Rumours and Stuff

[Obscene Assassin]

He went ok. Also had some great games where he had better form at Fullback then Bevan. People say against storm if Bevan played forgetting Smith was MOM for us or close too.
Atleast we know we have a handy fullback option in Smith. Personally I don't think he offers a great deal as a bench player other then giving the other guy a rest or covering for an injury anywhere from hooker to 1-7.
I am not sure Smith is part of our top 17 but if needed happy that he can do a job. He has never had a full season thought to train at hooker and as a utility so that may change his form also.

His versatility is his greatest asset to us, which is exactly why he'd be on the bench giving our better dummy half a rest or covering for an injury which he did a few games last year. I would personally have him on my bench but if BA does is another matter. I think he has a lot to offer and as you said training as a dummy half, or utility, could see him come out a completely different player, more than likely a better player.

 

[hineyrulz]

never trust a man with two first names

Plus he is bald.

 

[Glenneel]

BA loves french as a fullback ... i reckon he will strt the year there

Exactly I expect French to be a lock at fb and if playing well will stay there when Gutho returns. The backline will then be imo:
FB French
WG Hayne (Given roving commission like Semi)/Auva'a or GL(If fixes defensive issues)
CR Gutho/Mennings
HB Norman (Maybe Fish if gets injured or form drops)/Moses

If French not up to standard then Gutho to fb and French to wing with Hayne to centre but we have plenty of flexibility to move players around.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

WG Hayne (Given roving commission like Semi)/Auva'a or GL(If fixes defensive issues)

I'm pretty confident that Greg Lougainis will not play first grade this year.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I reckon this side would go ok:

1. Gutho
2. French
3. Taka
4. Jennings
5. Hayne
6. Norman
7. Moses
8. Mannah
9. King / Pritchard
10. Evans
11. Manu
12. Moeroa
13. Brown

14. Alvaro
15. T-Rex
16. Scott
17. Edwards

 

[T.S Quint]

I reckon this side would go ok:

1. Gutho
2. French
3. Taka
4. Jennings
5. Hayne
6. Norman
7. Moses
8. Mannah
9. King / Pritchard
10. Evans
11. Manu
12. Moeroa
13. Brown

14. Alvaro
15. T-Rex
16. Scott
17. Edwards

You can't have two players in the 9 jersey ffs!

 

[T.S Quint]

Would be a bold strategy though.
Wonder if we could get away with it.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Would be a bold strategy though.
Wonder if we could get away with it.

We'd probably get constantly penalised for markers not standing square

 

[T.S Quint]

It won't matter...all the players on the field will be at fullback anyway.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Exactly I expect French to be a lock at fb and if playing well will stay there when Gutho returns. .

Or a FB at Lock? Bit like Paul Taylor?

 

[lingard]

I'm expecting the following until Guth comes back;
1. Hayne
2. Kirisome
3. Jennings
4. Taka
5. French

Then when Guth is fit, he either is a straight swap for Taka and Taka goes to the bench, or Guth goes to fullback, Hayne to centre and Taka to bench

I thought BA said that French and Gutherson would be given first shot at fullback ahead of Hayne? With Gutherson out, doesn't that mean French at fullback for game one?

 

[Incorrect]

I thought BA said that French and Gutherson would be given first shot at fullback ahead of Hayne? With Gutherson out, doesn't that mean French at fullback for game one?

BA is full of shit...



He'll sort me out ...

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I reckon this side would go ok:

1. Gutho
2. French
3. Taka
4. Jennings
5. Hayne
6. Norman
7. Moses
8. Mannah
9. King / Pritchard
10. Evans
11. Manu
12. Moeroa
13. Brown

14. Alvaro
15. T-Rex
16. Scott
17. Edwards

That backline needs a player who will regularly ruck it out. It's why I'm leaning slightly towards Auva'a or even Gennings as a winger, which would mean Hayne to Taka's centre spot and Taka (or Will Smith) then to take Williams' spot on the bench.

