Rumours and Stuff

[gaffer]

I worked with a lot of big strong looking blokes but they would be useless and have nothing between theirs ears always thinking of something else like impure thoughts other than the job on hand

 

[Incorrect]

So gangs don’t terrorise innocent people? Fair to say, more than likely, both were c**ts.

Yeah whatever...

Manu Ma'u is a merkin
Matt Lodge is a merkin

Pretty sure we all think Mitchell Moses is a merkin

But there's different grades of c.unts. And Lodge is a merkin too far IMO

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Perhaps some, if not all of them, just need a change. Three of those players have played Origin. Moses on the other hand....

We are one of the best attacking teams in the comp this year, and Moses is a big part of that. We are also probably the worst defensive side. Moses surely doesn't help there but the biggest issue with our defence is our middle. Maloney won two premierships and played Origin and he's a worse defender than Moses. We need a middle defender with size and work rate, plus another centre who defends at NRL level. Mahoney needs help over 80 minutes as well.

 

[Chipmunk]

We are one of the best attacking teams in the comp this year, and Moses is a big part of that. We are also probably the worst defensive side. Moses surely doesn't help there but the biggest issue with our defence is our middle. Maloney won two premierships and played Origin and he's a worse defender than Moses. We need a middle defender with size and work rate, plus another centre who defends at NRL level. Mahoney needs help over 80 minutes as well.

I'm sure we'll have to endure 3 years of dribble being lead by Moses, so plenty of shit to come for you to get excited about

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Hopefully we can buy the players we need without paying too much for them. Moses is good enough to win a premiership. It's a team game.

 

[TheRam]

We need a strong middle forward or two that can run and defend well. We need another edge forward that can run and defend well and we need a centre that can run and defend well.

Oh and we may need another centre that can run and defend well before to long when Jennings pulls the pin.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Individually im sure most players are strong, fit and potentially good defenders. Its technique and structure thats missing while all that is coached is effort. "We need more effort".
Who goes low, who wraps up the ball, who wrestles players to their back, who leaves the tackle first, who goes to first and second marker. Players coached not to turn their back. How to mark up in defence. When to come in. When to hold. When to slide. In six years its pretty obvious we dont have a clue. Some weeks we go better because of greater effort. Effort can only cover so much. Effort cant always be maintained. New players will fall into the same issues. Money spent and the problems remain. How can a coach expect a 20 year old kid in his first season play 80 minutes and make 50 tackles each week. He talks of protecting Dylan Brown but he will burn out Mahoney. I just dont get it.
Its no coincidence Bellamy can get nuffys defending like champions.

 

[emjaycee]

We need a strong middle forward or two that can run and defend well. We need another edge forward that can run and defend well and we need a centre that can run and defend well.

Oh and we may need another centre that can run and defend well before to long when Jennings pulls the pin.

Just on our forwards, we definitely need 2 new middle forwards, though most probably we need 3.
From the current squad (incl. development players) the only ones worth keeping are Brown, Paulo, Kaufusi, Utoikamanu and possibly Stone. That means we need to replace Evans, Alvaro, Mannah and Terepo. Of those, only Mannah is off-contract although Alvaro has an option which he takes means we may struggle to bring in more than 1 more.

On the edge, the only definite keepers for mine are Ma'u, Lane and Fainga'a from the development squad. If we don't keep Moeroa, Davey, Niukore and Taka I won't lose any sleep. Gower is rumoured to be thinking about another year and if he did, I wouldn't be fussed because even at 34 years of age he is offering more than some of the guys 10 years younger and if he is happy to be a backup to cover for injuries occasionally, we could do a lot worse. Niukore is signed for 2020 so we will probably not shop him around, but I must say after 26 FG games I was hoping to see some more from him by now.

We need a fair dinkum alternative hooker/small middle forward to enable Mahoney to reduce his minutes back to 60 or so per game. With such an under-whelming forward pack though it is easy to see why we don't play a hooker on the bench.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Gotta disagree on Mannah. He was having a great year and I have absolutely no clue why he was dropped.

 

[hindy111]

Gotta disagree on Mannah. He was having a great year and I have absolutely no clue why he was dropped.

