Eddie's Gone

[Big Tim]

Take away his final year for Souths in 2009, Wing hardly ever played off the bench after the 2001 season.

During the Roosters years of dominance (2002-2004) he had 4 games starting off the bench.

Your point?

I said he made a career, not played his whole career.

Kurt could extend his life in the NRL if he were to become a bench specialist at the back end of his career.

He played 10 out of 22 off the bench for the Roosters in 2005.

Thanks for the assist, but its not relevant for my point, but does show the power of the internet.

 

[Spot On]

Wasn't directed at your point.

I always think of Craig Wing as a bench specialist due to his utility ability. Although he started many games in his career, he played multiple positions from season to season.

Gidley for mine, will not only chop down all that comes near him but will kill teams around the ruck. The combo of he and Buderus would be devastating. A little tweaking is needed as he can become somewhat excited and overplay his hand with his passing and playmaking. I'm sure Wayne and Bedsy can help temper that.

 

[Alex28]

9. Gidley

14. Buderus

Gidley can then shift around in case of injuries or if anybody needs a rest. No point having the fittest guy in the club not playing 80 minutes, but we also have to work on him being our next hooker and keeping him out of the halves.

 

[Rolla]

This weekend might be the last game Eddy plays for the Knights if he gets a run.

It will be hard to impress the other clubs from reserve grade.

Rochow will be stoked he gets to play out the season.

Tets too, and hopefully he earns a contract soon. He has seen less NRL than Eddy so he should stay for less than Eddy was offered even though he could contribute much more over coming years.

 

[Rolla]

As for Gids, i think we should play our best players, not our most expensive players. If he is good enough he should start, if he offers more from the bench then that is where he belongs, regardless of pay packet.

 

[Zoidberg]

Slotmachine, Why do you say he can handle hooker but not lock?
Defensively, a hooker makes heaps more tackles, so at lock he'd make less tackles, and in attack, we talking a wide running/ball playing forward.

 

[RHCP]

A big 'meh' to Eddy leaving - too small for the front row, too slow for the second row.

 

[Rolla]

Slotmachine, Why do you say he can handle hooker but not lock?
Defensively, a hooker makes heaps more tackles, so at lock he'd make less tackles, and in attack, we talking a wide running/ball playing forward.

Hookers make more tackles than locks because they are smaller so the opposition runs at them more. If Gids was at lock he would be Tackling his arse of.

I don't see him as being that useful in the 13. We need size as it is. And we have a ball playing fullback, do we need a fifth ball player?

 

[Spot On]

As for Gids, i think we should play our best players, not our most expensive players. If he is good enough he should start, if he offers more from the bench then that is where he belongs, regardless of pay packet.

Totally agree. He aint better than Boyd at fullback and isn't a half's arse crack so to the bench it is. He's a utility that will excel out of dummy half and will cover almost any position when injuries occur. That is his go - the games best utility.

 

[Pedge1971]

Agreed JM, it's more about taking a chance that he is actually our long term 7. He's showing good signs. I wouldn't say I'm drop dead sold on him, there's a lot of indifferent form on the board too, but I think turning our back on him in favour of Gids at this stage is a dud move until he either properly establishes himself, or doesn't.

Gidley on the bench at his pricetag would be unusual, but it could be the best option. Definitely willing to accept that as a strong possibility.

Agree with comments re Roberts. If I remember correctly, The 2 players Bennett specifically mentioned as being surprise packers after the pre season and trials this year were Kev and Tyrone. He obviously sees something in the kid, so good start.

Why couldn't Gids start at hooker? He has played there periodically in origin and made a real good fist of it. Bring Bedsy off the bench in spurts and if we have an injury in the backs, we have the best coverage in the business!

We will def have our share of back line injuries through the year so I see this as only a few weeks proposition anyway. Rather than be worried I think it's an awesome situation! Who else has this luxury, who would have thought 2 years ago we'd be saying this was a problem!?!

Great news!

 

[Frederick]

