The Rumours Thread

[Parko1310]

No way we pay 1.2m for Manu. He made 79 missed tackles last year, his stats in defence are worse then Lomax and avg metres per game are less. I guarantee the roosters are playing the same game some suggest flanno is. Drive his price up so we pay overs and get welsby to take over from tedesco. They are alot smarter then we are. I would prefer dearden any day of the week. Lomax will improve massively under flanno, if we pay over 1mill for Manu we are screwed he is no Edwards not even close

I'm not saying we should sign Manu for 1.2M, but those stats are irrelevant. Manu would play fullback for us. He holds the world record for most metres gained in a single game of rugby league whilst playing at fullback. He wouldn't have to do much tackling at fullback either, so the missed tackle stat doesn't really matter. But if you look at Manu's misses, they aren't because he has a good shot on the player and just misses, it's because either he or someone inside him has read a play wrong and he throws outstretched arms at the ball runner in hope and misses. He's very strong, so if he gets himself in front, which at fullback he will, he makes the tackle. His positional play at fullback is actually really good too for someone who plays centre more often, and his effort is amazing. Should we sign him for 1.2? That's another argument, but his stats at centre don't matter when he'd play fullback for us.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

It’s whether Manu wants to play fullback and be a key playmaker on $1.2M or whether he is happy with his $850k (plus $200k in brown paper bags) playing centre. Would love him but surprised if he leaves chook pen

 

[KingFlanno7]

Manu isnt a million dollar player and thats what it would take for him to even consider us. If it was for 800 - 900 maybe but we shouldnt pay overs for someone who hasnt proven he can play fullback every game for a full season consistently. Im not saying he is a bad player either but if figures are true no thanks. I said i would back flannos choices either way i just dont think this is smart at all

 

[JubileeJeffro]

Unfortunately I think you are correct and I also think Sua will sign with the Dolphins

I agree I think SuA is gone, but I believe we are after other more damaging edge runners. Couchmans could also be interesting options on either side of the ruck.. still only 20 next year

 

[TheRev]

These are all wonderful problems to have.. but right now the sum total from dozens of player offers is 1 player in Sele (not counting his own kid).. so I'll start stressing about the position Manu, Dearden and Welsby play when we actually sign 1 of them.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

a lot of squad rotation to occur, half the squad off contract in 2024….2025 we will look completely different

 

[KingFlanno7]

.

 

[Coffs dragon]

I’d be hoping this Manu big dollars rumour is a smoke screen, whilst Flanno goes all out for Deardon or Mam with Connor Tracey to be FB.

 

[TheRev]

So confusing having this thread and the JA version.. but I was looking at our list of off contracts and we have JDB, FMolo, Tamale, Suli, Su'a as the main ones off contract that we might not want to lose.. so November 1 feels like its a magical window for us to sign players, but it's a 2-way street.

 

[Victoire]

I'm not saying we should sign Manu for 1.2M, but those stats are irrelevant. Manu would play fullback for us. He holds the world record for most metres gained in a single game of rugby league whilst playing at fullback. He wouldn't have to do much tackling at fullback either, so the missed tackle stat doesn't really matter. But if you look at Manu's misses, they aren't because he has a good shot on the player and just misses, it's because either he or someone inside him has read a play wrong and he throws outstretched arms at the ball runner in hope and misses. He's very strong, so if he gets himself in front, which at fullback he will, he makes the tackle. His positional play at fullback is actually really good too for someone who plays centre more often, and his effort is amazing. Should we sign him for 1.2? That's another argument, but his stats at centre don't matter when he'd play fullback for us.

but but but.. the tackle efficiency stat!!

If you dont want Manu you're legit crazy. A golden boot winner, premiership winner, ultra competitor in the prime of his career. Played fullback in the world cup and was outstanding, player of the tournament. The Kiwis should move him there this week too if they want a hope of beating the Kangaroos. Would take him without question, and it'd be one of the best signings in the club's history.

I don't think it'll happen either though. Looks like it was just another thought bubble from Flanagan that he spoke out loud. But that's all we've got to go with in this recruiting drought. Our signing efficiency stat must be dreadful

 

[Victoire]

I do think Jarome Luai might be a chance though. Ivan Cleary was quoted yesterday essentially questioning whether Luai's ready to be the main guy in a team:

"Is he ready for that? That's a question mark. Could he do it? I'm sure he could do it. Has he done it yet? No he hasn't. He's done it with Samoa in last year's World Cup. Generally speaking in this team, he has had his role to play, and that's slightly different. I guess that's a risk everyone will have to take."

And supposedly Luai has been on instagram posting cryptic messages about "his worth".

The conclusion I'm drawing is that negotiations with Penrith are not going well

 

[TheRev]

Our signing efficiency stat must be dreadful

I believe it is identical to our team stat for retrieving the ball after an opposition short-kickoff (approx 1 out of 50).

 

[Slippery Morris]

I thought the Couchman's were pretty impressive in their first season in NRL. With an offseason under Flanno these guys will be even better. Same with the rest of them. My man to improve the most in the forwards with an offseason under Flanno is Blake Lawrie. I am looking at this guy to step up next season and lead the way to crack into some conversations about playing rep footy. I am looking at Flanno improving F.Molo and Su'a to get them to stay on the field more often than not due to suspension. He needs to control their aggression and use it more effectively. Once they do that Saints have a really good forward pack. JDB, Couchmans x 2, Molo's x 2, Su'a, Lawrie, Sele. If they play to their peak will make a huge difference to 2023. I think that is a pretty handy pack of forwards to lay a foundation. Any newbies will be a bonus. I can see why Flanno will be happy with what he has to work with as it will be upto him to get the best out of them which I am sure he can.

Don't be too concerned if Saints do not pick up too many recruits as Flanno will improve the players he has which will not only feel like new recruits but if they do show improvement will have them want to stay long term. If they all do improve and play to their potential, clubs will be trying to poach them so Saints need to have some cash aside for upgrades especially to guys like the Couchman brothers.

If Bronco's and Warriors can go from bottom 4 to top 4 in the space of a year or 2 with a couple of tweaks to the roster, no reason why the Saints cannot follow suit. Teams that are going for all these new recruits like Tigers and Dogs will come out mid next season and be using the excuse of "it takes time for them to settle in" to cover their backsides. And then look at the end of the season to try and offload them to start again. Seriously, what has Cirraldo and Benji achieved as NRL coaches compared to Flanno? Enough said. As long as Cirro has Gus looking over his shoulder and throwing his 2 bobs worth, he will fail. Benji getting Morris as an Assistant may help him.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Luia will go to the Dogs if anything to be with his mates Crichton, Salmon & Kikau why would he go anywhere else? And we all know the Dogs have an endless wad of cash to give him. Saints should make them work for it and pay overs though and throw a bid in like they did with Kikau.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

If Blake stays on the trajectory that he shifted north the last 8 weeks or so of the season he will doing very well come rd 1

I have not always been a fan of Blake but he really lead hard the last weeks of the comp to a new level and was doing tough minutes longer minutes when required in games due to injuries etc

 

[Nutz]

No way we pay 1.2m for Manu.

TPA's will determine who he signs with.

 

[St.Brisbane]

Why would we consider replacing a defensive dynamo like Sloan with Manu when he has this concerning tackle efficiency stat?

 

[JubileeJeffro]

Fonua-Blake release request to head on his way back to Sydney… compassionate grounds. Wonder where he will end up?

 

[BIG RIG]

Fonua Blake is now on the market , played Under 20’s for us before we sacked him but would be a massive signing

 

[dragon thomo]

Sign him ASAP.