Ian Millward

[Old Timer]

FTR, I don't think Millward has been a failure of the Mary/Doust level, but I don't think he's done anything above average. Sure, he lured Hunt here next year, but thats the only position we are improved in 2018.

The idea that other teams will squeeze players out is far from confirmed, as mentioned in the article. The whole strategy could just as easily backfire on us.

The only reality is that we are currently staring down the barrel of 2018 with 2 recognised NRL props in our entire squad, the single slowest outside back in the comp and arguably the slowest backline combined.

I have trouble understanding the "bargain" terminology and philosophy.
The really good players will still be retained by most clubs or will always command high $$$ on the market or be courted by the most dominant clubs of which we are not one.
Bargains to me means "handy" players at a reasonable $$.
IMO we don't need and "handy" players we need a couple of top notch players to fill big holes like the front row.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Tom
Just signed sailor for 2 more year .
He will train with the nrl squad.
Good news I would say

 

[The Damo]

So losing two of our best players is inconsequential?

The Roosters are a far better example of a squad building nicely.

Straight Shooter

Slight modifier on your opinion that Packer is better than Vaughn hey OV? Good to see some movement there

 

[The Damo]

I have trouble understanding the "bargain" terminology and philosophy.
The really good players will still be retained by most clubs or will always command high $$$ on the market or be courted by the most dominant clubs of which we are not one.
Bargains to me means "handy" players at a reasonable $$.
IMO we don't need and "handy" players we need a couple of top notch players to fill big holes like the front row.

It's pretty obviously referring to signing someone with another club picking up part of the salary. That's the bargain part, getting a top notch player but not having to foot the whole bill.

 

[Old Timer]

It's pretty obviously referring to signing someone with another club picking up part of the salary. That's the bargain part, getting a top notch player but not having to foot the whole bill.

So are we suggesting that clubs are going to let lots of quality players go and subsidise their payments to the new clubs so they can go and sign players possibly of lesser quality on cheaper money?
If the player coming in on cheaper money is a better option / player than the "quality player" they let go why are we not signing the player the club is chasing rather than the one they are offloading?

 

[Dragonslayer]

I have trouble understanding the "bargain" terminology and philosophy.
The really good players will still be retained by most clubs or will always command high $$$ on the market or be courted by the most dominant clubs of which we are not one.
Bargains to me means "handy" players at a reasonable $$.
IMO we don't need and "handy" players we need a couple of top notch players to fill big holes like the front row.

The use of the word "bargain" is indeed strange. Whilst it could be tajen as a detriment to the player, which I doubt, My feeling is that he could be referring to a player still under contract with X club (example Latu) where at least a pirtion of their salary would be picked up by club X. So, instead of say forking out 700k for a prop we could get them for 350 and club X paying the other 350. That would represent a "bargain" IMO. Same applies to any other player we maybe looking at.

 

[The Damo]

So are we suggesting that clubs are going to let lots of quality players go and subsidise their payments to the new clubs so they can go and sign players possibly of lesser quality on cheaper money?
If the player coming in on cheaper money is a better option / player than the "quality player" they let go why are we not signing the player the club is chasing rather than the one they are offloading?

I don't think they will 'let lots' of quality players go. They may well be forced to move some quality players. If as reported (who knows) dogs have to shed 800k worth of players, and reports that graham is on 1 mil and Eastwood is on 800 next year, they will have to let some high paid players go and subsidise their contracts next year, maths won't work otherwise. If they can replace 800k of players with the same quality at $100k then I'd be pretty surprised. Even allowing for the massive overs. Presuming the nrl actually enforces the cap, which is no sure thing.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Would you like to offer a counter argument?

I have already offered plenty, but alas I am not as insightful as you therefore I must be "genuinely moronic".

After all, you are one of the fans who openly supported McGregor's contract extension.

You even accused some us of "overreacting" mid-way through the season when some of us could see the team was clearly on the decline...

So why should you be wrong about this?

 

[to_ddeath]

No objection with the Millward Q & A....just sick of the victim crap with the cap.
Heard it from Doust & co since Bennett left, not our problem.


T.

 

[JDHD]

Lol our recruitment manager publically states we are looking for a bargain. Yay Millward!

So has Nathan Brown? The idea isn't that we'll get a player on the cheap because he's crap, the idea is we'll get a good player on the cheap because the other team will subsidise his salary for us. Like with Robbie Farah and the Bunnies.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

So has Nathan Brown? The idea isn't that we'll get a player on the cheap because he's crap, the idea is we'll get a good player on the cheap because the other team will subsidise his salary for us. Like with Robbie Farah and the Bunnies.

