Whos Going To Replace Matulino

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Apparanty hes signed and sealed to the Tigers and is currently in the 10 day cooling off period.
Hope Doyle has a few aces up his sleeve

 

[Penrose_11]

Would be gutted if was the case. Top props in Aus are asking $600-$800. With the expected increase of the Cap next year, hopefully we've been offering this kind of $$ to Ben. On his day, I would definitely rate him in top 5 props running around.

 

[jaseg]

Seumanufagai + one more.

I don't think there's any premium talent left on the market for middles (outside of Woods who seems certain to stay in Sydney - and has created some major question marks around himself this season), so looking at 2 guys with experience and high workrates and quality in the right areas.

Ideally the other would be Scott Bolton - but I don't think he's any serious chance of leaving the Cowboys.

Brenton Lawrence might be worth a shot as a holdover for a year or two until a big hitter comes off contract.

 

[JJ]

I'd take Woods in a heartbeat, he wouldn't come - I know there are questions around him, but seriously that f**king club has been a disaster - and tbh are there any questions around him that many don't ask about Matulino

Real shame if Matulino leaves, but to be blunt I think he needs a change

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Anything in England that we could bring over

 

[jaseg]

Not particularly.

Alex Walmsley has stalled a bit, and has another year left on his contract anyway. He's still probably the closest English talent.

Adam Cuthbertson has probably been the best middle forward in England this season... again, not off contract (and old).

David Fifita is ok, can do a job in the NRL - but huge question marks over his character.

Might be one or two others (Wakeman?), but no real standouts.

A lot of the quality has been plucked out of there already I think - at least in the middle, so it's pretty scarce.

The reserve grade comps over here is probably a deeper well right now... and at least we've got some of the better prospects there at the moment. Our guys (both Sipleys, Daniel Palavi putting his name up very firmly... even Chris Satae to an extent), George Fai and Nick Brown in QLD cup, Alex Twal at the Eels/Magpies etc

edit;
Quick stat run over the SL did throw up one guy - a Kiwi too - Junior Moors. But he's turning 31 this year and doesn't come off contract until 2020..

 

[TheDMC]

Woods and muts are quite similar. Don't hit the line hard but make big post contact meters. Both have great offload capability but Woods seems to have free license to do so while ben often curbed. Woods plays bigger minutes but that's a coaching decision rather than motor issue methinks. Ben was an aggressive defender until shoulder charge banned.

He probably does need a club change but boy will that screw us.

 

[ozbash]

Benny isn't a very good prop.. he is a very good 2nd rower.

Good luck to him, off to uncle Ivans.

Wouldn't be surprised if he's followed by ex Cleary trained players..

 

[Big Marn]

Benny isn't a very good prop.. he is a very good 2nd rower.
..

i always thought he could be that offloading middle that some of the other teams have that we lack. ie McGuire for Broncs, JT for cowboys, Merrin for Panthers. 2 of those guys are ex props. Ben started off as a second rower in U20s.

 

[Penrose_11]

I wouldn't take Woods. He's a virus amongst that Tigers leaderdhip group and only out for himself. Not something we're after. Thank f**k he won't leave Sydney with his current TV gigs.

If Woods is going to the Doggies as suggested, I'd happily pay overs to get Jimmy Graham (31) over here for his final 2-3 NRL seasons. Now that's a leader!!

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Yeah I too like Ben at second row but such is his solidness and versatility, saw him fill the vacancy we had for a prop very well. Until last year where he dropped off in form. I dont think Ben liked playin prop because Cappy gave him a game at second row one time and his game truly came alive, he had a great game that day. So good that Cappy being Cappy, put him back at prop after that game.

I hope Ben doesnt go as I love solid defenders like him and we need that right now.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Benny isn't a very good prop.. he is a very good 2nd rower.

Good luck to him, off to uncle Ivans.

Wouldn't be surprised if he's followed by ex Cleary trained players..

disagree about players following bro. they had the chance when he went to the panthers and only ET went. There are only 4 players that are left here that played under him (SJ Mannerking Manu And lillyman) and they are vying for their first premiership. doubt they would want to go through a rebuilding phase again

 

[ozbash]

Yea.. I was thinking more of sharky and ET.

Benny has never really been happy since Ivan left..

 

[Diesel]

I'm sure Doyle has a magic trick coming up

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Guess he finally got off that "sinking ship". Although its not as if he is now boarding the HMAS Australia

 

[TheDMC]

Warriors and Ben denying he has signed.

I hate this gossip crap. Half the time its a crock (not saying Ben hasn't signed though), but its such poor journalism. Report facts not gossip. But the forums lap it up too.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

If he's off, it's a pity he didn't get the chance to prove himself under SK.
He was part of the problem group, whose attitude needed adjusting.
And didn't seem to want to put in.
No issue if he wants to go if he doesn't feel the passion to pull on the jersey!

Who to replace him with???
James Graham if he want to move to a more English climate.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Andrew f**king McFadden.

Turned the 2015 POTY, averaging over 16 runs a game, 150m+ (never once under 100m all year) and 2.5 offloads a game into a bench player the following year, and now he's gone (it'll happen).

Makes me really wild. People can talk about Ben's attitude all they want but he was a powerhouse in 2015, the alpha dog then McFudd sat him on the bench for weeks on end, low minutes then jacked him up to nigh on 80. Ugh.

 

[legs 11]

lets go for one or 2 of the burgess brothers.....very big and strong and so far have worked the steroid cycles very well to avoid being caught out.

 

[Blair]

Andrew f**king McFadden.

Turned the 2015 POTY, averaging over 16 runs a game, 150m+ (never once under 100m all year) and 2.5 offloads a game into a bench player the following year, and now he's gone (it'll happen).

Makes me really wild. People can talk about Ben's attitude all they want but he was a powerhouse in 2015, the alpha dog then McFudd sat him on the bench for weeks on end, low minutes then jacked him up to nigh on 80. Ugh.

There must have been some method to this madness, why was Matulino starting from the bench again? I recall it began in earnest from round 1, 2016, our 'Who Replaces Cappy?' thread starter.