Rumoured Targets 3

[Noname36]

Yet no other club seems to want a bar of him. If you believe that is just because of salary cap pressure, I've got a bridge to sell you. The bloke has caused serious destabilisation with his past 3 or 4 coaches now. He seems a very decisive character. Still don't want a bar of him. Prefer to gamble on Levi.

FTR I doubt we'd sign Farah but I think he'd be a good signing to be honest. If he has been responsible for some of the issues at the Tigers then I don't think he'd have nearly as much success causing issues if he were to move clubs. It seems like there's a definite "inmates running the asylum" vibe going on at the Tigers and being a long-serving player I could see how Farah may get to be a person of influence there. It's much different entering a new club though where there are already dynamics and the club doesn't revolve around you.

We'd be picking up an experienced and talented hooker dirt cheap with a point to prove. It's very unlikely he'd try the same tricks elsewhere because then he'd just be proving that he was the issue not the Tigers.

 

[Knight Vision]

That the Roosters are even considering signing him is a glaring red flag with sirens a screaming that the salary cap and it's attempt to even the playing field is most certainly broken. What an absolute joke, seriously.

 

[perverse]

FTR I doubt we'd sign Farah but I think he'd be a good signing to be honest. If he has been responsible for some of the issues at the Tigers then I don't think he'd have nearly as much success causing issues if he were to move clubs. It seems like there's a definite "inmates running the asylum" vibe going on at the Tigers and being a long-serving player I could see how Farah may get to be a person of influence there. It's much different entering a new club though where there are already dynamics and the club doesn't revolve around you.

We'd be picking up an experienced and talented hooker dirt cheap with a point to prove. It's very unlikely he'd try the same tricks elsewhere because then he'd just be proving that he was the issue not the Tigers.

I can see the logic, I guess I just don't like the bloke. How long do we have Levi tied up for, and how long would we need to keep Farah on? That would be my next question if I were to put my bias entirely aside. We could always bench Farah, I suppose - he's not a club great or anything. I just see a lot in Levi, he looks to be a legitimate competitor and livewire. He looks just about ready to me already... if he has a big pre-season, I can see him being our starter before long. I think he has a lot of class and a lot of tomorrows in first grade and beyond.

I still can't see Farah leaving Sydney, anyway. He doesn't care if the Roosters pay 100k or we pay 300k of his contract, he gets the lot from the Tigers regardless. He can hold out and make things as awkward for the Tigers as he likes at this point - the Tigers have no power to make him move where he doesn't want to go. He'll go where he thinks he can lift trophies, I reckon. Also wouldn't be surprised if he joined his old mate Bunji down at the Dragons.

 

[Noname36]

I can see the logic, I guess I just don't like the bloke. How long do we have Levi tied up for, and how long would we need to keep Farah on? That would be my next question if I were to put my bias entirely aside. We could always bench Farah, I suppose - he's not a club great or anything. I just see a lot in Levi, he looks to be a legitimate competitor and livewire. He looks just about ready to me already... if he has a big pre-season, I can see him being our starter before long. I think he has a lot of class and a lot of tomorrows in first grade and beyond.

I still can't see Farah leaving Sydney, anyway. He doesn't care if the Roosters pay 100k or we pay 300k of his contract, he gets the lot from the Tigers regardless. He can hold out and make things as awkward for the Tigers as he likes at this point - the Tigers have no power to make him move where he doesn't want to go. He'll go where he thinks he can lift trophies, I reckon. Also wouldn't be surprised if he joined his old mate Bunji down at the Dragons.

I see a lot in Levi too, but I also saw some signs towards the end of the season that he isn't quite ready to be our #1 hooker yet. And nor should he be IMO. He's 19 and in the most demanding position on the field. I wouldn't see bringing Farah in hurting Levi at all, but more helping him. Who else is Levi supposed to learn from and look up to in the playing group? Randall lol? Just think how valuable having the NSW hooker at the club would be for Levi. Sign Farah for a season with the option of a second and bring Levi on from the bench. His live wire play would be best suited there anyway and we're less likely to f**k up his career like we have so many others by putting too much pressure on them when they were just babies.

 

[Spot On]

That the Roosters are even considering signing him is a glaring red flag with sirens a screaming that the salary cap and it's attempt to even the playing field is most certainly broken. What an absolute joke, seriously.

Would love to know how they planned on having Farah and Friend rotating. Someone would have their nose out of joint very quickly.

 

[Turton Road]

That the Roosters are even considering signing him is a glaring red flag with sirens a screaming that the salary cap and it's attempt to even the playing field is most certainly broken. What an absolute joke, seriously.

Third party payments can get around that. Knights aren't interested in making a play for Farah. Potter knows him too well.

 

[Turton Road]

Knights should sign Adam Docker

 

[PhilGould]

Docker retired didn't he? His knee is basically gone.

 

[Turton Road]

Yep you are right. Should have signed him two years ago ��

 

[The Showstopper]

Levi for me is worth the gamble. He has a very sweet pass on him and gets width from a standing start. That you can't teach. It is talent. I am really looking forward to seeing Brown bring these kids along. I also like how Brown is offering deals to discarded players from other clubs as take it or leave it. He is not going to be extorted and I think you will find Burher thinks he is worth more. Soon he may have no choice.