There's so many options that we may even swap around that 17th player a little bit depending on who we're playing. If we want that size on the bench we can go with Williams. If we want a bit of height and ball playing ability in the forwards we can go with Taka and if we want a bit of speed around the ruck then we can bring in either Will Smith or Kaysa Pritchard (assuming that Cameron King is the starting dummy half).

Thinking about round 1 is very exciting.

 

[hindy111]

That backline needs a player who will regularly ruck it out. It's why I'm leaning slightly towards Auva'a or even Gennings as a winger, which would mean Hayne to Taka's centre spot and Taka (or Will Smith) then to take Williams' spot on the bench.

There's so many options that we may even swap around that 17th player a little bit depending on who we're playing. If we want that size on the bench we can go with Williams. If we want a bit of height and ball playing ability in the forwards we can go with Taka and if we want a bit of speed around the ruck then we can bring in either Will Smith or Kaysa Pritchard (assuming that Cameron King is the starting dummy half).

Thinking about round 1 is very exciting.

Loosing Semi and his hit ups are huge but taking Taka out is a double blow. Some of his carries when we where down and out where nothing short of inspirational.

 

[El Diablo]

Semi's on the loose?

 

[hindy111]

Semi's on the loose?

U bastard im a freakn son of an immigrant. My english isnt great.

 

[El Diablo]

where is Taka? looking for Semi?

 

[El Diablo]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/9fe571197c0d994e2d1d0b41917d6213

Sydney Roosters hire NRL’s salary cap auditor to stop innuendo about big-money signings

Phil Rothfield Sports Editor-at-Large, The Daily Telegraph
January 30, 2018 7:00pm

THE Sydney Roosters have hired the NRL’s most respected salary cap auditor to shut down the constant innuendo about their big-money signings of superstars James Tedesco, Cooper Cronk and Angus Crichton.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Ian Schubert, the man who exposed the Melbourne Storm scandal in 2010, started work at the Roosters on Monday as their salary cap compliance manager.

Cronk, Tedesco and Crichton joined the Roosters on multimillion-dollar contracts, triggering a huge fan backlash on social media and unfounded accusations the glamour club was rorting the cap.

Roosters supremo Nick Politis is fed up with the constant sniping.

“We’re actually well under the cap for this season,” Politis told The Daily Telegraph.

‘’Everyone is jealous of the Roosters. This has been going on for 50 years.

“But no-one knows the salary cap better than Schuey. That’s why we hired him. He’s across all of it.

“With any issues he knows who to speak to at the NRL and he’ll make sure we never have any problems.”

Schubert, who worked at the NRL as chief salary cap investigator for more than a decade, has a long association with the Roosters. The former Kangaroos winger played 122 games for the club.

The Roosters have lost Mitchell Pearce, Shaun Kenny Dowell, Michael Gordon, Connor Watson, Aidan Guerra, Jayden Nikorima and Kane Evans from last year’s roster.

Those players freed up more than $2 million of the cap and allowed for the signings of Cronk from Storm and Tedesco from the Wests Tigers.

The Roosters still insist they are around $750,000 under the cap for 2018.

Schubert and coach Trent Robinson will soon decide what do with the cap excess.

A number of players could be prepaid part of their 2019 contract money to soften the pressure of adding the blockbusting Crichton to next year’s salary cap.

The Roosters are in an awkward position with their chief executive Joe Kelly caught up in Manly’s salary cap investigation from his old job as Sea Eagles CEO.

He was issued with a breach notice last month and is fighting to clear his name.

Manly’s recruitment for the upcoming season has been stalled by the NRL’s investigation.

Coach Trent Barrett has been unable to sign a replacement at five-eighth for Blake Green until the NRL hands down a ruling.

 

[El Diablo]

The Roosters still insist they are around $750,000 under the cap for 2018.

lol

Schuey never caught anyone without a tip off

he said we were under too

 

[IFR33K]

Loosing Semi and his hit ups are huge but taking Taka out is a double blow. Some of his carries when we where down and out where nothing short of inspirational.

Semis hit ups were huge, but f**k me he was dropping the ball often, not far out from his try line.