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The Silly (for all the wrong reasons) Season Thread

K

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,782
I'm on a roll, albeit with a few beers under the belt. Please tell me I am the only Panther supporter who has had a gutful of the fair and equitable salary cap?

Please grab yourselves a copy of any big league program from season 2003/2004/2005/2006 and I invite your to list those players we have released and or lost during these seasons. Compare this list to the list of any other club in the NRL and please reassure me everyone is in the same boat!

I could be wrong, but I'm having some difficulty equating the likes of the Dragons, Storm and a few other clubs either retaining there current playing staffs and or who seem to be able to recruit further top quality players notwithanding there already top notch sides.

I could be wrong, but the Panthers seem to have lost/released/let go more top quality players than any other sides since our success in 2003.

Is there any other club who could field a side of former players such as,

1. Steve Turner.
2. Shane Elford.
3. Ryan Girdler.
4. Paul Whatuira.
5. Amos Roberts.
6. Preston Campbell.
7. Ben Reynolds.
13. Scott Sattler.
12. Joe Galuvao.
11. Garett Crossman.
10. Frank Pulutea.
9. Marty Lang (Sorry could think of a specialist hooker we lost in last couple of seasons)
8. Ben Ross.

Interchange.

14. Ben Pommeroy.
15. George Rose.
16. Ben Rogers.
17. Luke Swain.


There are others I'm suire but this list is just of the top of my head.

Is there any other NRL club who could honestly field a side of players who they have lost/released etc in the last couple of seasons? I think not! Is the Panthers the only club who are abiding by the salary cap rules!

I could be wrong but I would be prepared to accept some form of cheating like some of the other high profile clubs.

[EDIT]
 
K

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,782
PS. I don't condone cheating.

It's just totally frustrating year in year out to not be competitive in the recruitment of marquee players.

I am only too well aware the panthers have never been able to recruit top notch players to the western suburbs but by the same token we should be competitive in being able to retain our own home grown products!

I can readilly accept established representative players not wanting to leave the eastern or northern suburbs to come out west but I dont see why we should lie down so easily and give up our home grown talent to the same clubs.

All the club has to do is simply have a proper management system in place, with a fair and equitable contract system in place, to enable the club to retain our local juniors and other players of first grade standard.

If we can achieve this then I am confident we can finally have a successful side for years on end rather than once every 10-15 years or so!
 
B

Big Mick

Referee
Messages
26,314
u've included guys who have retired...rather than going to other clubs.

I can't believe we have only the $600,000 left under the salary cap increase left...I cannot fatham how the f**k that could happen. We're releasing 4 guys, Preston who was on a decent Salary, Frank Puletua who was the same, Swain would have been on something decent and Stapleton was only on $37,500.....but how could that amount not comfortably account for upgrades to our younger guys as well as signing 2-3 top notch players...

if I see this list of outgoings and incomings next season i'm gonna be PISSED!

Outgoings: Craig Stapleton, Danny Galea, Michael Gordon, Luke Swain, Frank Puletua, Preston Campbell, David McLean, Jason Wrigley, Brett Howland
Incomings: Jamie Lyon

That'll f**kin do me....9 players are not equivalent to one man. Personally prepare to be disappointed if we're signing Lyon as a five-eight...he's not that good...personally I don't want him for $600,000. I would rather get Daryl Millard or Buddy Gordon at centre and Ben Roberts for five-eight
 
C

Caged Panther

First Grade
Messages
5,171
If we do sign Lyon is should be as a centre. I'd rather see lewis at 5/8 personally if the powers that be don't think wallace is up to first grade. Though I see Lewis more as a running 5/8, which for mine means we need a lock foward with a good passing and kicking game.

Fair dinkum though your right if we lose all those players and only sign Lyon we're kidding ourselves. Someone needs to get the abacus out!!
 
cainen

cainen

Juniors
Messages
1,907
Kilkenny said:
9. Marty Lang (Sorry could think of a specialist hooker we lost in last couple of seasons)
Click to expand...

How can you forget Shannon Donato? Great clubman. Though he was a retiree too, still would have be money freed under the cap.
 
