Rumoured Targets 3

[perverse]

Wow Blake Green is a fantastic pickup, should be a good foil for Pearce. I suppose it's just for this season... but I'd love to see him here the next couple of years given what we've seen unfold this season.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

How long is Green signed for? I've read he wants to go around for one more year.

 

[Silent Knight]

Yep,should be good....he'll bring the odd 40/20...some repeat sets
and hoping he can free up Ponga a bit....fingers crossed.

And the Coach is great....there's alot to like there.

That's all we need really. Pearce can't get repeat sets to save his life.

As much as I've liked Kurt Mann's 100% efforts each week, there has been one too many times when the play has died with Kurt getting tackled instead of getting early ball to our outside backs. I'm confident that won't be a problem now with Blake Green on board.

 

[Silent Knight]

Wow Blake Green is a fantastic pickup, should be a good foil for Pearce. I suppose it's just for this season... but I'd love to see him here the next couple of years given what we've seen unfold this season.

Yeah with Andrew McCullough I always thought he would be a stopgap for this season only until we got Jayden Brailey back. We've got to find a way to hang on to Chris Randall as well, I just feel like the kid is really going to be something.

But Blake Green on the other hand. If he delivers what I think he will, we'll want to hold onto him for the remainder of his career.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I reckon Mann is at his best in around the ruck and not out wider on the left. I can see Green dropping into dummy half a bit. I reckon that's the best place for him until he gets the feel for the team and establishes some combinations.

 

[perverse]

Yeah with Andrew McCullough I always thought he would be a stopgap for this season only until we got Jayden Brailey back. We've got to find a way to hang on to Chris Randall as well, I just feel like the kid is really going to be something.

But Blake Green on the other hand. If he delivers what I think he will, we'll want to hold onto him for the remainder of his career.

I just think it lets Pearce have some confidence in our second-option half. If I was AOB, I'd give Pearce the responsibility of organising the middle of the field and threatening there with his running and short passing game, and let Green link more with the backs. Might be a big ask for that to click immediately, but I'd imagine they can get it right by the finals if we qualify.

Green is no superstar, but he can steer a team around the park. It gives us a legitimate second (or first) kicking option, which we sorely need. Pearce has proven that he needs help, and that he's never going to be that dominant half that it looked like he might be for us a year or so ago. Green could be a really valid answer and probably at a good price. Unfortunately I think the elephant in the room is that AOB doesn't see it that way and that he sees Pearce/Mann as his premiership combo. I do wonder if/when a certain element of our fanbase are going to turn on him, because some of us have shown that we love to throw our own under the bus first chance we get.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Green has all the abilities we are desperately lacking.

Vision, Control, Poise.

Looks like he has twice as much time as Pearce, to lay something on. Kicking game is not even in the same ballpark, and will free Ponga up to interject rather than try to create from the front.

Mann’s been good, but 6 is not his place. Not sure if he is a 9, but Hooker suits his skill set much better from a team perspective. Green will distribute to the outside men much quicker and cleaner. It’s a shame Bradman won’t line up this week, but the centre/winger combos should see much more ball in attacking field position.

 

[Yosh]

Management seems to have made a 180 turn in the past few years.

In years gone by we would lumber on with youth from the Newcastle catchment area whatever our problem was. Now we have an issue and almost immediately it's taken care of in the most logical way possible.

Whether or not Green performs, it's good to see our club being run so professionally.

 

[perverse]

Mann’s been good, but 6 is not his place. Not sure if he is a 9, but Hooker suits his skill set much better from a team perspective. Green will distribute to the outside men much quicker and cleaner. It’s a shame Bradman won’t line up this week, but the centre/winger combos should see much more ball in attacking field position.

I really don't know what to do with Mann. He's been one of our best this year, no doubt... but he doesn't have much variety or composure in his game. A bit like Watson, he seems to be a man out of place in the modern game. I can't help but feel someone like a Brian Smith coaching him could find some role for him in a team that doesn't quite fit the mould of an existing position. He's not the right foil for Pearce. You can't really have 2 predominantly ball running halves.

 

[slotmachine]

Mann is a good 14 for if Watson is not re-signed or inevitably injured.

You love his energy and toughness but you can't have too many of those energy players without the required class in key positions.

 

[Knight Vision]

Unfortunately I think the elephant in the room is that AOB doesn't see it that way and that he sees Pearce/Mann as his premiership combo

I think AOB knows what we all know, that Pearce needs a good half like a Maloney, Carney, Keary outside him to perform and Mann was always a stopgap measure.

