The Rumours Thread

[jak]

Just watching the Manly v Titans game and boy Manly can score some scintillating runaway tries. Love it and I want us to do the same please.

ok

 

[dungay dragon]

Fascinating week ahead guys as Clubs are prepared to squeeze out some well performed stars due to cap pressure
Here s a short list Flanno should be licking his lips over .
Storm ASF Papenhauzen Welch
Cows Jason T , Val Holmes
Parra King Gutho
Throw in young Cows future star Jaxon Purdue wow .
At 18 this kid could really b something
Played all his juniors in the Halves but made his NRL Debut in Centres
Bit unsure of Contract status but worth a try if not signed
Plenty on the shelf , when the shelf is supposedly dry

 

[justadragon]

Fascinating week ahead guys as Clubs are prepared to squeeze out some well performed stars due to cap pressure
Here s a short list Flanno should be licking his lips over .
Storm ASF Papenhauzen Welch
Cows Jason T , Val Holmes
Parra King Gutho
Throw in young Cows future star Jaxon Purdue wow .
At 18 this kid could really b something
Played all his juniors in the Halves but made his NRL Debut in Centres
Bit unsure of Contract status but worth a try if not signed
Plenty on the shelf , when the shelf is supposedly dry

Welch I would like a look at, I think we went for him before, VH we need to and I think Flanno is behind closed doors, Absolute NO to JT, way past it and huge $$$, we wont get a look in with Pappy or NAS probably, no to Gutho he is past it as well and injury prone. I think the cows will be doing everything in their power to keep the kid, he looks the goods. I would actually prefer RCG and Welch to Saifiti . Anyway interesting times ahead.

 

[dungay dragon]

Welch I would like a look at, I think we went for him before, VH we need to and I think Flanno is behind closed doors, Absolute NO to JT, way past it and huge $$$, we wont get a look in with Pappy or NAS probably, no to Gutho he is past it as well and injury prone. I think the cows will be doing everything in their power to keep the kid, he looks the goods. I would actually prefer RCG and Welch to Saifiti . Anyway interesting times ahead.

Pappys the bolter
Storm are over stocked with backs , and full backs in particular
the form of howarth and co has muddied the waters even more
a tough call is about to be made

 

[St Tangles]

Welch I would like a look at, I think we went for him before, VH we need to and I think Flanno is behind closed doors, Absolute NO to JT, way past it and huge $$$, we wont get a look in with Pappy or NAS probably, no to Gutho he is past it as well and injury prone. I think the cows will be doing everything in their power to keep the kid, he looks the goods. I would actually prefer RCG and Welch to Saifiti . Anyway interesting times ahead.

Welch has been very poor this year when playing and towards the end of last year

He has fallen off the cliff

I wouldn't even consider him

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

Pappys the bolter
Storm are over stocked with backs , and full backs in particular
the form of howarth and co has muddied the waters even more
a tough call is about to be made

Me want pappy

 

[TheRev]

Welch has been very poor this year when playing and towards the end of last year

He has fallen off the cliff

I wouldn't even consider him

This seems to be a real thing.. traditionally... props mature and supposedly hit their peak from 28, that may not be the case anymore.. possibly due to the increased speed of the game.

It's becoming really clear that a LOT of big name props have a few years at the top.. and they just cant sustain that intensity.. the job must be so physically taxing that they have to dial it back a gear or 2 .. off the top of my head examples like Klemmer, DSaifiti, NAS, RCG, Taumanalo, Welch, im sure there are 50 examples if I went looking.

The absolute exception is JWH who is 35 and still killing it.. he is such an outlier its not even funny.. I heard Nick Politis interviewed.. he said they had been looking for his replacement for 10yrs.. and they dont exist anymore.

Im looking at AFB and JFH, both 28yrs old.. have they peaked? And how rapid will the descent be? Dont get me wrong, we would kill for either.. its just really interesting.. and probably why so many clubs want Stefano @24 with his big years to come...

All that said.. a few of these older players @80% will do the job we need, atleast match the majority of the competition.

 

[TheRev]

Me want pappy

Let pappy be free (or give us Faalago).. thankyou.

 

[offiah]

#freethepap

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Welch has been very poor this year when playing and towards the end of last year

He has fallen off the cliff

I wouldn't even consider him

Watched the Saifiti brothers against the Broncs pretty closely and tbh, I didn't see anything from either of them that warranted a signing from us-tall- but that's all. Leo Thompson- now that's a different story but he's unavailable for 2025.

Bottom line, the Roosters have probably got the best props locked up and everyone else is scrambling for scraps. Melbourne would be crazy not to be looking to replace Welch and NAS so they're probably going to attract whatever talent is available. We're probably better off developing the prop talent we have than investing in players looking for superannuation money. I've been howled down for saying this but I still like Luch coming off the bench as a big body, tearaway, Spencer Leniu like middle-but with more skill.

