Come fishing with Phil Kingsley-Jones

[Warrior]

"Today, we are going to the Hauraki Gulf to see if we can do some Warrior fishing. I haven't done this since Super League. League is struggling at the moment but with Eric Watson as the king fish of the Warriors, we may get lucky. I can see myself owning a couple of race horses."

Here is something that has been pissing me off lately.... Phil Kingsley-Jones. I don't know if this guy is trying to keep on side with the NZRFU because the media is portraying him as getting chummy with the Warriors. But he just seems to have the fishing rod out at the moment tugging the Warriors along. It's all very well trying to get Lomu across to the better code but if he's just got the line out fishing casually, the Warriors can't wait until October to find out.

We have the Rabbitohs back in the comp next seasonand they're building a new side. We have the Northern Abortion set to fold, so that should set some good players on to the open market. If the Warriors are trying to reel the big fella in and he cuts the line and signs back with the All Blacks, the Warriors are going look like clowns and we would have missed out on a major signing spree to prepare for 2002.

Signing PJ Marsh was a step in the right direction because the club was in need of a 5/8 and a decent back up for Jones. Now the club needs to focus on signing a centre and a fullback and maybe a utility forward. That would take us into 2002 with a well prepared squad.

 

[imported_kier]

I agree with what you say about the types of player the Warriors need, and I'm also in total agreement with yoursentiment with regards to agents - but I disagree about the need to find out immediatly about Lomu.

His value isn't really as a player - he is a marketing tool, a totem, a symbol......call it whatever you want.

If he is going to sign it will be on the strength of his personal sponsorship - and specific relaxations in the salary cap rules........these are things unique to Lomu, and will not really affect the club negotiating with other players.

 

[Kipper]

I don't really have any problems with Kingsley-Jones, after all, he's just doing his job. I do have a bit of a question mark over Mick Watson though. If you ask me, the whole Lomu thing is just the latest in a line of"out there" ideas,such as the proposed hybrid game with theHurricanes,getting Auckland a place in the S.O.O, etc.

I guess it's good to have a CEO that isn't afraid to think outside the square, but I don't really know if that's in the best interests of hismore important tasks. The last thing we need is a Robson-likecharacter that has the media camping outside his office waiting forthe "great copy" that comesout of his mouth. I'd prefer he just kept the club's books looking tidy and continued the slow and steady process of building on good foundations. Personally I think signing Lomu as some kind of extremely expensive talisman for the Warriors and NZ league would completely backfire, as I outlined in a post a few weeks ago.Although it's very interesting to try and predict how things would pan out, I think it would onlyfurther polariseKiwi league fans from the rest of the community.

Talking of things that polarise people,there's the PJ Marsh signing. There seem to be Warriors fans like Ozbash who sayit's a kick in the teeth for the young localtalent, while others like Warriorthink it's a good idea. What do youwantthem to dowith Motu Tony, Warrior? Are you happy to semi-sacrifice theexperience the Warriors havegiven him this year bydemoting himto thebench (or worse) next season? I think we did need tosignsomeone to bolster the halves, but we should'vehunted Tony Brown instead! Think about it - good long kicking game, good goal kicker, likes to take on the line, is a keen, rugged defender...perfect for the Warriors' # 6 jersey! I heard he was looking for contracts last year, butnow he'sa first choice All Black it makes things a lot more difficult.