Do you expect him to say 'coaches are so important, hence why my teams win - because I'm the best coach'? He put public faith in his players and gave credit to those who needed it. It's one of the things that makes him such a good coach!
- Mary never looks like the best coach in the game. Those of us with an ounce of footy knowledge could see the writing on the wall early in the season in the glaring weaknesses in our game plan, player selections and rotation of the bench.
- So you think that the best roster always wins (complete rubbish, but anyway!) and that the best coaches are the best recruiters, and all that other garbage that no one is buying. Why have coaches at all? You seem to believe they dont matter, so what purpose do they serve? Why dont we just let Millward do the recruiting and let Graham captain/coach the team?
 
Frank Facer

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
BennyV said:
Lol at thinking you've proven a point based on hypoethicals! We will have to see at the end of the season, and we'll revisit then. IMO, Top 4 is a pipe dream because while our players have the ability to win games, it's up to Mary to develop the game plan, keep spirits up, coach basic skills and develop players to find the best balance in the team - things that Mary has proven his inability to do.

Couple of other things.
- Lol at the references to Gibson. Not only was he coaching in a different era (without the absolute scrutiny on players, tactics, game plans etc that coaches face today) but what do you expect the guy to say? He is a leader (a true leader, not a self-promoting blame-shifter like the assclown we have coaching us at the moment) and a humble guy at that. Do you expect him to say 'coaches are so important, hence why my teams win - because I'm the best coach'? He put public faith in his players and gave credit to those who needed it. It's one of the things that makes him such a good coach!
- Mary never looks like the best coach in the game. Those of us with an ounce of footy knowledge could see the writing on the wall early in the season in the glaring weaknesses in our game plan, player selections and rotation of the bench.
- So you think that the best roster always wins (complete rubbish, but anyway!) and that the best coaches are the best recruiters, and all that other garbage that no one is buying. Why have coaches at all? You seem to believe they dont matter, so what purpose do they serve? Why dont we just let Millward do the recruiting and let Graham captain/coach the team?
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Gibson won 3 premierships in a row in the early 80's with Parra. He had the best pair of halves I have ever seen, in Sterling and Kenny. He had Mick Cronin as one centre, who was an automatic for NSW and Australia if as long as he was fit. He had Steve Ella who was a very talented, very skillful and played for NSW. He also had Ray Price, who was the best lock in the game. If Price wasn't playing Parra were a completely different team. I remember us beating Parra the week before the semis in 1983 by 32 - 2. Price and maybe another player or 2 were missing from from Parra's team that day. Parra then went onto win the comp that year. Gibson's Parra had one of the best backline's ever. In one origin game the NSW backline had Eric Grothe, Neil Hunt, Steve Ella, Mick Cronin, Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling and we beat QLD convincingly that night. Besides Price, the rest of Parra's pack didn't get the accolades that other packs did, but they held their own, did their job and were pretty good in hindsight.

After Gibson left Parra, John Monie took over in 1985. That year, Sterling and Kenny both went to play in England and did not return until more then halfway through the comp.They finished 4th on the ladder that year and came 3rd after the semis. The next year the won another comp, this time coached by John Monie. I bet many on this forum have never even heard of John Monie. I will add that Mick Cronin missed most of 1986 with an eye injury. At the end of that year, Price and Cronin retired and Parra were never the same team again. They missed Price too much. They finished 7th in 1987, missing the semis as it was only a top 5 back then.

Jack Gibson went to coach Cronualla after he left Parra. He did turn them into a team that made the Semis, but he didn't win any more comps. Gibson was obviously a very good coach, but he had the cattle to work with.

One of Gibson's most famous quotes was "Do the simple things right".
 
Lovemedragons

Lovemedragons

Juniors
Messages
1,332
Why the downers on Latimore on this bloody forum? He has so far served us pretty well for a cheap pick up, he has made a difference in both games so far when he has come on and he hasn't made any errors that hurt. He is no Taumalola but every good team is helped by having a reliable journeyman in their ranks. All strength to him.
 
Frank Facer

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
BennyV said:
I’m sure there’s a point you’re trying to make somewhere in there...
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Yeah, Gibson had the best cattle to work with when coaching Parramatta and John Monie also won a comp coaching Parramatta with the best cattle. Take Price out of their team and they were never the same.

When Parramatta were missing their some of their best cattle, we beat them 32-2, but they then won the comp 4 weeks later with all their best cattle on the field.
 
Frank Facer

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
I just read that Easts are also in the race to sign Pangai. I already said that I would not be surprised if Easts try to sign him.
 
Frank Facer

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
Just imagine if we did sign Pangai. Our pack would be the best in the comp by far and we would have so much depth in the forwards. Pangai would add to our power game. We would also have James Graham's spot already covered for when he retires. We have got 3 very promising edge backrowers in Leilua, Host and Ford, so there is no need for us to sign Gillette.

I think we have some good exciting young backs coming through, in Lomax, Marsters, Johns, Field, Sailor and Herbert, so I don't think we need to sign any backs either.

Sign him Millward or if anyone knows Millward personally get into his ear and give him a nudge.
 
ouryears

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
Lovemedragons said:
Why the downers on Latimore on this bloody forum? He has so far served us pretty well for a cheap pick up, he has made a difference in both games so far when he has come on and he hasn't made any errors that hurt. He is no Taumalola but every good team is helped by having a reliable journeyman in their ranks. All strength to him.
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Agree. He contributes his share to our success so far.
 
Bests Golden Boots

Bests Golden Boots

Bench
Messages
2,910
mickeylane said:
I have a sneaky feeling that LAM is the loyal type - as long as we are putting forward our best offer he will accept and sign.
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I get that feeling too, if he's offered decent money he will stay.
However, the fly in the ointment could be some club coming over the top and offering him 700k and with the lack of quality props around at the moment and the fact most teams need four, it wouldn't surprise me.

Neither would I hold it against Leson to accept such an offer.
 
R

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
62,231
Would be great ... However to me we don't need him if we sign Ah Mau.

We sign Ah Mau then our best 17 for next season is what we have now except Host in for Latimore with Sims to the bench and an outside back for Nightingale.

Someone like Valentine Holmes would complete us

The cap would surely bite us if we grabbed TPJ
 
Gareth67

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,407
Bests Golden Boots said:
Is there a quality player who Easts ain't trying to sign?
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Well not that I can think off, but there's a rumour and it's only a rumour mind you , that some chap from the Storm may be in the tri- colours pack next year . Apparently not only is he a good footballer , but he also knows quite a bit about refereeing . It's got me stumped just who it could possibly be ? ? ?
 
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Frank Facer

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
AyiosYiorgos said:
we have a salary cap, Pangai at minimum will be 2 to 3 times more expensive...
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We apparently still have quite a bit of cap space.

There was also talk that we were chasing Matt Gillette. If that was true, I would rather we sign Pangai and we would most likely get him for less than Gillette and we could let Latimore go too.
 
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