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Ram was spot on.

TheRam

Coach
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13,457
The Chooks have Moa, FPN, SBW, JWH and a couple of others I'm forgetting in their pack, and they go ok.

I see the point of what is being said, but I think what we are really lacking is a hard-nosed forward like Watmough or a Ben Kennedy. Ma'u will get there in time.

The chooks lost a very aggressive player in Luke O'Donnell, who was on one leg, but it is the attitude that he brought to their team and in particular pack. Now is it a surprise that they are now struggling for consistency.

I don't often agree with El Diablo, but Jesus people have some problems if they see race as the source of our problems.

It has nothing to do with race, but all to do with culture and attitude.

Example A. Is it any surprise that probably the best and most consistent player of Islander descent to ever play is Petero Civoniceva who if I had to guess growing up in QLD in the time he did, there would not have been the same amount of Islanders as there are now. Therefore he would of had to assimilate moreso into the Aussie culture, which in turn gave him a different mindset and attitude.

Look it will change over time for the islanders, the more they assimilate the more they will become mentally toughened like the European players, but it will take a generation or so.

Example B. Why do on average Asians do better then Europeans at Maths and the Science's? Not because they are superior humans or have better brains then the rest of us, but because of the way they are driven through culture and attitudes.

People might not like the politically incorrect truth, but cultures are different which does NOT mean they are any better or worse then any other. It may mean though that a specific attitude or culture is less suited to professional sport from a consistency point of view. But again let me make myself clear, it can an will change with more exposure and all humans are equal no matter what race. Players like Petero and Jeremy Smith are prime examples of that. Players like Frank-Paul Nu'uausala and Joseph Paulo are of the opposite kind.
 
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It could equally be said that nobody has won a premiership with a 17 as young as that which we put on the paddock yesterday (this should give Pou something to check).

We presently have a poorly balanced squad (in terms of 'style'), regardless of race. If, for example, we swapped Ryan Morgan for Catai, we'd have an extra Pacific Islander, but I wouldn't see that as a problem.
 

TheParraboy

Moderator
Staff member
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66,136
He's played at least 22 games every year since 2006. He's missed five games this year but one season doesn't make a pattern.

He is turning 31 in October this year, 32 next year

$2,000,000 - 3 year deal should do it (commencing 2016 as we cant afford anyone next year)
 
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Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
16,148
It could equally be said that nobody has won a premiership with a 17 as young as that which we put on the paddock yesterday (this should give Pou something to check).

We presently have a poorly balanced squad (in terms of 'style'), regardless of race. If, for example, we swapped Ryan Morgan for Catai, we'd have an extra Pacific Islander, but I wouldn't see that as a problem.

You're probably dead right on the first point, but it's also equally correct that the 17 from last night isn't going to be winning the comp this season.

Can we swap Morgan for Matai? It appears Matai definitely wants out. Perhaps we shouldve been smarter and offered them both Loko and Morgan for Matai. Actually we might as well give them Allgood for free too.

Offloading Loko to the Dogs for mine seems like it was a desperate decision.
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,457
how do you explain NZ winning the 2008 RLWC?

A national team where they have the very best of the best of their nation and only need to play 2 or 3 games max against quality opp and then Australia has an off day is hardly a great example of what is being said. NZ's consistency is appalling too. Look at their record. With some of the players and teams that they have had over the years, they should have done much better then what they have done in the international arena and we all know it.

Whenever Aust and NZ are playing against each other and the teams are fairly even in talent, you hear the commentators always say in the end Australia's professionalism will probably get them over the line to win the clash and invariably it does. Now what dose their PROFESSIONALISM word mean I wonder.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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84,148
He is turning 31 in October this year, 32 next year

$2,000,000 - 3 year deal should do it (commencing 2016 as we cant afford anyone next year)

Three years is too long, and there's no way he would go for one year unless it was for huge overs (as opposed to slight overs, which is what we'd have to pay). Two years would be ok, but we wouldn't want to be paying much more than $500k a year.
 

mrpwnd

Bench
Messages
2,640
Whenever Aust and NZ are playing against each other and the teams are fairly even in talent, you hear the commentators always say in the end Australia's professionalism will probably get them over the line to win the clash and invariably it does. Now what dose their PROFESSIONALISM word mean I wonder.

