Rabbitohs signings, rumours and injuries 2015-16 Part 2

[alien]

Souths have said that they have no intention of releasing Cook at this point in time.

cool

 

[southsport]

cool

Interview was on MMM.

 

[Rabbits20]

It could be Reynolds that the sharks are after, Townsend is on the nose with Flanagan atm.

Have to remember that sacked Souths recruitment officer Grant Jones is now employed by the sharks, he'd like to poach some players as a square-up.

They can get lost the red necks.

They haven't really given us any of their players lately, so why do they expect to take them off us the morons.

Jones can have Nielsen and Tyrrell. What gifts they would be lol.

I hope the Sharks choke too.

 

[Rabbits20]

They're pissed off because Souths have two good hookers.

Correctamundo.

Release him??? Do we actually have Cook signed for 2017 yet???

Yep. Just like BRYSON wanted to be released last year for double money and we didn't.

We need to stand firm and keep Cook.

Who?
Cook has apperently sought a release to join the sharks. Also mautilino is apperently on the way out of the Warriors to make room for Foran.

You watch the Sharks try and get more of our players.

Now that Jones is there.

 

[Rabbits20]

Under the circumstances it would be an injustice for Sths to insist on him staying.

It also would be stupid to have a disgruntled player languishing in the NSW Cup & going to bed each night praying that Robbie broke his leg!!!

I'd have Cook in the 14 and play him for 30mins.

 

[Rabbits20]

Strong chance Idris will go to the Tigers.

 

[DiegoNT]

It's funny that when Mcinnes asked for a release some in here called him a coward for not fighting for his spot, someone even suggested that mcinnes would know deep down he is a dud and that he should move on. Now that cook has tried to do the same that kinda talk has been shelved.
The signing of farah has sent a message to the team, that the hooking role in 2015 was a problem that needed fixing. There's no way we sign farah if we were happy with either cook or mcinnes or both. If we were happy with mcinnes we would of kept him in the team and had cook as back up, or vice versa with cook. The suggestion that farah is their to teach cook and have him as an understudy is laughable. Cook is both old enough and had enough games to show the club that he is a first choice hooker to build a team around, but the signing of farah indicates that the clun doesn't see him that way. By the time farahs deal is over cook will be close to 28 with less then 50 first grade games to his belt.
Farah has a huge ego. He still sees himself as one of the elite hookers in the game. He also has his origin jumper he wants to keep. With that in mind it's very doubtful farah would go to a club where he'll be a bit time player. He needs to be playing 80 a week to keep himself in the frame for blues (and with gallen retired he may be a captain candidate) he wouldn't go to a club without reasonable chances of playing 80 each week. He would play 80 at both dragons and sharks as it both fits their current game plans and they lack established hookers for next year. So he coming to souths shows he is confident he will play 80, and with his brother on the coaching staff he would know whether or not souths plan on using cook much next year.
It's doubtful whether souths will want to play a hooker on the bench again. We did so in 2016 with limited success. Even then we were only able to do it because mcinnes had the ability to play back row. But it seems maguire prefers having 4 big boppers on the bench so he has a bit of flexibility with his interchanges. Most teams play with 1 hooker due to the reduced interchange, and the 2 teams that do play with hookers do so because one of the hookers can play back row. Kostjacyn at the Cowboys can play a bit as a defensive back rower, while Hodgson at the raiders plays a bit like an old fashioned ball playing lock when baptiste is on. We don't have that kind of a player with farah or cook. Cook would be looking at playing a lot for Norths in the foreseeable future.
At the end of the day cook is a decent fill in hooker, not much else. He's strengths and flaws have been debated endlessly at length in this forum, but for the people's who's opinions truly matter, he's coaches, it seems that an extended run in first grade is out of question and that he is seen as a back-up player. Rein was preferred at the dragons, lichaa at the bulldogs, mcinnes for the first 20 weeks this year, and despite having wide acclaim in this forum our coach prefers to go for an aging robbie farah. Thats 4 average hookers who have locked him out of first grade. Price preferring rein over cook could be seen as blindless, but the fact that 2 premierships winning coaches in maguire and hasler haven't had the faith and preferred questionable alternatives surely shows how he is seen as a player.
When we had guys like grevs and keary wanting out many said why do we want to keep a guy who doesn't want to be there. With sharks we may be able to negotiate a decent player swap, while it may be bad to go into the season without a proven back up hooker, it may work out in our favour if we pick up a decent player in return.

