Rumoured and Confirmed signings - Part 4

[herbert henry1908]

After watching Daine Laurie, I agree.

Staines & Laurie complement each other, quite different types. In a perfect world we have Staines on our wing next year. Laurie wouldn’t be a full time winger.

 

[franklin2323]

Daine Laurie is legit. Great footwork and ball playing, he'd be a constant threat from fullback. He went really close to breaking the dogs line up the middle a few times on Saturday. It would be really nice to hang onto all of them for another year or two.

Yep he did very well. Shame he didn't get a run earlier in the year

 

[herbert henry1908]

Yep he did very well. Shame he didn't get a run earlier in the year

Yeah he looked totally comfortable out there. Only issue with playing him earlier might’ve been his developmental contract. At least the very early part of the year.

 

[herbert henry1908]

It’d be interesting to know the clubs order of preference out of

Naden
Laurie
Staines
Burton

The other issue that affects it all is the longer Luai goes unsigned his price keeps going up.


I’d really love to limit it to just losing one of those four. That’d be a very good job.

 

[franklin2323]

Yeah he looked totally comfortable out there. Only issue with playing him earlier might’ve been his developmental contract. At least the very early part of the year.

That would have to be it

 

[Kilkenny]

No doubt. But that’s not really what I meant.

of course they’re going to be excited with the club doing well, but I’m talking about how much sense of contribution you’re going to have when you’ve hardly played. You’re going to be a lot more fulfilled being a regular contributor to a winning team than just playing a bit part.

100%. Players want to be playing, and ideally be part of the top 17.

I was more just making the point, the playing group are such a tight unit that it gives us a greater opportunity of retaining the players we want to keep.

 

[Kilkenny]

It’d be interesting to know the clubs order of preference out of

Naden
Laurie
Staines
Burton

The other issue that affects it all is the longer Luai goes unsigned his price keeps going up.


I’d really love to limit it to just losing one of those four. That’d be a very good job.

I guess Naden can cover centre/wing. Staines fullback/wing. Laurie fullback and perhaps back up five eight. Not so much on the wing. Burton half/five eight and perhaps centre/fullback/lock.

Perhaps Laurie is expendable but he would be commanding the least amount contract wise at present whereas the others would be in demand and commanding much more money.

It’s really an impossible situation and a very difficult decision.

I still tend to think if Jack leaves, which is possible, Tamou already gone and Mansour unlikely to be re-signed beyond the end of his current deal (2021) that surely must free up enough money to retain at least three of those you mention and provide for upgrade to Jerome as well.

In discussions I had with someone today he was of the view Mansour’s situation could be determined by how far we progress in the finals series. He was of the opinion, if we are fortunate enough to win the Premiership this season Josh could be tempted to explore opportunities elsewhere if he is keen on extending his career. At the same time, his knee issues are not going to improve and this may also be a factor.

It’s all guesswork on the part of us fans, but there is plenty going on behind the scenes albeit any discussions/negotiations etc are probably now on hold during the finals series.

 

[Kilkenny]

I watch a lot of junior footy, have watched Staines and Laurie coming thru and I expressed the view on here, IMO, Laurie had greater potential to be successful in the NRL. Panther Daz in a reply of one such post on this subject expressed the view the powers that be at the club considered Staines to be the better talent. This conversation was last season so a lot has potentially changed since then I guess. As Herbert Henry rightly points out they are very different players and have different strengths and weaknesses.

 

[franklin2323]

I watch a lot of junior footy, have watched Staines and Laurie coming thru and I expressed the view on here, IMO, Laurie had greater potential to be successful in the NRL. Panther Daz in a reply of one such post on this subject expressed the view the powers that be at the club considered Staines to be the better talent. This conversation was last season so a lot has potentially changed since then I guess. As Herbert Henry rightly points out they are very different players and have different strengths and weaknesses.

