Rumoured Targets 3

[Caped Crusader]

Is Gordon prepared to play on the wing???

I think he'll play anywhere as long as he has a contract

If we can jag Elliot, Sione can push into the centres again.

We just turned Sione into a good backrower. You really think it's a good idea to undo all that and move him back to the centres? Wow

 

[Glendale]

If we can jag Elliot, Sione can push into the centres again.

No thanks. He is well and truly a backrower now and is progressing great there. His days in the backs are over.

If we buy a back rower like Elliot we would push Buhrer to the bench and play:

11. Sione
12. Elliot
13. Barnett

14. Buhrer

With this in mind maybe Guerra could be worth a look at? Has been hopelessely out of form for the last two seasons but in 2013-2015 he was an absolute gun. Maybe a scenery change can bring that it of him again?

 

[Burwood]

Unless to cover an injury mid game, Sione is never going back to the centres again.

I don't know why we even need to worry about wingers- as a club, we finally have two decent wingers in Sio and Ross that are providing good value for money and not taking up a disproportionate part of the salary cap. Elliott is perfect for injury cover and I still hold out hope for Chanel, Denniss and possibly Gagan developing into a similar role.

All we need to invest in for our backline are some quality centres- Ferguson is a possible option, and I'm not too sure about the other one. I'm not too concerned about having Pete in the starting side- he's another good value player.

 

[slotmachine]

Chanel has played about 10 games in three years. Think he's done.

 

[Choppy182]

I think he'll play anywhere as long as he has a contract



We just turned Sione into a good backrower. You really think it's a good idea to undo all that and move him back to the centres? Wow

undo? Centres can play very similar to second rowers. Elliot has not got the speed for the centre position hence my thought. Besides, he was a much better centre than he is a second rower. Made the Australian team after all.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

undo? Centres can play very similar to second rowers. Elliot has not got the speed for the centre position hence my thought. Besides, he was a much better centre than he is a second rower. Made the Australian team after all.

You think Sione has the speed to be a centre these days?

 

[PhilGould]

He made the Australian team as a winger because everyone else was injured and he trained the house down in Prime Minister's 13 camp. If you seriously think he was better in the centres than he is now in the backrow then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Burwood]

I can't think of anything memorable that Sione did in the centres. And who is this backrower Elliott that we are chasing? I just assumed Elliott was referring to Brendan Elliott.


EDIT: Don't worry, just realised that it was Elliott from the Bulldogs.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

I don't think Sione going back into the outside backs is a good idea. He's shown that he's got the makings of a very good second rower and putting him into the backs just reduces his effectiveness because he wouldn't get much ball.

I can't see Brown/Mooney going in big for Ferguson given that they refused to get into a bidding war for Gags, and Ferguson has been playing in the Aus and NSW team of late so he'll want big money. Can't see it happening given how tight we've been with the purse strings.

I imagine they're aiming for a $250k-$350k centre at most, hence why they were making a play for SKD. Assuming he will probably be in trouble we should be turning our attention to someone like Aaron Gray (as others have suggested) or what about Kevin Naiqama? Anyone interested in having him back? I don't mind him if truth be told, pretty quick on his feet and a good skill set, not the world's best defender but can't be worse than Gags.

 

[PhilGould]

Naiqama is considerably worse in defence at centre than Gagai. He's a decent winger.

 

[Spot On]

Yep Kevvie makes Gags look like a competent defender unfortunately.

 

[macavity]

Why?

Because we aren't built to win now and none of them are going to have a BK effect. All they will do is genius the development of someone who will be here longer term.

 

[Glendale]

For centre I'd go after Hopoate. Is a very good outside back, average spine player. We can get him reasonably cheap too. Gotta make sure he plays on Sunday's though.

 

[macavity]

For centre I'd go after Hopoate. Is a very good outside back, average spine player. We can get him reasonably cheap too. Gotta make sure he plays on Sunday's though.

Careful, the forum police shot me down for suggesting that

 

[Yosh]

Hopoate sounds like a great acquisition. He is playing Sundays even now right?

Lillyman also sounds great. A real workman and a winner and will be a great leader for our younguns. He's been pretty fit these past few years right? No big injuries?

Gordon seems a bit of a risk. If noone wants him and he'll be happy to play a bit part role for decent (not super) money, I'd take him.

So basically:
Cronk
Walker
Maloney
Graham
Hopoate
Lillyman
Tolman
Gordon

That's the order I'd prioritize. I probably missed a bunch of good players off contract but yea.

 

[slotmachine]

Maybe we should target players that aren't contracted for 2018 and/or don't need to live in Sydney.

Could do worse than Lillyman. He's been very good this season in a rubbish warriors side. Throwing a bunch of kids to the wolves is no good for their development, need experience around them desperately.

 

[Johns Magic]

Because we aren't built to win now and none of them are going to have a BK effect. All they will do is genius the development of someone who will be here longer term.

I think the plan is to offer long-term contracts to marquee recruits, fill as many remaining spots as possible with locals, and if there is still a hole that needs to be fixed we sign a journeyman on a 1-year contract to fill it until we are able to fill the spot with either a marquee or a local. That is exactly what we are doing with Starling - plugging a hole in the meantime.

We want only short-term contracts for journeymen. That way they don't take up cap for years and, when a junior comes along to fill their spot we get more cap room to play with for marquees.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I'd like to see Sione use his step more. He blew me away in one game late last year when he blitzed the field.
A lot of his play has been head down, tuck ball in and try to run over and through the opposition. His bulking up seems to have been to help that.
It's promising of late that he has his head up.
As for Sione back at centre - I reckon we'll keep him more centre field to get involved in the plays. He could fill in out wide as many second rowers do.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I'm still surprised that the Cronk talk is still going on here. Apparently he's leaving Melbourne to be with his partner. It would be quicker for him to fly from Melbourne to Sydney than it would be to drive there from Newcastle. Time to move on peeps!

 

[Bring it home Knights]

What's the story with Mataora? He was nothing special last year, however I would have put his efforts slightly above what Starling has offered this year.