SJ.

[JJ]

Lachlan Ilias now available - weird that Souths have gone cold on him so quickly, looks a good player

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Bit of scurrilous forum gossip...I personally doubt it will happen, but if the Warriors don't come to the party with a bigger offer for SJ for 2025 (he's been on modest money since 2022 and there's no suggestion it will increase) he might be off to the Roosters. Keary won't be around next year.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/market-watch-can-shaun-johnson-be-the-answer-to-the-roosters-halves-problem/news-story/11d1b38eb10a51bdab6bee2b7f5d8c31?amp&nk=1abcfa76a90bccdc1283d923a897eda2-1714653024

Rumours have hit the media….

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/market-watch-can-shaun-johnson-be-the-answer-to-the-roosters-halves-problem/news-story/11d1b38eb10a51bdab6bee2b7f5d8c31?amp&nk=1abcfa76a90bccdc1283d923a897eda2-1714653024

Rumours have hit the media….

Dont suppose you can copy txt in? appears to be paywalled

Agree its gotta be massively unlikely given he's often talked about being home as a catalyst for his turnaround. But then again, our Fish pick up showed how quickly (and quietly) things can change...

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Lachlan Ilias now available - weird that Souths have gone cold on him so quickly, looks a good player

I wanna see the Roosters sign him. No idea if he'd actually be good for them, I just want the shits and giggles that would come with it.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Uncle Nick gets what he wants!
Not sure SJ has that many years left, they could spend the same 1-2 years developing a player or steala younger half from someone.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I wanted him gone in 2018 (I was at the final against Penrith) and didn't want him back in 2022. It was great to be proven wrong about him coming back.

Moving forward, he's got 10 days off to rest and that's good news.

Not sure 10 days will help with archiles strain to much, due to tendons needing a lot longer to recover vs muscle strains.
I just hope he is training with the team.

 

[Scott]

I'm absolutely positive that Shaun either plays with us, or he retires. He won't leave NZ again to play.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

All the things you guys are saying about him wanting to stay in NZ are true, and it might even come down to the wife refusing to leave...but he is absolutely considering it. We all have an ego, SJ certainly does, and the unwillingness of the Warriors to match other offers coming in will be a factor.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Uncle Nick gets what he wants!
Not sure SJ has that many years left, they could spend the same 1-2 years developing a player or steala younger half from someone.

I was going to agree re: invest in a younger player... but then I remembered they bought Cronk at he back end of his career, and at a similar age SJ would be if he jumped ship next year. Not suggesting SJ would have Cronk's impact, but it showed the Rooster's aren't against buying interim solutions.

For me, the question is how he'd fit alongside Walker? Cronk and Keary were a good fit... Cronk ran the ship and Keary jumped in when needed with short side plays etc.

But I dont see the same fit with SJ and Walker. Both like playing on-the-ball and SJ is, unfortunately, no longer the running threat he used to be which IMO limits his value as a 6.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

We have Cleary in the halves if he leaves.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I don’t think he’s playing well

I know he’s supposedly nursing an injury, but that doesn’t really seem to be the problem either?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I don’t think he’s playing well

I know he’s supposedly nursing an injury, but that doesn’t really seem to be the problem either?

I don’t think he’s getting much help. TMM managed to look good against Souffs (who doesn’t) but he’s conpletely anonymous otherwise.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I don’t think he’s getting much help. TMM managed to look good against Souffs (who doesn’t) but he’s conpletely anonymous otherwise.

But is he allowed to look good?
Is he allowed to overcall SJ?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

But is he allowed to look good?
Is he allowed to overcall SJ?

Correct, he is barely receiving the ball to do anything with currently, I don’t seem to recall any sort of play where you see CNK chiming in to try and create something down that side

 

[Blair]

How long before he starts sulking?

 

[Philip_Smith007]

How long before he starts sulking?

2 weeks ago when he stopped training with the team.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

How long before he starts sulking?

He's already giving the team the bitch looks when half the time it's his positioning being back to far causing the shape to suck. Still not creating width using his 2nd rowers correctly. I could go on and on about SJ general play.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Correct, he is barely receiving the ball to do anything with currently, I don’t seem to recall any sort of play where you see CNK chiming in to try and create something down that side

We were getting that with Metcalf. What’s changed? Is SJ nursing injury so much he can’t develop combos with TMM?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

We were getting that with Metcalf. What’s changed? Is SJ nursing injury so much he can’t develop combos with TMM?

I didn’t see much of the Warriors early games, were they linking up directly a lot ? Has been refreshing this year to see Brooks and DCE passing to each other and roving around a bit, TMM seems like he is consigned to a small corridor

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I didn’t see much of the Warriors early games, were they linking up directly a lot ? Has been refreshing this year to see Brooks and DCE passing to each other and roving around a bit, TMM seems like he is consigned to a small corridor

Yes thats what I'm seeing too. Its very much the Penrith way isnt it, with Luai rarely venturing outside his lane, except when he's turned back inside and starts skipping across field.

Only time I've seen them play differently is when Luai isnt there, like the GF when Cogger came on, played both sides of the ruck and pushed Cleary out wider. That seemed to work alright.