Signing News

[The Damo]

Disagree. Rugby League is a fickle bitch, and any smart player Packers age (and within context - top prop in a struggling team and all that) would lock up his future as early as possible. Otherwise they risk a monster injury or some other mishap wiping out their chance of a deal.

Millward stated in an update that he intended on waiting until after Dugan and Widdop were sorted before turning to Packer. This strategy bit him, hard, as it gave the market a chance to unfold the way it has with respect to the Tigpies...mind you, he also stated that all 3 were managed by the same manager which is untrue, so there's a question mark as to where his mind is at...

Fair point, and as neither of us can read his mind who knows...
But the millward quote thing could lend credence to my scenario. Why would he have done that? Just cos he's an idiot? Or cos he'd had prelim convo and Packer said I'd be looking for x amount, and millward said we won't know if we can afford that till we've done these other deals? We're all speculating of course

 

[Lewish33]

Over the last year or so i've been keeping a close eye on Zac Lomax. Now hear me when I say, rarely do I put so much hope in a junior, they are untested and you never know which way they could go... But Zac is showing far too much promise for me to turn a blind eye. He is only 17 and is probably the most dominant centre in the under 20s comp at the moment. He's huge, and STILL growing, with footwork and excellent ball-skills, kicks goals... He's the real deal.

Massive future in the NRL for this kid, I have absolutely no doubt he will make the step up and excel.

Awesome. Should be ready for another teams 1st grade side soon then

 

[BennyV]

Fair point, and as neither of us can read his mind who knows...
But the millward quote thing could lend credence to my scenario. Why would he have done that? Just cos he's an idiot? Or cos he'd had prelim convo and Packer said I'd be looking for x amount, and millward said we won't know if we can afford that till we've done these other deals? We're all speculating of course

I believe both possibilities are equally likely...

 

[MilanDragon]

You think Packer is better than Vaughn? How very objective.

I think he was referring to Dugan and Milne - oh wait...

 

[BankstownDragon]

He wanted 1 million from the club and had a tantrum when he didn't get the offer.. he said he'd be off to French rugby or another team where he'd get more. He didn't care about the club, he just wanted $$$.

I heard or read that aswell somewhere aswell and also agree the tantrum wasnt called for.

But its Millwards job to try and mitigate and manipulate the situation and get him to come around. His comments publicly about positions and so forth were a large part of Dugan taking another offer for the same ot similar money.

In the end its Millards fault 95% IMHO as the way Dugan reacted had little to do with the end result.

 

[coast_dragons]

If Dugan wanted to stay he would have the comments by Millward which where stupid, he made them months after negotiations had started it was some of the crap Dugan was quoted as saying showed where his head was at.

Reference's to Union and the NFL by the newspapers and not once did he come out and say anything to state hey I am not interested in going to those sports.

Dugan let his manager try to rail road the club and it failed and now he's gone.

He didn't get anymore money an extra year yes but has been told he will have to play centre.

 

[WardyRedV]

I heard or read that aswell somewhere aswell and also agree the tantrum wasnt called for.

But its Millwards job to try and mitigate and manipulate the situation and get him to come around. His comments publicly about positions and so forth were a large part of Dugan taking another offer for the same ot similar money.

In the end its Millards fault 95% IMHO as the way Dugan reacted had little to do with the end result.

Fair enough, I feel he completely influenced the result and the way the club reacted but that's my personal opinion. Feels like the club weren't too worried about letting him go.

 

[Objective View]

He gets to play with a test player in the halves, possibly a test winger, an origin player and Thompson in the second row, origin 18th man lock, should've been origin prop, a left centre who can match it with any in the comp when on song, very good hooker, and maybe some exciting and speedy youngsters, and junior rep forwards. Don't think he'll be slitting his wrists

The Dumb

Objective View

 

[2010]

Do you think that Mary was consulted to see who he wanted to keep or is he being left out totally in recruitment issued

 

[The Damo]

The Dumb

Objective View

Always nice to chat to you Obtuse.

Still think Packer is better than Vaughn?
Pity your team lost tonight, my condolences.

 

[Lewish33]

Do you think that Mary was consulted to see who he wanted to keep or is he being left out totally in recruitment issued

Seems like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, so probably not.

How else can you explain why the potential fullback replacements that Millward's says we have for example aren't getting a run during origin time.

Unless Nightingale is the replacement.

 

[blacksafake]

Does McGregor even have any idea of who's going to replace Dugan or Packer. Or will he just bumble along hoping someone falls into his lap,because from the outside looking in there appears to be no transition plan in place. It's all reminiscent of the Benji situation, where instead of giving somebody such as Hutch a go he just let it roll along hoping it would all come good. During the off season he stated that Hutch would be given 1st crack at 1/2 but as we all know he broke down & we have finished up with McCrone for the year.
Now we are heading down the same path with the fullback situation with no real plan because in his mind will be oh well if nothing eventuates we still have Nighty to fall back on. As for prop who knows

 

[possm]

He may not be allowing for them, but the argument that he should've resigned Packer last year doesn't allow for Packer to have the smarts to delay signing knowing he could make himself worth more. We don't know whether any moves were made or not. But unless we made a remarkable offer he would've been an idiot to sign before the rep season this year.

