Parramatta Eels want Cooper Cronk when Melbourne Storm abates by Dean Ritchie

[oldmancraigy]

You misunderstand me, point was the priorities with player signings was all wrong. How the hell do u sign Robson and Mortimer in front of Feleti and KK.

Blind Freddy can see who's more important.

Well when we signed Robson we still had plenty of time to re-sign Mateo and Kris Keating. You can't tell me Robsons massive 55-60k contract prevented us signing ANYONE?

And Mateo is gone gone GONE for much more money than we wanted to pay. I really like the guy and he has an almost unique game in the NRL, but for 400k per season? I want to pay that money for an Origin player, not a fellah who has 10 really good games out of 24 in a season.

And Kris Keating? I've yet to see ANYTHING from him that suggests he is a first grade quality halfback or five eighth. All I know is that he's handy on his feet and (so far) the defence hangs off him a bit waiting for him to pass. Soon enough they'll realise he never does and that'll be the end of his career. If the Dogs have paid anywhere near the speculated 200k per season they have been dudded there. Again, I'd pay KK 120-140k - but he's not any more special than that.

Mortimer is really struggling this season - and I think he is flat out the biggest factor in our attack being so stunted of late. However the guy showed a lot as a five-eighth last season - be interesting to see (i) how he goes if he plays 5/8 next year or (ii) how he goes with another season of learning under his belt for the halfback spot. He has more chance to be a good first grader than KK that's for darn sure (and Morts is playing worse out of the 2 of them right now!!!!)

And Tim Smith - PLEASE DO NOT bring him up? He left because????
Who honestly thought he was going to do anything much in the world of NRL again? And some of his Sharks games this year have been his patented shockers...


Player retention under the cap is awkward - but we haven't had a MAJOR loss that we should have avoided so far. For mine Tony Williams is the worst decision of late - letting him go and turning that money towards INCREASING the contracts of Hauraki/ Oake and Tautai was idiotic to the max..... Should've just paid him the money and brought in some other useless hacks for the minimum to replace them if neccessary... 150k per year isn't a huge amount for the form he'd shown prior to the deadline to match the offer.

 

[lucablight]

from what I hear, I'm not shocked at all..



my mail is that he's not wanted.

.....

You have got to be kidding me.

 

[Stagger eel]

.....

You have got to be kidding me.

well the last I heard, he's still keen to stay but I'm not sure whether the coaching staff are keen to nurse him through another season..

 

[lucablight]

well the last I heard, he's still keen to stay but I'm not sure whether the coaching staff are keen to nurse him through another season..

The knights made the same assumption with Ben Kennedy and I imagine they regretted it immensely afterwards.

 

[Forty20]

So if our play for Cronk falls apart then where does that leave us?

• An old warhorse like Kimmorely or Barrett for 1 year
• An English Super League talent or Ex-NRL player like M. Monaghan
• Exploiting clauses in contracts to net ourselves anyone from Pearce, Moltzen (who I like the look of) or Wallace to name a few.

Right now some cloak and dagger negotiations with another clubs half would be fantastic. Seeing as we have ruled Orford out we need a viable Plan B in the event of Cronk not signing.

 

[Stagger eel]

The knights made the same assumption with Ben Kennedy and I imagine they regretted it immensely afterwards.

I'm not sure whether I'd compare BK to guru..both different players at different times of their careers.

 

[Stagger eel]

So if our play for Cronk falls apart then where does that leave us?

• An old warhorse like Kimmorely or Barrett for 1 year
• An English Super League talent or Ex-NRL player like M. Monaghan
• Exploiting clauses in contracts to net ourselves anyone from Pearce, Moltzen (who I like the look of) or Wallace to name a few.

Right now some cloak and dagger negotiations with another clubs half would be fantastic. Seeing as we have ruled Orford out we need a viable Plan B in the event of Cronk not signing.

your guess is as good as mine, why they never tried to atleast explore the option to nab Hodko or Beau Henry is beyond me.

 

[lucablight]

I'm not sure whether I'd compare BK to guru..both different players at different times of their careers.

Ben Kennedy was 30 going on 31 when he was released by the Knights to go to Manly. Eric Grothe Jr is in the same boat.

I'm assuming you mean the club isn't willing to risk re-signing him again because he's viewed as injry prone. Well we all saw what he can do when he's fit and fighting and if we lost him would his replacement be any better or at least equal? I highly doubt it.

