General Discussion Thread

[Buzzard Breath]

Mullen and Pearce were quite young too.

Pearce played game 3 at 19.
Mullen 20. Only 1 game though.

 

[Panther_Daz]

I hope he stays with the Panthers but at the same time l don;t believe we should break the bank/damage our salary cap structure to resign him,

I have no doubt he is and remain a very good player in the game but I am not convinced he will achieve the heights of our former great half backs in Greg Alexander and Craig Gower.

.

Agree with this.

Happy to keep Cleary but I wouldn't be making him the highest paid player in RL history. Some other club can do that.

 

[franklin2323]

Pearce played game 3 at 19.
Mullen 20. Only 1 game though.

Neither were a success. So I don't mind the softly softly approach the fact we were able to blood so many young guys and won the series is good going forward.

Next series I expect he will get more of a chance to play his natural game. Even if he is not dominating games until the season after at 23 that still gives him a chance to be one of the Origin greats.

Far too soon to write anyone off after that series. Roberts and Crichton imo was worse but should get better

 

[MrBlack]

Agree with this.

Happy to keep Cleary but I wouldn't be making him the highest paid player in RL history. Some other club can do that.

If he signs elsewhere, I would like to see us go after Munster (assuming we would have a spare mill or two saved up in the salary cap)

 

[Kilkenny]

I personally think Nathan Cleary will stay as he is going to be handsomely rewarded by us even if he could potentially earn more going to a club like the Roosters who are probably the only serious threat with the Broncos the only other club who may weigh in. He won't be joining dad at the West Tigers that is simply not going to happen.

It has been suggested any contract discussions are on hold until after the end of this current season which is fine but we need to get an answer at this time one way or the other because we have 29 other players we have to worry about not just Nathan Cleary.

It is also pertinent to make the point Nathan's current value is not just what he delivers on the football field but off the field as well. He is a very valuable marketing commodity, very popular with the fans, particulary the younger generation including females and I have no doubt is contributing big time to driving up our memberships so this is a factor in term's of his retention.

 

[Exsilium]

I personally think Nathan Cleary will stay as he is going to be handsomely rewarded by us even if he could potentially earn more going to a club like the Roosters who are probably the only serious threat with the Broncos the only other club who may weigh in. He won't be joining dad at the West Tigers that is simply not going to happen.

It has been suggested any contract discussions are on hold until after the end of this current season which is fine but we need to get an answer at this time one way or the other because we have 29 other players we have to worry about not just Nathan Cleary.

It is also pertinent to make the point Nathan's current value is not just what he delivers on the football field but off the field as well. He is a very valuable marketing commodity, very popular with the fans, particulary the younger generation including females and I have no doubt is contributing big time to driving up our memberships so this is a factor in term's of his retention.

Well said.

I don’t want to see the club held to ransom over this. Happened in the past, left us in a shit state

 

[OldPanther]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/06/27...ign-blake-austin-as-corey-norman-replacement/

What's doing with RCG on WhatsApp

Within hours of the NSW Blues naming their team for game two, injured prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard received a WhatsApp message notifying him that he had been removed from the team chat group by Blues officials.

He was joking around with Blues staffers about the harshness of it during the week. He was still part of team celebrations in the sheds on Sunday night, but you couldn't help but notice how different he looked. The moustache removal required for surgery wasn't the only difference. He has lost a heap of weight as a result of a liquid-based diet required post-surgery on his broken jaw.

This will be interesting

 

[franklin2323]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/06/27...ign-blake-austin-as-corey-norman-replacement/

What's doing with RCG on WhatsApp

Within hours of the NSW Blues naming their team for game two, injured prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard received a WhatsApp message notifying him that he had been removed from the team chat group by Blues officials.

He was joking around with Blues staffers about the harshness of it during the week. He was still part of team celebrations in the sheds on Sunday night, but you couldn't help but notice how different he looked. The moustache removal required for surgery wasn't the only difference. He has lost a heap of weight as a result of a liquid-based diet required post-surgery on his broken jaw.

This will be interesting

Nothing steak for every meal can't fix

 

[franklin2323]

Well said.

I don’t want to see the club held to ransom over this. Happened in the past, left us in a shit state

No player should be on the cap for more than 10% of the cap. So $900k on the books would be my limit for Cleary. Throw in TPA's and we have a decent offer

 

[mxlegend99]

Neither were a success. So I don't mind the softly softly approach the fact we were able to blood so many young guys and won the series is good going forward.

Next series I expect he will get more of a chance to play his natural game. Even if he is not dominating games until the season after at 23 that still gives him a chance to be one of the Origin greats.

Far too soon to write anyone off after that series. Roberts and Crichton imo was worse but should get better

Cooper Cronk was a fringe first grade bench utility for Storm at the same age as Cleary.

