Rumoured targets 2

[perverse]

I wonder if we can get some of those Broncos players they will be forced to let go of soon?

We should be manoeuvring to do this already... but it's unlikely. Hopefully we do pick up one or 2, but the problem is I feel they're going to shed backs, not forwards.

Martin Kennedy might be the only forward likely to be moved on. On the bright side of that, the guy does have some ability in the right environment and would probably be very cheap at the moment.

 

[Joker's Wild]

We should be manoeuvring to do this already... but it's unlikely. Hopefully we do pick up one or 2, but the problem is I feel they're going to shed backs, not forwards.

Martin Kennedy might be the only forward likely to be moved on. On the bright side of that, the guy does have some ability in the right environment and would probably be very cheap at the moment.

lol I was just shit stirring with that line

Honestly, I wouldnt want anyone they are likely to let go because as you say, they are more than likely going to be backs which we certainly dont need.

 

[aqua_duck]

Anyone know if the coach announcement is coming today? I vaguely remember they said late this week? From the Willie article, it sounds like we're holding off resigning Mason, Faalogo and Houston until the new coach is in place. Sad that they said the top 25 is pretty much finalized though.

Re-signing those blokes will do nothing but delay our rebuild. When you're building a house you move out and build it from start to finish, you don't build the framework then cover it in plastic and then live in it for 6 months before putting the walls up.

 

[otori]

Re-signing those blokes will do nothing but delay our rebuild. When you're building a house you move out and build it from start to finish, you don't build the framework then cover it in plastic and then live in it for 6 months before putting the walls up.

I disagree with your analogy and your point. I think we should let Houston go and keep the other two. They're cheap, experienced and good contributors. Plus under your analogy, we have no other bricks to put in our house so you're advocating throwing away those bricks and living in a house with a strong through breeze

 

[aqua_duck]

I disagree with your analogy and your point. I think we should let Houston go and keep the other two. They're cheap, experienced and good contributors. Plus under your analogy, we have no other bricks to put in our house so you're advocating throwing away those bricks and living in a house with a strong through breeze

Let me ask you two questions, firstly are these guys going to be around for more than a year max? Secondly are we in a realistic position to challenge next year?
It's not about half building a house with older materials and living in it, it's about tearing everything down that is old and will need to be replaced afterwards and giving it a year to build the house with new materials before you inhabit it.

 

[Spot On]

Mason's done as much as he possibly can to sell himself for next season and possibly the year after. Telling NRL 360 how well he's playing etc. He was at one stage hinting he would be going with Wayne to Brisbane. Happy to see the back of him but as someone has said, who fills the void?

 

[aqua_duck]

Mason's done as much as he possibly can to sell himself for next season and possibly the year after. Telling NRL 360 how well he's playing etc. He was at one stage hinting he would be going with Wayne to Brisbane. Happy to see the back of him but as someone has said, who fills the void?

What void is there exactly? Mason hasn't cracked 100m in a game since round 10, that's 3 months ago. He's a starting prop who averages around about the 60-70m per game mark.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

I was hoping we might be able to land Nate Myles if the Titans need to offload players.

 

[slotmachine]

Mataora, vai vai, Taylor are the bricks. As duck says, we're not doing anything next year so throw them at the wall and see what sticks.

If nothing does we have money to spend in 2016 and are in no worse position than giving the old guys one more year .

Edit. tapine too. Going by the nyc team sheets they're trying to turn him into a prop. Oh, and toka might get fit, haha!

 

[otori]

Let me ask you two questions, firstly are these guys going to be around for more than a year max? Secondly are we in a realistic position to challenge next year?
It's not about half building a house with older materials and living in it, it's about tearing everything down that is old and will need to be replaced afterwards and giving it a year to build the house with new materials before you inhabit it.

My comments are in the context of Gidley saying the top 25 is pretty much bedded down. Mason alone brings a lot of experience and leadership to the pack. Ideally hes taking young blokes under his wings and mentoring them. But aside from signing Hannat/McGuire/McKendry/Kennedy, what do you propose we do in the front row? Blood three players alongside Snowden?

I agree we need to bring in some fresh talent but seriously we have 3 or 4 props that would be able to play across all three grades it seems? What happens when Snowden and Mataora get injured? I agree it's time to rebuild but I don't want the spoon either.

 

[slotmachine]

And korbin.
Rochow will move to the middle when tariq comes. that leaves one spot

I'd rather Willie stay away from the juniors personally.

 

[Joker's Wild]

What void is there exactly? Mason hasn't cracked 100m in a game since round 10, that's 3 months ago. He's a starting prop who averages around about the 60-70m per game mark.

The void of a player capable of playing prop in FG

Who else in the lower grades would be a step up?

 

[aqua_duck]

There's also 2 good young guys in NYC who aren't NYC eligible next year in Togatasi and Jai Pakau. Between Vai Vai, Mataora, James Taylor, Pakau, Togatasi, and say another lower tier recruit, if we can find 1 or 2 keepers in there that's a good result

 

[aqua_duck]

My comments are in the context of Gidley saying the top 25 is pretty much bedded down. Mason alone brings a lot of experience and leadership to the pack. Ideally hes taking young blokes under his wings and mentoring them. But aside from signing Hannat/McGuire/McKendry/Kennedy, what do you propose we do in the front row? Blood three players alongside Snowden?

I agree we need to bring in some fresh talent but seriously we have 3 or 4 props that would be able to play across all three grades it seems? What happens when Snowden and Mataora get injured? I agree it's time to rebuild but I don't want the spoon either.

It's not about blooding 3 rookies it's about giving say Sims a fair shot at being a starting prop, and then shrewd recruiting, there's plenty of guys like Josh Starling, Dunamis Lui, Jesse Sene-Lefao, James Gavet, Martin Taupau, etc running around in lower grades, if Mulholland is as good as they say he is then surely he can find 1 or 2 of them.
As for taking young guys under his wing, firstly what young guys? We've got more mentors than pupils, and secondly after the reports of Mason's influence on Mullo, do we really want Mase taking more guys under his wing?

 

[Joker's Wild]

Fair enough. Im not knowledgeable enough of our lower grade props to make a call on this

What you say about Mason is true ie influence. I was happy enough when he was performing on the field but Im not sure about keeping him around given the rumours about Mullo and him being generally off the pace in games.

Fa'alongo is another story though. He nearly always looks the goods when he is in FG. I think I have seen him play 1 bad game in his whole time at the club. Probably worth keeping around

 

[Wato]

Mason is a liability in defense, look back at the sharks game and how they ran there attack at Mason and it paid huge dividends. His lateral movement is non existent and on the rare occasion he makes contact he fails to wrap up the ball. At 35 these aspects of his game will only further decline.

 

[macavity]

A lot of these old blokes look like they are running in sand. Legs are still pumping but the game is getting too quick for them.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Willie needs to move on. He won't be here next season and if he was it would be further proof that we do not have a plan going forward. We signed him out of desperation for a Front Rower. Had we not had a need for a big bopper he would never have played here. His ego is far too big for his brain to counter it.

 

[otori]

So at the moment, we're looking at
8. Snowden
9. Clydsdale
10. Sims
11. Sims
12. Scott
13. Smith
14. Rochow
15.
16.
17.

So we probably have three holes to fill either by resigning those guys, bringing up other youngsters or signings.

 

[slotmachine]

Add tapine and roberts/gidley as the utility.

One prop spot.