Rumours and Stuff

[The Colonel]

So we will bank on young guys to fill some spots in 2023 who hasn't played much in 2 years

And if omicron goes wild,might not play in 2022 either?

I doubt that is the clubs sole intention moving ahead. What I am pointing out to the doom and gloomers is that they need to pay some attention to what is happening amongst the pathways.

 

[Gronk]

I would of liked to keep Papali'i is all.

Yesterday you said that it was embarrassing that we lost Oregon. Now just Papa ?

 

[hineyrulz]

Well there’s no point talking to Hodgson. No one can understand the f**ker

I’m sure BA will have the Mad merkin ready to run through doors.

 

[hindy111]

Yesterday you said that it was embarrassing that we lost Oregon. Now just Papa ?

A smart man will listen to what others have to say, listen to their opinions and re evaluate his own thoughts based on the new knowledge he has received. And if he feels that they make good points will change his decison and opinion.
An open minded person will always continue to evolve and won't be stuck with a fixed mind set that he was right as more information becomes present.

This is what makes hindy111 so special.

 

[Delboy]

I see the doom and gloom merchants still in full swing.

Would like to point out that as a club in the juniors we have some very talented juniors coming through that the club will likely place a lot of faith in to fill the roster spots in 2023. I think many seem to get lost on the fact that all of these players are still available to the club in 2022.

We have signed a highly rated youngster from Penrith in Lachlan Blackburn who was named in the Australian Schoolboys alongside Moree local, Jock Brazel (who was also named in the NSW Pathways).

Beside them we have also extended Larry Muagututia and have David Hollis already a member of the top 30.

A few Jersey Flegg players have been rotated in and out of the NSW Cup sides (prior to the competition being suspended) in Caleb and Penioni Tohi and Charbel Tasipale. Caleb and Charbel were named in our trial squads at the start of the season and performed quite strongly.

We have also in the NSW Cup Elie El Zakhem, who alongside Makatoa, was one of the form players in the competition prior to it being suspended. The club have also upgraded another youngster who played in the trial games in Josh Tuipolotu to the 30 Man squad as well.

We have also signed one young hooker/half from Penrith in Brendan Hands who is reportedly impressing during early off season training as well as another young hooker pushing up from the JF side in Jayden Yates.

Disappointing to see players leave, particularly some of them that were invested in heavily. Kaufusi is a strong young player but sees a better chance for himself to play regular football at the Sharks rather than bide his time behind RCG and Junior - the money he is being paid is considerable for a player that would be a bench forward at best and IMO I would question the club management in matching such a figure for a player on the fringes of regular selection.

Interesting to remember too, ,many of these players, due to the cancellation of the lower grade competitions in the past two seasons haven't played a lot of regular football. Should COVID protocols allow, this will help the club immensely moving forward should they be able to play regular football.

There is a lot going on behind the scenes at the club in terms of pathways recruitment and the club is certainly not sitting on their hands in the slightest.

Someone has posted what seems to be the rationale in how the club is building and working with the salary cap. A lot of opinions are from posters who don’t appear to follow lower grades and don’t see the progress the club has made.

Even the venerable Uncle Wayne commented that overpaying even as a new club screws your cap for years. Go back even 5/6 years and look at how we signed players, similar to Tigers, Dogs are acting currently, and how did that end until a more balanced and structured system was implemented. Nothing is perfect but seems to be moving in the right direction, I guess look at Storm as an example.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

@The Colonel

Welcome merkin.

 

[Gazzamatta]

we don't over pay

Wouldnt it be less in his second year? Im sure a few on here can "confirm."

 

[Avenger]

I doubt that is the clubs sole intention moving ahead. What I am pointing out to the doom and gloomers is that they need to pay some attention to what is happening amongst the pathways.

