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Rewiring the team

redVinme

Juniors
Messages
2,427
Might be the Saturday boredom but been thinking a lot about what this year looks like for us.
We are on a hiding to win more than a few games and realistically about to have a sizeable amount of cap space to work with. Unfortunately due to basically the whole team under performing we cant really ascertain where the gaps are.

For me this year really needs to be about getting some of the younger guys in so we can see what they are made of before going to market. Coach issue aside as we know its a handbrake
to recruitment and the team that gets out on the park here are my thoughts.

Norman and Hunt both need to go. It doesn't matter if we bite the bullet and pay some of their freight right now they are both over the apex and into negative return for the team. I would drop them both and hope they can force a release. Send Hunt back to the broncs if they already hate croft so much as even if we pay half his wage we still make 500K which can be spent on someone who will instantly offer more value even if it isnt in his position due to the fact we are replacing someone with a losers attitude. Same for Norman.

Short term pain for long term gain and a deserved punishment for signing them in the first place.

I'd drop aitken and SAAB/JP and for this year move Matt and Max F into the team playing next to each other. Sooner or later we need to find out what they have and in a rebuilding year it would be great to give them some exposure to see how they take to first grade. This is actually important in knowing how we are going to recruit moving forward (crazy i know). This goes for Bud Sullivan too. I like Clune but if we are serious he isnt our long term option and once again we should want to know if these guys have what it takes.

If they take to it great, if they look like needing more time good hard to recruit in their position.

Now for the crazy part. I'd move Cam to 5/8 for this year. I see Cam shortening his career significantly if he continues to play the way he does. I see Cam as I would see Jack W. Running wide of the ruck with a bit of extra weight with a serviceable passing game. With at this point dufty still playing both sides of the ruck like he has been for the creativity. Cam will add starch out wide and can still do what makes him great. Then look to replace with someone like Burton and use him more effectively in the middle going forward

To cover him I would use Host/Ford in around 40min stints each tackling everything that moves and getting quick PTB's. With Host moving to back row 2nd half and Ford with more leg speed going into lock. They both need good minutes EVERY week and I would tell them it is their responsibility to make up Cams work in the middle. Challenge them to be that player.

So something like this

FB - Duff
W- Feagai, Rava
C- Lomax, Feagai
5/8- Mcinnes
1/2- Sullivan
Prop- Vaughn,Lawrie
Hk- B,B
2nd row- Fui, host
Lock- Host/ Ford

Friz
Kerr
Ford
depending on who we are playing for last bench spot

I would then put everyone on notice that all of their job depends not on winning but the effort and the want to be better every game. Being studious around your own game and not repeating the SAME mistakes every week. id look to recruit around the following

Off contract this year

Herbie Farnworth
Reed Mahoney
Herman Ese'ese
Jacob Saifiti
Christian Wlech
Adam Elliot
David Fafita
Alex Johnston

Off contract next yeat- After Nov 1

Stephen Crichton
Kotoni staggs
Scott Drinkwater
Matt burton
Liam Martin
Nathan Brown
Felise Kaufusi
JAC
Xavier Coates

In a perfect world If we could cop half of Norman and Hunts salary and replace at least one with Bud we are in the green anyway. That with Graham, JDB, Friz and aitken as a min is a lot of wiggle room and ideally i'd love something like this.

1. Herbie Farnworth- 190cm and nearly 100KG already. Rips and and has big wraps.
2. Alex Johnston- Bmoz showed why we need experience and pace in the back line
3. Lomax
4.Feagai - chase Staggs via his mgmt if bronx keep tanking
5- Feagai- Go hard for JAC or Coates if they look like leaving early.
6- Mcinnes- Burton or Deardan
7- Sullivan
8- Vaughn
9- Reed Mahoney- This is why i think Cam could play six. Reed has far more creativity and years in him
10- Kerr
11-Fui
12-Ford- David F- May as well throw a bone and see what happens
13- Host/ford

14- Herman
15- Sims- Can work for a spot and has done nothing in ages
16- blacker
17- Lawire/ utility

If the backs dont work I'd be going in on
Crichton
Matt Burton
Coates
Drinkwater

TLDR

Im sick of playing not to lose instead of trying to win. This team wouldnt even be near the cap but has some exciting young players who suit the sped up game and allows us to basically rebuild the team and culture of winning from the ground up.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
79538388.jpg
 

Tuddy

Juniors
Messages
335
Some good points. We need someone to build a team around. Who are we building around at the moment? Hunt? Norman? We all know that’s going to be as successful as trying to turn McGregor into a career coach.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
Some good points. We need someone to build a team around. Who are we building around at the moment? Hunt? Norman? We all know that’s going to be as successful as trying to turn McGregor into a career coach.

Yeah, i posted in the game day thread, how Luke Keary just took ownership of the game last night.
We don't have anyone of that ilk.
 
Last edited:

Tuddy

Juniors
Messages
335
Yeah, i posted in the game day thread, how Luke Keary just took ownership of the game last night.
We don't have anyone on that ilk.

