Rumours and Stuff

[Tiger5150]

I reckon the eels have an “aging” squad is a bit overstated.

Gutho, is off contract next year. But is still going good enough plus can move spots if required. He is off contract next year.

Moses, halves get better with age.

Our pack, Lane, Matterson and Cartwright are only 30 this year. First 2 are only contracted until 32. While Paulo/RGC are only 32 next year. RCG is off contract next year Paulo the year after.

Offa is only 30 next year.

So the oldest we have on contract will be Paulo in 2026 at 33.

Look at the Dolphins, age isn’t a worry for their pack, their ages this year - Bromwich 35 and 33, Nicholls 34, Kaufusi 32.

But in saying that we do need some more youth and obviously speed in our side.

we do have the following youngsters all who are a chance of getting NRL time next year:

Talagi - only 19. He is going ok
Arthur - only 19. Looks promising
Guymer - 20. Developing ok.
Richard Pensini - reckon he wouId have been a smokie for a backline spot this year if not injured. Hopefully recovers well
AMS - promising but probably more a back up
Sam T - probably couple years away.

Then in forwards we have players 25 or younger, in Hopgood who is pretty young. Then fringe forwards Moretti, Doorey, Tuilagi and Greig.

So with Lomax coming, Russell/Pensini being young and Talagi, plus with the injured players coming back, there is a fair bit of youth in the backs. If we could recruit another promising youngster with some NRL experience (maybe Armstrong?), the backs are looking good.

With our forwards it won’t take to much to add some “youth” to the side. We have a few fringe edge options plus Guymer. Hopgood is young. Also wouldn’t be surprised if MA jags a bench spot next year. Suddenly if MA, and one of those options jag a spot, the pack isn’t that old.

With Sam T still a while away, maybe we need to try to pick up a young prop. Additionally we have some cash available leading into 2026 so we could recruit too.

So I don’t think the squad is as “older” as some claim. There is a decent blend. BTW not saying our squad is perfect, there are issues like back depth this year.

your pack is old.

 

[Delboy]

Oh well, just unlucky, keep going with BA and one day it will work…just keep going all in with a pair of twos and one day our luck will turn

Canberras backs have speed, so even when they were down by a fair bit early in the game, there was definitely a chance they could run 50/60 metres to set up a try etc.

That this was ignored by the gurus at our club, shows their deficiencies. The apparent value at each position is accountant generated if that’s the case and not related to a supply and demand situation. It’s frustrating to see opportunities wasted due to lack of speed and depth.

 

[King-Gutho94]

He is contracted for 2025, which was an extension triggered by winning the preliminary final 18 months ago.

So your telling me we were a Kyle Feldt put down from BA not getting an extension.

 

[Soto]

He spent 12 months under robbo as a assistant at the chooks.

Fact check....I think few months as an advisor...check date...til end of preseason

https://www.nospam47.com/au/rugby-l...llabies-rugby-union/bb8vc4lxd0hw1030p7bgh3aoe

Doesn't seem to work this link..

But it states he was an advisor to Robbo...article is dated 24/01/2020 and he will work until the end of the preseason.
In any case there's a cracking game on between canbraaaa and moanly on

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Oh well, just unlucky, keep going with BA and one day it will work…just keep going all in with a pair of twos and one day our luck will turn

Yep, just keep setting up a paper tiger and ignoring what a poster actually said. Great stuff.

 

[Tiger5150]

Taylor only replaced Potter because Robbie Farah said Potter was a shit communicator and stabbed potter in the back.

Ironically when Taylor came in and the first job was making Robbie Farah a paraiah which took 2 years to get rid of.

Then was sacked 3 rounds into the following season after Robbie left.

Peak wests tigers right there.

Preaching to the choir mate. I rated Potter as a coach actually and he was slowly building something. Taylor and then Cleary screwed the Tigers for I think a decade.

 

[TheCrowe]

your pack is old.

And yours smells!

 

[oldmancraigy]

@Soto I would argue Cheika as head coach with experienced assistants is better than Cheika as assistant coach.

Your head coach needs an overall management capacity for the football related operations, having at least some say in all of them. (Attack/ Defence/ player and coaching performance review, player development pathways and recruitment etc) He has demonstrated capacity in that kind of role, and (in theory) should excel in an oversight role.

