Rumoured/Confirmed Signings and More Crap XVIII

[lingard]

My point has nothing at all to do with Hayne (I was responding to your comment about how they fit under the cap). The fact that Souths acquired/developed many of their current 'stars' before they were hot means that on average they're paying them less, that's all I was saying.

My apologies (re the Hayne part). But Isaac Luke would not be cheap; Burgess did not sign for six years, so they must have had to renegotiate a contract commensurate with his value a couple of years ago; Greg Inglis was considered a star when they signed him; John Sutton would not be cheap. They would be saving money with their backline (they seem to have an endless procession of wingers and centres who play for a year or two and are then replaced by others). But, still, you look at their team over the past few years compared to ours - and with a supposedly level playing field under the salary cap - and you have to say we've either been unlucky or irresponsible.

 

[lingard]

Luke and Burgess are stars in their awesome pack. Sutton, Te'o, McQueen and the 'little' Burgess boys are solid first graders in the same pack.

The plodders (or one dimensional fast guys) are all wearing jerseys 2 through 7.

I think you are seriously underrating Reynolds and Keary. Admittedly Keary would still be cheap, but I don't think Reynolds would be.

 

[Noise]

Teo and Maqueen are origin players. If they are only solid first graders our whole forward pack bar watmough are plodders.

 

[lingard]

Luke and Burgess are stars in their awesome pack. Sutton, Te'o, McQueen and the 'little' Burgess boys are solid first graders in the same pack.

The plodders (or one dimensional fast guys) are all wearing jerseys 2 through 7.

Te'o, McQueen and George Burgess are way better than solid first graders. Burgess is an international, Te'o has played origin, I think. All three would walk into our pack at the expense of any of our forwards except Peats (and now Whatmough).

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Teo and Maqueen are origin players. If they are only solid first graders our whole forward pack bar watmough are plodders.

Do you think the 34+ Origin players in any given year are the clearly best 34? Are they all as good as each other? Are there any players that miss out that are as good as any of the 34+ that play Origin that year?

IMO guys like Te'o and McQueen look better than they are (and therefore get picked in Origin) because they play off the back of Souths' go forward.

I think Manu Ma'u at his best is better than either of Te'o or McQueen. Edwards is a better attacker than both but not as good defensively. Pauli is also a better attacker than any of them. Who knows how long before Moeroa is an all round better edge forward than both McQueen and Te'o. It could be as soon as next year, but however good he appears to be, a lot will come down to how well our middle forwards go. Just like at Souths.

The fringe Origin players (of which there are up to a dozen in either Origin team) could come from a pool of a hundred or more NRL players who would all do an equally good job. But they always get picked from the teams that are going well - look at Mannah. Is he a worse player than he was when he got picked for NSW? Or is his team just not as good?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Te'o, McQueen and George Burgess are way better than solid first graders. Burgess is an international, Te'o has played origin, I think. All three would walk into our pack at the expense of any of our forwards except Peats (and now Whatmough).

I disagree. Plenty of solid first graders play Origin and international footy every year (not so much for Australia).

There aren't enough stars to populate both Origin teams plus the Kiwis and the Poms so the rest of the spots (most IMO) are taken up by solid first graders.

I agree that between them, George and Tom Burgess are the equivalent of a star, but because they only play about half a game front rowers are cheap, and IMO don't count as stars. Plus their role is very simple and straight forward, and even the best front rowers are defensive liabilities. That's why Maguire pairs the Burgess twins with a smaller defensive player (like Dave Tyrell) at the other 'prop' position.

So while they might be 'stars' at their position, there are no front rowers who I consider 'stars', especially for purposes of remuneration. We all remember what Wayne Bennett said about the price of front rowers when we threw the bank at Justin Poore.

 

[Someone]

if you don't think George Burgess is a star you must be living on the moon.

 

[Bigfella]

No he's just clinging to a hopeless argument.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He's a front rower mate. They don't even play a full game.

That's why Wayne Bennett wouldn't pay big money for them.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm just waiting for one of you idiots to say something like "But Luke Burt used to play 80 minutes. That means you think he was a star!"

You f**king disappoint me, all of you.

 

[Noise]

Does Sam burgess play like a lock or front rower?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What's the difference? He's unique. He plays 80 minutes mostly in the middle (he 'rests' on the edge for 15 minutes) and carries the ball over 20 times every game. Absolute freak.

What position does he play? I suppose 'lock' is as good a name as any. His minutes are too long for 'prop' (plus his runs per minute are lower than that of a genuine prop) and he does wear jersey 13.

 

[Someone]

He's a front rower mate. They don't even play a full game.