Farah has been the definition of "bargain" this year.

Clubs are letting go of players they consider over paid or not value for money, like we should with Lafai and MacDonald.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I have already offered plenty, but alas I am not as insightful as you therefore I must be "genuinely moronic".

After all, you are one of the fans who openly supported McGregor's contract extension.

You even accused some us of "overreacting" mid-way through the season when some of us could see the team was clearly on the decline...

So why should you be wrong about this?

You're correct, I did. My argument then was that we were in the top 4 and there were no genuine replacements out there off contract, because you know, I tend to do my research with these things.
Sure, McGregor wasn't the best option, but there was literally NO-ONE out there to replace him at the time (Cleary was already signed to the Tigers, Hasler was not available). I would have loved to have seen a Henry, Green, Bennett or Belamy join our club, but the sheer facts were that none of them were available and we were not allowed to approach them.

Was I wrong about people overreacting? Probably, and i'm happy to wear that. But at the time it was blatantly obvious that people were getting their knickers in a knot over one loss. There was no middle ground with people It was straight to the endth degree of "sack this person, sack that person, we're shit, f**k Doust, 2016 all over again, Steve Price, Aitken can't tackle". Even if we would have a good win the week before, people would still take it too far. It was getting tiring seeing 5 new threads pop up after a loss which basically all said the same thing.

Also, you've ignored my question and gone off on an irrelevant tangent. I asked for your counter argument and you say "i've offered plenty".
You'll probably say the "Dugan is a centre" thing, or losing Packer to the Tigers, and completely ignore the circumstances which caused those events and all of the other positive things that Millward has achieved.

Believe me BTN, i'm angry we're on the slide, and I don't rate McGregor as a coach at all, but Millward is not incompetent. There is a plan here and it's clearly coming to fruition.

 

[Life's Good]

So what if Millward used the word bargain?? He's laying a marker to player managers that we are in the market but won't be pushed into accepting any deal.
If 4 places are still up for grabs it's unlikely we will be able to fill them with 4 top quality signings. Ideally, the 'bargain' signings will be the depth because we would have locked in 2 quality signings that we are chasing eg. Latu & outside back.
Millward is part of the axis of evil (our administration)but at least he's visible and making progress in what is a bit of a minefield with the way the cap figure is shaping up.

 

[Como Connection]

Millward is performing well so far.
Cannot knock any of his decisions to date.
I spoken to him regarding a young guy from Queensland a couple of years ago and was impressed with his attitude.
CC

 

[redVinme]

All clubs under cap should just lol at the bulldogs and others and refuse to take their players. They are contracted and have a right to stay. Imagine if graham mbye morris bros etc just said no we arent going anywhere. I know we have the chance to get some quality but imagine if half the comp was over. Probs only way we'd make the 8

 

[coast_dragons]

People want Brenko lee at the club lol.

 

[BringTheNoise]

You're correct, I did. My argument then was that we were in the top 4 and there were no genuine replacements out there off contract, because you know, I tend to do my research with these things.
Sure, McGregor wasn't the best option, but there was literally NO-ONE out there to replace him at the time (Cleary was already signed to the Tigers, Hasler was not available). I would have loved to have seen a Henry, Green, Bennett or Belamy join our club, but the sheer facts were that none of them were available and we were not allowed to approach them.

Was I wrong about people overreacting? Probably, and i'm happy to wear that. But at the time it was blatantly obvious that people were getting their knickers in a knot over one loss. There was no middle ground with people It was straight to the endth degree of "sack this person, sack that person, we're shit, f**k Doust, 2016 all over again, Steve Price, Aitken can't tackle". Even if we would have a good win the week before, people would still take it too far. It was getting tiring seeing 5 new threads pop up after a loss which basically all said the same thing.

Also, you've ignored my question and gone off on an irrelevant tangent. I asked for your counter argument and you say "i've offered plenty".
You'll probably say the "Dugan is a centre" thing, or losing Packer to the Tigers, and completely ignore the circumstances which caused those events and all of the other positive things that Millward has achieved.

Believe me BTN, i'm angry we're on the slide, and I don't rate McGregor as a coach at all, but Millward is not incompetent. There is a plan here and it's clearly coming to fruition.

As I said, I've stated my opinion on Millward and his decisions in countless other threads. The fact that you literally started this thread by declaring that anyone who did not agree with your opinion is "genuinely moronic" shows a lot about your ability to have a genuine conversation around the subject.

