Rumoured and Confirmed signings - Part 4

[Jane Murray]

I was being facetious Alice. Moses not likely to ever be more than a 40-50 minute player at best just pointing out our predicament.

Even if we end up retaining and extending the contracts of Crichton and Lenui how many players do we actually have signed up? Are we not two, three or four short of fulfilling our 28 or worse still a 30 man squad.

As I have been told we simply are not in a any position to grant early releases to Burton or Laurie because there positions would have to be filled ultimately by players who would cost us more.

I am sure that the juniors will be more than capable in filling the gap.

 

[Kilkenny]

I am sure that the juniors will be more than capable in filling the gap.

Sadly I don’t think so Jane. Just not possible. There were basically no junior competitions in 2020 so even any of our best kids had little or no footy this season.

Even if we re-sign Crichton and Lenui it appears we will only have very limited funds to sign a few journeyman to fill our roster obligations.

We were very fortunate in 2020 with an injury free run for the most part and given our depth anyway it really did contribute to our successful season. The depth has already been eroded and could potentially get worse.

 

[herbert henry1908]

2020.

Tamou
JFH
Tetevano
Leota
Leniu
Hetherington


2021 (possible)

JFH
Leota
Leniu
Eisenhuth
??
??

That’s a serious downgrade, I’m really surprised we’re possibly heading down this path given how important our props were in 2020. Of course I understand you can’t retain everyone, but we will have lost 50% of arguably the best prop rotation in the comp.

The money being talked about for Crichton is insane. I’d hate to lose him, but you can’t let a 20yo centre prospect dictate the shape of the squad like this. It smells like the club is very fearful of losing someone like Crichton, but consider the best run clubs in the comp. Bellamy would never pay silly money for a centre, and the Roosters let Mitchell walk rather than lay him his asking price. The only condition under which I’d give Crichton silly money is if he can make the NSW team at fullback.

 

[Blade23]

That’ll still leave our prop rotation way weaker than this season, sadly.

They are after another middle.

 

[herbert henry1908]

They are after another middle.

Of course, we can’t play the season with only 4 props, but the issue is quality. If we can’t even afford Tetevano, I don’t like our chances of getting someone decent.

 

[Bob]

They are after another middle.

I’d have a crack at Lachlan Timm, played in the CC for the dragons in 2019 and from memory was their player of the year in CC, big motor and churns out +100m per game in CC, McGregor wouldn’t give him a go so went to Redcliffe last year, played 1 game for around the 130m Mark, has good D and is only 24 or 25

 

[Kilkenny]

I’d have a crack at Lachlan Timm, played in the CC for the dragons in 2019 and from memory was their player of the year in CC, big motor and churns out +100m per game in CC, McGregor wouldn’t give him a go so went to Redcliffe last year, played 1 game for around the 130m Mark, has good D and is only 24 or 25

The Dragons fans were crying out for Timm to get a crack in the NRL. Granted fans aren’t necessarily the best judges but his stats in NSW Cup were very impressive.

 

[franklin2323]

Liam Martin is a far better middle then on the edge

Lindsay Smith is also a middle. Throw in a cast away or 2 and there can still be a decent pack

 

[Jane Murray]

Sadly I don’t think so Jane. Just not possible. There were basically no junior competitions in 2020 so even any of our best kids had little or no footy this season.

Even if we re-sign Crichton and Lenui it appears we will only have very limited funds to sign a few journeyman to fill our roster obligations.

We were very fortunate in 2020 with an injury free run for the most part and given our depth anyway it really did contribute to our successful season. The depth has already been eroded and could potentially get worse.

Your continual downer is depressing. Just trust the staff.

 

[franklin2323]

Something like this

Edwards
Staines
Crichton
Naden/Jennings
To'o
Luai
Cleary
JFH
Api
Martin
Kikau
Capewell
Yeo

May
Leinu
Leota
Eisenhuth

That pack will still bury most teams. That whole 17 is still stacked
Depth is key after that

 

[Kilkenny]

Of course, we can’t play the season with only 4 props, but the issue is quality. If we can’t even afford Tetevano, I don’t like our chances of getting someone decent.

It just seems to me we’ve somehow backed ourselves into a corner by freeing up cap space without having signed the players we needed to re-sign by freeing up the space. We may well still do so but the longer this mess goes on the worse position we find ourselves in. Still not enough space so lets off load someone else, it just reeks of a far from perfect approach to managing our cap. It’s a worry.

