Rumoured and Confirmed Signings - XXV

[hineyrulz]

I agree and I wouldn't necessarily do it if I was BA, however if we don't find a decent replacement for Hoppa and if Cornish finally reaches his potential, Norman may find himself at the back. We could do worse.

That's all I meant.

Fair enough mate, but if they aren't looking at a first grade centre option to replace Hoppa questions need to be asked.

 

[emjaycee]

Fair enough mate, but if they aren't looking at a first grade centre option to replace Hoppa questions need to be asked.

By whom and to whom?

 

[hineyrulz]

You keep saying that but stats don't back you up. We scored 83 tries which was only 2 less than Storm and more than Sharks, Dragons and Bunnies who all made the semis.

Missed tackles is the stat that is telling. Tighten up the ruck and the edges and we win a shit load more.

Meh Stats shats!! Lol you think those try scoring stats prove that we have a good backline??? Those 4 clubs named all play probably the most conservative styles in the comp and rely on the their defence to win them games. Do you think we have a better backline than those 4 teams named??? Lol we play an exciting expansive game that leads to points but how many do we leak out wide??? Besides Hoppa who is solid who else do we have that you would have called good defensively this season??? Semi continues to improve but he isn't the finished product when it comes to defence.

Name a club with weaker backline than ours then??? The Tigers maybe but they do have Tedesco and Simona.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

You keep saying that but stats don't back you up. We scored 83 tries which was only 2 less than Storm and more than Sharks, Dragons and Bunnies who all made the semis.

Missed tackles is the stat that is telling. Tighten up the ruck and the edges and we win a shit load more.

Yep and we are adding a fullback and half to that terrible "backline"

 

[hineyrulz]

By whom and to whom?

So you are happy with the back line as it stands for next season??? Are you happy the Hopppa deal was hashed so badly that it looks like we can't even sign a replacement of first grade standard???

I have no idea who to ask questions but surely the board and retention committee would be a good start?? But I suppose you are happy with how things are looking in the backline even though you are suggesting we move out best player for 2015 to fullback.........

 

[Joshuatheeel]

So with the Cornish signing we could potentially see:
1. Norman
2. Semi
3. Taka
4. Gordon
5. Faraimo
6. Foran
7. Cornish

8. Mannah
9. Peats
10. Junior
11. Scott
12. Ma'u
13. Watmough

14. Wicks
15. Moreao
16. Pritchard
17. Gower
18. Pauli
19. Edwards

Has Gordon ever played Centre?

I would leave Norman in the halves to start with.

Obviously we may still add players and Hoppa/Robinson may stay, but with who we currently have I would go with:

1. Gordon.
2. Semi
3. Mr T
4. Scott
5. Morgan
6. Norman
7. Foran

Moss could potentially put himself in with a chance with a big offseason. While it's probably Falou best chance of getting a starting centre spot if he wants it bad enough.

 

[hineyrulz]

Yep and we are adding a fullback and half to that terrible "backline"

And losing a centre and a winger. I bagged Robbo deluxe before the season but he was still the next best option at the club on the wing besides Semi.

 

[oldmancraigy]

You keep saying that but stats don't back you up. We scored 83 tries which was only 2 less than Storm and more than Sharks, Dragons and Bunnies who all made the semis.

Missed tackles is the stat that is telling. Tighten up the ruck and the edges and we win a shit load more.

It doesn't suit the doom crew. Chris Sandow missed 67 tackles this season, more than 10% of our total misses for the year (our team missed 662).
To put it another way, remove his 'contribution', and we're tied 5th best in the missed tackle department (with the Chooks).

I don't think Hopoate was that good for us this year anyway (I wager he missed a ton of tackles too), so replacing him with a cardboard cut-out (aka, Ryan Morgan) won't be a massive step down. Replacing Sandow with Foran, and Robinson with Gordon are both big strides forward. Just on those 2 moves, our backline has improved significantly for next year. What we do with the Hoppa situation remains to be seen, but we keep hearing whispers linking us to available centres. That's good cause to wait and see isn't it?

I don't think our backline is horrible. We are just a first grade centre short. Would be nice to magically conjure one up, but let's wait and see what happens before completely giving up (before the off-season has really begun...)
Nobody would look at the backline of the Cowboys or Storm and say 'that's a grand final backline right there':
Coote
Feldt
O'Neill
Linnett
Winterstein

Munster
Koroibete
Chambers
Mann
Duffie

At season's start you might be forgiven for labelling either of those sets of outside backs as 'rubbish'. These guys look a whole lot better thanks to their halves and forward packs.
It's the same old same old, if the forwards go forward, the halves have room to move, and can make any old chumps look half decent out wide.

Stop under-rating Taka and Gordon. They will look just fine playing off Foran and Norman. Semi is about the best winger in the comp. Faraimo is solid enough, we just need a centre to play inside him.

 

[oldmancraigy]

And losing a centre and a winger. I bagged Robbo deluxe before the season but he was still the next best option at the club on the wing besides Semi.

Do you really think he was? I actually thought Faraimo was better - not as many chances due to cap constraints though.

Robinson is terrible defensively, doesn't 'work for his mates' in rucking it out early after a kick, but can finish, and has electric speed.
Faraimo does the first 2 things better, but isn't as fast.

 

[emjaycee]

So you are happy with the back line as it stands for next season??? Are you happy the Hopppa deal was hashed so badly that it looks like we can't even sign a replacement of first grade standard???