I have always said Laurie was the one. Better allround talent

 

[herbert henry1908]

I have always said Laurie was the one. Better allround talent

It really depends on what your team needs from a fullback. If it’s ball playing then Laurie makes more sense, if it’s speed then it’s Staines.

But Staines can play on the wing, where as Laurie is going to have to unseat someone for his spot in the team.

 

[Kilkenny]

It really depends on what your team needs from a fullback. If it’s ball playing then Laurie makes more sense, if it’s speed then it’s Staines.

But Staines can play on the wing, where as Laurie is going to have to unseat someone for his spot in the team.

I’m not sure who is quicker over the shorter 40 metre benchmark but over the full 100 they dead heat. In open space they are both very quick.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I’m not sure who is quicker over the shorter 40 metre benchmark but over the full 100 they dead heat. In open space they are both very quick.

That’s surprising. Staines looks quicker on the field.

 

[franklin2323]

It really depends on what your team needs from a fullback. If it’s ball playing then Laurie makes more sense, if it’s speed then it’s Staines.

But Staines can play on the wing, where as Laurie is going to have to unseat someone for his spot in the team.

Not much difference in speed. I like a ball playing fullback so given Laurie has a kicking game he gets the nod

 

[herbert henry1908]

Not much difference in speed. I like a ball playing fullback so given Laurie has a kicking game he gets the nod

It all depends on how it gels with our halves. At the start of the year I would’ve said a ball playing fullback, but maybe now that type of player gets in the way of Cleary & Luai?

Either way, they’ve both got it up against them unseating Edwards.

 

[tripster]

We absolutely must keep Luai, even if that comes at the expense of a lot of others. His combination with Cleary is too important, not to mention his individual brilliance. This season he has been up there with Keary and Walker. We should be looking to upgrade and extend him as soon as possible, before a desperate club comes along and offers him seriously big money.

If we can keep Cleary and Luai together we can continue to build a team around them. Staines might win you one or two games a season off the back of his pace, but Cleary and Luai together are going to help you win consistently over the course of a season.

As the Storm has shown, keep the spine together and they will just keep getting better, even if you have to keep replacing the other players around them.

 

[Original Name]

Matt is a moron if he stays and plays in ths forwards. Less money, shorter career, more damage to his body. The kid is a half and a very good one

Maybe but if he cares enough about the club and the people in it he might want to stay regardless of all that. Maybe that makes someone stupid but I think it's admirable all the same.

 

[CCJohnC]

I regard Jerome Luai the 2020 equivalent of Preston Campbell of 2003. Both have that evasive ball running and unpredictable movement.

 

[herbert henry1908]

It’s funny looking back at last years discussions around our halves.


I was wrong about Cleary, he’s really improved his attacking game this year. But he’s done it his way through his kicking mostly. Although his passing has improved too.


On the other hand I was right about Luai being a good foil for Cleary. Most people felt Burton should get the job, and whilst I’m a huge admirer of Burton’s talent, I always felt Luai made more sense next to the structured Cleary.

 

[Jane Murray]

It’s funny looking back at last years discussions around our halves.


I was wrong about Cleary, he’s really improved his attacking game this year. But he’s done it his way through his kicking mostly. Although his passing has improved too.


On the other hand I was right about Luai being a good foil for Cleary. Most people felt Burton should get the job, and whilst I’m a huge admirer of Burton’s talent, I always felt Luai made more sense next to the structured Cleary.

Imagine the three of them in the side, at the same time? Hopefully, that 20 minute stint from Matt continues?

 

[Fangs]

I regard Jerome Luai the 2020 equivalent of Preston Campbell of 2003. Both have that evasive ball running and unpredictable movement.

I noticed a touch of Preston about him during his debut. At the time I thought he would make a brilliant halfback. Though he he certainly cemented his spot alongside Cleary who now completely owns the 7 position.

2021 will be interesting. He will field offers to go elsewhere just like Burton. You can see a future for both but I really think it will be in the halves. Only room for one in my opinion.