Albert Kelly

[Chipmunk]

Kris Keating is not an organising half-back....the last time I looked he wasnt the organising half back at the dogs either.

Keating is probably a better proposition than Mortimer, but if Keating was still here he would probably be sitting on the bench like he was last year playing the same role.

Parra need an organising half-back....the coach was offered one on a plate (Matt Orford) and he turned the offer down.....The coach and the coach alone has to be accountable for that decision

 

[hindy111]

Gardner should of been kept and would of been nice on the wing.He would of been cheap too.But he wouldnt of changed our season.
Im certin parra wanted to keep Kelly but his discipline wasnt there so we cut ties.He may come back??

 

[DeanPay98]

Kris Keating is a 5/8 and he really should be our 5/8 atm. I'm just gobsmacked that Hagan let Hodkinson go in 2008. We have made some of the dumbest decisions imagineable where the halves are concerned.

On Gardner - from 2008 to 2010 he would have had Burt and Grothe to contend with and I can't blame him for seeking opportunities elsewhere.

I don't think we should sweat the rest including Mateo. If he can't get over his addiction to going for he miracle play on every play then he's little use to any team.

The club just needs to take stock and start making decisions with a view to the future - including mapping out alternate scenarios and ensuring we have back up in key positions. And as fans we need to give players time to transition for Wenty or NYC to first grade before we start jumping on them.

 

[hindy111]

its annoying when normal fans could see a guy like Wade graham could of been signed for a small fee in a position we need and we dont chase him.Thats where i have the problem.Our last year with Hagan we where horrible.The year after Hayne and moi moi produced some miraculous footy to get us to the GF but the first 16 games where rubbish.Last year we where terrible and this year things are looking 50/50 very early on...But its not like we should not of been building a team.We have been 11th 8th and 11th in our last 3 yrs-When was the last time we finished TOP 4??

 

[DeanPay98]

I think 2005 was the last time we were top 4. In that year we had good players in the positions where we needed them. We were 5th in 2007 too with a similar roster. The key things about those years were; good halves, a quick fullback(s), good hookers and a strong forward pack.

This year we have 2.5 of the 4 that we need. It just isn't enough. I can deal with a bad year. Its the planning that needs to be looked at. Parramatta might well be a mess because we keep changing coach and there is little real planning beyond the next 12 months. All the more reason for us to stick with Kearney for 3-5 seasons now that he is here. He's clearly competent, straight forward and well-intentioned. The only way we'll get around these bad recruitment decisions is to look long term.

To give Brian Smith his credit he did build a good forward pack from 2000 to 2002 after the pack, lead by Dymock, Pay, McCracken and Smith from 1996-1999 needed to be rebuilt. He made some poor retention decisions thereafter, but there are definitely positives in terms of retention where a long term coach is concerned.

 

[Bigfella]

I don't give a rats arse about missing out on orford.

He wouldn't have made a bit of difference on Friday night. Orford and Mortimer did enough to create chances.

We were completely outclassed on both edges. Not only that, but every player on the ground and everyone watching knew it within fifteen minutes. We had no self belief and it infected the rest of our performance.

Reddy, maybe even smith Into the centres. A wing spot for one of atkins, walker, hicks or loki and Burt to retain the other. Matuia to get smiths spot when fit.

We will have a lot more steel in our defensive lime and general confidence.

We will still lack class and penetration but we need to toughen up badly before we worry about that.

 

[one eye blue one eye gold]

I watched the cronulla game and man watching so many ex eels playin like that just shows how bad DA and BS were reconising talent and also remember Gallen was a parra junior but smith let him walk too !!!

 

[DeanPay98]

I think letting Paul Gallen go was the best recruitment decision this club ever made.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...wee-bit-of-strife-with-law-20091212-kpt4.html

 

[The Engineers Room]

Funny, I watched the Sharks and didn't care about the ex Parra players but rather envied the positive attacking footy that they were able to produce. They tore the Panthers apart and ran their forwards around, contrast that with the attack we served up. I don't think the Panthers were any worse than last week.

 

[Gronk]

I thought the Sharks had speed to burn around the halves and their backrow was big and very skilled.