Rumoured Targets 3

[Old dog]

So the two new signings are top 30 but no real experience such as having played firsts, have they played Cup. Are we signing on anticipated talent based on playing strong in lower grades while we let strong players such as Croker and Jones wait in the wings on the Hope a spot might be open.
Will we be full of possible talent but lacking experience

 

[Woody90]

So the two new signings are top 30 but no real experience such as having played firsts, have they played Cup. Are we signing on anticipated talent based on playing strong in lower grades while we let strong players such as Cogger and Jones wait in the wings on the Hope a spot might be open.
Will we be full of possible talent but lacking experience

Cogger’s already signed for next year? Signing the 2 new kids doesn’t affect his top 30 spot I wouldn’t think?

“strong” might be a bit far in my opinion. He had a couple of good games towards the end of the year definitely, but he’s still not proven himself to be a strong player consistently.
Jones has really surprised me this year though and I’d re-sign him.

 

[Zoidberg]

There's pretty big space between disciplinarian and people-manager. Wayne understands footballers, gets close to them personally, and is upfront and honest with them. He builds a lot of loyalty and then uses that as currency to tune his squad into a group that is willing to put in for him.

Listen to any player that has played for him outside of our club and they'll all tell a very similar story. He's like a surrogate father figure for his teams. They respect him because he's got their back and is genuinely looking to improve them as people first then as footballers.

He'll give each player the individual treatment he thinks they need to succeed. Sometimes that's whooping their arse, sometimes it's giving them a cuddle.

I remember an interview with Bedsy shortly after the Alex McKinnon accident where he said, maybe Wayne wasn’t brought to the club to win a premiership, maybe he was there to help them get through that period.
Pretty nice words at the time.

 

[Frederick]

Cogger’s already signed for next year? Signing the 2 new kids doesn’t affect his top 30 spot I wouldn’t think?

“strong” might be a bit far in my opinion. He had a couple of good games towards the end of the year definitely, but he’s still not proven himself to be a strong player consistently.
Jones has really surprised me this year though and I’d re-sign him.

I think he means Croker

 

[Burwood]

I remember an interview with Bedsy shortly after the Alex McKinnon accident where he said, maybe Wayne wasn’t brought to the club to win a premiership, maybe he was there to help them get through that period.
Pretty nice words at the time.

Wait, Wayne was brought to the club to help the players in the aftermath of the McKinnon accident? Didn’t he leave the club that year, 12 months before his contract ended?

 

[aqua_duck]

So the two new signings are top 30 but no real experience such as having played firsts, have they played Cup. Are we signing on anticipated talent based on playing strong in lower grades while we let strong players such as Cogger and Jones wait in the wings on the Hope a spot might be open.
Will we be full of possible talent but lacking experience

Completely different players, Croker and Jones are reliable bench middles who can do a job for you but aren’t and never will be difference makers. Jones played 18 games and averaged 66m per game, Croker played 16 games and averaged 79m per game, let’s not pretend they’re leaving this big void in the squad.
I think we’re at a stage where we can’t just continue with the status quo, we need to have abit of a swing and hopefully unearth some young talent

 

[Nuke]

And Tinkler most definitely DID bring Bennett in to win a premiership.

I suspect Bedsy may have been talking along the lines of 'fate' or whatever religious divine planning one may choose to believe in. 'The universe placed Bennett with us to navigate the challenges of that time' is what I'm suggesting he may have meant.

 

[Yosh]

Completely different players, Croker and Jones are reliable bench middles who can do a job for you but aren’t and never will be difference makers. Jones played 18 games and averaged 66m per game, Croker played 16 games and averaged 79m per game, let’s not pretend they’re leaving this big void in the squad.
I think we’re at a stage where we can’t just continue with the status quo, we need to have abit of a swing and hopefully unearth some young talent

They still growing into their roles. They cover middle and edge and don't cost much. I don't care too much about metres made more about supporting runs and tackles missed etc. I think they both are great to have in the top 30.

 

[Woody90]

I think he means Croker

ahhh makes a lot more sense

 

[Old dog]

Cogger’s already signed for next year? Signing the 2 new kids doesn’t affect his top 30 spot I wouldn’t think?

“strong” might be a bit far in my opinion. He had a couple of good games towards the end of the year definitely, but he’s still not proven himself to be a strong player consistently.
Jones has really surprised me this year though and I’d re-sign him.

Cogger’s already signed for next year? Signing the 2 new kids doesn’t affect his top 30 spot I wouldn’t think?

“strong” might be a bit far in my opinion. He had a couple of good games towards the end of the year definitely, but he’s still not proven himself to be a strong player consistently.
Jones has really surprised me this year though and I’d re-sign him.

My error was meant to be Croker, have amended tks

 

[aqua_duck]

They still growing into their roles. They cover middle and edge and don't cost much. I don't care too much about metres made more about supporting runs and tackles missed etc. I think they both are great to have in the top 30.

Again we’re talking about two exclusively bench players in the mid 20s with not the highest upside, solid squad members at best but not exactly difference makers.
The thing is if we just wanted to maintain the status quo and bring back 90% of the team that managed to just sneak into 8th this year then why on earth did we bring in Peter O’Sullivan?
Peter O’Sullivan is arguably the most highly regarded recruitment manager in the game yet we don’t want him to recruit?

 

[Yosh]

Again we’re talking about two exclusively bench players in the mid 20s with not the highest upside, solid squad members at best but not exactly difference makers.
The thing is if we just wanted to maintain the status quo and bring back 90% of the team that managed to just sneak into 8th this year then why on earth did we bring in Peter O’Sullivan?
Peter O’Sullivan is arguably the most highly regarded recruitment manager in the game yet we don’t want him to recruit?

