The Rumours Thread

[TruSaint]

Gonna be a long off season.

Not too sure what to make of the RCG matter, but it's clear Flanno has a massive job on his hands.

We have said this thousands of times, but we can't attract top level players unless we are competitive, and if we,... do we end up paying overs. It's a vicious circle.

I was honestly of the opinion that RCG was a done deal.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

"I was honestly of the opinion that RCG was a done deal."

So was I @TruSaint . A bit disappointing that it all seems to have come to nothing.

 

[Dragon David]

"I was honestly of the opinion that RCG was a done deal."

So was I @TruSaint . A bit disappointing that it all seems to have come to nothing.

This is the problem following all of the rumours OED. Best to skip rumours and wait until signings are officially confirmed on the website then you are not let down and deflated and depressed and being pissed off etc. etc.

We WILL have signings, we as the saying goes "have to be patient" and boy have we ever.

 

[mattw5]

I think with DSaif he is on something like $800-850k or thereabouts, he wants more to relocate, he is saying, I'm on $850k, if I have to move to QLD or Wollongong he has to uproot his whole family and then they need to rent somewhere to live etc all this extra that he needs to spend so he wants an increase in salary to compensate him or he will stay in Newcastle with his $850k.
Obviously we as a club are trying to get him for around $600k and get Newcastle to chip in the rest, Dolphins are willing to go to $700K supposedly but again he wants extra, stalemate currently.
Join us next week for another episode of "Day of our lives in the NRL"

Feel sorry for him being on 850K & have extra expenses

 

[SAP58]

Gonna be a long off season.

Not too sure what to make of the RCG matter, but it's clear Flanno has a massive job on his hands.

We have said this thousands of times, but we can't attract top level players unless we are competitive, and if we,... do we end up paying overs. It's a vicious circle.

I was honestly of the opinion that RCG was a done deal.

I agree but I do remember in the early days when there was indications that we were talking to him/manager that it was stated then that the sticking point will be we were not willing to give him 3yrs which is what RCG wanted.

 

[SEAT 1A]

This is the problem following all of the rumours OED. Best to skip rumours and wait until signings are officially confirmed on the website then you are not let down and deflated and depressed and being pissed off etc. etc.

We WILL have signings, we as the saying goes "have to be patient" and boy have we ever.

Agree Dave.

I told myself not to get excited by previous rumours.

Woke up this morning to check the news and read RCG not coming and felt so deflated.

Still backing Flanno though. He's responsible for the results and if he feels it's not the correct fit for the club, so be it.

 

[barry]

The development of the Couchmen boys makes the RCG miss a lot easier to accept.

Liddle transitioning into a 13 is the key IMO, or we sign a legitimate gun 13.

 

[twinkletoes]

Other clubs seem to make signings under the cover of darkness without anything being played out in the media...why are we so different...every signing is like "chinese" water torture in that it goes on publicly for weeks on end...most often ending in disappointment.

I heard last night the Roosters have just signed up a new recruitment manager Clint Zammit...out of the blue...don't know if he is any good but it just happended seamlessly...why can't we operate like that??

 

[twinkletoes]

The development of the Couchmen boys makes the RCG miss a lot easier to accept.

Liddle transitioning into a 13 is the key IMO, or we sign a legitimate gun 13.

Barry...I keep hearing about how good the Couchman boys will be, but I'm yet to see any real evidence that they are anything apart from solid toilers, and I have seen quite a bit of them. Am I missing something??

 

[John moz]

Get over RCG at 31 we need to focus on a marquee no 7 to replace hunt if not next year definitely 2026 after B Hunt retires.
Still we are so behind other clubs like Tigers they now have signed 5 new players for next season it shows we still don't have a Professional GM of football to get deals done .

 

[twinkletoes]

Out of left field....could Cook play half??

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Out of left field....could Cook play half??

I'm saying no. I remember back in 2013 Nathan Fien was playing for us. He had been going OK in a dummy half role, but when we moved him to the halves our attack went from ordinary to pathetic. I reckon using Cook in that role would be a similar disaster.

 

[Jeremy Dragon]

I knew RCG wasn't coming as soon as John moz said it was a done deal
Strike rate zero

 

[Dragon David]

Out of left field....could Cook play half??

