Squad succession

[the phantom menace]

And we still don't have a fullback, ffs!

 

[JokerEel]

So we have 27 but realistically 24 as Blake Louzaou and Jirah are not playing First grade again at this club.

 

[the phantom menace]

I think Pou's list has 31 for 2023, which includes 4 on development contracts (including Loizou). So 27 minus Waqa and Jirah - although Jirah is signed for 2024 as well.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

And we still don't have a fullback, ffs!

One of the utilities can play there, surely?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So Hands is finally listed on the NRL signings tracker plus he finally has a player profile. I’m calling it official. That makes 28 players plus Arthur’s and Nrown might count in the top 30 as well:

* = player option
¢ = club option
" = mutual option
^ = development contract

2023
Utility: Asi, Brown, Gutherson, Kalache^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Blake (29), Cini^, Dunster, Loizou (21), Penisini, Russell, Simonsson, Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson
Edge forward: Cartwright (29), Davey, Doorey, Lane, Mataele^, Matterson, Murchie
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Greig (24), Hopgood, Makatoa, Momoisea, Ofahengaue, Ogden, Paulo, Rodwell

2024
Utility: Asi (24), Brown, Gutherson, Kalache (21)^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Cini (24)^, Dunster, Penisini, Russell, Simonsson (26), Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson (35)
Edge forward: Davey (33), Doorey, Lane, Mataele, Matterson, Murchie (27)
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Hopgood, Makatoa (31), Momoisea (26), Ofahengaue, Ogden (28)¢, Paulo, Rodwell (25)

2025
Utility: Brown, Gutherson (31), Talagi (20)^*
Fullback: -
W/C: Dunster (26)", Penisini (23), Russell (23), Sivo (32)
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands (26)
Edge forward: Doorey (25), Lane, Mataele (23), Matterson
Middle: Campbell-Gillard (32), Hopgood (26), Ofahengaue (30), Paulo

2026
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses
Hooker: -
Edge forward: Lane (32)", Matterson (32)*
Middle: Paulo (33)

2027
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2028
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses (34)*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2029
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2030
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2031
Utility: Brown (31)*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

So we (officially) have 28 merkins in this year's top 30, and 25 in the 2024 squad.

 

[Twizzle]

about f**king time Pou

 

[the phantom menace]

That makes 28 players plus Arthur’s and Nrown might count in the top 30 as well:

Good point - in the absence of us signing anyone for more than we might be chipping in for their 2023 contracts they probably do.

 

[Chipmunk]

Rein would also have counted in the Top 30 for the majority of the year also.

 

[Gronk]

Nice

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Good point - in the absence of us signing anyone for more than we might be chipping in for their 2023 contracts they probably do.

So their payment for the year has to be more than minimum salary for them to be top 30. Probably the case for both of them.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Rein would also have counted in the Top 30 for the majority of the year also.

Yeah forgot about him. Maybe Arthur’s 2023 payment so far is less than minimum salary?

 

[Happy MEel]

Yeah forgot about him. Maybe Arthur’s 2023 payment so far is less than minimum salary?

It doesn’t really matter. They would just take the highest 30 salaries whether they are at minimum or not. As long as you’re within the cap, and you have 30 salaries at least at minimum, the NRL wouldn’t care.

 

[Noise]

Yeah forgot about him. Maybe Arthur’s 2023 payment so far is less than minimum salary?

Isn’t minimum (not development contracts)150? He left after about 6 months. You would hope he wasn’t on 300!!

 

[Happy MEel]

Isn’t minimum (not development contracts)150? He left after about 6 months. You would hope he wasn’t on 300!!

The same would also go for Rein, but like I said, as long we’ve paid 30 players the minimum it doesn’t really matter. I reckon Nrown certainly counts and we either had a pay out to the required minimum for either Rein or Arthur or we’re still looking to bring someone in.

If we don’t find anyone we can just upgrade a merkin currently outside the top 30 into it.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It doesn’t really matter. They would just take the highest 30 salaries whether they are at minimum or not. As long as you’re within the cap, and you have 30 salaries at least at minimum, the NRL wouldn’t care.

Wouldn't care about what? The minimum salary exists for a reason. You might be allowed to play whomever you want at this stage of the season but you absolutely need to pay at least minimum salary to 30 players during the year.

 

[Happy MEel]

Wouldn't care about what? The minimum salary exists for a reason. You might be allowed to play whomever you want at this stage of the season but you absolutely need to pay at least minimum salary to 30 players during the year.

Which is exactly what I said. When I mentioned “whether they were at minimum salary or not”, I was referring to them being above minimum.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Isn’t minimum (not development contracts)150? He left after about 6 months. You would hope he wasn’t on 300!!

