Rumoured Targets 3

[Spot On]

Watson was ok. Played a couple positions. Gordon went off so he got a bit of a run at fullback. He looks a decent defender for his size and has terrific speed. But if some are worried about the size of Cogger then they'd be worried about Watson. However he has speed which apparently Cogger does not. It is his big attribute. He seems pretty strong and tough as well. Copped friendly fire in his back and looked gone. Went off and then a few minutes later is back on returning the ball from a kick!

I don't think he has the necessary kicking game and attributes to play 7 like Cornish did last night. Robinson definitely made the right decision there. Cornish really set them up with his long kicking.

 

[slotmachine]

Guerra was OK. Definitely think he's a middle player these days, not particularly dynamic with the ball.

Cornish played really well.

Watson as a ball runner would complement lamb nicely.

 

[Glendale]

Watson was ok. Played a couple positions. Gordon went off so he got a bit of a run at fullback. He looks a decent defender for his size and has terrific speed. But if some are worried about the size of Cogger then they'd be worried about Watson. However he has speed which apparently Cogger does not. It is his big attribute. He seems pretty strong and tough as well. Copped friendly fire in his back and looked gone. Went off and then a few minutes later is back on returning the ball from a kick!

I don't think he has the necessary kicking game and attributes to play 7 like Cornish did last night. Robinson definitely made the right decision there. Cornish really set them up with his long kicking.

Watson is a dynamic ball runner and brings a ton of energy to a side. However he won't be able to relieve Lamb of the major play making duties, Lamb will have to steer them round the park. I know Lamb has bassically been doing this all season but my preference would definatley be to sign an experienced playmaker over Watson.

 

[Frederick]

Oop never mind just spotted it on NH site.

I've been told that there's another club interested in him too

 

[Johns Magic]

Guerra was OK. Definitely think he's a middle player these days, not particularly dynamic with the ball.

Strange you say this IMO as he seems dangerous whenever I watch him, particularly on the edge. Scored a double a few weeks back, scored last night, did all the hard work to score a good try in Origin but dropped it over the line. He scores a lot of tries for a backrower. I suspect his supposed dip in form has actually coincided with him being played at lock which is not as natural for him.

I feel you want him as lock mostly because the alternative is Buhrer who is smaller and you love third-prop type locks. I don't think he's a bad lock but I would love having a threat on the edge moreso and find someone else for lock. My preference would be Buhrer at lock if it was out of those two but neither is ideal.

 

[macavity]

Sounds like Cornish is the one we need... eek

 

[PhilGould]

Toohey says Moga & Ese'ese will be announced this week. Also says we're still a chance of getting Watson, who came to town for his second round of discussions with the club last week. We won't budge on our offer despite it being a fair way short of the Tiger's offer but the hope is that the lure of playing 5/8 will get him. For him to even be entertaining the thought of coming here for less money is a good sign.

Edit: another note, apparently we still have the cap space for a marquee player, at least four new forwards and an outside back on top of Moga, Ese & possibly Watson.

 

[Johns Magic]

Edit: another note, apparently we still have the cap space for a marquee player, at least four new forwards and an outside back on top of Moga, Ese & possibly Watson.

Wow, without knowing the names of these other targets that would be a serious haul.

Brown yesterday said he is confident of landing 3-4 signings this week so hopefully there is a surprise for us on top of the expected Ese and Moga. Toohey has since said that Lawrence can't be one of them as he hasn't visited Newcastle yet. For what it's worth, Toohey also said he wouldn't sign Lawrence given his age and injury history...not sure if he is echoing the club's concerns there or not.

I still have a fair bit of hope we get Graham and assuming he can get on the field I am 100% for it.

If we are targeting that many forwards, I wonder again if Sione may be back to the centres. Unlikely he moves IMO but if we do get Graham, a couple more first-grade forwards will leave a real logjam in the pack.

I am tempted to write up another hypothetical team but there is just too much guessing involved at the moment.

Brown said during the week that if Cronk plays on in Sydney next year it will likely force whoever gets him to release players, and that financially we are best placed to capitalise so hopefully some quality becomes available.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

The tim grant rumour also isn't going away. Anyone wanna tweet toohey and ask about him. He's a slight starling upgrade/depth player but that's about it

 

[Johns Magic]

Yeah I think Grant is solid if you can get him cheap which we probably could. He has had an unfortunate run in his career over the last few years and probably unfairly maligned across the way. Doesnt seem like he would cost much at the moment.

A whole article as well about Maloney and the Knights again today. Andrew Johns raving he is the guy we need and the club saying his management know we are keen and we are happy to play the waiting game.

If Watson is being promised 6, landing Maloney would leave Lamb out in the cold.

 

[Burwood]

I get the feeling that Maloney will end up at a Sydney club like Souths if he is forced out of Cronulla. I think the best we can hope for out of all this is about third or fourth position at the sloppy seconds table when all of the Sydney clubs have finished up.

Telegraph reporting that we have inked a 3 year deal with Ese'ese. While I'm happy with the signing, I think the most satisfying thing about it is that it has thrown a major spanner in Bennett's forward depth- he was banking on Ese'ese and Lodge to be a big part of the club's future.

 

[Johns Magic]

I don't think we would look at Tetevano again but he is pretty decent these days.

 

[Spot On]

Tetevano was just starting to come good for us when he had to be sacked. He was the only prop I liked that we had at that time too.

I'm finding it hard to understand the Watson AND Maloney news. Surely we can't have both can we??? Maloney is a 6 not a half and Watson isn't a 7???? Yes/no???

Is Toohey saying we WILL go after another 7 players or just that we have room for it??? Will be afew blokes being let go if we go on a shopping binge like that. Assuming Starling, Mataora and Paea will go. Randall and Hodko? Who else?

 

[slotmachine]

I think the article says $1.4m free after Moga, Ese'ese etc signed. Don't think that would include Hodko's money.

Start with $3m free

Guerra - $535k
Ese'ese - $465k
Moga - $200k
SKD - $300k

Lines up pretty well.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Talking about the 3-4 signings in the next week, Cronk said he'd make up his mind after Origin...

 

[Caped Crusader]

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Who else is on the market?

 

[NK Arsenal]

Any chance somebody could take a high resolution photo of the Baz article?
Don't have access to the new paper.

 

[Frederick]

Geez that micky d has copped a few floggings with the ugly stick.

I mean, I know they say ugly people have a face only their mother would love, but geez even she must've struggled not to flush him when he was born

 

[Johns Magic]

I think the article says $1.4m free after Moga, Ese'ese etc signed. Don't think that would include Hodko's money.

Start with $3m free

Guerra - $535k
Ese'ese - $465k
Moga - $200k
SKD - $300k

Lines up pretty well.

It actually says we are $1.4mn under the cap THIS year.