Recent Big Name Player Movement

[strider]

I posted this in the Scot Donald thread....I think its a bit lost in there - but I want to hear if people have any answers to my question....so I'll start a new thread with it.

In case you don't get my whole point here - its basically that big names don't move around alot in the NRL these days - people seem more inclined to stay with their clubs....have we really had a chance to recruit well during our troubled few years up to now???

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People continue to bitch about our retention (or lack of it)....yet we see the teams that are really stacked with ex-parra players doing no better than us....has Donald, Hex, Dunley, Hollingsworth, Leuleui and co made Manly a better team that is a title contender? HELL NO!!

Exactly, so just why did we recruit them in the first place? And most likely end of season will see another exodus of last years "bargain buys". Isn't that the whole point, we have lousy recruitment?

We recruited them for depth...and with our injuries and lack of form from more renown players, these guys got an opportunity and did OK on our team before moving on elsewhere....these guys were never on big salaries, they were just at parra to play a role.

Yeah, the issue is who is coming to Parramatta to be a dominant player. We have the core of a good team, but we just haven't performed - we lack the ability to wear teams out making them defend hard and we have suffered a loss of confidence/trust in defense.

These are the BIG name guys we tried to add to our core since 2001:

2002: Dykes - Dally M 5/8 of the year 2001 - got injured, missed extended periods, is creative, but maybe not the organiser we need.

2003: Morris - has been very solid - maybe not a real creative player tho - still a very good buy.

2004: Cannings - I still believe he can be a great asset to our team, but obviously he's had no chance to make an impact.

2005: Riddell - big impact player - big things expected.


Can someone provide a list of recent BIG NAME player movements from ANY team in the NRL - in the last 3 years or so....and I mean BIG NAMES - guys who had a reputation at the time and were seriously gonna change the club they went to.

 

[Earl]

Bryan Fletcher

 

[Eelectrica]

Brett finch is turning out to be pretty big. Scott Prince has shown what he can do at Origin level.

 

[The Colonel]

Nigel Vagana
Brett Kimmorley
Chris Walker
Andrew Walker
Brad Drew :lol:
Luke Priddis
Preston Campbell
Brett Hodgson
Nick Graham
Scott Sattler

 

[Disco]

Ben Kennedy-Manly
Brent Kite-Manly


a few years back when the Beagles signed Kimmorly
Vagana to the Sharks

 

[Eels Dude]

This year Kennedy, Kite, and Riddell are big name players who have signed with other clubs. And that's before June 30. I agree though, most name players resgin with their own clubs.

 

[fish eel]

Paul Green :lol:

 

[bradeel]

I definitely know what you are getting at Strider. The really big names don't move. They want to be one-club men. They don't want to uproot their families and their homes to move across the country or even across the city. The smaller names move because their futures are not as assured and they have to take opportunites when they come - that's why guys like David Kidwell, Scott Donald and Nathan Fein have played at heaps of different clubs.

I reckon the bulk of the player movement rumour and discussion that goes on pre-June 30th is all player managers trying to pump up the prices of their clients. Half of these blokes wouldn't dream of leaving their mates and the clubs they've been at since they were young, but the managers get in their ear and convince them to at least 'test the market'. Invariably they test the market and realise that unless the offer is that much better than their current situation or they are not happy at their current club for whatever reason, its more trouble than its worth.

Its all about the player managers beating things up when their client's contract is coming to an end.

 

[fish eel]

Being serious though...I think Strider is talking about Origin class players...and there'd only be a handfull.

 

[bradeel]

and i reckon in 80% of cases those dudes just don't end up moving. They just talk it up to drive their asking price upwards. I reckon what Johns has done to his club and the game itself is a disgrace. Good luck to him for getting what he can, but i reckon its weak as p*ss to milk a place you love and loves you like that.

 

[fish eel]

and i reckon in 80% of cases those dudes just don't end up moving. They just talk it up to drive their asking price upwards

Either that or they move for personal reasons, ie Kimmorley following Anderson to the Sharks, or Chris Walker to roosters via souths.

 

[Belly in Brisvegas]

Inveriably, aren't the big name players the ones that the club would secure first before others?? The "big" name players may appear big but are they nearing the end of their careers and past their best (ie. Fletcher, Vagana)


Bradeel....Fein has only ever been with the Cowboys but I see what you mean.

Colonel...I can't believe yuo put Nick Graham in that list!!!

 

[The Engineers Room]

Being serious though...I think Strider is talking about Origin class players...and there'd only be a handfull.

What do you class as origin class though. Probably only about 40 players. So 6 - 12 out of 40 is a lot.

 

[CrazyEel]

People continue to bitch about our retention (or lack of it)....yet we see the teams that are really stacked with ex-parra players doing no better than us....has Donald, Hex, Dunley, Hollingsworth, Leuleui and co made Manly a better team that is a title contender? HELL NO!!

As I said in the other thread, it's not about buying big name players, it's about buying duds year after year. I just can't see the point in quantity buying of large numbers every year just to release them at years end, all because they were cheap. What purpose does that serve and how could it possibly benefit the building of team spirit.

Your point about Manly is valid but haven't they just made the same poor recruitment we did, or are you saying our recruitment is smarter simply because we did it one year earlier? #-o

 

[The Colonel]

Can someone provide a list of recent BIG NAME player movements from ANY team in the NRL - in the last 3 years or so....and I mean BIG NAMES - guys who had a reputation at the time and were seriously gonna change the club they went to.

If you listened to the Tigers supporters Nick Graham was going to change the club.

Vagana, Fletcher, Hodgson, both Walkers, Sattler and co were all going to make a change at their respective new clubs.

Some have, some didn't.

 

[bradeel]

Bradeel....Fein has only ever been with the Cowboys but I see what you mean.

ahh yes, i stand corrected. don't know why i classed Fein as a journeyman... must have been confusing him with other ex-cowboys halves like Goldthorpe and Green...

 

[The Colonel]

Colonel...I can't believe you put Nick Graham in that list!!!

Well he created a lot of interest - Brisbane and the Tigers were very very interested in his signature. He's done bugger all but speculation as to whom he would sign with was huge.

 

[fish eel]

What do you class as origin class though. Probably only about 40 players. So 6 - 12 out of 40 is a lot

So what we are saying is that out of how many players have come of contract over the last, say three years, about a dozen could be considered origin class. Thats what...four a year?

Not really that many high quality players becoming available each year, is it?

 

[The Engineers Room]

Just saying that the original idea was that elite players don't change clubs. We have found quite a few.

 

[fish eel]

I'm not sure we've found that many....

Elite players in their prime? Up for grabs after June 30?

Rare as.