Rumoured targets 2

[Noname36]

We've signed a couple but they've been more cheap basement depth buys rather than anyone we're gone out and recruited to have a proper role within the team.

It's a good sign by the club. We'll absolutely pay him overs if he signs which people will whinge about but the other realistic alternative (and the one I thought we'd do) was doing nothing and sticking with Roberts which again more people would whinge about.

I know people might want "fancier" options like Myler or Taylor but they're untested at this level and the bottom line is we don't have a good track record at helping people like that reach their potential. I think Hodkinson, while less flashy/hyped, is a better option for us. What you see is what you get with him and that's the type of player we need. We have enough blokes that have some flashy skills but cannot stay composed to save themselves. To give the club a little credit for once I think Hodkinson is a smart target for this club. He might not have a heap of skills but the skills he does have are the ones we desperately need.

 

[aqua_duck]

We've signed a couple but they've been more cheap basement depth buys rather than anyone we're gone out and recruited to have a proper role within the team.

It's a good sign by the club. We'll absolutely pay him overs if he signs which people will whinge about but the other realistic alternative (and the one I thought we'd do) was doing nothing and sticking with Roberts which again more people would whinge about.

I know people might want "fancier" options like Myler or Taylor but they're untested at this level and the bottom line is we don't have a good track record at helping people like that reach their potential. I think Hodkinson, while less flashy/hyped, is a better option for us. What you see is what you get with him and that's the type of player we need. We have enough blokes that have some flashy skills but cannot stay composed to save themselves. To give the club a little credit for once I think Hodkinson is a smart target for this club. He might not have a heap of skills but the skills he does have are the ones we desperately need.

It all depends on the money being discussed, I mean if it's for the 400-450k range, absolutely it'd be a great signing but for $800k than that's a disaster for a guy who can be best described as solid. Hodkinson and Mullen can be a good combination but it really is dependant on the troops we surround them with.

 

[Spot On]

It WILL be a disaster if the club gives him 800K a season. I have to agree with that. A no brainer really.

 

[Johns Magic]

I think Hodkinson, while less flashy/hyped, is a better option for us. What you see is what you get with him

Gee I hope not.

 

[The Showstopper]

if Mullo can play unburdened for once then Hodko will pay for himself.

 

[Noname36]

It all depends on the money being discussed, I mean if it's for the 400-450k range, absolutely it'd be a great signing but for $800k than that's a disaster for a guy who can be best described as solid. Hodkinson and Mullen can be a good combination but it really is dependant on the troops we surround them with.

We will absolutely be paying him a lot more than 400-450k. He'd command more than that from a club that wasn't desperate for the services of a halfback just on the basis of his standing as the current NSW Halfback (regardless of whether people feel he deserves that selection or not). Add in the fact we're a basket case based in Newcastle, the high price all halves can command at the moment (I mean 1.4mil for Foran) and that Hodkinson is the style of player we need...and there's absolutely no way we get him for 400-450k.

I don't really understand what people's alternative solutions are here? Okay let's just say hypothetically we don't want to pay for Hodkinson? What then? Do we just persevere with Roberts who gets 400k as it is to actively hurt the team most of the time? Or who else do we target? Hodkinson is absolutely the most experienced and highest profile halfback this club could realistically snare. The only other one available I think we should have had a crack at was Maloney but even then I don't think there's much between them and we missed the boat there so there's no use looking back. Who else do we go for if not him? Sandow who is a more expensive version of Roberts? Or an untested player at this level like a Myler or Taylor who would still command very decent money and history has shown ruin their careers here?

Let's face it...we need a halfback with his skill set badly and pickings are extremely thin. If we want any hope of improving the side we're going to need to pay overs to make it happen. Realistically 75% of the halves in the comp are getting paid a lot more money than they're worth.

 

[Joker's Wild]

We're any of those guys first choice first graders though?

I agree with Noname here, Hokko is our best choice.

 

[aqua_duck]

We will absolutely be paying him a lot more than 400-450k. He'd command more than that from a club that wasn't desperate for the services of a halfback just on the basis of his standing as the current NSW Halfback (regardless of whether people feel he deserves that selection or not). Add in the fact we're a basket case based in Newcastle, the high price all halves can command at the moment (I mean 1.4mil for Foran) and that Hodkinson is the style of player we need...and there's absolutely no way we get him for 400-450k.

