Your new buys

[simon says]

Ive been reading your posts about your new guys,and I think its great how positive you are feeling about them.I go for the Wests Tigers and we have a lot of new guys coming through and we are all very happy with who we have got and we expect to go a lot better this year with guys like Payten,Sattler,Prince,Hodgson,Graham and co leading the way.All of these guys are better than the guys they have replaced,henceforth the enthusiasm.

But the guys you have bought........well,they are reserve graders at best IMHO.You have lost some very good players(a couple of them to us)and you have got about ten nobodies.Id just like to know what the form of these guys you have bought have done to make you think they are any good at all.

I thought you guys would be spewing losing a lot of younger guys like Witt and Wheeler and getting Moi Moi and co.I was expecting calls of "hang Smith" but you all seem quite positive.Where do you get this positivity from.....is it a natural high????

 

[Forum Idiot]

we expect to go a lot better this year with guys like Payten,Sattler,Prince,Hodgson,Graham

who? :roll:

 

[Stagger eel]

Geez aern't we getting cocky???

I can't speak for your new buys and quite frankly I wouldn't get carried away by them. But then again you've never seen your team play past August so I can understand your optomism here...well sort of.

Moi Moi is not part of our fulltime squad there's about half a dozen props infront of him. We arguably have the biggest depth upfront and believe we can match it with anyone in the comp.

I believe in about 10 months time you would of wished you'd signed Cannings, Muspratt, Muckertt and Kafausi. But hey thats just my opinion.

I by the way just for the record his a list of players that Moi Moi would be competing with in firstgrade. Cannings, Vella, Cayless, Peek, Tsoulos, Kafasi, Stapleton and Armit.

 

[simon says]

I dont see how me saying the Tigers are hoping to go better than 13th last year is getting cocky.12th or better is hardly a huge appraisal of our possible form,lol.

Im not putting down the current players the eels have who I rate VERY highly.Guys like Cayless and Hindmarsh are as good as you can get,but I still think that the guys you have purchased are a little no frills.

Cannings may be good,Id hardly call him top shelf,and those other guys you mention .......well,I guess Ill be surprised if they get much first grade,they must have been bought for PL.

There are still big question marks over your halves cobo and your hooker,three key positions in the modern game.

 

[Morenito]

Mate, what you dont realise is that Parramatta already have a core group of good players ... eg. Cayless, Hindmarsh, Lyon, Vella, Vaeliki, Burt, Witt, Wagon, etc
What we have done is insert a great deal of depth into our team and as well some great pickups like Cannings, Grothe, Thorman plus the Nth Qld duo....Those six i would prolly say will play a big part in our team this year.

Wests Tigers on the other hand, and you gotta be honest with yourself, have no real good core group of players... noone in the Hindmarsh, Lyon Cayless class... So of course you guys are gonna seem happy with Sattler, Prince Hodgson etc... becuase these new recruits are going to estabalish your teams core group. The tigers are still gonna have many holes and you cant really expect a great deal... they are just taking a small step for the future...these things takes years mate... You should be happy if youse make the top 8...that would be a good step for the tigers next year to establish themselves for future years.

Parramatta dont need to go out and buy 7 or 8 good players to go in our team...where are we gonna put em?? Reserve grade?...Because we already got our core group. WHat we are doing is gathering a good blend of players who compliement our core group and who will create great depth for parramatta next year?

If a Hindmarsh or Cayless gets injured this season....we can replace em with a Pearson or a Widders or Muskatt or Cannings or Vella or Muspratt or Hopkins or Tsoulos ....the list of good players doesnt stop

We no longer who have to put second rate players like Crouch and Hollingsworth into our team becaseu of our great depth.

Wests Tigers may have a a few new recruits now but you still are gona have a few average players in a few positions...and if 2 or 3 of em get seriously inujred again? Its back to scrubbing through the reserve grade ranks and looking for some more average players.

 

[Eelectrica]

There are still big question marks over your halves cobo and your hooker

John Morris is an excellent hooker (IMHO).

Halves is a bit of a question mark. If Micheal Witt can continue to improve this year we will be well served there. Also I believe Tim Smith is another player on the rise through the lower grades who could get some time in first grade.

The biggest question mark for me is the 5/8th. If Dykes can finally show the form he had when brought to the club we will be in great shape. If not Thorman brought over from England is another Option.

I was expecting calls of "hang Smith"

That topic has been done to death. Whether we like it or not he is here next season. All we can do is hope that he takes advantage of it. If not I think the debates will be a lot more one sided than they have been.

I think seeing what Penrith did to rise from the ashes last year fans of most clubs should have some optimism coming into the new season. We know what our guys CAN do, just hope do it.

