Hypotheticals '09

[macavity]

Im confident if Tupou doesn't sign with the Roosters, then his first option is to return to Newcastle if the money is decent.

im confident we are his first choice.

just quietly....

 

[Karmawave]

im confident we are his first choice.

just quietly....

And I'd believe it too.

Tupou would love to live in Newie for sure and be close to his brothers who are with the Knights.

 

[darkness]

Why did Morris leave Parra, was it just for the money??

 

[macavity]

opportunity to play hooker. we had a certain D. Buderus infront of him.

that and the coin.

 

[jhonny bravo]

Ennis will not be back here EVER as he completely burnt his bridges when he left as he bagged alot of people including players in the team now, so will not be back.
As for hooker if you look at Smiths teams in the past he really has not had a GUN/ STAR Hooker. He uses a rotation system of 2 average hookers operating together (seemed to work well). I do not think we will sign world class hooker like Cam Smith or the like but someone who is wanting to break into first grade or is currently in first grade and not really known. Like Issac DeGois, Hilder, Morris. I would love to see a rotation like Smith had back at Parra like a Hilder/ DeGoise and Morris.
I think we can get Morris or DeGoise plus Tupou and a very good outside back. My side for next year

1. K Gidley
2. C Vuna
3. W Naiquama
4. M Cooper / J McManus
5. A Uate
6. J Mullen
7. S Dureau
8. B Cross
9. Morris
10. T. Natusch
11. C Paterson
12. A Tupou
13. S Simpson

Interchange
C Houston
D Wicks
M Tafua
M Hilder

Remainder
C Ciraldo
R Fa'aoso
J Royal
L McDougall
J Ling
J McManus
K Lulia
L Walsh
J Sau
M Sargeant
Z Taia
D Tolar
T Wulf

 

[NthKnight]

opportunity to play hooker. we had a certain D. Buderus infront of him.

that and the coin.

Hey Mac, Darkness was refering to his move from Parra to the Tigpies not Newie to Parra ;-)

 

[Karmawave]

Hey Mac, Darkness was refering to his move from Parra to the Tigpies not Newie to Parra ;-)

It was a combination of Brian Smith not being at the Eels and coin ;-) And a fan in Tim Sheens.

He was a bit on the outer at Parra after Smith went. He has always been one of Brian Smiths faves. I'll never forget the time Smith selected Morris for Country Origin ( when he wasnt really deserving of selection ) just so he could poach him from the Knights to the Eels.

 

[Hanscholo]

With Buderus leaving we really need a good hooker for next season. In saying that will we develop one thru the jnrs, convert one thru our current grade teams or buy one. History suggests we will try and get a young hooker in there and we'll end up going with a manufactured Hooker who turns out to be a legend. That being said Brian Smith is involved and i have nfi how his mind works, if it was Hagan id put 100k on him trying Dureau there. Then there is always K Gidley to consider, and i would bet smith will consider that.

Im a fan of Tupou and i would love to see him at the club, although at the price he is asking, some 400k im pretty sure we can do better value wise. As good as anthony is you can do a lot in the market with 400k and our current back row starting unit + backups looks good enough imo.

Id prefer they looked for a replacement for Mad Dog at this stage. I certainly dont want to see either Ennis or Morris back, they have both failed misserably to date imo.

 

[Karmawave]

Anyway, unless an option is in John Morris's favour, I don't believe he comes off contract until the end of the 2009 season.

I was under the impression his Tigers contract was a 3 year deal starting 2007.

 

[Johns Magic]

It's funny how one good game has made everyone fall in love with Tupou again. Just a week ago he wasn't getting half the raps on this forum that he is now.

I'd like to see him do it more often before saying we should fork out alot of money for him.

 

[Johns Magic]

Plus I think we are in more need of a quality outside back and a first-grade hooker than another backrower anyway.

 

[Karmawave]

It's funny how one good game has made everyone fall in love with Tupou again. Just a week ago he wasn't getting half the raps on this forum that he is now.

I'd like to see him do it more often before saying we should fork out alot of money for him.

Well the bloke did play for NSW last year and Australia in a pretty poor Roosters team.

I rate the bloke highly, always have, he has rare ball skills that not many footballers possess in his position, and I cannot understand the anti Tupou sentiment in here either.

