Rumoured Targets 3

[Spot On]

Well it's rumoured you guys have offered over a million dollars for him. That's not leaving a lot of coin for other players.

It's a lot of money for a player unproven at 5/8. His current form suggests he isn't worth anything near 1 million.

In regards to origin, he is a fringe origin player so won't be a walk up start. He will need to playing extremely well in a underperforming team to get selection.

First of all, have you kept an eye on the players Brown has let go since he arrived and the inflated $$$ they were on? Mate, we were giving Mullen 750K a season. The above doesn't really wash when you hear that. Then there was Snowden, Uate, Sims x 2 (all on massive money) and before that Gidley and Beau Scott who were on very good dollars. We have the cash and cap space to spend lucrative amounts atm on a few big name players. Brown has started to build some depth from the bottom up and from within the jnrs at the club (Levi, Saifiti x 2, Lamb, Ross etc) who aren't on big money contracts and won't be for a while to come and then made some frugal signings form outside (Barnett, Sio, Starling, Buhrer). There are a few young guys in reggies that could come good but they are babies atm and need more time but at least Brown has taken a punt on them ie King and Denniss etc.

The good thing about us being in the market and offering top dollar to Bird is that should he turn us down your club will have coughed up close to the same $$$ you are worrying about us spending - and your club is trying to keep a Premiership squad together which is near impossible to do as history tells us (and the cap was designed to do). Bird staying at Cronulla means another very good player is close to being show the door. It has a wonderful flow on effect.

 

[MilkShark]

First of all, have you kept an eye on the players Brown has let go since he arrived and the inflated $$$ they were on? Mate, we were giving Mullen 750K a season. The above doesn't really wash when you hear that. Then there was Snowden, Uate, Sims x 2 (all on massive money) and before that Gidley and Beau Scott who were on very good dollars. We have the cash and cap space to spend lucrative amounts atm on a few big name players. Brown has started to build some depth from the bottom up and from within the jnrs at the club (Levi, Saifiti x 2, Lamb, Ross etc) who aren't on big money contracts and won't be for a while to come and then made some frugal signings form outside (Barnett, Sio, Starling, Buhrer). There are a few young guys in reggies that could come good but they are babies atm and need more time but at least Brown has taken a punt on them ie King and Denniss etc.

The good thing about us being in the market and offering top dollar to Bird is that should he turn us down your club will have coughed up close to the same $$$ you are worrying about us spending - and you're club is trying to keep a Premiership squad together which is near impossible to do as history tells us (and the cap was designed to do). Bird staying at Cronulla means another very good player is close to being show the door. It has a wonderful flow on effect.

It's a good problem for us to have.

But we also are losing Gal, Heighno and Lewis. That's a bit cash saved up right there alone.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

"Five-eighth Josh Reynolds and hooker Michael Lichaa are also off contract at Belmore, with whispers about James Graham being shopped to Newcastle getting louder."

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...tta-chase-mitchell-moses-20170404-gvdcxy.html

Every time we have tried to sign a big name prop, they have been injured in the first few weeks and barely turned up for us (so i assume, if he signs with is, he will get a papercut on the contract and end up in hospital)....

But f*ck it, i want him here. ONE prop needs to come good.

 

[macavity]

We can pay Bird and still have room for 1-2 rep players. We are THAT far under guys.

 

[slotmachine]

Bird, pommy Jimmy and an outside back not named matautia would be grand.

 

[perverse]

Bird, pommy Jimmy and an outside back not named matautia would be grand.

To be honest, I think outside backs a nice-to-have at the moment moreso than an outright desperate need. Certainly not on the level of needing a good half and a prop. If a good quality bargain buy pops up, and there's a good chance a few will over the net few months, then sure bring them in.

 

[Glendale]

Backs are fine. Ross and Sio are a good pair of wingers. Gagai is good and will most likely re-sign, Pongas coming. Pete is the only one we might possibly look to upgrade but he does a solid job. We won't be doing anything drastic to the backline, it's more or less set in stone. Bird + some forwards is gonna be our recruitment.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

To be honest, I think outside backs a nice-to-have at the moment moreso than an outright desperate need. Certainly not on the level of needing a good half and a prop. If a good quality bargain buy pops up, and there's a good chance a few will over the net few months, then sure bring them in.

Couldn't agree more, our outside backs are serviceable at the moment without being great but I don't think that's the major problem with our roster at this stage. Sure, over time it would be nice to bring in a couple of rep quality centres/wingers but it's more of a long term problem rather than a short term one.

