Rumours and Stuff

[Bazal]

I reckon Boyd will just put up his Australian jersey and say "Pay me". Plus I'd be very wary of getting 2 players from Canberra with the way they are going

That'd be my worry. He's been poor since that 2016 season IMO (and even then I thought he was overrated), although like I said he has improved to start this season. Is it genuine improvement, or is it because he's rejected the Raiders offer and is on the open market?

Much rather an Ah Mau, and then an NAS than Boyd

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Yeah if we could grab Ah Mau and Paulo, and sign a big youngster to a cheap-ish deal like Emry Pere or bring back Tui I'd be very happy. Then have a big dip at NAS next season.

Boyd for the right price would be ok, but honestly someone more desperate will spend on him what we've spent on Paulo

If Paulo is signed, I can’t see us throwing good top 17 money for another middle player like Ah mau. Probably looking for more cheapie type middle players.

But still think we are looking for a quality edge player.

Tui would be a good project player for BA.

 

[84 Baby]

That'd be my worry. He's been poor since that 2016 season IMO (and even then I thought he was overrated), although like I said he has improved to start this season. Is it genuine improvement, or is it because he's rejected the Raiders offer and is on the open market?

Much rather an Ah Mau, and then an NAS than Boyd

I'd take any of the players I'd listed over Boyd, including the shit Burgii, the backwards man Napa or Old Man Scott. And yes to @Glenneel I'd risk getting none of them compared to overpaying for Boyd. Obviously underpaying for Boyd would change the comparison a lot

 

[Bazal]

If Paulo is signed, I can’t see us throwing good top 17 money for another middle player like Ah mau. Probably looking for more cheapie type middle players.

But still think we are looking for a quality edge player.

Tui would be a good project player for BA.

I can if we let go a few guys like Matagi, Vave, Terepo and Gower as we should...I think it will be necessary, not just an option

Ah Mau is a good mid-priced option IMO.

 

[84 Baby]

If Paulo is signed, I can’t see us throwing good top 17 money for another middle player like Ah mau. Probably looking for more cheapie type middle players.

But still think we are looking for a quality edge player.

Tui would be a good project player for BA.

Yeah I'd probably chase Kamikamica or Pangai over Ah Mau, even though I think Ah Mau would be an easier fit

 

[Glenneel]

Meow....

Sorry Baz but that was my attempt to denigrate you, which I rarely do, but by that response it really is your situation. So I'll apologise again as I didn't realise.

 

[Bazal]

Sorry Baz but that was my attempt to denigrate you, which I rarely do, but by that response it really is your situation. So I'll apologise again as I didn't realise.

Nah, I just don't think you're worth a long winded response.

I can have a crack, if you'd like? It'd be half hearted, of course, but probably still more scathing than anything you could dream up.

Dunno if I could be bothered waiting three days for a response, though.

 

[84 Baby]

I can if we let go a few guys like Matagi, Vave, Terepo and Gower as we should...I think it will be necessary, not just an option

Ah Mau is a good mid-priced option IMO.

Scott off contract too. I reckon BA will only be looking to re-sign any of them late in the piece and to moderate contracts

 

[Bazal]

Scott off contract too. I reckon BA will only be looking to re-sign any of them late in the piece and to moderate contracts

I forgot Scott.

So I definitely reckon we'll be looking at a guy like Ah Mau (although not necessarily Ah Mau himself, could be TPJ as rumoured) because we've got five first grade middle forwards off contract.

Paulo, Ah Mau or similar, and then a youngster or two either from inside or outside the club. Maybe re-sign one of Matagi, Vave, Gower on a modest deal if we have the money. Goodbye to the rest.

 

[Glenneel]

So you want us to sign Boyd, f**k our cap, so in 2 to 3 years you can whinge how our stuffed cap is preventing us from keeping our juniors !!

Well BA has apparently spent money to buy players, look at the Paulo rumours!! And apparently we are looking at another forward too.

Who said rort the cap? Already tried that with little success. We can't maintain the status quo as nothing will happen so have to spend.

