Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

[MugaB]

Leota has been great but I'd move him on for Spencer in a heartbeat

Loyalty is a virtue... i wouldnt trade my jimmy for no one .. (me and wife call him jimmy)

 

[BossleyPanther]

Loyalty is a virtue... i wouldnt trade my jimmy for no one .. (me and wife call him jimmy)

I spoke about my Jimmy today earlier

 

[Hamstring awareness]

My guess at the player we are looking at is either Crossland or ASI. Both limited First Grade experience plus both could cover Halves or Hooker.

Both are off contract this season so it’s not them

 

[Iamback]

Martin is the one I'd let go, I think you can get cheaper to do that role

 

[Smug Panther]

Martin is the one I'd let go, I think you can get cheaper to do that role

Critter I think. Too much cash for a centre

 

[Iamback]

One thing I’ll say about Crichton is he is pretty damn clutch. Always seems to make a big play in an important game - GFs included.

I find it really hard to get a value on him tbh.

Yep people aren't rating him high enough, For me too what quality centres are around to replace him. Say in 400-500k mark?

 

[Iamback]

Critter I think. Too much cash for a centre

In a $12m salary cap?

 

[Iamback]

Aside from money, why don’t good centres want to stay in the centres? It’s a key position and fullback is an entirely different set of skills.

I find it interesting that the centre position gets so little credit. It’s a key position in defence and in attack, your centres can create a lot of space and points.

Cash, Wingers and centres all think they can play Fullback

 

[Iamback]

Was originally against it but Turuva is a better player than Garner or Hosking so Tago moving into Kikau's spot might be the best option.

Welcome to the club

 

[Smug Panther]

In a $12m salary cap?

I'd hate to lose him but with how Dylan evolved a passing game so quick he won't get that spot for 5 years

 

[The Realist]

I know Leniu want's to start and he deserves to. If the club has to make a call between Leota and Leniu then I would go Leniu. He is younger and has a higher ceiling.

All this discussion does is highlight why development is King. You can't be competitive if you don't keep producing new players because you will lose players under the cap. We now have lost seven starting players from our three grand final teams. Mansour, Tamou, Burton, Capewell, Momoroski, Kikau and Korasau. We have lost two bench players too. Tetavano and Naden.

You can see further problems coming to. How do we offer Turuva a career? Get rid of To'o or May?
The salary cap is so brutal. We have built this team and now we have to get rid of loved sons like Leota or Leniu to stay compliant. It sucks.

Club should be rewarded with a Junior discount (5-10% per player)

 

[Original Name]

A lot of things Martin does which can impact games doesn't reflect in stats which is why I think fans undervalue him. Cleary's big bomb that forced the error off Waqa Blake and a try was cool and the danger of his bombs/Waqa dropping it is what everyone remembers but it was Martin who came from the back fence in a pretty brutal run to force a decent play the ball in 4 minutes in before fatigue became a factor running at Lane(or it might have been the centre?) and Dylan Brown who are all pretty good edge tacklers. Not just any backrower has the size, acceleration and the toughness to do that. Seriously rewatch it, the guy used his body with all the care you would use a club swinging it as hard as you can.

Hosking and Garner seem like decent reliable players to me but I don't know if either of them could have forced a play the ball that allowed Cleary time four minutes into a game one off a ruck, I think both are solid players who would need fatigue, a brocken defence, a one on one, etc to do it. Not to mention Martin is the only backrower I remember who's really troubled Dylan Brown in defence that much in that gf game. Brown's a gun defender for a half.

@hindy111 Am I exaggerating or has Dylan Brown struggled to tackle no other backrower like he had trouble bringing down Martin in the gf? Got given a piggy back a few times.

 

[Iamback]

I'd hate to lose him but with how Dylan evolved a passing game so quick he won't get that spot for 5 years

It will come down to does he want to win games, play with his mates or play fullback in an average team.

I trust the club to not go crazy, They have shown it with Api and Kiks. So it isn't a we can't afford him thing but like Spencer we won't have much say in it

 

[MugaB]

It will come down to does he want to win games, play with his mates or play fullback in an average team.

I trust the club to not go crazy, They have shown it with Api and Kiks. So it isn't a we can't afford him thing but like Spencer we won't have much say in it

At least whatever does happens (Just like kiks and apasai) we know its for the following season... to me Dylan, Critta, To'o, and Leniu are indispensable they make and average side super, martin is extremely special, but if he is to go elsewhere id miss him but be happy he is getting the cash and recognition of guys like kiks and burto... lets hope he lands in belmore before anywhere else if it has to come to it...
The 4 prop rotation is way too special for our squad, plus eisenhuth as back up to either of them or yeo... we start selling off that, then season is gone... critta is an excellent defender and dangerous intercepter, can cover fullback and kicking for 2, you dont trade that... to'o and dylan are monsters at kick returns...
Marto is a dime a dozen back rower, but his efforts are amazing, temora terrior indeed, but he is to me the last picked out of the 5 mentioned

 

[WestyLife]

It will come down to does he want to win games, play with his mates or play fullback in an average team.

I trust the club to not go crazy, They have shown it with Api and Kiks. So it isn't a we can't afford him thing but like Spencer we won't have much say in it

Honestly trust is a good word to use. For the most part it seems there's been good consideration for team balance and salary cap limitations the last few seasons.

 

[Smug Panther]

Letting Api go and then throwing big cash at Critter and Martin would be very tactically poor

 

[WestyLife]

Letting Api go and then throwing big cash at Critter and Martin would be very tactically poor

Agreed if that's how it turns out. Though wasn't Api after more years and $$$? His tigers contract is essentially his retirement fund.

 

[MugaB]

Letting Api go and then throwing big cash at Critter and Martin would be very tactically poor

Not if you have his junior replacement ready
I reckon if we rewind back to over a year ago and look at that white board he had been pointing out the grades and players that get moved from grade to grade, we'd see who's replacing who in first grade... minus the out of club buys of course...
My bet is kenny stats at 9, Soni comes in off the bench at 14

 

[MugaB]

Agreed if that's how it turns out. Though wasn't Api after more years and $$$? His tigers contract is essentially his retirement fund.

Api isn't that old, but he probably knows there is a shelf life for his size and the position he plays... grabbing three years on good coin now probably is the smartest move for him

 

[WestyLife]

Api isn't that old, but he probably knows there is a shelf life for his size and the position he plays... grabbing three years on good coin now probably is the smartest move for him

Easily. The internet has him as 29yo so 32 by the end of the deal. Definitely not too old but a very good time to milk a bottom 8 team for some money after winning multiple premierships. He would've gad his pick of contract from multiple clubs.