Australia boasts the best spine and backline that the NRL has ever seen followed by NZ who only have Benji Marshall and Isaac Luke coming even remotely close to matching Australia. Talent-wise, if you want to call it that, NZ have only ever matched Australia in the forwards and even that is highly debatable.

So you have a backline absolutely out-classed and a forward pack that barely matches up, that hardly qualifies as 'even in talent', sounds more like 'raped up the ass'.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,148
You're probably dead right on the first point, but it's also equally correct that the 17 from last night isn't going to be winning the comp this season.

Can we swap Morgan for Matai? It appears Matai definitely wants out. Perhaps we shouldve been smarter and offered them both Loko and Morgan for Matai. Actually we might as well give them Allgood for free too.

Offloading Loko to the Dogs for mine seems like it was a desperate decision.

The biggest risk was keeping Loko. If anyone has established a pattern of injury proneness it's that merkin. Hopefully we're not paying too much for him next year.

As for Matai, he is 31 next year and would make Morgan redundant. Our best use of the cap would be to play Morgan in first grade next year.

I remember reading comments from Manly fans after we beat them in the 2005 semi final that they were shit because they had shit players like Matai (only his 11th NRL game, aged 21) while Parra were full of stars like Tahu and Burt. lol
 

TheParraboy

Moderator
Staff member
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66,136
Three years is too long, and there's no way he would go for one year unless it was for huge overs (as opposed to slight overs, which is what we'd have to pay). Two years would be ok, but we wouldn't want to be paying much more than $500k a year.

good luck with that
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,457
Australia boasts the best spine and backline that the NRL has ever seen followed by NZ who only have Benji Marshall and Isaac Luke coming even remotely close to matching Australia. Talent-wise, if you want to call it that, NZ have only ever matched Australia in the forwards and even that is highly debatable.

So you have a backline absolutely out-classed and a forward pack that barely matches up, that hardly qualifies as 'even in talent', sounds more like 'raped up the ass'.


Au contraire my friend, that is my point, talent wise for example is Cooper Cronk really more talented then say someone like Shaun Johnson or Benji Marshall or is Cameron Smith that much more talented then Issac Luke. I say not. I say talent wise all three of them NZers have them beat for talent. But the Aussies have the mind set that trumps talent more times then not at that level.

P.s. Kieren Foran is the least talented of the spine players that NZ has had spine wise in recent times, but hey he is also acknowledged as the best and toughest of the NZers, surprise, surprise, he isn't an Islander. Go figure.

As for Fullback, how talented is someone like Krisnan Inu, but where the hell is his head at half the time?

Talent isn't their problem, head space is.
 

Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
16,148
The biggest risk was keeping Loko. If anyone has established a pattern of injury proneness it's that merkin. Hopefully we're not paying too much for him next year.

As for Matai, he is 31 next year and would make Morgan redundant. Our best use of the cap would be to play Morgan in first grade next year.

I remember reading comments from Manly fans after we beat them in the 2005 semi final that they were shit because they had shit players like Matai (only his 11th NRL game, aged 21) while Parra were full of stars like Tahu and Burt. lol

I'm certain the Loko decision is going to come back and bite us, but in the circumstances we had not real choice, I think we could've just been a bit smarter about how we offloaded him.

I'd be much more comfortable with Morgan playing right centre
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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84,148
I'm certain the Loko decision is going to come back and bite us, but in the circumstances we had not real choice, I think we could've just been a bit smarter about how we offloaded him.

We might have ended up very smart about it. I reckon the Dogs are desperate for outside backs and they are currently in the midst of a genuine title challenge.

I'd be much more comfortable with Morgan playing right centre

As opposed to playing on the left?
 

Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
16,148
We might have ended up very smart about it. I reckon the Dogs are desperate for outside backs and they are currently in the midst of a genuine title challenge.



As opposed to playing on the left?

Yes, I think Morgan is genuine right side player. If Morgan plays on the left the only time Radradra will get the ball is from kick returns and dummy half runs.

I'm sure Hopoate could play on the left though.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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84,148
bingo

why come here when he can get the same at other more successful clubs

will take overs to get him that other clubs cant or wont pay

But how much extra would we have to pay? How many other clubs would be interested in him?

We can offer the opportunity to stay in Sydney, plus he is mates with Hayne and Arthur's.

The only other clubs that really need him are Manly, Canberra and the Dragons. He offers more leadership than playing ability these days, and most Sydney clubs have enough that they don't need to go out and buy it.
 

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