Round 7 vs Souths

[herbert henry1908]

Of course, you have no facts to support this because all the deals are confidential. I would also point out that you are only looking at one side of contract management. The other side is being able to get rid of players.

Gus himself said that you back a player, if he doesn't deliver value for the deal he is on, you move him on. He is worth more to some clubs than he is to you.You see that as a problem, I see it as good roster management. Any other approach to roster management requires perfect hindsight. You never really know how a player will perform until they get the contract and start playing. Nobody does. That's why you need somebody well networked like Gus, who can find homes for unwanted players. Sure, he could have signed them to 3 year deals, but so what, they were still able to be moved on.

We may have had to pay for Blake and RCG, but that list you have made have all been moved on and we have retained the junior talent we want to. Blake and RCG are delivering for the Eels, they weren't for us. Im not sure what the contract has to do with that. Perhaps look closer to home at Cleary. RCG was an SOO player under Hook.

Moylan has continued to play well for a few games before his tissue paper body (probably due to his famed lack of work ethic in training) gives out. No loss really. he would have been great for us, when he was on the field but what would the negative impact be on the attitudes of our junior players with his lazy, selfish attitude.

As for Bryce, it is just a tragic waste of talent. Again I'm not sure how his contract rorm Gus was a bad thing,what role did that have to play?

The length of the deals were never confidential.

As for the other stuff, we’ve discussed it all before. My view is Gus managed the club poorly in his last few years, your view is different. That’s fine.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Gus overpaid some guys. But he managed to palm them off with minimal or not impact on our cap. The 5 year deals were being praised for locking guys in longterm when he made them too.

He was far from perfect. The overs to bring guys here that were completely unnecessary signings standout. But he easily got rid of unwanted players.

I think everyone here was happy when he extended guys like Moylan and Carty on 5 year deals. Whare however and extending Hook were inexcusable. Although still some people thought the 5 year deal to a busted centre was good even.

Funny how largely praised decisions are used against him despite zero consequences from them (ie Moylan and Carty... Offloaded at zero cost to us). Gus wasnt in charge when we got stuck footing the bill for the likes of Blake and RCG. He couldn't have known he would be gone before them.

I was never happy with the Cartwright signing. Always thought he was overrated. Looked like Tarzan, played like Jane.

 

[Crashtest]

I'll add Too... He has gone to another level. A breathe of fresh air. His footwork is amazing.Im telling you now he should be considered at some point as a fullback. He could be special running in the middle off field. Think Minichello

We need a ball playing fullback though, rather than another hard running fullback with no ball playing or kicking skills. If Cleary was to move someone out of position to play fullback, I’d prefer it to be Burton.

 

[The_Frog]

Gus had an absolute shocker in his last 3 or so years with us. Some of the contracts he handed out were just awful.

RCG - 5 years, plus he already had almost 2 years to go on his current deal.

Cartwright - 5 years

Moylan - 5 years & captaincy

Whare - 5 years

Merrin - 4 years

Blake - 5 years

Appointment of Hook

Then there was the appointment of a 29 year old CEO.

Honestly, we got lucky shifting some of those deals.

Letting Sivo go when he was murdering NSW Cup trumps all the above, some of which weren't his doing (Moylan captaincy) and most of which were reasonable at the time. Hook took us to the finals three years running so I'd call him a plus.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I see Gus’ tenure in two parts. The early years where he made sensible signings, got rid of bad contracts & fixed our juniors were good.

The latter years where he handed out long deals before players had properly proven themselves, signed Hook and appointed an inexperienced CEO were bad.

He stayed too long.

 

[The_Frog]

We need a ball playing fullback though, rather than another hard running fullback with no ball playing or kicking skills. If Cleary was to move someone out of position to play fullback, I’d prefer it to be Burton.

As I've said befroe, this needs to be tried in reserve grade, which isn't currently being played. Our current fullback is going well, and we are winning. Talk of putting a rookie half there is just ridiculous.

