are our new buys really that much better?

[macavity]

im talking Newcastle funding them - not Maitland. Have you been out there lately? HUGE area - and we need a presence out there, heaps of families that we need to make sure are playing league. I reckon promoted right and at the right ground, you would get decent crowds out there. its a marginal seat too, so they would prob be playing out of a better stadium than EAS before long... :lol:

Maitland does have a leagues club - perhaps Wests could take it over and refurbish...

 

[Whats Doing]

There is one clear aspect that Smithy is building is an increase in speed right across the park. Generally, players he has bought or starting to develop all have an abundance of speed for their positions.

Vuna, Naiquaima, McManus, Taia, Patto, Wicks, Walsh, Houston. and next year probably Uate and all considerably quicker than the players they will replace such as Woolly, Tanner, Reyno, Carmont, Abes, Quinn.

Speed is something you can't coach and Smith will be developing these players with the right skills. We will next year see at last some long distance tries which hasn't been seen since Tahu and Albert.

Smithy is going to oversee a new era for the club with some exciting times ahead.

 

[roopy]

There is one clear aspect that Smithy is building is an increase in speed right across the park. Generally, players he has bought or starting to develop all have an abundance of speed for their positions.

Vuna, Naiquaima, McManus, Taia, Patto, Wicks, Walsh, Houston. and next year probably Uate and all considerably quicker than the players they will replace such as Woolly, Tanner, Reyno, Carmont, Abes, Quinn.

Speed is something you can't coach and Smith will be developing these players with the right skills. We will next year see at last some long distance tries which hasn't been seen since Tahu and Albert.

Smithy is going to oversee a new era for the club with some exciting times ahead.

not just fast - athletic.
The Parra side of 2001 was a team of great athletes who just fired and set pointscoring records - what was it - nearly 800 from memory.

Big, strong, fast, mobile - he isn't looking for skill - he can teach that - he is looking for physical ability.

 

[Whats Doing]

Speed, atheleticism, it is quite a noticeable and deliberate plan by Smithy

 

[RABK]

Parra scored 940 odd points in 2001. Most points in a season by a team ever.

We are third with about 840 in 2001. Bulldogs second with about 850 in 2004.

 

[Alex28]

Most people bagged Smith for saying that Mullen wasn't ready for Origin, and I get why everyone here was excited for him and wanted him to be selected...but he was right and Jarrod would have been much better off not being sent out to slaughter like the Blues selectors did to him. The indignity of selecting Bird over him for the third match topped it off - I can't blame him for playing poorly last weekend.

As for the new signings - the backs that have been signed are much better than what we have now. We probably have what we needed in Vuna in Uate, but obviously Smith thinks that he needs some time before promoting him to first grade. With an off-season together the backline is going to kill it next year - just oozing with speed and talent.

Forwards...thats an unknown quantity. We look to have signed some guys that have some latent ability - just like some of the guys we have here now. We may still keep one of those guys in Perry depending on what happens with Manly. Will be interesting to see how it evolves...

 

[darkness]

I have heard Central Charlestown are actually in the run with one other club to be the home ground to host those games for the new premier league comp next year.

 

[Phillips]

has Naiquama officially signed?

 

[Frederick]

Yeh, ages ago