Dykes Officially Gone To The Sharks

[PJ Marshal]

PJ is home 8)

 

[Eels Dude]

I guess it had to happen sooner or later. It was a mistake bringing Dykes to this club, he just hasn't gelled. Saying that, we don't have anyone better to replace him with.

 

[BD5733]

Bit strange announcing it in the week we are due to play the sharks. What was the intention of that? Coincidence or unprofessional?

Hopefully Witt can excel next year behind a dominant forward pack(the #1 ingredient for a great HB). I feel he has the potential to, just needs the opportunity, the time is now.....surely.

 

[The Godfather]

Oh well...

Now that Dykes is gone, Smithy will have the money to give pet Wagon a long term contract as our 5/8. #-o

 

[Karmichael Hunt]

What will Morris be doing next year? I would have thought that with Riddel there that morris would take the 5/8 role, but I don't that much about Parra. He is still with the club isn't he? If he is i would have thought it possible that he plays 5/8 and when Riddel goes to the bench to eat a few cheeseburgers that morris will slot in as hooker

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Big Mistake.

 

[bartman]

From the reports of this "rumour" as it eventually came to fruition, it appeared to be a case of Dykes wanting to go "home" rather than Parra wanting to kick him out.

If a player isn't happy to play for this club, I'd rather him :arrow: than risk an unhappy player stuck in a contract putting in poor efforts next year. Dykes the "star recruit" just didn't work out at Parra for various reasons (style, injuries, combos included), and will probably go down in folklore as our club's worst value signing to date?

So I don't think it's is a bad decision by Parra to cut their losses, iseeing this also seems what Dykes wanted. We haven't named a "star" replacement, and I don't think we will. Morris and Witt in the halves in 2005 - our best combo of the last three seasons - Wags at lock, Riddell at Hooker, and now we just need a utility for the bench that can cover both hooker or the halves...

 

[fish eel]

so we have an unannounced half or 5/8 that we dont know about yet

watch this space

Darren Lockyer. He is still unsigned :lol: :lol:

Seriously though, I'm happy to cut our losses with Dykes. Sure, great player and he has had an injury riddled three years, but I'm not overly sorry to lose him, I just think that there always seemed to be a bit a chemistry lacking on field between him and the other guys, and really cant see him giving us anymore than he has.

 

[Pazza]

If the forward pack can remind injury free then i think Witt can excel behind them. If guys like Cayless and cannings get injuried again then we are going to struggle.

 

[Parraren]

Pazza I'm more concerned with what might happen if Witt gets injured. Who will play halfback? Tim Smith? We are looking very inexperienced in the halfback role next year. Perhaps Smith is taking a punt on the two young guys (Witt & Smith) but he hasn't really shown much confidence in Witt this year though has he :? Or perhaps there is a surprise around the corner (PJ), who knows?

 

[fish eel]

I think John MOrris would also have a shot as back half.

 

[The Colonel]

Pazza I'm more concerned with what might happen if Witt gets injured. Who will play halfback? Tim Smith? We are looking very inexperienced in the halfback role next year. Perhaps Smith is taking a punt on the two young guys (Witt & Smith) but he hasn't really shown much confidence in Witt this year though has he :? Or perhaps there is a surprise around the corner (PJ), who knows?

This concerns me too. Morris can play halfback and has done. He isn't brilliant but he can get the job done. If Mateo can handle the 5/8 role or Tim Smith in the halfback role then we may be covered but they are untried. It really places a cloud over the squad performing to their best ability if injuries happen.

 

[Pazza]

Pazza I'm more concerned with what might happen if Witt gets injured. Who will play halfback? Tim Smith? We are looking very inexperienced in the halfback role next year. Perhaps Smith is taking a punt on the two young guys (Witt & Smith) but he hasn't really shown much confidence in Witt this year though has he :? Or perhaps there is a surprise around the corner (PJ), who knows?

This concerns me too. Morris can play halfback and has done. He isn't brilliant but he can get the job done. If Mateo can handle the 5/8 role or Tim Smith in the halfback role then we may be covered but they are untried. It really places a cloud over the squad performing to their best ability if injuries happen.

Ive been claiming that for a while! Guys like Kent, Dorn while not being heaps good have atleast tasted NRL level. They could be a back up to Smith.

 

[fish eel]

I think John Morris could get the job done in the number 7 just as well as guys like Luke Dorn. He has done it for newcastle, and done it finals matches when the pressure was on, and more than held is own.

Having said that, we'd be in trouble if witt went down with a long term injury, I wouldnt want to rely on morris week in week out, just as I wouldnt want to rely on someone like dorn week in week out.

I think most clubs though would be in a similar position should their number 1 half go down.

 

[True EEL]

i saw the Tony "Scoop" Peters - PJ Marsh thing on ST too and he sounded relatively confident about it and perhaps it is possible and PJ is the contracted player Parra have been dealing with

i sure hope so, because i think if PJ is fit, it won't take him long to get his confidence and form back - he is a gun and good players can cope with such setbacks

and i also think that between him, Witt and Morris we have a good base to cover the halves and maybe hooker when Piggy goes off to get his heart started so that he can come back on

come on PJ, come home mate ;-)

 

[William Hung]

There's no guarantees PJ will be half the player he was before his injury- I wonder how far away he is from even being allowed to train again.

Is it realistic that he'll be given a medical clearance and signed by us given that he can't even move his neck 18 months after the incident?

I don't know about this. Our priority should obviously be to lock up Hindy long term. Have 5 players that you build the future around. In our case they should be:

Hindy
Riddell
Tahu
Morrisson
and a decent half

Players should be bought to fit around those 5. Therfore, HUindy and a decent half ar our priorities over the next year. Whats left should be spent on everyone else.

 

[The Colonel]

From what I have read the first operation wasn't successful WH, hence the reason for it being so long. The second operation was. From all accounts and the fact we are actually dealing with him he should be cleared to play again. I have heard he should be running again as early as October - he visits the doctor in September.

 

[Pazza]

I doubt they would have let go of Dykes if marsh wasnt coming back.

 

[fish eel]

From what I have read the first operation wasn't successful WH, hence the reason for it being so long. The second operation was. From all accounts and the fact we are actually dealing with him he should be cleared to play again. I have heard he should be running again as early as October - he visits the doctor in September.

So, assuming his neck is right to go.

He'd still have to get his head right....ie being confident enough to go 150% and know he'd be able to walk the next day

 

[Eelementary]

Does anyone else but me think that promoting a young 5/8 to team up with Witt would be more beneficial to us than getting Marsh back?

I'd love him back, but the realityis, like someone said, it will take him a while to get his form and confidence back.

May as well use that time to blood youngsters.