What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Now...2019 Who To Keep / Who To Release

B

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,061
Here is my list of players off Contract 2019 in alpha order of our Top Tier including development.
Allgood, Blacker, Dufty, Field, Kerr, Lats, Lawrie, Lomax (Haydn), Lovodua, Maranta, Marsters, Nicholls, Robson, Sailor, Timm

Graham but has an option in his favour for 2020 but for this exercise we will assume he will retire this year.
Widdop is as good as gone so we also assume he wont be with us in 2020
After these 2 we could have about 1.3 mill to spend on top of others who may depart for new internal contracts.

The other assumption is we can not sign any player from another club not off contract in 2019.

Must Haves (Dufty, Field, Lawrie, Marsters, Robson).

Watch & See's In preference order who I like to keep ;
Sailor - he was close to a must have but went with Field as back up half. Sailor could still be worth investing in as can play a few positions.
Kerr - big unit and needed time to grow into the prop role. I am keen to invest but this year as we will need good props. He has to start proving he is beyond ISP in 2019 or cut him.
Lomax - another one worth investing in and have been told by a few he has the goods like his brother but still young as a lock / backrower. We may need forwards if people like JDB get the flick, and Host does not improve to expectations.
Timm - I was told on Sunday he is a similar style to Blake Lawrie and is keen and loves the tough runs & contact. Worth looking at as we will need props.
Blacker - dont now much but the club has huge wraps on him as a future prop. Big strapping kid..but still a kid. If Kerr does not step up he will be the replacement for him but only see him ISP level ATM.

Surplus to our needs for 2020 and dont spend cap money on. ISP contracts only if they love the club that much and want to stay (Allgood, Lats, Lovodua, Maranta, Nicholls)

I'd like to read others opinions on how we go forward although when back from hols on the weekend.
Although I already know what some will be. ;)
Fun times for Possm & Basil working together in sorting all that lot out this year.

Disclaimer: Dont shoot the messenger. My opinion only...on who we keep and spend money on
 
Last edited:
Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,697
Pretty much agree wirh all that except Lovodua. I would move him to the watch and see list. Has already played at International level and can play hooker, lock and 2nd row. Handy utulity forward.
We have 6 in the DS for 2019 inc: Lovodua, Blacker, Saab, H Lomax, Ford and Masters. Most of these will be earmarked for transition to NRL for next year if not sooner (Lovodua, Blacker, Ford and Masters).
They may keep Nicholls aroundcfor another year to guage Sailors progress and to add some experience to the ISP halves.
 
B

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,061
Dragonslayer said:
Pretty much agree wirh all that except Lovodua. I would move him to the watch and see list. Has already played at International level and can play hooker, lock and 2nd row. Handy utulity forward.
We have 6 in the DS for 2019 inc: Lovodua, Blacker, Saab, H Lomax, Ford and Masters. Most of these will be earmarked for transition to NRL for next year if not sooner (Lovodua, Blacker, Ford and Masters).
They may keep Nicholls aroundcfor another year to guage Sailors progress and to add some experience to the ISP halves.
Click to expand...
Yeh with Lovodua fair call. I was primarily thinking about him as a hooker and we have Robson & McInnes in our top tier, also thinking we have a wealth of backrowers in our squad so it was just down to top tier $$$$$ cap spending.
Sailor will need to progress or will be taken over as can attack and for me Jackson Ford does not have the "it" factor.....but still young and can prove me wrong. Saab & Masters are guns and do have the "it and X factor"
 
R

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
62,231
Lovodua is must keep at this stage .. a bloke that can cover 3/4/9/11/12 is the ideal bench utility ....

For now keep an see how he goes ...

The future may be 9.Robson 14. Lovodua ....


Depending on Widdop 2020 and who becomes available keeping both field/Dufty may be superfluous
 
D

dragonssamy61

First Grade
Messages
5,549
Lovodua is a keep very versatile has played half , backrow and hooker.
Good utility value.
Jackson Ford is worth keeping was injured last year .
So if he comes back well could be a good back up backrower.
Sailor needs to step up.
Hayden lomax needs to be watched has filled out and sould step up
His first year of playing isp full time.
 
B

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,061
dragonssamy61 said:
Lovodua is a keep very versatile has played half , backrow and hooker.
Good utility value.
Jackson Ford is worth keeping was injured last year .
So if he comes back well could be a good back up backrower.
Sailor needs to step up.
Hayden lomax needs to be watched has filled out and sould step up
His first year of playing isp full time.
Click to expand...

Ok...You all of sold me on Lovodua

Yeh Samy. I am aware of Ford as is a development player and not part of our Top 30 cap. He did miss the first part of the season but not sold on him yet...he just had a few too many errors in him and did not see him add a lot of impact for a backrower but is young and happy to hold.

Host also needs to take it up a notch this year...more so in defence and stop being injury prone..otherwise...snip.
 