You can’t just come back like that without giving us an update. How have you been? How’s the family? Are you still out in the country? Did you miss me ? Etc etc.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Welcome back Silverdale. Tell me, why do the Tigers fans wish us so much misfortune? I have nothing but best wishes for your team. I save all my hatred for the Storm and the Broncos. But Wests fans seem to pray for the worst for their Sydney counterparts and sometime groundmates. It's quite hurtful.

Thanks.

Yeah I think some overdo the sentiment. Some trying to be funny but underneath are ok and if it’s any consolation, I’m preyed upon at home forum.

And if it is of any comfort, the vast majority of us are hyper-critical of our own club, leaving any negative feelings for another clubs in the rear view mirror. Our mods in particular have next level hatred and contempt for our club, and they are supposed to be our leaders lol.

But over time, more people are warming up to the eels.

I like my ba. He’s fun to knock, but IMO he can bloody well coach. He’s sharp as.

I’ll probably get banned from wt lu forum now for consorting or treason. Put me in the stocks and throw potatoes or yams at me.

If you have a great coach and good staff, you can afford to lose a bit of talent, because they have the ability to build up the replacements.

 

[TheRam]

It just doesn't make sense that they would pay more for Smith at 38 than when he was at his peak. He was in decline for the last half dozen years of his career. The Storm aren't silly enough to overpay anyone.

What decline you delusional fool.

Waiting to see the stats that support your foolish argument.

Stats are almost meaningless when we are talking about a player like him.

 

[strider]

You can’t just come back like that without giving us an update. How have you been? How’s the family? Are you still out in the country? Did you miss me ? Etc etc.

... Have you bought Avenger's crypto recommendations yet?

 

[Gazzamatta]

What decline you delusional fool.

Waiting to see the stats that support your foolish argument.

Stats are almost meaningless when we are talking about a player like him.

So Cam played the last few years as a favour to Melbourne and took a substantial pay cut as well. What a great bloke.
Tedesco is one season older than Junior so I guess his contract yearly value declines faster than Juniors. Yeah sure.
Do these guys even Rugby League?

 

[TheRam]

Someone has posted what seems to be the rationale in how the club is building and working with the salary cap. A lot of opinions are from posters who don’t appear to follow lower grades and don’t see the progress the club has made.

Even the venerable Uncle Wayne commented that overpaying even as a new club screws your cap for years. Go back even 5/6 years and look at how we signed players, similar to Tigers, Dogs are acting currently, and how did that end until a more balanced and structured system was implemented. Nothing is perfect but seems to be moving in the right direction, I guess look at Storm as an example.

I wouldn't include the Dogs in that assessment. They know exactly what they are doing. They are not expecting to win the comp with the team they have at present. Someone like Gus is there to rearrange the roster for the next 3-5 seasons to be a legitimate title contender.

So he will over pay for some and carry the freight of others that he cuts to make room, but in a couple of seasons don't be surprised to see a roster that is vying for top 4 and after that for a GF. The roster will be fine in about 3 years and he will have the spine and enough quality players around them that can win a premiership. He will probably have the right coach too.

 

[hindy111]

I wouldn't include the Dogs in that assessment. They know exactly what they are doing. They are not expecting to win the comp with the team they have at present. Someone like Gus is there to rearrange the roster for the next 3-5 seasons to be a legitimate title contender.

So he will over pay for some and carry the freight of others that he cuts to make room, but in a couple of seasons don't be surprised to see a roster that is vying for top 4 and after that for a GF. The roster will be fine in about 3 years and he will have the spine and enough quality players around them that can win a premiership. He will probably have the right coach too.

Phil Gould did it at Penrith but remember

Merrin,Tamou,Roberts,Tahu,Waqa,Rcg,Moylan,Whare,Hiku,Dwz,Maloney.

A lot of big contracts that went pear shaped or just dud signings. Penrith where lucky they had such good juniors to replace them. A golden crop. Now they are getting ripped apart.

Gus may or may not have the same luxury at the Dogs in regards to signings. Plus Burton will demand 1 million. I think its very interesting what happens there.