 

[perverse]

I think AOB knows what we all know, that Pearce needs a good half like a Maloney, Carney, Keary outside him to perform and Mann was always a stopgap measure.

He certainly hasn't communicated that or made selections to that effect. If we sign up Green for longer than this season then perhaps that has some legs.

 

[Knight Vision]

He certainly hasn't communicated that or made selections to that effect. If we sign up Green for longer than this season then perhaps that has some legs.

The cap is difficult to manage, I really dont think we were or even are right now in a position to acquire a decent half on a 2 year contract. Also Crossland was injured during pre-season and perhaps not just ready yet for as full NRL season.

Given the above choice I dont think AOB would have come out and said as much at the start of the season and undermined the confidence of Mann in the 5/8 role.

We just lost a dummy half and acquired a 5/8 indicates to me that AOB knows exactly what we all know. We need a 5/8.

 

[perverse]

The cap is difficult to manage, I really dont think we were or even are right now in a position to acquire a decent half on a 2 year contract. Also Crossland was injured during pre-season and perhaps not just ready yet for as full NRL season.

Given the above choice I dont think AOB would have come out and said as much at the start of the season and undermined the confidence of Mann in the 5/8 role.

We just lost a dummy half and acquired a 5/8 indicates to me that AOB knows exactly what we all know. We need a 5/8.

We took a guy that was on the market that we could accommodate to solve a problem. Look you may be right, I just don't really see evidence for it at this stage.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

The cap is difficult to manage, I really dont think we were or even are right now in a position to acquire a decent half on a 2 year contract. Also Crossland was injured during pre-season and perhaps not just ready yet for as full NRL season.

Given the above choice I dont think AOB would have come out and said as much at the start of the season and undermined the confidence of Mann in the 5/8 role.

We just lost a dummy half and acquired a 5/8 indicates to me that AOB knows exactly what we all know. We need a 5/8.

I see this as much as allowing Mann to fill in at 9 and cover that loss.

 

[Burwood]

Mann is a good 14 for if Watson is not re-signed or inevitably injured.

You love his energy and toughness but you can't have too many of those energy players without the required class in key positions.

If Mann shows some form at 9 for the remainder of 2020, you’d have to think he is a massive chance of securing the number 14 role In a full strength team for next year.

And another option- the way that the position is changing at the moment, developing him into a ball playing lock in the mould of Cam Murray isn’t even out of the question. He’s tough as nails and regularly puts guys 20kg heavier than him on their backside in defense.

 

[Jono078]

I really don't know what to do with Mann. He's been one of our best this year, no doubt... but he doesn't have much variety or composure in his game. A bit like Watson, he seems to be a man out of place in the modern game. I can't help but feel someone like a Brian Smith coaching him could find some role for him in a team that doesn't quite fit the mould of an existing position. He's not the right foil for Pearce. You can't really have 2 predominantly ball running halves.

I’m starting to think Mann could be a good center for us, opposite side of Best.

This year he’s backing himself more whilst defending strongly and likes to try and draw his opponent in and make a move. Short kicking game strong too.

would like to see it as I think Brailey and Watson are our hookers next year with Randall as backup. If Mann kills it at 9 this year we have a real dilemma.

 

[Still Nutty]

I’m starting to think Mann could be a good center for us, opposite side of Best.

This year he’s backing himself more whilst defending strongly and likes to try and draw his opponent in and make a move. Short kicking game strong too.

would like to see it as I think Brailey and Watson are our hookers next year with Randall as backup. If Mann kills it at 9 this year we have a real dilemma.

Assuming Green shifts into the 5/8 role and Obi draws a line through Moga, it is an interesting concept/option...

In support of it being something to explore, I think the other thing I've noticed with Mann is that he does have a deceptive turn of speed over a short distance that does allow him to get on the outside and draw in 2 defenders, potentially to set up a winger. This, along with his defence and developing short kicking game makes the idea worth some thought/consideration - he would still need to improve his offload/passing game but it could be an interesting combo?

 

[slotmachine]

Mann at centre? Yeah nah.

 

[Knight Vision]

I see this as much as allowing Mann to fill in at 9 and cover that loss.

Isnt the mantra "dont weaken 1 position to strengthen another" ....I've heard AOB use the exact term.

If Mann was our 5/8 to partner Pearce he's still be there and we would have chased professional career dummy half