2019 Top 30

[franklin2323]

This idea that we are constantly releasing players because of the next big thing is a myth. You want me to believe it name the players who were released and who was the young gun we were getting rid of them for otherwise it’s bullshit. You’ve been using that myth to bag the club for months.

When is the last player to actually leave due to their contact being up? The moment a senior guy drops in form they get the ass. The moment a kid debuts they are extended

 

[Wookies&Cream]

That is ridiculous and not true. Most of the players we have released since Griffin took over had other circumstances causing the release. The ones that we did genuinely move on as you are saying made sense:

Soward, Merrin, CHN, latu were all given releases simply because of the cap or a younger player coming up. Who else?

Soward essentially played himself out of first grade by lying down and copping bellmays cock in Melbourne. Merrin and chn were definitely on the downward too. Latu was great but we needed money for Maloney. Getting Latu back now on a dirt cheap contract would be the goods.

 

[franklin2323]

Soward essentially played himself out of first grade by lying down and copping bellmays c**k in Melbourne. Merrin and chn were definitely on the downward too. Latu was great but we needed money for Maloney. Getting Latu back now on a dirt cheap contract would be the goods.

Even with Soward though. He would of been good in NSW Cup to work with some of the kids.

New coaches take a couple of seasons to get the roster they want. So will be interesting what we do with Maloney and Tamou's money when they go

 

[Pomoz]

Hiku for Blake. Every year we lost 5-6 guys and bring in no one

From an article on zero tackle:

Since Gould has arrived at the club, a total number of 95 roster changes has occurred – the most in the league.

At some point, surely, you’ve got to stop building and start

Not including these 95 players is the fact that Gould has also gone through five coaches in his time at the club (equal first with the New Zealand Warriors over this period).

Probably unfair to count 2 caretaker coaches in that list though

There is no context with this comment. Where was the club in terms of its playing roster when Gus joined? Frankly, I'm surprised we have only turned over 95 players. We had such overpaid dross we did well to avoid the wooden spoon every year. Worst still, we had a terrible salary cap position and couldn't just buy a few better players. We had to work through a few journeyman to free up cap space.

This squad is ageing nicely. You think we had a worse roster than last year, but I disagree. Cleary now has SOO experience and another finals series under his belt. Our young players have had three finals series in a row and are accumulating experience. Losing Peachey and Merrin might lower the experience in terms of the number of appearances, but the experience has been more evenly spread amongst our young players and another finals series under their belt is invaluable.

If we continue to make the finals for two more years, our team will then be mainly hardened NRL warriors, mostly developed from within and still in their prime. Patience is all that is required.

 

[Wookies&Cream]

There is no context with this comment. Where was the club in terms of its playing roster when Gus joined? Frankly, I'm surprised we have only turned over 95 players. We had such overpaid dross we did well to avoid the wooden spoon every year. Worst still, we had a terrible salary cap position and couldn't just buy a few better players. We had to work through a few journeyman to free up cap space.

This squad is ageing nicely. You think we had a worse roster than last year, but I disagree. Cleary now has SOO experience and another finals series under his belt. Our young players have had three finals series in a row and are accumulating experience. Losing Peachey and Merrin might lower the experience in terms of the number of appearances, but the experience has been more evenly spread amongst our young players and another finals series under their belt is invaluable.

If we continue to make the finals for two more years, our team will then be mainly hardened NRL warriors, mostly developed from within and still in their prime. Patience is all that is required.

And hopefully we are in a good position to keep all of them (like it looks like we are now)

 

[Westernised Panther]

Soward essentially played himself out of first grade by lying down and copping bellmays c**k in Melbourne. Merrin and chn were definitely on the downward too. Latu was great but we needed money for Maloney. Getting Latu back now on a dirt cheap contract would be the goods.

Agreed with Latu. He was very good for us.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

You want experience to get because generally experienced guys are more consistent than younger players, to teach the young good habits, to lead by example, to stand up in big games, to give younger players confidence.

But Yeo does most if not all of that without needing 200 games, Origins or tests, being a premiership winner, etc. Cleary to a lesser extent does too.

