Tony Gigot

[sa1nt5]

If I was in charge of recruitment I would try to offload 4 backs - without having to subsidise there salaries by just telling them they are below first grade standard and will play reserve grade next season; if they request a release it will be granted. With Widdop on his way, this should render over 2.7m salary cap to spend. They are:

Dufty - 250K
Aitken - 300K
Lafai - 350K
Hunt - 950K
Widdop - 850K

I would then go hunting for two good centres or maybe a fullback/centre and a centre/winger. So maybe a backline of:
1. Mitchell - 1m
2. Saab - already under contract
3. Lomax - already under contract
4. Ramien - 300k
5. Ravalawa/Pearson/Pereira - already under contract
6. Sailor - upgrade contract to 250k
7. Norman - already under contract pay an extra 400k as no more subsidy from Parramatta

So really as far as salary cap is concerned it is Mitchell for Hunt and Ramien for Aitken. The contract upgrade for Sailor can be conditional upon performance and would be more than compensated for with the exit of Lafai.

If we wanted we would still have enough salary cap to buy a right winger.

Norman would provide far more value to the team at 7.

Sailor's best position would be at 6; he is too small to be a fullback. What we lose with Hunt not in the halves, we more than compensate with a Norman/Sailor halves combination.

It is just cleaning up the backline mess, buying a few good players and promoting a few great juniors. I'm sure Millward would find this exercise well within his capability.

So what would be the gains.

• A big strong and talented fullback in Mitchell - he has always wanted to play fullback.
• Some talented candidates for the wings and enough salary cap left to buy a righ winger if need be.
• A good young and talented center pairing in Lomax and Ramien.
• I think a better halves combination with Norman and Sailor.
• All well within our cap.

Big Semi wants back, why not just keep the 400k from parra expel Aitken and a winger and move on him

 

[nontime111]

Apparently he is the French Widdop

yep I can see the Widdy analogy...a cool headed, talented ballplaying fullback who can kick goals, Im in looks pretty solid thats what weve missed

 

[mickeylane]

Why the totally mindless & unnecessary reference to Lomax?

Because Lomax will be one Centre next year and he’s slow as f**k the last thing we need is two sluggish centres.. at least we can look at securing one speedster in the centres to make some breaks.. remember Lomax hasn’t made a break since the semi last year v broncos..

 

[Old Timer]

Because Lomax will be one Centre next year and he’s slow as f**k the last thing we need is two sluggish centres.. at least we can look at securing one speedster in the centres to make some breaks.. remember Lomax hasn’t made a break since the semi last year v broncos..

Out of a 3 way battle which is what we currently have who would you select 1st Aitken, Lafai or Lomax and why?
Tell me anyone in our backline that has made repeated breaks if any breaks at all.
If Widdop actually played RHS and had Lomax at centre and Pearson at wing the tail of the season would be very different IMO.
Lomax playing outside Aitken and Hunt has little to no chance of getting clean air or put into a hole so why expect it.

 

[muzby]

Tell me anyone in our backline that has made repeated breaks if any breaks at all.

Line breaks:

Aitken 11
Lafai 4
Lomax 2

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

Line breaks:

Aitken 11
Lafai 4
Lomax 2

Sericous question are they real stats or just trolling ?
Because f**k me aiken has made 11 ???????!

 

[possm]

Big Semi wants back, why not just keep the 400k from parra expel Aitken and a winger and move on him

Because above all else we need a top line fullback like Mitchell or Holmes. We don't need Dufty, Aitken, Lafai, Maranta and only one out of Ravalawa, Pearson and Pereira.

In my opinion we should let Hunt go and sign Ash Taylor. Then Norman, Sailor and Taylor can fight it out for the two halves positions.

 

[possm]

Line breaks:

Aitken 11
Lafai 4
Lomax 2

Players who hog the ball and run are more likely to make a break that does not lead to a try. Other players look to set up players in a position to score a try.

However, depending on the game plan, players could look good or poore because of the coach's instructions.

 

[Old Timer]

Sericous question are they real stats or just trolling ?
Because f**k me aiken has made 11 ???????!

The unflushable turd just loves to join in my posts to annoy me or the other party.
No doubt he has worked hard for hours to try & find someone who had stats to prove himself as a know it all
I would suggest he probably stalked the Lafai & Aitken families to get them to provide the numbers.
Aitken played every game this year and Lomax how many as centre?
Anyway 3 ply Sorbent helps clean up after he visits the post

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

Definitely think that Lomax is the best centre at the club at the moment

 

[mickeylane]

Out of a 3 way battle which is what we currently have who would you select 1st Aitken, Lafai or Lomax and why?
Tell me anyone in our backline that has made repeated breaks if any breaks at all.
If Widdop actually played RHS and had Lomax at centre and Pearson at wing the tail of the season would be very different IMO.
Lomax playing outside Aitken and Hunt has little to no chance of getting clean air or put into a hole so why expect it.