 

[Rsag85]

Don't know why.

We have enough back rowers and Idris is far too slow for the backs.

Why don't you trust Madges judgement

 

[doyen]

Looks like Robbie's signing could already be upsetting the apple-cart!!

Of course,this was highly predictable.

It's the same old story--why keep a player if he has another great opportunity elsewhere & doesn't want to play at your club!
I'd say Cook has his mind well & truly made up so he & his manager will build a strong case to move to the Sharks.
How viable is a contract these days?? How pissed off is Cook going to be with Sths if they stand in his way?!!

 

[souths_reborn]

Looks like Robbie's signing could already be upsetting the apple-cart!!

Of course,this was highly predictable.

It's the same old story--why keep a player if he has another great opportunity elsewhere & doesn't want to play at your club!
I'd say Cook has his mind well & truly made up so he & his manager will build a strong case to move to the Sharks.
How viable is a contract these days?? How pissed off is Cook going to be with Sths if they stand in his way?!!

Players need to realise that signing a contract is like making a promise; if they weren't prepared to honour the duration of their contract then they shouldn't have signed it in the first place. I'm so sick a tired of hearing player after player wanting a release as soon as things don't go their way or when another player is signed to provide him with competition. Too often we are hearing the flimsy excuse: "its for family reasons!" I have never bought into it and I never will! I'm hoping this may change with the re-introduction of reserve grade! I'm not accusing Cook of anything just yet; I'll reserve my judgment for when all the details are revealed. To answer your question about Cook being pissed of - I think it would be in his best interests to get his head down and bum up and fight for his position; if he kicks up stink then he is going to scare a lot of potential suitors, who will undoubtedly have reservations about his professionalism.

 

[doyen]

Players need to realise that signing a contract is like making a promise; if they weren't prepared to honour the duration of their contract then they shouldn't have signed it in the first place. I'm so sick a tired of hearing player after player wanting a release as soon as things don't go their way or when another player is signed to provide him with competition. Too often we are hearing the flimsy excuse: "its for family reasons!" I have never bought into it and I never will! I'm hoping this may change with the re-introduction of reserve grade! I'm not accusing Cook of anything just yet; I'll reserve my judgment for when all the details are revealed. To answer your question about Cook being pissed of - I think it would be in his best interests to get his head down and bum up and fight for his position; if he kicks up stink then he is going to scare a lot of potential suitors, who will undoubtedly have reservations about his professionalism.

If Cook wants out he won't worry the least about being professional--he will just start missing training or talking trash about the coach;or whatever. There is always a means to an end to get your way these days!!

He doesn't have a list of potential suitors;supposedly he has one,the SHARKS--& I'll be surprised if they don't get him!!
Sths need to find another backup hooker who is quite happy to play second fiddle in the NSW Cup.

I think Cook has noticed the writing on the wall & wants out!! This is the reality--clubs tend to let players go in these circumstances!

 

[souths_reborn]

