Humphries

[madunit]

Where does it specifically say that Blair is coming to play prop? Have I missed something? And even if he does, he regularly plays prop for NZ. That is good enough for me.

There is no way Adam Blair is equally or only marginally better than Bryce Gibbs. He is one of the best forwards in the world, and is NZ's vice captain. Gibbs is a solid first grader and admittedly a very good defender but he is nowhere near the class of Blair.

We are not signing a dud here, he is a quality player. I remember the same questions being asked when we signed Ellis and Tuqiri: "Too much money, why are we paying a winger so much, Ellis is unproven in the NRL, we should sign someone better" etc. etc. Look how they both turned out. I suspect the same will happen with Blair. Can't believe anyone would be against his signing!

I didn't say he was a dud, but some people in here are undervaluing what Gibbs brings to our team.

Why buy him as a backrower when we already have Ellis, Dwyer and Heighington. Of course he's coming to be a prop. We've got no else able to fill in at prop without forcing someone to play out of position.

It's dumb. Why sell TWO props who are good quality and improving to buy ONE prop, I dodn't care how good he is, he cannot do the work of the two men he's replaced.

Sell Gibbs if you want to buy a reliable halfback or fullback, that I can handle.

This though, its just dumb.

Here, I'll give you one big apple for your two medium sized apples. It's just dumb.

 

[madunit]

People are angry because we are ditching two quality players that we have developed to sign one player. I understand it's about providing more maturity in the leadership group and I hope it works, but you can't blame people for not liking a two for one deal.

exactly!

 

[macnaz]

Kinda like the new ALP imigration deal, 4000 for 800 swap

 

[Fordy20]

Humphries on The Game Plan - One HD

 

[super_coach]

The blokes got class, i get the feeling that even Sheens and Benji listen when Humpty speaks

 

[Tigerm]

Humphries on The Game Plan - One HD

Cheers for that.
I agree with Supercoach, & it made me feel the that club probably has a plan & wouldn't be just cutting players for the sake of it, afterall, they have kept who they wanted.
The time was right to let players look around, we needed a change & we are getting it.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I didn't say he was a dud, but some people in here are undervaluing what Gibbs brings to our team.

Gibbs will be a loss but he is not an elite player. Adam Blair is. I agree Gibbs' defensive efforts are often undervalued, but he is replaceable.

Why buy him as a backrower when we already have Ellis, Dwyer and Heighington. Of course he's coming to be a prop. We've got no else able to fill in at prop without forcing someone to play out of position.

Well, there are rumours that Ellis may move the front row, and we still have Woods, Galloway, Groat and Begovich as props, and BMM who can play prop or second row. And there are whispers that Heighington might be gone too - I think its likely that Blair will play in the second row.

It's dumb. Why sell TWO props who are good quality and improving to buy ONE prop, I dodn't care how good he is, he cannot do the work of the two men he's replaced.

I honestly don't think we would have kept Fifita even if we did not sign Blair. So we lost Gibbs to sign Blair, which I can live with.

 

[Tigger Madness]

That was a good interview last night. Good to hear him say that Moltzen isnt going going anywhere.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Blair is superior to all our existing backrowers except maybe Ellis. A pack of KG, Farah, Woods, Ellis, Dwyer, Blair starting is better than our current pack IMO, with Groat, BMM, Hino off the bench. Blair is also superior to all our frontrowers. Can you imagine Blair playing as the third tight forward, but with a licence to roam and off-load? What a dimension to our pack that will add!

Gibbs is what he is and what he will always be - an average first grader. Great defensively but poor offensively. And as hybrid said, it would appear as though Fifita was lost unrelated to the possible signing of Blair as they threw big $$ at him, dollars he hasn't justified as yet to remain with us. They're signing him to a huge contract based on potential, like what we did with KG 5 years ago. We're not in a position to do that, as we've got other promising juniors coming through and potentially a current international coming on board.

So if it's Gibbs or Blair, I'd take Blair every day of the week.

 

[gronkathon]

No way in hell Dwyer should start in front of Heighno.

Kid is an arm grabber and late game line runner. Not a tackler or workhorse

 

[Tiger Hawk]

No way in hell Dwyer should start in front of Heighno.

Kid is an arm grabber and late game line runner. Not a tackler or workhorse

Maybe not in the short term. As I said, hopefully he keeps working on his game. Otherwise I'm all for seeing what better options are available.

 

[tumblingdice]

Talking about Hino, rumours around he's looking at going to Saints??:?

 

[Magpies Forever]

Talking about Hino, rumours around he's looking at going to Saints??:?

Darned if I've heard that one but I do know that they did make a serious play for him before he re-signed with WT a year or so back.

 

[Vic Mackey]

I'm pretty sure groat will be a full time first grader next year. Similar to woods the kid has played in every Junior rep team possible and usually was the youngest bloke there. Basically with our forwards I think we're losing Gibbs, fifita, payten and gaining (to our 25) Blair, groat and Murdoch-masila. In a year or two it will be a good swap. Plus someone like al shirnack will probably get upgraded, he never let's us down.

 

[TYGA]

If we have signed Blair (good move) with Dwyer and Ellis in the backrow we are potent. WT will have to move the more highly paid backrowers on to other clubs ie: Hino and Fulton if they can, regardless of how they perform. So all these rumours are merely common sense. I see little point in releasing Fifita with one year to go under a rookie contract unless Gibbs' was so overpaid they had to make a deal and give the Sharks something back for taking on a large contract for only a solid player.

Don't forget the Sharks lost Snowden and Douglas and signed Fifita + Gibbs as their replacements so put it into perspective. The coach had to sign anyone that would come to the Sharks fullstop and have paid overs.

 

[westie]

We've seen this year what happens with Gibbs and Payten out at the same time, we were basically hamstrung. Who is gunna do the work in the mid-field?

 

[macnaz]

I'm pretty sure groat will be a full time first grader next year. Similar to woods the kid has played in every Junior rep team possible and usually was the youngest bloke there. Basically with our forwards I think we're losing Gibbs, fifita, payten and gaining (to our 25) Blair, groat and Murdoch-masila. In a year or two it will be a good swap. Plus someone like al shirnack will probably get upgraded, he never let's us down.

Shirnack is just another slightly bigger Fulton FFS .cant see the love for this guy :? and as i posted in another thread,, what ive just seen off BMM , i hope he gets his shit together as he doesnt look the part what so ever,,, lazy as all f**k.

 

[Parramatta1947]

As an opposition fan, I think Humphreys has done a good job. I knew him in one of his previous roles and knew he would do a good job at your club. Probably the only real criticism might be the Sheens contract extension but other than that, he is doing a pretty good job. Gibbs won't be a big loss if you guys get Blair.