Just thinking of the biggest liability players in our team this season and I would have to say that these three are at the top of my list.
Ben Smith
Ben Roberts
Matt Keating
BS wouldn't be eating much from our cap, considering consessions, but yeah can't disagree about the other two.
We finally snare a half, but now require a hooker.
Unfortunately only Roberts is off contract.
In saying that though other than Farah, what decent hookers are off contract. And by decent I mean an upgrade on Keating? Defensively he holds his own. He could be used in the same way Canberra used Alan Tongue and effectively how the Storm use Hinchcliffe.
Hopefully Prichard, Vescio or one of our other young hookers can come through unless the idea is to use Kelly at hooker with the apparent purchase of Norman which I don't necessarily believe to be a good thing.
It's all good to say we should cut this player or that player but there have to be alternatives and whole our juniors show promise at this stage we have lost a mountain of experience that is hard to replace it certainly isn't helped by releasing more.
Just off the top of my head:
Roberts
Keating
Lasallo
Smith
POH
Mullaney
Willie Tonga
Peni Terepo
(There is about a $1 million just there)
That's not true Colonel or do you mean hookers only ? Of all the players I have listed only Ben Smith is still contracted for 2014.
The players you have mentioned then I am certain that both Smith and Keating signed new deals last year.
EELS
Ben Roberts
Jarryd Hayne
Matt Keating
Ryan Morgan
Taniela Lasalo
Willie Tonga
Jacob Loko
Nathan Smith
Mitch Allgood
Unfortunately only Roberts is off contract.
In saying that though other than Farah, what decent hookers are off contract. And by decent I mean an upgrade on Keating? Defensively he holds his own. He could be used in the same way Canberra used Alan Tongue and effectively how the Storm use Hinchcliffe.
Hopefully Prichard, Vescio or one of our other young hookers can come through unless the idea is to use Kelly at hooker with the apparent purchase of Norman which I don't necessarily believe to be a good thing.
It's all good to say we should cut this player or that player but there have to be alternatives and whole our juniors show promise at this stage we have lost a mountain of experience that is hard to replace it certainly isn't helped by releasing more.
I don't think Smith is on as little as you guys think.
And considering how he offers absolutely nothing in attack and actually stymies it to an absolute halt, any other player that can make 25-35 tackles a game would offer the same or more in attack then he does, without the game losing penalties.