 

[franklin2323]

There is no context with this comment. Where was the club in terms of its playing roster when Gus joined? Frankly, I'm surprised we have only turned over 95 players. We had such overpaid dross we did well to avoid the wooden spoon every year. Worst still, we had a terrible salary cap position and couldn't just buy a few better players. We had to work through a few journeyman to free up cap space.

This squad is ageing nicely. You think we had a worse roster than last year, but I disagree. Cleary now has SOO experience and another finals series under his belt. Our young players have had three finals series in a row and are accumulating experience. Losing Peachey and Merrin might lower the experience in terms of the number of appearances, but the experience has been more evenly spread amongst our young players and another finals series under their belt is invaluable.

If we continue to make the finals for two more years, our team will then be mainly hardened NRL warriors, mostly developed from within and still in their prime. Patience is all that is required.

We were rebuilding a team that is fine. The frustration now is we have the team yet still are letting go when does that stop

Our top 13 is better this year that is for sure but as a whole squad? 1/3 of the squad has 10
FG games combined.

My original comment was IF we keep the squad we will be a top team in 2/3 years.

The new coach has to put a stamp on the squad that takes 2 or seasons usually. Then we have the u18's players no doubt to be fast track.

 

[franklin2323]

You want experience to get because generally experienced guys are more consistent than younger players, to teach the young good habits, to lead by example, to stand up in big games, to give younger players confidence.

But Yeo does most if not all of that without needing 200 games, Origins or tests, being a premiership winner, etc. Cleary to a lesser extent does too.

Yeo is going into his 6th year of FG. He isn't the issue

 

[Abacus]

Even with Soward though. He would of been good in NSW Cup to work with some of the kids.

New coaches take a couple of seasons to get the roster they want. So will be interesting what we do with Maloney and Tamou's money when they go

Except Soward didn't want to play reserves. And you sure as shit don't want to be paying him $700k to work with kids in NSW Cup.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

Yeo is going into his 6th year of FG. He isn't the issue

No I mean you can't put things like purely down to statistics. E.g Saying we have 3 150 game players who also are current or former rep players(not counting Sam Mckendry). And believing that's not even enough we need another.

Yeo hasn't played those games but the leadership he brings is something similar enough that it doesn't matter.

 

[Kilkenny]

There is ample evidence this off season we are not the only club who releases players early or chooses not the offer new contracts to established stars and it is done for a variety of reasons. Klemmer, SJ, McGuire, Napa to name a few. Goodness knows the Eels have attempted in vain to offload MJennings and at least one of there halves but to date there have been no takers. It is just business.

I have no doubt we will continue to release players early and equally if and when Maloney & Tamou go there money has most likely been spent or is being set aside for Blore, Crichton and who ever else will emerge as Top 17 team members.

As an example we current have Edwards, DWZ & Aekins competing for the fullback role with Dane Laurie and other kids emerging. Say DWZ makes the position his own in 2019 and Dylan Edwards barely get’s a look in. Another club comes knocking and offers Dylan a spot well it is highly likely Gus wouldn’t stand in his way particularly given our depth in the position. It is just business. You can’t keep them all. This scenario is what happened to CHN. He could have stayed, he wasn’t forced out, he just got an offer from another club, a four year deal which gives him security and greater opportunity to comment a spot in a top 17. Gus wasn’t going to stand in his way he doesn’t operate that way and we had more than sufficient options in the same position. Good for both parties.

 

[Luke Bowden]

There is ample evidence this off season we are not the only club who releases players early or chooses not the offer new contracts to established stars and it is done for a variety of reasons. Klemmer, SJ, McGuire, Napa to name a few. Goodness knows the Eels have attempted in vain to offload MJennings and at least one of there halves but to date there have been no takers. It is just business.

I have no doubt we will continue to release players early and equally if and when Maloney & Tamou go there money has most likely been spent or is being set aside for Blore, Crichton and who ever else will emerge as Top 17 team members.

As an example we current have Edwards, DWZ & Aekins competing for the fullback role with Dane Laurie and other kids emerging. Say DWZ makes the position his own in 2019 and Dylan Edwards barely get’s a look in. Another club comes knocking and offers Dylan a spot well it is highly likely Gus wouldn’t stand in his way particularly given our depth in the position. It is just business. You can’t keep them all. This scenario is what happened to CHN. He could have stayed, he wasn’t forced out, he just got an offer from another club, a four year deal which gives him security and greater opportunity to comment a spot in a top 17. Gus wasn’t going to stand in his way he doesn’t operate that way and we had more than sufficient options in the same position. Good for both parties.