Fri, 03 Aug*
By CRAIG KERRY*
Money talks, Edward walks in quest for bright future
THE manager of departing Knights forward Joel Edwards believes his client is a potential State of Origin player for next season who will have no trouble finding a new NRL club after rejecting an extension offer from his home-town team.
The 24-year-old Cessnock Goannas junior knocked back a two-year deal from the Knights on Wednesday reportedly worth more than $300,000. It was believed to be downgraded from a three-year offer tabled last Christmas, worth close to $600,000.
News of the development came yesterday as 21-year-old rookie Knights forward Kyle O’Donnell signed a two-year deal with Penrith.
Edwards was one of several Knights first-graders who were in limbo after coach Wayne Bennett’s decision to defer all contract talks while he assessed performances.
The Knights then offered Edwards, who has racked up 44 games since debuting in Newcastle’s 6-4 win over Parramatta on June 21, 2010, a one-year deal before extending it to two.
The club expressed shock and disappointment yesterday at Edwards’s rejection of the deal, which they believed was more than fair.
Edwards’s manager Darryl Mather would not comment on details of the offer but was confident Edwards would easily find a suitable deal at another NRL club.
‘‘This is a quality player we’re talking about, not some run-of-the-mill player, and quality players usually find employment,’’ Mather said.
‘‘If he was a marginal player, the fact we’re talking about next year and it’s round 22, it could be problematic.
‘‘But I think Joel will be a Country player next year and could even be in contention for Origin.’’
He said Edwards, who directed inquiries from the Herald to Mather, had wanted to stay with the Knights, but the two parties could not find common ground.
‘‘We wouldn’t have gone through months of discussions if we didn’t want that result,’’ Mather said about Edwards’s hopes of re-signing.
‘‘There’s a tinge of disappointment, but it’s a 16-team competition and players move. It’s the nature of the commercial game we’re in.
‘‘He will be wearing different colours, but he will still be a player in this competition.
‘‘We just couldn’t reach a commercial agreement.
‘‘Both parties had their own hopes and expectations but unfortunately we just couldn’t get there.
‘‘It was handled well by both sides. We shook hands and now Joel moves on.’’
Despite the rejection of the offer, Mather said no deals with other clubs were in the pipeline.
‘‘It only happened in the last 36 hours that we decided to go separate ways,’’ he said.
‘‘All our efforts up until the decision had been on discussions with Newcastle, so that’s something we will look at now.’’
Edwards has been linked to a move to the nation’s capital, but Mather would not comment on any speculation over a new NRL home for the hard-hitting defender.
He was adamant Edwards would not be heading overseas to a UK Super League side. ‘‘Players of his age and quality don’t need to go to overseas,’’ he said.

LINK

:lol: oh dear. Delusions of grandeur much?

 

[Johns Magic]

Wow. I feel for Joel if that's what his manager is selling him.

 

[Silent Knight]

Origin player? That's the best joke I've heard all year! Darryl Mather believes his client is in the same league as Gallen, Bird, Watmough, Stewart, Williams and hell even Creagh? Edwards isn't even in front of Houston and McKinnon in terms of quality at the club.

Eddy must have s*** for brains for buying into the crap sprouted by his player manager! This Mather is actually trying to pull the wool over the club's eyes. It might have worked under the old administration, but if I were Matt Gidley I'd dead set laugh him out of the board room if I was told Edwards is an Origin standard player. This has Wes Naqaima Round 2 written all over it. Fijian Captain! Future Origin Player! The Cow Jumped Over The Bloomin' Moon!

As for the Raiders Eddy wouldn't be anything more than depth cover behind their current pack. If the Raiders offer him any more than an average footballers salary it only shows how f***ed their administration really is.

Eddy can sit back and watch us compete in the finals for the next few years and wonder what could've been.

 

[Alex28]

Wow. That's pretty astounding.

 

[Burwood]

I look forward to the comments on the herald website today. No doubt the fans will be in an uproar about us losing a 'talented' junior. I said it on there and I'll day it here- Edwards sounds like a typical gen y kid that has been told everyday of his life how special, unique and talented he is. The truth Joel, you're not. At Christmas you gave up $200k/yr and the plan to back yourself failed.

 

[Earl]

Does Mather have any other clients?

I can't believe the garabage coming out of his mouth.

What 21yo turns down a job offer of 200k per year? FMD.

 

[Frederick]

Does Mather have any other clients?

according to his website, bedsy is also a client...

 

[Frances the Mute]

Origin player? That's the best joke I've heard all year! Darryl Mather believes his client is in the same league as Gallen, Bird, Watmough, Stewart, Williams and hell even Creagh? Edwards isn't even in front of Houston and McKinnon in terms of quality at the club.

Eddy must have s*** for brains for buying into the crap sprouted by his player manager! This Mather is actually trying to pull the wool over the club's eyes. It might have worked under the old administration, but if I were Matt Gidley I'd dead set laugh him out of the board room if I was told Edwards is an Origin standard player. This has Wes Naqaima Round 2 written all over it. Fijian Captain! Future Origin Player! The Cow Jumped Over The Bloomin' Moon!

As for the Raiders Eddy wouldn't be anything more than depth cover behind their current pack. If the Raiders offer him any more than an average footballers salary it only shows how f***ed their administration really is.

Eddy can sit back and watch us compete in the finals for the next few years and wonder what could've been.

Edwards is going to knock Mathers out for blowing so much smoke up his arse when he ends up somewhere like Canberra, Parra or Penrith next year on a 1 year $100k deal.......

Your right some hilarious stuff there "Will play for Country" FMD he'll be lucky to have a club lol.

 

[aqua_duck]

Darryl Mather is Wes Naiqama's manager as well, he managed to dupe us once but I suspect it's going to backfire big time on this occasion

 

[The Showstopper]

Mather clearly needs to visit his Doctor. Edwards is crap. His delusional statements regarding Edwards are what you would expect from his family and not a manager. Does Mather manage Dureau?