5/8

[Rieck_Fan]

Aitken all the way. We own a young developing five-eighth who obviously has potential I would rather he gets a run than bringing the hog back.

 

[Jimbo]

Aitken doesn't have a penchant for kicking out on the full either...

 

[azzah72]

i'd gor aitken for 5/8 and develop bird for lock, i feel they both give something to the game and thats the best option but in saying that if bird was at 5/8 that wouldn't bother me, i actually thought he was one of the best on the field on sunday

if we had full strength for next year on the proviso there isn't ant notable signings i think a good team would look like

peach
rieck
vagana
mcgoldrick
simmons
aitken
kimmorley
stevens
sullivan (if they want to still do the 20/20 hooker then hilder)
nutley
bailey
gallen
bird

isemonger
lomu
galloway
hilder (sullivan here if 20/20)

 

[blacktip-reefy]

To not get get a proven 5/8 th back if he is avialable is ridiculous!!

A couple of key points.

1. This squad is together for 2005. Then its rennovation time again.
Its this year or next or wait another 5.

2. You can never have too many halves. Ask the Broncos.

3. At the moment we have 2 key injuries & our team is gone. Imagine if we were in the knights position. But they are in front of us with 11 out!!

4. Timing. Optimim time to win a grand final. Is next year for the Sharks.No stone unturned. What if Kimmorley gets a season ender? Aitken? Sully? Gallen? Gonski!!!! 5 years rebuilding down the drain.
Do whattheRoosters do. Flood your stable on the optimum year.

Anyway, our best option at 5/8 that I have seen is Dumas then Kent. So forget Aitken & Bird.

 

[millersnose]

i wager bird is not forgotten in the 5/8 stakes reefy

 

[Macca]

. . . . and what was your vote anyway? Dykes?

 

[MilitaryShark]

And do you really think Dykes would be happy with those terms.

He bagged the club when he left. How ironic that he was so happy with their club for being professional and now, when they are professional enough to look at cutting their losses on an overpaid, undertalented player, he wants to come back.

Who would you rather. A 27 year old Dykes with some chronic problems with shoulders and knee who has more than likely reached potential and is sliding or Aitken who has more potential than Dykes ever had and has possibly a decade or more of footy to offer the club.

To me Dykes offers us nothing. If he is released then the Squeels rate John Morris a better 5/8! Another point is this comes back to the sentimentality arguement I had with Millers. IMO if we bought him back it would be for little more than sentimentality for a player who really doesn't deserve anything from this club.
_________________

In the poll I voted to bring Dykes back, however after reading your statement I tend to agree with you. I was looking at it from the wrong angle.
Thanks for making me look at the bigger picture instead of the quick fix....

 

[Foz]

Theres room for 3 halves in the side.
I think we can still develop Russ with Dykes here.
Injuries can play a part (touch wood they dont) but there is a spot on the bench too.
Russ is only 19 I think so learning off Dykes and Kimmorley wouldn't be a bad thing.
If Dykes doesnt produce Russ will get the gig next year anyway.
If Dykes does Russ will only be 22 or 23 when he takes over and will have a heap of experience.
I'd like to see Dumas given a shot at 5/8 (he can play bench and forwards anyway)but there's no way I've given up on Russ.
He is a talent.

 

[JemimaPuddleduck]

4. Timing. Optimim time to win a grand final. Is next year for the Sharks.No stone unturned. What if Kimmorley gets a season ender? Aitken? Sully? Gallen? Gonski!!!! 5 years rebuilding down the drain.

duck expansion - if i may be so bold Mr blacktip-reefy

I don't disagree that development is crucial, but looking at the big picture we should not only be mentioning Mr Aitken. There's also Mr Simmons, Mr Galloway, Mr R Williams, Mr ugh Merritt.

If we accept, and some here do, that it takes 50-60 games in the NRL to get up to speed, to be developed, that puts us where with these kids? End of 2006 begining of 2007?

