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2021 Rabbitohs Rumours, Signings And News

handyman2190

Bench
Messages
3,404
George Jennings, who was one year, our top try scorer, looks like an immortal compared to our garbage backup backs.

We've made some big mistakes in recruitment, and its starting to cost us now. Jennings couldn't even get minimum wage, but then we get Ethan Lowe instead. Burns always injured so we put Lowe in the centres, and he is woefully outgunned, so then we get James Roberts, who has always been a suspect defender, and eventually has to be dropped because his D is so bad, so we put Douehi in there for a while, but then he is let go, then we put Cartwright out there, and then someone thinks he can actually play centre so we sign him for 3 more years.

The days of putting edge fowards as centres is over, has been for 5 years at least. Centres gotta be FAST, have steeping footwork, ball handling/passing skills.

When Gagai leaves we better have something up our sleeves in recruitment, because we gonna really regress.
There is nothing on the horozon, we are in it deep, they talk of more teams, there are not enough players for what we have, it will be a diluted comp
 

Rabbit toes

First Grade
Messages
5,284
George Jennings, who was one year, our top try scorer, looks like an immortal compared to our garbage backup backs.

We've made some big mistakes in recruitment, and its starting to cost us now. Jennings couldn't even get minimum wage, but then we get Ethan Lowe instead. Burns always injured so we put Lowe in the centres, and he is woefully outgunned, so then we get James Roberts, who has always been a suspect defender, and eventually has to be dropped because his D is so bad, so we put Douehi in there for a while, but then he is let go, then we put Cartwright out there, and then someone thinks he can actually play centre so we sign him for 3 more years.

The days of putting edge fowards as centres is over, has been for 5 years at least. Centres gotta be FAST, have steeping footwork, ball handling/passing skills.

When Gagai leaves we better have something up our sleeves in recruitment, because we gonna really regress.
I came here expecting idiocy and you’ve paid in full. Congrats.

It’s impossible to retain a player who has never played for your club. ROBERT Jennings played for Souths. Not George. He can’t crack a first grade gig at the moment.
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
George Jennings, who was one year, our top try scorer, looks like an immortal compared to our garbage backup backs.

We've made some big mistakes in recruitment, and its starting to cost us now. Jennings couldn't even get minimum wage, but then we get Ethan Lowe instead. Burns always injured so we put Lowe in the centres, and he is woefully outgunned, so then we get James Roberts, who has always been a suspect defender, and eventually has to be dropped because his D is so bad, so we put Douehi in there for a while, but then he is let go, then we put Cartwright out there, and then someone thinks he can actually play centre so we sign him for 3 more years.

The days of putting edge fowards as centres is over, has been for 5 years at least. Centres gotta be FAST, have steeping footwork, ball handling/passing skills.

When Gagai leaves we better have something up our sleeves in recruitment, because we gonna really regress.

Robert Jennings being the clubs leading try scorer in 2018 is evidence of how much influence coaching systems can have on an individuals success.

The common theme with the clubs recruitment is that they've had to fill gaps in the squad from outside the club because depth quality players don't seem to be coming from the lower grades. Dean Hawkins has been the only Souths junior to come into the team this season. Everyone else was signed from other clubs through necessity.
 

BotanyBorn&Bred

Juniors
Messages
1,937
I came here expecting idiocy and you’ve paid in full. Congrats.

It’s impossible to retain a player who has never played for your club. ROBERT Jennings played for Souths. Not George. He can’t crack a first grade gig at the moment.
Yep my mistake, got them mixed up.
The recruitment has still been bad, except for Benji, since Richo left, it shows
 

BotanyBorn&Bred

Juniors
Messages
1,937
Robert Jennings being the clubs leading try scorer in 2018 is evidence of how much influence coaching systems can have on an individuals success.

The common theme with the clubs recruitment is that they've had to fill gaps in the squad from outside the club because depth quality players don't seem to be coming from the lower grades. Dean Hawkins has been the only Souths junior to come into the team this season. Everyone else was signed from other clubs through necessity.
True
 

handyman2190

Bench
Messages
3,404
Robert Jennings being the clubs leading try scorer in 2018 is evidence of how much influence coaching systems can have on an individuals success.

The common theme with the clubs recruitment is that they've had to fill gaps in the squad from outside the club because depth quality players don't seem to be coming from the lower grades. Dean Hawkins has been the only Souths junior to come into the team this season. Everyone else was signed from other clubs through necessity.
Agree, but we have signed crocks! They have come with injuries, carty had the back problem,and i questoon his fitness not having played this year,soon as they turned him around to drop him on his back he dropped the ball, his ball security was non existent, then his tackling. Ive said here many times, this method of defence,stacking the middle leaving the edges bare is suseptable to whats happening now,the middles are not sliding fast enough to cover, i knew jac would have a field day even mediocre jennings scored 2. Our defence needs to change,tatola is a shadow,knight comes on and makes mistakes its a joke. How can bennet say we have a good squad when we cant win a game in reserves?
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
Agree, but we have signed crocks! They have come with injuries, carty had the back problem,and i questoon his fitness not having played this year,soon as they turned him around to drop him on his back he dropped the ball, his ball security was non existent, then his tackling. Ive said here many times, this method of defence,stacking the middle leaving the edges bare is suseptable to whats happening now,the middles are not sliding fast enough to cover, i knew jac would have a field day even mediocre jennings scored 2. Our defence needs to change,tatola is a shadow,knight comes on and makes mistakes its a joke. How can bennet say we have a good squad when we cant win a game in reserves?