George Dragon

George Dragon

Juniors
Messages
1,985
BLM01 said:
Ok...You all of sold me on Lovodua

Yeh Samy. I am aware of Ford as is a development player and not part of our Top 30 cap. He did miss the first part of the season but not sold on him yet...he just had a few too many errors in him and did not see him add a lot of impact for a backrower but is young and happy to hold.

Host also needs to take it up a notch this year...more so in defence and stop being injury prone..otherwise...snip.
Click to expand...
Ford payed a full season this year, he was injured in the last game.
 
George Dragon

George Dragon

Juniors
Messages
1,985
BLM01 said:
Here is my list of players off Contract 2019 in alpha order of our Top Tier including development.
Allgood, Blacker, Dufty, Field, Kerr, Lats, Lawrie, Lomax (Haydn), Lovodua, Maranta, Marsters, Nicholls, Robson, Sailor, Timm

Graham but has an option in his favour for 2020 but for this exercise we will assume he will retire this year.
Widdop is as good as gone so we also assume he wont be with us in 2020
After these 2 we could have about 1.3 mill to spend on top of others who may depart for new internal contracts.

The other assumption is we can not sign any player from another club not off contract in 2019.

Must Haves (Dufty, Field, Lawrie, Marsters, Robson).

Watch & See's In preference order who I like to keep ;
Sailor - he was close to a must have but went with Field as back up half. Sailor could still be worth investing in as can play a few positions.
Kerr - big unit and needed time to grow into the prop role. I am keen to invest but this year as we will need good props. He has to start proving he is beyond ISP in 2019 or cut him.
Lomax - another one worth investing in and have been told by a few he has the goods like his brother but still young as a lock / backrower. We may need forwards if people like JDB get the flick, and Host does not improve to expectations.
Timm - I was told on Sunday he is a similar style to Blake Lawrie and is keen and loves the tough runs & contact. Worth looking at as we will need props.
Blacker - dont now much but the club has huge wraps on him as a future prop. Big strapping kid..but still a kid. If Kerr does not step up he will be the replacement for him but only see him ISP level ATM.

Surplus to our needs for 2020 and dont spend cap money on. ISP contracts only if they love the club that much and want to stay (Allgood, Lats, Lovodua, Maranta, Nicholls)

I'd like to read others opinions on how we go forward although when back from hols on the weekend.
Although I already know what some will be. ;)
Fun times for Possm & Basil working together in sorting all that lot out this year.

Disclaimer: Dont shoot the messenger. My opinion only...on who we keep and spend money on
Click to expand...
Lomax has been training at dummy half
Blacker was out injured the last half of the season, I think he will start in the Flegg. He weigh in at 120kg
 
H

hewi

Bench
Messages
3,802
Agree pretty much with all above. Allgood and Latimore to move on , Kerr time to shit or get off the pot. Nicholls keep for one more year, he is a solid genuine half back, u need one in case Hunt gets injured.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Surely we can do better than Nicholls ? His only 1st grade game showed that he was way out of his depth...defense was non existent.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
hewi said:
I think you are a bit tough on him.
Click to expand...

Can only go on what we saw...In his only first grade game he was a turnstile.TBH I was looking forward to seeing him play ..was surprised by his poor defense. It's up to the coaching staff to address this.
 
Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,697
getsmarty said:
Can only go on what we saw...In his only first grade game he was a turnstile.TBH I was looking forward to seeing him play ..was surprised by his poor defense. It's up to the coaching staff to address this.
Click to expand...

To be fair again Getsmarty, there were a few others in the same boat on that day, one's with much more experience than Nichols. Dufty at 50% tackle rate, Mann at 64% and Leilua missed 4 vital tackles and even young Robson had 5 ineffective attempts.It must be remembered too that we lead that game 30-28 at the 61st minute. Then it fell apart from there when they scored 4 tries in 9 mins. A total of 82 points scored is relative to the how ineffective defense was on both sides.

I'm not defending Nichols, not in the least, but the ISP side does need some old heads to steer it around, and who will captain that side if Nichols isn't there? You could then consider Lats or Allgood and that's a big no, no, no.

In saying that, I think Nichols probably won't get another shot at NRL unless there's a total disaster with our halves. If Hunt is called up to SOO, for example, Norman would switch to 7, then Widdop at 6 and Dufty back at 1. Alternatively, leave Widdop at 1 and bring in Field at 6. In all cases Nichols is an emergency anyway, and a fairly cheap one at that.
 
D

dragonssamy61

First Grade
Messages
5,549
hewi said:
Agree pretty much with all above. Allgood and Latimore to move on , Kerr time to shit or get off the pot. Nicholls keep for one more year, he is a solid genuine half back, u need one in case Hunt gets injured.
Click to expand...

Hewi
If Hunt was injured with Norman in the team he would step into the halves. Same if widdop was injured.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top