Agree. Even heard commentators mention how well he has played since coming from bench.
I honestly have little faith in BA and dissapointed he will be here for 2 more seasons.
For me 2022 is about our cap being in a good place and the best juniors still here.

 

[hindy111]

I also want to say sorry to Ram.
You where right about Tepai. He sure is a mobile and physical beast but he has not kicked on like I expected. Good for 70mtrs and 30 tackles...

 

[TheRam]

Just on our forwards, we definitely need 2 new middle forwards, though most probably we need 3.
From the current squad (incl. development players) the only ones worth keeping are Brown, Paulo, Kaufusi, Utoikamanu and possibly Stone. That means we need to replace Evans, Alvaro, Mannah and Terepo. Of those, only Mannah is off-contract although Alvaro has an option which he takes means we may struggle to bring in more than 1 more.

On the edge, the only definite keepers for mine are Ma'u, Lane and Fainga'a from the development squad. If we don't keep Moeroa, Davey, Niukore and Taka I won't lose any sleep. Gower is rumoured to be thinking about another year and if he did, I wouldn't be fussed because even at 34 years of age he is offering more than some of the guys 10 years younger and if he is happy to be a backup to cover for injuries occasionally, we could do a lot worse. Niukore is signed for 2020 so we will probably not shop him around, but I must say after 26 FG games I was hoping to see some more from him by now.

We need a fair dinkum alternative hooker/small middle forward to enable Mahoney to reduce his minutes back to 60 or so per game. With such an under-whelming forward pack though it is easy to see why we don't play a hooker on the bench.

Siliva Havili (Raiders)would be perfect for this. Don't know if he would be available though.

 

[84 Baby]

Siliva Havili (Raiders)would be perfect for this. Don't know if he would be available though.

I think so too but I think he only leaves Canbra for overs (or if they don’t want him, which is always a possibility with Stuart) and he’s not worth splurging on

 

[TheRam]

I also want to say sorry to Ram.
You where right about Tepai. He sure is a mobile and physical beast but he has not kicked on like I expected. Good for 70mtrs and 30 tackles...

No need to apologize Hindy. You are one of the best talent spotters on here and besides we are internet buddies. It's those other pretender scouts out there that should bow to our greatness.

 

[Eelementary]

The most disappointing thing about Moeroa for me is his lack of footy brains - twice in the last three or four weeks, he has tackled the kicker after the kick, and given away a penalty.

Last night's was particularly bad, because we were wrestling our way back into the contest, and he released all the pressure with one stupid, boneheaded play.

A guy with 100 First Grade games should know better.

 

[Noise]

The most disappointing thing about Moeroa for me is his lack of footy brains - twice in the last three or four weeks, he has tackled the kicker after the kick, and given away a penalty.

Last night's was particularly bad, because we were wrestling our way back into the contest, and he released all the pressure with one stupid, boneheaded play.

A guy with 100 First Grade games should know better.

He is a dumb footballer. He also can’t run good lines. His wrestle and subsequent floundering in the play the ball is also a major issue. I have always thought he is massively over rated. Hopefully he concentrates on his discus career

 

[emjaycee]

The most disappointing thing about Moeroa for me is his lack of footy brains - twice in the last three or four weeks, he has tackled the kicker after the kick, and given away a penalty.

Last night's was particularly bad, because we were wrestling our way back into the contest, and he released all the pressure with one stupid, boneheaded play.

A guy with 100 First Grade games should know better.

True, but even guys with double that many games make bonehead plays - like JWH on Ponga the other week.

 

[Eelementary]

He is a dumb footballer. He also can’t run good lines. His wrestle and subsequent floundering in the play the ball is also a major issue. I have always thought he is massively over rated. Hopefully he concentrates on his discus career

He's no favourite of mine, but I can tolerate him.

He is mobile for a big dude, and tackles well.

He has started to use his power more when running lately.

But I can't tolerate his game stupidity.

 

[Eelementary]

True, but even guys with double that many games make bonehead plays - like JWH on Ponga the other week.

That is true, too.

That play from Tepai really killed us, imo - I was actually really proud, and pleased, with how we wrestled our way back into the game, and that at broke the camel's back.

 

[Tooooks]

Tepai is one of those players I just kept thinking would have a breakout year but it never happened. If anything, he's regressed.