No mate we don’t. How good was he!

Hunt was meant to be that guy but it’s clear to us all he isn’t.

Looking to our juniors is the only way forward. No one we need will come here the way things are at the moment.......and I don’t blame them.
 

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
No mate we don’t. How good was he!

Hunt was meant to be that guy but it’s clear to us all he isn’t.

Looking to our juniors is the only way forward. No one we need will come here the way things are at the moment.......and I don’t blame them.
I think the only coach that can jump start Hunt would b Kevvy Walters or don’t laugh here Browny.. I heard Browny today on MMM and he made a lot of sense of how a halfback should play and how a modern day Hooker should play ..he’s theories are great and Hunt is on the record as saying that Walters is the only coach that has given him the confidence to play his natural game .. just saying if you want to save paying $500k for next 3 years for Hunt to be playing elsewhere
 

matPORTS

Juniors
Messages
546
Some very good points here.

Coaching issues aside, last night was a massive opportunity for us and no one (not the least our highest paid play makers) took the bull by the horns.

A good case scenario would be to move Hunt back to the Broncos in a mutual swap deal with Farnworth and maybe Coates as well?

This could work out for us. The Broncos are going to be looking for solutions in 2021 to spark some sort of revival, and perhaps if we are going to move Hunt on this could be the way? Seibold isn't going to last either (his long term deal won't be worth the paper it's written on and he would have no sympathisers on the Broncos board - unlike some). Perhaps Hunt may wish to go back if it means being coached full time by Kevvy Walters (whom would no doubt be one of the next in line for the job)?

Best case scenario with Norman could be a move to the Super League? But I think we won't be able to cut both loose.
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
I do agree we need a rebuilding year maybe not agree entirely with all the selections. I’d straight away bring in the Feagai bro’s though. I’d build the team around McInnes and Lomax with a view to Ramsey also. Their kick chase efforts are great and if our whole D line moved like that it would be very effective. As Lomax gets better and better we should be able to attract a decent winger outside him also. I do agree Clune is probably not a long term option and Sullivan is but I doubt Sullivan is ready. I’d like to see him play in CC for a part of a season first. I’d stick with Clune all year because he’s signed for a couple of years and by the end of the year he might start to find his feet and at very least will become a handy backup half.
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,375
Yeah, i posted in the game day thread, how Luke Keary just took ownership of the game last night.
We don't have anyone of that ilk.

Keary is just a stand out who will be worth a fair bit on the open market at the moment. Just knows when, where and who in all facets of play. He covers a lot of ground in attack and defence and is a match winner. He put Latrell Mitchell through many times to score when with the Roosters and his kicks to the wingers are mostly spot on. Robinson is just rubbing his hands and saying "yes, I am enjoying this so much".
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,375
A great team has someone who can take the game by the scruff of the neck and always makes the right decisions on the field. There are a lot of great players, but not too many that can do these things consistently as Keary can. He should be NSW SOO five eighth as well as in Tests.

I wish we had him.
 

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,909
I do agree we need a rebuilding year maybe not agree entirely with all the selections. I’d straight away bring in the Feagai bro’s though. I’d build the team around McInnes and Lomax with a view to Ramsey also. Their kick chase efforts are great and if our whole D line moved like that it would be very effective. As Lomax gets better and better we should be able to attract a decent winger outside him also. I do agree Clune is probably not a long term option and Sullivan is but I doubt Sullivan is ready. I’d like to see him play in CC for a part of a season first. I’d stick with Clune all year because he’s signed for a couple of years and by the end of the year he might start to find his feet and at very least will become a handy backup half.
Don't forget Sailor.
CC
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
Don't forget Sailor.
CC
I like him he just doesn't seem to be in their plans. If I were the coach which I'm obviously not although it is fun playing fantasy coach as im sure Mary would agree. I would put a rocket up Norman, a serious rocket that I'm giving him a month to perform and if he doesn't rip and have a go he's not playing fg for the remainder of the year. I think we have about a month to save our season. If we can jag a couple of our next four we may be able to push for that highly contested 8th spot. If we lose all or most of our next 4 I cant see us being in the race anymore. In that case I would be dropping him for the remainder of the season and running with Sailor at 6 and promoting a few more players and having a development year to help clarify recruitment/retention for 2021.
 

Knight Dragon

Juniors
Messages
260
I like him he just doesn't seem to be in their plans. If I were the coach which I'm obviously not although it is fun playing fantasy coach as im sure Mary would agree. I would put a rocket up Norman, a serious rocket that I'm giving him a month to perform and if he doesn't rip and have a go he's not playing fg for the remainder of the year. I think we have about a month to save our season. If we can jag a couple of our next four we may be able to push for that highly contested 8th spot. If we lose all or most of our next 4 I cant see us being in the race anymore. In that case I would be dropping him for the remainder of the season and running with Sailor at 6 and promoting a few more players and having a development year to help clarify recruitment/retention for 2021.
You don’t need a man to come home around for a little while
 
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