The Rumours Thread

[Parko1310]

im a big fan of Kade reed - probably 3 years away from being first grade half back but he has a great boot and was ranked higher than Mitchell woods in the DT junior rankings from the school boy cup

Completely agree, I remember my first time seeing him, think it was in the Andrew johns cup highlights last year maybe? I can remember him really standing out and clearly being a class above even in just a highlights package. Just the way he passed and ran was class and I went to check the team list to see who the half was. Wasn't surprised to see he was promoted to SG this season and that he was playing an age up last year, I really like him as a player

 

[Dragon David]

Dragged kicking & screaming
Welcome back mate

Thanks a lot blacksafake. Cheers DD

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

I’m liking the idea of King Gutho and it might be possible if a few guys won’t leave from Parra

to have cook, Gutho, Holmes and maybe RCG

I mean that is the formula

very experienced players and desperate for a GF appearance in their twilight years in a new energised environment !!!! With Flano as coach. Very similar to the design Shane created in his Sharks GF winning squad.

I just can’t see us securing obvious halves for 2025 or 2026 - the market is so tight re halves and we desperately need a solution

our junior emerging halves LKT and Reed are more likely ready 2027

Hunt may leave end of this year or next. That is a serious hole to fill. There is no dominant obvious next up no7 to replace and it would hurt recruitment also.

Gutho at no6 and Kyle at no14 makes sense for 2025 and Gutho could probably play at no6 for a few seasons still vs FB - he surely knows that. Gutho is a very good player in the line from FB but he actually plays in attack more standing in the line like a 5/8….and strong defender - it really makes sense and he has a handy short kicking game.

left side - Tui, Holmes, Gutho
right side - Finau, Suli, Hunt

that is great experience and with cheap depth wingers in Matt Feagai, Allan, Finau, Tui we can make it happen $ wise for sure

Lids only has a MO for 2026 so he may move on but his contrac lt would be max $400k and same for Kyle max $400k

Then signing say RCG and releasing Lawrie would be the next massive win

Allan on the wing is good cover for Sloan if any issues in a game etc

RCG, Cook, FMolo
Luc, Sua
JDB
Gutho, Hunt
Tui, Holmes
Suli, Allan
Sloan

bench:
Kyle Flano
Sele
T.Couchmen
RFM

I suspect we may start JDB at lock to start the season and take this intense first 20mins of a game with then Couchmen coming on for the last 60mins and JDB reverting to prop second half.

Gives us a little more steel in the pack to start a game and plays Couchmen in the more open minutes plus to get thru a whole season of FG NRL

 

[JubileeJeffro]

I’m liking the idea of King Gutho and it might be possible if a few guys won’t leave from Parra

to have cook, Gutho, Holmes and maybe RCG

I mean that is the formula

very experienced players and desperate for a GF appearance in their twilight years in a new energised environment !!!! With Flano as coach. Very similar to the design Shane created in his Sharks GF winning squad.

I just can’t see us securing obvious halves for 2025 or 2026 - the market is so tight re halves and we desperately need a solution

our junior emerging halves LKT and Reed are more likely ready 2027

Hunt may leave end of this year or next. That is a serious hole to fill. There is no dominant obvious next up no7 to replace and it would hurt recruitment also.

Gutho at no6 and Kyle at no14 makes sense for 2025 and Gutho could probably play at no6 for a few seasons still vs FB - he surely knows that. Gutho is a very good player in the line from FB but he actually plays in attack more standing in the line like a 5/8….and strong defender - it really makes sense and he has a handy short kicking game.

left side - Tui, Holmes, Gutho
right side - Finau, Suli, Hunt

that is great experience and with cheap depth wingers in Matt Feagai, Allan, Finau, Tui we can make it happen $ wise for sure

Lids only has a MO for 2026 so he may move on but his contrac lt would be max $400k and same for Kyle max $400k

Then signing say RCG and releasing Lawrie would be the next massive win

Allan on the wing is good cover for Sloan if any issues in a game etc

RCG, Cook, FMolo
Luc, Sua
JDB
Gutho, Hunt
Tui, Holmes
Suli, Allan
Sloan

bench:
Kyle Flano
Sele
T.Couchmen
RFM

I suspect we may start JDB at lock to start the season and take this intense first 20mins of a game with then Couchmen coming on for the last 60mins and JDB reverting to prop second half.

