Rumours and Stuff

[piggysmalls]

We got a new coach in November who has brought in a new playing style and culture that requires a different player. Can’t officially negotiate/announce signings until November. We lost Brown to an Allan Bond deal. Resigned Moses and a few others. Missed out on Galvin who went to a heavily backed club coming first. News articles are generally dribble with little truth, leaked by agents/clubs with a clear motive. Where is the fire?

 

[Noise]

We got a new coach in November who has brought in a new playing style and culture that requires a different player. Can’t officially negotiate/announce signings until November. We lost Brown to an Allan Bond deal. Resigned Moses and a few others. Missed out on Galvin who went to a heavily backed club coming first. News articles are generally dribble with little truth, leaked by agents/clubs with a clear motive. Where is the fire?

What? We have been able to announce signings for 2026 since last November - 8 months ago. So far we haven't signed one new player for 2026

 

[Delboy]

We got a new coach in November who has brought in a new playing style and culture that requires a different player. Can’t officially negotiate/announce signings until November. We lost Brown to an Allan Bond deal. Resigned Moses and a few others. Missed out on Galvin who went to a heavily backed club coming first. News articles are generally dribble with little truth, leaked by agents/clubs with a clear motive. Where is the fire?

The point that’s being made is that recruitment( if you haven’t noticed) has been dire for the past 5 years and the roster got worse as each year past.
There are a same people are still in charge, certainly the current coach is doing more, but closing the deal and pushing and selling the club and its resources is still their final operation. Why should we be confident ?

 

[hineyrulz]

What? We have been able to announce signings for 2026 since last November - 8 months ago. So far we haven't signed one new player for 2026

Yep, we were lucky to nab Walker for family reasons.

Under MON who have we signed that was actually wanted by their former clubs??

Or who have we signed that didn't come to us for a specific reason??? Lomax we only got him because he hated Flanno. Williams wasn't wanted by the Sharks, Iongi was stuck behind Edwards and JAC was sacked and seen as a massive liability.

We have not one race for a big name let alone a decent one. MON is a dud and failure.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Anyone sooking over MON, CEO, on recruitment, should actually listen to what Ryles and Jim have said towards it over the last few months......

It's pretty clear the approach we are taking is what they have said multiple times they are taking.....

focus on pathways, only recruiting players that suit style Ryles want to play, no rush, will only look at suitable players etc etc etc...

You might not like it, but only time will tell if it was the right approach....

And yes I think that MON and co have done a reasonable job, as Jim said on the TCT interview, the recruitment team recruit players that suit the style the coach wants to play.

Under BA, that recruitment got us 4 straight years in the finals, 2 top 4 finishes and a GF, while 2023 a few factors stopped us from make the finals. That's 5 solid years. While 2024 was shit no question!

Could we have done better after 2022 to keep the squad competitive? Off course we could, but at the same time, players always cost more if they are making finals and GF. Probably the biggest issue was a lack of pathway players coming through to replace players we couldn't afford. But it looks like since then we are doing a lot more in that area!

Now we are in a rebuild. But as in a recent @Poupou Escobar post, we have made a massive roster overhaul in just 12 months (compare 2024 squad to 25). For 2026, who knows what it will look like or how we will perform. But in my opinion the ability to bring in some promising players, move others on, and be in health position cap wise is a good sign! So I give the club credit for that. Maybe it turns to shit, but so far its going ok!

 

[Joshuatheeel]

The point that’s being made is that recruitment( if you haven’t noticed) has been dire for the past 5 years and the roster got worse as each year past.
There are a same people are still in charge, certainly the current coach is doing more, but closing the deal and pushing and selling the club and its resources is still their final operation. Why should we be confident ?

2019 - 5th
2020 - 4th
2021 - 5th
2022 - 4th and GF
2023 - not great but won 50% of games
2024 - shit

recruitment has not been poor for 5 years....we have only had one shit season since 2019 where we lost more then we won.