I have no idea who to ask questions but surely the board and retention committee would be a good start?? But I suppose you are happy with how things are looking in the backline even though you are suggesting we move out best player for 2015 to fullback.........

Not quite sure where I said all those things but in response...

No, No, Possibly and umm, No.

 

[Gronk]

So you are happy with the back line as it stands for next season??? Are you happy the Hopppa deal was hashed so badly that it looks like we can't even sign a replacement of first grade standard???

I have no idea who to ask questions but surely the board and retention committee would be a good start?? But I suppose you are happy with how things are looking in the backline even though you are suggesting we move out best player for 2015 to fullback.........

You're ranting mate.

Scoring tries is not the problem.

Leaking tries is.
Kicking goals is.
Giving away penalties is.
Getting repeat sets is.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Meh Stats shats!! Lol you think those try scoring stats prove that we have a good backline??? Those 4 clubs named all play probably the most conservative styles in the comp and rely on the their defence to win them games. Do you think we have a better backline than those 4 teams named??? Lol we play an exciting expansive game that leads to points but how many do we leak out wide??? Besides Hoppa who is solid who else do we have that you would have called good defensively this season??? Semi continues to improve but he isn't the finished product when it comes to defence.

Name a club with weaker backline than ours then??? The Tigers maybe but they do have Tedesco and Simona.

So if we score more points then those sides, why isn't our backline as good as them? Or how do u rate a backline ? If you are looking at the defensive side of our backline, then Scott / Foran will make a massively difference to this aspect.

Forwards make backs look good. Manly had the best backline in the Comp but a shit pack.

Norman / Foran / semi / mr t and Gordon would start for most sides in the comp. At this stage our spine of Gordon / Foran and Norman is potentially as good as any in the comp. Obviously we won't know until next how good, but that spine and our forwards can make our backs perform better.

 

[hineyrulz]

You're ranting mate.

Scoring tries is not the problem.

Leaking tries is.
Kicking goals is.
Giving away penalties is.
Getting repeat sets is.

really?? So leaking tries isn't a backline problem?? Name me another team that would let a team score an overlap try against 12 men like we did again the Raiders???

Still waiting for you to name a worse back line than ours???? Ranting maybe but you never a answer the the questions poised. But but we scored more tries than them :crazy:

 

[oldmancraigy]

So if we score more points then those sides, why isn't our backline as good as them? Or how do u rate a backline ? If you are looking at the defensive side of our backline, then Scott / Foran will make a massively difference to this aspect.

Forwards make backs look good. Manly had the best backline in the Comp but a shit pack.

Norman / Foran / semi / mr t and Gordon would start for most sides in the comp. At this stage our spine of Gordon / Foran and Norman is potentially as good as any in the comp. Obviously we won't know until next how good, but that spine and our forwards can make our backs perform better.

This is well put.

The main question (for me at least) is 'how will Norman go on the right side'?
If he plays as well on the right as he did this season on the left, then it's not hard to imagine quite a bit of success.

 

[oldmancraigy]

really?? So leaking tries isn't a backline problem?? Name me another team that would let a team score an overlap try against 12 men like we did again the Raiders???

Still waiting for you to name a worse back line than ours???? Ranting maybe but you never a answer the the questions poised. But but we scored more tries than them :crazy:

Who were the worst defenders in our backline last year? In fact, rank them all please.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

really?? So leaking tries isn't a backline problem?? Name me another team that would let a team score an overlap try against 12 men like we did again the Raiders???

Still waiting for you to name a worse back line than ours???? Ranting maybe but you never a answer the the questions poised. But but we scored more tries than them :crazy:

So who do you rate as the best backlines ? Or better then us?

 

[hineyrulz]

So who do you rate as the best backlines ? Or better then us?

Its pretty obvious, all of them . It's what I have been saying. When Ryan Morgan is your starting centre with back up consisting of Toutai and Falonk mk II you know you have problems.

 

[hineyrulz]

Who were the worst defenders in our backline last year? In fact, rank them all please.

Still waiting to hear a side with a worse back line then ours for 2016.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Still waiting to hear a side with a worse back line then ours for 2016.

What?

You aren't going to list the worst defenders in our backline (from this season), because you wanted someone else to tell you a team with a worse backline than ours for 2016? You're a weirdo.

Just list the worst defenders in our backline please (from this season).
I know you can't do it, so I'll help

1. Sandow
2. Robinson
3. Hopoate
4. Morgan
5. Toutai
6. Folau
7. Kelly
8. Taka
9. Semi
10. Norman
11. Champion

You are pinpointing a weakness from THIS year, the 2 major culprits are gone, Hoppa is most likely gone, and Toutai, Folau, Kelly will hopefully only play firsts if there is an emergency.

Why are you pinpointing defensive ability as an issue for next year?
And see my earlier post for a discussion on 2 teams in the GF qualifier, and their outside backs.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Still waiting to hear a side with a worse back line then ours for 2016.

For next year:

Worse

Dragons - can't score points
Tigers - to young
Titans - spine is poor

On par

Knights - no better then us, we have better spine
Penrith - we have better halves
Warriors - to hot and cold, we have better spine
Souths - showed how poor they were with a firing pack.

Better

Roosters - could drop back to on par with new halves / fullback
Cowboys - it's all Thurston
Manly - still very good
Broncos - great spine
Dogs - could drop down to on par if halves fail
Sharks - potentially very good next year with new halves combo