Mate, I’m not sure common sense has any place in this forum.... good post!

 

[franklin2323]

There is ample evidence this off season we are not the only club who releases players early or chooses not the offer new contracts to established stars and it is done for a variety of reasons. Klemmer, SJ, McGuire, Napa to name a few. Goodness knows the Eels have attempted in vain to offload MJennings and at least one of there halves but to date there have been no takers. It is just business.

I have no doubt we will continue to release players early and equally if and when Maloney & Tamou go there money has most likely been spent or is being set aside for Blore, Crichton and who ever else will emerge as Top 17 team members.

As an example we current have Edwards, DWZ & Aekins competing for the fullback role with Dane Laurie and other kids emerging. Say DWZ makes the position his own in 2019 and Dylan Edwards barely get’s a look in. Another club comes knocking and offers Dylan a spot well it is highly likely Gus wouldn’t stand in his way particularly given our depth in the position. It is just business. You can’t keep them all. This scenario is what happened to CHN. He could have stayed, he wasn’t forced out, he just got an offer from another club, a four year deal which gives him security and greater opportunity to comment a spot in a top 17. Gus wasn’t going to stand in his way he doesn’t operate that way and we had more than sufficient options in the same position. Good for both parties.

Klemmer could only move when a replacement was found that is the way it should be.

Good for both parties how? It does the club no benefit to weaken the side just because someone is out of favour.

Look at the FB scenerio. So we release Edwards and then what if DWZ does an ACL or something? Far better keeping the player around until their deal expires

 

[franklin2323]

Except Soward didn't want to play reserves. And you sure as shit don't want to be paying him $700k to work with kids in NSW Cup.

He was in NSW Cup when we signed him... Atleast that way we had another option instead of going into 2017 with only TMM and Cleary as the only halves in the squad

 

[BxTom]

Klemmer could only move when a replacement was found that is the way it should be.

Good for both parties how? It does the club no benefit to weaken the side just because someone is out of favour.

Look at the FB scenerio. So we release Edwards and then what if DWZ does an ACL or something? Far better keeping the player around until their deal expires

Sh!t, why don't we just ignore the salary cap and keep them all. We can have two star players for every position. Nah, let's have three! I'm sure the players not getting games will hang around!

Then there's the real world.

 

[betcats]

And not forgetting we had the likes of the 2 Naqiamas (spelling?), Purtell, Walsh et al that needed to be moved on.

Look over the squads from those years, there is a plethora of guys like that.

 

[betcats]

Didn't you say last year we had a top 4 roster? Shouldn't that mean we should have a settled roster?

Roosters won a premiership and released Napa, its part of the game. What are you even saying, we cant win a premiership until we have no roster changes? 4 players over as many seasons isn't a problem.

 

[franklin2323]

Sh!t, why don't we just ignore the salary cap and keep them all. We can have two star players for every position. Nah, let's have three! I'm sure the players not getting games will hang around!

Then there's the real world.

How many star players get dropped to NSW Cup? If someone is dropped then it is for a good reason. No reason they can't find form later or are of no use

We have budget the cap so we can fit in Edwards until 2020 why not use him. I'd rather call him up in a finals should we need him then an untried rookie.

 

[franklin2323]

Roosters won a premiership and released Napa, its part of the game. What are you even saying, we cant win a premiership until we have no roster changes? 4 players over as many seasons isn't a problem.

Roosters also brought in Crichton, Morris and that pom Hall.

end of 2020 is when we really get a player of note off contract. A few guys Tamou, Maloney Maybe Edwards if DWZ is the FB don't get re-signed after then. So there will be change eventually.

This squad as a whole will add 400 games of experience this season. The same next year. Even depth guys like Martin, Ellis etc will have 10-20 more games under their belts. So overall we are more balanced to maintain the intensity needed to win comps.

The issue is every year we lose more experience they we develop. Every 2nd year to do that is fine but not every year