Pay peanuts, get monkeys. That is especially true in the NRL player market. Again, these players are being signed from the scrap heap because the club isn't developing players to fill gaps in the squad and that is shown in the results of reserve grade.

Our recruitment has been strong under the circumstances imo. Benji, Arrow, Mansour and Host are good first grade additions. Most of the reserve grade additions are at the club because they were needed to fill the squad.

The defensive system doesn't seem to be working. Our pack isn't mobile enough to spread wide and help out the backs.
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
The club as a whole needs a coaching overhaul. Recruitment can only do so much but if they're not getting assistance from the grades below, recruitment are fighting a losing battle.
 
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handyman2190

Bench
Messages
3,404
Pay peanuts, get monkeys. That is especially true in the NRL player market. Again, these players are being signed from the scrap heap because the club isn't developing players to fill gaps in the squad and that is shown in the results of reserve grade.

Our recruitment has been strong under the circumstances imo. Benji, Arrow, Mansour and Host are good first grade additions. Most of the reserve grade additions are at the club because they were needed to fill the squad.

The defensive system doesn't seem to be working. Our pack isn't mobile enough to spread wide and help out the backs.
I want to know why the club isnt developing players, recruitment is a shambles and non existent, this has been evolving over the last 10 or so years,do we have scouts, do we have people everywere looking?
Do we have someone in charge or is Ello expected to do it all with solly an administrator trying to negotiate and sign players, no no no no, this is the wrong way,can u all imagine,last year it was AJ cant keep him,now its AR, with gagai and sua set to go as well.
The window has slammed shut and at this rate wont be reopening, another wests tigers.
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
I want to know why the club isnt developing players, recruitment is a shambles and non existent, this has been evolving over the last 10 or so years,do we have scouts, do we have people everywere looking?
Do we have someone in charge or is Ello expected to do it all with solly an administrator trying to negotiate and sign players, no no no no, this is the wrong way,can u all imagine,last year it was AJ cant keep him,now its AR, with gagai and sua set to go as well.
The window has slammed shut and at this rate wont be reopening, another wests tigers.

I disagree that recruitment has been a shambles and non-existent. Of the round 1 17, only 5 have been at Souths since juniors. The remainder were recruited. That is a 17 that we considered a premiership contender. Of the players that have come into the team since then, only Hawkins came from junior grades.

The club won Jersey Flegg a couple of years ago so scouting/recruitment at that level doesn't seem to be a problem. My question is why does there seem to be a gap between JF and reserve grade? From that JF winning team, only Josh Cook and Jaxson Paulo (who was signed from GC) are in the 30 man squad today. Ilias and Taaffe are being discussed for future seasons but given most if not all of these players would now be in their 20's, it's disappointing that most of these players are struggling to succeed in reserve grade. That to me points towards coaching/player development being the issue.
 

Jim Rockford

Bench
Messages
3,082
We need to send out an SOS to Richo! If we could entice him to come back hr would be able to clean up the mess others have made and get us going forward on the right path again.
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
We need to send out an SOS to Richo! If we could entice him to come back hr would be able to clean up the mess others have made and get us going forward on the right path again.

Majority of the clubs contracts were agreed and signed while Richo was still at the club. Not much has actually changed in the 12 months since he left.
 

Jim Rockford

Bench
Messages
3,082
Majority of the clubs contracts were agreed and signed while Richo was still at the club. Not much has actually changed in the 12 months since he left.
I should have stopped and thought before venting. One thing is sure though, if Richo was calling the shots we would have got this situation with Reyno sorted before it got to this point.
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
I should have stopped and thought before venting. One thing is sure though, if Richo was calling the shots we would have got this situation with Reyno sorted before it got to this point.

If Richo was still at the club, Souths probably don't re-sign AJ.
 

big hit!

Bench
Messages
3,452
Pay peanuts, get monkeys. That is especially true in the NRL player market. Again, these players are being signed from the scrap heap because the club isn't developing players to fill gaps in the squad and that is shown in the results of reserve grade.

Our recruitment has been strong under the circumstances imo. Benji, Arrow, Mansour and Host are good first grade additions. Most of the reserve grade additions are at the club because they were needed to fill the squad.

The defensive system doesn't seem to be working. Our pack isn't mobile enough to spread wide and help out the backs.