It's funny that when Mcinnes asked for a release some in here called him a coward for not fighting for his spot, someone even suggested that mcinnes would know deep down he is a dud and that he should move on. Now that cook has tried to do the same that kinda talk has been shelved.
The signing of farah has sent a message to the team, that the hooking role in 2015 was a problem that needed fixing. There's no way we sign farah if we were happy with either cook or mcinnes or both. If we were happy with mcinnes we would of kept him in the team and had cook as back up, or vice versa with cook. The suggestion that farah is their to teach cook and have him as an understudy is laughable. Cook is both old enough and had enough games to show the club that he is a first choice hooker to build a team around, but the signing of farah indicates that the clun doesn't see him that way. By the time farahs deal is over cook will be close to 28 with less then 50 first grade games to his belt.
Farah has a huge ego. He still sees himself as one of the elite hookers in the game. He also has his origin jumper he wants to keep. With that in mind it's very doubtful farah would go to a club where he'll be a bit time player. He needs to be playing 80 a week to keep himself in the frame for blues (and with gallen retired he may be a captain candidate) he wouldn't go to a club without reasonable chances of playing 80 each week. He would play 80 at both dragons and sharks as it both fits their current game plans and they lack established hookers for next year. So he coming to souths shows he is confident he will play 80, and with his brother on the coaching staff he would know whether or not souths plan on using cook much next year.
It's doubtful whether souths will want to play a hooker on the bench again. We did so in 2016 with limited success. Even then we were only able to do it because mcinnes had the ability to play back row. But it seems maguire prefers having 4 big boppers on the bench so he has a bit of flexibility with his interchanges. Most teams play with 1 hooker due to the reduced interchange, and the 2 teams that do play with hookers do so because one of the hookers can play back row. Kostjacyn at the Cowboys can play a bit as a defensive back rower, while Hodgson at the raiders plays a bit like an old fashioned ball playing lock when baptiste is on. We don't have that kind of a player with farah or cook. Cook would be looking at playing a lot for Norths in the foreseeable future.
At the end of the day cook is a decent fill in hooker, not much else. He's strengths and flaws have been debated endlessly at length in this forum, but for the people's who's opinions truly matter, he's coaches, it seems that an extended run in first grade is out of question and that he is seen as a back-up player. Rein was preferred at the dragons, lichaa at the bulldogs, mcinnes for the first 20 weeks this year, and despite having wide acclaim in this forum our coach prefers to go for an aging robbie farah. Thats 4 average hookers who have locked him out of first grade. Price preferring rein over cook could be seen as blindless, but the fact that 2 premierships winning coaches in maguire and hasler haven't had the faith and preferred questionable alternatives surely shows how he is seen as a player.
When we had guys like grevs and keary wanting out many said why do we want to keep a guy who doesn't want to be there. With sharks we may be able to negotiate a decent player swap, while it may be bad to go into the season without a proven back up hooker, it may work out in our favour if we pick up a decent player in return.

Well has it been confirmed that Cook has officially asked for a release or is it just media speculation? I personally think we are getting way ahead of ourselves in assuming that Farah is going to walk straight into the team and claim the no. 9 jersey for himself. I'd say at present that Cook is our no. 1 hooker and, based on his end of season form, fully deserves to retain his spot going into next season. With regards to McInnes - the reason why we were initially prepared to grant him a release was because he was never realistically a chance of displacing one of the premier hookers in the competition in Isaac Luke and it would have been unfair to keep him; it was only when Luke sought a release to return home to New Zealand that we changed our minds as we were short on hookers. Therefore, I don't really think the cases of Cook and McInnes are comparable.

I do agree that Farah is high maintenance off the field but I do think it would be in his best interests at Souths to keep his persecution complex in check for the reasons that I have outlined in other threads. Personally, I believe there can't be too many questions over his playing talent. Add to this the fact that we are only paying a small percentage of his contract and I think we've done ourselves a good, little bit of business. I think what a lot of the critics of the signing a failing to recognise is that there aren't too many options out there that are available that are any better. If anyone would care to list a few names I'd be happy to tell you what I think? Moreover, given Farah's age, there is no way that we can afford not have a back up hooker on the bench, let alone only have one experienced hooker in our first grade squad. I also don't buy into your paranoia about potential nepotism taking place - Farah's brother is a physio, not the head coach, therefore he is not really in a position that would see a conflict of interests occur.

Finally, I get the impression that you see Cook as a limited player in the role that he cane play in the team. I actually think that hie is one of the more versatile players in our squad and is capable of filling in the halves, centres and wing if required. Hence, Cook is very important component in this team and I feel it would be extremely unwise to let him go! Moreover, just because a coach or two doesn't rate a player doesn't mean that he is automatically rubbish. Gosh, more than half the players Craig Bellamy has signed have been rejects from other clubs! I also possible that the coaches could have been wrong in their decision to let him go. As I've said before, I think it was a massive mistake that Maguire didn't start Cook earlier on in the season - I do wonder if he would have done things differently if he had his time over. Similarly, I wonder if Michael Lichaa is that much of an upgrade on Cook and whether or not Hasler regrets not keeping him.

