Rumoured and Confirmed Signings Part2

[Big Mick]

So the question in my mind is whether the recruitment and retention is really working. And the Blake Austin thing makes me wonder even more.

I guess we wont know for sure for another couple of years.

Maybe.

But I don't think there are too many questions when Blake Austin is the only one leaving for 2014 that we wished we retained.

Also going are Clint Newton, Cameron Ciraldo, Nathan Smith, Travis Robinson, etc etc

And we've brought in Elijah Taylor, Jamie Soward, Brent Kite, Will Smith, Kevin Naiqama, Tyrone Peachy along with re-signing the likes of Bryce Cartwright, Keiran Moss, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, DWZ etc.

So all in all....every move this year going into 2014 appears the right one, Blake Austin aside.

No club gets there issues 100% right so such an expectation should not be made. Even the much hyped Melbourne front office has made errors in judgement but they are lucky they have three of the best players in the world to mask it.

How do you think Parra fans feel about Chris Sandow? or Dogs fans about T-Rex? Even at the time there were people that thought the signings were busts.

To ME the only question mark recruitment is Jamie Soward. Whether he plays well or not will determine if the rest of this recruitment class and these young kids we are developing will have a premiership in due course.

Soward is an emotional being along with having the potential to disrupt a squad. If he reverts back to playing like he did when he had a coach who had a clue then we are going to be fine, but if we get what we have seen this year we may be in trouble.

When I look at all our other signings they appear to be safe & considered. Looking at Brent Kite we really miss Petero's leadership and getting Kite on board gives us another quality prop and leadership. When we signed Kite it wasn't known that Plum was going to have the season he did but end of the day it gives us depth.

When I look at Elijah Taylor it is also a safe signing. Already an International and at that point in time we had a gap at Lock (Even though Austin SHOULD have been considered). Taylor has proven this year that he is worth every penny and will contribute immediately.

Kevin Naiqama is a player with tremendous potential and in his limited time in First Grade has proven to be a quality finisher and ball runner. Tyrone Peachy at the time of signing had played what, 2-3 FG games? and has shown that he is up to the speed of first grade and whether he plays in the backrow, hooker or centre will be an impact player for us.

Will Smith is a utility and will likely feature in NSW Cup but again a safe signing given Brennan's knowledge of him.

As for our kids, any fan would say that those guys deserved to be re-signed. So again safe signings.

I think in the past we've been guilty of making big risk signings continually or signings that just don't make sense eg Ben Roarty, Adam Woolnough, Mark O'Halloran, Lee Hookey etc etc.

For 2014 I can see us being safe and measured for the most part and taking one BIG risk that really any team needs to take in order to get to the next level.

If we lose games next year it will not be because the talent around Soward isn't good enough...it would be that Soward isn't or a tremendous amount of injuries yet again.

But overall I would suggest our 2014 recruitment and retention plan is for the most part our best in a significant period of time, excluding Blake Austin.

 

[franklin2323]

For 2014 I can see us being safe and measured for the most part and taking one BIG risk that really any team needs to take in order to get to the next level.

That's the issue for me. Always safe options never take the risks it's why we lose players like Austin etc.

My concern isn't Soward he will do the same role as Walsh does now only better. Though the main issue with Walsh is we don't put ball runners with him. Same could happen with Soward. He needs a 6 that runs it. FB that gets involved and a hooker/Lock to be a ball player also.

As Walsh needed those things. Look at our pack now wont get much 2nd phase or great line running from them. Moylan at 1 is the type we need back there.

 

[betcats]

I think our recruitment and retention has been very good for next season, only question mark being Soward.

Losing Blake doesnt change that, any FG time that Blake could get next year i'd rather see Bryce or VTK or Cherro get.

 

[franklin2323]

I think our recruitment and retention has been very good for next season, only question mark being Soward.

Losing Blake doesnt change that, any FG time that Blake could get next year i'd rather see Bryce or VTK or Cherro get.

Depends where Austin was seen. As a half no that Soward wants the 7 jersey. Austin is the running 6 we need.

 

[betcats]

Depends where Austin was seen. As a half no that Soward wants the 7 jersey. Austin is the running 6 we need.

He hasnt been signed by the tigers as a half.

I eould of liked to see him given a better crack in the halves but honestly I think he is to slow to be a good half, similar to Wade Graham i think.

Either way for people to start questioning our recruitment and rentention because of one reserve grader is pretty silly.

 

[franklin2323]

He hasnt been signed by the tigers as a half.

I eould of liked to see him given a better crack in the halves but honestly I think he is to slow to be a good half.

Either way for people to start questioning our recruitment and rentention because of one reserve grader is pretty silly.