 

[Parra Steve]

It's a bit worrying considering that the knights have made a few good signings lately and we've made none, I think we'll have to look at the ESL for a halfback, Barrett has said he'll retire and I think kimmorley will join him. The next options after that is Scott dereau or Anthony watts and I don't think they'd be an improvement on what we have now

 

[Stagger eel]

Ben Kennedy was 30 going on 31 when he was released by the Knights to go to Manly. Eric Grothe Jr is in the same boat.

I'm assuming you mean the club isn't willing to risk re-signing him again because he's viewed as injry prone. Well we all saw what he can do when he's fit and fighting and if we lost him would his replacement be any better or at least equal? I highly doubt it.

look i love Grothe to death but by the time he cames back he would of missed about 10 weeks, which is way too risky..he's on a very good wicket and was offered a moderate downgrade which he's obviously baulked at..

 

[Parra Steve]

I can live with losing grothe as I think we have that covered within our own ranks. We need to put all our efforts in a top line half and a decent prop to replace cayless

 

[MikePatton]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cooper-cronk-rubbishes-eels-talk/story-e6frf9if-1225885387965

Cooper Cronk rubbishes Eels talk

• Russell Gould
• From: Herald Sun
• June 29, 2010 12:00AM

SPECULATION about the future of his teammates has enraged Melbourne Storm halfback Cooper Cronk, who called the reports "garbage".
Cronk has been linked to Parramatta, which declared its interest in the playmaker, as well as the Melbourne Rebels rugby union franchise, which has denied it is chasing him.
There were also reports fullback Billy Slater had been offered $800,000 to shift to Japanese rugby and a suggestion five-eighth Brett Finch could turn out for the Wests Tigers, as soon as this weekend.
Finch laughed off the claims yesterday and, while unsure of his future beyond this season, guaranteed he would see out the year with Storm.
The investigation into Melbourne's salary cap situation has been completed without interviews or financial documents from Storm players and the report is being finalised.

It will need to be scrutinised by lawyers, and the findings, released by News Ltd, publisher of the Herald Sun, may not be known until the end of the week at the earliest.
Until then the rumour mill remains in overdrive, but Cronk said the players would remain tight.
"There is no doubt there could be some troubled times ahead but one thing I can say on behalf of everyone is we would all love to be a part of this club moving forward, me included."
"The actions of a few people have affected a lot of us in a lot of ways and we'll see what happens. But in terms of the speculation, it's garbage.
"People can say anything without backing it up, without knowing what goes on within the four walls of the club. That is far different to what is speculated.
"We're not to know what it is going to happen but as long as we are on the same page and stick together, that will keep us moving forward."
Slater hoped the investigation would end soon. "I'm over what has happened and looking forward to getting on with things, to everything being out in the open," he said.
"Everyone understands what the process is, we have to get under the cap, that is the simple conclusion.
"People just want to know what is going on and hopefully something will come from it in the next week."

:x

 

[Stagger eel]

lol @ our management!!!...f**k we're a rabble!

 

[yy_cheng]

Our golden era II is gorn.

We did not nurture our juniors like the great 80's team so another 11 year wait until the next crop comes along.

We should be aiming for the 2021 premiership. Hopefully by then, Mortz would be Lockyer like unless we are still waiting for him to fulfill his potential.

 

[Parra Steve]

So even with the cap increases we didn't want to offer keating as much as the dogs yet have no backup plan now that he's going next year. Im withkris leaving if we have a suitable backup plan but it seems that we don't which is a major worry

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Its looking like the club has burned one side of a bridge..

 

[parra-matters]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cooper-cronk-rubbishes-eels-talk/story-e6frf9if-1225885387965

Well Cronk claims no one is going anywhere this season but said nothing about 2011.
Also why don't the storm players have to be interviewed? if you have nothing to hide wouldn't be happy to turn up and be interviewed?
I tell ya if Smith signed 3 contracts and got his reno's finished outside the cap he should be de-registered for 4 years.
Any player that knew anything was suss should be punished as this has hurt the code no end.

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

from what I hear, I'm not shocked at all..



my mail is that he's not wanted.

ooooo i see..cheers buddy

 

[The EELiminator]

So if our play for Cronk falls apart then where does that leave us?

up sh*t creek without a paddle thats where it leaves us

 

[parra-matters]

tbh, I'm not particularly concerned about the players we've lost but I'm very very concerned about the lack of signings to replace those blokes..

I feel the same way stags, and the future scares me at present.
Things looked so bright in the pre-season and early rounds but the whole thing has just gone to sh*t IMO. And not just on the field, The late great Jack Gibson was right when he said if the front office is right then success will come on the field.