Cobar it’s part of a longer term strategy built around a new team requiring a truck load of players. We run the team down over the last few years, making sure not to have star players we need to pay overs to retain. First off Bennet is looking for current maroons, then he’ll come looking for ex maroons. Other clubs have lost players and unbalanced their cap, while we remain safe and ready to pounce in 23/24.
Seriously, I think the spreading of top tier talent and the cost of saving them benefits us more than any other club.
Look back at 05 when we won the comp.
We had several top players, NZ, Aust, SOO and city/country reps and a sprinkling of talented players across the park that's why we won. It wasn't just Sheens or a great front office.
To your point about pouncing, I agree 👍
Why then in 15 years haven't we pounced.
We have recruited potential retirees and not had quality fit players.
When we do get a quality player we don't have enough of them to build on, coaches and players jump ship.
I often wonder when they say we lack culture, is it because we are not really a one club.
I'm an old Balmain boy but it infuriates me when Elias or Roach has a go at us as if they are the voice of the joint venture.
Our NSWRL team the Magpies makes the joint venture look unstable.
Our pathways all the way up should be Wests Tigers. [Could be wrong but that's the impression I get]
I hardly heard Tommy or some of the old Western Suburbs boys sledge the team as much as Elias.
It just seems that this stigma of being a shitfight of a club has been with us since the joint venture started and is hard to shrug off.
Something tells me if we had Sheens overseeing the football operations a long time ago and the board stepped back then I think we would be able to attract marquee players and make the playoffs.