redVinme
Bench
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- 2,802
Might be the Saturday boredom but been thinking a lot about what this year looks like for us.
We are on a hiding to win more than a few games and realistically about to have a sizeable amount of cap space to work with. Unfortunately due to basically the whole team under performing we cant really ascertain where the gaps are.
For me this year really needs to be about getting some of the younger guys in so we can see what they are made of before going to market. Coach issue aside as we know its a handbrake
to recruitment and the team that gets out on the park here are my thoughts.
Norman and Hunt both need to go. It doesn't matter if we bite the bullet and pay some of their freight right now they are both over the apex and into negative return for the team. I would drop them both and hope they can force a release. Send Hunt back to the broncs if they already hate croft so much as even if we pay half his wage we still make 500K which can be spent on someone who will instantly offer more value even if it isnt in his position due to the fact we are replacing someone with a losers attitude. Same for Norman.
Short term pain for long term gain and a deserved punishment for signing them in the first place.
I'd drop aitken and SAAB/JP and for this year move Matt and Max F into the team playing next to each other. Sooner or later we need to find out what they have and in a rebuilding year it would be great to give them some exposure to see how they take to first grade. This is actually important in knowing how we are going to recruit moving forward (crazy i know). This goes for Bud Sullivan too. I like Clune but if we are serious he isnt our long term option and once again we should want to know if these guys have what it takes.
If they take to it great, if they look like needing more time good hard to recruit in their position.
Now for the crazy part. I'd move Cam to 5/8 for this year. I see Cam shortening his career significantly if he continues to play the way he does. I see Cam as I would see Jack W. Running wide of the ruck with a bit of extra weight with a serviceable passing game. With at this point dufty still playing both sides of the ruck like he has been for the creativity. Cam will add starch out wide and can still do what makes him great. Then look to replace with someone like Burton and use him more effectively in the middle going forward
To cover him I would use Host/Ford in around 40min stints each tackling everything that moves and getting quick PTB's. With Host moving to back row 2nd half and Ford with more leg speed going into lock. They both need good minutes EVERY week and I would tell them it is their responsibility to make up Cams work in the middle. Challenge them to be that player.
So something like this
FB - Duff
W- Feagai, Rava
C- Lomax, Feagai
5/8- Mcinnes
1/2- Sullivan
Prop- Vaughn,Lawrie
Hk- B,B
2nd row- Fui, host
Lock- Host/ Ford
Friz
Kerr
Ford
depending on who we are playing for last bench spot
I would then put everyone on notice that all of their job depends not on winning but the effort and the want to be better every game. Being studious around your own game and not repeating the SAME mistakes every week. id look to recruit around the following
Off contract this year
Herbie Farnworth
Reed Mahoney
Herman Ese'ese
Jacob Saifiti
Christian Wlech
Adam Elliot
David Fafita
Alex Johnston
Off contract next yeat- After Nov 1
Stephen Crichton
Kotoni staggs
Scott Drinkwater
Matt burton
Liam Martin
Nathan Brown
Felise Kaufusi
JAC
Xavier Coates
In a perfect world If we could cop half of Norman and Hunts salary and replace at least one with Bud we are in the green anyway. That with Graham, JDB, Friz and aitken as a min is a lot of wiggle room and ideally i'd love something like this.
1. Herbie Farnworth- 190cm and nearly 100KG already. Rips and and has big wraps.
2. Alex Johnston- Bmoz showed why we need experience and pace in the back line
3. Lomax
4.Feagai - chase Staggs via his mgmt if bronx keep tanking
5- Feagai- Go hard for JAC or Coates if they look like leaving early.
6- Mcinnes- Burton or Deardan
7- Sullivan
8- Vaughn
9- Reed Mahoney- This is why i think Cam could play six. Reed has far more creativity and years in him
10- Kerr
11-Fui
12-Ford- David F- May as well throw a bone and see what happens
13- Host/ford
14- Herman
15- Sims- Can work for a spot and has done nothing in ages
16- blacker
17- Lawire/ utility
If the backs dont work I'd be going in on
Crichton
Matt Burton
Coates
Drinkwater
TLDR
Im sick of playing not to lose instead of trying to win. This team wouldnt even be near the cap but has some exciting young players who suit the sped up game and allows us to basically rebuild the team and culture of winning from the ground up.