We aren't keeping 90% of the team.

Brailey
Hastings
DSaf
Tuala
Hetherington
Jenkins

That's like 30% of the cap right there.

I'm not suggesting we don't make changes because we need a lot but we need to make changes that matter. Every top 30 needs 6-7 players who are on minimum wage but can come in and do a job when they are needed. The changes we need to make now is getting rid of the dead wood taking up massive amounts in the cap and being a negative influence on the club and playing group.

I'm super happy we are moving on so much junk just one season into O'Sullivan's arrival.

 

[aqua_duck]

We aren't keeping 90% of the team.

Brailey
Hastings
DSaf
Tuala
Hetherington
Jenkins

That's like 30% of the cap right there.

I'm not suggesting we don't make changes because we need a lot but we need to make changes that matter. Every top 30 needs 6-7 players who are on minimum wage but can come in and do a job when they are needed. The changes we need to make now is getting rid of the dead wood taking up massive amounts in the cap and being a negative influence on the club and playing group.

I'm super happy we are moving on so much junk just one season into O'Sullivan's arrival.

Brailey and Hethrington are still under contract and might be hard to move on given their current deals as is Hastings.
I might be missing something but I’ve never seen such strong takes from so many people about a club letting go as you described them 2 minimum wage gap fillers.
With upgrades to young guys and guys on existing contracts there aren’t that many top 30 spots free especially if we can’t shift the 3 names mentioned above, you have Schiller and Matt Arthur coming in already, Sebastian Sua, Cody Hopwood, Tom Cant and probably Kyle McCarthy all getting elevated add in Annan and Manuleleua who O’Sullivan has personally recruited thats 8 new additions to the top 30, say we re-sign Jones and Croker we probably don’t have room in the squad to sign anyone else.

 

[Apey]

I'd keep Brodie Jones as a cheap backup. I do like Croker but I'm not convinced he'll ever be a good+ first grader.

 

[aqua_duck]

I'd keep Brodie Jones as a cheap backup. I do like Croker but I'm not convinced he'll ever be a good+ first grader.

I’d love to keep both on 2nd tier contracts, Croker is abit of a weird one because in NSW cup his biggest asset is his work rate and ability to play big minutes but he’s probably just below the level needed to be starting middle in the NRL so it’s tough for him to have a big impact from the bench.
Jones at this point is a useful bench/squad player, he’s the quintessential Newcastle junior scouts wet dream, not overly big, not overly fast, not overly aggressive or skillful but tries hard and seems coachable

 

[Yosh]

Brailey and Hethrington are still under contract and might be hard to move on given their current deals as is Hastings.
I might be missing something but I’ve never seen such strong takes from so many people about a club letting go as you described them 2 minimum wage gap fillers.
With upgrades to young guys and guys on existing contracts there aren’t that many top 30 spots free especially if we can’t shift the 3 names mentioned above, you have Schiller and Matt Arthur coming in already, Sebastian Sua, Cody Hopwood, Tom Cant and probably Kyle McCarthy all getting elevated add in Annan and Manuleleua who O’Sullivan has personally recruited thats 8 new additions to the top 30, say we re-sign Jones and Croker we probably don’t have room in the squad to sign anyone else.

Regardless of how it all works out, the intent to move on the deadwood on big cap space is clearly evident. At worst the names you mentioned will be gone by the end of 2025.

I think it's perfectly fine for supporters to root for up and coming players who are at the bottom of the players list. If they were demanding 500k or something like that then that's an issue. Both Jones and Croker seem like great characters to have around the club, will be in minimum wage and don't let us down when they play.

If we lose them, not the end of the world but personally I'm rooting for them.

 

[Apey]

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

View attachment 94380

Fantastic news. Three of our most talented juniors.

 

[aqua_duck]

Regardless of how it all works out, the intent to move on the deadwood on big cap space is clearly evident. At worst the names you mentioned will be gone by the end of 2025.

I think it's perfectly fine for supporters to root for up and coming players who are at the bottom of the players list. If they were demanding 500k or something like that then that's an issue. Both Jones and Croker seem like great characters to have around the club, will be in minimum wage and don't let us down when they play.

If we lose them, not the end of the world but personally I'm rooting for them.

Up and coming? Both are in their mid 20s now, Jones will be 27 next year and has been a first grader for 5 years, I think the term up and coming is well and truely passed for him.
I’m not saying don’t root for them but I think you can root for them as well as accept that maybe we need to shift the structure of our squad (more depth in backs and edge backrowers and fewer bench middles).
I’d love for us to be able keep Jones and Croker on second tier deals but I also think we need to have some top 30 spots available to make some moves.

 

[perverse]

Up and coming? Both are in their mid 20s now, Jones will be 27 next year and has been a first grader for 5 years, I think the term up and coming is well and truely passed for him.
I’m not saying don’t root for them but I think you can root for them as well as accept that maybe we need to shift the structure of our squad (more depth in backs and edge backrowers and fewer bench middles).
I’d love for us to be able keep Jones and Croker on second tier deals but I also think we need to have some top 30 spots available to make some moves.

The reality is that keeping them will start to hold back talents like Hopwood sooner rather than later. Tyrone Thompson will be looking for game time eventually, too. Next year it might feel a little bit skinnier with middles, but by 2026 we won't remember Brodie Jones and Mat Croker.

My hope is that instead of keeping below-average squad fillers around, we're bringing through young talent playing above their pay grade/providing roster options into the future.