Rumours and Stuff

[yy_cheng]

I think Gutho has more tricks up his sleave than any of us realise ... his attacking kicking at the end of the season was quite good and he did very well creating opportunities outside him. So i would be happy heading into next season with him in the 6.

Having said that, I would definitely take Hunt if he was available at a good price (ie dont pay overs for him) - similar to norman. I agree his kicking would be big for us.

But then i dont know what we would do with our backline at full strength. Gutho must be there - ideally at centre. The Hoffman signing is surprising - i can only imagine Semi is not likely to stay long. I think Taka is very valuable for us at centre. We need to give French a good shot at fullback.

Agree with Gutha but his running game is not strong enough for mine in the halves. Basically, you will know he will mainly pass. Watching Cronk and Maloney over the last 2 weeks shows how much a running game means to a half.

However, in saying that, if BA adopts Norman as a either side 6 and Gutha is always first receiver, then he may not need to run as much as long as he has options (support) on either side and French bobbing up behind him.

I really can't see why Hoffman would join to play wing after playing centre at the tits and previously saying he wants to play 1.

I reckon BA said to him, we don't have a permanent 1 yet. It's yours if you fight for it.

He'll probably get first shot in the trials at 1.

 

[yy_cheng]

Taka is a tad slow laterally in the centers, and so you'll notice he gets caught out defensively on the outside more times than we would want him to be. If we were to get Ben Hunt, then I wouldn't see an issue with Taka going to the bench, and coming on as an attacking backrower. He has the size and speed to wreak havoc - and it is kind of the role he plays anyway...
If Gutherson isn't in the halves, wouldn't surprise me to see him at fullback?

Obligatory backline prediction:
Gutherson/ French/ Jennings/ Hoffman/ Radradra/ Norman/ Hunt
(switch French/ Gutherson/ Hoffman as required)

Auva'a is a well above average first grader when he's ready to go. Wouldn't cry if he was our right centre over Hoffman with French outside him.
Of course if it is all shuffled around with Taka in the centers, again, great! The only downside I see in bringing Hunt here is that he has played left side most of his career - which is Normans side....

Unless Hunt comes in as a hooker.

I doubt he'll play hooker but he could be moulded into one.

He can pass, kick from dummy half, scoot from dummy half, read the play. However, can he make the extra tackles?
Or it might be a surprise and Gutha plays 9. Good tough defender.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I really can't see why Hoffman would join to play wing after playing centre at the tits and previously saying he wants to play 1.

I think you're right, that he's been offered a shot at fullback, but as for wing vs centre I don't think the players would consider one better than the other. Wingers get more runs and centres make more tackles.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I think you're right, that he's been offered a shot at fullback, but as for wing vs centre I don't think the players would consider one better than the other. Wingers get more runs and centres make more tackles.

Plus if he does play right wing he'll be playing outside of Takairangi so as long as he can catch a ball he'll be scoring a fair few tries next season and I'm sure outside backs love scoring tries.

 

[yy_cheng]

Wingers get more runs and centres make more tackles.

Then what was all that hoo ha about Semi and trying to get a bigger contract? I guess it was all forum talk.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It was forum talk. He wants a bigger contract because he's on unders. He'll be worth no extra at centre (I actually think he'd be worth less due to reduced involvement in kick defence and exit sets) though at fullback he might be able to be even more involved than he already is.

But I suspect he lacks the workrate (off the ball), and decision making required from an NRL fullback. Plus he would get less opportunity one-on-one with defenders.

 

[yy_cheng]

It was forum talk. He wants a bigger contract because he's on unders. He'll be worth no extra at centre (I actually think he'd be worth less due to reduced involvement in kick defence and exit sets) though at fullback he might be able to be even more involved than he already is.

But I suspect he lacks the workrate (off the ball), and decision making required from an NRL fullback. Plus he would get less opportunity one-on-one with defenders.

I do think he is more suited to wing if he is allowed to roam.

THe play where he gets it off the scrum and skips and then passes is very tahu 2005 like.

I just hate seeing him outside jenko and not seeing the ball in attack.

If French is fullback, I would love to see him on the right with taka again.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I do think he is more suited to wing if he is allowed to roam.

THe play where he gets it off the scrum and skips and then passes is very tahu 2005 like.

I just hate seeing him outside jenko and not seeing the ball in attack.

If French is fullback, I would love to see him on the right with taka again.

