Rumoured Targets 3

[Johns Magic]

Toohey's article today said Griffin is now a formality to come. It also said "with plenty of room left under the cap, there is certain to be a few more signings to come".

 

[Spot On]

Well there is absolutely no doubt Brown has increased the depth and quality of the squad ten fold from the day he first walked in and still has $$$ left to spend.

Huge clap to the bloke.

Wonder how much we have left in 2018 cap?

If we did land Bird are we all in agreeance Sione will need to shift elswhere to get a game? Where do people see him fitting in?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

I'm pretty pleased that we're going for Lillyman. He's may not be a big name forward leader but he's tough as nails and has been around a long time and played plenty of rep footy. Would certainly teach our young boys a thing or two about getting into the grind and doing the hard work. I have a feeling we would use him off the bench next year, can't see him starting over Dan or Herman.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

Griffin plays off the bench for the storm, he will be in our 17. I thought he played well last night actually, looked like he was playing as a middle forward.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

Well there is absolutely no doubt Brown has increased the depth and quality of the squad ten fold from the day he first walked in and still has $$$ left to spend.

Huge clap to the bloke.

Wonder how much we have left in 2018 cap?

If we did land Bird are we all in agreeance Sione will need to shift elswhere to get a game? Where do people see him fitting in?

I'll probably get shot down for this, but I don't see sione having a future anywhere in this club. We will hold onto him for years to come just on his early reputation alone but he's not great at either second row or centre.

 

[perverse]

I'll probably get shot down for this, but I don't see sione having a future anywhere in this club. We will hold onto him for years to come just on his early reputation alone but he's not great at either second row or centre.

I think you'll find some that agree with you amongst LU knights fans, not a lot outside of that though. How many better players that turned 21 this year are there in the NRL? Are there any better? Sione is far from his peak barring injury.

 

[slotmachine]

Coen Hess, Nathan Cleary, Nic Cotric, Tom Trobjovic, NAS. Dan Saifiti and Brock Lamb too.

Barnett got player of the year. Buhrer got the coaches award. Guerra coming. Fitz in ridiculous form. If (big if) bird were coming too that is quite the back row log jam.

Sione will be close to 100 first grade games by the end of next season without really locking down a position.

 

[Old dog]

Coen Hess, Nathan Cleary, Nic Cotric, Tom Trobjovic, NAS. Dan Saifiti and Brock Lamb too.

Barnett got player of the year. Buhrer got the coaches award. Guerra coming. Fitz in ridiculous form. If (big if) bird were coming too that is quite the back row log jam.

Sione will be close to 100 first grade games by the end of next season without really locking down a position.

I agree that Sione will struggle to get a run in forwards if all are fit but you don't get to play 100 games in first without some ability. For both the teams strength and for his good he should seriously consider playing in backs, he is a first grader and his enthusiasm is a big plus

 

[AusKnightRKO]

I agree that Sione will struggle to get a run in forwards if all are fit but you don't get to play 100 games in first without some ability. For both the teams strength and for his good he should seriously consider playing in backs, he is a first grader and his enthusiasm is a big plus

Stick him on a massive program in the off
Season ans transition him to centre or wing.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Put him back on the wing or in the centres.

 

[perverse]

Coen Hess, Nathan Cleary, Nic Cotric, Tom Trobjovic, NAS. Dan Saifiti and Brock Lamb too.

Barnett got player of the year. Buhrer got the coaches award. Guerra coming. Fitz in ridiculous form. If (big if) bird were coming too that is quite the back row log jam.

Sione will be close to 100 first grade games by the end of next season without really locking down a position.

lol, Brock Lamb. No, not even going to debate that... you reached too far there.

So there's maybe 6 players his age his equal or better, one of which is in our team. There's also a tonne of kids his age still playing reserve grade that will go on to have great careers. I'm not trying to push his claims as the next immortal forward, but watching you seize the opportunity to come in and have a stab was worth the price of admission.

