2016 signings player watch thread

[Obscene Assassin]

I suspect that Arthur thinks our poor defense is our gravest concern, so he's trying to rectify that first.

Defence (decision making and tackling) I assume would be harder to coach than an attacking structure. We've shown that we can score tries if we use the proper structures that we've set up but we've shown that we can't defend. We've just gotten rid of our worst defender in the team who was known to hide behind his second-rower and constantly make bad decisions in defence so we've fixed that up. We're also replacing a rookie second-rower who was showing he can make some bad decisions in defence with an experienced campaigner who has proved that he's a strong defender.

All signs lead to us being much stronger defensively next year which in turn will mean that our attack doesn't have to be as good to beat a team.

 

[Bigfella]

Well, Bigfella's arguments seem to be:

1. Scott maybe too old and his defence is declining
2. We have no great centres, and Morgan is one of them
3. Luke Kelly is our backup halfback

I would have thought those points have been discussed by many ad nauseum, but I'll give it a go:

1. We don't know how Scott will perform for us next season. He might be declining, he might not. At the moment he is still a very good defender and one or two poor games is not going to change my opinion on that.

2. We haven't finished our recruitment yet. By the looks of things we are still trying to re-sign Hopoate, which I think is a good option. He is skillful and strong, and has leadership qualities. Sure he is not fast, but he doesn't have to be as long as he can get a pass to his outside man which he has proven he is very adept at. Takairangi is also slow, but has also proven to be able to put his winger away (Semi on top of the try list is proof of that). He has also been playing on one leg for pretty much all of this season (seemingly, at least). I do remember he looked pretty sharp with good footwork in his first game against Manly. He stood up Jamie Lyon in that game to set up a try. With a full offseason to recover and work on his speed he may get it back. As for Morgan, he is a backup. He has been for the past 3 years. He's not a great player by any means, but he can plug a hole if we need it. Hopefully we won't need him to do it for a whole season like he has the past 3 years.
Re-signing Robinson would give us some speed on the edge. I hope we do because he has exceeded my expectations this year.

3. He's a backup. He may not even be a first-choice backup. By next year maybe Matterson or someone else can fill that role, we don't know. I'm not that big a fan of Kelly re-signing. I would like to see us go with someone else. But I don't know the specifics of why he was re-signed. Did it have anything to do with the cap? Does Arthur just note rate any of the other choices out there? I don't know. All I know is I hope we don't have to use Kelly next year, and if we do it's only for a game here or there.

Not even close to what my points were.

 

[hindy111]

I understand bigfellas points. Of course you would rather sign a Josh Jackson then a beau Scott. That way you do not even have too worry about factoring age into anything. A guy can get very old very quick in physical sports. Sometimes they only have to drop off 5% to go from great to a bust. It would of been great to have watmough for 3 yrs and scott for 2 meaning they both finished up at the end of 2017.We signed them a season to long and thats for sure.
But if in 2017 both are on the bench and playing 35-40 mins a game i dont think its a bad thing. Keep them fresh and dont burn them out is a key to keeping them at NRL level.

Bigfella can you please name me 10 centres in reserve grade better then Morgan.And 10 back up halves better then Kelly. Cause we should compare apple with apples.

 

[Bigfella]

One more time - I have never once mentioned jelly in this debate. I don't give a f**k about kelly.

And let's also get this straight about Morgan - my objection to him is as a first grader. At the moment he is one of our top 2 centres signed for next year.

Why would I name ten reserve graders when the merkin is picked in first grade for us every week despite doing nothing every week?

 

[Gronk]

One more time - I have never once mentioned jelly in this debate. I don't give a f**k about kelly.

And let's also get this straight about Morgan - my objection to him is as a first grader. At the moment he is one of our top 2 centres signed for next year.

Why would I name ten reserve graders when the merkin is picked in first grade for us every week despite doing nothing every week?

Yet he's a backup behind Taka Hoppa Semi and anyone really.

If we lose Hoppa you can bet that we'll be replacing him rather than promoting a fringie like Morgan for first choice.

