Sorry Manly - you bought a dud !!

[Stagger eel]

The Kid is still waiting for Parramatta to give him a Offer..

well considering he signed with Manly, I would say that he'd be waiting for a very long time.

He agreed to terms with Manly because they offered him $150,000.00 a season.

Tony Has said had Parramatta offered him $100 K he would had signed.

well the story I heard was that we approached him a couple of days before the deadline and asked him if he would consider staying if we revised the offer and his answer was "no"..

but I guess that's all speculation isn't it??

 

[Stagger eel]

Seriously? FMD Manly have deep pockets. Where are the NRL salary cap auditors?

All that aside, Manly have paid SERIOUS overs if that is true.

that's what he said...MITS, Nikki, eelaholic, Delboy, eelz47 and emjaycee were all there and can verify.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

that's what he said...MITS, Nikki, eelaholic, Delboy, eelz47 and emjaycee were all there and can verify.

Yes, it was what was said. but if you factor in they are without Steve Menzies next year, they need a few young players to fill the void.

 

[Delboy]

Just quickly I can confirm what was said, mainly along the lines that the deal was stepped through the 3 years with an average close to $200k pa.

Not sure if it was structured according to games played in NRL, but it was a bigger offer than what we originally thought, I guess if you pay that to a couple of players and 1 works out, you could consider it a decent gamble, don.t like overpaying players as it distorts what you are doing. The SeaUrchins seem to find ot OK, saves Cleal scouting any players, just buy them from someone else's juniors.

 

[spiderdan]

lol Manly. :lol: I am sorry but Tony Willams is a massive disappointment - a dud. He has size but nothing else.

I am stuffed if I can see how he offers the side more than Grothe. Williams may potentially cost us as many tries as Eric did.

See ya Tony - don't let the door hit your arse on the way out pal.

a bit early to make that call.

as a few of us said a while ago he may end up being another manu vatuvai if he keeps playing on the wing (though vatuvai seems to have lifted his game big time).

thing is williams has the potential to be a devastating ball runner. he may look lethargic and lazy at times but he's a massive bloke that still needs to mature as a player into his size.

when fuifui was playing reserves for souths many were bagging the bloke. he was still getting bagged when he'd play 15mins a game in first grade for us. look at how he turned out.

williams has the potential to become similar to fui over the next few years. i can't see him playing wing beyond this year and will be very surprised if he isn't used as an interchange forward by des hasler next year then starting by 2011.

 

[spiderdan]

Yes, it was what was said. but if you factor in they are without Steve Menzies next year, they need a few young players to fill the void.

i thought menzies was playing for peanuts this year.

coulda sworn there was a big thing about how he was playing for close to nothing this year.

 

[1eyedeel]

Seriously, the kid is 20 making 130 metres on average per game while playing out of his preferred position. He also averages about 15 hitups per match - stats that would beat out 90 per cent of wingers in the country. That $200k will be maximum consideration with Manly and if he does enough to reach that he'll be worth every cent for his impact value.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

i thought menzies was playing for peanuts this year.

coulda sworn there was a big thing about how he was playing for close to nothing this year.

I don't know anything about that. If you can find the story I would be interested in reading it.

 

[mickdo]

when fuifui was playing reserves for souths many were bagging the bloke. he was still getting bagged when he'd play 15mins a game in first grade for us. look at how he turned out.

If we'd have paid $200k for Fui back then, Smith would have had his house firebombed worse than Cumberland Oval

 

[lucablight]

Williams has shown he can be a great player. Calling him a "dud" is just ludicrous. What kind of dud runs for more metres than most of the forwards every match? Do the people here think Oake and Hauraki are giving better value than Williams at the moment?

 

[bartman]

Just shows the gulf between first grade and NYC. He might be a prospect in a different position in a few years, but we can't pay overs to hang o0nto every maybe prospect that comes through the Eels ranks. You win some you lose some. There was a lot of hype about him from his lower grade perfromances, but after seeing him play I'm happy we didn't pay over the 100K for him.

 

[bartman]

Lucablight, I'd hope if someone offered Hauraki and Oake 150K that we'd let them go too rather than haggle to keep them, on the same basis as my thoughts on Tony.

 

[fish eel]

Lucablight, I'd hope if someone offered Hauraki and Oake 150K that we'd let them go too rather than haggle to keep them, on the same basis as my thoughts on Tony.

:lol:

thats one hell of a hypothetical barty boy, 150K for Oake :shock:

 

[El Diablo]

I don't know anything about that. If you can find the story I would be interested in reading it.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22065328-23214,00.html

Menzies shows meaning of loyalty

By Dean Ritchie
July 13, 2007

MANLY legend Steve Menzies formally announced last night that he'll play again in 2008 - then declared he would be prepared to take a pay cut to ensure the club's long-term success.

Menzies - one of the National Rugby League's most loyal players - next Thursday will hold a meeting with his manager, Wayne Beavis, Manly coach Des Hasler and club chief executive Grant Mayer to discuss next year.