Fibroman

Fibroman

First Grade
Messages
8,216
Whinge, whinge, bloody whinge. Ps. Kilkenny, I thought I was your best mate (at least that's what you told me while you were dribbling over the pillow in my kid's bed last week).

I see the major problem thesedays, is the lack of ability for a coach/football managers to find players with ability, and actually COACH THEM! Coaches spend too much bloody time talking to the fricken media and going through the motions, rather than showing some imagination and coaching the mistakes out of young player's games.

Waterhouse was plucked out of Emu Plains A Grade and within a year was playing for his country. A coach showing some initiative and imagination. In fact, I think Trent was playing front row at the time.

IMO, Pritchard needs to be coached to run straight. Aiton needs to be coached to play half back, and Gower needs to be told that his duties at Penrith are more important than his rep career, and move to 5/8th. Lewis and Lyon in the centres and Galea to lock forward. SIMPLE.
 
K

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,782
There is no doubt IMO Mick Leary is putting all his eggs in the one basket and going all out for Jamie Lyon.

I just hope he has an alternative Plan B if we dont get him because there is not a lot of top quality outside backs on the market.

Having watched Dane Carlaw closely in the last couple of weeks since the rumours about Penriths interest was published by the Mole in Rugby League Week I do not see his recruitment as a step forward. He is not the player he was and while a change of club can sometimes be good for a player I fear he is in decline despite the fact he will only be 27 come next season. I hope the rumours are not true as our available money would be better spent on a young up and comer.

Having spoke to a source at the Premier League game at the weekend it apparent Matt Elliot is having some input into our retention and recruitment strategies for next season.

The major problem that I see is we again have released a number of our top 25, with more to come and I am not optimistic we are competitive in the market for the remaining players who have been given permission to negotiate or who are likely to become available after June 30.

I am afraid we will miss out on Jamie Lyon and end up with another Mark O'Halloran and or 4-5 players from the Queensland Cup.

It is apparent the club is willing to allow Danny Galea, Michael Gordon and Craig Stapleton to leave. I'm not sure we can afford to lose these players who I'm sure could be retained for relatively modest contracts. They will all prove to be very good acquisitions for those lucky clubs who end up securing there signatures.

It's extremely sad that O'Halloran is probably on more money that these three players added together and we have him locked up for 2007 and 2008!
 
B

Big Mick

Referee
Messages
26,314
I can assure you...Mark O'Halloran is NOT on a substantial contract. He would be on a little bit less money Galea is on at this stage. I know this definately for a fact. He just wanted to come home and be at a club longer than 1 year. Penrith saw him as a cheap utility so snapped him up.

I don't believe the $550,000 being banded around, I believe that includes some third party arrangement. I believe we will use the extra $600,000 very wisely and also the extra money from releasing about 9 players this season.

We gotta think about this guys.

Who is leaving the top 25?...Worst case scenario!
Craig Stapleton, Danny Galea, Brett Howland, David McLean, Luke Swain, Preston Campbell, Frank Puletua

Thats 6 guys.

ok...who will be added to the top 25 next year...imo it will be:
1. Jamie Lyon
2. Michael Jennings
3. Jarrad Sammut - inked a new deal....will put him on the same money as Stapleton this year.
4. Matthew Bell
5. Michael Gordon - If he stays...
6.

Factor into this that Stapo is unfortunately probably going. Galea and Gordon may be going...there are 2 spots available in the top 25 that will be allocated to purchases...possibly juniors such as Tim Grant. I believe Craig Trindell was offered a contract so he may fill out the top 25...i'm just hoping it was a PL contract.

So along with Lyon i'm expecting 2-3 other signings, 1 quality, 2 quality up and comers. Then a couple of Premier League signings to balance it out.
 
B

Big Mick

Referee
Messages
26,314
I wouldn't mind keeping hookey as a WINGER if we have too.

If we actually play him on the wing...and he defend's ON THE WING and not at centre...covering Presto's arse when he can barely cover his own....then he might be worthwhile to keep on match payments.
 
B

Big Mick

Referee
Messages
26,314
Junior Sau from Canberra would be a magnificent signing.

Bloody hope thats true!...

3. Michael Jennings
4. Junior Sau...

Young centre pairing of the future nice!
 
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