Torrens to Join St.George Illawarra Dragons

[t-ba]

TORRENS TO JOIN ST.GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Tough Manly centre Albert Torrens has agreed to a two year deal with St.George Illawarra and will play his last game for the Sea Eagles in the match against Melbourne Storm at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.


Torrens will lead the Sea Eagles onto the field in respect of his nine year association with the club.


Manly executive director Paul Cummings said the club tried hard to retain Torrens who has had a very consistent season.


"Unfortunately Albert is a victim of the salary cap - in the end the Dragons had more left in their cap than we had and he leaves with our best wishes for the future.


"Albert has a young family and they are his priority - we can accept that.


"He has been a fine clubman and an ornament to the club off the field.


"He is a hard worker for his people and is a verty quiet but likeable young man.


"It would have been nice for him to get his 10 years of service but it wasn't to be,"Mr.Cummings said.


Torrens joined Manly from the north coast as a teenager and quickly worked his way up through the grades.


He spent a season with the ill fated Adelaide Rams before returning to the Sea Eagles.

I'm as confused as you people probably are...

 

[drake]

Geez talk about money burning a hole in your pocket, last time I checked, we don't need centres.

I'm as confused as you people probably are...

Mate, I think we're a lot more confused.

Don't forget we couldn't afford to keep pig.

 

[t-ba]

Don't forget we're apparently the only club capable of paying Parra $500,000 on top of the $300,000p.a For Lyons contract...and we don't have a proven first grade centre Besides Torrens...

 

[Anonymous]

I guess when you think that John Carlaw may be going to the Warriors next year and Gasnier and Cooper are the incumbent NSW centres, Torrens could slot in quite well.

 

[borat]

Torrens is a top buy. I don't think anyone really would have thought much about Carlaw being signed up at the start of this year but look how many games he has played. Depth is everything in the NRL. I would have been tempted to stick with Carlaw as he has done such a good job but hey if we get Torrens fairly cheaply and I would imagine he is a little bit younger than Carlaw.

Unfortunately as good as our centres are they just seem to get injured quite alot. So to have Torrens as back up is fantastic. I wouldn't mind betting Manly tried to bluff him, didn't offer him enough and thought he wouldn't go anywhere. Surely Manly had more money in their cap than we did after missing out on Tahu & Monaghan.

 

[SHD]

As a signing he mightn't be so bad when Gasnier gets injured again, but then again, the dragons have Best and Naqima waiting in the wings so to speak.
However considering they couldn't retain Riddell, it's strange.

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

Maybe I'm stupid (good chance at that).. but wasn't that why we bought Colin Best?

Or am I just confused.

 

[Rise Against]

Dragons got good depth in backs next yr

Best, Torrens, Asotasi (is he still raw or could he get a shot nxt year?) Youngquest, Simmonds, Hornby, Gaz, Cooper, Creagh,

 

[Wobbygong]

No wonder Manly are a club going backwards, I also heard Torrens didn't cost that much, so obviously the Eagles have paid well over the odds to attract the likes of Kite and Kennedy and are probably desperate to sign Aaron Moule now.

He's certainly no superstar but he's an ok fill in when Ganier and Cooper play rep footy. You guys could have at least let the sharkies re sign Colin Best you have 4 first grade centres now - that's not fair! :evil:

 

[borat]

All credit to the management for pulling this one off if we did get him cheaply. I reckon Manly were so keen to sign a top class centre that they ignored what they already had. Its now Septmeber and if you were Torrens you would take the best firm offer on the table. Looks like that was us.

I can see Best playing on Blacklock's wing next year.

 

[TinghaInMotion]

If he had all this money why did we let the pig, kite or blacklock go?

 

[borat]

If he had all this money why did we let the pig, kite or blacklock go?

I'm saying (I hope) we got Torrens for a song while Manly were scrambling to get any sort of big name, Lyon, Tahu, Monaghan.