Gives us a little more steel in the pack to start a game and plays Couchmen in the more open minutes plus to get thru a whole season of FG NRL

So you have dropped liddle for 2015? That would surprise me, he has been very solid and I expect he and cook to share the 9/14 rotation next couple of years.

 

[Inisai Toga]

So you have dropped liddle for 2015? That would surprise me, he has been very solid and I expect he and cook to share the 9/14 rotation next couple of years.

It seems as though the strategy is aimed at recruiting those players whom have played Origin in the past 12 months but unlikely to get picked again, but still have quality and some petrol still in the tank. This is good in two ways in that firstly they have a taste and can perform on the big stage AND secondly possibly won’t be picked again- so doesn’t impact our season.
Then, hopefully as he changes our environment we can pull off a current or prime player one day as he builds our ‘floor’…..

 

[Inisai Toga]

I’m liking the idea of King Gutho and it might be possible if a few guys won’t leave from Parra

to have cook, Gutho, Holmes and maybe RCG

I mean that is the formula

very experienced players and desperate for a GF appearance in their twilight years in a new energised environment !!!! With Flano as coach. Very similar to the design Shane created in his Sharks GF winning squad.

I just can’t see us securing obvious halves for 2025 or 2026 - the market is so tight re halves and we desperately need a solution

our junior emerging halves LKT and Reed are more likely ready 2027

Hunt may leave end of this year or next. That is a serious hole to fill. There is no dominant obvious next up no7 to replace and it would hurt recruitment also.

Gutho at no6 and Kyle at no14 makes sense for 2025 and Gutho could probably play at no6 for a few seasons still vs FB - he surely knows that. Gutho is a very good player in the line from FB but he actually plays in attack more standing in the line like a 5/8….and strong defender - it really makes sense and he has a handy short kicking game.

left side - Tui, Holmes, Gutho
right side - Finau, Suli, Hunt

that is great experience and with cheap depth wingers in Matt Feagai, Allan, Finau, Tui we can make it happen $ wise for sure

Lids only has a MO for 2026 so he may move on but his contrac lt would be max $400k and same for Kyle max $400k

Then signing say RCG and releasing Lawrie would be the next massive win

Allan on the wing is good cover for Sloan if any issues in a game etc

RCG, Cook, FMolo
Luc, Sua
JDB
Gutho, Hunt
Tui, Holmes
Suli, Allan
Sloan

bench:
Kyle Flano
Sele
T.Couchmen
RFM

I suspect we may start JDB at lock to start the season and take this intense first 20mins of a game with then Couchmen coming on for the last 60mins and JDB reverting to prop second half.

Gives us a little more steel in the pack to start a game and plays Couchmen in the more open minutes plus to get thru a whole season of FG NRL

It seems as though the strategy is aimed at recruiting those players whom have played Origin in the past 12 months but unlikely to get picked again, but still have quality and some petrol still in the tank. This is good in two ways in that firstly they have a taste and can perform on the big stage AND secondly possibly won’t be picked again- so doesn’t impact our season.
Then, hopefully as he changes our environment we can pull off a current or prime player one day as he builds our ‘floor’…..

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

Yeah I did mull that over JJ

not much in it but I feel there are a few priority areas first to address and Lids sort of all falls to the bottom key area of impact

I worked through solving our future halves challenges first and felt that Kyle could do a very good job at 14. Plus he can cover a few roles if a mid game injury occurred

The below just asks so many more questions when attacking. It gives us more options and much harder to defend against. For me that is critical to be in the 14 plus season wins part of the ladder.

Middle - Cook, sloan, Kyle no14
left side - Tui, Holmes, Gutho
right side - Finau, Suli, Hunt