Rumours and Stuff

[Avenger]

12 months ago I would have agreed Re Flanagan... But there's a bit of a stink about how he's gone about getting his results. The performance enhancers and then cap question marks all while he was involved...

Because no other coach in the NRL ever knows when the cap is being manipulated. Give me a break!

Flanno was just sloppy at it and tried to throw others under the bus.

He can coach though.

 

[Eelogical]

What is this bus that everyone keeps getting thrown under? I'm sure as hell glad that I didn't choose the Urban Transit Authority as a vocation when I was a young spider.

 

[lingard]

You're missing the point. High numbers of minutes and runs aren't the holy grail either. They are more of an indication of the player's importance to the team than an objective measure of his quality. Anyone can play 80 minutes if you just leave him out there, just like anyone can make 200 metres of you give him enough carries.

The question with Nrown is whether we still need him to play 80 minutes and make 20 carries (and therefore only contributing 40 tackles in defence). If we're able to give some of those carries to Paulo or Ma'u or the wingers then we can reduce Nrown's minutes and have him work harder in defence during them.

Unlike tackles, there's only a finite amount of minutes and runs to go around. Having one player taking more of them isn't necessarily a good thing, though it makes merkins jerk off over his stats.

This is why metres per carry and tackles per minute are more important than just metres and tackles. Because they give a picture of the cost (runs and minutes, respectively) of the output.

Um ……. that's exactly what I was saying.

 

[lingard]

Because no other coach in the NRL ever knows when the cap is being manipulated. Give me a break!

Flanno was just sloppy at it and tried to throw others under the bus.

He can coach though.

And he knows how to assemble an extremely good squad and, by the looks of it, can attract players.

 

[hindy111]

So, out of interest, what do you think is the difference between the Roosters, the Storm and us?

Genuine superstars. We have none.

 

[hindy111]

You're missing the point. High numbers of minutes and runs aren't the holy grail either. They are more of an indication of the player's importance to the team than an objective measure of his quality. Anyone can play 80 minutes if you just leave him out there, just like anyone can make 200 metres of you give him enough carries.

The question with Nrown is whether we still need him to play 80 minutes and make 20 carries (and therefore only contributing 40 tackles in defence). If we're able to give some of those carries to Paulo or Ma'u or the wingers then we can reduce Nrown's minutes and have him work harder in defence during them.

Unlike tackles, there's only a finite amount of minutes and runs to go around. Having one player taking more of them isn't necessarily a good thing, though it makes merkins jerk off over his stats.

This is why metres per carry and tackles per minute are more important than just metres and tackles. Because they give a picture of the cost (runs and minutes, respectively) of the output.

I like a lock who plays 80mins
Props who can give 35-40mins each
And 2nd rowers about 65mins each.
The bench would the be made up of a linebreaking 2nd rower, 2 powerfull running props and a working prop.

 

[Eelogical]

Genuine superstars. We have none.

Just kinda off the cuff, Sivo, Paulo, Mahoney, Gutho, and Lane are not that far off the pace with Nrown still to come back into the side. Doom and gloom.................

 

[hindy111]

Just kinda off the cuff, Sivo, Paulo, Mahoney, Gutho, and Lane are not that far off the pace with Nrown still to come back into the side. Doom and gloom.................

Storm have Munster and Cam. Roosters have latrel,cronk,teddy,cordner,crighton.

Do we have a game breaker? We have very good players pronkled here and there but not a game breaker like a Hayne or Semi.
Rare you win comps without one.

 

[lingard]

The clubs with ambition and self belief would be thinking about Bellamy.
Cam Smith will be retiring in the next 12 months so Bellamy will probably want a change. He is too young to retire from coaching and needs to win with a second team to prove he is one of the greats.

