Rumours and Stuff

[hindy111]

We lose against souths and we more then likely drop to 14th.

 

[hineyrulz]

We also have the smallest starting front row in the comp as well.

 

[Forty20]

Hoffman is fine in a vacuum for mine. Plenty of great backlines carry an average player. The issue lies in the fact that we are losing the ruck far too much. Isaac De Gois and Danny Wicks were probably bigger losses than anyone is giving credit for in that sense.

 

[chiefy1]

I think the pressing issue with us is a starting frontrow, we simply don't have one at the moment

Can't cry over spilt milk but fmd, we offered Jnr peanuts compared to his value atm. And if you couldn't have tipped this improvement, you shouldn't be in the game.

If it's true we offered him 550, it's no wonder he took the Raiders offer.
Plays 60 minutes and 150 -200 intimidating + meters and gives that starting momentum - that's what it's all about that first hit up carry - you get dominated and the set is f**ked.

Try getting another prop that has similar stats for 550. They'll laugh in your face.

It's an absolute disgrace that we offered him that deal. It's amateurish.

 

[hindy111]

Hoffman is fine in a vacuum for mine. Plenty of great backlines carry an average player. The issue lies in the fact that we are losing the ruck far too much. Isaac De Gois and Danny Wicks were probably bigger losses than anyone is giving credit for in that sense.

My issue is have 2 small guys in our 1-5. Bevan amd Hoff means Semi is the only one of back 3 with size. Who goes next year.
Hoff is fine if have 4 big backs. I dont like the idea of 2 small guys. BA should of thought of when recruited. The guy never should of been more then 2 yrs. And with Taka extended we may be carrying 2 guys who wont be part of our backline next season.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Can't cry over spilt milk but fmd, we offered Jnr peanuts compared to his value atm. And if you couldn't have tipped this improvement, you shouldn't be in the game.

If it's true we offered him 550, it's no wonder he took the Raiders offer.
Plays 60 minutes and 150 -200 intimidating + meters and gives that starting momentum - that's what it's all about that first hit up carry - you get dominated and the set is f**ked.

Try getting another prop that has similar stats for 550. They'll laugh in your face.

It's an absolute disgrace that we offered him that deal.

Retrospect is 20/20. He was obviously our best prop, but he wasn't averaging 150-200 metres per game, nor 60 minutes per game at the time the Raiders tapped him up. 550k at the time was hardly lowballing him. And of course, he was facing criminal charges at the time.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Everyone is an expert in hindsight. Even Chiefy.

 

[Avenger]

BA's recruiting big name players in their prime is poor. We only ended up with Foran after initially offering him the famous $1 million a year exit clause whenever you feel like it.

 

[chiefy1]

Retrospect is 20/20. He was obviously our best prop, but he wasn't averaging 150-200 metres per game, nor 60 minutes per game at the time the Raiders tapped him up. 550k at the time was hardly lowballing him. And of course, he was facing criminal charges at the time.

No way it's hindsight 20/20 that's absolute bullshit mate. Ricky Stuart saw his potential and many other critics did as well. Mate he was 21 years of age and already streets ahead of any prop we had at that time, do you really think Jnr would plateau out and not improve.


And not only that, Jnr has not even reached his potential by a very long stretch.

Disgraceful.

You don't have to be Einstein to know Jnr would improve. Honestly.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Mannah and Vave would be on as much as Paulo between them and are giving similar attacking output plus better defence.

 

[Avenger]

Mannah and Vave would be on as much as Paulo between them and are giving similar attacking output plus better defence.

No they are not. You can't just add two players stats together and say they are better than Paulo.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

No way it's hindsight 20/20 that's absolute bullshit mate. Ricky Stuart saw his potential and many other critics did as well. Mate he was 21 years of age and already streets ahead of any prop we had at that time, do you really think Jnr would plateau out and not improve.

Stupid post Barry honestly.

And not only that, Jnr has not even reach his potential by a very long stretch.

Disgraceful.

OK Get personal you f**kwit.

 

[hindy111]

No way it's hindsight 20/20 that's absolute bullshit mate. Ricky Stuart saw his potential and many other critics did as well. Mate he was 21 years of age and already streets ahead of any prop we had at that time, do you really think Jnr would plateau out and not improve.

Stupid post Barry honestly.

And not only that, Jnr has not even reached his potential by a very long stretch.

Disgraceful.

You don't have to be Einstein to know Jnr would improve. Honestly.

So..... Would you rather Jnr or Vaughn?

 

[chiefy1]

Mannah and Vave would be on as much as Paulo between them and are giving similar attacking output plus better defence.

That's like saying Evans and Lui are on the same money as JW Hargreaves is - so do you get rid of Hargreaves to keep the two bench players - A. No.

Doesn't add up.

 

[chiefy1]

OK Get personal you f**kwit.

Your right, I shouldn't have made it personal.

Cheers.

 

[Forty20]

The point about size in the backline isn't an unfair one hindy but we sure do like to have it both ways as fans. The rumoured interest in Kyle Feldt - your prototypical big winger - was panned to kingdom come. Nofoaluma, who many fans clamored for, is a powerful runner once he gets downhill but he is anything but a big winger.

The Storm (Addo-Carr), Broncos (Kahu), Sharks (Beale) and Dragons (Nightingale) all carry smaller wingers. Manly have a pair of compact flankers that are powerful but have the vertical and lateral shortcomings that come with the frame. Dugan and Trbojevic certainly conform to your modern athletic profile for a back but Darius Boyd and Valentine Holmes are actually closer to the mid-range while some nuffie called Billy Slater is famously undersized.

French's biggest issue, asides from standing to benefit from another pre-season gym gains, is simply needing to pin his ears back and work between two kick-chasers instead of letting them get a good play at him. The ruck work from our outside backs in general has been alright. Hoffman is actually serviceable in that regard (far from great I know though) while Jennings and Radradra (and one of Takairangi or Auva'a) often provide quality runs.

It is all a lot of words to say that I agree that we could certainly improve our backline but it isn't really that bad either. The single greatest gains we will see will come in addressing our front row.

 

[chiefy1]

So..... Would you rather Jnr or Vaughn?

Well if you'd have asked anyone 6 months ago it would have been Jnr, but there's no doubt Vaughn has been awesome.

I don't think any team could afford both, but any one would give you that set momentum.

All teams need a spearhead prop - we don't.

If you have that mentality that we could get two for one, the team would be full of average players.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

No they are not. You can't just add two players stats together and say they are better than Paulo.

Sure you can. If Junior Paulo is taking X number of minutes and Y number of runs then those are minutes and runs that other players aren't taking. Are his runs that effective? Looking at his per run output (metres, tackle breaks, offloads, LBAs, et al) it's no better than if you had other players making those runs.

 

[hindy111]

Well if you'd have asked anyone 6 months ago it would have been Jnr, but there's no doubt Vaughn has been awesome.

I don't think any team could afford both, but any one would give you that set momentum.

All teams need a spearhead prop - we don't.

If you have that mentality that we could get two for one, the team would be full of average players.

I am just showing that coaches also get it wrong. Ricky didnt need Jnr. He had as good or better a prop already.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Your right, I shouldn't have made it personal.

Cheers.

No problem mate.

I was just disagreeing. I think the bigger mistake with Paulo thing was that we didn't seriously try to find another good big guy to replace him (Vave is fine as a bench player, but not a starting prop). It's like we took a punt on the game switching toward a smaller forward's game. Which it patently isn't.