Rumours and Stuff

[Poupou Escobar]

Mate there's a different situation at Parramatta - whilst the Storm may need a set of spark plugs and synthetic oil , Our club needs to throw everything out except for the seat covers

29 wins in two years says you’re wrong. Our failure this year is about something other than the quality of the roster. The fact we were among the premiership favourites at the start of the year, plus commentators and pundits talking up our squad proves the roster is far too good to come last. It is more likely that the coach has lost the dressing room than that the roster is suddenly f**ked. Personally I think a coach only needs to lose a couple of key personalities for this kind of capitulation to occur.

 

[Delboy]

Not sure why Max is copping a hammering over the cap, the cap is fully funded by the NRL. Would assume Bernie and BA are responsible as far as the cap itself is concerned, Max’s responsibility is the league club and the Requirements of the LGA.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We were 500k over for 2016, you seriously think that’s hampering us now, 2 years later .

It’s not how much we were over, it’s the fact we had to try and sign half a squad for 2017 when there were f**k all players left on the market.

As for vave and matagi, you’ve been banging on for 6 months that they’re only back ups on back up money. Now all of a sudden they are back ups on top 17 money???? Even if that were the case, is that the scandals fault, or BA’s for signing them on ludicrous deals????

They were signed as top 17 players but have become backups as other squad members have overtaken them. But you can’t just pay them less because they fall out of the top 17. You have to wait until their contracts expire.

 

[84 Baby]

It is more likely that the coach has lost the dressing room than that the roster is suddenly f**ked. Personally I think a coach only needs to lose a couple of key personalities for this kind of capitulation to occur.

I don't even think this is the case. At least wasn't to begin with, perhaps it is right now. I reckon the playing group and BA have mostly been fine i.e. no personality issues. Now things are right shitted then little annoying problems have become big, reason why we are losing problems.

We were probably a bit off pace in pre-season. This can be a year to year thing with players, especially in teams that outperformed expectations the previous season. It falls on BA for either not recognising it, or recognising and not adequately addressing it. AFL guy training & solo preseason match would have been fine if we were in right mindset, but we weren't, so they only compounded the problem (in hindsight it may have been better if Knights thumped us in preseason). We then start the first game on fire showing technically and planning wise we were fine, but bit of pressure quickly showed we were way off mark with fitness, exacerbated even more by (and in turn further exacerbating) our poor mindset. These issues flow through to round 2 where we get pumped and it snowballs from there. And each loss then makes it harder and harder to dig out of.

Injuries aside this roster shouldn't have been this bad at least, but the rot started in preseason (which probably didn't help the injuries either) and it's now up to whether BA & whoever is still at club next year to shake off this season and build better next season. Realistically this year is our 2019 preseason

 

[Gronk]

Not sure why Max is copping a hammering over the cap, the cap is fully funded by the NRL. Would assume Bernie and BA are responsible as far as the cap itself is concerned, Max’s responsibility is the league club and the Requirements of the LGA.

Merkins need a scapegoat.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I still shake my head at us not being the main contender in getting Woods. The guy took a $200k haircut to get out of the kennel and the Sharks signed him for $450k. Now that is a bargin, bargin.

Surely we could have offered $550k and nabbed him? The talks had stalled at a reported low ball of $450k and the Dogs were not going to release him due to it not making much economic sense for them, until Woods himself sacrificed the $200k to get out of there.

We are the club that is in a rebuilding faze and in desperate need of big skillful bodies just like what he offers. What a negative sign shown once again by our club.

We already have a few players signed of a similar style to Woods. Bringing him in would have pushed one of them (and their top 17 salary) out of the top 17. That's poor use of the cap.

Paulo is the type of forward we need and that's what we spent our money on. And yes he might be on overs but what other choice did we have?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I am not writing him off. I am just not jumping up and down with excitement over his signing.

Nobody is doing that either. So why carry on like a dick about it?

But yes, there is potential there that I will be hoping that he fulfils.

If he becomes a top 17 option without costing too much then it will be a good signing. I'm certainly not expecting the second coming of Andrew Fifita.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Wow, what a back flip. Hypocrite much. Jeez you're full of shit.

Backflip? Please show me what comment made you think I had a different opinion previously?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Well if you claiming they’re on top 17 money but are only back ups, what’s that have to do with the scandal of ‘16?

Because 2016 is when we had to start signing players after we knew our cap position, which didn't happen until nearly every off contract merkin had signed somewhere for 2017. Guys like Vave and Matagi were available because they are fringe first graders. Not backups, and not legit first graders. They are the sort of player who lies somewhere in between, meaning they are top 17 in shit squads (or in the UK) or backups in strong squads. They are both worth a fair bit more than minimum salary.

When will BA be held accountable for us being 3 wins up, half way thru a season.

Well he is accountable. What, does he need to be sacked? What will that fix? He proved he can coach right through until this year. Whatever is wrong with the team is his job to fix, not automatically get sacked for. You don't even know if it's his fault.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Google it and you will see articles at 2.4 then 2.8 then 3mill.....Which is correct?
Id split it and say around 2.75

Probably something like $600k next year and $750k in 2022.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You’d be the captain/coach of the dumb footy fan argument team.

You'd be head of dumb footy fan operations.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Let’s not forget we only signed Matagi as our starting prop Wicks decided he wanted to drink piss and play park footy with his mates late in the year.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I know we all have different opinions on where the squad is at the moment and whether we can turn it around during an off-season.

If my opinion we aren’t that far away, we have played all the current top 8 sides except roosters and storm (sharks twice, broncos, Penrith twice, dragons, warriors) and apart from 40 mins against Souths, we were still in each game during the last 10. With some luck (and less injuries) we could have won any of those games, some off the games we scored the same tries as the opposition.

 

[hindy111]

Yeah we where in a lot of them but never realy looked the goods.

Anyhows if Evans come and had a HUGE season like we where hoping and Hayne stayed fit along with Brown we wouldnt be in this mess.

Jennings if the team was firing would be playing well. Type of player he is. Confidence player. Its just been a merkin of a year. Has there been a round where the same side run out 2 weeks in a row?

And i still can see MJ playing some decent footy tbh. My biggest concern would be Evans, Getting hoffman off books and where to play Gutherson and Bevan.

 

[hindy111]

Let’s not forget we only signed Matagi as our starting prop Wicks decided he wanted to drink piss and play park footy with his mates late in the year.

I still never realy beleived that story tbh. Makes little sense to me at all. I always felt like something went down and club gave him a nice exit. This is all just imagination though and I am not suggesting something did.

 

[hindy111]

Hook about to get hooked.
A club with HIGH standards always looking to improve . Envious

 

[gaffer]

2017 squad virtually the same as this years but we're spooners Is it because we have lost all the support staff that mattered Who was the bright spark that decided that the AFL guy could condition league players better then the cougar

 

[Happy MEel]

Nobody is doing that either. So why carry on like a dick about it?

If he becomes a top 17 option without costing too much then it will be a good signing. I'm certainly not expecting the second coming of Andrew Fifita.

The second coming of Andrew Fifita was David. I hope he turns out better than him.

 

[Noise]

It is more likely that the coach has lost the dressing room than that the roster is suddenly f**ked.

Now you're getting it!

 

[Noise]

Paulo? I think emjaycee said it was apparently around 2.6mill? He's usually got good info

I think MJC also said that Lane won't be on backup money. In fact likely top 17