The Willie Mason Superthread

[Frederick]

With the funds that we'll have freed up from Wicks' eventual release, do you think we should take a stab at luring Big Willie back home?

 

[Matt23]

No thanks, that would be an even worse option then bringing that merkin Newton back.

 

[The_Joey_Show]

Replacing one dumbass f***wit with another? No thanks.

 

[macavity]

will never happen, but I would welcome it.

 

[Frederick]

Replacing one dumbass f***wit with another? No thanks.

What exactly has Willie done that's as bad as this? Plus given the fact that, when fit and firing, he is the most damaging forward in the game, bar none, I'd be willing to look past whatever minor indiscretion he's had against him. I'm even struggling to think of what that might be, anyway. There was the salary cap scandal...not his problem. The rape case...not proven. He may have urinated in public...who hasn't? He certainly hasn't been part of a 5 month sting operation, at the conclusion of which he was arrested and charged with supplying illicit drugs.

 

[perverse]

i'd have no problems with getting big willie back.

the bloke is a clown, but he's not a criminal.

 

[roopy]

His brother will play NYC for us this year - so he still has ties.

 

[adamkungl]

He's not a criminal but i've heard there's good reason why we can't wait to be rid of him.

 

[Jono078]

Would be unreal if he came here.

I'll tell ya now, he'll bring in the crowds. We need that kind of player.

Personally I was thinking Johnathan Thurston though

 

[mozza91]

For the right money yes, if he's over his knee problem and we got him cheap he'd be without doubt best buy of the year.

 

[Serc]

As I said in another thread yesterday, Wicks signed for a lot less money a few months ago, so this won't be freeing up too much $$$ i'm afraid

 

[Jono078]

From 250k to 170k? Still a fair bit.

 

[Serc]

Yeah something like that...I can't see $170k being able to afford Mason though, do you?

I also loosely agree with the people who wouldn't mind him so much, I think he is mostly just a silly clown too but am very cautious about having *any* risks associated with the club.

 

[Jono078]

170k probably wouldn't bring Mason here.

But if those who are involved with Wicks are found out I daresay we'll have a bit to spend.

Very unfortunate all this sh*t.

 

[Frederick]

If Willie want to stay in the NRL then he's going to have to take a significant pay cut anyway. Otherwise it's ESL for him. There's no way we'll be able to get Thurston with Wick's contract money. I think we'd be silly to not even make Willie an offer

 

[Frederick]

He's not a criminal but i've heard there's good reason why we can't wait to be rid of him.

He doesn't fit in with Brian Smiths grand plan

 

[Hanscholo]

With the funds that we'll have freed up from Wicks' eventual release, do you think we should take a stab at luring Big Willie back home?

I'd prefer to see the knights put the money in a barrell and shoot it into the sun.

 

[Yosh]

Willie could very be a very rewarding gamble. I mean the 170k or whatever can sit around doing nothing this year or we could take a huge gamble and go for Willie who probably is gonna have one of those years where it'll make or break him. We need him to step up Origin style as well...

 

[IanG]

Use it to give a youngster or 2 a push I say.

 

[Burwood]

I'd be putting Wick's money towards front-loading some of the contracts of our current players. Give players like Kidley, Mullen and Houston an extra $50,000 each in 2010, take that money out of their 2011 contracts, offload one or two mid-level players after next year, and all of a sudden you have a lot of money to play with in 2011.

Realistically, what sort of quality player can you expect to sign in 2010 with the value of Wick's contract alone? No one.