The Silly (for all the wrong reasons) Season Thread

[Caged Panther]

Okay so I figure over the next few months there will be plenty of rumour and inuendo over who will be making their way to Panther town next season. Indeed we've already seen some of it with the whole Henry Paul thing.

So in an effort to stop threads about such rumours taking over the forum I figured I'd post this in an effort to keep all discussion on our potential recruits for next year in one thread. And this is it.

So let the speculation begin...or continue.

 

[choc_soldier]

Great idea mate!

I believe that every centre and / or five-eighth coming off contract will be linked with us over the next few months.

Let the fun begin!

 

[Big Mick]

Read in the Telegraph today that Matthew Elliot is considering drawing Reni Matuia to Penrith.

I think it'd be a great signing if we were to get him, in particular if we retain Frank Pritchard.

There were also murmers that quite possibly we are the only team to stop Parra from Re-Signing Jamie Lyon.

In a fantasy land...if we did get all three players....i'd imagine our line-up would look like this:

1. Rhys Wesser, 2. Michael Gordon, 3. Danny Galea/Reni Matuia, 4. Luke Lewis, 5. Luke Rooney, 6. Jamie Lyon, 7. Craig Gower, 8. Joel Clinton, 9. Luke Priddis, 10. Craig Stapleton, 11. Trent Waterhouse, 12. Tony Puletua, 13. Shane Rodney
14. Frank Puletua/Matthew Cross, 15. Frank Pritchard, 16. Reni Matuia/Danny Galea, 17. Paul Aiton

That team would deadset win the comp. Find me another team that has that much impact off the bench.

Then again...it is only fantasy...we wont get Lyon and we may lose Frank. We have every chance however of getting Matuia who would definately be a good replacement for Frank and a cheaper one. He is also quite versitile. Can play second row, five-eight, lock, centre...quite a good player.

 

[Munky]

Maitua is average IMO.

He is like Chris Flannery can play many a position but is average at all of them once opposition teams figure him out.

I don't want him as we have no room for him.

 

[Kiwipanther]

I still think signing Lyon would be a huge mistake. I also think last night confirmed Lewis hasn't got the goods to play five-eight. His future is most definately in the centres.

In regards to Matuia i have my doubts that hes the right type of player that we need. I think sherwin is more the type we need, but theres big question marks over his atitude and committment.

We need a kicking game soooooo baddddd.

 

[Big Mick]

Sherwin...please he is a deadset hack and overrated to the max.

Matuia is an impact player. He is light on his feet and would make a great centre.

Everyone is kinda forgetting how much he ripped us apart at centre last year.

 

[Kiwipanther]

As I said at the beginning of the year, we have missed the boat in signing quality halves. Sherwin is the best there is to offer atm for what we need.

 

[Big Mick]

Peter Wallace --> Sherwin.

has age and also ability on his side.

In two years

Jarrod Sammut --> Wallace

Or possibly Sammut to Fullback.

But what we shouldn't do is do a Souths and buy the only thing on the market for over's. We've got Wallace and Sammut...worst comes to worse we can utilise the skills of those two young guys.

Plenty of other young five-eight's out there looking for a chance also.

Five-eight isn't my concern anyway.

 

[Big Mick]

Luke Swain --> GOld Coast

and

For some apparant reason Michael Gordon --> SOmewhere else...granted it's only Brohman's article.

imo out of the following off contract:

Danny Galea - Retain...wouldn't be asking more. Keep.
Michael Gordon - Retain...probably wouldn't ask a lot more...if any...retain
Paul Aiton - Is he off-contract? If he is...sign him...quick smart.
Frank Puletua - Dunno the situation here...hopefully he stays..i've heard he's off...but dunno.
Jarrod Sammut - Must keep.
Craig Stapleton - It'd be good to keep him...he's been going alright...better than anyone could have anticipated.
Luke Swain - Needs a fresh start
Frank Pritchard - Love to keep him but not for an inflated price.

who else is off-contract?

 

[panther mark]

how about hannay toopi and tood carney

 

[Big Mick]

Hannay yes...but he is apparantly off to the Coast.

Toopi is apparantly a certainty to go to St Helens thanks to a $350,000 pay packet...which obviously means Lyon is most definately coming home to either Parra, Penrith or Manly...no other options apparantly.

Todd Carney is over-rated and he aint that good. He doesn't really like Elliot from all reports either...considering he is "the next Stuart" *cough* bull *cough* and isn't getting a run.

However if Elliot wants to bring Marc Herbert, Jermaine Ale, Alan Tongue, Marshall Chalk and Willie Raston with him...please do.

 

[choc_soldier]

Josh Hannay would be a great buy - solid defender and a recognised goalkicker. Would create a good partnership with the attacking flair of Lewis.

But I think the Titans have him covered.

 

[Caged Panther]

So where do people think we stand on recruitment?

I mean at the beginning of the season I think everyone would have agreed we wanted/needed a centre. But with Galea rid of the burden of Hookey he looks alot more solid in defence if he got more ball I'm shore his attack would improve too. Lewis has also been going great at centre.

I mean I still think we need to boost our ranks at the centre but do we need a big name centre?

If we don't where do we spend our money? 5/8? Or somewhere else.

 

[Big Mick]

I wouldn't really think we need a "big name" to be honest any more.

We got juniors coming through that'll be in Flegg/Premier League next year.

 

[cainen]

Could we read something more into Leary's hardline stance on this deadline given to Pritchard?

Perhaps he wants to match the offer that's already been made to Lyon by Parra? Going by the reports he was only offered 25k more than Pritchard.

If I recall correctly, weren't we a club that Lyon was allowed to talk to even while still contracted to Parra because he said he didn't like playing in the city? Or was that only before he went over to England? Or am I making the whole thing up?

Wishful thinking probably, but Parramatta being in all sorts of trouble at the moment could work in our favour.

 

[Caged Panther]

No i believe we were one of the clubs parra said they would let lyon talk to when the whole thing originally blew up, though that was a fair while ago and i doubt that arrangement still stands.

Besides the whole lyon sick of the city thing was a load of ass anyway. He was living in penrith at the time!

 

[Panthers_God]

Did anybody see todays big league?

I only had a glimpse at it in the newstand but it said inside the front cover that Nigel Vagana might come to Penrith. Can anybody else elaborate on this?

 

[*Sandy*]

No I don't get the mags until tomorrow, so I will know then.

What's everyone's opinions on Vagana?

TBH I'm not a huge fan of Vagana. Good player but he has discipline problems imo.

 

[Fibroman]

I rate him.

 

[The Rhino]

Did anybody see todays big league?

I only had a glimpse at it in the newstand but it said inside the front cover that Nigel Vagana might come to Penrith. Can anybody else elaborate on this?

TRY RUGBY LEAGUE WEEK mag, not Big League