Switching codes? Warriors approach Spencer

[Iafeta]

Umm can we get back to the original topic? it's ok if some of you guys don't like Union but this is just getting ridiculous.

Jonah in his prime was the best winger in the world no doubt about it.

Now to Carlos, I can without a doubt say I would welcome "King" Carlos to League, he was probably my favourite player growing up and I have always wondered what it would be like if he came to league. Sure he is getting a bit older and he has been a bit out of form lately, but maybe this is just what he needs a fresh start in a new direction. That being said I'm very doubtful about this happening, I can't see the Warriors matching the money that European or Japanese Rugby can come up with, the only real advantage the Warriors have is that Carlos has stated on numerous occasions he doesn't want to leave NZ.

Oh and postions I could see him playing would be either 5/8, half back or even fullback.

If he did switch it would be quite ironic though, Carlos is forced out of the Blues by a league reject in Lavea and hence becomes a union reject coming to league.

Now the situation with Stacey Jones, what you got to understand is that Stacey is approaching the end of his career and when he comes off contract the end of this year his next one will probably his last, so he is understandably looking towards England to set him up for a few years. On the other side of the coin the Warriors are looking for new a direction in their team and are looking to sign some quality players which requires a fair bit of cash so it's pretty much mutual.

Stacey Jones doesn't come off contract at the end of this year. He is contracted until the end of 2006.

 

[Iafeta]

sucess is personal to kiwis, the atheletes represent the country over here, not the f***ing sponsors.

Hilarious stuff. Last time I looked the kiwi teams representing all sports are fully sponsored.

Every single Kiwi sportsman/team is sponsored?

Thats an enormous statement, and one I'm quite sure is wrong.

 

[ThrashViking]

Yes, but there is ALOT of New Zealand sport teams/sportsman that are on some sort of sponsorship.
Jonah was on 3 million a year by Adidas and now the likes of Hamish Carter, Sarah Ulmer & the Ever-Swindell Twins are cashing in.

 

[Garts]

How did this go from Carlos playing Rugby to Kiwis whinging about Australias sporting success???

 

[NZ Warrior]

This always happens :roll:

 

[ThrashViking]

Not sure, I think it's a bay of plenty cattle farmer thing.

 

[tye]

misty bee

most watched sporting contest in the Australian sporting calendar

You are obviously not very smart

 

[Ghoulies]

misty beeQuote:

most watched sporting contest in the Australian sporting calendar



You are obviously not very smart

Read the rest of the post...

However, in League, it's annually the biggest crowd and most watched sporting contest in the Australian sporting calendar

Also, someone who says Spencer would be better than Lockyer if he swapped codes isn't in any position to question someones intelligence.

 

[ozbash]

Not sure, I think it's a bay of plenty cattle farmer thing.

:shock: :shock:

well, its true isnt it ? they,re always harping on telling anyone who looks awake how f**king good they are at everything when in actual fact they,re only good at buying cups and trophys :roll:

even the cattle know that :lol:

 

[griff]

I think there are probably plenty of RU players who would be a success in Rugby League. In previous years there were some great converts, and now that RU is beginning to catch up in terms of speed, fitness, and defence then there should be even more players that could make the switch than there used to be.

Top of my list would be Brian O'Driscoll. He is a hard runner and tough defender and will be the RU Lions captain, probably the top individual honour in NH RU. If he came to Rugby League it would be absolutely huge for the sport. And the thing is he wouldn't be on a huge amount of money at the moment playing in Ireland - maybe the equivalent of $250,000. What he makes in endorsements over there he could easily make in the NRL.

Other players are ones like Mortlock, Spencer, Muliana, Wilkinson if he could stay injury free and we could afford him, and even Butch James if he can calm down his temper and avoid further injury.

Lately RL haven't been thinking about signing up RU players, and it has just been the other way round. This has led to a bit of a feeling out there that RL is dying. Signing a few top RU players will hugely boost RL's profile.

Sailor cost the ARU $700,000 a year, and hasn't really repaid that on the field. But that is a small price to pay as he has been worth probably $20 million in publicity for them. Even if a player like O'Driscoll or Spencer isn't worth the money on the field, the positive publicity for the code internationally and in Australia is easily worth it many times over.

 

[Resident Warrior]

O'Driscoll= best center in the world in either code imho.

 

[Matt M]

O'Driscoll is a great player, and would be awesome in rugby league. Mortlock and Doug Howlett would be good too I think. There was also that Fijian winger (not Caucau who is still good), the guy I am talking about filled in for Caucau in the world cup I think, he just looked more like a rugby league player.

Wilkinson is a good union player but I think he would be poor at league. He just has a completely different style of play.

 

[iggy plop]

O'Driscoll= best center in the world in either code imho.

Jamie Lyon is much better.

 

[douglasallen91]

Dan Carter is now "the man" in NZ rugby so it wouldn't surprise if Carlos went.

carter is warming the bench this weekend too.

 

[douglasallen91]

you mention Jonah Lomu in the same vein as Wendell Sailor? Jonah was twice.... wait.... 10 times better than anything Wendell had to offer. Jonah at his peak was the best winger to ever lace a boot. in both codes. the likes of Wendell, Lote, both Guru Snr and Jnr had nothing on him.
if you cant see that then your dillusional.
as for hindy,
look..... im a parra fan. have been since i was about 5 years old. but dont get me started on hindy. hes physically strong and has speed to burn. hes quite an athlete. but sometimes i jusr get the feeling hes soft upstairs. he seems to be awesome in the premiorship games. but when it comes to the big stuff, he seems to be mentally abit weak. infact, the bloke pissed me off after we lost to the knights in 01'. the guy started crying!! brian smith had to hold him like his little daughter!! and hes the leader of our forward pack? yeah, im sure Los' will be quaking in his boots.

Comparison between Lomu - Union's second best ever winger behind turnstile Campese - and Grothe - Leagues best winger since Ken Irvine: Lomu made his fame on the South African hosted world cup in the early 90's, by running through the English union backs to score. Grothe made his name in a semi final v Canterbury in the mid 80's, by running through their pack and pushing off 5 defenders to score.

?

u didn't see the games between the all blacks and wales and ireland in 1995 ah. u are a joke.

 

[Kurt Angle]

I don't think anyone in Australia watched RU back in 1995, so it's sort of hard to blame him.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

Back to the topic.

Now that Jones is going to France, does this open the door
even more for Carlos or will NZ go for Fien??

And if so where Mundine fit in?

 

[Resident Warrior]

I would much rather Spencer than Mundine, that's just my opinion though.....

 

[Kurt Angle]

Carlos would only serve as a publicity boost.

Our game speaks for itself on the field, we don't need a "wendall" like signing.

Other than that, Carlos has brain explosions and the heart the size of a pea.

He'd be the sort of bloke that after one hard gang tackle he would be put off his game and once threatened with any more hard tackles, he'd be prone to throw hospital passes or to no-one in particular causing turnovers galore.

Carlos Spencer would be an absolute RL liability.

6. Mundine
7. Fien

That is the best bet for the Warriors in the short term.

 

[Iafeta]

Mundine should be the first priority, although I guess Stacey must have been on a motza so there's every possibility Spencer/Mundine might both come.