$120k: https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/12/23/nrl-announces-record-high-salary-caps-for-2023-season/

So if he was paid $120k for the seven months he was here that would be about $205k for a full season. It's not more than he's worth but definitely the upper limit.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Lussick:

* = player option
¢ = club option
" = mutual option
^ = development contract

2023
Utility: Asi, Brown, Gutherson, Kalache^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Blake (29), Cini^, Dunster, Loizou (21), Penisini, Russell, Simonsson, Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson, Lussick
Edge forward: Cartwright (29), Davey, Doorey, Lane, Mataele^, Matterson, Murchie
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Greig (24), Hopgood, Makatoa, Momoisea, Ofahengaue, Ogden, Paulo, Rodwell

2024
Utility: Asi (24), Brown, Gutherson, Kalache (21)^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Cini (24)^, Dunster, Penisini, Russell, Simonsson (26), Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson (35), Lussick
Edge forward: Davey (33), Doorey, Lane, Mataele, Matterson, Murchie (27)
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Hopgood, Makatoa (31), Momoisea (26), Ofahengaue, Ogden (28)¢, Paulo, Rodwell (25)

2025
Utility: Brown, Gutherson (31), Talagi (20)^*
Fullback: -
W/C: Dunster (26)", Penisini (23), Russell (23), Sivo (32)
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands (26), Lussick (30)
Edge forward: Doorey (25), Lane, Mataele (23), Matterson
Middle: Campbell-Gillard (32), Hopgood (26), Ofahengaue (30), Paulo

2026
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses
Hooker: -
Edge forward: Lane (32)", Matterson (32)*
Middle: Paulo (33)

2027
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2028
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses (34)*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2029
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2030
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2031
Utility: Brown (31)*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

So we (officially) have 29 merkins in this year's top 30, and 26 in the 2024 squad.

 

[Chipmunk]

Lussick:

* = player option
¢ = club option
" = mutual option
^ = development contract

2023
Utility: Asi, Brown, Gutherson, Kalache^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Blake (29), Cini^, Dunster, Loizou (21), Penisini, Russell, Simonsson, Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson, Lussick
Edge forward: Cartwright (29), Davey, Doorey, Lane, Mataele^, Matterson, Murchie
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Greig (24), Hopgood, Makatoa, Momoisea, Ofahengaue, Ogden, Paulo, Rodwell

2024
Utility: Asi (24), Brown, Gutherson, Kalache (21)^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Cini (24)^, Dunster, Penisini, Russell, Simonsson (26), Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson (35), Lussick
Edge forward: Davey (33), Doorey, Lane, Mataele, Matterson, Murchie (27)
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Hopgood, Makatoa (31), Momoisea (26), Ofahengaue, Ogden (28)¢, Paulo, Rodwell (25)

2025
Utility: Brown, Gutherson (31), Talagi (20)^*
Fullback: -
W/C: Dunster (26)", Penisini (23), Russell (23), Sivo (32)
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands (26), Lussick (30)
Edge forward: Doorey (25), Lane, Mataele (23), Matterson
Middle: Campbell-Gillard (32), Hopgood (26), Ofahengaue (30), Paulo

2026
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses
Hooker: -
Edge forward: Lane (32)", Matterson (32)*
Middle: Paulo (33)

2027
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2028
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses (34)*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2029
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2030
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2031
Utility: Brown (31)*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

So we (officially) have 29 merkins in this year's top 30, and 26 in the 2024 squad.

About time you got off the shitter and done your job without being reminded.

FFS.

 

[Avenger]

Lussick:

* = player option
¢ = club option
" = mutual option
^ = development contract

2023
Utility: Asi, Brown, Gutherson, Kalache^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Blake (29), Cini^, Dunster, Loizou (21), Penisini, Russell, Simonsson, Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson, Lussick
Edge forward: Cartwright (29), Davey, Doorey, Lane, Mataele^, Matterson, Murchie
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Greig (24), Hopgood, Makatoa, Momoisea, Ofahengaue, Ogden, Paulo, Rodwell

2024
Utility: Asi (24), Brown, Gutherson, Kalache (21)^, Talagi^
Fullback: -
W/C: Cini (24)^, Dunster, Penisini, Russell, Simonsson (26), Sivo
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands, Hodgson (35), Lussick
Edge forward: Davey (33), Doorey, Lane, Mataele, Matterson, Murchie (27)
Middle: Campbell-Gillard, Hopgood, Makatoa (31), Momoisea (26), Ofahengaue, Ogden (28)¢, Paulo, Rodwell (25)

2025
Utility: Brown, Gutherson (31), Talagi (20)^*
Fullback: -
W/C: Dunster (26)", Penisini (23), Russell (23), Sivo (32)
Half: Moses
Hooker: Hands (26), Lussick (30)
Edge forward: Doorey (25), Lane, Mataele (23), Matterson
Middle: Campbell-Gillard (32), Hopgood (26), Ofahengaue (30), Paulo

2026
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses
Hooker: -
Edge forward: Lane (32)", Matterson (32)*
Middle: Paulo (33)

2027
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2028
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: Moses (34)*
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2029
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2030
Utility: Brown*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

2031
Utility: Brown (31)*
Fullback: -
W/C: -
Half: -
Hooker: -
Edge forward: -
Middle: -

So we (officially) have 29 merkins in this year's top 30, and 26 in the 2024 squad.

One to go. My tip is a winger.