They didn't really say what he was signed as.

Our recent history is littered with similar stories promising players going while weaker players come. So I understand it

Hell Siejka's another one. Given his lack of 1st grade elsewhere maybe he wasn't that good. Though releasing him gave Walsh the 7 jersey by default. No one should be in the team by default.

 

[betcats]

They didn't really say what he was signed as.

Our recent history is littered with similar stories promising players going while weaker players come. So I understand it

Hell Siejka's another one. Given his lack of 1st grade elsewhere maybe he wasn't that good. Though releasing him gave Walsh the 7 jersey by default. No one should be in the team by default.

And by losing Austin who is getting in the team by default? He wasnt gonna play FG for us barring injuries, why should we hold onto him and stunt his career if he wants to sign elsewhere?

Im disappointed to lose him but at the end of the day he was a reserve grader, even as a half he still has Soward, Coote and probably John in front of him with Evans and Scarlet coming through.

If he was the same player but we signed him at 19-20years old from an area outside of Penrith there wouldnt be half this reaction.

 

[franklin2323]

And by losing Austin who is getting in the team by default? He wasnt gonna play FG for us barring injuries, why should we hold onto him and stunt his career if he wants to sign elsewhere?

Im disappointed to lose him but at the end of the day he was a reserve grader, even as a half he still has Soward, Coote and probably John in front of him with Evans and Scarlet coming through.

If he was the same player but we signed him at 19-20years old from an area outside of Penrith there wouldnt be half this reaction.

Hard to say even what position the club saw him as. Siejka was an example. He's better then Humble, Newton, Ciraldo, Simpkins. Docker's attack that's for starters. Probably came down to Peachey or him. Peachey only has 4 1st grade games. Austin had 15 no guarantee he will get more of a go then Austin.

Of course there wouldn't be. We have had rubbish juniors for awhile. We have an ex-Australian schoolboy in a position we have struggled in gone. Our last 3 halves we have developed Graham, Siejka and no Austin have gone meanwhile we get told Juniors are the way forward. Yet we see nothing to show they are even in the picture at this stage.

Cartwright/VTK seems the next cab off the rank though in their way is:

Brown
Manu
Taylor
Robinson
Docker
Cherrington
Peachey
Kingston (Well 60 mins anyway)

So I can understand people doubting IF he either will get more of a go

 

[darkbloom]

Appreciate all that analysis Big Mick but so far the only thing that has been delivered is hope and we won't know whether that hope turns into result for some time yet.

As I have said, I can see reasons for optimism about the team winning more games next year.

By the way, I don't think many have been sympathetic about injuries being an excuse for a poor season. Why start being sympathetic to that now. You seem sensible, maybe you have always seen injuries as a reason rather than an excuse for a bad year.

 

[age.s]

Our last 3 halves we have developed Graham, Siejka and no Austin have gone meanwhile we get told Juniors are the way forward. Yet we see nothing to show they are even in the picture at this stage.

How have Cleary/Gould not improved on bringing young players through the ranks? Moylan, Mansour, M Robinson, Roberts and Docker are all examples of good young players who have been given an extended run under Cleary. Peachy and Cartwright look to be in the mix for next year and Naiquama, DWZ, Moss etc weren't signed/resigned for giggles.

They clearly don't rate Austin as highly as some here, but there's absolutely no evidence to suggest that they won't give a youngster a fair go if they do rate him.

 

[Big Mick]

By the way, I don't think many have been sympathetic about injuries being an excuse for a poor season. Why start being sympathetic to that now. You seem sensible, maybe you have always seen injuries as a reason rather than an excuse for a bad year.

Totally agree with your assessment.

I've always been that way however. I've always said, and even provided the analysis early in the year when we'd lost 6 in a row, that the healthiest teams always go far in the competition. Very rarely been a team that has won the comp in the last decade that isn't in the top 4 in using the least amount of players in a season.

i.e. in 2010 we'd gone extremely well in the injury department right up until the last 3 weeks of the season.

 

[franklin2323]

How have Cleary/Gould not improved on bringing young players through the ranks? Moylan, Mansour, M Robinson, Roberts and Docker are all examples of good young players who have been given an extended run under Cleary. Peachy and Cartwright look to be in the mix for next year and Naiquama, DWZ, Moss etc weren't signed/resigned for giggles.

They clearly don't rate Austin as highly as some here, but there's absolutely no evidence to suggest that they won't give a youngster a fair go if they do rate him.

They didn't rate Moylan either!! Yet we all did

Squad will be younger yes doesn't mean the top 17 will be. I have our top 17 having Simmons, Plum, Kite and Kingston all over 30

Gus doesn't like players coming into a losing side he's mentioned it numerous times re Parra & Tigers.

