Rumoured Targets 3

[mozza91]

It's nice to be debating about quality players like Buhrer, Barnett and Sione getting a spot as opposed to debating about Josh Starling, Stockwell or Bhana.

 

[Jono078]

IMO Lichaa is one of the worst hookers going around. Would be like bringing Waddell back.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

IMO Lichaa is one of the worst hookers going around. Would be like bringing Waddell back.

It's true that Lichaa hasn't shown much during his time at the dogs but a lot of that is down to the system that Hasler has in place, he prefers his no.9 to be a tackling machine and just pass the ball to front rowers all day. Look at the difference in Michael Ennis between what he played like at the Dogs and then the Sharks, almost a totally different player and he has even said post career that Des stifled his attacking skill set. I would be happy to get Lichaa but it doesn't look like that'll happen now that it looks like we'll get Griffin.

 

[slotmachine]

Lichaa was dynamite in the last few rounds of the season after he came out and said he was ignoring the coach.

 

[Jono078]

Lichaa was dynamite in the last few rounds of the season after he came out and said he was ignoring the coach.

To be fair, I didn't see these games.

What I had seen of him in the past I thought he was well below average for the amount he was talked up.

Happy to take yours and Mr Knightside's word that he is better than what I've seen.

 

[Spot On]

I'd take Lichaa at the right price without hesitation. Des has nearly ruined his career but luckily he has time on his side.

What sort of coach tells the 9 not to run???????????? He is obsessed with having a defensive 9 in the modern game. God help him if they ever do away with the interchange.

 

[Spot On]

Lichaa was dynamite in the last few rounds of the season after he came out and said he was ignoring the coach.

...and apparently Des sent word out to him to stop running!!!! Surely that has to be BS?

 

[Noname36]

IMO Lichaa is one of the worst hookers going around. Would be like bringing Waddell back.

To be fair to him the Dogs absolutely killed his creativity. Certainly not the first one it's happened to there either.

 

[Caped Crusader]

If we wanted a back up hooker, Lichaa was the choice.

Griffin is an undersized back rower who fills in at hooker. And again, we have that player in Buhrer.

He doesn't improve our team.

Hence my confusion.

Again, he is a depth player. A guy who is in the mix for FG sure, but is there to cover injuries in reality. There is no way Brown has guaranteed him anything except a chance to prove himself. Noone in the squad has a free ride

I really don't get how you are missing that fact, twice

 

[macavity]

Again, he is a depth player. A guy who is in the mix for FG sure, but is there to cover injuries in reality. There is no way Brown has guaranteed him anything except a chance to prove himself. Noone in the squad has a free ride

I really don't get how you are missing that fact, twice

He has an offer on the table from the Storm. He is currently on their bench. He has come out and said he is chasing minutes. Obviously he is coming here on an understanding of where he sits in the pecking order and the role he is expected to play. Of course everyone has to "earn their place" but if you seriously think players and coaches don't discuss expectations I have a bridge to sell you.

I don't get how you continue to miss that, champ.

 

[Caped Crusader]

I haven't missed that at all, I said he was in the mix for 1sts. He is on the bench for the Storm cause Brandon Smith, the guy ahead of Griffin, is injured. He'd otherwise be playing for the Sunshine Coast.

However, we have a top squad of 25 that needs redundancy and he is part of that. I'm sure Brown has said he'll get a good shot at a top 17 spot every week, something that is not likely at the Storm given where he sits in their current pecking order.

 

[Burwood]

I'm with Macca on this- based on our current 2018 squad, his signing just doesn't make sense. He doesn't come across as a genuine hooker who would be an ideal cover for Levi if he were to pick up a long term injury. He seems like a poor man's Buhrer, and I don't see why we need a poor man's Buhrer when we already have Buhrer in our squad.

With the strength of our backrow next year, and no matter which players are selected as starters or on the bench, there's no way we should be running out with Levi, Buhrer and Griffin in the top 17. And it seems strange that he'd sign with the wooden spooners when he's only going to get a run if Levi or Buhrer are injured.

This is probably the only signing by Brown that I can't quite figure out. You'd think we'd have enough back up hookers in Phythian, Pearsall and Starling already in the lower grades.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Pearsall isn't being resigned. Pythian is behind a rehab 8 ball. Starling is unproven in 1st grade

Brown has stated many times he is looking for a 1st grade ready hooker back up

It makes perfect sense

 

[Old dog]

I wonder if being a part of teams like storm etc that don't play in cup comp and therefor you feel dislocated from top side/players as appossed to knights and the others that all 3 main grades train together, same location you just feel more part of a team. Is that a possibility for someone like Griffin as much as minutes on field. I personally wouldn't like to be part of Melb storm but training and playing in QLDv.