 

[Delboy]

I wouldn't include the Dogs in that assessment. They know exactly what they are doing. They are not expecting to win the comp with the team they have at present. Someone like Gus is there to rearrange the roster for the next 3-5 seasons to be a legitimate title contender.

So he will over pay for some and carry the freight of others that he cuts to make room, but in a couple of seasons don't be surprised to see a roster that is vying for top 4 and after that for a GF. The roster will be fine in about 3 years and he will have the spine and enough quality players around them that can win a premiership. He will probably have the right coach too.

Gee, that’s a lot of faith in Gus. Not sure his methods are foolproof in todays NRL,clubs that in the past went this route didn’t seem to do that well . Time will tell as always.

 

[TheRam]

Phil Gould did it at Penrith but remember

Merrin,Tamou,Roberts,Tahu,Waqa,Rcg,Moylan,Whare,Hiku,Dwz,Maloney.

A lot of big contracts that went pear shaped or just dud signings. Penrith where lucky they had such good juniors to replace them. A golden crop. Now they are getting ripped apart.

Gus may or may not have the same luxury at the Dogs in regards to signings. Plus Burton will demand 1 million. I think its very interesting what happens there.

All true but I back him to get it right. He will rejig and properly fund the development pathways that have been neglected at the Dogs for a number of years now and a big reason as to why they got into trouble salary cap wise under Hasler and Co.

Give it 3 years or so and they will be legit contenders.

 

[hindy111]

All true but I back him to get it right. He will rejig and properly fund the development pathways that have been neglected at the Dogs for a number of years now and a big reason as to why they got into trouble salary cap wise under Hasler and Co.

Give it 3 years or so and they will be legit contenders.

I think they will be legit contenders in 2023 and 2024 before things go pear shaped.
They will give it a shake in these 2yrs.

 

[TheRam]

Gee, that’s a lot of faith in Gus. Not sure his methods are foolproof in todays NRL,clubs that in the past went this route didn’t seem to do that well . Time will tell as always.

Yep. Gus knows what he is doing. His problem is he has a huge ego and can't leave well enough alone. He gets bored and restless and wants to meddle to much. That is when you cut him loose.

 

[The Colonel]

You can’t just come back like that without giving us an update. How have you been? How’s the family? Are you still out in the country? Did you miss me ? Etc etc.

I have been well. Family are all doing fine. Young bloke is at Uni in Wollongong and daughter starts Year 11 next year. Still out in the country working hard now we have had so much rain.

Did I miss you? Yeah, kind of miss everyone. I take a check every now and again.

As for the crypto thing @strider not really my thing.... I have enough to worry about

 

[yy_cheng]

Someone has posted what seems to be the rationale in how the club is building and working with the salary cap. A lot of opinions are from posters who don’t appear to follow lower grades and don’t see the progress the club has made.

Even the venerable Uncle Wayne commented that overpaying even as a new club screws your cap for years. Go back even 5/6 years and look at how we signed players, similar to Tigers, Dogs are acting currently, and how did that end until a more balanced and structured system was implemented. Nothing is perfect but seems to be moving in the right direction, I guess look at Storm as an example.

I don't think we have done too badly in recruiting actually.

But I think one of the most important strategy that we have had is to sign Unwanted or Out of favour players.

The list is actually quite big in this category: Gutho, Waqa, Opacic (he did play alot of games last year), Nrown, Pappas, RCG, Lane, Sivo and maybe Scott. Maybe some others that I have not named.

This is where we really get value out of the cap.

The juniors will fill in a few spots but the value out of them is not as high as the out of favour players.


If it was me, I would've kept Pappas & kept RCG and let go Junior (of course I don't know what junior is getting paid but the contract is long) or kept Junior and Oregan and let go RCG. Just based on average ages. Like Hindy says, our pack will be quite old in a couple of years especially with Hodgson coming.

I would've kept Mahoney too.

But overall , 2023 is not as bad as it was a couple of months ago and 2022 is when we have to really shake it up.