 

[hindy111]

Whare on a 5yr deal was odd. He was never that great a player that you would care if lost him and had major injuries. Very strange. 2yrs max

 

[hindy111]

5yr deal would be guys like JFH,YEO,CLEARY,Too

 

[herbert henry1908]

Letting Sivo go when he was murdering NSW Cup trumps all the above, some of which weren't his doing (Moylan captaincy) and most of which were reasonable at the time. Hook took us to the finals three years running so I'd call him a plus.

Hook was a capable coach, but he wasn’t the right fit to take the team to the next level.

Pretty sure Gus was involved in the Moylan call.

 

[herbert henry1908]

5yr deal would be guys like JFH,YEO,CLEARY,Too

Unless they’re an absolute superstar, no one should get a 5 year deal. To’o & Yeo definitely not.

 

[herbert henry1908]

As I've said befroe, this needs to be tried in reserve grade, which isn't currently being played. Our current fullback is going well, and we are winning. Talk of putting a rookie half there is just ridiculous.

You could give him time at FB of we’re leading comfortably towards the end of a game, but I agree you can’t put him there initially. He should play centre first.

 

[hindy111]

Unless they’re an absolute superstar, no one should get a 5 year deal. To’o & Yeo definitely not.

We'll if it means you get a better price and your confident they will perform consistently then yes.
I feel these 2 wouldn't let you down for the next 5yrs.

 

[herbert henry1908]

We'll if it means you get a better price and your confident they will perform consistently then yes.
I feel these 2 wouldn't let you down for the next 5yrs.

Risk of injury is too high, plus I think there’s an element where a player becomes too comfortable if they’re on a long term deal.

 

[The_Frog]

Whare on a 5yr deal was odd. He was never that great a player that you would care if lost him and had major injuries. Very strange. 2yrs max

Would have been at a bargain basement price I expect.

 

[Blade23]

Not what I heard....And this is from a guy up the top.
His contract was part of reason GUS was flicked. 150k for length of it.

20 -25 % of his contract per year for 3 years. The Eels will be paying his whole contract for the final 2 years. That is what I was told. I stand by where that comes from.

 

[Blade23]

Regardless of how well he is currently playing or what it is actually costing us to pay him to play elsewhere, I am still glad he is gone.

We are a playing like a totally different team this this season without the off field attitudes and issues of RCG, DWZ and Blake impacting on the teams morale and attitude. And the results this season prove it was the right call, with only one loss in seven rounds, including wins over Storm, Roosters and Souths.

This
The headaches are gone and the results show. There is still plenty of improvement to come.

 

[WestyLife]

This
The headaches are gone and the results show. There is still plenty of improvement to come.

It's definitely good when everyone is on the same page.

Any word on Burton re-signing? Will be interesting to know where he sits as far as priorities go.

 

[Crashtest]

As I've said befroe, this needs to be tried in reserve grade, which isn't currently being played. Our current fullback is going well, and we are winning. Talk of putting a rookie half there is just ridiculous.

My reply was in response to someones suggestion of playing Too at fullback. And that if we were to move someone out of position, I'd much prefer to try Burton there than Too, as he has more skills that the modern day fullback requires than what a winger does.

In the short term, I agree with you I would't move Edwards. But longer term, we need more than what he can provide at fullback if we are to seriously challenge for a premiership. Look at Gutherson's efforts last night against the Eels, he is way down the pecking order of the best fullbacks in the comp yet he had two try assists and kicked the winning field goal. And Dufty on Friday, even though he always seems to be in a battle to keep his position threw two excellent passes for two try assists to keep in the Dragons in the contest early against the Roosters.

 

[hindy111]

Does Tedesco have a passong game? Did Slater? I dont think so personaly.
Gutherson,Turbo and Ponga are the only 3 ball playing fullbacks that have exceptional ball playing skills. Rest are average.

 

[Blade23]

Any word on Burton re-signing? Will be interesting to know where he sits as far as priorities go.

Not yet. Crichton soon.
Clubs are having a bit of trouble with contracts at the moment. Because of what has happened with COVID- 19 the NRL hasn't confirmed future salary caps for 2021 and onwards. Some players that extend will have to have clauses inserted in their contracts should the cap change in the future
To'o was one player affected by this.