That being said even if we had super star outside backs they wouldn't be getting much good ball at the moment anyway, Dane hasn't had any early ball all year so far and he's the best ball runner in our team so that tells me that the halves (mainly Hodko) aren't getting the ball to him enough. It also hurts not having a ball playing fullback to get it to the outside backs.

 

[Alex28]

He's not off contract.

Apparently there have been some Pay issues and he actually is up for renegotiation in 2018, and wants more than what he is currently on...

 

[mozza91]

Wouldn't mind a quality centre but as mentioned is not a necessity. I've been really happy with Pete this year, he's improved massively after some really poor efforts last year and considering he's on peanuts has been great value for money.

 

[Alex28]

Bird, Graham and Mataulino would be a great get.

 

[Still Nutty]

Heard this morning that Knights have upped their offer to $950K a season to Bird over the last 24 hours or so....

 

[Spot On]

Cronulla are going to have to fork at near as much to keep him now. Even if we miss it helps push other players out.

 

[slotmachine]

To be honest, I think outside backs a nice-to-have at the moment moreso than an outright desperate need. Certainly not on the level of needing a good half and a prop.

Well if you look at who's currently signed past this year, and assuming Bird comes along;

Fullback: Ponga
Outside Backs: Denniss, Chanel, Ross, Sio
Halves: Hodko, Bird, Lamb, Cogger
Hooker: Kostjaysn, Levi
Edge: Wardle, Sione, Buhrer, Fat Pat
Middle: Barnett, Saifiti x 2, King

The obvious need is middle forwards. But after that they're not going to chase a fullback, halves, hooker or edge forwards. Which leaves outside backs. Maybe Gagai activates his option, but I'd prefer aiming higher than re-signing Pete. He's been going OK but when he came up against actual class (Bird on the weekend) he got a bath.

 

[Yosh]

I think once Bird signs, the other pieces will fall nice into place. Ponga and Bird are massive upgrades to half our spine and all we need to do is snag a good middle forward. I hope we sign 2 or 3 good forwards before we sign an outside back because our backs are pretty decent.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

If we get Bird I feel like the whole landscape changes all of a sudden. Then if we can round off our recruitment drive with a good prop (James Graham would be perfect) and maybe a depth signing or two then we're looking pretty good for 2018 and I can see us playing finals footy again.

Also I could get very excited for 2019 (assuming Hodko doesn't get re-signed) if our spine looks like this:

1. Ponga
6. Bird
7. Lamb
9. Levi

That's a very good young spine and has plenty of tomorrows. We can build a very good long term team around these 4 players.

Obviously if Bird decides to stay with Cronulla this hypothetical becomes pointless but I feel that we're in with a good shot considering the money we've offered him and the lure of playing in the halves.

 

[perverse]

If we get Bird I feel like the whole landscape changes all of a sudden. Then if we can round off our recruitment drive with a good prop (James Graham would be perfect) and maybe a depth signing or two then we're looking pretty good for 2018 and I can see us playing finals footy again.

Also I could get very excited for 2019 (assuming Hodko doesn't get re-signed) if our spine looks like this:

1. Ponga
6. Bird
7. Lamb
9. Levi

That's a very good young spine and has plenty of tomorrows. We can build a very good long term team around these 4 players.

Obviously if Bird decides to stay with Cronulla this hypothetical becomes pointless but I feel that we're in with a good shot considering the money we've offered him and the lure of playing in the halves.

I dunno about finals footy in year 1 of a brand new - and very young - spine... but we'd be on the right trajectory to get there, and they'd give us more reasons to smile. I'm really just trying to have modest expectations...

 

[K-Man]

I like the look of Evans tonight, good strong hitups. I could easily see him being a starter if he came up to us. I can't imagine he would cost an absolute fortune either. I'd be over the moon with Evans and Graham as our forward recruitments. Those two plus Barnett, the Saifitis and Pauli is a group of middle forwards that can at least compete. Stockwell and Starling depth if we re-sign them.

 

[PhilGould]

Evans off to Parra apparently.

 

[macavity]

I like the look of Evans tonight, good strong hitups. I could easily see him being a starter if he came up to us. I can't imagine he would cost an absolute fortune either. I'd be over the moon with Evans and Graham as our forward recruitments. Those two plus Barnett, the Saifitis and Pauli is a group of middle forwards that can at least compete. Stockwell and Starling depth if we re-sign them.

He has been on Eastern Suburbs dollars... they are worth more than Newcastle dollars.

Would certainly love him playing for us but can't see it happening.