 

[Old dog]

Pearsall isn't being resigned. Pythian is behind a rehab 8 ball. Starling is unproven in 1st grade

Brown has stated many times he is looking for a 1st grade ready hooker back up

It makes perfect sense

Griffin is 3rd best hooker at storm at best not an ideal fill in for Levi if injury occurs, sure he can cover like Buhrer does but wouldn't be fill in long term full time. If Brown is seriously looking at the hooker position then I feel he has got it wrong. As an ex hooker he should understand the importance of the position like the other spine position who all have very good backup players.

 

[Burwood]

Griffin is 3rd best hooker at storm at best not an ideal fill in for Levi if injury occurs, sure he can cover like Buhrer does but wouldn't be fill in long term full time. If Brown is seriously looking at the hooker position then I feel he has got it wrong. As an ex hooker he should understand the importance of the position like the other spine position who all have very good backup players.

This pretty much sums it up for me.

I keep playing scenarios over in my head with team selections for next year, and I just can't see where Griffin fits into first grade when we have both Buhrer and Levi fit. Which means he'll be spending a lot of time in reserve grade.

If that is the case, would he even be the starting hooker in NSW Cup, or does Brown push to continue the development for a young player like Starling who seems to have a much higher ceiling than Griffin? If that's the case, then our back up hooker is coming to the club to play lock/bench in NSW Cup.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Griffin is 3rd best hooker at storm at best not an ideal fill in for Levi if injury occurs, sure he can cover like Buhrer does but wouldn't be fill in long term full time. If Brown is seriously looking at the hooker position then I feel he has got it wrong. As an ex hooker he should understand the importance of the position like the other spine position who all have very good backup players.

He's 3rd best behind the best hooker in the game (maybe ever) and the future Kiwi hooker. Not really a slight on his abilities tbh.

His versatility and experience in the Storm system are added pluses too

In the end, Brown has proven a very astute recruiter. I think he's earned any benefit of the doubt

 

[Old dog]

I have no doubt that Griffin can play, comes from a good system like you say I just hope we don't have to have a long term fill in hooker

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Can anyone here say that they've really seen Slade Griffin play? The reason I ask is I've never seen him play and I don't even know who he is.

I think the fact that he hasn't played much first grade is a bit deceiving at this stage. For starters he's had a couple of bad injuries I believe which kept him out of the side for a long time, and also the fact that he's sitting behind the best hooker of all time who plays 80 mins every week and is never injured plays a part as well.

Wasn't Brown in an assistant coaching role at Melbourne before he applied for the Knights job? In which case I'm betting he would know a lot more about Slade Griffin than any of us and has probably seen this guy play a bunch of times and knows his strengths and limitations as a player.

Because of this I'm willing to give Brown the benefit of the doubt, he's been quite astute so far with his signings so I'll have faith that he knows what he's doing. Slade Griffin doesn't really sound like a guy who's going to set the world on fire but hopefully he can be one of those little cogs that keeps turning and help our club move forward in the right direction.

 

[macavity]

Can anyone here say that they've really seen Slade Griffin play? The reason I ask is I've never seen him play and I don't even know who he is.

Yes have watched every Storm game this year. He has been playing 15-20 minutes a game the back end of the year. He is literally a poor man's Jamie Buhrer.

Wasn't Brown in an assistant coaching role at Melbourne before he applied for the Knights job? In which case I'm betting he would know a lot more about Slade Griffin than any of us and has probably seen this guy play a bunch of times and knows his strengths and limitations as a player.

Personally think we are interested because of the system, not the player.

Brown's recruitment has been almost entirely about taking players from successful systems, ostensibly to try to create a positive professional culture here. Even the blokes already here - Kostjasyn and Buhrer, Elliott, SKD, Starling... were from very successful clubs. Have we taken even one player from a non-finals club? Lillyman would be the first.

Whether that is going to work, time will tell. Sacrificing talent for training can be a worthwhile trade off. It can also blow up if you don't have the talent to put the training into effect.

At least he has a clear strategy, which is something we haven't had for what feels like 20 years now.