Marquee Signings

[Minh]

Yeah but I heard that Lazarus even came back from the dead once so this may be an exception :sarcasm:

You're right Lazarus was indeed god like, what a player.

 

[Hoekstra]

I agree with Minh's comment re a few astute signings.

‘Marquee’ players demand top end cash and getting in a bidding war for the likes of Dugan or Cronk etc forces up their price to a point which can throw out the balance of your squad.

I think it can be seen to a certain extent with Cowboys and Thurston, but more so with the Storm who literally surrounded their top 3 with bumpers last year once complying with the cap. I guess a counter case study could be that of the Tigers which on paper appear to have retained genuine talent all over the paddock, whilst keeping Farah and Marshall on deck.

However, looking at the success of the Warriors and Manly recently in identifying young talent I don’t think you need to enter the fray for top line players.

Also top of the food chain players have extreme requirements put on them through the year with origin and international footy which can be to the detriment of their club side.

 

[dragoncountry]

i was reading in the leaugue week yesterday that the dragons wont stand in the way of sowie taking up an offer from thugby. maybe the writing is on the wall for him.
that opens the door i think for kyle to be five eighth and nows the time to make a play for someone like cronk. he would compliment the team well.
any thoughts?

 

[Breathingfire]

I've got a couple of thoughts on this...

1. Agree with Gypsy that Boyd never gave a f**k about the club. I understand that he helped us win the premiership and its business etc etc but the 'hired hand' thing doesn't really sit well with me. That is not what sport or supporting a club is really about. I know I have to accept that this is the professional era but I don't have to like it.

2. I agree with Godz that a balanced squad works much better. I also agree that marquee signings definitely don't guarantee success. However, Gaz was on the kind of money a marquee player would sign for anyway so I guess the odd marquee player won't completely unbalance things but the way Canterbury and Souths have gone about their business in the last few years really makes me sick.

3. I also think that because traditionally St George have a very low turn over of players in comparison to other clubs, it can seem like we don't spend much and other clubs seems to have a bottomless pit ie. Manly, Souths, Bulldogs. But the money we have spent retaining Creagh, Cooper, Gaz, Young, Hornby, Morris, Weyman, Nightingale and co. would be far from a pittance. For every Josh Pretty, Brent Kite, Ben Kennedy etc. the dragons had a Luke Baily or a Jason Ryles if you get my drift.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

My bob's worth:

The reason we don't tend to sign marquee/high profile players is that we end usually up with the cream of the crop from the Illawarra and St George juniors, who go on to be "locally produced marquee" players for us. If they happened to go to other clubs, then they're considered marquee signings for them.

Examples: Barrett, Bailey, Gasnier, Hornby, Timmins, Ryles, the Morrises, Cooper, Creagh, etc. etc.

They would all have been considered marquee signings for any other club, but we didn't need to poach them, they came through our system.

And hopefully the trend continues for many years to come.

 

[Daniel Dragons]

I don't think Soward would leave. Of course the Dragons won't stand in his way if he told them he wanted out (why would a club keep a player who didn't want to be there?). But it is all irrelevant as i think Soward won't leave unless he is pushed.

 

[Bring back choc]

It's funny how we lose Boyd and Bennett (arguably our 2 biggest signings in a loooong time) and suddenly
experts predict us to miss the 8, bookies dont rate us.

Bug signings must have an impact i would have thought. We waited 30 years...we signed boyd, smith, costigan. We win a comp.

Home grown talent is whats over rated. People cant argue with history.

 

[Breathingfire]

My bob's worth:

The reason we don't tend to sign marquee/high profile players is that we end usually up with the cream of the crop from the Illawarra and St George juniors, who go on to be "locally produced marquee" players for us. If they happened to go to other clubs, then they're considered marquee signings for them.

Examples: Barrett, Bailey, Gasnier, Hornby, Timmins, Ryles, the Morrises, Cooper, Creagh, etc. etc.

They would all have been considered marquee signings for any other club, but we didn't need to poach them, they came through our system.

And hopefully the trend continues for many years to come.

Yeah that was the gist of what i was trying to say although you probably managed to say it more clearly and economically.

 

[Stagger Lee]

The one obvious one would be Fittler to the Roosters = success. Any others?

I would put that down to Gould rather than a player, even as talented as Freddie was - and yes I know Stuart was the coach in 2002 but it was still Gould's team and he was calling most of the shots.

 

[Mattc]

Was Thurston a 'Marquee player' when he joined the Cowboys.
I might be wrong, but i thought he was not even in the dogs first 13, but on the bench somewhere. Point is, i think that at the time he was a very astute signing.

 

[Minh]

It's funny how we lose Boyd and Bennett (arguably our 2 biggest signings in a loooong time) and suddenly
experts predict us to miss the 8, bookies dont rate us.

Bug signings must have an impact i would have thought. We waited 30 years...we signed boyd, smith, costigan. We win a comp.

Home grown talent is whats over rated. People cant argue with history.

Really agree with the Bennett signing etc but I still believe local talent is a must that is where the loyalty and passion comes into play.

 

[Minh]

We had an excellent balance of local talent and signings in the Bennett era, we still have a very good team a couple of the new signings have to step up.

 

[Stagger Lee]

I'm all for a marquee signing if it is a definite gap in the squad that can not be filled. A halfback or 5/8th, maybe a fullback may need a marquee player but never a second rower or winger. With those last two positions I agree with Wayne Bennetts philosophy completely.

 

[Bring back choc]

Ok put it this way... We would not have won the comp without Boyd.

 

[Godz Illa]

If it works for you to think in such simplistic terms, then good for you. You're a simple guy bbc. I admire that in a way

 

[Drain the Dragon]

Ok put it this way... We would not have won the comp without Boyd.

Not sure about that, but one thing's for sure - we will never know.....

 

[Minh]

It was a team effort a real champion team but Boyd was in rare form in 2010 something that was desparately missing last year maybe that had more to do with heart it was no longer there.

 

[coast_dragons]

Boyd showed his true colours last year I know alot of Bronco fans that where glad to see the back of him becuase of his poor attitude.

You sign a deal and as soon as Daddy dearest leaves you follow him like your toilet paper stuck to his arse crack.

The Knights deserve him and I hope he gets hammered to bits.

 

[to_ddeath]

Ok put it this way... We would not have won the comp without Boyd.

May have won the Churchill on our special day in 2010, however the forwards mostly brought us home in that game...so yeah I don't agree with you :lol:


T.

 

[Outlaw Pete]

Boyd seemed to loose interest after he singed with Newsastle. Nightingale must have been feed up being tossed the ball to bring back. Impending retirements of Fein Cooper Young must leave some $ for good replacements.