Our structures have allowed us to have Semi play at fullback, left wing, left centre and we even saw him pop up in the middle of the field when he scored his 2nd try against the Dogs this year. I don't believe there is another winger in the game currently that you could also do this for, none of them. But to me he is still too valuable on the wing to move permanently from there. His kick returns and the amount of penalties he draws on the 2nd or 3rd tackle is really an understated part of his game and if I had the stats I doubt you'd find there is a winger who receives more penalties coming out of their own end. And don't get me started on that scrum play where we have our winger drift across field with so many options running off of them. NRL commentators constantly scream about wanting more set plays from scrums yet when we did it a few times this year I don't think they were as excited as they were when the sharks did it in the GF yet that was just a simple pass back on the inside.

I think he still receives enough ball, it's just that he isn't scoring the tries. He touches the ball so much already and with a fullback who can actually pass he will receive the ball a lot more in 1v1 or better situations, as will Jenko. I see no reason to move him over to the right just when he is getting the hang of defending out on the left and was much more comfortable there this year with Jennings, a better defender than Taka, than in 2015 and 2014. If you move him over to the right not only does that left side experience get somewhat thrown out the window but you also move him back with a centre who is poor with lateral movement. If the centre on that side was Gutherson, then I think you could maybe consider it but I believe there is much more to Rugby League than just scoring tries.

 

[Noise]

Yep, the 'Jennings is stealing Semi's ball/tries' thing is ridiculous. Who cares who gets the ball off set plays. Whether it's Mau, Jennings or Semi they all offer a massive threat. And it's a great left edge defensively too

 

[yy_cheng]

NRLP - Corey Norman
It could have been Norman’s night

By Greg PrichardSeptember 30, 2016
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SURELY Corey Norman realises by now just how close he came to winning the Dally M Medal for player of the year.


A study of the points awarded for the last 10 rounds of the season shows the Parramatta five-eighth could have easily taken out the game’s biggest individual honour had he not been suspended for a myriad of off-field offences.

Norman was in equal-fifth place on the Dally M leaderboard when voting went behind closed doors after 16 rounds. He was on 14 points, just two behind a quartet of leaders – Cooper Cronk, Jason Taumalolo, Cameron Smith and Ryan James.

Votes for the remaining 10 rounds were revealed when the awards were handed out on Wednesday night and after not picking up any points in round 17, Norman polled three points in the 22-18 win by the Eels over Sydney Roosters in round 18.

That put him in third place on 17 points, one behind dual leaders Cronk and Taumalolo.

But then Norman was stood down by his club for round 19 and subsequently suspended for eight games by the NRL, which was backdated to include round 19.

So Norman missed the last eight rounds, just when he was within striking distance of the Dally M.

The Eels won three of those games and may well have won more had Norman been in the side, so important was he to their cause.

Meanwhile, Melbourne halfback Cronk played in each of the last eight rounds while Norman was suspended and North Queensland second-rower Taumalolo played in seven of them (the Cowboys had the bye in round 19).

Cronk and Taumalolo ended up joint winners of the Dally M on 26 points, while the 17 points Norman was stuck on for the last eight rounds was still good enough for a top-10 finish. He ended up in equal-ninth place.

It’s reasonable to say Norman would have been right in the finish at the very least, had he not been suspended because of his own stupidity.

What an opportunity lost.

http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/roost...d=781735406001729536&adbpl=tw&adbpr=236216311

 

[hineyrulz]

He'll just have to win it next year instead.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Too many ifs and buts and a long bow being drawn. However, the results after Round 18 show that he was right up there.

Hopefully he continues that form next year and plays for the entire season.

 

[strider]

I blame todd

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Nathan Ryan from Fox sports reckons we are negotiating with a forward and a back. I think we all know who back probably is, but wondering who the forward is.

 

[hindy111]

Who is the back?
Forward big ben mautilino

 

[hindy111]

Plenty of grumblings Hayne isnt liking life on gold coast.

 

[Gronk]

Plenty of grumblings Hayne isnt liking life on gold coast.

Yawn

 

[hindy111]

Why would rooster release napa? Doesnt make sense.Best young forward they have.

 

[ash411]

Plenty of grumblings Hayne isnt liking life on gold coast.

Good for him. Nobody cares anymore.

He made his bed, he can lie in it.

 

[Gronk]

Good for him. Nobody cares anymore.

He made his bed, he can lie in it.

F**k him x 1,200,000