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Rumours (signings, sackings & other NRL stuff)

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,042
Gagai isn't great. If he would walk into our team says more about us and the quality and depth of our backline than it does Gagai being good.

I never place much faith in Schoolboys or Jnr Kangaroos. Some do great things and some are rubbish.
For every good player there's name like (all of whom were named captain}
 
Messages
14,795
I feel like people are panicking a bit much. We don’t have a shit side, we have an a solid one. Our pack is one of the better ones in the game, people go on about the young Broncos pack, in terms of young talent we’d be second behind them.

Our halves are a good level, and we have an origin winning 5/8 as backup.

The backline is bland. None of starting backs will be bad, however none are going to light up the field either.

Tommy Talau and Jack Madden were the Australian School Boys half pairing in 2018. On that tour of England Zac Cini was the top try scorer. Jake Simpkin and Stefano Utoikamanu are the highest rated under 20s hooker and prop in the country.

We still have 3 spots to fill in the squad with around $1.5mil to spend. In the past, in fact even 2 years ago, that would have already wasted that.

Yes we’ve missed some targets however from what I’ve heard the only 2 we really went for were Latrell and Zac Lomax.

With the squad we have now we’ll likely be around that fringe 8 again, probably 7-10. As the games best fans we deserve more success and shouldn’t have to wait any further for it, however I’m confident the club is finally getting it right.

We won't go into the season without 29 players and without spending most of the cap as the rules don't allow for it.

One of two things will likely happen: We'll sign a couple of average players to decent money or there'll be news of a quality player suffering from Matterson syndrome and we'll pick them up on a good contract.

Given past performance, WT don't give me much hope of the latter happening but Madge is making good moves in identifying young talent so I'm hoping that translates into procuring some decent established talent also.
 
Messages
3,211
THE SMH reported that
Doueihi, who was last season's regular fullback, had been earmarked to play five-eighth if the club didn't re-sign Cody Walker. When Walker signed a two-year extension in December, Douehi was then assured he would be staying at fullback.

Now that Mitchell has been signed, with him also earmarked to play fullback, it is understood that Doueihi is concerned about where he will fit in the side. The Wests Tigers approached Souths last week about signing him, but his management is yet to be notified about their interest

Plays with plenty of heart, I'd take him before Gagai.
 

The Rosco

Bench
Messages
2,867
Gagai isn't great. If he would walk into our team says more about us and the quality and depth of our backline than it does Gagai being good.

I never place much faith in Schoolboys or Jnr Kangaroos. Some do great things and some are rubbish.
For every good player there's name like (all of whom were named captain}
I see what you did with Nathan Cleary . . . .
 

super_coach

First Grade
Messages
5,061
As the roster stands now 2020 is going to be a massive battle to finish above bottom two.

Yes we have a okay pack of forwards minus a no9, that brings them right back to the field. The 9 is the player that starts everything and even a pack of internationals would struggle without a 9.

Than we have a backline with nil pace, zero depth, lack of height and no no1. Very hard to be optimistic.

Every one talks spine, no regular 9, a good 7 with zero back up, ageing no6 with a ageing and injury prone backup and no real no1.

Madge will have them fit and well drilled but that is not enough. Very long season in front of us, with a couple of injuries we are talking spoon. Love my side but after over 50 years of supporting this mob and Balmain Iam a realist
 

Magpies Forever

Juniors
Messages
2,208
As the roster stands now 2020 is going to be a massive battle to finish above bottom two.

Yes we have a okay pack of forwards minus a no9, that brings them right back to the field. The 9 is the player that starts everything and even a pack of internationals would struggle without a 9.

Than we have a backline with nil pace, zero depth, lack of height and no no1. Very hard to be optimistic.

Every one talks spine, no regular 9, a good 7 with zero back up, ageing no6 with a ageing and injury prone backup and no real no1.

Madge will have them fit and well drilled but that is not enough. Very long season in front of us, with a couple of injuries we are talking spoon. Love my side but after over 50 years of supporting this mob and Balmain Iam a realist

As raw data that's entirely correct but I think we will have some of the newbys and CC players step up.
 

The unknown

Juniors
Messages
2,495
We were pretty much predicted to finish wooden spooners last year and got within a bees dick of a top 8 finish. I’m confident we can surprise again

Disappointment aside from missing the 8, we we did pretty damn good in 2019 with a whole bunch of youngsters and a large chunk of our cap sitting on the sidelines the majority of the year

The thing that worries me in 2020 is I can see major improvement ahead for teams like the Dogs and Cowboys especially. Maybe Dragons but the Mcwrecker effect is strong
 
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Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,496
I never place much faith in Schoolboys or Jnr Kangaroos. Some do great things and some are rubbish.
For every good player there's name like (all of whom were named captain}

yes very true, alot go onto do nothing

however i would say its encouraging to have a group of juniour 'stars' as opposed to none
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,496
As the roster stands now 2020 is going to be a massive battle to finish above bottom two.

Yes we have a okay pack of forwards minus a no9, that brings them right back to the field. The 9 is the player that starts everything and even a pack of internationals would struggle without a 9.

Than we have a backline with nil pace, zero depth, lack of height and no no1. Very hard to be optimistic.

Every one talks spine, no regular 9, a good 7 with zero back up, ageing no6 with a ageing and injury prone backup and no real no1.