No from me. Cook has played most of his footy as the hooker. He likes to do the organising as the dummy half. He did have a few games this year as the centre for the Bunnies when the actual centre went off injured and he looked OK - missed a couple of tackles but ran the ball well. I think Flanno will start him at 9 but there is still a lot of water to run under the bridge before the comp starts next year and we will see how things pan out during the trial games.

The main focus has to be on defence. Having a really good defensive lock is the key and also able to make quick dashes to get the players moving forward. Liddle would be good at that. He has a great step, quick off the mark and can accelerate.

We need players who have good lateral movement and good upper body strength.

The squad of players we have will be copping a tough pre-season workout I am sure of that.

 

[TheRev]

Barry...I keep hearing about how good the Couchman boys will be, but I'm yet to see any real evidence that they are anything apart from solid toilers, and I have seen quite a bit of them. Am I missing something??

Its a fair comment in terms of first grade performance, they do more than Lawrie and starting to approach frank/sele... their biggest perk is probably that their linespeed and tackling is fantastic... none of the lazy stuff... as a team we need to fix that line-speed.. once we drop off, we stop trying and teams roll over us.

But it is a work in progress:
o Pro: Both boys consistently run @ 200m in NSW Cup (none of the others go close), and 90% type tackle efficiency with decent minutes... i.e. they are statistically miles in front of other guys in our reserve system.
o Pro: Tackling efficiency is as good as any other
o Pro: Endurance/Fitness is off the charts.. genetically blessed, good footwork and speed too.
o Con: If you were to compare them to Tonga or Alec Tui or even Coric.. you could definitely argue that the Couchies runs dont have the same 'off the back fence' impact that the others do.. they are fraction light still... though statistically it works out about the same cause they manage to get in between defenders all the time (it caught me by surprise versus what I thought I was seeeing), but even in 1st grade... their stats r usually decent.

But given they turn 21 next week, literally a coupla kilos in the preseason to get just a little bit more.. into that 102-105kg range. .. they are getting close to what i think might end up being the prototype for the ideal modern forward.. you have to imagine where they would be in say 3-4yrs time i.e. where Stefano is in his development, and hes considered young.

I think they are miles in front of where they should be for their age, and I think the ceiling could be anything.. but... there is not a guarantee (nothing is of course), I dont think you could run an entire pack of Couchmans/Stewarts (leanish props), but I also dont think you could run an entire pack full of Tongas... I think you need some of both.. but I do understand the scepticism.. but I am like 80% confident that they will atleast be 10yr first graders.. whether they are elite/origin 1st graders.. still tbd.. but I think there is a chance.. but there is 100% a reason Flanno is chasing 1-2 established middles for 2025/2026.

 

[barry]

Barry...I keep hearing about how good the Couchman boys will be, but I'm yet to see any real evidence that they are anything apart from solid toilers, and I have seen quite a bit of them. Am I missing something??

You must be missing something

 

[mattw5]

The development of the Couchmen boys makes the RCG miss a lot easier to accept.

Liddle transitioning into a 13 is the key IMO, or we sign a legitimate gun 13.

Liddle is not a 13 for god sake will people let this go, he can't handle the engine room twice this year had a head knock & went into his shell all game.

 

[mattw5]

I knew RCG wasn't coming as soon as John moz said it was a done deal
Strike rate zero

Same here

 

[since77]

...I keep hearing about how good the Couchman boys will be, but I'm yet to see any real evidence that they are anything apart from solid toilers, and I have seen quite a bit of them. Am I missing something??

Yeah you're missing something. Can't believe I have to say that.
If you've "seen quite a bit of them" and haven't worked out they're quality prospects then you're probably not a great judge of footy talent.
Wouldn't be surprised if Toby in particular ends up playing Origin.

 

[dragon64]

No from me. Cook has played most of his footy as the hooker. He likes to do the organising as the dummy half. He did have a few games this year as the centre for the Bunnies when the actual centre went off injured and he looked OK - missed a couple of tackles but ran the ball well. I think Flanno will start him at 9 but there is still a lot of water to run under the bridge before the comp starts next year and we will see how things pan out during the trial games.

The main focus has to be on defence. Having a really good defensive lock is the key and also able to make quick dashes to get the players moving forward. Liddle would be good at that. He has a great step, quick off the mark and can accelerate.

We need players who have good lateral movement and good upper body strength.

The squad of players we have will be copping a tough pre-season workout I am sure of that.

How would we go putting val at fullback and Sloan in the halves with the halve from Ko cup that played last week .