 

[MEE]

Smart buy by Dragons management. I wonder if they will slot him on the wing in first grade or he'll just be a back up for Gaz and Coops. Anyway it's certainly left a lot of Manly fans scratching thier heads #-o

 

[Beaver_Online]

Smart buy by Dragons management. I wonder if they will slot him on the wing in first grade or he'll just be a back up for Gaz and Coops. Anyway it's certainly left a lot of Manly fans scratching thier heads #-o

Great signing Dragons - Torrens isn't the flashiest player in the game but is quite reliable defensively and can sniff out the odd try. There are a number of Manly fans that are filthy about this loss.

 

[RainMan]

I'm filthy at his loss to Manly. Like Beaver Online said, not the most flashiest player and he will definitely give you guys good depth.

No wonder Manly are a club going backwards, I also heard Torrens didn't cost that much, so obviously the Eagles have paid well over the odds to attract the likes of Kite and Kennedy

The clincher was a 2 year deal as opposed to a 1 yr deal from Manly. Manly obviously have money still available, just not the amount they were prepared to pay overs for Alby.

 

[formally_known_as_PONGIA]

i think its a pretty silly move... considering all the trouble they seemed 2 have during the whole Kite, Pig and Gaz debarcle.... Although Torrens has always stood out 2 be pretty consistent in his performances... Good to see what is done with him and wat he can do aye?

 

[Simon]

If he had all this money why did we let the pig, kite or blacklock go?

You have to have 25 players that make up the 3.3 million dollars. You can't have 23 or 24 players making up this amount. Riddell, Kite and Blacklock would of been on way more then what we will be paying Torrens. Thereby we can fit others into the 25 as well. This wouldn't of been the case if we kept Riddell, or Kite cause they would of cost too much and then we couldn't of been able to fit 25 players under 3.3 million.

 

[Nugby]

I know I'm not suprised because I found out the other day but "huh?". I guess we'll see what happens as far as our Premier League centres go, we're losing Howell but I wouldn't say we're suffering for talent.

 

[Biglance]

torrens may miss a few matches for a careless high tackle

 

[Collateral]

Another smart buy from the Dragons. I dont think Carlaw will be with us next year as he deserves to be at a club where he will be the number one or two centre.

Torrens brings experience, depth and reliability just like JC did. A lot of people were filthy when we signed up John Carlaw...

I'm happy with this signing.

I will be even happier if we sign up Lee Hopkins and re-sign Willie Leyshon.
Just for those who dont know:

St George Illawarra Dragons:

Gains: Michael Ennis (Knights, 2yrs) Colin Best (Hull UK, 2yrs), Lee Te Maari (North Sydney, 2yrs), Sean Hennesy (Terrace High), Albert Torrens (Manly)
Rumoured Gains: Matt Bickerstaff (Sharks), Lee Hookey (Souths), Jess Caine (Souths), Lee Hopkins (Eels), Jason Kent, Joel Caine
Losses: Michael Howell (Raiders for 2yrs), David Howell (Raiders for 2yrs), Brett Firman (Roosters for 3yrs), Mark Riddell (Eels for 3yrs), Brent Kite (Manly for 4yrs), Brett White (Storm), Beau Scott (Sharks, 2yrs), Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs), Nathan Blacklock (Hull, UK, 2yrs), John Olzard (Burleigh, QLD cup), Henry Perenara (Eels)
Rumoured Losses: Nathan Long (Sharks), Tony Jensen (Tigers), Andrew Frew (Released)
Re-signed: Daniel Holdsworth (1yr), Aaron Wheatley (1yr), Aaron Gorrell (1yr), Clint Greenshields (1yr), Michael Henderson (1yr), Bryan Norrie (1yr), Wes Naiqama (1yr), Jason Ryles (3yrs), Mathew Head (2yrs), Justin Poore (2yrs), Ashton Sims (2yrs), Dean Young (2yrs), Trent Barrett (4yrs), Matt Cooper (2yrs)
Off contract: Tony Jensen, Willie Leyshon, Ryan Powell, Andrew Frew, John Carlaw, Stacey Katu, Nathan Long