Rumours and Stuff

[Gronk]

Gutho at centre is a waste and a slow tragedy, especially in 2 years time. If that were to ever happen, we have well and truly fallen off the perch as a club. Gutho at centre while other teams have Averillo types. Think about it? Hahahaha...Funny man.

Well he's under contract until the end of 2025 when he has his 31st birthday. You reckon we need to tap him on the shoulder before November next year ?

 

[TheRam]

I think we can safely assume that Waqa's money and the current cap space alone will approach about a million - add any savings on Hodgson (even if he exercises his option I understand it's not as much) and we probably have enough to target the following who may be surplus at their current clubs:

1) Kayal Iro/Connor Treacy/Stonestreet - one of these, given that the sharks have Katoa, Mulitalo, Ramien and Talakai in their positions;

2) One of Averillo/Skelton - given that Crichton, Perham, Addo-Carr, Kiraz, Xerri, Alamoti are blocking the way;

3) A bench prop - I would love Twal but that won't be possible, so I like the idea of Blacker or Trey Mooney, given that both are behind rep props at their current clubs and can't even make the bench

I know people will moan that "they have to want to come here", but much as Gronk has said about Sanders above, if your path is blocked, you go where the opportunities are.

The players I would love to see here who are all off contract for next year are Eddie Blacker, Trey Mooney, Matthew Lodge(all 3 to be viewed as props) and Jake Averillo. If we could get all 4 of them(I would move on as many as necessary of the riffraff we have sucking up our Salary cap for very little return to make sure we could fit all of them in. I reckon around $1.5m should be enough to do it too.

 

[DaveMc]

We need a right side Centre?

True, he’s hardly set the world on fire on the left this year

 

[JokerEel]

True, he’s hardly set the world on fire on the left this year

I wouldn't be moving Penisini for him. I doubt he comes to us to play in the position he is shit at playing for the Dragons.

 

[Gronk]

Note sure if Lomax fits the "strike weapon" player that we are are looking for.

 

[TheRam]

That’s why they’re already linked to noted speedster Josh Schuster

He also like talent size and muscle. The problem with Schuster is not his football abilities but his attitude. The Tigers like all desperate clubs are willing to take a punt that they can correct that. Remember Schuster is still young and therefore can have an attitude change if guided correctly and he wakes up to himself and also one suspects the Tigers won't be paying full freight.

If they can manage to persuade the kid that the forwards is where he should be playing then I think he will have turned the corner and we might see the best of him yet. But it is a big risk for sure.

 

[Avenger]

I wouldn't be moving Penisini for him. I doubt he comes to us to play in the position he is shit at playing for the Dragons.

Me either. Penisini is killing at right centre. I’d pass on Lomax. Rather go for a specialist left centre like Opačić until ‘double dick’ or Blaze Talagi is ready.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Dragons star left fuming as Griffin swings the axe in shock selection shake-up

Dragons star left fuming as Griffin swings the axe in shock selection shake-up

www.foxsports.com.au

Might be time to inquire about a mid-season transfer with Dragons paying freight.

BA loves a Project Player. Maybe he could turn him into a middle.

 

[Avenger]

Note sure if Lomax fits the "strike weapon" player that we are are looking for.

He’s also turned into a player with a bad attitude and we have had our fair share of dickheads

 

[TheRam]

He was signed because of his knowledge of junior pathways. AKA how to pinch players from the Eels district.

Apparently they signed him because he has a stack of connections and pull in the juniors world.

 

[84 Baby]

And like I said a few days ago, you can only frontload by about $50-100K max from year to year. The NRL don't allow for massive frontloads or backloads anymore.

Do you have a source for that?

 

[Noise]

Do you have a source for that?

Here is a source for restricting back ended contracts.

NRL to restrict back-ended deals and consider trade periods

The NRL will refuse to register back-ended contracts from next year, while player transfer windows to coincide with State of Origin and the end of the season may be introduced by 2020.

www.nrl.com

 

[Chipmunk]

And like I said a few days ago, you can only frontload by about $50-100K max from year to year. The NRL don't allow for massive frontloads or backloads anymore. What we can do and will receive though is a big whack of what we don't spend this year can go onto the salary cap for next year. All clubs get that same benefit if they don't spend all of their allotted cap from year to year.

They don't allow backends, but I've seen nothing about frontloading. You'll have to provide the link.

I suspect this is a percentage based, rather than an actual amount though. Otherwise, how do Souths have a deal with Wighton for supposedly $700k in Year 1, and $950k in Year 4?

I'd say all we'll really do is take around $250k from Year 4, and put it in 2023, meaning Moses won't cost a lot in the final year of his deal.

 

[84 Baby]

He also like talent size and muscle.

So he builds squads around speed, talent, size and muscle? No wonder he was so heavily sort out by Tigers! By Jove he’s cracked the secret formula to rugby league!

 

[84 Baby]

Here is a source for restricting back ended contracts.

NRL to restrict back-ended deals and consider trade periods

The NRL will refuse to register back-ended contracts from next year, while player transfer windows to coincide with State of Origin and the end of the season may be introduced by 2020.

www.nrl.com

Yeah I think Ram will find though front loaded contracts are somewhat encouraged

 

[IFR33K]

As Pou has pointed out numerous times he leads all the stats in reggies so you tell me what that means. I think you have a very fixed mindset about Jake and you're not prepared to concede any ground whatsoever. Nobody is saying he is worthy of anything other than an occasional emergency-break-glass scenario.

Who would you prefer to be next man up 7 for NRL ? Jake or Rankin ?

you’ve talked him up, defended him and his inclusion in first grade. You even told us he’s the best half in nsw cup. Recently you have said he’s not much chop. Now you seem to be talking him up. I don’t care about his stats in cup. He’s a mediocre player at best. Choose and storyline and try and stick with it

 

[TheRam]

Well he's under contract until the end of 2025 when he has his 31st birthday. You reckon we need to tap him on the shoulder before November next year ?

No.

 

[Gronk]

Apparently they signed him because he has a stack of connections and pull in the juniors world.

Yeah that's what I said. Mind you Manlys juniors are garbage at the moment, so probably another reason why he got the midnight train going anywhere. ♬

 

[84 Baby]

Choose and storyline and try and stick with it

Or he could adapt to new information

 

[Gronk]

you’ve talked him up, defended him and his inclusion in first grade.

He was all we had

You even told us he’s the best half in nsw cup.

His stats say he is

Recently you have said he’s not much chop.

As a NRL player, no

Now you seem to be talking him up.

No, your comprehension skills are poor

I don’t care about his stats in cup.

I hear you

He’s a mediocre player at best.

You've made that clear, however it's better than putrid.

Choose and storyline and try and stick with it

Consistency is my middle name, however I have the right to be agile with form and squad changes.