I don't really understand what people's alternative solutions are here? Okay let's just say hypothetically we don't want to pay for Hodkinson? What then? Do we just persevere with Roberts who gets 400k as it is to actively hurt the team most of the time? Or who else do we target? Hodkinson is absolutely the most experienced and highest profile halfback this club could realistically snare. The only other one available I think we should have had a crack at was Maloney but even then I don't think there's much between them and we missed the boat there so there's no use looking back. Who else do we go for if not him? Sandow who is a more expensive version of Roberts? Or an untested player at this level like a Myler or Taylor who would still command very decent money and history has shown ruin their careers here?

Let's face it...we need a halfback with his skill set badly and pickings are extremely thin. If we want any hope of improving the side we're going to need to pay overs to make it happen. Realistically 75% of the halves in the comp are getting paid a lot more money than they're worth.

Would you agree that Hodkinson alone will not get the job done? You use Kieran Foran's money as a benchmark but Foran wouldn't count for $1.4 mil under the cap, Foran has a lot higher profile and would command third party deals, we on the other hand haven't got that luxury.
Do I think Hodkinson will make us a better team compared to Tyrone Roberts? Of course but if we're aiming for a few years of coming 10th-12th no problem but I personally think we're in position where we can't just go for overpriced 'safe' options, I'd much rather take that gamble on Taylor knowing he has a much higher ceilin, if he lives up to his potential and we can then use that $500-$600k on 3 solid forwards than we have the potential to elevate the team to a lot higher than 10th-12th.
The way I see it, the underlying hope surrounding Hodkinson is that he can be a good foil for Mullen who can in turn become a dominant playmaker, well forgive me if I'm unable to pin all my hopes on Mullen

 

[Johns Magic]

I don't really understand what people's alternative solutions are here? Okay let's just say hypothetically we don't want to pay for Hodkinson? What then? Do we just persevere with Roberts who gets 400k as it is to actively hurt the team most of the time? Or who else do we target? Hodkinson is absolutely the most experienced and highest profile halfback this club could realistically snare. The only other one available I think we should have had a crack at was Maloney but even then I don't think there's much between them and we missed the boat there so there's no use looking back. Who else do we go for if not him? Sandow who is a more expensive version of Roberts? Or an untested player at this level like a Myler or Taylor who would still command very decent money and history has shown ruin their careers here?

Why didn't we chase Sezer? He is not huge profile, clearly not Sydney-centric, is a goal kicker, a better player than Hodkinson and would be considerably cheaper.

Hodkinson in 13 games this year vs Sezer in 14 games this year:

Tries: 0 vs 3
Try-assists: 5 vs 8
Linebreaks: 1 vs 3
Linebreak assists: 5 vs 10

Hodkinson has a much better team to work with than the Titans.

The alternative solution would have been to plan ahead rather than be the last one left in musical chairs so pay through the nose for the guy everyone else had been avoiding.

 

[Johns Magic]

I would be happy if we get Hodkinson now because we need SOMETHING and have put ourselves in this position. I am disappointed we are in this position though.

 

[Noname36]

Would you agree that Hodkinson alone will not get the job done? You use Kieran Foran's money as a benchmark but Foran wouldn't count for $1.4 mil under the cap, Foran has a lot higher profile and would command third party deals, we on the other hand haven't got that luxury.
Do I think Hodkinson will make us a better team compared to Tyrone Roberts? Of course but if we're aiming for a few years of coming 10th-12th no problem but I personally think we're in position where we can't just go for overpriced 'safe' options, I'd much rather take that gamble on Taylor knowing he has a much higher ceilin, if he lives up to his potential and we can then use that $500-$600k on 3 solid forwards than we have the potential to elevate the team to a lot higher than 10th-12th.
The way I see it, the underlying hope surrounding Hodkinson is that he can be a good foil for Mullen who can in turn become a dominant playmaker, well forgive me if I'm unable to pin all my hopes on Mullen

I would certainly agree that Hodkinson alone will not get the job done...I've said so from the start.

However you take a look at the good sides in the comp and the ones that are consistently up the top (Storm, Roosters, Souths, etc) have blokes in at least 3 of their spine/play making positions that are first grade capable players. They don't have one player that does the job all themselves...hell, even Johns had Buderus.

