Recruitment for 2012

[JoeD]

I don't want to de-value what Michael Luck does, or what he brings to park for us each week, without fail, because the guy is an absolute champion and a true Warrior - but I will be disappointed if Elijah, Ukuma, and Steve Raps don't over take him next year. That has to be their goal.

Cant agree more

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Re Lewis Brown, I wouldn't necessarily write him off as a centre, I think a lot of his shortcomings (which are mostly in his defensive reads/positioning) could be rectified with a full off-season training in that position. TBH I think it makes more sense for the club for him to concentrate on that skillset while we have surplus back row talent. With The club making the GF I think we're now going to have to concentrate all our funds on contract upgrades and junior retention rather than buying in players. With Inu, Ropati, Brown and Hurrell coming through in the next year or two I can't see the justification in buying a big name centre.

 

[devoid]

Re Lewis Brown, I wouldn't necessarily write him off as a centre, I think a lot of his shortcomings (which are mostly in his defensive reads/positioning) could be rectified with a full off-season training in that position. TBH I think it makes more sense for the club for him to concentrate on that skillset while we have surplus back row talent. With The club making the GF I think we're now going to have to concentrate all our funds on contract upgrades and junior retention rather than buying in players. With Inu, Ropati, Brown and Hurrell coming through in the next year or two I can't see the justification in buying a big name centre.

x2

 

[Iafeta]

I thought the defence from Sharky and Krisnan has been better the past couple of weeks. I can't remember Sharky getting busted against either the Tigers or Storm. It does some seem to be a slight downfall in Ivan's defensive structure that our outside backs have a tendency to rush up and in rather than work from the inside out, so its certainly not been limited to Lewis over the years.

What he does provide, similar to Jerome Ropati, is a lot of metres out of dummy half on those first couple of rucks of a set of six coming out of our half. I think his charges over the past couple of weeks out of there have been quite outstanding.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Champions try for the Storm?

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I don't want to de-value what Michael Luck does, or what he brings to park for us each week, without fail, because the guy is an absolute champion and a true Warrior - but I will be disappointed if Elijah, Ukuma, and Steve Raps don't over take him next year. That has to be their goal.

I can see this happening - depending if Bluey is a big fan or not.

Noises we're hearing suggest Inu is not exactly flavour of the month in the club's eyes? Maybe Tupou to centre?

 

[Fast Eddie]

If we let Inu go I'll be ropeable.

 

[TheDMC]

If we let Inu go I'll be ropeable.

Same.

But I'm pretty sure the club will wait and see what Bluey wants to be done with Inu...

 

[Juju]

Interesting in the rumored signings thread on the NRL section - a Sharks fan was saying at a members launch, that Flannagan stated they were in discussions with a player from both GF teams...

Inu?

 

[The European Polynesian]

Interesting in the rumored signings thread on the NRL section - a Sharks fan was saying at a members launch, that Flannagan stated they were in discussions with a player from both GF teams...

Inu?

Could be anyone, Manly have about 10 players off contract next year.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Interesting in the rumored signings thread on the NRL section - a Sharks fan was saying at a members launch, that Flannagan stated they were in discussions with a player from both GF teams...

Inu?

Could be Berrigan.

 

[Izz]

Could be Berrigan.

That's who i was thinking. Or possibly Tupou.

 

[Gigolo]

Sorry if this has been answered but has Bill Tupou re-signed or is he still available.

I reckon that kid is a gun

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Sorry if this has been answered but has Bill Tupou re-signed or is he still available.

I reckon that kid is a gun

Got another year on contract

 

[devoid]

Got another year on contract

Is this a recent development PW? I thought he was off contract and hadn't seen anything of him resigning. Great news, if true.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Is this a recent development PW? I thought he was off contract and hadn't seen anything of him resigning. Great news, if true.

Sorry, I got this one wrong..thought I had read somewhere he had re-signed. I imagine there will be negotiating done after the GF. We'd have to re-sign him, would we not - even for a year? I think he has merit as a centre.

 

[devoid]

Sorry, I got this one wrong..thought I had read somewhere he had re-signed. I imagine there will be negotiating done after the GF. We'd have to re-sign him, would we not - even for a year? I think he has merit as a centre.

Yeah, I would think so now. I still get nervous about Billy defensively, but geez. The kid has such a strong carry

 

[Iafeta]

I'd be gutted if we didn't keep Bill. He's developing into a very good winger. I love the look of our back three right now, teams kick into our corners and our back three motor it back 20-30 metres in the first 3 tackles of a set (along with our centres) letting Feleti play off the back of that rather than wasting a load of energy going back a long way to get back into the line. I think Bill's a grossly underrated part of our success. He's terrific at using footwork to poke his nose through the line and earn us a good play the ball early in the set.

 

[TheDMC]

I'd be gutted if we didn't keep Bill. He's developing into a very good winger. I love the look of our back three right now, teams kick into our corners and our back three motor it back 20-30 metres in the first 3 tackles of a set (along with our centres) letting Feleti play off the back of that rather than wasting a load of energy going back a long way to get back into the line. I think Bill's a grossly underrated part of our success. He's terrific at using footwork to poke his nose through the line and earn us a good play the ball early in the set.

I think Bill has done well, especially those early carries having some penetration. But I've yet to see much in the way of genuine line breaks, elusiveness, and speed. We already have one barge it up type winger, we need the other one to be more elusive and speedy I reckon - more a Locke style winger. Perhaps he has this in him but is playing with in a low-risk team plan which doesn't see the mini-beast released...dunno.

 

[Iafeta]

He can score a good try. He was very effective in NYC. I know at times that's a bit like touch league at times, but he's got some talent. That try he scored against lol@$0uff$ was awesome.