2015 Team

[K-Man]

8. Fa alongo
9. Clydesdale
10. Rochow
11. Scott
12. Tapine
13. T . Sims

14. Waddel
15. :crazy:
16. :crazy:
17. :crazy:

Yep exactly. That's my point - we very quickly reach crisis point and Tariq will be playing in the middle if there's nobody else left to do it.

 

[Burwood]

House is fine in the middle- no superstar, but perfect for depth.

 

[Frederick]

Looks like we'll be relying on the NYC boys making the step up. I'd wager a fair few of them could make a good fist of it

 

[Newie is God's Country]

The more kids we give top grade experience to the more likelihood of an upset. To a man, each of them has been up to it. Tapine and Vai Vai were good the last time i saw them. Off topic did anyone catch Vossy's comments last week that we had Ben Matulino until he got cold feet. That is just too painful to dwell on. Talk about the one who got away.

 

[Joker's Wild]

I reckon Roberts should play hooker next year and rotate with Clydsdale. I have been impressed with him there and he had one of his better games this year off the bench (I forget who it was against though, but he came on at hooker and turned the game). His lack of consistency worries me when he's in the halves and I reckon a switch to dummy half with a proper off-season there could be the best thing for his career.

Against the Roosters?

 

[PhilGould]

The more kids we give top grade experience to the more likelihood of an upset. To a man, each of them has been up to it. Tapine and Vai Vai were good the last time i saw them. Off topic did anyone catch Vossy's comments last week that we had Ben Matulino until he got cold feet. That is just too painful to dwell on. Talk about the one who got away.

Yeah it was back when he was a teenager, I believe. Before he'd played first grade. Would've loved to have him here.

 

[Allstar Knights]

Against the Roosters?

He's had a few of those at half, but he can't consistently play near that level every week. I'd be interested to give him a shot at hooker for a while just to see how he goes as he's shown he has played well there before.

 

[aqua_duck]

I think both House and Faalongo will be kept on to sure up our Prop stocks

Korbin playing in the middle interchanging with Smith

Rochow moving to prop

Tariq taking Rochows spot on the left edge

So I can see a 2015 pack of:

8. Snowden
9. Clydesdale
10. Rochow
11. Scott
12. T. Sims
13. Smith

14. Waddel
15. K. Sims
16. Houston
17. Tapine/Vai Vai/miracle signing

House ain't a props arsehole, he's a tackler, that's it and not even a great one at that. His hit ups are absolutely depressing

 

[Noname36]

Yeah, unfortunately I don't actually think House has any strengths. There's a reason he can't crack the first choice lineup of one of the worst forward packs in the comp. I could understand him being re-signed as depth, but I hope Stoney takes a serious look at what he's earning at the moment and at the very least we offer him a reduced contract if he must stay. Fa'alogo is the only one out of the three (he, Houston and Mason) id like to stay on for another year.

 

[Joker's Wild]

House ain't a props arsehole, he's a tackler, that's it and not even a great one at that. His hit ups are absolutely depressing

Maybe but our options are limited and he plays best in the middle. Having him out wide is even more depressing

The few times hes played as a prop for us this year he has made decent metres. Believe it or not, he has actually averaged around 10m per hit up when playing in the middle for is in 2014

 

[slotmachine]

i'm pretty excited to see what these young guys can offer tbh. better than signing someone like jon green. and if they all stink, well, stone already knows where he has to spend money for 2016.

we would have been in a better position if we had a competent CEO, and a coach who wasn't busy finalising another team's roster for the last 6 months.

stone has to play the shitty hand he was dealt, and he might pull something out of the bag with a pair of fives

 

[Nuffy]

Okay so with Midley pretty much confirming there's nobody else coming in.

That will do me, we've know what problems we had for 12 months even without Alex and Packer and yet we've done zippo about it.

Amazingly, our roster next year will be worse than this year, that's some effort.

 

[Still Nutty]

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2515827/gagai-plays-down-talk-of-following-bennett/...

Seems Gaigai has made it clear he's not looking for an out despite media speculation...gotta wonder how many more stories are going to be generated from quotes made years ago and in this instance by 3rd parties?!

It is either laziness or just poor journalism (or both) that these sort of articles get space/airtime?! (and I'm talking th Courier Mail rather than the Herald here):crazy:

 

[Joker's Wild]

That will do me, we've know what problems we had for 12 months even without Alex and Packer and yet we've done zippo about it.

Amazingly, our roster next year will be worse than this year, that's some effort.

There is bugger all available for next year though. Who should we have snared?

Letting Cuthbo go is the only decision I can be critical of but who knows how big his ESL offer is.

 

[Nuffy]

There is bugger all available for next year though. Who should we have snared?

Letting Cuthbo go is the only decision I can be critical of but who knows how big his ESL offer is.

We've known that we needed replacements for Mason, Faalongo and we lost Packer before the season started and Mckinnon not far into it. Then we lost Cuthbo because no one could make a decision.

We didnt seem to be chasing blokes before the Tinkler / Bennett saga and we certainly have been very quiet on the recruitment front since.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Yeah but again, who should we have chased? The prop market has been lean over the last 12 months to say the least

 

[Knight Vision]

There is bugger all available for next year though. Who should we have snared?

Letting Cuthbo go is the only decision I can be critical of but who knows how big his ESL offer is.

We should make sure we get Packer when he gets out

 

[perverse]

We've known that we needed replacements for Mason, Faalongo and we lost Packer before the season started and Mckinnon not far into it. Then we lost Cuthbo because no one could make a decision.

We didnt seem to be chasing blokes before the Tinkler / Bennett saga and we certainly have been very quiet on the recruitment front since.

Total bollocks! We've negotiated with just about every forward worth feeding that was off contract this year. Hannant, TLL, Matulino, Shillington just off the top of my head were all close to signing or deep in negotiation at various stages during the year, and probably more that didn't make the media too. We've got Tariq bloody Sims coming! Somehow we managed to land him despite all the drama - a recruitment coup if I've ever seen one.

I know it doesn't fit the "Wayne is leaving us in a shit state, lets point fingers" agenda, but we've been in the market hard this year. Players didn't want to come here pre-ownership debacle, and they all ran for the hills once Tinks left. Who would want to come here?

Ultimately we're in a position at the moment, not through lack of trying but because of circumstance. The best we can do is look at what we've got, bank on youth and try to get a few passable depth forwards for next year, and then hit the market really big for 2016. Cuthbo leaving, as JW said, is the only real blemish I can see. It was a misstep, but I find it hard to blame the club - they had a lot of shit to deal with and Cuthbo wanted to move quickly on a lucrative offer from the ESL.

 

[Knight Vision]

From the Lurker


Uate Canberra-bound?

Don't be surprised to see Ricky Stuart make a big bid for Knights winger Akuila Uate for 2015.

Uate is under contract to the Knights for next season but needs a change of clubs and may be released by the club.

Stuart is desperate for more strike power in the outside backs and a switch to Canberra could be just what the doctor ordered.

Uate - currently out for the rest of the season with a knee problem - has clearly lost his mojo.

He lost form and confidence this season and played in the NSW Cup just a few weeks ago.

Uncharacteristic errors have crept into his game and he has been targeted - with some success - by rival coaches.

He is light years away from the form that saw him win State of Origin and Test honours a few seasons back and made him the NRL's number one excitement machine.

He clearly needs a new challenge - and the struggling Raiders would certainly present him with that.

 

[PhilGould]

Despite his form I'd be sad to see him go.