I pointed out your track record because I believe it is indicative of where this thread will end up in future. The fact people are willing to praise Millward before his assembled squad has even played a game, before the true situation of our cap is revealed in the next 3-5 years as so much of our dollars have already been tied up long term in a handful of players is highly premature. Just like the calls to extend McGregor's contract or suggest people were over-reacting was highly premature. If you feel that is an irrelevant tangent then I apologise that you're struggling to connect the dots.

And FYI - if you truly believe that our club just happened to end up with McGregor as a head coach merely because there were no other options out there then you must be incredibly naive.

You and everyone who supports your opinions can continue your love-in with club management and the decisions they continue to make but for those of us without the blinkers on the results on the field are very telling.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

As I said, I've stated my opinion on Millward and his decisions in countless other threads. The fact that you literally started this thread by declaring that anyone who did not agree with your opinion is "genuinely moronic" shows a lot about your ability to have a genuine conversation around the subject.

I pointed out your track record because I believe it is indicative of where this thread will end up in future. The fact people are willing to praise Millward before his assembled squad has even played a game, before the true situation of our cap is revealed in the next 3-5 years as so much of our dollars have already been tied up long term in a handful of players is highly premature. Just like the calls to extend McGregor's contract or suggest people were over-reacting was highly premature. If you feel that is an irrelevant tangent then I apologise that you're struggling to connect the dots.

And FYI - if you truly believe that our club just happened to end up with McGregor as a head coach merely because there were no other options out there then you must be incredibly naive.

You and everyone who supports your opinions can continue your love-in with club management and the decisions they continue to make but for those of us without the blinkers on the results on the field are very telling.

The reason why i'm dismissing people's ideas about Millward being incompetent is because of the current situation we're in with the cap and recruitment. You cannot deny he has done a great job, it's so blindingly obvious. However you're probably going to have to refresh my memory on some of your opinions on Millward because unlike yourself i'm not really too bothered with taking the time to dig up the past.
I am always up for a debate and will happily concede if I feel like i'm out of my depth or I don't have the facts right, people truly BTN, based on the results Millward has produced, you're just a straight up pessimist if you think he's not doing well.

The squad Millward has assembled is quality, whether or not the team struggles to gel is a coaching issue, not a recruitment issue. You're right, we do have a lot of money tied up in players long term, but those players are our best players. We're talking about Vaughan, Widdop, Hunt, De Belin, Frizell etc. Would you not go out of your way to tie up your best cattle on long term deals?

You seem to be pushing all of these counter-argument ideas but not actually providing solutions. You call me naive for not coming up with another coaching option, okay.. So what's your solution? Who out there could have replaced McGregor and been a genuine upgrade. You can't just take the sarcastic approach and say something stupid like "my left nut", actually bring something of substance to the conversation here (although i'm sure your nuts are quite substantial BTN).

Again, you are misconstruing my words, I am not in love with club management at all. I happen to think Doust is a complete moron. I happen to think the jobs for the boys mentality is incredibly frustrating. But on the immediate topic of Millward right here right now, I actually think he's producing decent results in his role.
By the way, I don't want to sound like an egotist here, but most people tend to be agreeing with me here mate.

 

[getsmarty]

Millward is performing well so far.
Cannot knock any of his decisions to date.
I spoken to him regarding a young guy from Queensland a couple of years ago and was impressed with his attitude.
CC

Agree Como...Only dislike is when he publicly states certain things eg " Dugan a Centre "..." We are

waiting to pick up players on the cheap"...Surely it would be wiser to keep this sort of talk in house rather

than putting it out into the public arena ? Otherwise, can't really knock too many of his decisions

including the Dugan situation which in the end Millward was spot on in his evaluation of the player.

 

[The calm one]

I'm sorry, but anyone who thinks Millward is doing a poor job is genuinely moronic.

We are now one of the only clubs in the NRL who didn't overestimate the cap and are sitting in prime position to poach players from other clubs for bargain prices.
Letting Dugan, Packer and Milne go was absolutely the right decision. We didn't get sucked into paying overs for them and now we are sitting comfortably under the cap as a result. Had we have been drawn into playing the bidding game, we would have paid too much and been in a position where we would have to shed players to stay cap compliant (most likely losing guys like De Belin, Vaughan, Mann etc). We've locked in ALL of our promising juniors as well, and some of our experienced heads are finally hitting their prime.

This was the plan all along and it was brilliant. The "Millward mess" is a myth.

This is one of the most sensible threads I have read on this forum. Well said 100% agree