We'll be letting a fair few players go end of this year which should free up a couple million I'd guess. Doubt we'd keep Hayne but if we do surely he'll be cheaper. If we can't buy at least 2 decent middle forwards, a decent hooker and perhaps a big winger with the money we must be very poor managers then. Fill the excess spots up with juniors on minimum pay.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

Apparently all our juniors are shit as BA has promoted almost nobody from our juniors. However it seems to me that BA is terrified of making a mistake so sticks with his tried and tested players even if they are out of form and the club is playing like shit.
Nearly every coach, experienced coaches that is, promotes their juniors into their teams and gives them a go. Look at what Bennett has done, his team is filled with juniors promoted over the last few years, same with Bellemy and nearly every coach does it except so it seams BA. If BA had done so I sure some of them would have succeeded, rather than running around in other teams NRL squads. Unless he starts promoting we'll continue to lose promising juniors. Besides, why spend about $1m/yr on developing juniors if you're not going to use them?

Ever think that our best juniors are too young to be promoted for first grade. Just because a 19 year old isn't good enough to make first grade now doesn't mean that they won't be good enough next year or the year after, or in some cases a few years down the road. If we persist with the current set-up we'll be seeing a flood of juniors coming into contention for a top 30 spot I'd say from 2020 onwards. But don't fret there'll be a few young players that will be in the top 30 next year: Mahoney, Stone, Salmon, Aukafolau, Leleisiuao. Depending on how recruitment pans out one may be promoted this year into the top 30.

You compare us with the likes of the Broncos and Storm but they've had professional set-ups for a lot longer than we have. The Broncos it's a no-brainer basically, every kid up in QLD wants to play for the Broncos or Cowboys. Our system started somewhat in 2012 but wasn't at its best until about 2015.

 

[Bazal]

Ever think that our best juniors are too young to be promoted for first grade. Just because a 19 year old isn't good enough to make first grade now doesn't mean that they won't be good enough next year or the year after, or in some cases a few years down the road. If we persist with the current set-up we'll be seeing a flood of juniors coming into contention for a top 30 spot I'd say from 2020 onwards. But don't fret there'll be a few young players that will be in the top 30 next year: Mahoney, Stone, Salmon, Aukafolau, Leleisiuao. Depending on how recruitment pans out one may be promoted this year into the top 30.

You compare us with the likes of the Broncos and Storm but they've had professional set-ups for a lot longer than we have. The Broncos it's a no-brainer basically, every kid up in QLD wants to play for the Broncos or Cowboys. Our system started somewhat in 2012 but wasn't at its best until about 2015.

Sounds like f**ken excuses to me!!

We should be signing current SOO players and making them 19 years old again!!

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I can if we let go a few guys like Matagi, Vave, Terepo and Gower as we should...I think it will be necessary, not just an option

Ah Mau is a good mid-priced option IMO.

But we still need to replace those 4 in the squad, and if we replace with only 1 player which costs what we paying 2 maybe 3 of those players it reduces our depth quality.

We already have Evans, Alvaro, Mannah, Brown, Moeroa (been playing more middle this year) and probably Paulo all on top 17 money.

We may be able to afford to spend some cap on another quality middle forward but doubt it would be anywhere near $400/$500k.

BTW I would keep Peni for the right price, decent back up. And Gower may have another year in him on a small contract but surely he could get a good deal in the UK.

 

[Glenneel]

Other potential targets for mine should be Ah Mau (basically a better version of Matagi), Kamikamica (better version of Terepo) & Funguy Jnr (wary of his price tag) but also have a look to next seasons free agent because ATM the forward stocks there are stacked! The Burgii, Campbell-Gillard, the Kaufusii, Kikau, Napa*, M. Scott*, NAS, Hess, Sorensen, Tapine, Tetevano. You don't want to do your dough on a Shannon Boyd only to completely price yourself out of that market

I've mentioned Boyd as an example as would come reasonably cheap I'd guess. Definitely cheaper than Pangi (who probably is a better player). If money not a concern definitely go after Pangi then. All I'm saying is not put the cheque book away after buying one decent middle forward, we need at least two.

 

[Glenneel]

Yeah but I simplified it to match their own level of simplicity

As usual bitch, criticise and complain without offering a solution. So Bazal and 84 which junior is good enough and big enough to partner Paulo?