I think it's pretty obvious that a halfback that is capable of organising and not completely losing his shit is the major thing we need in the squad (in addition to an attitude adjustment in defence obviously). At the start of the year the forward pack we have showed that they are very capable of getting over their opposition but we still had obvious issues there around the halves. Do I think we still need another top line front rower? Yes...but he isn't coming anyway and from what I've seen this year a halfback that can control the side is by far our biggest glaring weakness. We have put ourselves into positions to win games but the consistent brainsnaps from our playmakers just put us under too much pressure.

I've never said that Hodkinson will allow Mullen to step up and become a more dominant playmaker - I'm pretty sure we've seen all we're going to from Mullo - a quality half when he's fit but not someone complete enough to do it all himself.

What I have said is that Hodkinson has skills that Mullen doesn't (and frankly, isn't going to get) and for that reason alone I think they'd be a good combination.

 

[perverse]

I would still roll the dice on Cornish, Taylor, Myler, etc. We could get 2 or even all 3 of them to gamble on for Hodkinsons price. I really, really do not like Trent Hodkinson. Never have, he's a nuffy, and paying $800k for him is a massive waste of coin. He'll be another black hole in our salary cap in 24 months time, if his knees even hold that long. We'll probably spend more time running one or both of our backup halves than we will see Hodkinson and Mullen playing together, such is the state of both of their bodies.

I just can't get behind it. I know to some it sounds like whinging, that we want a halfback and now we're chasing one and I turn my nose up at it... but I honestly could support the club chasing ANY other halfback that has been on the market this year. Shit, I'd throw Sandow a $150k lifeline for a year or 2 before I'd pay $800k for the biggest plodder on the market.

Don't rate Hodkinson, is a shit player even in extremely dominant teams, won't make much difference to us unless he changes the attitude of our entire squad, which I can't see him doing. He's not SBW.

 

[Noname36]

Why didn't we chase Sezer? He is not huge profile, clearly not Sydney-centric, is a goal kicker, a better player than Hodkinson and would be considerably cheaper.

Hodkinson in 13 games this year vs Sezer in 14 games this year:

Tries: 0 vs 3
Try-assists: 5 vs 8
Linebreaks: 1 vs 3
Linebreak assists: 5 vs 10

Hodkinson has a much better team to work with than the Titans.

The alternative solution would have been to plan ahead rather than be the last one left in musical chairs so pay through the nose for the guy everyone else had been avoiding.

Sitting back and whinging that we should have signed Sezer or Maloney or whoever doesn't help anything...and it certainly doesn't help answer who we should go for if not Hodkinson.

The club f**ked up. We all know it. They let a lot of the halves get snapped up while sitting back thinking Roberts would come good. However what's done is done. As I see it we can either sign the best possible option for us currently available now or we sit around bitching while the club stays stagnant or goes after the type of player they have in the past (untrialled rookie) which has never worked for us.

 

[perverse]

Sitting back and whinging that we should have signed Sezer or Maloney or whoever doesn't help anything...and it certainly doesn't help answer who we should go for if not Hodkinson.

The club f**ked up. We all know it. They let a lot of the halves get snapped up while sitting back thinking Roberts would come good. However what's done is done. As I see it we can either sign the best possible option for us currently available now or we sit around bitching while the club stays stagnant or goes after the type of player they have in the past (untrialled rookie) which has never worked for us.

People have answered it! There are still plenty of viable options on the market. Neither Hodkinson, nor Cornish, nor Taylor, nor Myler are likely to turn us into a top 4 team next year - so why take the option that will fill our salary cap with another hefty stain?

Signing the best possible player after you've missed the gold rush, is NOT the smart manoeuvre. That's the desperation play, and the way you completely destroy your salary cap. The smart thing is to count your losses and put your remaining effort into preparing well for the next round. Myler, Taylor or Cornish not working out sets us back 6 months or something. Hodkinson not working out will screw us for years, and is as equally likely for mine. Honestly, using our spare cash to front-load contracts and start building a super-roster for 2017 onwards is a far smarter play than signing Hodkinson. Fart around with Mullen, Tui and Roberts for another 12 months is less damage to the club for mine than signing a plodder up for $800k. This is how the Roosters constructed their current squad (also with the help of better third party agreements, of course).

It really blows me away - everyone is so desperate for this plodder Hodkinson that they can't see that it is making similar mistakes that we have in the past. He will end up an Aku or a Reynoldson on our cap, I have little doubt about it.