 

[Eelectrica]

Another think I'd like to add is that Smith has been able to find some gems in the rough. What I mean by that is the way Brad Drew went from a budget signing to unaffordable under the cap. Hopkins is another gem, unwanted at Penrith. I believe we will unearth some new gems this year.

 

[Jake the snake]

simon simon simon since your talking about our signings I can tell u that all the Parra supporters that I know were NOT upset about seeing Hodgson and Richards leaving. Infact Hodgson got the message when he saw how little Parra offered him, he was unwanted.

I'll try not to be to harsh. Hodgson is slow and can't tackle you will find this out, once the opposition make breaks I would not count on Hodgson to bring them down, a speed hump would do a better job infact my sister tackles better.

Your other mate Richards cannot hold the ball and has no idea #-o #-o of how to tackle he just makes 2 many mistakes thats why he was in the 1ST DIVISION all year has no idea.


Richards and Hodgo are better than the players that u had and u should do abit better with them but dont expect miracles.


Tigers to finish 10-12 posy.

 

[Pazza]

Payten,Sattler,Prince,Hodgson,Graham

lol you call these quality players. The tigers have a losing attitude and nothing is going to change that, especially this group of no hopers.

 

[AlexTheEel]

Guys like Fui Fui, Stapelton, Kaufusi, Langi, Fitzgerald, Pai etc would probbaly be on combined salaries less than one of the tigers recruits.

 

[Hurriflatch]

Parramatta's gains/losses (this could take a while)
Gains (12):
Aaron Cannings (Manly)
Eric Grothe (Roosters)
Mal Kaufusi (Roosters)
Chris Muckert (Cowboys)
Shane Muspratt (Cowboys)
Corey Pearson (Tigers)
Craig Stapleton (Dragons)
Chris Thorman (London)
Wise Kativeata (Souths)
Fui Fui Moi Moi (Souths)
Wade McKinnon (Souths)
Junior Langi (Storm)

Losses (23):
Brett Hodgson (Tigers)
Pat Richards (Tigers)
Si'ika Teapua (Tigers*) - not sure if Tigers but know is gone
Adam Wheeler (Tigers*) - not sure if Tigers but know is gone
Daniel Irvine (Broncos)
Willie Tonga (Bulldogs)
Danny Sullivan (Warriors)
Alex Chan (Storm)
Anthony Boyd (Storm)
Steve Witt (Knights)
Steve Crouch (Roosters)
David Solomona (Wakefield)
Andrew Meads (France - Pia)
Kylie Leauali (Manly)
Daniel Heckenberg (Manly)
Shayne Dunley (Manly)
Kane Cleal (Manly)
Jeff Robson (Manly)
Brett Ryan (Manly)
Nathan Hollingsworth (Manly)
Paul Green (Retired)
Jason Moodie (Retired)
Darren Treacy (Retired)
Willie Leyshon (Re-Retired)


Now lets break these down
Losses 1st
Leyshon (only played 1 game), Green (his injury saw Witt come in).
Wheeler, Ryan, Hollingsworth, Irvine, Tonga, Robson, Richards, Teapua, Cleal, Boyd, Meads, Witt, Sullivan (all spent most of their time in reggies, while it does hurt to see Teapua, Irvine, Cleal, Witt and Sullivan go they CAN all be replaced)
Treacy, Chan, Leualai, Heckenberg, Richards and Crouch were all regular 1st grades but they can also be replaced by the new signings and younger players.

That leaves Hodgson, Moodie, Solomona and Dunley
Hodgson was struggling with injuries and form basically since the 2nd Origin in 2002. A fully fit Burt with Ash Graham as backup will do more for the Eels.

Solomona will be hard to replace but at least he is heading to England so he can't hurt Parra as they don't play against him.

Dunley will be another who'll be hard to replace his dummy half work in 2003 was fantasic but the Eels did sign Thorman who could work out and James Webster is also thereabouts.

Moodie was a mainstay in the Eels backline and will be missed the Eels will need someone like Grothe, Gruska or Kativerata to come in a fill the void.

now to the gains
Parra releasied the needed a couple of big and ugly forwards (Smiths words). They signed a 115kg Cannings aswell as a hardly tiny Stapleton and Pearson the latter of whom brings the added bonus of expeirence.

Kaufusi along with Widders will help to minimise the effect of losing Solomona.

Muckert and Muspratt as they have been playing for the Cowboys and Thorman from London are quite unknown to quite a few but they could surprise things I've read for Cowboys fans suggest that Muckert asnd Muspratt could both prove very good signings.

Kativerta, Moi Moi and McKinnon were signed for depth.

that leaves Grothe. IF he recaptures his best form he'll be an outstanding buy but that may not happen straight away.

Parra as has been said needed some extra depth. Last year once the likes of Hindmarsh and Cayless got back on the field Parra improved.

Looking at a potental team for 2004.

