Rumoured targets thread

[billy2]

It is when they've shown about 6 weeks of quality footy in their entire career for 20-30 mins a match, had tonnes off field issues and is comming back from numerous reoccuring series injuries.

That sounds like a wrap up of Fui Fui's early career.

 

[Yosh]

If Liki does go who will play centres next year?

Tahu (injured plenty)
Sau (personally i'm not convinced he is a premiership winning centre)
Wes (if he improves on his 2011 form he'll be amazing)
Mata'utia (looking the goods but not proven)

Liki looked almost first grade quality in the games he played. Sure he made some stupid decisions in defense but he'll only get better I thought.

 

[rnb11]

I'm sure McKinnon will be selected at centre before he gets selected in the backrow so there's another one. 5 centres with first grade experience is plenty, if we go through all them next year this injury curse of ours is gonna scare the shit out of me.

 

[billy2]

We have 5 backline positions next year.

Boyd, Uate, McManus and Sau are lockins for 4 of them.

The last position is a fight between Tahu, Wes Naiqama, Kev Naiqama, Pete Mata'utia, McKinnon and Likiliki.

Basically we have 10 guys for 5 positions - not counting Gidley.

At hooker we have Buderus we hope, Hilder, and a bunch of young and injury prone guys who are a long way from firstgrade.

I'd swap Liki for a Hooker worth the same money in a minute, not because he isn't a potential star, but because we need a hooker more.

 

[perverse]

i'd say Wes is almost guarenteed first crack at a centre spot. he signed on the dotted line under that very premise, with the Dragons waving the fullback carrot in front of him during contract negotiations.

easy to forget how awesome he was playing before his injury. would have been one of our best this year.

1. Boyd
2. McManus
3. Sau
4. Wes
5. Aku

would be pecking order going into pre-season i would think. from there, who knows... things change, people get injured.

 

[Joker's Wild]

The hooker situation baffles me the most

We let go of De Gois, have yet to claim Bedsy and are left with 2 part timers and a few untested jnrs.

Im sure Wayne has a plan but it still makes me a little anxious

 

[perverse]

i still haven't given up hope of Gidley moving to hooker, yet... however unlikely it might be.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Well realistically he is one of the part timers I have mentioned cause as of now no coach has given him a full time hooking role.

It'd be a gamble giving him the 9 from the season get go

 

[perverse]

no bigger gamble than giving it to Buderus or a rookie, imo.


OOoooOOoooooOOoo, perverse doubted Bedsy, grab your torches and pitchforks!

 

[Joker's Wild]

Which is exactly whats got me anxious. No real solid option

 

[perverse]

i'm not anxious, because we do have options. none are proven, that's a fair assessment... but we have a lot of options lined up to try... enough to see us through next year anyway. if it doesn't work out, then we look elsewhere i guess.

there are a lot worse positions to be in than having 2 potentially great rookies waiting for a crack, one of your greatest probably coming back for a swansong and your captain a viable alternative if none of that is particularly effective.

 

[billy2]

Chris Adams was really playing well in our last few games of Centurions, and Chris Marlborough is a natural playmaker and defensive workhorse - but both of them played only about a third of the season due to injuries, and both missed most of last year as well.
Marls didn't train with firstgrade last year, and had to earn a spot for the Centurions during the trials. He really could be the guy we are looking for - very like Hilder in build and workrate, but he has the vision of a playmaker and a good kicking game.

 

[perverse]

and Redman?

 

[billy2]

and Redman?

The current Australian schoolboys hooker played his last 6 games or so at lock because he hasn't really picked up many dummy half skills in his 2 years in the position.

He has the defence and the motor to play 80 minutes and make 40 tackles, but Chris Knight makes him look like a beginer when it comes to dummy half skills.

Tyler Sullivan has been our starting hooker in NYC for over a month. He has a reputation as a soft defender, but he got that as a 16 year old playing NYC, and I think he is a different player at 19. He has everything needed. size, kicking game, speed, passing game.

Chris Knight is a fantastic dummy half - has been all through the grades. If he made firstgrade he would be the smallest player since the 70s i'd imagine. Maybe that Pita Godinet for the Warriors would be about the same size.

 

[perverse]

Sullivan would be an interesting option. kid has talent from what i've seen (which is limited).

shame about Redman, was hoping he was the most likely of the lot.

 

[billy2]

Sullivan would be an interesting option. kid has talent from what i've seen (which is limited).

shame about Redman, was hoping he was the most likely of the lot.

Sullivan, Redman and Knight are all available for NYC next year - and Bedsy will be doing master classes.
I wouldn't write any of them off yet, Redman especially. I've been calling Redman a future firstgrade captain for years because he has an amazing work ethic on and off the field.

 

[Bicey_18]

Cuthbertson looked damn good tonight.... he will look great in the red and blue

 

[billy2]

Cuthbertson looked damn good tonight.... he will look great in the red and blue

Hard to not put him in the top 17 on that form.

 

[Whats Doing]

Dell has tweeted that Cuthbo is on his way (apparently from the horses mouth).

Great pick up if true

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Cuthbo is a second phase play specialist. Our second phase is utter rubbish. It will be one big area Benny will improve. Everyone will be buzzing in 6 weeks when it all starts again but this time a master is pulling the strings.