Rumours and Stuff

[Chipmunk]

It'll be interesting anyway.

Moving on from that, having a look at off contract lists and Agnatius Paasi is supposedly off contract. He'd be a great signing for us IMO.

If we could grab a winger (Feldt, Nofoaluma, Tupou), a secondary half (Widdop, Townsend, Bird, Roberts, Mason Lino, Ata Hingano), a guy like Peats and a guy like Paasi, we'd have a bloody good side.

Of course, that's a big if.

Paasi is no better than the best 4 middle forwards we already have

 

[Bazal]

Offers more metres per run more consistently than any of our middle forwards. People want a big, hard running middle forward? He's absolutely perfect. If we do have to or choose to replace Beau Scott at lock he'd be a great signing.

 

[Avenger]

Been thinking about it. We won't get him anyway not with Newcastle offering overs but I don't think Bird would be the right fit for Norman in the halves.

Townsend would probably be a better fit. Moses would be the perfect fit IMHO. Specialist right side half with a kicking game and goalkicker.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Offers more metres per run more consistently than any of our middle forwards. People want a big, hard running middle forward? He's absolutely perfect. If we do have to or choose to replace Beau Scott at lock he'd be a great signing.

We already have these forwards contracted for 2018:

8. Matagi
9. Kritchard
10. Mannah
11. Ma'u
12. Moeroa
13. Scott
14. Edwards
15. Brown
16. Alvaro
17. Vave

18. Morris

There's probably room in there for a player of Paasi's calibre, but you'd think if we signed any more forwards they would either be a genuine star or a few genuine backups. I'm wondering if we'll even be able to afford to retain Terepo given we can't offer a top 17 spot. Having a few 'cheap' first grade options like Matagi and Alvaro probably makes it possible, but really I'd expect the rest of the top 25 to be rounded out by guys like Twal and O'Brien.

 

[Bazal]

We already have these forwards contracted for 2018:

8. Matagi
9. Kritchard
10. Mannah
11. Ma'u
12. Moeroa
13. Scott
14. Edwards
15. Brown
16. Alvaro
17. Vave

18. Morris

There's probably room in there for a player of Paasi's calibre, but you'd think if we signed any more forwards they would either be a genuine star or a few genuine backups. I'm wondering if we'll even be able to afford to retain Terepo given we can't offer a top 17 spot. Having a few 'cheap' first grade options like Matagi and Alvaro probably makes it possible, but really I'd expect the rest of the top 25 to be rounded out by guys like Twal and O'Brien.

Not sure you've quite got the hypothetical nature of the discussion here, Pou....

 

[Bazal]

Also I personally would be less than impressed if we signed Moses unless we got him reasonably cheap. He and Brooks are, IMO, ridiculously overrated. And he's a rubbish defender, he'd have to work his arse off on fixing that.

Let someone else pay his stupid asking price.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Not sure you've quite got the hypothetical nature of the discussion here, Pou....

My hypothetical discussion tries to focus on realism. There is little chance we will be wasting money on top 17 quality players outside the top 17, and likewise Arthur's understands the importance of keeping the squad together - he isn't the type of coach to keep 'his' guys around until someone better comes along. We have immediate needs in next year's squad (wing, a second hooker if De Gois retires, and possibly another half) and I dare say those will be addressed with the bulk of the cap space we have spare.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Also I personally would be less than impressed if we signed Moses unless we got him reasonably cheap. He and Brooks are, IMO, ridiculously overrated. And he's a rubbish defender, he'd have to work his arse off on fixing that.

Let someone else pay his stupid asking price.

Moses was phenomenal last year. His defence wasn't too bad either.

 

[Noise]

Moses was phenomenal last year. His defence wasn't too bad either.

No LBAs this year.

 

[84 Baby]

Moses was phenomenal last year. His defence wasn't too bad either.

Did he defend on the same side as Simona?