Could we do things better, absolutely !! 110%!! But its not a shit show!

 

[Gazzamatta]

I vote a no confidence motion

#MON Out

Maybe all 5000 of us there on Sunday could turn our backs on the team at a predetermined minute on the time clock? Ya reckon that might work?

 

[Gazzamatta]

I usually type the word merkin. I didn't that time.

Autocorrect?

 

[Sensei Cobra]

Are we in for Garner or have we missed out ?
In any case think he be a good addition and improves our squad.

 

[piggysmalls]

The point that’s being made is that recruitment( if you haven’t noticed) has been dire for the past 5 years and the roster got worse as each year past.
There are a same people are still in charge, certainly the current coach is doing more, but closing the deal and pushing and selling the club and its resources is still their final operation. Why should we be confident ?

I would disagree it has been dire. Been some solid signings and re-signings. Will always be ones we miss for whatever reason, and maybe some may be through incompetence....but does that also mean the ones they sign is through competence??
I would think a new coach would totally change the R&R strategy, targets etc .... and also heavily influence the appeal of playing for/signing with the club. We have some exciting young players, re-signing have been good. That's why I am hopeful/confident.

 

[JokerEel]

Anyone sooking over MON, CEO, on recruitment, should actually listen to what Ryles and Jim have said towards it over the last few months......

It's pretty clear the approach we are taking is what they have said multiple times they are taking.....

focus on pathways, only recruiting players that suit style Ryles want to play, no rush, will only look at suitable players etc etc etc...

You might not like it, but only time will tell if it was the right approach....

And yes I think that MON and co have done a reasonable job, as Jim said on the TCT interview, the recruitment team recruit players that suit the style the coach wants to play.

Under BA, that recruitment got us 4 straight years in the finals, 2 top 4 finishes and a GF, while 2023 a few factors stopped us from make the finals. That's 5 solid years. While 2024 was shit no question!

Could we have done better after 2022 to keep the squad competitive? Off course we could, but at the same time, players always cost more if they are making finals and GF. Probably the biggest issue was a lack of pathway players coming through to replace players we couldn't afford. But it looks like since then we are doing a lot more in that area!

Now we are in a rebuild. But as in a recent @Poupou Escobar post, we have made a massive roster overhaul in just 12 months (compare 2024 squad to 25). For 2026, who knows what it will look like or how we will perform. But in my opinion the ability to bring in some promising players, move others on, and be in health position cap wise is a good sign! So I give the club credit for that. Maybe it turns to shit, but so far its going ok!

Fair points on both sides..the recruitment has been underwhelming, but Ryles and Jim’s long-term vision deserves some time to play out. Let’s hope the pathway strategy pays off before the fanbase completely loses faith.

 

[piggysmalls]

What? We have been able to announce signings for 2026 since last November - 8 months ago. So far we haven't signed one new player for 2026

stupid mistake, thanks for pointing it out. Hopefully the point still made sense.

 

[JokerEel]

2019 - 5th
2020 - 4th
2021 - 5th
2022 - 4th and GF
2023 - not great but won 50% of games
2024 - shit

recruitment has not been poor for 5 years....we have only had one shit season since 2019 where we lost more then we won.

Could we do things better, absolutely !! 110%!! But its not a shit show!

Finals appearances were solid, but let’s be real, we never had a squad truly built to win a comp. We’ve been competitive, but always a tier below the top sides when it mattered most.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You’re deflecting. Can you answer the question first? Then I’ll answer yours if you want.

I answered yours. The answer is that it all depends on information we (you, me and the rest of these slobs) don’t have.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Finals appearances were solid, but let’s be real, we never had a squad truly built to win a comp. We’ve been competitive, but always a tier below the top sides when it mattered most.

I agree, we were always a touch below the top 2 sides...

But we were also fairly unlucky too. 2021, we lose our hookers, 2020, our backline.