We are on a hiding to win more than a few games and realistically about to have a sizeable amount of cap space to work with. Unfortunately due to basically the whole team under performing we cant really ascertain where the gaps are.
For me this year really needs to be about getting some of the younger guys in so we can see what they are made of before going to market. Coach issue aside as we know its a handbrake
to recruitment and the team that gets out on the park here are my thoughts.
Norman and Hunt both need to go. It doesn't matter if we bite the bullet and pay some of their freight right now they are both over the apex and into negative return for the team. I would drop them both and hope they can force a release. Send Hunt back to the broncs if they already hate croft so much as even if we pay half his wage we still make 500K which can be spent on someone who will instantly offer more value even if it isnt in his position due to the fact we are replacing someone with a losers attitude. Same for Norman.
Short term pain for long term gain and a deserved punishment for signing them in the first place.
I'd drop aitken and SAAB/JP and for this year move Matt and Max F into the team playing next to each other. Sooner or later we need to find out what they have and in a rebuilding year it would be great to give them some exposure to see how they take to first grade. This is actually important in knowing how we are going to recruit moving forward (crazy i know). This goes for Bud Sullivan too. I like Clune but if we are serious he isnt our long term option and once again we should want to know if these guys have what it takes.
If they take to it great, if they look like needing more time good hard to recruit in their position.
Now for the crazy part. I'd move Cam to 5/8 for this year. I see Cam shortening his career significantly if he continues to play the way he does. I see Cam as I would see Jack W. Running wide of the ruck with a bit of extra weight with a serviceable passing game. With at this point dufty still playing both sides of the ruck like he has been for the creativity. Cam will add starch out wide and can still do what makes him great. Then look to replace with someone like Burton and use him more effectively in the middle going forward
To cover him I would use Host/Ford in around 40min stints each tackling everything that moves and getting quick PTB's. With Host moving to back row 2nd half and Ford with more leg speed going into lock. They both need good minutes EVERY week and I would tell them it is their responsibility to make up Cams work in the middle. Challenge them to be that player.
So something like this
FB - Duff
W- Feagai, Rava
C- Lomax, Feagai
5/8- Mcinnes
1/2- Sullivan
Prop- Vaughn,Lawrie
Hk- B,B
2nd row- Fui, host
Lock- Host/ Ford
Friz
Kerr
Ford
depending on who we are playing for last bench spot
I would then put everyone on notice that all of their job depends not on winning but the effort and the want to be better every game. Being studious around your own game and not repeating the SAME mistakes every week. id look to recruit around the following
Off contract this year
Herbie Farnworth
Reed Mahoney
Herman Ese'ese
Jacob Saifiti
Christian Wlech
Adam Elliot
David Fafita
Alex Johnston
Off contract next yeat- After Nov 1
Stephen Crichton
Kotoni staggs
Scott Drinkwater
Matt burton
Liam Martin
Nathan Brown
Felise Kaufusi
JAC
Xavier Coates
In a perfect world If we could cop half of Norman and Hunts salary and replace at least one with Bud we are in the green anyway. That with Graham, JDB, Friz and aitken as a min is a lot of wiggle room and ideally i'd love something like this.
1. Herbie Farnworth- 190cm and nearly 100KG already. Rips and and has big wraps.
2. Alex Johnston- Bmoz showed why we need experience and pace in the back line
3. Lomax
4.Feagai - chase Staggs via his mgmt if bronx keep tanking
5- Feagai- Go hard for JAC or Coates if they look like leaving early.
6- Mcinnes- Burton or Deardan
7- Sullivan
8- Vaughn
9- Reed Mahoney- This is why i think Cam could play six. Reed has far more creativity and years in him
10- Kerr
11-Fui
12-Ford- David F- May as well throw a bone and see what happens
13- Host/ford
14- Herman
15- Sims- Can work for a spot and has done nothing in ages
16- blacker
17- Lawire/ utility
If the backs dont work I'd be going in on
Crichton
Matt Burton
Coates
Drinkwater
TLDR
Im sick of playing not to lose instead of trying to win. This team wouldnt even be near the cap but has some exciting young players who suit the sped up game and allows us to basically rebuild the team and culture of winning from the ground up.
