Supposed "Season Review' without changes

[BennyV]

Michael Weyman, signed at age 24, was a 3-time Australian schoolboys rep (and captain), whose major career roadblock was injury.
Wendell Sailor was a highly accomplished dual international star, a former RLWC Player of the tournament winner, multi-premiership winner. A driven leader with a point to prove.
Jarrod Saffy, also only 24, was raw and unproven - yet had still played 8 NRL games before we signed him.
Costigan, 23 when signed, had already played 2 State of Origin games.

I don't know how anyone in their right mind can compare these players with the ones we've signed for next year. They are either less accomplished, less talented, older, or are yet to come close to NRL

Rewriting history :sarcasm:

 

[bottle]

Look I'm up there with the best of the 'apologists' at times, but playing down the Bennett era signings in order to play up the current Hail Mary signings is a bit of a stretch for mine.
The Butcher et al are wishin' and hopin' signings, no question in my mind. And I'm wishin and hopin along with the rest.

Weyman and the gang all had some real RL pedigree to bring with them. Weyman was always earmarked for success, but lost his way a bit. Costigan similarly. Sailor was a risk, no doubt, but a calculated one given Bennett. Saffy was the only one that was almost an unknown to the regular RL punter.

If anyone falls more into the category of the Bennett signings it's Packer, and for a number of reasons. For all the dismissal of his talent, it's easy to forget this bloke represented NZ at just 21 years of age. He was a junior powerhouse by all accounts, and in his early years with the Warriors was making his mark. Then he lost form, and went off the rails. He has the potential to be remade in a similar way to the way that Weyman was. The calibre of the tutelage is what is in question. It's no accident Bennett wanted him at the Knights, and has spoken up as an advocate for him since. He sees the potential in him.

 

[jenninga]

Look I'm up there with the best of the 'apologists' at times, but playing down the Bennett era signings in order to play up the current Hail Mary signings is a bit of a stretch for mine.
The Butcher et al are wishin' and hopin' signings, no question in my mind. And I'm wishin and hopin along with the rest.

Weyman and the gang all had some real RL pedigree to bring with them. Weyman was always earmarked for success, but lost his way a bit. Costigan similarly. Sailor was a risk, no doubt, but a calculated one given Bennett. Saffy was the only one that was almost an unknown to the regular RL punter.

If anyone falls more into the category of the Bennett signings it's Packer, and for a number of reasons. For all the dismissal of his talent, it's easy to forget this bloke represented NZ at just 21 years of age. He was a junior powerhouse by all accounts, and in his early years with the Warriors was making his mark. Then he lost form, and went off the rails. He has the potential to be remade in a similar way to the way that Weyman was. The calibre of the tutelage is what is in question. It's no accident Bennett wanted him at the Knights, and has spoken up as an advocate for him since. He sees the potential in him.

I disagree.


No I don't ,just wanted to say it.

 

[Mr Red]

Sailor was a risk, no doubt, but a calculated one given Bennett. .

Nathan Brown actually bought Sailor to the dragons in 2008. I think the deal was brokered in 2007.

 

[bottle]

Nathan Brown actually bought Sailor to the dragons in 2008

Yes, I stand corrected.

 

[grouch]

Nathan Brown actually bought Sailor to the dragons in 2008. I think the deal was brokered in 2007.

Brown also bought Saffy btw.

He had a good eye for talent and got it right reasonably often

 

[Mr Red]

Brown also bought Saffy btw.

one thing for sure, Brown had a good eye for talent, and knew how to bring juniors through the grades into first grade.
Pity he was thrown into the deep end way too quickly. Had he gone to ESL first for a few seasons before NRL first grade i think he would have had a far better NRL coaching career to date...

 

[bottle]

one thing for sure, Brown had a good eye for talent, and knew how to bring juniors through the grades into first grade.
Pity he was thrown into the deep end way too quickly. Had he gone to ESL first for a few seasons before NRL first grade i think he would have had a far better NRL coaching career to date...

Never know, may see him back at Saints one day. I'd love to see him come back and get some redemption.

 

[Jubileeboy]

Michael Weyman, signed at age 24, was a 3-time Australian schoolboys rep (and captain), whose major career roadblock was injury.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Groat

Wendell Sailor was a highly accomplished dual international star, a former RLWC Player of the tournament winner, multi-premiership winner. A driven leader with a point to prove.

Jarrod Saffy, also only 24, was raw and unproven - yet had still played 8 NRL games before we signed him.

Rory O'Brien, 25, raw and unproven - has had a previous stint in The Dragons system and took a break. 2013 NSW Country Firsts representative.
Rulon Nutira, 24, raw and unproven. Previous stints with Parramatta and Melbourne. 6'5", 115kg.

Costigan, 23 when signed, had already played 2 State of Origin games.

Dane Neilsen, 29 when signed, had already played 3 State of origin games and won a Premiership with Melbourne Storm

I don't know how anyone in their right mind can compare these players with the ones we've signed for next year. They are either less accomplished, less talented, older, or are yet to come close to NRL

I see a few similiarities...:sarcasm:

 

[grouch]

Only you would.

 

[BennyV]

I see a few similiarities...:sarcasm:

Lol you see similarities between a 23 year old prop on the rise and a 29 year old centre who spend much of last season in reserve grade?!

 

[Jubileeboy]

Lol you see similarities between a 23 year old prop on the rise and a 29 year old centre who spend much of last season in reserve grade?!

I see you conveniently missed the others and the fact that both had played SOO before coming to us....not that I really care.

I only hope both of us are pleasantly surprised.

 

[BennyV]

I see you conveniently missed the others and the fact that both had played SOO before coming to us....not that I really care.

I only hope both of us are pleasantly surprised.

Yes theu both played origin, but 1 of them played origin the year he was signed, the other played reserve grade the year he was signed.

And the other examples...OBrien and Nutira are the guys we are banking our season on coming good, yet they are still less qualified than Saffy, who was low on the list of signings and happened to come good.

I hope these guys play out of their skin, i really do...I'm just pointing out how absolutely ridiculous it is to compare the recruitment decisions made this year to the signings of Weyman, Costigan, Sailor and Saffy.

 

[Jubileeboy]

Yes theu both played origin, but 1 of them played origin the year he was signed, the other played reserve grade the year he was signed.

And the other examples...OBrien and Nutira are the guys we are banking our season on coming good, yet they are still less qualified than Saffy, who was low on the list of signings and happened to come good.

I hope these guys play out of their skin, i really do...I'm just pointing out how absolutely ridiculous it is to compare the recruitment decisions made this year to the signings of Weyman, Costigan, Sailor and Saffy.

Ok.

Whooooosh ! :sarcasm:

 

[BennyV]

Ok.

Whooooosh ! :sarcasm:

I feel like there's a point you're trying to make...

 

[Fingerbang]

So in summary....you guys are happy we got Mulholland on board to do the recruiting, just not happy with who he has recruited.

Got it! :crazy:

 

[BennyV]

So in summary....you guys are happy we got Mulholland on board to do the recruiting, just not happy with who he has recruited.

Got it! :crazy:

Incorrect.

I like SOME signings. I think l'Estrange was very astute and exactly what we needed. I like Keating as a short term half/utility option. And i like Tuimavave-Gerard too.

But what I dont like is that we are grabbing a bunch of park footballers as front rowers while we wait for Packer who may or may not be ablw to play, and yet players like FPN, Tim Grant, Dale Finucane, Ben Hannant, Neville Costigan and potentially Eddie Pettybourne go with little evidence of any enquiry...