Rumours and Stuff

[Twizzle]

* Center - Waqa Blake, Lattrell Mitchell, Esan Marsters, Matthew Wright,

Akafalou may be ready to step up next year, he seems to be doing everything right atm

 

[hindy111]

Akafalou may be ready to step up next year, he seems to be doing everything right atm

Noel or Dane

Noel is my tip for a better career

 

[Twizzle]

Noel is a bit young

 

[TheRam]

People we don't need whole sale changes to the backs. Signing Holmes, who is already on $850k at the Sharks, to play fullback when he has shown very little to justify $850k, would be very irresponsible and a massive gamble. If he isn't much better overall at fullback then his patchy form there so far, what do we do? Put him on the wing at that price, and have a disgruntled Aansta style of player?

As for the current backs, who are putting in average performances, that's what you get when your forwards can't break tackles and or offload the ball and therefore have the opportunity to attack unstructured defenses.

We need to fix our forwards first before we can make the right overall call on who if any of the backs are actually shit. We need at least 3 new forwards of size and quality, and a decent dummy half. If we get that I believe we are genuine contenders. My main concern, and issue is that I don't believe that BA knows his head from arse, harsh maybe but who gives a shit I'm pissed, and will tinker with the backs, and only sign one or 2 forwards, or just as bad, will try to get said forwards, but won't have the character or skill set to convince the quality ones to join the club.

There are 2 that I think he can get for less or around $500k and $700k that would change everything for this team, to join Junior, if true that he has already signed. They are Lodge and Tevita Pangai Junior. Now if I'm right, I would rather these two at say a combined $1.2m as apposed to $900k which is what it would cost to get Klemmer and then still be a quality forward short and still need to fork out upwards of $500k to get someone to come here. Remember, ready made quality players generally only move clubs for more coin.

So that saving would go to getting a quality hooker, if possible, someone like Api, who wouldn't be moving for less then around $600 or $700k. That is the reality. Klemmer would be a great buy, but all his abilities are already factored in and then some.

We should go for the standouts that are still to fulfil the limits of what they can be paid. Like the Knights did with Kalyn Ponga. So roughly that is where Lodge and TPJ is right now. The Broncos would struggle to keep all of their quality players who are off contract if we came in with substantial offers and both of these players are from NSW, not QLD so it wouldn't be that much of a mind f**k for them to move back down here.

I think it is doable if we have smart operators running the recruitment side of things. Lets see what we actually end up with.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Liam has the better voice.

 

[Eelementary]

We are lacking & require a quality

* Wing
* Center
* Backrower
* 5/8
* Hooker
* Middle forwards x 3

How we do this & who we chase i have no idea. We obviously need to off load some dead wood.

French,
Hoffman
George Jennings
Norman,
Mannah
Scott
Vave/Matagi
Kaysa/King
Gower.Evans/Teripo/Moeroa

My wish list would be

* Wing - Holmes, Fonua, Uate, Don, Mind you we do have GL, Akafolau coming through.

* Center - Waqa Blake, Lattrell Mitchell, Esan Marsters, Matthew Wright,

* Backrower - Fitzgibbon, Harawira-Naera, Kikau, Faitala-Mariner, Jaydn Su'A

* 5/8 - Todd Carney, Cody walker, Elgey, Austin, Or we use what we have, Salmon, Hayne, Gutho.
If Salmon not up to it. Hayne was great in world cup. Options until Dylan Brown develops

* Hooker - Manaia Cherrington, Levi, Until the likes of Mahoney, Schneider are ready

* Middle forwards - Tevta P Junior, Paulo, Klemmer, Matt Lodge, Sauaso Sue, Asofa Solomona,
Fonua-Blake, Taupau, Ah Mau, Bunty Afoa,

Only my opinion. But things need to change. ASAP

Esan Marsters re-signed with the Tigers, I think.

 

[hindy111]

Jack Hethrington....He looks a future star. Off contract and 250k-300k wpuld get him.

 

[Eelementary]

I'm not convinced we need to splash any money on a hooker, tbh - Pritchard is good enough, imo, until Mahoney and/or Schneider are ready.

I think the club is hoping to make Mahoney and/or Schneider our future at 9, and despite his flaws, I think Kaysa is good enough for another season or two.

Our biggest issues are (again, imo):

* 5/8 (Norman is a great player, imo, but he's been terrible for some time, and it is affecting Moses' game)

* big, bullocking tight forwards (I don't think we need 3 or more like most think; I think Paulo and Klemmer alone would transform this side)

* one hole-running edge forward (we have a world-class edge forward in Ma'u, but despite his defensive ability, Moeroa is not dependable enough in attack imo)

I reckon two tight forwards of bulk and power, a better 5/8 option, and a hole-running edge forward would change this side.

Then, come 2019 or 2020, Mahoney, Aukofolau, Fainga, etc. can make their marks on the squad.

But that's me.

 

[Eelementary]

https://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2018/05/21/eels-sign-junior-paulo/

 

[Eelementary]

Junior Paulo official.

 

[Avenger]

Good signing.

 

[Kornstar]

f**king great signing imo!

 

[Stagger eel]

it's a start, but let the steep climb begin...

we need a few more.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Isn’t Peter Sharp currently in a recruitment type role? Not sure.

Apparently but BA would be massively hands on Id reckon.
We need a core group of decision makers where there is massive trust. Im not sure we have that. I dont really know but im concerned BA may be a control freak and that never works.

 

[Eelementary]

Good signing.

I agree.

Klemmer would be really nice, too.

But a starting right forward group of:

8. Paulo
10. Mannah
13. Brown

Looks good to me.

Then you add Evan's from the bench, and all of a sudden, we have a much more balanced pack.

 

[Bazal]

Junior Paulo official.

We instantly look a more dangerous side with just that one signing.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Then again after the sh*t sandwich that was Pretty Boy Scott "Greenburg" Seward id be skeptical as well.

 

[Bazal]

Jack Hethrington....He looks a future star. Off contract and 250k-300k wpuld get him.

Why on Earth would you waste that much money on a fringe first grader? Because that's all he is this year and probably next.

And he's a lot like players we already have

I'd have him at 100-125k.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I reckon Hoffman is the player Buzz mentioned today (if there is any truth in it).

Norman wouId easily get close to his current contract on the open market.

Hoffman would make sense as he is no longer in our top 17, and I could see him being on something between $300-$400k and he probably could only get $150-200k on the open market now (thus half his contract)

 

[Twizzle]