He is a current international footballer. Why wouldnt we want him?

Of course we need a centre too, but if we clear out some of the dead weight that we don't need of some of the substandard forwards we currently employ, and combine their wages with those freed up by Buderus and Seu Seu, then we have every reason to think we could pull a high quality back ( matt cooper? dean collis? et al ) as well as make a play for Tupou at the same time.

 

[macavity]

god no on Matt Cooper

jumped the shark a while ago

Callan Richardson might be ready by the end of the year. he looks big and has always had the skills.

TBH I would rather take the best (and best value) players available rather than target a particular position and pay overs for it. I still think a backline of Uate, Vuna, McManus, Wes and L Doogs, plus our young guys, can cut it behind the sort of monster pack we could put together with the addition of Tupou and a decent hooker.

 

[Jono078]

I'm against getting Tupou because of our current backrow stock.

If Simpson retires then go for it.

But I'm with JM, outside back and hooker should be where we look.

I still like the sound of Inglis

 

[Johns Magic]

Well the bloke did play for NSW last year and Australia in a pretty poor Roosters team.

And did nothing, even in the Roosters games.

I rate the bloke highly, always have, he has rare ball skills that not many footballers possess in his position, and I cannot understand the anti Tupou sentiment in here either.

When was the last time he showed those skills before Friday night?

He is a current international footballer. Why wouldnt we want him?

Because he is asking for a sh*tload of money that he hasn't earnt and we have more important areas to spend on.

Of course we need a centre too, but if we clear out some of the dead weight that we don't need of some of the substandard forwards we currently employ, and combine their wages with those freed up by Buderus and Seu Seu, then we have every reason to think we could pull a high quality back ( matt cooper? dean collis? et al ) as well as make a play for Tupou at the same time.

Which deadweight forwards are you referring to?

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

And did nothing, even in the Roosters games.

When was the last time he showed those skills before Friday night?

To be fair, Tupou was a shining light for the Chooks when Freddy took over last year.

Played a massive part in their win over the Storm last year.

 

[antonius]

Any thoughts on Kidley at 9?

 

[roopy]

god no on Matt Cooper

jumped the shark a while ago

Callan Richardson might be ready by the end of the year. he looks big and has always had the skills.

TBH I would rather take the best (and best value) players available rather than target a particular position and pay overs for it. I still think a backline of Uate, Vuna, McManus, Wes and L Doogs, plus our young guys, can cut it behind the sort of monster pack we could put together with the addition of Tupou and a decent hooker.

Of the young backs the most impressive apart from Uate was the guy who filled the opposite wing position to Uate in the Aussie schoolboys team, Daniel Isaac.
I don't know why the Storm and the Titans released him after he has had a year at both, but in his first game for us i can see why they signed him. He was our best in the NYC game.
Callan looks to be back as well. He has been the top centre in his age group for about 5 years and has put on the bulk now, but his injury record is awful, although it probably looks worse than it is because they have been sitting him out for a sprained little finger all through the juniors because you look after a kid with his talent.
The other guy i want to see more of is our own Matt Cooper - he looked ready for firstgrade in the trial at Cessnock.

 

[Johns Magic]

god no on Matt Cooper

jumped the shark a while ago

Callan Richardson might be ready by the end of the year. he looks big and has always had the skills.

TBH I would rather take the best (and best value) players available rather than target a particular position and pay overs for it. I still think a backline of Uate, Vuna, McManus, Wes and L Doogs, plus our young guys, can cut it behind the sort of monster pack we could put together with the addition of Tupou and a decent hooker.

At the end of the day I think Tupou is strictly a backrower. He doesn't have the same room to move outwide where he is dynamic and has the speed to run angles such as his try on friday night on the left.

With Paterson and Simpson we have two outstanding backrowers, and what I saw of Houston the other night was very impressive. We could have the makings of a very strong back-row here.

Obviously it would be wonderful to have Tupou or Paterson coming off the bench for us, but with the salary cap that just doesn't seem wise to me when we are lacking quality out wide, particularly in the centres.

 

[Jono078]

Any thoughts on Kidley at 9?

Id be ok with that if we could get a really good replacement fullback.

Gidley is going too good back there for us atm to move him.

Could look at possibly converting L MacDougall to a fullback since it doesnt look like he'll crack our first team at wing or centre.