Craig Frawley signs

[raidersman]

BOOGS TO REPLACE WIKI :lol:

 

[Kris_man]

You can't drop Robbo, he's a mad player. The Gaff is better off on the bench as a utility.

- I disagree. Robbo started the season great, but now he's gone back to his average form. If what we saw from him in the opening rounds of 2004 was his best, then his best is not good enough, cos in that form he was a "good" winger, not a great winger by any means. The way he is going right now, he is a below-average winger, but hopefully it's just a form slump.
- Craig Frawley...great but Raiders. I'm very happy. People will think I'm just being sour grapes, but I have little doubt that Frawley is a better playe than Monaghan.

 

[greeneyed]

I don't think Frawley is better than Monaghan, plus Frawley has to be an injury risk.

Sorry, I have just woken up and I'm feeling grumpy..... I'm yet to be convinced we have come out of signing season with a stronger team for next year.

I also think Gafa is playing better than Robbo. A full strength backline IMO, no injuries would be Schifcofske, Gafa, Frawley, Mogg, Graham, McLinden, Carney.

 

[azza]

There is no doubt we are short on quality props for next season. It's a bit of a switcharoo from this year and last year especially. We now have plenty of up and coming talent in the outside backs.

Therefore, if Elliot tries to coach the team to play the same bash and barge style next year, it will be confirmation he is an absolute lunatic. I would expect to see us play more expansive footy next year although I anticipate it won't be our best season as it is going to take the purchase of another quality prop plus a couple of years experience before our juniors really mature.

Hodgson and Hindmarsh are in no way the answer to our prop woes. Hodgo fills in admirably but he isn't a specialist prop forward. I just hope Weyman finds some luck with injury and O'Hara steps up a gear, but there is still the problem that we will lose the momentum when they go off for a breather.

Frawley is a great signing although I haven't watched too much this season. And even though we made a large offer to him I would suspect he won't be taking as much of a chunk out of our salary cap as turncoat Monaghan would have if he had accepted the Raiders offer.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Bash and Barge is what forwards do. It's what I and alot of other people watch and play rugby league for. Nothing beats watching a forwards contest to see who has the tougher pack, and to say Elliot is a lunatic for trying to coach this style of forward play is ridiculous.

 

[azza]

Hey you goose, read what I said carefully (sorry, in sh**y mood today). Our game has been concentrated on go forward and little else for two years. There has been no expansive play. Our strength was our forward pack so we had to do that. Next year it won;t be our strength so we shouldn't play like that. What, do you think I am suggesting Weyman keeps throwing cut out balls to O'Hara who steps past one two and scores? Of course not. There job is to go forward, as it has always been. You haven't stated anything revolutionary, Einstein. THat's what we did in 94, EXCEPT WE HAD DECENT OUTSIDE BACKS AND SO COULD ALSO PLAY AN EXPANSIVE GAME.

 

[lotm]

this is happily unexpected news. i acually felt he was going to re-sign with the broncos. he's not going to be the immediate solution to our lack of potency out wide, but he should still be a great addition.

as some of the above have said, the backs should now read:

1. schifcofske
2. robertson
3. mogg
4. frawley
5. graham

i'm thinking we've got a fair bit of depth in the backs, but still lack the outstanding player that we need to become a consistent premiership contender. things are looking better in the land of green than they were a fortnight ago.

 

[Raider_69]

1. Schif
2. Gafa
3. Mogg
4. Frawley
5. Graham

:mrgreen:

 

[lotm]

at the start of the year (obviously depending on form), gafa would be my 5/8, with carney on the bench and j smith at lock. if carney steps up either early next year, or later this year, 69's backline would be mine.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

No go forward next year? Now that's just stupid. We may have lost a go-forward man in Davico, but Weyman can fill that void. Wiki is a fantastic all round forward, but I would not consider him a go-forward man. The game today is dramatically different to the game in 94, it's a bit silly to go comparing them.

 

[azza]

So obviously you can't read and just change people's words around right?

When did I say no go forward next year? By your logic, any side that is coached to play expansive football is coached by a moron.

Wiki not a go forward man? That'll do me. I was going to actually bother to reply in more detail but I won't even dignify such a stupid comment with a response.

 

[Bay56]

"Wiki not a go forward man" .... are we talking about the same Ruben Wiki that plays for the Canberra Raiders or this some other dude we are referring to .. ohh boy.

Wiki and Davico are going to be huge loses ... experience impact forwards are an absolute must in any teams armoury.

 

[jed]

Great news!!!

The club has been crying out for a centre for some 3 seasons so this is the best news I have heard for some time .... more stuff like this and my confidence in management will need re-assessment.

It's going to take a few more good signings and re-signings over the next 2 seasons for me to be convinced about management, but it's a great start

 

[Walt Flanigan]

You said " Our strength was our forward pack so we had to do that. Next year it won;t be our strength so we shouldn't play like that.". I'm not saying not to play expansive football, I'm saying to retrict that to the backline. I don't think the forwards game at the moment needs to be changed at all. If people don't understand you and misinterpret what you are saying maybe you should check what you are actually saying. And if that is actually what you are saying I think I'll just join the long list of people who ignore you, because your full of shit.

 

[Bay56]

You said " Our strength was our forward pack so we had to do that. Next year it won;t be our strength so we shouldn't play like that.". I'm not saying not to play expansive football, I'm saying to retrict that to the backline. I don't think the forwards game at the moment needs to be changed at all. If people don't understand you and misinterpret what you are saying maybe you should check what you are actually saying. And if that is actually what you are saying I think I'll just join the long list of people who ignore you, because your full of sh*t.

Hey walt ... I know exactly what azza is trying to say ... you lost me completely when you stated that Rubes wasnt a go forward man.

What azza is saying, which you are obviously not understaning of, is that our strength in the past few seasons has been in the forwards our weakness being the backs. It seems that the balance has now turned and quite simply this will probably mean a change in the coaches strategy. Elliot probably hasnt realised this yet but hopefully he will pick it up before Rnd 12 2005.

 

[Raider_69]

yea basically in previous years out backs are rubbish and we needed to use the forwards so our game plan was orintated that way

now things have changed and our backs are the strength so we now must become a more expansive team...

rubes not a go forward man... that'll do me :roll:

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Ok..........But just because we have purchased more backs than forwards this year doesn't mean the tides have turned. Howell, Ale and Goodwin I've barely heard of, and while I'm pleased with Frawley's signing he has only played well on the wing and is yet to be seen in the centres. I still believe we have more depth in the forwards with likes of Thompson, Weyman, Hodgson, Martin, Rothery and Miller backing up and the the possiblilty of Jason Smith having a stint in the forward pack next year.

 

[Raider_69]

its not about that
we are losing our 2 best forwards, our best go forward blokes so natuarlly our momentum will not be as good next year, we wont make as much metres up the guts next season so we have to become more expansive and give the likes of Frawley, Mogg, Graham and Schif some quality ball

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Well that's how I interpeted the discussion earlier and I was advised that wasn't the subject at all.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

I believe it's Wiki and Davico's experience and leadership that will be missed not so much their go-forward, as players such as Weyman and Thompson can make a simular impact down the middle.