Cross released to Rhinos

[macavity]

so... Leeds wanted cash or a player for Eastwood.

.... and we let Cross go to Leeds because we are nice guys.

Just to recap:

Canterbury get Eastwood. May or may not have paid a cent.

Leeds get Cross. May or may not have received cash for Eastwood on top.

We get to feel good about ourselves.

FMD.

We are the last of the nice guys left in RL... and you know what they say about nice guys.

 

[Nuffy]

so... Leeds wanted cash or a player for Eastwood.

.... and we let Cross go to Leeds because we are nice guys.

Just to recap:

Canterbury get Eastwood. May or may not have paid a cent.

Leeds get Cross. May or may not have received cash for Eastwood on top.

We get to feel good about ourselves.

FMD.

We are the last of the nice guys left in RL... and you know what they say about nice guys.

Seems a pretty accurate summation of the situation.........

Mac, you are closer to the club than most, so are we the last of the nice guys or just a club run by simpletons?

Because if we've let Cross go, just to be nice, without a strong plan B in place, then the club will look very silly in the long run.

 

[macavity]

Mac, you are closer to the club than most, so are we the last of the nice guys or just a club run by simpletons?

I think we just genuinely don't want to stop anyone getting a payday.

Might be morally right; not sure it is good business.

 

[Nuffy]

I think we just genuinely don't want to stop anyone getting a payday.

Might be morally right; not sure it is good business.

If you believe in Karma then we are headed for some serious good times, we want to do everyone a favour except ourselves..........

We've helped out Cross, we've helped out Leeds, but whats in it for Newcastle.

We might be the "good guys" for what thats worth in pro sports, but if we have a couple of long term injuries next year in our prop ranks, then we'll struggle yet again.

I'd like to think theres a plan B in place but I'm not sure based on past experiences.

 

[Pika]

Maca, is it posible that Eastwood only ever wanted to play for the Dogs and declined any offers from elsewhere?

 

[macavity]

Maca, is it posible that Eastwood only ever wanted to play for the Dogs and declined any offers from elsewhere?

irrelevant really. he was under contract, it was up to leeds to accept or refuse offers. they aren't nice guys like us.

 

[Pika]

Oh, I thought you were complaining that we didnt get eastwood

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Kaufusi is a genuine front rower, tuimavave, faaso, edwards, taufua (is a natural front rower look at his 09 and now he actually bends the line)...finn, ailomai in the lower grades... chance we have kept hold of kruise wilson too, and possible mitch garbutt from the newcastle comp.. i dare say we may pick someone up after losing cross...seems interesting

Every single front rower you've named would be lucky to be in the 17 at a decent club.

Costigan has had about 6 months there.......

Unless the club has a decent replacement already signed and delivered I am spitting chips.

EDIT: Congrats for Cross though, I cant imagine he has too many career prospects after this.........

 

[Pure_Knight]

Every single front rower you've named would be lucky to be in the 17 at a decent club.

Costigan has had about 6 months there.......

Unless the club has a decent replacement already signed and delivered I am spitting chips.

EDIT: Congrats for Cross though, I cant imagine he has too many career prospects after this.........

they would all walk into melbournes front row next year, id have them all over webb on the parra bench, id have them over quite alot of the benches next year... with saffy leaving the dragons any one of them would get that final bench spot there...have them over henderson and white at the titans, dodds and mquire at the broncos, bell and puletua and penrith... just a handfull of sides off the top of my head just about all of them would walk into...and costigan would start in most nrl sides after his form this year...... they all have quite good potential.. and ive got a bit of hope for them all firing next year

 

[Hudds lad]

Wow poor signing by looking on here i always thought he ran hard and was quite aggresive but seems like...
He's always injured, He's not that good and he's 31.
Leeds Forwards
Ben Cross - 31
Jamie Peacock - 32
Kylie Leuluai - 32
Danny Buderus - 32
Ali Lauiti'ti - 31
Keith Senior - 34.

Wonder how Long they'll all be on the pitch together.

 

[Serc]

Cross is not one of the best props in the NRL, however he is still a good prop at NRL level, and best prop at the Knights (I know thats not saying much given how bad we've been in the prop department for the past 12 months but it still has weight). He gives 100% on the field and on the training paddock at all times and traditionally plays his best footy after he's had a good 4-6 weeks on the field. Oddly this didn't seem to happen in his injury free 2010 but he still played fairly well.

I honestly think there is a chance he will play as well as he did when fit during 07-09 (which was NRL rep quality), but there is also an equally likely chance that he will just play 'pretty well' as he did in 2010. Which was still quite acceptable in the NRL, and certainly would be very acceptable in the ESL.

 

[aqua_duck]

Hopefully it meAns we've got a replacement lined up otherwise it makes no sense at all for us to re-sign him and then grant him a release straight awAy, that'd be quite bizarre. You'd lime to think between missing out on smith and releasing cross we'd have some funds available for a decent replacement. I reckon we'll be front loading a few contracts for next season and try to make a few big purchases for 2012.

 

[Noname36]

Did you read the thread before posting, there's at least 2 posts (one mine) that say the same thing as you

I read the thread initially, where most of the comments I saw were along the lines of "thank god for that", "they'll be lucky to get 10 games out of him", etc. Then I came back later to respond, and obviously more people had posted in that time. No need to be pedantic.

Anyone else thinking the the club knew about this when they signed Southern? Still not saying I agree with the signing, but it makes sense that the club would want to get some older players to balance out all the kids that are coming.

 

[Johns Magic]

The club was obviously put in a tough position here. I can't blame them for letting him go. We are now very short up front though.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

I read the thread initially, where most of the comments I saw were along the lines of "thank god for that", "they'll be lucky to get 10 games out of him", etc. Then I came back later to respond, and obviously more people had posted in that time. No need to be pedantic.

Anyone else thinking the the club knew about this when they signed Southern? Still not saying I agree with the signing, but it makes sense that the club would want to get some older players to balance out all the kids that are coming.

No thats just Roopy using it as another chance to talk up such winning locals like Tovo and Miller and such.

 

[macavity]

Anyone else thinking the the club knew about this when they signed Southern?

They didn't know Cross was leaving - but they knew it was a possibility.

We had a verbal agreement with Cross that if something better from the ESL came along, we would let him go. We honoured that agreement - we are the last nice guys in Rugby League.

 

[Tweek]

It is strange how when a player leaves the NRL early to go to Super League no mention of transfer fee ever happens. But in reverse they always want compensation.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Good point tweek surely the club could have asked for something as a token.

 

[randy chicken]

Just prooves our forwards are weak...anyone half decent doesnt want to come to the knights and anyone half decent already here wants to get out.....and prooves that no matter who plays in the halves without a decent forward pack they cannot play decent footy....look at walshy behind a decent pack....

 

[TooheysNew]

look at walshy behind a decent pack....

Still awful?