Where to from now / fresh ideas?

[Magpies Forever]

Heres my opinion of a starting point:

1/ decision on coaching staff for 2010 to be made no later than end of July 2009. Dont string it out.

2/ new recruitment & retention officer for 2010.

3/ develop KPI’s that coaching staff, recruitment and retention officer and player leadership group sign up to and are accountable for from 2010 onwards.

4/ target 3 x key positional signings- 1 x prop, 1 x halfback and 1 x utility back. One of these has to be able to kick goals with an average of over 75%.

5/ Marshall to be moved back to either 5/8 or fullback position for remainder of 2009 season. If he doesn’t like it, or has a get out of WT clause linked to Sheens he can go too.

6/ Liam Fulton is apparently coming back to WT for 2010 season (contracted?). Any new coach will be under no obligation to play him in the main NRL squad unless they wish it.

7/ Do not renew the expiring contracts for Halatau, Collis, Payne, Trimarchi. They have not been able to make either consistent performances or break into the main squad whilst at WT.

8/ Do not renew the expiring contracts of Lazarus and Tagive unless they complete a rigorous physical and only then, if passed, a 1 year extension for them to prove fitness. If they don’t like it they can walk. Although looks like Tagive is going anyway.

9/ Bring up players from NYC and State Cup competition to replace departing players for remainder of 2009 season to give some experience. One of these too has to be able to kick goals with an average of over 75%.

 

[madunit]

stop topping up contract values for players. Once we start overpaying these players its makes it harder for us to get rid of them and for other teams to justify paying that amount

 

[Magpies Forever]

True - some of these 3 year contracts where the sliding scale of payments has increased each year has not been matched by the players performance eg Payne.

I'm still curious how the heck other teams can have such talented player rosters AND depth and keep under the cap- WT problems are bad. If, it is a result of WT not bidding until seasons end and only getting the scraps and paying extra for the scraps- our coaching staff and recruitment should be shot for either not giving sufficient notice or just bad practice. Should we not copy best practice of other clubs and go early and get the players whilst there is alternates available not when only the dregs are left?

 

[Reek_Havoc]

We just need a change in coaching staff. That's all. Brian Smith didn't go around buying players at Newcastle. Just changes coaches, keep the same squad and go from there.

 

[philgood]

You guys forgot the most important point...BUY A PROPER HALFBACK TO CONTROL THE SIDE!

 

[madunit]

We have one sitting in the NSW Cup by the name of Josh Lewis

 

[Magpies Forever]

We have one sitting in the NSW Cup by the name of Josh Lewis

We also have another - Wayde Dunley- I believe an Australian junior - in the actual NRL squad who never gets a game in the big league under Sheens and will probably move on at years end.

 

[baddog]

tom gets so so many things wrong, but the calls on lewis and dunley aren't amongst them

 

[madunit]

Shane Tronc will be released by the cowboys at the end of the year. The ESL have alreayd semmed to sign him up.

Now I'm not suggesting whether we should have signed him or not, but it makes you wonder just how close the Tigers recruitment mob have their ear to the ground.

It may explain why we are so sh*t at recruitment. We get around with the blinkers on, instead of finding out whats available everywhere.

 

[innsaneink]

Apparently balmain Ryde have signed arano taumato

 

[Magpies Forever]

tom gets so so many things wrong, but the calls on lewis and dunley aren't amongst them

Hi Baddog- please elaborate- I presume you mean they aren't a possible solution at 1/2. If so, how much worse could they have been at 1/2 than the failed Marshall experiment? What wrong with at least giving them a chance for the rest of the season since the season is gone? They cant do any worse than Marshall has been going and if at the end of season demonstrated as no good they're gone in a clean out as well- at least we could honestly say we gave them a chance but didnt perform. They both only have 1 year contracts expiring end of 09 so why not give them a chance?

 

[Tigers_are_Pro]

If we piss off Halatau, Collis, Payne and Morris, that'll easily free up around 1mil in cap space.

With that, buy a dominant half, strong prop and a solid utility as said earlier.

Moltzen to 5/8 and Marshall to FB would work as well with the dominant half signed @ 7.

Exactly what needs to be done.

 

[super_coach]

Benji at full back???? very average under the high ball, defensive not strong and just would not get enough touches in a match.

Moltzen has copped a lot of flack on this board and others but in my option he has been a shinning light in a dark year. He has been brilliant under the high ball, his one on one defense at the back has been really strong and he has been able to sniff out the odd try and throw some good balls to put others in for try's. Granted his kick returns are not strong and his positional play needs some work but I think that will come.

The only player in the club at present who may be better in the role is Lawerence, but why weaken one postion to strengthen another

 

[madunit]

Catching is easier to learn then organising. Benji's defence is good enough to be a fullback. Hodgo was a sh*thouse defender as well, but was clearly one of the best fullbacks in the game over the last 10 years.

Benji at present is getting too many touches, at lkeast at fullback he can pop in to the attack when he feels he can make something happen. Less pressure on him to do everything, will give him the freedom he had back in 2005-06.

Fullback is perfect for him.

 

[Tigers_are_Pro]

Fullback is basically Benji.

It epitomises him.

He would be the most dangerous player in open space, he could easily return a ball from our 10, to half way and do it quite often.

His defense would actually improve because Benji is actually quite good at running down players and that's what he'd need to do. He'd actually have less defending in the mainline which would strengthen the defensive line as a whole.

He would make a good support player with his speed and awarness and could easily be a top 5 fullback overall.

He'd provide a genuine playmaking option so the team would have 4 options to fall back on, on most occasions assuming we sign a decent half.

My pop has been saying this for about 4 years when Marshall first came into the comp in 04. I was a touch skeptical thinking he'd need a bit more ball but it really is the way to go it seems.

 

[macnaz]

I'd have to disagree on moltzen as a fullback, altho he doesnt make many errors i find him very plain. I think a fullback needs to have some attacking potential as well as ball playing ability. I dont like harping bback to 2005 but we had 4 attacking ball players.. Hodgson. Marshall. Prince. And Farrah. We now have 2 and thats affecting our attack bigtime. Moltzen is another experiment thats not really working. Gallant has only been given 2 games , 1 was very average and the 2nd a 200% improvement and did some really good things. I have not doubt if given the chances that Moltzen has had he would show what a fullback should offer a side. As Far as Marshall fullback, im not sure his shoulders would withstand the high impact defence and collisions a fullback has to deal with.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Sheens hasn't given Gallant a fair shot.

He is the best fullback at the club, by some way.

 

[TiggaPlease]

We definitely need a decent goal kicker.

Benji is way too hit and miss to be kicking in 1st grade

 

[Magpies Forever]

Sheens hasn't given Gallant a fair shot.

He is the best fullback at the club, by some way.

I'm sure if Teflon stays Gallant will go. Why should he stay? Sheens made no secret he didnt want him, has given him no opportunities except at last minute notice with no time to prepare and settle in and then consigned back to the boondocks. Sound familiar???? Matthew Head situation all over again....................

 

[Reek_Havoc]

Apparently balmain Ryde have signed arano taumato

Heard something like that too.

Not a bad player. Hopefully he grows up