Rumours and Stuff

[Black Panther]

No he isn't

Really, could’ve sworn 9 was considered a spine player..

 

[Someone2]

Manu Ma’u looking for a new for 2023

its time to bring him home on a 2yr deal

 

[strider]

@strider good advice methinks.

Always bet lefty. He's expendable

 

[IFR33K]

I dislike action films.

You come across as thou you like romantic movies.

 

[lingard]

Evidence for Cartwright being a fringe first grader.
1. Low salary
2. Plays plenty of reserve grade
3. When in first grade comes off the bench.
4. Plays limited minutes.
5. At full strength can't make the team.
6. When signed last contract had very little interest from other clubs.

1. Do you know what his salary is? Is it lower than Kafusi, for instance?
2. Does he really? Spends a lot of time on the bench for first grade.
3. So does Matterson. So has Marata. And Lane. And Nrown. And Papalii.
4. That is what puzzles everybody.
5. One could argue that's because he's never been given enough game-time to establish himself.
6. Neither did Gutherson.
What I'm saying is there are a lot of reasons to suggest he was originally (I.e: at the time of his contract renewal) viewd as more than just a 'fringe' first grader. He makes mistakes and is erratic, but he has so much class when he's on his game. One might think that giving him more game time might take pressure off him to make a statement every time he takes the field. One could even say that the coaching staff aren't using him very well. (Of course, I wouldn't say that but, you know, some might.)

 

[lingard]

Hopgood might be an effective edge forward.

He might make an effective department store. (I don't know why, but I think that's one of the funniest things you've ever said.) f**kiing Joyce Mayne.

 

[lingard]

Every single one of those players (except possibly the one returning to NZ) would have come back to allow us to make a counter offer. Do you really think they’d rather play at Canterbury or Wests? We might’ve upped our offer in some cases but we stuck to our guns and refused to pay over our valuation of the player. Obviously our top offer was still less than what the Tigers or Dogs were prepared to pay.

"Stuck to our guns". You say that like it's a noble thing. But I think sometimes it's a downright foolish thing. You have to have some flexibility. You can't just never pay overs for anybody.

 

[SneakyEel]

Would we entertain Mau if this has any legs? How old would he be?

Former Eels forward set to be on lookout for new club

He has been playing at Hull since 2020.

www.zerotackle.com

I wouldn't be against it, but there are better options out there and players that are a lot younger. Look at cowboys have two powerful youngsters in Nanai and Luki we need to find someone like that. I think Hopgood can be that player for us.

 

[SneakyEel]

Origin might be good for him but having Papali’i defending inside Moses (instead of Matterson) is a big part of why our defence is so poor.

I reckon Papa will be moved back to the bench soon. Niukore starting on the edge last week was a big indicator for me. We play better as a team when Papa comes off the bench and we defend better with Marata on the edge.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yeah it was pretty unlucky that our last hooker standing was played in the last round nothing game that every other first pick was rested from.
Sorry.
Correction.
He was injured at training.
My bad!
As you were.

Do you have evidence to the contrary?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yes. Like I said we didn't expect it. I reckon we felt mid season we would wrap them up for what we where prepared to pay them.

Expected or otherwise, what other clubs are prepared to pay shouldn’t change our valuation of the player. From an on field perspective, everyone is replaceable. It’s a lot harder to replace the dudes who drive your culture. These are the ones who ‘make the players around them betterI’.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Ask the Tigers merkin, ffs!!

Don’t listen to what they say. Observe then do the opposite.

 

[Happy MEel]

Evidence for Cartwright being a fringe first grader.
1. Low salary
2. Plays plenty of reserve grade
3. When in first grade comes off the bench.
4. Plays limited minutes.
5. At full strength can't make the team.
6. When signed last contract had very little interest from other clubs.

We’re talking about his extension last year so

1. We have no idea what he’s on
2. He played plenty (majority) of first grade last year
3. I think we agree that coming off the bench doesn’t equate to being a fringe first grader
4. There’s sources indicating at least one other club was interested. Why wouldn’t others? He was in good form last year

 

[IFR33K]

Really, could’ve sworn 9 was considered a spine player..

not here at parra under Ba.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I never disputed that they might have the power to approve signings. I said that the board plays a very minor role in recruitment and you'll note that emjaycee, who seems to actually know a bit about it, agrees with that. The claim of Gronk's that they've made some very tough decisions recently regarding recruitment is nonsense. Letting your recruitment team do their job that they appear to be pretty good at isn't a tough decision at all.

Well I think you’re missing my point that successful recruitment/retention isn’t just about the players you sign, but as much about the players you don’t sign. No club ever found themselves disadvantaged by not signing a player. The cap space can always be used elsewhere. But once that money is committed to a player it is easy for it to become a liability, and under the salary cap actually very hard to remediate.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They seen enough. 10 games in the NRL and bang wrapped him up. Didn't f**k about.
I feel like they have players who would prefer to be around the area and friends over money however. And would take a great offer to take them away.

Well if they live in the area the only other club within a reasonable driving distance is Parramatta.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

"Stuck to our guns". You say that like it's a noble thing. But I think sometimes it's a downright foolish thing. You have to have some flexibility. You can't just never pay overs for anybody.

I don’t think we never pay overs though. It looks to me like we value our senior players more than the youngsters, and might be prepared to give them a ‘leadership bonus’ beyond their value as a player.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

not here at parra under Ba.

Last year Mahoney had a thousand LBAs ffs. We use the dummy half when we need to. This year we are getting a lot more good ball to Drown.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Well I think you’re missing my point that successful recruitment/retention isn’t just about the players you sign, but as much about the players you don’t sign. No club ever found themselves disadvantaged by not signing a player. The cap space can always be used elsewhere. But once that money is committed to a player it is easy for it to become a liability, and under the salary cap actually very hard to remediate.

I'm not missing your point at all. I'm disagreeing with your claim that the board has much to do with recruitment. I doubt there'd even be one player the recruitment team wanted to sign and were vetoed.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I think there would’ve been a few, not so much vetoing but capping the player’s value and contract length. They also would’ve been involved in capping player values and contract durations for retention. Remember you can keep anyone you want if you’re willing to backend them and blow the cap out in future years. That can become a 2025-ffs-O’Neill-problem if there’s no grownups putting the brakes on it.