If he leans on his head assistants advice in the nuts and bolts department, all the better.

 

[hindy111]

Once I was at a bar about 10yrs ago and I seen this 18/19yld boy who looked like Ellen. Big smile on his dumb head. I felt like punching him in his stupid face.

 

[The Predictor]

D

I dont think BA is a good coach, but you merkins were in a GF two years ago so there is recent success. TBH, same as at the Tigers, I think that clubs get set into a structure and whilst some things happen quick in RL, some things take a long time to raise their head. After the Tigers lost Moses and Teddy, the club made a decision not to rely on juniors and tried to buy NRL proven players. It was obviously a disaster and took 4 years for the full disaster to wash through the club. Everyone laughs at Sheens coming back but what he did was change that strategy and rebuild bottom up to focus on the juniors coming through (we had a gun HM team). That work is only just starting to pay off but our crap management were still a handbrake. The recent total cleanout of our board allows Richo with his experience to set in stone the new structures of the club including junior development, home ground all the way to the top.

With regards Parra & BA, regardless of whether BA is good or not and despite what looks like a weird structure from the outside where BA isnt repsonsible for recruitment and retention (is that right?), it is going to be a fact that with the one coach for 11 years, these systems are going to be ingrained. Any club that isnt on top would benefit from a Bennett coming in (he wanted to coach the Tigers after Cleary and agreed to terms with Tigers but Brisbane wouldnt sack him until it was too late) because Bennett has the experience of setting up these systems. FWIW I think Parra would benefit from a clean slate and an experienced operator like a Bennett/Gould/Richo/Cameron to build new systems.

Do u want him?

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Once I was at a bar about 10yrs ago and I seen this 18/19yld boy who looked like Ellen. Big smile on his dumb head. I felt like punching him in his stupid face.

Blue Oyster bar?

 

[Gazzamatta]

Once I was at a bar about 10yrs ago and I seen this 18/19yld boy who looked like Ellen. Big smile on his dumb head. I felt like punching him in his stupid face.

Was Mik there?

 

[Zoso]

Canberras backs have speed, so even when they were down by a fair bit early in the game, there was definitely a chance they could run 50/60 metres to set up a try etc.

That this was ignored by the gurus at our club, shows their deficiencies. The apparent value at each position is accountant generated if that’s the case and not related to a supply and demand situation. It’s frustrating to see opportunities wasted due to lack of speed and depth.

There are many of opportunities available from Dyl poking his nose through the line that we don’t take advantage of.
I wonder how much of that is due to lack of speed, coaching, ability, or something else.
Whatever it is, it’s not like opportunities aren’t being created.

Edit: not sure what happened with quote/reply function there…

 

[Stevie]

Crichton having an absolute belter of a game geez he is a good player.

 

[hindy111]

Blue Oyster bar?

The midnight factory

 

[hindy111]

Was Mik there?

MIA. Haven't heard from in almost a year. Possibly dead.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Crichton having an absolute belter of a game geez he is a good player.

Mushrooms have taken 18 months to wear off.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Mushrooms have taken 18 months to wear off.

Back in the late 80s I had a friend who sat on his balcony for 36 hours thinking he was a slug. So 18 months would be dangerous.

 

[Zoso]

@Soto I would argue Cheika as head coach with experienced assistants is better than Cheika as assistant coach.

Your head coach needs an overall management capacity for the football related operations, having at least some say in all of them. (Attack/ Defence/ player and coaching performance review, player development pathways and recruitment etc) He has demonstrated capacity in that kind of role, and (in theory) should excel in an oversight role.

If he leans on his head assistants advice in the nuts and bolts department, all the better.

Reading Mitchell’s quotes from the World Cup, he says his strength was about getting the team up for a game.
Wonder what his advising to Robbo was? Tactical, fresh set of eyes?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Cheika in my view would be the absolute dumbest decision ever. Would we seriously put a bloke in who has never ever coached a 1st grade rugby league team and give him the keys to one of the biggest NRL clubs??? This is complete madness. Are people seriously thinking this through? He would need to have some success as a rugby league coach before entertaining this..

I'm inclined to agree. He might come in and kill it (with a lot of technical help) but he would be a massive risk.