Jack Bird has played about the same number of games as Sione, is a year older and hasn't himself locked down a position in first grade - and he's played for NSW. Kurt Gidley never locked down a position. Players develop at different rates, and I'd argue that none of the above players you've mentioned bare the burden of responsibility that Sione has and does, except for Cleary and perhaps Tommy Turbo - although Tommy in particular has had a lot of senior help around him too and learned from some of the best. If they are the yardstick, then we're talking about some elite level youngsters.

The truth is we have a good quality backrow lined up for next season. It might still lack some size, Sione obviously won't fix that much either. I wouldn't lock Fitz in until he proves he can play like the back end of this year consistently when his career isn't on the line. I'm highly skeptical of form around contract time.

 

[Pedge1971]

I think you'll find some that agree with you amongst LU knights fans, not a lot outside of that though. How many better players that turned 21 this year are there in the NRL? Are there any better? Sione is far from his peak barring injury.

I.think he had been around so long people tend to forget hid age. He is bare minimum a good first grader right now still plenty of upside

 

[macavity]

Sione is literally the last thing we need to worry about.

 

[Noname36]

People here always have a go at me for defending Sione, saying that I say that he can do no wrong or some other bullshit like that. In reality when the Dogs came along with their massive offer for him I was one of the ones saying I wouldn't mind if he left and I only really started feeling the need to defend the kid because he was copping it around here from some posters pretty badly and IMO mostly unjustified and mostly agenda based.

It seemed to pop up after he was picked for Australia - he was copping it for being overrated when he suddenly wasn't playing like an Australian rep the following year (despite being 18 and moved around to every position). Thing is I don't think anyone thought Sione was a deserving Australian rep at 18 (nobody but Sheen anyway) but bloody hell it's not the kids fault he was picked. What did people want him to do? Say thanks but no thanks? For me it was the situation with Mullen all over again and I was seeing Sione get written off by some extremely quickly despite the fact that most kids his age were still in SG ball/NYC.

Look at Fitzgibbon for god sake. Kid had deadset nothing 6 weeks ago and now look at him. Same with Lamb. Has had some terrible periods but was able to show more of a well rounded game torwards the end of the year. It's a process but it seems Sione is written off despite the fact that he's still only the same age as the the previous 2 mentioned and he's been pushed to every different position imaginable, made into a forward and thrown the bloody captaincy on top of it all. Obviously Brown sees something in him.

I've never, and I've never heard anyone say that Sione is going to be some kind of immortal - in fact I think his highest bit of praise has come from Bennett - but it seems a couple here have had him written off since an 18 year old and I could never understand why. I don't think it's a coincidence that every coach he's ever had has loved him. Sometimes players offer a lot more to a squad than a fancy step or offload.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Sione is literally the last thing we need to worry about.

It is something the coaches should be trying to figure out though, he is way too talented to go to waste.

 

[slotmachine]

I don't know if Maloney is trying to get sacked, but I would have hodko ahead of him at the moment.

 

[Spot On]

The talk around his future is most probably to blame??? Who knows?

That said he's been well below his best since before Origin. And like most of the NSW origin players, he's been doing dumb shit for state and club since Game 2 this year.

Why are they so selfish and so stupid?

 

[Noname36]

I can see why Brown is such a fan of the Cows system and keen on bringing in some players from it.

 

[Spot On]

Sione is literally the last thing we need to worry about.

I honestly believe the concussion situation should be a huge worry for Sione and the club.

I'm not worried about his football ability - he's a firstgrader somewhere in this team atm. Many keep referring to his tackle technique which obviously needs addressing but the reason I brought it up was the few times he copped an innocuous bump in what looked like run of the mill contact where his technique was good and came away for a HIA and didn't come back on. Take those little bumps that are part and parcel of the game and add them to the tackles where he really cops a hammering due to poor technique and I believe there is a huge issue for him.

The club obviously looked at him for the last few games this season after he had copped another knock and pulled the pin which was an excellent decision.

My point is about his future in the game if the concussions keep coming next season.

 

[Spot On]

I can see why Brown is such a fan of the Cows system and keen on bringing in some players from it.

Paul Green - seriously good coach.

Broncs fans trotted out the injury excuses for their loss on Friday night but this mob don't play that game.

Very refreshing. Inspiring.

Bennett only needs 4 or 5 more origin players to get his next premiership or the excuses will keep coming.