Rumours and Stuff

[Glenneel]

I reckon Moses won't want to leave Sydney for he's than massive overs. Who else in Sydney has huge money to spend on a halfback? Moses will wait until November to start looking for a big 2022 pay day with a Sydney club. Maybe even us. He will (probably) have another finals series under his belt by then too.

He only has a short time before he has to exercise his option which, if he doesn't, means he is chasing the coin rather than a premiership. Only desperate clubs will be offering the big coin.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

I have not watched A lot of JA (Maybe 3/4 games).

Do you believe if we lost Moses for next year he would be out of place in the FG side?

There's only been a little bit over 3 or 4 games of him playing against men to watch. No doubt he's good, will likely be a solid first grader at worst, but he's got a bit of growing to do. I think we would want at least one more year from Moses.

 

[chiefy1]

He only has a short time before he has to exercise his option which, if he doesn't, means he is chasing the coin rather than a premiership. Only desperate clubs will be offering the big coin.

The option is negligible at the moment as Moses is renegotiating a longer term contract with the eels. It may not be the coin, but security he is wanting which is very fair considering a footballer's life span and the risk of injury in the NRL.
I think he's odds on to stay.

 

[hindy111]

I have not watched A lot of JA (Maybe 3/4 games).

Do you believe if we lost Moses for next year he would be out of place in the FG side?

2023 would be better. But I think with another off-season his defense would be fine and body will handle it.
He lacks the flare of Moses. But looks composed. He won't be as good but then other parts of the side will be better.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Losing Moses and adding any of those plus Stagg would certainly make us a worse side. Stagg is a shit defender and the others on the list are either past it (widdop and Milford) , never had it (Drinkwater, Clune) or play one good game in every 4 or 5 (Taylor , Dufty). These would be terrible replacements.

papa was also a depth signing.........RCG was hardly playing good footy....etc etc

my point being there are options with which BA could work with (and yes they aren’t currently going great but all have potential), that wouId be half the price of Moses allowing us to strengthen other positions.......and they would be coming into a strong side

Just using staggs as an example (could be any centre), of bringing in a “lessor” half but strengthening another position for example the centre spot...

 

[Gazzamatta]

Drowns long kicking game is definitely improving. Don't forget Brthur moved him to his natural side just in case.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

In 2020 I thought the Panthers would struggle to make the finals and Cleary would be exposed as a guy who has had it easy with Maloney running things.
Turns out he went up 3 gears. Do you think Brown may do the same?
Gutherson I don't like in Halves. His kicking game I don't feel is good enough.
I'd be happy with blooding Arthurs also. His defense will be fine. Aslong as he gets his kicking game at a high level we would be fine.

You then have an extra 650k saved. That could mean you add in your backline 2 x stars rather then 2 x average players.
Having a good half is important but sometimes you'll get away with serviceable ones if the rest of the side is bullet proof. Reality is teams have to score points against you also. Build a strong defensive side with a powerfull engine room and heaps of go forward and you will just roll over most of them.

I don’t think you could go into 2022 with JA as the next in line, to risky and to much pressure on him.

If the club did think he was the future, someone like Widdop could be a good option for a year to reassess the situation. Cheap experienced veteran to start the year in the halves with Drown. Then gives JA another year to develop and if he does perform there wouIdnt be to much of an issuing drooping Widdop.

 

[Glenneel]

Having a good half is important but sometimes you'll get away with serviceable ones if the rest of the side is bullet proof. Reality is teams have to score points against you also. Build a strong defensive side with a powerfull engine room and heaps of go forward and you will just roll over most of them.

That's the formula the Storm use. Big aggressive forwards, some with an offload, fast backs and a few good players in key positions. The servicable halfback (Hughes) has become much better over time.

Regarding fast backs Storm have at centre Rhemis Smith, ex Bulldogs, who showed nothing special while there, except he had speed, and is now a servicable centre. Same with JAC, nothing special at W-T, but had speed along with Olam from PNG. Speed in the backs means you can better cover any breaks in your line and defend the edges better.