 

[TheRam]

Our genuine potentially good juniors are all comparatively young and we also have a lot of relatively young players in our top 17. There is also the fact pre-BA, I don't know if you remember, but WE WERE COMPLETELY SHIT! BA's options were to promote our youth into the team and hope they come good despite not really having much peer experience to guide them (see Newcastle as to how that went because until this season when they brought in a whole bunch of outsiders they were also shit), or sign a whole bunch of moderate players to help fix it. Are you suggesting he failed there? Really the only juniors from around that period we would have liked back are Twal and maybe Asiata & Seeyoumanareafunguy and only very recently Eisenhuth, plus this season the only players in our top 30 (assuming they are top 28 and unknown who and if we have filled 29 & 30) are Niukore, Davis & Vave, so it isn't like he isn't spreading game time around, it's just the rules have changed and he's limited to who he can play. In fact, there's some rumour that our 29th player is either Louganis or Mahoney and that they were very close to being called up.
I do agree though that the time is coming up for him to adapt and possibly make some very tough decisions

I think that people still don't get it when I read statements like these. My concern isn't only with the identification and retention of juniors playing in our immediate lower grades, but in the scouting of juniors in our entire catchment area.

For there to be more or less only the quality of those sorts of players that you mentioned above coming through since basically the Hayne period of juniors is very ordinary for a club like ours. We are the second largest junior base. We should be producing at least 1 or 2 STANDOUT 1st grader/SOO/Oz rep potential player every min 2-3 years. We have produced none in around a decade. I think Tony Williams or maybe another player from around then was the last one and we couldn't hold onto him during his best years.

I expect a lot better from our club. Look at the Panthers. Gus had to go in there and rejig the whole joint and you guys pay him out constantly, but his club is killing it junior wise. Hell maybe even the Sharks are braining it in junior development compared to us at the moment.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

This is his 5th year in the job. Has anything appeared to have changed in those years? Honestly we'd be better off buying players to provide instant (or next year) impact rather than waiting 5 years for something to happen.

Going by last year. 2017: Our 20s were grand-finalists with a relatively young squad, 2012: we came 15th. 2017: Our 18's won the national final after winning the NSW premiership (something we hadn't done since 2007), 2012: they didn't make the 8. So yeah I'd say things have improved since the pre-BA era.

 

[84 Baby]

I've mentioned Boyd as an example as would come reasonably cheap I'd guess. Definitely cheaper than Pangi (who probably is a better player). If money not a concern definitely go after Pangi then. All I'm saying is not put the cheque book away after buying one decent middle forward, we need at least two.

I highly doubt Boyd will move cheaply to anyone, but you're correct that probably neither will Pangai. And I agreed that we're probably looking at another forward, even suggested a few, but also stated we may not be looking for one, particularly a big name expensive one until next year when there'll be a shitload available

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I think that people still don't get it when I read statements like these. My concern isn't only with the identification and retention of juniors playing in our immediate lower grades, but in the scouting of juniors in our entire catchment area.

For there to be more or less only the quality of those sorts of players that you mentioned above coming through since basically the Hayne period of juniors is very ordinary for a club like ours. We are the second largest junior base. We should be producing at least 1 or 2 STANDOUT 1st grader/SOO/Oz rep potential player every min 2-3 years. We have produced none in around a decade. I think Tony Williams or maybe another player from around then was the last one and we couldn't hold onto him during his best years.

I expect a lot better from our club. Look at the Panthers. Gus had to go in there and rejig the whole joint and you guys pay him out constantly, but his club is killing it junior wise. Hell maybe even the Sharks are braining it in junior development compared to us at the moment.

So what regular/potential origin player has Gould developed since he returned to the Panthers?

Not many, actually the only one is probably RGC (he didn’t scout Cleary !)

Gould has had a pretty decent player turnover during his years.

 

[Bazal]

As usual bitch, criticise and complain without offering a solution. So Bazal and 84 which junior is good enough and big enough to partner Paulo?

Why would a junior partner him? Alvaro will likely continue to start and do the defensive work Paulo won't do, which will allow Paulo to run hard.