They're also being signed because Souths obviously have several players on a decent salary, taking up the bulk of the cap. You can only offer what you've got left, and that seems to be only enough to attract those who are willing to take anything to get onto an NRL list, i.e., those seeking an opportunity or have had long-term injuries which the club agreed to take on and rehab.

Re those signings you've mentioned - Benji, Mansour and Host have come relatively cheap for the quality they are. Have to remember that two of them (the older boys) were after the opportunity and souths have given it to them.

Arrow - yes, he is a wonderful player, but IMO not a good signing for Souths. He is a #13 and Souths already have a superstar in that position and the club also has Hame Sele who is very good player to have in the rotation off the bench and done a stellar job in previous seasons. Yes, bring in another #13 for depth but it didn't have to be someone of the $$$ that Jai commands. I understand the talk was Cam Murray moving to the edge, but we saw last season that this team (any team) is better with Murray getting carries in the middle rather than hole running on the edge. Arrows money could have gone to another position to shore up the balance of the entire squad.

Knight had a breakout season a few years ago and is still living off the back of that I feel. Mago is a much better option in the rotation this season and I feel it was better when he was in there for a couple of games. A bit stiff to be dropped to Cup when Knight came back, but Knight is on bigger $$$, and when the execs at head office in every sport put together their spreadsheets at end of year, they want to see a big % of the salary cap on the field. I'm sure that's why Knight is getting on ahead of Mago.

Edge forward, particularly the right side, has been an issue for the Souths for several seasons now - Sam Burgess, Cam Murray, etc have been moved away from where they are most effective in the middle to plug gaps in this position. We thought Su'A would be the answer, but he seems to be in the mould of his young Broncos brethren who relish carting up the pill, but loathe defending. Let's face it, all those Broncos young talents everyone has creamed over are Pasifika boys who just steamrolled their opposition as juniors, and rarely had to defend at that level. It's a different case in the NRL. Defence IS what wins games. Marker defence, repeat effort, lateral movement, and resilience become paramount.

Keon has been a revelation and a local. Thank f**k he's come on the scene as it has given the club an option to perhaps let Su'A go if the club can't meet his demands, and Host can fill the right edge position. Keon has been excellent with the ball in his hands, but like some of the others, he's been found out a few times in defence so that is an area of his game he needs to work on.

I don't know where my post ended up going but there it is. :)
 

Travitoh

First Grade
Messages
5,185
They're also being signed because Souths obviously have several players on a decent salary, taking up the bulk of the cap. You can only offer what you've got left, and that seems to be only enough to attract those who are willing to take anything to get onto an NRL list, i.e., those seeking an opportunity or have had long-term injuries which the club agreed to take on and rehab.

Re those signings you've mentioned - Benji, Mansour and Host have come relatively cheap for the quality they are. Have to remember that two of them (the older boys) were after the opportunity and souths have given it to them.

Arrow - yes, he is a wonderful player, but IMO not a good signing for Souths. He is a #13 and Souths already have a superstar in that position and the club also has Hame Sele who is very good player to have in the rotation off the bench and done a stellar job in previous seasons. Yes, bring in another #13 for depth but it didn't have to be someone of the $$$ that Jai commands. I understand the talk was Cam Murray moving to the edge, but we saw last season that this team (any team) is better with Murray getting carries in the middle rather than hole running on the edge. Arrows money could have gone to another position to shore up the balance of the entire squad.

Knight had a breakout season a few years ago and is still living off the back of that I feel. Mago is a much better option in the rotation this season and I feel it was better when he was in there for a couple of games. A bit stiff to be dropped to Cup when Knight came back, but Knight is on bigger $$$, and when the execs at head office in every sport put together their spreadsheets at end of year, they want to see a big % of the salary cap on the field. I'm sure that's why Knight is getting on ahead of Mago.

Edge forward, particularly the right side, has been an issue for the Souths for several seasons now - Sam Burgess, Cam Murray, etc have been moved away from where they are most effective in the middle to plug gaps in this position. We thought Su'A would be the answer, but he seems to be in the mould of his young Broncos brethren who relish carting up the pill, but loathe defending. Let's face it, all those Broncos young talents everyone has creamed over are Pasifika boys who just steamrolled their opposition as juniors, and rarely had to defend at that level. It's a different case in the NRL. Defence IS what wins games. Marker defence, repeat effort, lateral movement, and resilience become paramount.

Keon has been a revelation and a local. Thank f**k he's come on the scene as it has given the club an option to perhaps let Su'A go if the club can't meet his demands, and Host can fill the right edge position. Keon has been excellent with the ball in his hands, but like some of the others, he's been found out a few times in defence so that is an area of his game he needs to work on.

I don't know where my post ended up going but there it is. :)

Great post and agree with most of it.

Arrow imo was a good signing because he brings athleticism to the middle of the park, something that is lacking in a lot of the forward pack. He is currently being underutilized in the team. It isn't Arrow himself who is surplus to requirements, it's the number of 30 minute props in the squad. A good pack shouldn't need 4 forwards on the bench to get through a game.
 
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