Madge will have them fit and well drilled but that is not enough. Very long season in front of us, with a couple of injuries we are talking spoon. Love my side but after over 50 years of supporting this mob and Balmain Iam a realist

The squad definetly has its limitations. However every year since 2013 we've been heavily backed to get the spoon and never have. We've had much, much worse squads then this.

My thinking that we'll be ok is that I trust the coach and I thought last season had a huge amount of interuptions. For starters our 3rd coach in two years. This year we are much more settled off the field.

Then we had 4 fullbacks, 4 5/8s and 5 hookers used through injury. The last 6 rounds we were missing our 3 most experienced props Matulino, Packer and Aloiai.

We also had what was tipped as one of the toughest draws, compared to this season as one of the easiest.

Of course it could all go pear shaped, and I'm not stupid enough to suggest we'll be competeting week to week with the likes of Roosters, Raiders, Eagles etc, however I saw enough improvement last year to say that if we get some long overdue luck we can make the 8.
 

Tigerm

First Grade
Messages
8,902
The squad definetly has its limitations. However every year since 2013 we've been heavily backed to get the spoon and never have. We've had much, much worse squads then this.

My thinking that we'll be ok is that I trust the coach and I thought last season had a huge amount of interuptions. For starters our 3rd coach in two years. This year we are much more settled off the field.

Then we had 4 fullbacks, 4 5/8s and 5 hookers used through injury. The last 6 rounds we were missing our 3 most experienced props Matulino, Packer and Aloiai.

We also had what was tipped as one of the toughest draws, compared to this season as one of the easiest.

Of course it could all go pear shaped, and I'm not stupid enough to suggest we'll be competeting week to week with the likes of Roosters, Raiders, Eagles etc, however I saw enough improvement last year to say that if we get some long overdue luck we can make the 8.
Yep, and for each of the last 2 seasons, there were 7 clubs wishing they were in our position.
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
As the roster stands now 2020 is going to be a massive battle to finish above bottom two.

Yes we have a okay pack of forwards minus a no9, that brings them right back to the field. The 9 is the player that starts everything and even a pack of internationals would struggle without a 9.

Than we have a backline with nil pace, zero depth, lack of height and no no1. Very hard to be optimistic.

Every one talks spine, no regular 9, a good 7 with zero back up, ageing no6 with a ageing and injury prone backup and no real no1.

Madge will have them fit and well drilled but that is not enough. Very long season in front of us, with a couple of injuries we are talking spoon. Love my side but after over 50 years of supporting this mob and Balmain Iam a realist

This is exactly how I see the situation at the moment but maybe we will surprise on the upside.
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,496
The other thing to consider is that whilst we dont have a marquee player, we arent entirley relying on one. For instance if Luke Keary busts his knee early in the season I genuinley believe the Roosters miss the 8. Same with Damien Cook at the Rabbits, Cam Smith Storm etc.

We dont have a single player that could have that sort of effect on our side.
 

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,042
The other thing to consider is that whilst we dont have a marquee player, we arent entirley relying on one. For instance if Luke Keary busts his knee early in the season I genuinley believe the Roosters miss the 8. Same with Damien Cook at the Rabbits, Cam Smith Storm etc.

We dont have a single player that could have that sort of effect on our side.
That's the best spin of not having a marquee player I have ever heard. You should be in politics. :D:D
I take your point on not being reliant on one person whose form and availability could very well make or break us.
 

super_coach

First Grade
Messages
5,061
The other thing to consider is that whilst we dont have a marquee player, we arent entirley relying on one. For instance if Luke Keary busts his knee early in the season I genuinley believe the Roosters miss the 8. Same with Damien Cook at the Rabbits, Cam Smith Storm etc.

We dont have a single player that could have that sort of effect on our side.

most of the better clubs have good back up players especially in key positions. It’s how they get through rep season every year. Our trouble we have a few kids who fingers crossed are going to be good but they are a season or two away from top grade and nothing much else. Anyway with Madge calling the shots hard to see them getting the spoon but for atop eight finish we are going to need a truck load of luck
 

Legion

Juniors
Messages
400
Yep, and all clubs get out of it by bloodling a few good Juniors then making key signings as they start to move up the ladder. We can't seem to do either as our Juniors leave us and nobody wants to sign with us.

Watch this space, Madge will probably bail once he gets a better offer at a good club. We are a pathway club, that's it
That would surprise me big time if Madge deserted.
He signed on to rebuild & has been given the green light to choose the players that he believes will suit his plans.
To walk out now would be a real dog act.

Cleary lost a lot of respect for basically being in the same position. He made some terrible choices & just walked away leaving us in the shit.
When Penrith fail again this year, the knives will come out for him again. Who would want the turd then?

No, I see Madge as a man of integrity. He's better than that.
 

Legion

Juniors
Messages
400
I've got it on good authority that Moylan would join WT conditional on him getting a 4 year contract. That would be a terrible deal for the club.
We dodged a bullet there.
Apart from the fact that he's inconsistent, regularly drops the ball, often passes to the linesman, my prediction is that he'll spend more time injured over the next four years than on the field.

How he ever made it to representative sides is beyond my comprehension.
 

The unknown

Juniors
Messages
2,495
We dodged a bullet there.
Apart from the fact that he's inconsistent, regularly drops the ball, often passes to the linesman, my prediction is that he'll spend more time injured over the next four years than on the field.

How he ever made it to representative sides is beyond my comprehension.

Phil Gould and his NSW connections say hi
 

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