Potential signings for next season

[Penrose11]

Who are some players that could bolster or squad for next season? There's always plenty coming and going from clubs each year. Hopefully if we get in early and get the pick of the crop, we wont be left with whats left come seasons end.

Other than a standoff, we are really missing some hard nosed ball playing backrowers. There's a few on the market we should be looking at.

I'd love us to make a big play for Greg Eastwood. A great ballplaying back rower who loves to get involved with tbe tough stuff. He's an Auckland boy so we wouldnt have as much of a problem as we usually seem to in convincing players to cross the ditch. Doggies have a few players off contract and alot of young forwards they'll want to keep hold off as well. I'm sure we could easy match and improve on anything the dogs would put forward.

Others of note off contact:

Frank paul Nuiasala plays prop and 2nd row.
Sam Williams - second fiddle to Campese
Trent Hodkinson - 6 or 7
Tom Symonds - ball playing back rower

There's plenty more I'm sure

 

[Penrose11]

Just read that Eastwood signed with Doggies for futher 3 seasons. Announce today as it turns out. They obviously see what quality he is. I hope Bell has his feelers out trying to entice these types of players before they resign with their clubs

 

[Skinner]

Oh, I think I know what Bell has out.....

I'll just get my coat.......

 

[Rebel]

I Hear someone say we were looking at Pritchard?

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

We're looking at everyone if you believe the rumours. CBF listing them again.

 

[Rebel]

I Just figured Pritchard would make sense especially if Mateo is off to the Dragons.

 

[Penrose11]

We dont need to sign $800k + superstars. We currently have 11 of or 17 players from 2011 GF team. Inu, hohaia, luck, maloney, brown and heramia have all gone. All pretty much journey men but quality on their day nonetheless (I'd pay overs for another Luck and a goalkicker tho). These guys are replaceable, as other than hohaia who was home grown, all were 2nd tier players at best at their club prior to coming to us.

We need a couple of quality well thought out signs to improve our depth in key spots to turn things around. Mid season signings are out either surely? Look at perret and inu to the dogs last year. Needs to be playets with leadership skills as well. Not just someone filling the numbers

 

[playdaball]

Half empty theory:

More than likely that we'll end with a couple of guys from NSW Cup (includes Vulcans), a bloke from Dewsbury, Barrow or Carlise in the North of England and a current discard from a top performing team (forced out due to cap pressures), who'll get over here and find that he was only good as suurounded by RL greats!

Half full version:

Some exciting new players who would relish the opportunity to play 1st grade in Auckland as well as one of the better performing ESL players (AKA the next Burgess bros) and a NRL superstar currently playing well at either the Storm, Roosters or Broncos.


BTW ... Will Chambers has re-signed for the Storm

 

[Penrose11]

Aiden Tolman resigned with doggies as well. He could've led by example n shown our engine room how to play 60 minutes and make 100+ meters per game.

Half empty theory here we come !!

 

[playdaball]

Dylan Farrell from Souths to st George ...

 

[Penrose11]

Zero Tackle just announced the Dogs resigned Frank Pritchard for $1.6 mil over 3 yrs. Thats $530k a season. Where do they get their cap money from to keep all these players?

 

[Diesel]

And why are we not signing these players or at least in the hunt?

 

[ozbash]

I'm sick of running last...

 

[Fast Eddie]

Zero Tackle just announced the Dogs resigned Frank Pritchard for $1.6 mil over 3 yrs. Thats $530k a season. Where do they get their cap money from to keep all these players?

If you take in the salary cap rises 530k would be a less percentage of their salary cap than percentage wise of his last contract/old salary cap

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

And why are we not signing these players or at least in the hunt?

We would be in the hunt, but why would a player sign when they have more than us as an option?

Any half decent player will be in demand and in the case of a Sydney based player they can freely switch clubs without even having to move house/have the kids switch school/find the wife a new job etc etc

 

[Diesel]

So we go back to relying on home grown talent staying NZ or picking up either journey men or players that can't crack the FG squad.

Where is our elusive premiership?

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

To be fair when you look at our best teams that's the combinations we've had. Home grown talent with a handful of journeymen/fringe first grader who have a strong work ethic and actually appreciate the opportunity (an attitude than generally filters down to the rest of the squad).

Both our Grand Final sides have had that exact make up.

On a related note, Loko appears to have re-signed with the Eels. Based on reports I'm very happy we didn't get him. Wasn't worth the reported amount.

 

[ozbash]

fringe first grader who have a strong work ethic and actually appreciate the opportunity

aha !!

 

[LeftRightOut]

As fans, I think we need to accept that the likelihood of a blue-chip Aussie playmaker coming to Auckland is remote at best regardless of the cash we have to spend - Auckland just isn't a desirable destination for most - for lifestyle, location, football, and family reasons.
I think the best we can hope for is hungry fringe first-graders and local development, with perhaps the odd ESL player - and I'm okay with that, I've liked the work ethic and attitude of (most of) the 'journeymen' we've had.
I think KTF summed it up best:

To be fair when you look at our best teams that's the combinations we've had. Home grown talent with a handful of journeymen/fringe first grader who have a strong work ethic and actually appreciate the opportunity (an attitude than generally filters down to the rest of the squad).

Don't get me wrong, I'd be pumped if we could sign someone like Carney, but I can't see it happening.

 

[Diesel]

If the Warriors can't lure over a top player, what chance does a proposed (although remote chance of happening) PNG bid