Dykes move is dependent on another release.

[Avenger]

It's official lads Dykes is coming home........Alway's new that Fitzgerald was a great bloke. Thanks Fitzy another master stroke.

Thats about as official as Brian Smith being sacked as our coach.

 

[Utey]

LOL we get the point

 

[Utey]

LOL we get the point

 

[parra-matters]

is there a echo?

 

[parra-matters]

is there a echo?

 

[parra-matters]

is there a echo?

 

[COACH STERLING]

Anything official yet?

 

[True EEL]

not that i have heard

 

[Eelementary]

:lol:

That's brilliant!

We'll go into season 2005 without a decent 5/8 (BYE BYE Thorman and Dykes) and an unproven halfback.

:lol:


Another Brian Smith master stroke.

 

[stuke]

:lol:

That's brilliant!

We'll go into season 2005 without a decent 5/8 (BYE BYE Thorman and Dykes) and an unproven halfback.

:lol:


Another Brian Smith master stroke.

so what's new?? at least he is consistent.

 

[Eelementary]

Yes - consistent in ripping the heart and soul out of our club.

NSW, QLD. Australia - they all have a talented 5/8 and halfback combination. Even Canterbury, the Broncos, Storm, Panthers and Roosters all have a 5/8 and halfback.

Yet our coach insists on re-inventing Rugby League, and uses a lock with no skills at 5/8 and a 5/8 with 5/8's skills at halfback.

 

[William Hung]

You would never win an award for the most positive contributor on the board Eelementary.

Don't worry about it mate- it'll all be good next year- trust me.

 

[bradeel]

over the past 10 years we have paid big money for talented halves and 5/8ths and Smith gets bagged for bringing in hasbeens. Examples include:

Andrew McFadden
Gary Freeman
Adam Dykes
Paul Green
John Simon

and the one true success story
Jason Taylor

this time there's been a clear re-focus in strategy (regardless of whether we intentionally missed out on the big name halves or rather they passed on the opportunities Parra offered) and we will go into a season without a big name half at the club yet everyone wants to rip into the coach and management for this.

Michael Witt and Tim Smith are young up and comers and i don't think anyone expects us to win a comp in 2005 so perhaps next year will be the season in which one or both can find some form and consistency in time for a genuine tilt at the premiership in 2006.

It would be great to have Brett Kimmorley or Matt Orford steering the side around the park next season but i have got to stick up for the club a bit here - bagged when the big name halves get brought in to try and offer a quick fix, and bagged when they opt for youth. Too much bagging i reckon. Not that i am rapt with 2004 or anything...

 

[fish eel]

and we will go into a season without a big name half at the club yet everyone wants to rip into the coach and management for this.

some people also ripped into the coach and management when it was rumoured we were chasing orford for at least one year....which would have been great for guys like tim smith to learn from :roll:

 

[The Colonel]

and we will go into a season without a big name half at the club yet everyone wants to rip into the coach and management for this.

some people also ripped into the coach and management when it was rumoured we were chasing orford for at least one year....which would have been great for guys like tim smith to learn from :roll:

I think we were chasing him for longer but he would only commit to one year. ;-)

 

[fish eel]

we were still in there though....and one the one hand some people rip us for not signing a half....on the other people were ripping us for chasing orford!

I would have offered him half the leagues club

 

[bartman]

I don't think too many people bagged the club when they signed these players in the halves? Maybe bagging the retention/continued selection of these players as their form dwindled yes, but not bagging the signings themselves.

JT undoubtedly worked, so credit where it's due there. But what "the club" (ie the coach) has done with its halves since mid-2002 has been confusing for everyone (players included I suspect)?

After a poor finish on the table in 2003, this year should have been that year where Witt (an up and comer with half a season of first grade behind him )should have been allowed to find consistency and have a tilt. But he was started in Premier League (for 10 weeks) after showing good form the season before, paired with Dykes only once (in reversed positions) and given only three games at halfback (outside Wagon - a combo that didn't work last year) so far?

I hate seeing taelnted players "lose a season" of development/potential because of pointless tinkering. I wouldn't mind so much that we didn't sign a big name 7, if I had confidence that next year Witt (and later Smith) will be able to develop into the potential stars that they can be. But after seeing this years' halves strategy I have no confidence that "the club" will do what appears to be the right thing in the halves....

That's why there's bagging at the moment imo. Not because of youth, or a lack of a big signing - just a lack of direction in the halves, and no sign that this is acknowledged by the club or will be improved for 2005. "Bagging" the club about this is one way of people displaying their concern, hope and support for something that at the end of the day we all love.

We all should be able to expect to win a comp (or at least feature in the finals) next year, instead of expecting another year of "development" - if this year has been a taste of what that's about.

 

[Avenger]

we were still in there though....and one the one hand some people rip us for not signing a half....on the other people were ripping us for chasing orford!

I would have offered him half the leagues club

If we had this man I seriously believe we could go all the way. In the top 3 halfbacks in the world in my opinion.

 

[Eelementary]

over the past 10 years we have paid big money for talented halves and 5/8ths and Smith gets bagged for bringing in hasbeens. Examples include:

Andrew McFadden
Gary Freeman
Adam Dykes
Paul Green
John Simon

and the one true success story
Jason Taylor

this time there's been a clear re-focus in strategy (regardless of whether we intentionally missed out on the big name halves or rather they passed on the opportunities Parra offered) and we will go into a season without a big name half at the club yet everyone wants to rip into the coach and management for this.

Michael Witt and Tim Smith are young up and comers and i don't think anyone expects us to win a comp in 2005 so perhaps next year will be the season in which one or both can find some form and consistency in time for a genuine tilt at the premiership in 2006.

It would be great to have Brett Kimmorley or Matt Orford steering the side around the park next season but i have got to stick up for the club a bit here - bagged when the big name halves get brought in to try and offer a quick fix, and bagged when they opt for youth. Too much bagging i reckon. Not that i am rapt with 2004 or anything...

Realistically AND theoretically, the object of professional sport is to win win win every year.

I think Witt, behind next year's stellar pack, will - in time - be an incredible asset.

Yet as it stands, he at least needs a decent 5/8 to play with and - guess what? - it doesn't look as though we'll have any, bar Morris.

 

[Davester]

I spoke to a friend who is very close to the Cronulla club and is always on the money. Apparently Dykes will be released only if we sign some other player that is under contract from another club. He does not know or will not tell me who it is. Colonel Eel has also heard this rumour. I hope its true. I am racking my brain to work out who it might be. Knowing our coach its probably someone like Keiran Kerr. Would much prefer the Dogs premier league half. I have heard that he is quite good. Any takers on who it might be??

Kerr has re-signed with the Tigers. If that hasn't been pointed out already