A smart recruitment official would create an environment of certainty v uncertainty. All Millward needed to do was to indicate strongly that he is not prepared to wait. This is our offer, give me a counter offer if you will however, I want this done within a month. At the time we had just come off the failed 2016 season. There was no indication at the time of Packer making the NZ side and no club chasing Packer. All of these excuses put up to defend Millward's incompetence should be seen for what it is.

At the very least Millward should have had a plan B.

 

[possm]

Fair point, and as neither of us can read his mind who knows...
But the millward quote thing could lend credence to my scenario. Why would he have done that? Just cos he's an idiot? Or cos he'd had prelim convo and Packer said I'd be looking for x amount, and millward said we won't know if we can afford that till we've done these other deals? We're all speculating of course

Because he is incompetent and made a mess in every appointment his father has organised for him within our Club.

He went on a junior signing spree first because it is easy picking.
He extended Aitken over Mine and Mann first even though Milne had proven to be the better centre in 2016.
I suspect he paid overs for some of our forward extensions.
Then when it came to Dugan and Packer he had to choose when Dugan wanted 1m when he thought he could pay unders for both players. In the end he stuffed right up by losing both Dugan and Packer.

No B plan because it was so easy paying everyone what they wanted till the end.

Now there is a chance Mann will be gone as well. So instead of building on our squad with the inclusion of Hunt in 2018, we will be taking a few steps back with the loss of Dugan, Packer and possibly Mann.
A mess, a Millward mess.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Millward should have been a Politician with his level of diplomacy. His standard reply seems to be...."We are deep in discussions" which can be translated as....brace yourselves for his exit (or) I have No F.ckin idea!
Working under the master of spin in CEO Doust & controlling the recruitment over the master deflector in Mary, he has simply adapted their traits to lay the blame elsewhere.
I'm not sure it's a total mess, but it seems to be a major problem in the corridors of power run by the old boys brigade.

 

[The Damo]

A smart recruitment official would create an environment of certainty v uncertainty. All Millward needed to do was to indicate strongly that he is not prepared to wait. This is our offer, give me a counter offer if you will however, I want this done within a month. At the time we had just come off the failed 2016 season. There was no indication at the time of Packer making the NZ side and no club chasing Packer. All of these excuses put up to defend Millward's incompetence should be seen for what it is.

At the very least Millward should have had a plan B.

Can you point to any recruitment official who consistently acts the way you suggest? I'm willing to bet that with the way things work in league trying that would get good players offside very quickly. You'd either have to meet their demands, or deny them the opportunity to increase their value through performance.
Can you admit that you will filter everything that happens through your conviction that he's incompetent? So anything good he does was easy and that somehow not signing every rep quality player someone on here rumours might be available is proof he is? Because that's what you do, and when you post arguments with flawed assumptions constantly, people are gonna point them out.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Can you point to any recruitment official who consistently acts the way you suggest? I'm willing to bet that with the way things work in league trying that would get good players offside very quickly. You'd either have to meet their demands, or deny them the opportunity to increase their value through performance.
Can you admit that you will filter everything that happens through your conviction that he's incompetent? So anything good he does was easy and that somehow not signing every rep quality player someone on here rumours might be available is proof he is? Because that's what you do, and when you post arguments with flawed assumptions constantly, people are gonna point them out.

Your Damned if you do, your damned if you don't, will NEVER keep everyone happy

 

[Dragon Revival]

We seem to have a lot of depth at fullback with Nightingale,Mann, Dufty, Field and Marsters of reasonable class. We lack a speedy winger or two so that she be our focus both internally and externally. We should buy a good prop
who could compete with Lawrie and Kerr for a spot. I would think that for the rest of our depth that we could rely on our lower grades. It is stupid to resign promising juniors if you do not give them a go.

 

[ALSGI]

We seem to have a lot of depth at fullback with Nightingale,Mann, Dufty, Field and Marsters of reasonable class. We lack a speedy winger or two so that she be our focus both internally and externally. We should buy a good prop
who could compete with Lawrie and Kerr for a spot. I would think that for the rest of our depth that we could rely on our lower grades. It is stupid to resign promising juniors if you do not give them a go.

Trouble is if we sign a prop with FG experience Lawrie and Kerr wont get a run with Mary.
And Nighty should not be an option at FB or anywhere in FG next year. Seriously.

 

[Overseas dragon]

We have a stack of potential speedy wingers.DUFTY/SAILOR./LOMAX /FIELD /MARSTERS /GARRICK, some as fast as jimmy .have you noticed Jimmy's not exactly a tackling machine.maybe why Wayne the wanker is looking elsewhere.