Rumoured Targets 3

[The Axe of Druss]

Don't know what to think of Reed. The Eels didn't want to keep him despite not really having a backup plan. He's busted his arse for the Dogs trying to make them competitive for years but they don't want him either, in fact there have been rumours of them shopping him for months. That gives a very Hastings vibe that he's a massive pain in the arse off the field.

This 100%. He was on the verge of origin while playing at Parra and has slid into an average, penalty magnet since leaving

 

[HarVeeGee]

Yeah and I'm not sure why we're talking $600K for him like that's not a big chunk of change. Is the gap between him and cheaper guys that big? Is he better than Tom Starling, who makes about half that? The team currently in equal first seems comfortable having him play 60 minutes so Toby Sexton can be shuffled into his spot and Galvin can come off the bench. Would they do that if he was elite? If he's so good why are they trying to get rid of him?

We've got $2.8 million locked into two spine players and who knows how much on Sharpe and Crossland. Have to economise somewhere in the spine if you want to also have forwards. I would have thought Mahoney was the exact sort of "mid range" player that our foremost value physician on here would say we should avoid. He goes alright but he doesn't have a threatening dummy half run, he can call his number a bit too much in the attacking 20, and yeah his motor isn't elite and he has bad habits when he's gassed, especially giving away penalties as Druss notes above.

Stick with the plan of grooming Arthur, who's on a cheap contract. If he needs to be protected from the opening 20-30 minutes of games, you can find cheapies who can do that job.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I would have thought Mahoney was the exact sort of "mid range" player that our foremost value physician on here would say we should avoid. He goes alright but he doesn't have a threatening dummy half run, he can call his number a bit too much in the attacking 20, and yeah his motor isn't elite and he has bad habits when he's gassed, especially giving away penalties as Druss notes above.

Stick with the plan of grooming Arthur, who's on a cheap contract. If he needs to be protected from the opening 20-30 minutes of games, you can find cheapies who can do that job.

Oh how cute the bloviating halfwit is butt hurt. Sweet. You'll get your little Elliot replacement plod eventually don't worry. Ya can sit around with the boyz at the bukakke party comparing fantasy points soon enough.

Spend on the spine - they steer the ship.

Mahoney on 600K I certainly didn't say spend that on him. Signing would be a bridge to further developing Arthur or similar.

Mahoney on present form would be the best dummy half the club has had in recent memory.

 

[Yosh]

Is Tom Starling really on $300k? He is definitely value for money there. I would throw 600k at Owen Pattie. That guy's a gun.

 

[macavity]

Could Sexton transition to 9?

The other one who I think would make a good 9 is Tanah Boyd. Looked half decent at Tits in limited opportunities, hasn't had a run at Wahs. Is a stocky bugger and ok in D from memory. Might be worth a call.

 

[Knight Tales]

If those Starling value numbers are true then he is a steal.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

He recently re-signed. Typically the value would be 450-600 for a dummy-half. The bloviator pulls it out of his arse or plagiarizes most posts.

"Rival NRL clubs are lining up to make a play for in form Raiders hooker Tom Starling amid a logjam at No.9 at the Green Machine next season.

Cowboys, Sea Eagles and Eels are interested in Starling, who has arguably been the form dummyhalf of the season to date."

Eels just paid 600K for a rookie in the spine and were chasing (apparently) Starling

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/54a181a072126179b3dee81af94604dd

 

[Bartwah]

Is Reed a dickhead off the field or just on it?

Because I'll cop a dickhead on the field when he's on my team.

Tyson Gamble - perfect example

 

[macavity]

Well Sexton is off to Catalans. Massive halves drought in the comp and a competent one leaving.

 

[Woody90]

Sexton’s overrated based on the system he’s in IMO. Not surprised he’s going overseas and other clubs haven’t jumped on him.

Also I’d say no to him as a hooker. The reason Crossland was serviceable but not great there is because he’s not a natural hooker. It would be bringing back the same problem.

I agree with the suggestion of looking into Starling or Pattie if Arthur’s not ready. Something has to give there. Raiders signing Brailey was one of the more WTF recruitment decisions of the season.

 

[Apey]

Well Sexton is off to Catalans. Massive halves drought in the comp and a competent one leaving.

Thats his level. Theres a reason nobody wants him here in Aus. Better than our lineup of backup halves, sure, but we already have 3 or 4 them.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Oh how cute the bloviating halfwit is butt hurt. Sweet. You'll get your little Elliot replacement plod eventually don't worry. Ya can sit around with the boyz at the bukakke party comparing fantasy points soon enough.

Not butthurt, just taking a cheeky little dig. This is where I got the bolding for emphasis from.

Crossland is a perfect 14 IMO, and when he's finally able to move there we'll see him go to the next level.

Any player that has been available since November 2024 and is 4 months away from being unemployed and still not signed by any of the 17 clubs, quite obviously represents poor cap value* - demonstrable fact.

My guess is it's far better to promote/sign a quality youngster with a high ceiling, and good cap value - opinion

*The good news is the asking price is dropping by the day, so if re-signed it would be at far better value to the cap.