 

[souths_reborn]

If Cook wants out he won't worry the least about being professional--he will just start missing training or talking trash about the coach;or whatever. There is always a means to an end to get your way these days!!

He doesn't have a list of potential suitors;supposedly he has one,the SHARKS--& I'll be surprised if they don't get him!!
Sths need to find another backup hooker who is quite happy to play second fiddle in the NSW Cup.

I think Cook has noticed the writing on the wall & wants out!! This is the reality--clubs tend to let players go in these circumstances!

Who is going to want a player who acts like that? There may be an occasion where the Sharks need to drop him; are they really going to want a player who behaves like a baby? Even if he does and we are forced to sack him, then I am sure we will have grounds to appeal to the NRL to de-register him in order to protect our own interests.

You mention these potential hookers like they grow on trees. Do you have any suggestions because at present they seem to be few and far between?

 

[doyen]

Who is going to want a player who acts like that? There may be an occasion where the Sharks need to drop him; are they really going to want a player who behaves like a baby? Even if he does and we are forced to sack him, then I am sure we will have grounds to appeal to the NRL to de-register him in order to protect our own interests.

You mention these potential hookers like they grow on trees. Do you have any suggestions because at present they seem to be few and far between?

I think if Cook wants a release he will achieve it.

Maybe a player such as Baptiste,who is on the market I believe, from the Raiders, could take his place.

Whoever is there won't play much 1st grade unless injury occurs to Farah!

 

[DiegoNT]

Well has it been confirmed that Cook has officially asked for a release or is it just media speculation? I personally think we are getting way ahead of ourselves in assuming that Farah is going to walk straight into the team and claim the no. 9 jersey for himself. I'd say at present that Cook is our no. 1 hooker and, based on his end of season form, fully deserves to retain his spot going into next season. With regards to McInnes - the reason why we were initially prepared to grant him a release was because he was never realistically a chance of displacing one of the premier hookers in the competition in Isaac Luke and it would have been unfair to keep him; it was only when Luke sought a release to return home to New Zealand that we changed our minds as we were short on hookers. Therefore, I don't really think the cases of Cook and McInnes are comparable.

I do agree that Farah is high maintenance off the field but I do think it would be in his best interests at Souths to keep his persecution complex in check for the reasons that I have outlined in other threads. Personally, I believe there can't be too many questions over his playing talent. Add to this the fact that we are only paying a small percentage of his contract and I think we've done ourselves a good, little bit of business. I think what a lot of the critics of the signing a failing to recognise is that there aren't too many options out there that are available that are any better. If anyone would care to list a few names I'd be happy to tell you what I think? Moreover, given Farah's age, there is no way that we can afford not have a back up hooker on the bench, let alone only have one experienced hooker in our first grade squad. I also don't buy into your paranoia about potential nepotism taking place - Farah's brother is a physio, not the head coach, therefore he is not really in a position that would see a conflict of interests occur.

Finally, I get the impression that you see Cook as a limited player in the role that he cane play in the team. I actually think that hie is one of the more versatile players in our squad and is capable of filling in the halves, centres and wing if required. Hence, Cook is very important component in this team and I feel it would be extremely unwise to let him go! Moreover, just because a coach or two doesn't rate a player doesn't mean that he is automatically rubbish. Gosh, more than half the players Craig Bellamy has signed have been rejects from other clubs! I also possible that the coaches could have been wrong in their decision to let him go. As I've said before, I think it was a massive mistake that Maguire didn't start Cook earlier on in the season - I do wonder if he would have done things differently if he had his time over. Similarly, I wonder if Michael Lichaa is that much of an upgrade on Cook and whether or not Hasler regrets not keeping him.