The former New South Wales and Australia forward will come off the bench in Manly's bumper match against Wests Tigers at what will be a packed Brookvale Oval.

Asked would he be prepared to take a pay cut to remain at Manly for his 16th season and ensure the club can recruit and retain players, Menzies said: "I'd consider it for sure. There might be something we could work out.

"Manly has been good to me over the years and I've been okay with them too. It's something we could have a chat about."

Menzies, 33, may ask for about $250,000 for 2008 - but the club may not be prepared to outlay such money.

Manly may make an offer to Menzies of about $200,000. Told Menzies may accept a reduced offer, Mayer said: "He's been a tremendous player for the club and that gesture shows you the type of person he is.

"We've been saying all year that when the time is right for Steve, we'll sit down and talk. It seems that time will come next Thursday.

"He's had a disrupted season through injury and I look forward to hearing from him about what he'd like to do next year."

Menzies is the greatest try-scoring forward of all time and the greatest try-scorer in Manly's 61-year history.

And Manly fans will be delighted that he wants one more season. "I'll speak to Des (Hasler) but definitely I want one more year," Menzies said.

"I'm still feeling good and I want to go as far as I can. I've had a couple of niggling injuries but the legs still feel good.

"I still feel I can run around and compete. I'll play on until I can't."

The match at Brookvale should be a cracker. It will be a game of differing styles - Manly with its disciplined and regimented approach, Wests Tigers ready to throw the ball around and play laterally.

The Sea Eagles will send out a star-studded backline including representative players Matt Orford, Brett Stewart, Steve Bell, Steve Matai and Jamie Lyon.

A magazine poll this week named Lyon as the game's most over-rated player, angering the Sea Eagles camp. "Jamie Lyon has played for his country, he's played for his state and he's been playing great for us," Hasler said.

"He's kicked goals, he's scored tries and he's won us matches."

The poll in Rugby League Week also claimed that Manly were the NRL's most over-rated team - a statement the Sea Eagles will use for motivation tonight.

"It's a little odd, considering that we are sitting second on the NRL table," prop Jason King said.

so if he took the cut then Williams is earning just as much and possibly count for more if Menzies total pay isn't counted as he may be one of the long term players that get at $50k exemption

 

[bartman]

Seriously, the kid is 20 making 130 metres on average per game while playing out of his preferred position. He also averages about 15 hitups per match - stats that would beat out 90 per cent of wingers in the country. That $200k will be maximum consideration with Manly and if he does enough to reach that he'll be worth every cent for his impact value.

But he can't turn and chase a kick through. That's the weakness that saw Eric punted to Wenty, and Williams has started to have been shown up regularly in that regard as well.

What is his preferred position? Should we experiment with him in ths pack in first grade - maybe. But pay $150K for that experiment? I wouldn't think so.

 

[bartman]

:lol:

thats one hell of a hypothetical barty boy, 150K for Oake :shock:

Just answering the question, the comparison was made between Williams and Oake/Hauraki.

I'd keep all three onboard for 80K a year, maybe 90K if there was some other offers. But I think it comes down to manly had some cash and waved it, and the club couldn't reciprocate and wished Tony well with that?

 

[lucablight]

Lucablight, I'd hope if someone offered Hauraki and Oake 150K that we'd let them go too rather than haggle to keep them, on the same basis as my thoughts on Tony.

I don't mean separately. Since we kept both of those guys have they shown their combined value to be better than Williams by himself? I wouldn't say so personally.

 

[bartman]

OK, I'm coming at it as a value for money decision, given Williams attracted the big offers.

I'm disappointed in Hauraki's efforts, even though the coach keeps giving him wraps. He and Oake for mine haven't developed into first grade material maybe as fast as the club would have hoped. Combined contribution of two forwards versus one winger... hard to do, but you've got a point as far as potential impact goes.

But since we have such high money invested in our outside backs already, keeping another at the expense of two avergae forwards would tilt the balance of the squad the wrong way imo. I've seen Tony try second row in NYC, and I have no idea why the coaches haven't persisted with that a bit more if that's going to be his future, but there must be a reason... and comments on work rate could be their current answer, so far as we can guess from back here?

 

[MarkInTheStands]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22065328-23214,00.html

so if he took the cut then Williams is earning just as much and possibly count for more if Menzies total pay isn't counted as he may be one of the long term players that get at $50k exemption

Yeah but the $50K is still part of the 4.1 Million Cap. Either way, even if he took the cut, and based on that story, it was a possibility about 13 months ago, then there is still little to no cause to say "Call in the Salary Cap Auditor!" when we hear Tony is on the same sort of dough.

 

[Eels Dude]

Williams isn't a winger, but at the same time i'm not convinced he'd be a solid back rower or centre either. Playing on the wing he doesn't have to do much defensive work, so he looks good and fresh when he takes hitups. I doubt he'd have the same impact in attack if he's making 20 or so tackles a game. He seems to lack urgency and concentration at times, that may change in the future, however he's not going to become the great player he's capable of becoming without improving his attitude.