Mr Nutley gone. mr Stevens gone. mr Kimmorley ? Mr Peachey gone. Mr Vagana gone

None of our up and comers are in the class of your Mr Karmy Hunts or your Mr Benji Marshalls. those types are rare and we don't have them. so it's the long haul to get them up to the status os good to very good footballers.

come 2007 when all the old hardheads are gone we suddenly have a side with very young leaders. the likes of Mr Bailey, Mr Hilder, Mr Gallen, Mr McGoldrick, Mr Reick, Mr Bird etc become your experienced players, if they are still around. the rookies mentioned above will only just of come of age and we'll be smack bang in the middle of "developing" the next lot.

in other words as Mr blacktip-reefy says, we are in the middle of another 5 year rebuild.

this team is very short on senior talent. look what happens when they are out and there is no back up. team folds.

i don't think we can afford another period like the 80s where we were middle of the road to pathetic for many years.

 

[PHaTMaN]

We cant have someone playing first grade to develop them if they arent good enough to be there now. Theres a lot of talk about playing Russ Aitken at 5/8 in order to develop him so he can be good in a couple of years. I agree first grade experience often helps players improve and "get good" but if he isnt the best option at 5/8 right now then he shouldnt be there. If he is then i've got no problem with him being there i do however think that Greg Bird is a better option at 5/8 right now. I dont think he is a long term solution but at the moment i believe he is the best 5/8 at the club. Give Russ a bit more time in Premier League and see if he can hit the weights in the offseason and play firsts next year.

 

[El Coconuto]

I voted for Dykes but that is dependant on his asking price. That aside, I would've voted for Bird next. Aitken, in my opinion isn't ready yet and obviously because Dykes is in the poll we are voting for the now and not for the latter. That said, Bird is my pick of the two...

 

[coolumsharkie]

I think we should develop Russ...and have Dumas in there for the rest of this season.

I agree with some people here about Bird being lock.

 

[andrew flap]

After looking at the poll criteria, I'd settle for any of those blokes as long as it isn't Dykes.

Nothing personal against him, it just seems we're buying Parramattas problems. Parra are not that good. How long since he played first grade ??? Can't make it to the top grade in a mediocre team. That's gotta speak volumes.

Nahhh, they can keep him. Given the shoulder injury recently, more is the point.

 

[warren]

Can't make it to the top grade in a mediocre team.

i dont think he wasnt in first grade because he wasnt playing good footy. remember smith is the coach

 

[The Nulla]

Its funny how we are arguing over who is our best 5/8 option at the present time, however, Russ Aitken is still to play an entire first grade game in this position. Additionally, the style played by our premier league team does not flatter Aitken at all as it revolves around one out stuff with the halves, in particular the 5/8, taking on a limited role. Therefore, I believe that Russ should be given at shot at this position at least for some of our upcoming games to determine whether he is infact 'good enough' for the position before we make decisions regarding the issue.

 

[imasharkie]

I voted for Aitken because he will develop into a handy 5/8 playing outside Noddy and if BK gets hurt we've always got a Bird/Aitken combination.Although if we get Dykes cheap we can use him in PL and bring him up for injuries or poor form,he would make a handy backup.

 

[imasharkie]

[quote="JemimaPuddleduckduck I don't disagree that development is crucial, but looking at the big picture we should not only be mentioning Mr Aitken. There's also Mr Simmons, Mr Galloway, Mr R Williams, Mr ugh Merritt.

Ms. Jemima you make me very happy with that statement and particularly with your observation of Mr. Max Merritt.

 

[Connections]

buy sum 1

 

[JemimaPuddleduck]

I voted for Aitken because he will develop into a handy 5/8 playing outside Noddy and if BK gets hurt we've always got a Bird/Aitken combination.Although if we get Dykes cheap we can use him in PL and bring him up for injuries or poor form,he would make a handy backup.

When Mr Dykes left the Sharks it was on a 4 year $1.3 mill contract.

correct the duck if wrong but I am sure that's what it was

that's $325k a year

IF he was released against his wishes from the Eels we are only in for half as the duck understands it.

If he asks for a release and is granted it they owe nothing and we have to negotiate

he's not worth $325k a year anymore as a free agent I wouldn't think.

more like $200k - $250

Half his contract if it panned out that way gets us into him for $175k

what's the point duck?

My guesstimate is he's now a $175k - $250k player. Too much for the PL cap which is only $300k I think. $500k tops

compare the figures to Meritt. Who is a better first grader. It's a no brainer really. If he comes he's it as 5/8.

 

[King of the Hill]

I'd like to see Jason Kent get a go at 5/8 before we splash out big on Dykes