Why get all hot and bothered about it now ?

 

[Bigfella]

Morgan would have played more games this year than beau Scott and Kieran Foran and possibly Michael Gordon as well.

 

[Gronk]

Morgan would have played more games this year than beau Scott and Kieran Foran and possibly Michael Gordon as well.

Because of ability or as a injury back up / no alternative because of the 2nd tier thing ?

 

[Bigfella]

Yet he's a backup behind Taka Hoppa Semi and anyone really.

If we lose Hoppa you can bet that we'll be replacing him rather than promoting a fringie like Morgan for first choice.

Why get all hot and bothered about it now ?

We didn't replace Jarryd Hayne so I'm not going to assume we will replace hoppa.

He's playing with taka hoppa and semi on a week in week out basis. He's hardly behind them?

I'm not that hot and bothered really but people who say he's only fringe or a back up need to realise that we will use those types of players regularly in a season.

And if we are going to regularly use players I would prefer them to be able to offer something to the team.

If semi gets injured we don't have much in attack.

The point about the improvement in our defence with Foran in for sandow is a great one.

But without sandow, and possibly hoppa, we will definitely lose a fair bit of spark.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Morgan has not yet been confirmed as being re-signed yet.

 

[Twizzle]

shame

 

[Bigfella]

One good thing about Gordon is his support play which will hopefully help Build a combination with Foran.

Stewart had been a bigger key to foran's game than DCE. Hopefully that adds something in attack too.

 

[hineyrulz]

Morgan would have played more games this year than beau Scott and Kieran Foran and possibly Michael Gordon as well.

Besiides Mannah and Norman who has played more games this season for us than Morgs??? He plays a hell of a lot of games for a back up.

 

[Bigfella]

Morgan has not yet been confirmed as being re-signed yet.

Lol.

Sign of how promising the rest of this season is looking - the forum has developed into heated debates about the resigning of two blokes who may not actually be resigned.

 

[Twizzle]

you seem to be the only one getting heated

 

[Bigfella]

Here he is.

Shouldn't you be making a completely wrong assertion about third party agreements in the salary cap thread?

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Lol.

Sign of how promising the rest of this season is looking - the forum has developed into heated debates about the resigning of two blokes who may not actually be resigned.

Imagine next year if we start on minus points...........

 

[lingard]

It's a lot easier to say "the coach and club know better" and "you aren't a real fan if you criticise your team".

It's also easy to stay shithouse year after year if people don't criticise or anslyse.

Why should an Internet forum based on support of a team not be permitted to analyse and criticise the selections and recruitment?

Are our selections recruitment and cap management so successful that they are above criticism?

As fans are we not entitled to have those discussions?

You can spot a c**k smoking yes man fan on these forums because they never actually respond to the facts or issue being debated - just crap on with the "why don't you coach them" or "why don't you support another team".

More like dickless freeman.

Hey, Bigfella ........................... Dellboy's posts are more positive than yours. :lol:

 

[Bigfella]

Thanks for proving my point Ivor!

 

[Chipmunk]

Imagine next year if we start on minus points...........

At the moment that would seem more likely than not

 

[emjaycee]

Morgan has played 13 of 17 games this year and while on the surface would seem to indicate he is top 17, don't forget the loss of BA's 1st choice centre in Champion after round 2.

Morgan replaced Champion in the centres for rounds 3-6.
Was dropped when Hoppa at FB experiment failed for round 7.
Came back onto the wing when Folau was dropped for round 9.
Moved to centre to cover for Hoppa in Origin for round 11.
Back to wing for round 12 and 13.
Back to centre for Hoppa in Origin again for round 14.
Back to wing for round 16 (we had bye in round 15).
Covered Hoppa in the centres for round 17.
Back to the wing for round 19 (round 18 was our bye).

So, seems like at the start of the year he was 1st choice replacement centre and 2nd choice replacement winger (after Folau). Injuries and Folau not coming through as hoped have no doubt given him more game time than he would have gotten otherwise.

Depth player able to cover outside backs and with 40 games experience.