 

[franklin2323]

It just seems to me we’ve somehow backed ourselves into a corner by freeing up cap space without having signed the players we needed to re-sign by freeing up the space. We may well still do so but the longer this mess goes on the worse position we find ourselves in. Still not enough space so lets off load someone else, it just reeks of a far from perfect approach to managing our cap. It’s a worry.

We had a very cheap side last year. They needed upgrades. The maths adds up when you break it down

 

[Kilkenny]

Your continual downer is depressing. Just trust the staff.

Jane you clearly haven’t followed me for any length of time.

I think there have been times over the last ten years or so when I have been heavily criticised for being too up beat and that includes the era even before Gould took over.

You clearly miss the points I try to make.

As a ten year old on the old hill watching Manly beat us 70-7 or so was a downer but I am still here, long term member, and those who know me know I don’t only watch our NRL side but I watch the Matt’s, Ball, Flegg just love the game and our team.

I think I am offering an opinion around our recruitment and retention post GF which hasn’t been that great whether you choose to accept or not.

I’m not saying Matt Cameron’s job has been easy, far from it, but as someone who has supported our club for almost its entire history, I think I am entitled to express my opinion that perhaps the management of our salary cap could have gone smoother and we shouldn’t be in the position we find ourselves in.

As things currently stand, it is probable we will go into 2021 with an overall squad with far less depth than we had this season. Maybe, given our success that was inevitable, but it is disappointing even if you accept it was beyond our control.

It is what it is Jane, I have been around for 50 years and I think I am somewhat qualified to express my opinion.

 

[mxlegend99]

[

Something like this

Edwards
Staines
Crichton
Naden/Jennings
To'o
Luai
Cleary
JFH
Api
Martin
Kikau
Capewell
Yeo

May
Leinu
Leota
Eisenhuth

That pack will still bury most teams. That whole 17 is still stacked
Depth is key after that

Stacked?

Jennings and Eisenhuth being close to or in the top 17 is not stacked. These guys are decent depth options. But our roster isn't stacked. An injury or two away from being average.

 

[murraymob]

We are in a premiership window.Play hardball no releases .If we are soft it will be another 17 years before we win again

 

[franklin2323]

[

Stacked?

Jennings and Eisenhuth being close to or in the top 17 is not stacked. These guys are decent depth options. But our roster isn't stacked. An injury or two away from being average.

Our roster also isn't complete. Naden being available for starters improves it but that 17 stand up against most sides. 14 of that 17 played in GF

 

[herbert henry1908]

Something like this

Edwards
Staines
Crichton
Naden/Jennings
To'o
Luai
Cleary
JFH
Api
Martin
Kikau
Capewell
Yeo

May
Leinu
Leota
Eisenhuth

That pack will still bury most teams. That whole 17 is still stacked
Depth is key after that

You’ve got Martin starting at prop despite him never even playing a FG game there?! WTF

Any team with Eisenhuth & Jennings in the team isn’t stacked 1-17, it’s still a very good team, but the forwards are way weaker than 2020.

 

[Bob]

As a ten year old on the old hill watching Manly beat us 70-7 or so was a downer but I am still here, long term member, and those who know me know I don’t only watch our NRL side but I watch the Matt’s, Ball, Flegg just love the game and our team.

were you there as well, I was there as well, bad day that

 

[herbert henry1908]

Our roster also isn't complete. Naden being available for starters improves it but that 17 stand up against most sides. 14 of that 17 played in GF

Don’t move the goalposts. You said the 1-17 you named was stacked, which it clearly isn’t.

You named Martin at prop

Jennings in the centres

and Eisenhuth on the bench isn’t stacked.

 

[Kilkenny]

We had a very cheap side last year. They needed upgrades. The maths adds up when you break it down

That’s simply not true Franklin.

It is well known proper management of your salary cap means projecting two years ahead.

The club would or should have been well aware of upgrades regardless of winning the minor premiership or making the GF. As well as upgrades around players being selected for representative teams.

I’m sure our 2020 squad were on or near the salary cap.

Management has attempted to free up space by letting heaps of players leave but as yet haven’t secured the signatures of the players they felt we needed to retain and that is a massive fail regardless of whether we ultimately do retain them.

it is not unrealistic to think given all the players we have have lost, may lose we could have simply secured the signatures of those we wanted to keep before now.

Not there is conversation around maybe Tetevano leaving early as well. Where does is end.