 

[Still Nutty]

I see a lot in Levi too, but I also saw some signs towards the end of the season that he isn't quite ready to be our #1 hooker yet. And nor should he be IMO. He's 19 and in the most demanding position on the field. I wouldn't see bringing Farah in hurting Levi at all, but more helping him. Who else is Levi supposed to learn from and look up to in the playing group? Randall lol? Just think how valuable having the NSW hooker at the club would be for Levi. Sign Farah for a season with the option of a second and bring Levi on from the bench. His live wire play would be best suited there anyway and we're less likely to f**k up his career like we have so many others by putting too much pressure on them when they were just babies.

I tend to agree...whilst I could see value in a 1 year deal with Farah, he has 2 to run with the Tigers so I expect any package would require a 2 year commitment and we don't need him for that long.

Whilst I do see Levi is a future rep hooker and I think he has the potential to step up to first grade now, I also think it is a lot of pressure that could have a negative impact on his development if he falters or struggles with the weekly grind.

So I think if we could get him for 1 season only, Farah would give us that extra year to blood Levi into first grade without the immediate pressure of the week in week out grind that could be counter productive at this early stage of his career.

But if Farah were to be signed for 2, that could put Levi in a position where he could be considering offers outside of the Knights because IMO he would be fully capable of being a regular first grader in 12 months time without a doubt and if that is the case, I'd rather forgo Farah all together.

Any signing needs to be on OUR terms not his.

 

[perverse]

All this talk about Farah "bringing through" Levi seems like absolute nonsense to me. Levi is currently being coached by one of the greatest hookers of the modern era in Buderus, and his head coach himself was a very handy hooker in his time. Levi would never spend time on the field with Farah, so the only "help" Farah could give Levi that I can see would be in the same capacity that Buderus and Brown can help him - at training.

Randell can fill the gaps until Levi is ready to do big minutes as far as I can see. Farah is surplus to requirements as a mentor. Do we even want Levi to play in a similar way to Farah? Not really, the ultimate mentor for Levi would be Issac Luke for mine. I don't think we need another halfback at hooker.

I just can't even see Farah happening at all now that Potter is here. Seems like a lot of wasted breath.

 

[slotmachine]

It's a question of depth.

At the moment we probably have Randall starting, with Levi on the bench. If either of them get injured, it's Krys Freeman LOL. Either way, we have the worst starting hooker in the comp.

Then you look at the halves. Mullen and Hodko are no joke, but one of them is wrecked, and the other needs stem cell therapy on his knees in order to negotiate stairs without discomfort. If either of them go down, what happens? Randall to 6 possibly, but then who plays hooker?

Or, what if Mullen goes down and Hodko is off on origin duty? Feeney and Randall in the halves, with Levi and Freeman covering hooker. That team loses by 30+ every week.

Anyway, this is blatantly obvious because Brown has been after Roby, then Ferris.
Ignoring the fact he's not going to leave Sydney, you don't get to sign the NSW hooker with another club picking up 2/3rds of the tab every day.

 

[perverse]

Ignoring the fact he's not going to leave Sydney, you don't get to sign the NSW hooker with another club picking up 2/3rds of the tab every day.

No, you don't. What you also don't get every day is every other club turning him down, too. Depth is an issue, I'm not worried about the halves too much... I think Feeney would hold his own. Randell can fill in there, too.

Honestly I'd prefer to go out and get a Chad Redman or some such back before I'd go Farah. Roby would be fine, class act and doesn't have the baggage that Farah does - but would still leave me uncomfortable with Levi's position not so much 2016, but 2017 and onward. A first-grade proven part-time hooker like Buhrer would be a lot better than any of them, we could use them to ease Levi in and then default them back to their natural position over time. I wouldn't mind a Matt Hilder clone with an extra 5kg on his frame.

 

[The Showstopper]

We should have tried for Baptiste again. He and Levi would be a pretty electric pairing in a 80 min rotation.

 

[perverse]

We should have tried for Baptiste again. He and Levi would be a pretty electric pairing in a 80 min rotation.

Yep, would have been a good pickup.

 

[grandorient]

Forget Farrah guys, I reckon he will stay with the Tigers.

Perhaps we both need a strike centre.

GO

 

[perverse]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind a piece of James Roberts at the moment. Of course, he'll end up at the Cowboys, or somewhere else that shouldn't be able to afford him but somehow can.

 

[slotmachine]

What you also don't get every day is every other club turning him down, too.

Except the most successful club of the last 3 years wants him...

 

[perverse]

Except the most successful club of the last 3 years wants him...

Do they, though? They've made a token gesture at minimum wage, they're hardly moving mountains to make it happen - and they're a club that will move a mountain or two to get what they want.

It's a totally academic discussion at this point, anyway. The NRL aren't going to let him go anywhere unless he's paid somewhere close to his "market value".

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ival-clubs-20151123-gl5rpf.html#ixzz3sJJEGcSB

... and I can't see a way he's worth it even at half his real contract value... and we can't afford him anywhere near close to his real value.