 

[BLM01]

This seems to be a real thing.. traditionally... props mature and supposedly hit their peak from 28, that may not be the case anymore.. possibly due to the increased speed of the game.

It's becoming really clear that a LOT of big name props have a few years at the top.. and they just cant sustain that intensity.. the job must be so physically taxing that they have to dial it back a gear or 2 .. off the top of my head examples like Klemmer, DSaifiti, NAS, RCG, Taumanalo, Welch, im sure there are 50 examples if I went looking.

The absolute exception is JWH who is 35 and still killing it.. he is such an outlier its not even funny.. I heard Nick Politis interviewed.. he said they had been looking for his replacement for 10yrs.. and they dont exist anymore.

Im looking at AFB and JFH, both 28yrs old.. have they peaked? And how rapid will the descent be? Dont get me wrong, we would kill for either.. its just really interesting.. and probably why so many clubs want Stefano @24 with his big years to come...

All that said.. a few of these older players @80% will do the job we need, atleast match the majority of the competition.

That is because the game is evolving to be robotic like
Which exception of the untouchable kicker No 7 or 6 you will basically have similar sized bodies with similar speed over 20 m etc across the park eventually
Look at middles now flourishing like Carrigan Cotter with good leg speed
That is the future middles right there with the backs are the ones that can do the same but maintain speed longer and cover more kms

Lot of traditional props even today don’t have the speed to dent such good strong brick walls and will be phased out unless they have speed like a Haas. They have to come up with 2nd phase game plans to break teams open

we are no where near robotic yet but can see change before my eyes

 

[Dragon David]

Watched the Saifiti brothers against the Broncs pretty closely and tbh, I didn't see anything from either of them that warranted a signing from us-tall- but that's all. Leo Thompson- now that's a different story but he's unavailable for 2025.

Bottom line, the Roosters have probably got the best props locked up and everyone else is scrambling for scraps. Melbourne would be crazy not to be looking to replace Welch and NAS so they're probably going to attract whatever talent is available. We're probably better off developing the prop talent we have than investing in players looking for superannuation money. I've been howled down for saying this but I still like Luch coming off the bench as a big body, tearaway, Spencer Leniu like middle-but with more skill.

Agreed by me redandwhite4evr.

 

[SEAT 1A]

NRL bans Dogs’ bid to sign sacked ex-Rooster; Broncos son of gun’s early release — Transfer Whispers

NRL bans Dogs’ bid to sign sacked ex-Rooster; Broncos son of gun’s early release — Transfer Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

Good new regarding Rav as there seems to be some interest in the UK.

Really feel for him as he regularly cut blokes in half, was a real weapon and a huge part of his game. After the BS suspensions he's had to completely change his technique.

Sad, seeing less of his huge smile in games.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

I wonder if the Saifiti’s could be a package deal subsidised by knights. 2-3 years until next gen ready.
Gives F Molo, Couchman, Leilua and Liddle as bench, looks much stronger.

Saifiti cook Saifiti
RFM: SuA
JDB

 

[FlickFlano]

very unlikely

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

Good new regarding Rav as there seems to be some interest in the UK.

Really feel for him as he regularly cut blokes in half, was a real weapon and a huge part of his game. After the BS suspensions he's had to completely change his technique.

Sad, seeing less of his huge smile in games.

Will kill it in the UK and would wish him the best. Was a fun player to watch and made some great memories through some average years for the club.

Will miss him but at the same time I also get that Flanno would be moving him on (and Bird if he could).

I just don't see anything coming in and that is the actual bother. My patience is wearing thin.

 

[Dragon David]

Will kill it in the UK and would wish him the best. Was a fun player to watch and made some great memories through some average years for the club.

Will miss him but at the same time I also get that Flanno would be moving him on (and Bird if he could).

I just don't see anything coming in and that is the actual bother. My patience is wearing thin.

Like a lot of us. How long have we been patient. It won't be long that I will be a patient in some looney bin with all this anxiety.

 

[BigRedVee]

Will miss him but at the same time I also get that Flanno would be moving him on (and Bird if he could).

I can’t see why Flano can’t tell Bird to find something in the UK for next season and we can release him.

I’m pretty sure that Bird took his PO because it was his only option at the time.

 

[FlickFlano]

How do you know this hasnt happened?

 

[TheRev]

There are only 4 players that we would be looking to replace with an upgrade.. which is Ravalawa, Lawrie, Bird & Fifita.. everyone else has a role to play in 1st Grade or Cup.

It is possible that there are other players agitating to leave.. but thats a different issue. SFinau comes to mind... but the rest r pretty freshly re-contracted tbh.

I reckon Flanno is working on clearing them as needed.. otherwise they are depth... Ravalawa the easiest of the 4 to offload.. but I think Lawrie stays and plays reserve grade if we cant find someone to pay some of it.. Flanno is ruthless on the purse strings.. but he always has Lawrie in the back pocket to cash out if we desperately need the extra Top30 slot...