Like I've said before, if souths coaching staff saw cook in the same light as many in here do then we don't even begin to negotiate with farah let alone actually sign him. Farah isn't an idiot, in fact he is a smart operator, and after all the drama he had at tigers the last thing he wants to do is move to a team where there is a chance to he'll be playing reserve grade. Not only would that effect his huge ego it would also put his blues jumper in jeopardy. He has a brother in the coaching staff. If cook really was the future, and going into 2017 the first choice hooker you don't think his brother would be letting him know? I'm not saying farah would get picked because his brother is on the staff, I'm saying through his brother he would know whether he'll have competition for his spot. Would farah really sign if there is a hint that he wouldn't be number 1? Surely a move to sharks, with no hooker, with a number of Blues players plus the likes of Gal and Lewis, and with the team on the up, be a better fit for a player of his age with the stakes so high.
Having 1 coach make the mistake of favouring a fairly average hooker over cook would be understandable. Having it happen a second time, with a quality coach like hasler for a guy like lichaa would raise a few questions. Having another quality coach in maguire prefer the unfinished product that is mcinnes over cook and suddenly a pattern is emerging. Then finally for a fourth time, after supposedly completely transforming the team into winners, and unlocking whatever was stopping the burgii, reynolds and inglis from hitting top form, the team goes out and buys an aging robbie farah with all the baggage that entails and surely you have to question whether nrl coaching staff are seeing the same player you are seeing.

 

[doyen]

I don't think Cook is the standard of player who's going to cause people to lose sleep if he wants to leave.

Sths will have to find or develop another to fill in if Farah is injured.

A young player who has time on his side & is prepared to bide his time in NSW Cup!!

 

[DiegoNT]

Souths recruitment meeting
Maguire: ' ok guys let's start thinking about next yearm first agenda, hooker. At the end of the year i picked cook and he, on his own transformed the team into winners. Why if only i listened to the twitter experts and picked him earlier..'
Lowly assistant: ' but sir you did. Remember he played 12 games earlier in the year...'
Maguire:' shut up you imbecile! Those games don't count, for reasons. Now cook magically got the burgess trio, inglis and reynolds back to top form'
Assistant: ' sir i have an idea. Farah has split with tigers. They played him in reserve grade and it caused all sorts of trouble for that club. Now what if we signed him and play him in reserve grade, and have him teach cook at to be a better hooker.'
Maguire:' My God you're a genius! Let's do it'

Farah at home contemplating his next move
Robbie: ' ok robbie, the next decision is one of the biggest in your life. I want to prove you are still a first grader, I want to prove that that merkin Taylor was wrong about me, i want to prove Tigers they were wrong to punt me. I want another chance to play origin. You aren't going to do any of that without playing 80 minutes every week. Thanks to tigers paying a huge part of my salary i have a free choice or clubs. Dragons have no hooker, they are a struggling club but I'd have heaps of chances to prove myself in 1st grade. The sharks are flying high, they have no hooker, have guys like gal and lewis, and playing with origin players like Maloney, graham, fifita and bird would do my origin chances no harm. There's also rabbitohs. I'll call my bro and see what my chances are there.'
Calls Eddie Farah
Robbie: 'hey bro i need a new club, how are things at Souths'
Eddie: ' Bro the club loves cook. He single handily turned the club back into winners. He'll be the first choice coming into 2017 and if you come to the club you'll have to fight your way through norths'
Robbie: ' well that makes my decision easier, I'll sign with souths!'

Cook talking to his manager
Cook: ' Things are great, i finished the year in 1st grade, and we won all due to me, the club is happy with me. They signed Farah, but they have indicated that I'm the number 1 and that farah is their to help my game. Things are looking up at Souths. There's only one thing to do, are you thinking what I'm thinking?'
Manager: 'Ask for a release to the sharks?'
Cook: 'EXACTLY!

 

[The Mad Hatter]

We signed the NSW SOO hooker, who, for two years can have a couple of kuds deputise under him.

I can't see the problem.

 

[handyman2190]

Apparently adam R is asking for 800k to resign other clubs have put in massive offers souths are worried
We have made foran an offer which puts him close to his kids

 

[southsport]

Apparently adam R is asking for 800k to resign other clubs have put in massive offers souths are worried
We have made foran an offer which puts him close to his kids

Thanks handyman, this was always going to be the case with Reyno, we might have to let him go unfortunately.