Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

[Smug Panther]

There is already talk of Ciraldo going to the Dogs AND possibly taking Stephen Critchton Lets hope that Ciraldo and Webster don.t do a Barrett and take more of our players.

Ask a coach to not be professional and sign the best available talent?

Barrett didn't take anyone under contract, people are just sooks

 

[Iamback]

Gus is great at managing salary caps. That why we are still paying RCG and Blake under our salary cap to the first of November this year.
He was the only one who thought that hook could coach years ago too. Plus he extended Griffins contract just before he sacked him.
Remember Idris, Soward and Merrin etc?

That is my point. We always hovered around 5-6 as a result.

So far Dogs have lost Vaughan, Hetherington, Luke Thompson will get let go.

That is top 3 middles gone. With more to come, What they gain will be cancelled out by those that get let go

 

[Iamback]

They players they lose are not losses considering they never put in any effort under barret

If they were being replaced with guys in the same position, you'd have a point

 

[Black Panther]

Wish we would have a crack at Kotoa from the Warriors. Big second rower with some good ball skills, could be a good Kikau ‘type’replacement. Surely wouldn’t cost that much and very much on the outer at the Warriors.

 

[BossleyPanther]

Wish we would have a crack at Kotoa from the Warriors. Big second rower with some good ball skills, could be a good Kikau ‘type’replacement. Surely wouldn’t cost that much and very much on the outer at the Warriors.

And Egan.

I know I've mentioned it a few times. But losing Crichton and To'o I am ok with. I remember how ugly the Tigers situation was with those 4 players. Turuva and Jenkins will step up. I'd be more pissed if those 2 go. After that Talent is light for a while.

 

[Black Panther]

Jackson Topine again had a cracker of a game for Canterbury NSW Cup today, not signed as yet either. Smaller backrower, but real good ball runner who also has played a fair bit of Hooker too.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

And Egan.

I know I've mentioned it a few times. But losing Crichton and To'o I am ok with. I remember how ugly the Tigers situation was with those 4 players. Turuva and Jenkins will step up. I'd be more pissed if those 2 go. After that Talent is light for a while.

Letting two SOO reps go to keep two players who are yet to play a first grade game between them would be peak panthers…

 

[Smug Panther]

Letting two SOO reps go to keep two players who are yet to play a first grade game between them would be peak panthers…

No player in the history of the sport has ever offered what To'o does

 

[BossleyPanther]

Letting two SOO reps go to keep two players who are yet to play a first grade game between them would be peak panthers…

Well If they hold the club to ransom, I wouldn't want a bidding war.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

No player in the history of the sport has ever offered what To'o does

Is he the most impactful winger in the game?

 

[BossleyPanther]

Also players like him have short NRL lives. ie: Matt utai

 

[Abacus]

Wish we would have a crack at Kotoa from the Warriors. Big second rower with some good ball skills, could be a good Kikau ‘type’replacement. Surely wouldn’t cost that much and very much on the outer at the Warriors.

Agree Katoa would be a good get, but a few clubs already interested so likely not a cheapie per News: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/678e63749af38db39daa019c211f2a41

 

[Smug Panther]

Is he the most impactful winger in the game?

Easily. Melbourne spent the whole week watching his footage in 20220

 

[Kilkenny]

And Egan.

I know I've mentioned it a few times. But losing Crichton and To'o I am ok with. I remember how ugly the Tigers situation was with those 4 players. Turuva and Jenkins will step up. I'd be more pissed if those 2 go. After that Talent is light for a while.

Turuva is really a fullback, and Jenkins is a decent player at NSW Cup level, not quite sure he is NRL level. We should be doing everything we can to retain To’o and Crichton in my opinion the alternatives are no where near the same level.

 

[Abacus]

Turuva is really a fullback, and Jenkins is a decent player at NSW Cup level, not quite sure he is NRL level. We should be doing everything we can to retain To’o and Crichton in my opinion the alternatives are no where near the same level.

The question is whether you spend the additional $1M (assuming Crichton & To'o combined are $1.2m each replaced by $100k players) on outside backs or on hooker & a 2nd rower. My preference is to strengthen our top 17 at hooker first. The options are few and likely top out at $500-$550k (if we can snag Robson from the Cowboys).

The way our 2023 squad is structured I can see Tago starting at left 2R, opening a centre spot for Turuva/Jenkins & leaving the rest of the squad relatively unchanged.

I feel at the end of 2023 we'll need to farewell 2 of Staines, Leniu, Crichton & To'o in order to keep the rest of the squad together. Guys might stay for comparative "unders" but they still like to see they are earning more than they were in their last deal.

 

[Kilkenny]

The question is whether you spend the additional $1M (assuming Crichton & To'o combined are $1.2m each replaced by $100k players) on outside backs or on hooker & a 2nd rower. My preference is to strengthen our top 17 at hooker first. The options are few and likely top out at $500-$550k (if we can snag Robson from the Cowboys).

The way our 2023 squad is structured I can see Tago starting at left 2R, opening a centre spot for Turuva/Jenkins & leaving the rest of the squad relatively unchanged.

I feel at the end of 2023 we'll need to farewell 2 of Staines, Leniu, Crichton & To'o in order to keep the rest of the squad together. Guys might stay for comparative "unders" but they still like to see they are earning more than they were in their last deal.

There are lots of questions?

Staines needs to be released early which frees up $350k if you believe what he is supposed to be earning.

This notion that Turuva and Jenkins can adequately replace the likes of Crichton and To’o is frankly ridiculous. They can’t, they are no where near what Crichton and To’o deliver.

Turuva is back up for Dylan, while at the same time we have another talented fullback in longi waiting in the wings. He really isn’t an option for us as a centre. Put whatever spin on it you like but he just isn’t an NRL quality centre. Not what I have seen. The same with Thomas Jenkins, great physique, has some attributes but better than To’o frankly not even close. If our salary cap is that out of whack that on top of losing Api & Kikau we also have to shed Crichton and To’o then frankly we have f**ked up the management of our salary cap big time.

 

[CCJohnC]

Have faith all of you doubters.

 

[Munky]

We can always recruit an average centre.

Brenko Lee for example is no world beater but can hold his own in an otherwise decent backline.

To'o is key to our current game plan of bludging forwards, Critter is less so especially if he wants top tier money.

 

[Kilkenny]

I really think we need to be very careful about what we wish for.

Api and Kikau are gone and for that we are going to be much weaker. That’s just a fact.

So anyone suggesting we can also accomodate a top 17 without Crichton and To’o as well is delusional.

I’m sorry to break it to you but Turuva and Jenkins are never ever going to be like for like replacements for Crichton and To’o.

 

[BossleyPanther]

There never really is like for like. All I was saying is we should not get into a random like bidding war, just to keep both Brian and Stephen and lose others. That right side hardly gets used in attack anyway.