Rumours and Stuff

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Maybe they’re looking at Vaughan as an experienced backup? Merkins put shit on our club for having backups over the age of 21 but history shows young forwards tend to struggle with the physical side of the game. Front rowers mature later than other positions.

Vaughan would be a good pick up, but a multi-year deal wouldn't be so attractive (unless year 2 was on minimum wage + healthy match bonuses)

 

[hineyrulz]

Melbourne signed Brett Finch and pushed Inglis to centre. It’s not because they thought Finch was a better five-eighth. It’s just about balance.

Cheating the cap by millions is what the smart clubs do mate.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Melbourne signed Brett Finch and pushed Inglis to centre. It’s not because they thought Finch was a better five-eighth. It’s just about balance.

Melboune signing finch certainly balanced there salary cap up.

What a luxury 800-900k over the cap and let's move GI to the centres.

DA pissing off that POS after 4 games in 2009 was great coaching.

The fact the POS shit bagged parramatta whenever I heard him speak afterwards reinforced what a great call it was.

 

[senior]

i dont get why we aren't interested in terrell may

 

[King-Gutho94]

Speaking of Brett Finch thankfully we won't ever see his face or hear his voice in the NRL media ever again.

What an annoying pissant he generally was to listen too fullstop

 

[hineyrulz]

Like how Matt Arthur kept Brendan Hands out of the NRL side?

He kept him out of the number 9 position in reserve grade instead, while the captains bro in law got the first grade gig........

 

[Incorrect]

He kept him out of the number 9 position in reserve grade instead, while the captains bro in law got the first grade gig........

Damning. Absolutely damning...

 

[hineyrulz]

When Brian Smith kept picking Jason Smith?

And that Ben Smith merkin as well!!

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

i dont get why we aren't interested in terrell may

Coz he's going to cost more than we want to pay for another prop I guess.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Smith is 21 and barely played reserve grade

But he has played a test match for Malta....

 

[Soto]

Smith is 21 and barely played reserve grade

A good coach knows a good player...we haven't had one in a while unfortunately

 

[84 Baby]

And that Ben Smith merkin as well!!

Was Nathan Smith BS era or post BS era?

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Was Nathan Smith BS era or post BS era?

The Benguin played for us til 2014 or so. So Nathan was in the BS era. 2012 or so.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

i dont get why we aren't interested in terrell may

Squad balance

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He kept him out of the number 9 position in reserve grade instead, while the captains bro in law got the first grade gig........

Playing 6 in reserve grade didn't stop Arthur's picking him in first grade afterwards. He played three NRL games while Arthur was coach, after his first reserve grade game in the halves. A player's position in reserve grade is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Coz he's going to cost more than we want to pay for another prop I guess.

That's right. May will need to be paid in the top 17 and we already have at least six middles on that much:

Paulo
Ofahengaue
Hopgood
Matterson
Lane
Williams

How many high priced middle forwards does a club need ffs

 

[Happy MEel]

That's right. May will need to be paid in the top 17 and we already have at least six middles on that much:

Paulo
Ofahengaue
Hopgood
Matterson
Lane
Williams

How many high priced middle forwards does a club need ffs

I agree for 2025, but you’d imagine at least one of them won’t be here beyond next year. We may need to overspend on middles this year to get someone of May’s calibre for future years.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It's possible, but 2026 is still a long way away, and there's plenty of merkins off contract. Meanwhile we have all these forwards still on the books for 2026:

Doorey
Guymer
Hopgood
Lane (MO)
Matterson (PO)
Paulo
Pryke (supplementary list)
Williams

May would be very helpful in that side. There's certainly room for another top 17 forward, even if Lane and Matterson hang around. However we don't know which of the current off contract merkins will be re-signed for 2026 and beyond. Probably not many of these:

Cartwright
Greig
Mataele
Moretti
Ofahengaue
Tuilagi
Tuivati

 

[senior]

That Vaughan article is 100% BS

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I agree for 2025, but you’d imagine at least one of them won’t be here beyond next year. We may need to overspend on middles this year to get someone of May’s calibre for future years.

And what do you lose in 2025 by making that decision? I see no reason to believe that May is going to come at a discount.