That's why Wayne Bennett wouldn't pay big money for them.

you're generalizing every prop and talking as if they have no effect on the game.

Boohoo Wayne Bennent didn't want to spend big on a prop. He also has Darius Boyd follow him wherever he shits and eats, the old bloke has lost it.

Id have Jess Bromwich or George Burgess at the club anyday, they make or break the battle in the middle which effectively wins games. They may not be stars in the sense of Thurston or Hayne and they will probably never receive 1m a year, but im yet to see too many 1m dollar players win the NRL premiership either.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

you're generalizing every prop and talking as if they have no effect on the game.

No I'm not. I'm saying that defensive liabilities like these huge front rowers need to offer more than 40 minutes worth of footy to be worth the big bucks that stars chew up out of the salary cap.

Boohoo Wayne Bennent didn't want to spend big on a prop. He also has Darius Boyd follow him wherever he shits and eats, the old bloke has lost it.

Bennett loves Boyd because he gets him for unders wherever he goes. He's not in the game's top ten players but he is well inside the top ten fullbacks, and he would be on less than half what Inglis and Hayne are/were getting.

Id have Jess Bromwich or George Burgess at the club anyday, they make or break the battle in the middle which effectively wins games. They may not be stars in the sense of Thurston or Hayne and they will probably never receive 1m a year, but im yet to see too many 1m dollar players win the NRL premiership either.

Agreed. If I was building a team to win a premiership I would fill my pack with half a dozen blokes worth $300k - $400k with my highest paid players being a couple of spine players on no more than $700k each. That means Bromwich plus a Burgess twin, Darius Boyd, Mitchell Pearce, and no Thurston, Hayne or Inglis.

 

[Bigfella]

Just because Bennett didn't want to pay them that much didn't mean he didn't think prop were important.

He always built his game plan around them.

He Prob just wanted to pay them less than 400 on the books so that a secret group of "local businessmen" would top up the test of their pay.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Arthur on the BSB this morning said we have money under the cap to spend but is in no rush to spend it. He said he is happy with our squad and will look at other players if the right one is available that suits our squad. Doesn't want to just spend money on any player as he doesn't want some one for a short term fix.

Said if Hayne comes back to league it will be with the eels

 

[Daneel]

Arthur on the BSB this morning said we have money under the cap to spend but is in no rush to spend it. He said he is happy with our squad and will look at other players if the right one is available that suits our squad. Doesn't want to just spend money on any player as he doesn't want some one for a short term fix.

Said if Hayne comes back to league it will be with the eels

Obviously Arthur isn't getting his info from the same place as Jodeci. :sarcasm:

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/ma...ill-play-in-2016/story-fndv31ch-1227124663957

Manly five-eighth Kieran Foran is “sick” of reading and hearing about where he will play in 2016

by: DEAN RITCHIE
November 17, 2014 12:00AM

NEW Zealand and Manly five-eighth Kieran Foran is “sick” of reading and hearing about where he will play in 2016.

So much so, he wants his future sorted out — sooner rather than later.

With the Four Nations final now behind him, Foran will today return to Sydney to focus fully on his NRL future.

Foran and Manly teammate Daly Cherry-Evans both come off contract after next season.

The bidding war has already started for the pair, who faced off against one-another at five-eighth in Saturday night’s Four Nations final in Wellington.

Rumour in the Australian camp was that Manly will struggle to retain Cherry-Evans.

Foran is no certainty to remain at Brookvale either with seven clubs expressing an interest.

Realistically though, Foran would only re-sign with Manly or join Parramatta or Canterbury.

“I am sick of reading about it,” Foran said. “I guess that’s something I have to sort out after this.

“I will get back to Sydney and have a few weeks rest with the family.”

Foran supported the Penn family’s takeover at Manly, a move that will enhance the club’s chances of keeping their star number six.

“I think it is a better decision for the club moving forward,” Foran said.

“Rick and Scott Penn are great blokes and they have always had the club’s best interests at heart.

“They just want to see the place happy and see success.

“It’s certainly not a negative. In terms of the club moving forward it’s a good move.

“Having the one ownership makes things clear and stops that in-fighting that has between there for the last few years.”

Should he re-sign, Foran is seen as a future Manly skipper. Foran and Cherry-Evans could command around $1m each on the NRL open market.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Just because Bennett didn't want to pay them that much didn't mean he didn't think prop were important.

He always built his game plan around them.

He Prob just wanted to pay them less than 400 on the books so that a secret group of "local businessmen" would top up the test of their pay.

He let go of Civoniceva and Poore.

 

[84 Baby]

Obviously Arthur isn't getting his info from the same place as Jodeci. :sarcasm:

To be fair, BA has been on holidays