Signings That Were Never Right

[Wizardman]

I dunno about that one. He helped incubte a tougher culture during his time there, which culminated inm ikts 1990 GF appearance. Then add in Paul Dunn goingf there in 1991 and that additional "winning expoerienced edge" helped that mainly home grown Panthers team to knock over the Raiders.

Agree with you. MG raved on about how important Mortimer was to the Panthers in his time there.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Not a big name but Nick Graham at the Tigers looked weird

 

[Munky]

I'm still trying to adjust to Reyno not playing in the Cardinal and Myrtle. He still would be if we hadn't made the monumental error of not giving him the extra year he wanted on his extension.

It seems wrong him running around as a Bronco.

I'm glad he is, otherwise the GOAT photos wouldn't exist.

 

[Wizardman]

A coaching one. Alan Jones at the Balmain Tigers.

Jones got the job in 1991 off the back of Warren Ryan's successful time. While Jones coached the club for free, the club certainly paid the price for the time he was there in other ways.
He tried to change the playing style from the grinding Ryan type to a free-flowing style which went down like a lead balloon with the roster there. From the ex-Tigers player biographies I've read (even MG's who was an Alan Jones supporter), all of them say that the playing group during the Alan Jones era was an unhappy one. Quite a few of the players did not relate to his speeches and coaching and results certainly dipped during his tenure there. One of his more baffling moves was the decision to demote test halfback Gary Freeman for a blonde hair blue eyed halfback from union who did not improve our fortunes.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Have been watching some old games in the off season and have come across a few signings id forgotten about that still just never felt right.

Fatty at the Roosters
Mark Geyer at the Tigers
Tim Brasher at Souths
Phil Blake at the Dragons, and Warriors, and Raiders.

What other signing just never looked right?

Brash stuffed up, he wanted to go to a strong club had big offers from Manly and Penrith that year, waited too long, they both signed other players so he asked to stay with Balmain but we'd signed Shannon Nevin. Ended up having to go to the absolute basketcase that was mid-late 90s Souths, then ended up at the Cowboys who werent any better.

Shame as the guy played finals his first 2 years and then none in his last 11. This really holds him back when talked about in the 'Best Ever' NSW sides

 

[Wizardman]

Brash stuffed up, he wanted to go to a strong club had big offers from Manly and Penrith that year, waited too long, they both signed other players so he asked to stay with Balmain but we'd signed Shannon Nevin. Ended up having to go to the absolute basketcase that was mid-late 90s Souths, then ended up at the Cowboys who werent any better.

Shame as the guy played finals his first 2 years and then none in his last 11. This really holds him back when talked about in the 'Best Ever' NSW sides

As well as he played for Balmain, I feel sorry for the bugger in that he never got the club success that he truly deserved. When he left, I had absolutely no hard feelings for the bloke as he truly gave 100% to the Tigers for a very long period of time.

His career may well have been a cautionary tale for James Tedesco.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Lance Thompson @ Cronulla.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Someone said Mario Fenech @ Norths, I don't think that was so weird, Mario @ the South Queensland Crushers didn't seem right though.

 

[Munky]

Brett Mullins for the Roosters was odd.

Especially jarring since I was ten when he was carving up with the Raiders and those highlighted are seared into my brain.

When he left, I had absolutely no hard feelings for the bloke as he truly gave 100% to the Tigers for a very long period of time.

Kind of like a JFH without the club success. It'll be weird seeing him in a Warriors jersey but can't complain about the effort in over 200 games for my club.

 

[mozza91]

Someone said Mario Fenech @ Norths, I don't think that was so weird, Mario @ the South Queensland Crushers didn't seem right though.

Whoever decided to have Mario commentating in late 90’s was probably the worst signing.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Two that never happened but would have been weird

Paul Sironen in his book revealed that he shook hands and agreed to join Cronulla in the mid 90s, only to go reneg and stay at balmain

On the opposite side ET said he went close to joining Balmain around the same time, but stayed loyal

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Someone said Mario Fenech @ Norths, I don't think that was so weird, Mario @ the South Queensland Crushers didn't seem right though.

Whether it was Norths or SQ is irrelevant, it was the fact the jersey he was wearing didn't have the Red and Green hoops and Smiths Crisps on the front that made it weird.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Whether it was Norths or SQ is irrelevant, it was the fact the jersey he was wearing didn't have the Red and Green hoops and Smiths Crisps on the front that made it weird.

To you maybe.

 

[Bukowski]

I dunno about that one. He helped incubte a tougher culture during his time there, which culminated inm ikts 1990 GF appearance. Then add in Paul Dunn goingf there in 1991 and that additional "winning expoerienced edge" helped that mainly home grown Panthers team to knock over the Raiders.

Don't get me wrong, him and Kelly going to the panthers gave the young blokes a hard edge. They certainly contributed to the culture that ended up in grand final success. But it just didn't seem right to me, a bulldog family Mortimer in other colours.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Brett Mullins for the Roosters was odd.

Especially jarring since I was ten when he was carving up with the Raiders and those highlighted are seared into my brain.



Kind of like a JFH without the club success. It'll be weird seeing him in a Warriors jersey but can't complain about the effort in over 200 games for my club.

Thing is, his Dad, Bill, was a Roosters legend. He actualy took Brett to trial with the Roosters whilst he was in his early teens, but the powers that be said he was too skinny and would never make it. Bill was angered by that, so he took him to the Raiders to trial and they graded him.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Don't get me wrong, him and Kelly going to the panthers gave the young blokes a hard edge. They certainly contributed to the culture that ended up in grand final success. But it just didn't seem right to me, a bulldog family Mortimer in other colours.

Yes, buit considfereing Bullfrog was gutting the side for 1989 so he could get Gould fired and bring in son in law Chris Anderson as First Grade coach in 1990, it was more the Bulldogs not appreciating Chris M than anything else.

 

[soc123_au]

Chris Mortimer to Penrith.

One of our best ever signings up to that point at least. Even though he retired at the end of 1990 I dont think we win in 91 if he hadn't come. Would have been weird for a Dogs fan though.

Rhys Wesser at Souths felt wrong, he was past his best by then, so fitted with that era souffs I guess.

 

[Someone2]

Jarryd Hayne at Titans

 

[mongoose]

Brett white at Raiders

he is from cooma which is in the Canberra region...

 

[King hit]

A coaching one. Alan Jones at the Balmain Tigers.

Jones got the job in 1991 off the back of Warren Ryan's successful time. While Jones coached the club for free, the club certainly paid the price for the time he was there in other ways.
He tried to change the playing style from the grinding Ryan type to a free-flowing style which went down like a lead balloon with the roster there. From the ex-Tigers player biographies I've read (even MG's who was an Alan Jones supporter), all of them say that the playing group during the Alan Jones era was an unhappy one. Quite a few of the players did not relate to his speeches and coaching and results certainly dipped during his tenure there. One of his more baffling moves was the decision to demote test halfback Gary Freeman for a blonde hair blue eyed halfback from union who did not improve our fortunes.

There’s probably a very disturbing reason why he wanted that Brian Smith bloke. Praying he gets convicted for the creep he is.