Additionally we need to view our performances against other sides over that period. Obviously panthers were top, Storm, Souths maybe, were better than us. So yes we weren't the top, but did better than most sides. Who takes credit for that?

Even now, look at the Raiders, going great but haven't done much since their last GF in 2019 and 2020 season. They had 4 average seasons to get into the position they are in now. 4 years of rebuilding while we are less then a year into ours....

 

[Poupou Escobar]

In fairness there are quite a few people who believe that MON and the recruitment team have “got it right” or even done a good job in what these same people consider mitigating circumstances somehow.

I don’t but quite a large sample do - Pou, Gronk, emjaycee, joshuatheeel, Barry, TCT and many other posters on here.

the funny thing is I have heard that the club have given recruitment and retention a qualified pass due to the “mitigating” circumstance of having BA as the coach - I wonder if the huggers are giving MON and co a pass because they have also now changed their opinion on BA and feel he was holding us back?

I know some posters feel everyone is doing a good job and that this is the best a club like us could and should ever hope for, but I am sure others must now either abandon their past blind defence of BA or admit we have got R and R wrong.

Since 2019 (when the current management started), the club has done better than average. This is an improvement on our long term performance over the preceding several decades. How is this not a pass mark?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yep, we were lucky to nab Walker for family reasons.

His family needed him to play for Parra did they?

Lomax we only got him because he hated Flanno.

He must’ve hated the other 15 coaches as well.

Williams wasn't wanted by the Sharks,

Or the other 15 clubs, obviously.

Iongi was stuck behind Edwards and JAC was sacked and seen as a massive liability.

No club wants an Origin player who got caught taking party drugs. That is looked down upon in the NRL.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Even now, look at the Raiders, going great but haven't done much since their last GF in 2019 and 2020 season. They had 4 average seasons to get into the position they are in now. 4 years of rebuilding while we are less then a year into ours....

Good run clubs should never have to bottom out to rebuild.

Its just an excuse for poor management that the likes of the Tigers, Knights & Dragons have because they are poorly run like us.

Since when have Canberra bottomed out under Ricky. There poorest year under him was 2014 when he got there to start the rebuild.

They have still been competitive during there below par years.

Our poor/down years should be the 2023 where you win around 50% games and you either get in the finals or miss out not the 2018/2024/2025 where you win 6 games in a season and fighting out for the spoon 3 times every decade.

The fact we accept it is a reason why we haven't won anything for 40 years.

 

[Delboy]

I would disagree it has been dire. Been some solid signings and re-signings. Will always be ones we miss for whatever reason, and maybe some may be through incompetence....but does that also mean the ones they sign is through competence??
I would think a new coach would totally change the R&R strategy, targets etc .... and also heavily influence the appeal of playing for/signing with the club. We have some exciting young players, re-signing have been good. That's why I am hopeful/confident.

Like everone else , I want to be proved wrong re the lack of confidence in R&R. As probably the biggest Sydney club it’s frustrating we seem unable recently to get the couple of elite level signings needed in competition with other clubs so we can make the next step.

The next 4 to 6 months are crucial to setting the club up and in a position to use our young players alongside proven performers to move to challenge for the finals. No one will be more delighted than me if they get it right. I was at the 4 GF wins and want to see another one before too long, obviously

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Finals appearances were solid, but let’s be real, we never had a squad truly built to win a comp. We’ve been competitive, but always a tier below the top sides when it mattered most.

In the four years we made the finals, everyone was below those top three sides. The Broncos were a flash in the pan in ‘23 but otherwise the Roosters, Storm and Panthers dominated. I agree our club management isn’t as good as theirs, but neither is any other club’s. If we sack ours we won’t be getting merkins from those three clubs. Are we likely to get anyone better than we have? If you think the answer is yes, you don’t understand how difficult NRL success is. The way you people think we should be able to sign any player we want “If only <insert scapegoat> wasn’t shit, we would have a squad full of Origin players!!!”