 

[hindy111]

A high chance we would of went for Ash taylor if hadnt landed dam Foran.
Id rather we try and get a good up amd coming half then and over rated star wanting to use us to cash in.
Then bolster prop. Terepo, Gower,Obrien,Frank are off contract and Scott may not be here. We will have room in our pack.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

A high chance we would of went for Ash taylor if hadnt landed dam Foran.
Id rather we try and get a good up amd coming half then and over rated star wanting to use us to cash in.
Then bolster prop. Terepo, Gower,Obrien,Frank are off contract and Scott may not be here. We will have room in our pack.

Ash Taylor was never going to go anywhere uncle Wayne didn't approve, and there's no way in a million years he would have approved us.

 

[hybrideel]

How long until Dargan is ready. Do we really need a superstar half? One with a good kicking game who can lead the team around would take enough pressure off Norman would be enough, especially if we got a decent hooker

 

[Chipmunk]

Offers more metres per run more consistently than any of our middle forwards. People want a big, hard running middle forward? He's absolutely perfect. If we do have to or choose to replace Beau Scott at lock he'd be a great signing.

Attack is only 50% of the game.

 

[Chipmunk]

We already have these forwards contracted for 2018:

8. Matagi
9. Kritchard
10. Mannah
11. Ma'u
12. Moeroa
13. Scott
14. Edwards
15. Brown
16. Alvaro
17. Vave

18. Morris

There's probably room in there for a player of Paasi's calibre, but you'd think if we signed any more forwards they would either be a genuine star or a few genuine backups. I'm wondering if we'll even be able to afford to retain Terepo given we can't offer a top 17 spot. Having a few 'cheap' first grade options like Matagi and Alvaro probably makes it possible, but really I'd expect the rest of the top 25 to be rounded out by guys like Twal and O'Brien.

How about we f**k Terepo off and buy someone better.

 

[Bazal]

Attack is only 50% of the game.

Yeah but his defence is no worse than Edwards or Frank. He's not a tackling machine but he's a good enough defender

 

[oldmancraigy]

I'm way late to the party on Kritchard discussion, but:
Seems to me BA likes a hooker whose main role is leading the line speed in defence (Peats Degois Kritchard).
Running doesn't seem essential
Forward meterage is a big one.
Playing within limits in attack also seems big

I don't think Kritchard is very good, but I don't know who we could have snared to improve the spot in the off-season who would first and foremost lead defensive linespeed?

Would be great to get someone who is better at bringing forwards forward, but then again our guys win the meterage most times, so....

 

[IFR33K]

I'm way late to the party on Kritchard discussion, but:
Seems to me BA likes a hooker whose main role is leading the line speed in defence (Peats Degois Kritchard).
Running doesn't seem essential
Forward meterage is a big one.
Playing within limits in attack also seems big

I don't think Kritchard is very good, but I don't know who we could have snared to improve the spot in the off-season who would first and foremost lead defensive linespeed?

Would be great to get someone who is better at bringing forwards forward, but then again our guys win the meterage most times, so....

Too late OMC. Your opinion doesn't count.

 

[Glenneel]

On the cotric try, he ran past Gutherson, Gower and Brown who all didnt move up. On the other side Manu / Norman didn't push in,
Pritchard went up for the tackle and was brushed off. If Manu had moved across, he would have made the tackle after Pritchard slowed him down. The Brown missed a tackle on him.

That try really came about because of line speed slowing down and players holding back.

Also believe Scott getting treatment up field so had 1 less in defensive line, BUT how many times this season have refs stopped play when someone injured and not in way? Plenty, Broncos always get the cut of the green by refs with this, or am I a conspiracy theorist.

 

[Chipmunk]

Also believe Scott getting treatment up field so had 1 less in defensive line, BUT how many times this season have refs stopped play when someone injured and not in way? Plenty, Broncos always get the cut of the green by refs with this, or am I a conspiracy theorist.

Did our trainer signal to the referee to stop play?