 

[Joker's Wild]

I must be one of the few guys who rates Hokko. He's had a terrible year this season but he is clearly on the outer at Belmore and it may have effected his footy in all likely hood

I'd like to see his stats from last year. I'd wager they stack up to the other halves in the comp

 

[perverse]

I just think the guy is a massive plodder, JW. I could see paying him Mullen type money, he is in a rare position and is first-grade adequate... but $800k is dumbarse money for him.

The key to it is the price. At $400k, he's a good value plodder. If only Roberts could call himself a plodder. At $800k he's a salary cap time bomb. The Dogs are offering him $300k. The Dogs are very smart with their salary cap. That's a value based on his actual worth, not on his hype.

 

[Alex28]

We didn't chase Sezer because we weren't even considering signing anybody at that point. We are so far behind the rest of the pack it isn't funny.

Hodkinson isn't going to be our saviour, but he is a start. When we are considering what sort of money he is going to be on, forget about what Foran or DCE is on. Remember that Tyrone Roberts is getting $400,000 next year.

 

[Noname36]

People have answered it! There are still plenty of viable options on the market. Neither Hodkinson, nor Cornish, nor Taylor, nor Myler are likely to turn us into a top 4 team next year - so why take the option that will fill our salary cap with another hefty stain?

Signing the best possible player after you've missed the gold rush, is NOT the smart manoeuvre. That's the desperation play, and the way you completely destroy your salary cap. The smart thing is to count your losses and put your remaining effort into preparing well for the next round. Myler, Taylor or Cornish not working out sets us back 6 months or something. Hodkinson not working out will screw us for years, and is as equally likely for mine. Honestly, using our spare cash to front-load contracts and start building a super-roster for 2017 onwards is a far smarter play than signing Hodkinson. Fart around with Mullen, Tui and Roberts for another 12 months is less damage to the club for mine than signing a plodder up for $800k. This is how the Roosters constructed their current squad (also with the help of better third party agreements, of course).

It really blows me away - everyone is so desperate for this plodder Hodkinson that they can't see that it is making similar mistakes that we have in the past. He will end up an Aku or a Reynoldson on our cap, I have little doubt about it.

Are the likes of Taylor, Myler, Cornish, etc really options though or yet another bunch of rookies, fringe players, ESL players that we hope can come in here and perform but never, ever do?

I guess I'm just sick of banking on guys that haven't cemented a FG spot long-term yet, let alone played at a high level. I'm sick of rolling the dice and hoping that it'll land on something that will help us in the future. They never do.

I'd much rather sign a guy that's proven he can handle playing in a few different teams at NRL and Origin level.

We're losing a lot of experience next year...I just don't think adding another rookie halfback to the mix is the way to go.

 

[perverse]

We didn't chase Sezer because we weren't even considering signing anybody at that point. We are so far behind the rest of the pack it isn't funny.

Hodkinson isn't going to be our saviour, but he is a start. When we are considering what sort of money he is going to be on, forget about what Foran or DCE is on. Remember that Tyrone Roberts is getting $400,000 next year.

But that's the thing for me - at $800k over 3 years Hodkinson isn't "a start" - we're proclaiming him to be "the solution". He isn't the solution, but he would be an ok start at a price that doesn't make him our marquee player. There couldn't possibly be another club that has a worse highest paid player than Trent Hodkinson. Does that scream success to you over the next 3 seasons?

 

[aqua_duck]

Are the likes of Taylor, Myler, Cornish, etc really options though or yet another bunch of rookies, fringe players, ESL players that we hope can come in here and perform but never, ever do?

I guess I'm just sick of banking on guys that haven't cemented a FG spot long-term yet, let alone played at a high level. I'm sick of rolling the dice and hoping that it'll land on something that will help us in the future. They never do.

I'd much rather sign a guy that's proven he can handle playing in a few different teams at NRL and Origin level.

We're losing a lot of experience next year...I just don't think adding another rookie halfback to the mix is the way to go.

But if you sign a guy like Taylor for say $200k, you're not BANKING on him, you're putting a bit of spare change on something paying very good odds. Hodkinson is a player that the dogs have deemed isn't worth any more than $500k, this is the team that know his game better than any other, they're willing to bank on the guy who's played about 10 games over the current NSW half, what does that tell you?