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Rumoured and Confirmed Signings and More Crap V

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TheRam

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I guess this is the problem I have with what you say sometimes Ram!

Well this is news to me OMC, I never knew you had a problem with me(even sometimes) :(

You assume that if there's not a high calibre NRL player playing U20s for us right now, then there never will be one.

Where did I say that? I said I don't think we have enough quality in the outside backs overall for a first grade team. To spell it out we have Hayne, Burt, and Tonga. Then it really is a lottery. Sio has some promise, but again who really knows?

Surely, if Nolan is worth his salt (and most believe he is) then he is of COURSE looking for that 'talent' in any position to join the club.

Of cause, I never said he isn't and I to think he is doing a terrific job thus far overall. But that should not stop me or anyone else from asking questions and making suggestions as to what direction our recruitment should be going in on a footy forum. And at the moment in my opinion I think we are still at least one good defensive/offensive centre/winger short. If you don't then that is your opinion too and that is your opinion.


Vai Toutai and Trent Jennings are actually fairly decent prospects - one of them could very well be a very good NRL player. Both have physical advantages and seem to run nice lines - keep an eye on them next year!

I plan to.

Ryan Morgan is not a completely hopeless '4th stringer' - he competes hard, has one nice angle he can run, and isn't terrible defensively. Every club needs guys who will play for the minimum salary - that's the only way you can get the true stars in. Morgan is currently "that guy" (or one of them anyway).

Initially he was terrible...but as the season progressed he got better and actually surprised me with some astute positional and football plays that showed that he is thinking when out there. But again he is small and can be rag dolled very easily by the bigger beast that come his way. Again I am not so confident about him going the distance.

Esi and Willie Tonga are fine options for the centers this year.

Esi...I will be very surprised if this guy makes it long term. The guys a fruit.

Morgan and Cheyse Blair might well be decent backups. It's a shame Loko is out, would have been great to see his game developing this season - but when one of your top options goes out, you just can't afford to have excellent cover sitting around.
Amongst those 5 and the 2 young blokes already mentioned, I don't think center is a massive issue for us. Having 2nd rowers who know not to crowd them (like B Smith does) or leave them out to dry defensively (like Lasalo does) is far more significant. It will greatly enhance the play of the centers if the backrowers are highly competent out wide.

Again Cheyse Blair is an unknown. By all accounts he is a good prospect. I will wait and see. And I have already told you what I think of Loko. So again we still are short one more decent back who can be a solid rock out wide both in defense and attack. W. Tonga is our only real option. Now I don't wish harm on the poor bloke but if anyone thinks that this bloke is going to play all of our games over the next 2 years without a big wack of them spent on the side line, then they have rocks in the head.

Therefore I think that I am justified in stating that we need at least 1 more quality outside back that can take the lead roll out there when WT is not playing.

Oh and by the way, if we had another quality back, he wouldn't be sitting around right now would he?
 

oldmancraigy

Coach
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11,638
Well this is news to me OMC, I never knew you had a problem with me(even sometimes) :(

Just to clear this up!

When I say "a problem with what you say sometimes" that's all it means. Not a problem with YOU (even sometimes) - just the thing you're saying.

You tend to want a deep squad, and so are always looking beyond the best possible first grade lineup (which is good) - I guess I'm just resigned to being 'stuck' by the cap sometimes, and trusting our junior recruitment (good under Cleal, hopeless under Reddy, hopefully good under Nolan?).


I guess all I wanted to say was "let's not get stuck looking for yet another high priced centre when the money really needs to be spent on the backrow" - apologies if it came out wrong!
 
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