It made your point so much more persuasive, it never occurred to anyone that we should be thinking of players in terms of value till you did this. Everyone here was thinking, we should actually sign bad players on purpose, for way too much money.

I gotta say though it's wild that you're still on here firing away even after the "What if people booed unrelated stuff" post, seriously one of the most deranged and idiotic things I've ever seen a person say. No one could see that and ever take you seriously going forward. I respect the grind to keep posting through it. Anyone else would quietly delete their account and maybe come back in a few months under a new username, but not you.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Sexton sucks. Would not move the needle here and the rest of the comp letting him drift by is pretty decent proof that the NRL recruitment officers agree he wouldnt at their respective clubs either.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Yeah you'd have to say NRL recruitment guys are concluding that the Dogs' performance with him have more to do with him actually being a halfback, replacing Drew Hutchison, who isn't. If you're running a team you look for guys who you feel might take you over the top. He doesn't do that, he has no running game, he's not an elite ball player, he's just a guy who kicks and talks really well.

I do think there's a bit of an age thing going on there though, Jamal Fogarty is the same but he's over 30 so that magically means he's an experienced veteran 7 who's more reliable. An example of this reliability was all the seven tackle sets he handed us under no kick pressure on the weekend. Sexton is 24, that means he's young and not reliable in the same way, even though he has one of the lowest kick error rates in the NRL while also always being near the top for forced drop outs.

I'm not despairing that he'll never be a Knight, but I think it's weird he's going overseas, I really don't think there are 17 halfbacks better than him in the NRL right now. Seems crazy that Kyle Flanagan is staying here and Toby is going.

 

[Woody90]

Yeah you'd have to say NRL recruitment guys are concluding that the Dogs' performance with him have more to do with him actually being a halfback, replacing Drew Hutchison, who isn't. If you're running a team you look for guys who you feel might take you over the top. He doesn't do that, he has no running game, he's not an elite ball player, he's just a guy who kicks and talks really well.

I do think there's a bit of an age thing going on there though, Jamal Fogarty is the same but he's over 30 so that magically means he's an experienced veteran 7 who's more reliable. An example of this reliability was all the seven tackle sets he handed us under no kick pressure on the weekend. Sexton is 24, that means he's young and not reliable in the same way, even though he has one of the lowest kick error rates in the NRL while also always being near the top for forced drop outs.

I'm not despairing that he'll never be a Knight, but I think it's weird he's going overseas, I really don't think there are 17 halfbacks better than him in the NRL right now. Seems crazy that Kyle Flanagan is staying here and Toby is going.

IMO, Sexton and the Dogs doing well this year is all to do with the Dogs and very little to do with Sexton personally or his natural position. They’ve improved because all of their players have and they’ve had more time to buy into Ciraldo’s system that he’s brought from Penrith. I can basically guarantee that Cogger or Hastings could do just as well as Sexton this year for the Dogs, and no other clubs want to sign them either.

Like has been mentioned, there’s a 7 shortage in the NRL, if he was any good a club would sign him. There were even stories coming out from the Dogs a few months back when they were leading the comp that they weren’t super happy with him. Probably laying the ground work for the Galvin signing, but his own club obviously aren’t big fans.

 

[Allstar Knights]

Sexton isn’t anything special but he’s better than Cogger, Hastings and Flanagan

 

[Woody90]

Sexton isn’t anything special but he’s better than Cogger, Hastings and Flanagan

Debatable. Cogger looked decent in the Penrith system. Good chance Sexton looks just as bad, or worse, in a struggling team like Cogger/Hastings/Nepo baby are in currently.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Like has been mentioned, there’s a 7 shortage in the NRL, if he was any good a club would sign him. There were even stories coming out from the Dogs a few months back when they were leading the comp that they weren’t super happy with him. Probably laying the ground work for the Galvin signing, but his own club obviously aren’t big fans.

I mean, yeah, that's why. Even with the smoke around him, Galvin is a prospect with elite potential. Sexton's potential is maybe a rich man's Chad Townsend.

The thing with Sexton is that they actually weren't going well in 2024 until he was subbed in for Hutchison, and then they instantly played better. A lot better. It could absolutely just be a square peg/square hole thing, but the idea that he had zero impact on their improvement, well, to me it's a hell of a coincidence if he didn't. They had a losing record (I think they were 4-6) until they gave him his shot.

I think it's more a conclusion that a guy whose ceiling is "pretty good" isn't as enticing as whatever young boom/bust prospects the clubs who could benefit from signing Sexton might choose to bet on instead. Also you do make real money in that Catalans job with Keary going, he may have gotten an offer of over $500K per season (adjust the number to the local currency). Paying up for the best Australian half they can find has long been a key plank of the Catalans recruitment strategy.

 

[Yosh]

Probably never happen but I would love to sign Josh Papali'i for two years. Reckon he is exactly the type of forward leader we need.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Sexton isn’t anything special but he’s better than Cogger, Hastings and Flanagan

Marginally and it's pretty arguable that the difference, if there really is one, isnt worth the effort of signing him on good coin