If we get Staggs along with Peninisi as our centres and a fast winger to replace Fergo we now have speed in the backs which we're missing atm. Our pack is imo top 3 so we need good players in spine and in Gutho, Moses, Brown and Mahoney we have those, so our premiership window will be well and truly open next year.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

The option is negligible at the moment as Moses is renegotiating a longer term contract with the eels. It may not be the coin, but security he is wanting which is very fair considering a footballer's life span and the risk of injury in the NRL.
I think he's odds on to stay.

ritchie on the BSB suggested Moses may just take up his option without signing a new contract and wait until next year

 

[eels_fan]

ritchie on the BSB suggested Moses may just take up his option without signing a new contract and wait until next year

which is a popular thought for many with the new Brisbane team starting in 2023 with a blank cheque book and endless third party opportunities

 

[AnonymousLurker]

ritchie on the BSB suggested Moses may just take up his option without signing a new contract and wait until next year

Not ideal but I don’t mind this too much , he has shown this year, contract neg doesn’t affect him

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Anyhow gee the eels have come a long way over the last few years....,

unknown if Matterson, Moses, Nrown will be here in 2022, yet we could still field a side to make the top 8 without them with just the current contracted players.....

And that’s without spending the $1.9 m or so put away to keep them....plus there is Mennings $400k or so....

definitely a good position to be in...

 

[chiefy1]

Anyhow gee the eels have come a long way over the last few years....,

unknown if Matterson, Moses, Nrown will be here in 2022, yet we could still field a side to make the top 8 without them with just the current contracted players.....

And that’s without spending the $1.9 m or so put away to keep them....plus there is Mennings $400k or so....

definitely a good position to be in...

Yep I agree, maybe by then Arthur & Arthur will be the the top rating show

 

[Twizzle]

ritchie on the BSB suggested Moses may just take up his option without signing a new contract and wait until next year

Jakob Arthur could be ready by then

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Losing Moses and adding any of those plus Stagg would certainly make us a worse side. Stagg is a shit defender and the others on the list are either past it (widdop and Milford) , never had it (Drinkwater, Clune) or play one good game in every 4 or 5 (Taylor , Dufty). These would be terrible replacements.

Plenty of players improve under Arthur's. Why not any of those?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

ritchie on the BSB suggested Moses may just take up his option without signing a new contract and wait until next year

If there's no better offer he'd be mad not to. He can negotiate again in November for 2023.

 

[Noise]

Plenty of players improve under Arthur's. Why not any of those?

They might improve or they might not but Moses is probably top 3 or 4 in his position and they aren't going to replace his kicking game or playmaking. We already have one half that is well below average in those areas of the game. We don't want to gamble on having 2 that can't consistently kick well or pass.

 

[parra pete]

Loving the love for Moses. and the fickleness of some Eels 'supporters'...He has gone from being despised to idolised...
If he signs, he signs...Let's get 2021 season finished before speculating about the future. The Club's retention committee is not sitting on their hands...Trust the process...

 

[Joshuatheeel]

They might improve or they might not but Moses is probably top 3 or 4 in his position and they aren't going to replace his kicking game or playmaking. We already have one half that is well below average in those areas of the game. We don't want to gamble on having 2 that can't consistently kick well or pass.

I think we all agree we want to keep Moses and he is important to our side.

but how much do we want to pay to keep ?

One report suggests Broncos are offering $1 million and are willing to go higher.

Do you think we should be offering $1 million plus to keep him?

I don’t think we should. Based on Moses history there is no guarantee he wouId consistently perform as $1 million player over the next 3 years. He may play good but $1 million is elite level which Moses is not.

It’s potentially a bigger gamble signing him for $1 million then not signing him.

 

[Noise]

I think we all agree we want to keep Moses and he is important to our side.

but how much do we want to pay to keep ?

One report suggests Broncos are offering $1 million and are willing to go higher.

Do you think we should be offering $1 million plus to keep him?

I don’t think we should.

He is on about 850 now so I would probably go close to $1 million. He has improved as a half to being one of the top in the game. Cleary, Keary and Munster are all around that $1 million plus mark and I reckon he is as good these days. They just play in a better team. I would prefer we pay slightly over for a half in Moses than pay over for a centre like Stagg. Better off gambling on someone like Penisini or the new Hayze in the centres than say Ash Taylor or Adam Clune in the halves.