Cleary doesn't like changing winning teams.

Doesn't leave a time to blood a debutant

Take this week

McKendry
Plum
Manu
Robinson
Docker

A hooker short of a full pack out. Playing at home in a game no one gives us a chance at winning. Went for the 'safe' option

 

[darkbloom]

Always been that way. I've always said, even provided the analysis early in the year when we'd lost 6 in a row, that the healthiest teams always go far in the competition.

i.e. in 2010 we'd gone extremely well in the injury department right up until the last 3 weeks of the season.

It is interesting to imagine what would have happened had those injuries not been at such a critical point.

 

[franklin2323]

Totally agree with your assessment.

I've always been that way however. I've always said, and even provided the analysis early in the year when we'd lost 6 in a row, that the healthiest teams always go far in the competition. Very rarely been a team that has won the comp in the last decade that isn't in the top 4 in using the least amount of players in a season.

i.e. in 2010 we'd gone extremely well in the injury department right up until the last 3 weeks of the season.

True. Though we were terrible early on when we were pretty much full strength. While injuries haven't helped without them we were poor and injuries got us Moylan, John (still better then Humble) etc. It's the late season one's that have been the problem

 

[betcats]

How have Cleary/Gould not improved on bringing young players through the ranks? Moylan, Mansour, M Robinson, Roberts and Docker are all examples of good young players who have been given an extended run under Cleary. Peachy and Cartwright look to be in the mix for next year and Naiquama, DWZ, Moss etc weren't signed/resigned for giggles.

They clearly don't rate Austin as highly as some here, but there's absolutely no evidence to suggest that they won't give a youngster a fair go if they do rate him.

This.

Also Making Brennan our NSW cup coach I think is also part of it.

Just because one fan favourite was not given the chances the fans would of liked its like everything else they have done is completely forgotten.

 

[Kilkenny]

They didn't rate Moylan either!! Yet we all did

They had issues with Moylans deficiencies which include his defence and lack of speed which unfortunately have been all to evident. He is not the world beater you make the kid out to be and was never going to be. Moylan has some ability but I sincerely doubt he has a long term future in the number one position with us. At best we could try him as a 5/8 maybe his future lies there.

Blake Austin likewise is talked up on this forum by some way beyond what he has actually delivered. He had potential, we all had high hopes but at the end of the day he did not deliver when he was given opportunities. It's a shame he suffered injuries this season because in my opinion he has far more ability than Isaac John and I would have liked to have seen him get the same extended run as Isaac has. Alas it was not to be, a decision had to be made and I assume the decision to move was the best for Blake and the Panthers. Move on.

 

[darkbloom]

This.

Also Making Brennan our NSW cup coach I think is also part of it.

Just because one fan favourite was not given the chances the fans would of liked its like everything else they have done is completely forgotten.

Everything else?

What has improved? - hope.

I know the argument that recruitment has improved but the results have done nothing to confirm that.
There is an argument that things are in place to make the future better but noone knows whether they will bear fruit. And this is what has caused hope to go up.

The everything else?

Wins about the same.
Membership stagnant.
Crowds down.
Merchandise down.

Have I summarised the results badly?

 

[betcats]

Everything else?

What has improved? - hope.

I know the argument that recruitment has improved but the results have done nothing to confirm that.
There is an argument that things are in place to make the future better but noone knows whether they will bear fruit. And this is what has caused hope to go up.

The everything else?

Wins about the same.
Membership stagnant.
Crowds down.
Merchandise down.

Have I summarised the results badly?

I was referring to specifically to what we are doing to develop our younger players.

Things like signing good young players, bringing the 20s players into NSW cup, re-signing most of the good 20s players we have and the debuts of young players over the last two years such as Robinson, Moylan, Roberts, Mansour etc

Yet Blake Austin signs elswhere and suddenly we are all about fringe first graders and we wont give young players a go in FG.

We are still only two wins out of the top 8, while it is looking fairly unlikely we will make it, a bit of luck with injuries and it could be a very different story.

Edit: Crowds and TV ratings are down across the board for the NRL, i would guess that also extends to merchandise as well.

 

[age.s]

They didn't rate Moylan either!! Yet we all did

That's one example of the 5 I mentioned. The idea that he only got a run due to injuries is also highly speculative. Cleary has been happy to drop underperforming players and has promoted young players. While Wes' injury forced Cleary's hand with Moylan, there's no reason to think that it was the only reason he was given a chance.

 

[betcats]

A lot of Franklins posts are highly speculative, such as "it would be easy to get an exemption" lol how do you know that Franklin.