His State of Origin debut came at 26 years of age in a dominant side littered with stars and experience.

Andrew Johns lost 4 series in the #7 before winning in the #7. Although he played hooker and bench throughout this period winning series. But the point here is he is NSW best ever #7, arguably the best #7 ever and he didnt win a series as halfback until his 8th Origin series.

Cleary wasnt an Origin gun by any stretch. But how many 20 year old 7s have had a better start to their rep careers? It seems like he's being compared to players at their peak which is ridiculous. Hes 5+ years away from his.

Edit
Realised it was 5 series. Not 4.

 

[jane the pain]

Cooper Cronk was a fringe first grade bench utility for Storm at the same age as Cleary.

His State of Origin debut came at 26 years of age in a dominant side littered with stars and experience.

Andrew Johns lost 3 series in ghe #7 before einning in the #7. Although he played hooker and bench throughout this period winning series. But ghe point here is he is NSW best ever #7, arguably thd best #7ever and he didnt win a series as halfback until his 8th Origin series.

Cleary wasnt an Origin gun by any stretch. But how many 20 year old 7s have had a better start to their rep careers? It seems like he's being compared to players at their peak which is ridiculous. Hes 5+ years away from his.

I didn't realize that. I thought that Cronk made his debut earlier than that.

 

[TheFrog]

His State of Origin debut came at 26 years of age in a dominant side littered with stars and experience.

If Nathan had a Lockyer ahead of him he'd have to wait too.

 

[franklin2323]

If Nathan had a Lockyer ahead of him he'd have to wait too.

NSW went too early but got the job done. He could have 15 origins under his belt by that age... He will work up to dominating games by then

 

[mxlegend99]

I didn't realize that. I thought that Cronk made his debut earlier than that.

He was ready before that. But a couple of nuffies in Darren Lockyer and Johnathon Thurston kept him out of the team.

Actually his first 6 Origin games were from the bench. He only became the Queensland halfback in 2012 at 28 years of age.

 

[mxlegend99]

If Nathan had a Lockyer ahead of him he'd have to wait too.

Im not saying otherwise. Although even without Thurston and Lockyer. Cronk was a benchie for Storm at 20 years of age.

2004 he played 13 games. 1 as halfback. Rest from the bench
2005 he played 20 games. 11 from bench. 9 at 5/8th.
2006 he became the Storm halfback at 22 years of age.

Cleary is off to a better start then a lot of great halfbacks. Yet rather than comparing them at the same age and/or point in their careers. Hes being compared to them at their peaks.

Joey in 2005 for NSW was at a level I doubt any halfback could ever match. He destroyed 2 greats in Thurston anf Lockyer. But that was also his 9th series. If you judged him earlier his rep career wouldnt look anywhere near as good.

1995 - 2 losses at halfback
1998 - 2 losses, 1 win at halfback
1999 - 1 loss, 1 win and a draw at halfback
2002 - 1 loss, 1 win and a draw at halfback
2003 - 2 wins and 1 loss at halfback. First series win at hslfback
2005 - 2/2 wins at halfback

 

[OldPanther]

Is our Eisenhuth related to other players?

 

[OldPanther]

Im not saying otherwise. Although even without Thurston and Lockyer. Cronk was a benchie for Storm at 20 years of age.

2004 he played 13 games. 1 as halfback. Rest from the bench
2005 he played 20 games. 11 from bench. 9 at 5/8th.
2006 he became the Storm halfback at 22 years of age.

Cleary is off to a better start then a lot of great halfbacks. Yet rather than comparing them at the same age and/or point in their careers. Hes being compared to them at their peaks.

Joey in 2005 for NSW was at a level I doubt any halfback could ever match. He destroyed 2 greats in Thurston anf Lockyer. But that was also his 9th series. If you judged him earlier his rep career wouldnt look anywhere near as good.

1995 - 2 losses at halfback
1998 - 2 losses, 1 win at halfback
1999 - 1 loss, 1 win and a draw at halfback
2002 - 1 loss, 1 win and a draw at halfback
2003 - 2 wins and 1 loss at halfback. First series win at hslfback
2005 - 2/2 wins at halfback

Also Lockyer nearly got dumped if not for the win in 1996 and now he's a QLD legend.

 

[mxlegend99]

Also Lockyer nearly got dumped if not for the win in 1996 and now he's a QLD legend.

Also I know he isnt a half. But debuts dont get much worse than Hodges.

Different players react to the pressure in different ways. Which is why winning with 11 rookies was spectacular.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

Nothing steak for every meal can't fix

The club had already mentioned this, and I'm sure the dietitican has this all in hand.

 

[mxlegend99]

Nothing steak for every meal can't fix

Missed this. Put him on the wing for the rest of the year.