Rumoured Targets 3

[Jono078]

Tooheys news absolutely shits me.

AOB eluded to not having “his” squad as an excuse for some of our results earlier this year and now you’re telling me he wants to re-sign every bloke.

Where is accountability in this club? What have these players shown to say we must keep them.

I still feel like we’re a club “for the boys”. Keep everyone happy if you’re mates.

IF Mann and Fitz re-sign then it must be at a lower value.

really really really frustrating, if you can’t tell by the above.

Use the f**kin money to switch things up and take a chance on being greater.

insanity is doing the same shit over and over again. So cut the losses and move forward.

#frustrating

 

[PhilGould]

They aren’t picking Mann over Watson. Mann’s value on the open market is significantly lower than Watson’s. He’s doing the smart thing by testing that value before signing anywhere. Doesn’t mean he’s going to leave.

Assuming the original offer for Fitzgibbon hasn't changed he is getting a pay cut.

 

[Knight Tales]

We still are not any clearer on what the club’s recruitment plans are. We just know we are trying to sign Gagai and Finucane.

Dom and Bailey will both be up for grabs next year after Nov 1. I reckon other clubs will be circling even though they have only just started their careers. If they break out as we hope they will, we will need money to keep them both. At 19 years of age and regarded as the two top prospects in the UK, decisions next season on them will need to be made. Bellamy is a huge fan of Dom’s. Storm were filthy we snuck under their guard.
It is well and good when they are signed cheap and with potential but if they fulfill that then you have to be ready for the financial impact of that. It is why I say we need to not go headlong into the market. We actually have potentially, a very exciting side in the making. Just need to fix up the edge forwards.

 

[Jono078]

Don’t forget Ponga is free to negotiate after November too.

Next 12 months of recruitment and retention is crucial. They can’t get it wrong.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Let's say Watson doesn't resign, who do we have that can play his role? It's been super effective all season. Surely they don't think Mann can do it?

Nobody but I think we'd look at Mann to fill in for on field injuries.
Watson over Mann for me but decision was made re Mann.

 

[Old dog]

If all the players being discussed as resigned, Fitz, Hunt, Jones, Mann and Watson I would throw in Crosslands and Randall .
That means those in danger of not being resigned are Hoy, Johns, King, Kiraz, Smith, Tuala and Shibs who has a player option and then Lee who is reportedly gone? Not much saving cap wise to afford Gags and Finucane.
We would then have to sign others to make up the numbers such as King, Tuala and Shibs if he wants to use his option.
No matter what we are in need of a good centre and winger

 

[Yosh]

I hope we are doing everything possible to lock up Ponga, Young and Hodgson long term.

 

[Knight Tales]

Is Jordan Rapana an option? He's a veteran but his yardage out of dummy half is still exceptional. World class winger. A lot cheaper than Gagai.

 

[macavity]

Is Jordan Rapana an option? He's a veteran but his yardage out of dummy half is still exceptional. World class winger. A lot cheaper than Gagai.

God I hope not. Guy comes across as a merkin

 

[Alex28]

Talking to a few members of Connor’s family today, I’d be shocked if he goes. It’s an important contract for him to get right, but he doesn’t want to leave the club.

 

[TooheysNew]

Talking to a few members of Connor’s family today, I’d be shocked if he goes. It’s an important contract for him to get right, but he doesn’t want to leave the club.

He doesn't want to leave, but he wants more game time. I think that's the crucial part.

 

[aqua_duck]

Is Jordan Rapana an option? He's a veteran but his yardage out of dummy half is still exceptional. World class winger. A lot cheaper than Gagai.

He's also 32 this year, I don't mind Rapana but he has some SKD vibes about him with some of the erratic things he does. If we're going to go after a veteran outside back what about Jorge Taufua? Good yardage guy, great up and in defender and would be cheap as chips given he's coming off an Achilles injury and stuck behind Saab and Garrick

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Watson 'locked in' but no details yet. What does this even mean? Posted yesterday.

 

[Jono078]

Watson 'locked in' but no details yet. What does this even mean? Posted yesterday.

I would interpret that as he's focused and ready to go (for the game).

 

[Yosh]

I know it is early days but is Clifford the perfect signing?

- Came to us early, mid season when we needed him and not next season.
- Fixed our biggest issue in fifth tackle options. We actually get repeat sets now.
- Fixed another issue with tries scored off kicks. We were the worst in the comp but have scored a couple the past few weeks.
- amazingly, he has improved Pearce's kicking game, albeit indirectly. Clifford's kick chase if first class. Not only effort but skill to actually get the ball.
- Good strong defender and big body. Many halves are targets on defense, Clifford isn't.
- Good price and age. Not sure how much he is on but it would easily be a lot less than other halves there were available. Also, many days ahead for the lad.
- Good friends with Ponga.
- Doesn't seem to have an ego problem. Not too cocky nor does he go into his shell. Seems to compliment Pearce in the halves.

If we do make a good run into the finals, almost everyone will be praising Ponga probably. However, I think we wouldn't have made such an impact without Clifford.

 

[Jono078]

This year will go down as the halves merry-go-round year where there's many on the market and many teams need a quality half and have had to pay a premium to get one.

I really don't think it's crazy to say we may have got the best out of the bunch and probably at the best price. Obviously we locked it in before half the comp realised they needed one and their stocks rose quicker than Dogecoin, so thank you mr Zammit!

 

[Knight Tales]

The recruitment panic of some clubs is crazy and totally reactionary. This competition is like an overpriced suburb. It has domino effect on the surrounding suburbs house prices.
Zammit is actually a really
Smart operator. He has clearly told Gagai he will need to get real about his price tag or go elsewhere. Finucane’s value is more to do with lack of backrowers on the market. He is a good player but his price tag is utter BS. No thanks.
we need to focus on our junior player development and run with that.we have the money to keep them now. I have an entire argument for why re-signing Joey when he was nearly gone to Rugby was the biggest error this club ever made. We lost Ennis, Bird, Franze during or around that period where we were paying Joey insane dollars. It cost us BK as well. I actually believe had Joey gone we could be a couple more premierships rich. Imagine we could have done with Ennis and Bird as our leaders!

 

[mozza91]

So if we lost the greatest player of all time we could of kept a hooker who was nowhere near as good as the one we had, a noted dickhead who only performed at rep level and the great Paul Franze?

What were we doing?

 

[Burwood]

Finucane’s value isn’t on his quality as a backrower, especially when he hasn’t played the position since joining Melbourne in 2015.

His value is that he’s a professional and someone who clubs are hoping will lift performances off the field with training etc moreso than on the field through metres or offloads. He won’t get signed by a top club for big dollars, because they already have that culture. He’ll get snapped up by a club looking to step up to that next level of professionalism.

 

[aqua_duck]

So if we lost the greatest player of all time we could of kept a hooker who was nowhere near as good as the one we had, a noted dickhead who only performed at rep level and the great Paul Franze?

What were we doing?

Would hardly say Ennis performed at rep level but he was a top shelf dummy half for quite a few years there. Ennis was unfortunately born 4-5 years too early, abit like Matt Burton at penrith