Graham, Burt, Lyon, Vaealiki, Petersen, Dykes, Witt, Cayless, Morris, Vella, Hindmarsh., Hopkins, Wagon (Webster, Widders, Armit, Tsoulos)

while by no means the strongest side it is still a team that will give a lot of others in the NRL a run for their money and not 1 new signing within the sqaud.

 

[Eelementary]

Ahem.

Lee who before he came to Parra?

John who?

Jason who?

Before they came to Parra, they were known but not like; "OMG wow it's him!"

Now ... well, see for yourself.

BTW, Hodgo, Richards and others you have signed are no better than Pai or Moi Moi.

 

[simon says]

Gee guys,how sensitive are you guys.I had a feeling it might turn into an attack on the Tigers......I just tried to start a constructive thread,but I know when you are 15 years old you have to prove how big your balls are,lol.

In my post I DID say that I thought Parra had a very good core of players.The only point I was trying to make was that you guys were being very positive about signings that were very average IMHO.ANd I wanted to know how you based your opinions......obviously I didnt get much of a respsonse other than how crap the Tigers are.Like I dont know.......Ive been supporting them for longer than you imps can imagine,and I am completely aware of their frailties.

You bagged Hodgson and Richards,well Ive always rated both of them.Hodgsons form in 2002 when he was the SOO FB was outstanding,and I reckon both will blossom under Sheens who is a class act.

Good luck with your depth.......lol.
And yet again I ermind you that its very hard to win the comp when you dont have a halback or 5/8th,from what you guys have said,you feel this is a weak spot too.And dont bank on Thorman being your saviour,Ive watched plenty of him in ESL.......and he may in a few years get to statndard,but he is a long way behind IMHO.

I look forward to playing you at Leichhardt,lol.

 

[junior009]

I look forward to playing you at Leichhardt,lol.

I just love it how fans of all the other teams (and most probably players/coaches) don't rate our team or our chances this year. Will make it all the more sweet when we prove them all wrong!!!

 

[simon says]

I just love it how fans of all the other teams (and most probably players/coaches) don't rate our team or our chances this year. Will make it all the more sweet when we prove them all wrong!!!

Where did I say that I dont rate Parra??.....quite the contrary I do.I think you have some stars and have a really good chance of making the 8 and going further.

The only point I was trying to make........was, that the guys you have bought dont seem very good to me and people here were going on like they were champs.

I never said that guys like Lyons,Hindmarsh,Cayless and co arent top shelf they are.

Obviously Ive overrated your abilty to conduct a conversation about your club without it turning into a "my sides better than yours "debate.I wont make that mistake again.Cheers.

 

[Jake the snake]

simple simple simon what do u expect when u come on to this page and start saying that our team signed some shit players :?:

 

[simon says]

Some common sense.The ablity to see some reason.Some interesting debate on the topic..

Zero on all three.

And by the way,Im far from simple.lol. :lol: :lol:

 

[Stagger eel]

Actually Simon if your so concerned about our recruits why don 't you get on the Cowboys site and ask them what they think of their clubs decision in not signing Muspratt and Muckertt and while your there read their stats as players.

Then while your on fire go to the Manly site and ask them if their dissapointed about lossing Cannings for next year??

And while you think Corey Pearson is one of several no names we have signed, I just want to remind you that he played around 160 firstgrade games most of them for your club.

Then go to the Storm site and see the Junior Langi thread where about half a dozen Melbourne supporters voiced their dissaproval at releasing Langi

Both McKinnon and Kataverata may not figure that much in firstgrade this year but their last match for Souths was aginst Balmain in Prems where they scored 5 tries between them. { Kataverata was only in Prems because he knocked back a contract to come to us]

As for our other recuits Stapleton, Thorman, Kafausi, Grothe and Pai have all played firstgrade with their former clubs and with their exception of Stapleton are all in the right age of 20.

So it remains to be seen whether they turn out to be dud buys but I know one things for sure we've been waiting for someone like you to come here and bag out [albeit constuctively] our side. One things for certain you would have to hope that your side make the eight this year or there's gonna be a lot of people here willing to remind you of this post.

 

[Sterling]

Some common sense.The ablity to see some reason.Some interesting debate on the topic..

Zero on all three.

And by the way,Im far from simple.lol. :lol: :lol:

your nic explains everything :roll:

 

[Glenn]

Hmmm Simon , unless Hodgson has learned to tackle he will just be a speed hump on the way to the try line. Also has lost alot of pace in attack from his SOO apperances.
Payten, a average first grade player nothing to get to excited about

Sattler a good forward, but will probably have to carry the Tigers forward pack, weather he can and have the same impact the jury is out IMHO.

Prince, may get a couple of games befoire he is injured again. Needs a forward pack that is going forward, can he get that at Wests?

As mentioned the Tigers have all the depth of a puddle.

Hardly the stuff to inspire confidence