Bellamy, I'm sure, would be great. As would Robinson, Bennett, Hasler. And, sure, aim for them. I think Flannagan is a bit more realistic. But we certainly need a really successful or big name coach so that we can attract players. We also need a very well-established half and a charismatic forward or two to lead players like Tepi, Marata, Alvaro, Lane and Mahoney on to greater heights. With those things - a very good half, one or two charismatic forwards, and a big-name, successful coach - everything else would fall into place. How do you get those things? Spend a lot on three players, and a shit-load on a coach; and rely on an assembly line of junior talent coming through. That's what the Storm do. We're starting to see the junior talent coming through, but because we don't have any star players to guide and mentor them, they go backwards fast. If you put players like Marata Niukore or Tepi Moeroa in the sharks or Storm pack, they'd be challenging for rep honours by now. As it is, they are just floundering. If Brad Arthur seriously thought that Junior Paulo would be the player to bring the best out in our young forwards, he's dreaming. For four years, he's an absolute shit signing.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

If we are looking for a forward leader Jake T wouId be perfect, but he is no chance really. However he is off contract next year

 

[Eelogical]

Storm have Munster and Cam. Roosters have latrel,cronk,teddy,cordner,crighton.

Do we have a game breaker? We have very good players pronkled here and there but not a game breaker like a Hayne or Semi.
Rare you win comps without one.

Well, it's a team game after all. In the modern era it's all about analysis stats. Metres gained, tackles missed, robotic plays, errors made and weight of possession. I feel the ability to play genuine footy has been overtaken by $$$ and fear of failure. As a spectacle, NRL is manufactured for the masses.

 

[lingard]

Just kinda off the cuff, Sivo, Paulo, Mahoney, Gutho, and Lane are not that far off the pace with Nrown still to come back into the side. Doom and gloom.................

That is exactly the problem. To have your very best players "not too far off the pace" is nowhere near good enough to win a premiership. I realise that we can't just go out and buy two origin-level forwards and one origin-level halfback or five-eight tomorrow - but it's what we should be aiming at. It's what we need. (What every serious contender needs.) And I sincerely hope the management at Parramatta have the foresight to realise this and to plan for it. Here's hoping.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So, out of interest, what do you think is the difference between the Roosters, the Storm and us?

The amount they're spending on players, including junior 'development' (recruitment).

 

[lingard]

If we are looking for a forward leader Jake T wouId be perfect, but he is no chance really. However he is off contract next year

Exactly. We need to pay overs for players of that calibre. (We probably only need about two of them and a half/five-eight.)

 

[lingard]

The amount they're spending on players, including junior 'development' (recruitment).

Wrong. The amount they're spending on KEY players.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Um ……. that's exactly what I was saying.

Then you should have said it to someone else instead of me. Don't tell me shit I already know.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Exactly. We need to pay overs for players of that calibre. (We probably only need about two of them and a half/five-eight.)

Actually reckon we only need one, and by 2021 (when Jake T is available), I reckon there is a good chance Mahoney, Drown, Kaufusi (and potentially stone / stefo ), will all be close to that “leadership” type player.

Gee Drown at 18 and Mahoney at 21 have already shown great maturity/leadership for their age.

 

[Eelogical]

That is exactly the problem. To have your very best players "not too far off the pace" is nowhere near good enough to win a premiership. I realise that we can't just go out and buy two origin-level forwards and one origin-level halfback or five-eight tomorrow - but it's what we should be aiming at. It's what we need. (What every serious contender needs.) And I sincerely hope the management at Parramatta have the foresight to realise this and to plan for it. Here's hoping.

Just asking, did you expect the Eels to win a premiership this year or just improve marginally/significantly from 2018?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Wrong. The amount they're spending on KEY players.

I'm obviously not suggesting they pay top dollar for backups ffs

They probably have a dozen players earning $500k+ with probably a couple earning over a million. We probably only have four players earning more than half a million, with the highest on less than $800k.

 

[Incorrect]

If we are looking for a forward leader Jake T wouId be perfect, but he is no chance really. However he is off contract next year

A fantastic player. And not flash in the pan, proves himself week in week out... He would be your Adam Ritson type coup of a signing.

Saying all of that, Manly will match any offer or close enough to keep him on the northern beaches. Strikes me as the kind of guy who would legit forgo 100K a year to stay playing for Manly.... He'll be getting huge money wherever its coming from....