is this the worst player swap ever?

[Noname36]

Sharks expected to announce Ennis signing this week.
http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/michael-ennis-to-finish-his-career-with-the-cronulla-sharks-20140617-zsawp.html

Michael Ennis, 30 years old, absolute rubbish and career form in decline.

Michael Lichaa, 20 years old, great potential and one of the best young hookers in the game.

Sharks have been dudded big time.

Derp.

Dogs already threw big money at Lichaa and he took it. Sharks signed Ennis after that. They had to sign someone.

 

[ek999]

His dad rates him... Just ask him.

I'm ok with this swap as I reckon Lichaa will be a flop.

In the few matches the Sharks have played him in and in the City Country match I was really impressed with him.

To me the Sharks seem to be very risk averse in their recruitment/retention. They just don't seem willing to pay relatively big dollars to keep their young stars and instead sign older established players who only have a few years left in them. Perfect example is Peachey. Is he providing value for money this year, until a couple of weeks ago no way. Now and into the next couple of years it looks like it will be a great investment by Penrith and Cronulla have missed out.

 

[carcharias]

What happens when Lichaa's daddy gets upset when Dessie drops his boy for being massively over rated?

That is where the problems will start.
It will be pretty funny to watch.

 

[Shark_78]

Ek999 Peachey didn't want to stay.... Had nothing to do with the sharks offer. He didn't even let the sharks have last dibs... No one wants a player who doesn't want to play for them.

 

[nick87]

Yeah i dont think it was a swap, so much as the Bulldogs Bred, bot brought Lichaa and the Sharks had to respond by going and getting someone capable of playing hooker and Mick Ennis was the best available.

 

[macnaz]

The issue is why the f**k arent they signing backs ?

 

[Wizard Sleeve]

So with the modern hooker being in the top 3 of importance in the team these days , Canterbury's 2015 season hinges on a rookie :lol:

Sign a few more props Des that'll fix it .

 

[firechild]

maybe ben farar pre-injuries for bani

Was my first thought too.

 

[carcharias]

Imagine that hate when Ennis and Gal are in the same jersey.
If only bird still played for our mob.

 

[Dogs Of War]

At least the Sharks are starting Liccha now. Hopefully that will give him a better feel for the pace of the top grade game before he comes to the dogs and can work on things in the offseason.

Not that the Sharks really have any choice, given Morris is likely to retire with his neck issues, and releasing IDG to Parra.

 

[Noname36]

So with the modern hooker being in the top 3 of importance in the team these days , Canterbury's 2015 season hinges on a rookie :lol:

Sign a few more props Des that'll fix it .

This is a good point. How many games has he played already? I know it's not many. Most young hookers take a while to settle into FG properly. It's a high contact position with a big work load. They're not like an outside back that you can just throw in and they'll be fine. Young forwards and particularly hookers get burnt out easily. I saw Lichaa play a lot of minutes in an NSW Cup game a couple of weeks ago and he couldn't handle it. Even bigger step up to FG. I hope for the Dogs' sake they don't expect him to come in and be their main 80 minute hooker right away.

I don't rate Ennis but at least the Sharks can hit the ground running in that position.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

I don't see the outrage. The only Hookers in the comp that IMO are clearly better than Mick Ennis are Smith, Farah and Jake Friend. Isaac Luke joins that list assuming he gets back to full form.

Ennis, Peats, Macca, Ballin and Segs are the next line down. In fact as of today, Lichaa would be close to the worst starting hooker in the comp, albeit one with a fair bit of potential and upside.

 

[carcharias]

I don't see the outrage. The only Hookers in the comp that IMO are clearly better than Mick Ennis are Smith, Farah and Jake Friend. Isaac Luke joins that list assuming he gets back to full form.

Ennis, Peats, Macca, Ballin and Segs are the next line down. In fact as of today, Lichaa would be close to the worst starting hooker in the comp, albeit one with a fair bit of potential and upside.

if you had to pick between Ennis and Lichaa today to play a must win game you'd pick Ennis every time.

Maybe not in two years time ...time will tell .

 

[Dogs Of War]

if you had to pick between Ennis and Lichaa today to play a must win game you'd pick Ennis every time.

Maybe not in two years time ...time will tell .

Which is why I'm happy that the Sharks are now forced to blood Liccha each week for us. It will take some of the growing pains out that we would have faced at the Bulldogs.

 

[madunit]

Luke Covell for Matt Reick

 

[carcharias]

Which is why I'm happy that the Sharks are now forced to blood Liccha each week for us. It will take some of the growing pains out that we would have faced at the Bulldogs.

Yep getting flogged every week will have him flying.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Yep getting flogged every week will have him flying.

Eventually you guys will have players return from injury and things may change.

 

[oikee]

Good ole Cronulla, the elephant graveyard, where good old league players go to retire and die, while propping up their pensioner funds.

 

[MarkC]

It may work out OK for both clubs.

The Dogs probably wanted to keep Ennis for an extra year or 2 to help blood Lichaa.

The Dogs spine is not working that well at present and Des was always going stamp his authority by trying to build the type of team he wants.

Ennis is a good defender and a good competitor, he will work well with dominant halves as he can throw a good pass, the main problem at the Dogs is that Ennis sometimes tries to do too much in attack.

But a change of clubs may work for him.

The Dogs have taken a gamble on Lichaa but that is more about trying to compete with the top sides and go to the next level.

IMO Des needs to try something, it may not work, or may take a year or 2 to come together, but if the team is not improving it is going backwards.

 

[God-King Dean]

Morris > Ennis.