I actually really like Lomax I honestly thought he would be the Mark Gasnier MKII with his late lay offs out the back of the hand but somehow he’s failed to develop his body, his speed, his positional play he makes poor choices. I guess u can blame the coach for failing to play him in one position but someone at the club has failed Lomax w his speed and conditioning because he is literally sluggish and lacks a little size. I still believe he can be something special but we need a Phil Blake to come in and work on his speed and someone like Matt Cooper to help him w his positional play.. I read somewhere last week where Matt Cooper tweeted a supporter back that he has never been asked by the club to assists the backs and he would jump at the opportunity if given.. makes u think what’s going on down in Wollongong..

 

[mickeylane]

P

Definitely think that Lomax is the best centre at the club at the moment

potentially !

 

[mickeylane]

The unflushable turd just loves to join in my posts to annoy me or the other party.
No doubt he has worked hard for hours to try & find someone who had stats to prove himself as a know it all
I would suggest he probably stalked the Lafai & Aitken families to get them to provide the numbers.
Aitken played every game this year and Lomax how many as centre?
Anyway 3 ply Sorbent helps clean up after he visits the post

I must admit Aitken is always good for a clean break or a half break a game just that he doesn’t know what to do when he does break through.. the numbskull has unbelievable upper body and leg strength - he’s just clueless!

 

[muzby]

Sericous question are they real stats or just trolling ?
Because f**k me aiken has made 11 ???????!

Real stats..

 

[muzby]

The unflushable turd just loves to join in my posts to annoy me or the other party.
No doubt he has worked hard for hours to try & find someone who had stats to prove himself as a know it all
I would suggest he probably stalked the Lafai & Aitken families to get them to provide the numbers.
Aitken played every game this year and Lomax how many as centre?
Anyway 3 ply Sorbent helps clean up after he visits the post

You do get quite precious when someone uses facts to knock your opinions on the head..

Here you go: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/stats/players

I can only hope it enriches not only your contributions to this forum, but also your life in general..

 

[muzby]

Players who hog the ball and run are more likely to make a break that does not lead to a try. Other players look to set up players in a position to score a try.

However, depending on the game plan, players could look good or poore because of the coach's instructions.

See, now this just sounds like post-rationalisation to me..

To help debunk your hypothesis, Aitken is our 2nd best tryscorer and leading the backs (non-spine) for try assists..

 

[Old Timer]

You do get quite precious when someone uses facts to knock your opinions on the head..

Here you go: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/stats/players

I can only hope it enriches not only your contributions to this forum, but also your life in general..

And in your comparisons how many games at right centre has Lomax played for you to draw a realistic and fair comparison?
After all the discussion is about Lomax as a centre and surely that is the base line for any comparisons or do you think that comparing someone playing out of position is fair for you to promote your arguement?

 

[muzby]

And in your comparisons how many games at right centre has Lomax played for you to draw a realistic and fair comparison?
After all the discussion is about Lomax as a centre and surely that is the base line for any comparisons or do you think that comparing someone playing out of position is fair for you to promote your arguement?

Indeed.. But in your anger you’re also forgetting a quite important variable being the quality of opponent, both team and direct opposite player, which will have a compounding impact upon the ability to break a line.

In addition there are also contributing factors such as strength and direction of wind (determines where the ball ends up off opposition kicks), not to mention if it is wet or dry at the time as this will impact upon the speed and grip of the player.

So to get a true representation, it is important that Lomax and Aitken play the exact same number of games in the exact same position against the exact teams in the exact same weather conditions..


Or.. Given that Lomax has played most of his games on our wing, I could also point out that our no.1 and no.3 players for line breaks are wingers..

So in a new competitive set of wingers..

Line breaks:

Ravalawa 14
Pereira 8
Lomax 2

Hell, even your mate Benny Hunt has made 7 line breaks*..



*Albeit they weren’t playing in the same position or against the same opponents or in the same weather conditions..

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

Real stats..

Wow just unbelievable

 

[Warabrook saint]

yep I can see the Widdy analogy...a cool headed, talented ballplaying fullback who can kick goals, Im in looks pretty solid thats what weve missed

Not one kick into the oppositions legs ,not bad