Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[liltiger]

That's not actually what I mean though.

Several Super League teams were sacrificed as well - Mariners, Rams and the Reds. There wasn't a single foundation club that sided with Super League, but that's because News Ltd only wanted to pick the eyes out of the Sydney clubs and take the strongest teams over. For a good period it may have been Dragons or Roosters that sided with Super League, but they ended up securing Bulldogs and Sharks.

After the Super League war concluded, it was agreed that there needed to be consolidation in the competition, i.e. too many Sydney teams. And I don't think that was wrong - many of the Sydney teams (and others) were borderline broke.

So yes - do what is best for your club, but I wouldn't blame the ARL for the fact that Balmain and Wests were horrible teams with broke clubs in 1997. Had the SL War occurred in 1988, Balmain may have been at front of the queue to take News or ARL monies.

The fact is however that the Roosters management smelled the opportunity, after all war does create opportunity, and went all-in with the ARL and signed up all the key pieces. Roosters were the true winners of the Super League war and it encouraged all their well-heeled supporters to bolt themselves on to protect the club in future.

My Grandma followed Roosters - she was born in Paddington in 1934 and Roosters were renowned then as an inner-city working-class club, quite like Souths. But in the 90s Roosters made a pivot to elite-level backing and business ties, and the Super League war gave them that opportunity to buy themselves a level of domination. I am both annoyed by and in respect of what they achieved, because they essentially smelled the winds of change and have left the other foundation clubs way way behind. Souths have essentially copied the blueprint the past 10 years and done very well for it.

This probably means Tigers need to go balls-deep with private ownership, or at least heavy private backing, to become more like Roosters and Souths. The money is surely there, if Wests Ashfield would give up some authority. But unfortunately WA are very rich themselves, so there's no reason for them to relinquish control.

Also going "more private" means more dudes like Lee Hagipantelis calling the shots, and already he gets up enough people's noses. You need to be careful what you wish for, because for every Uncle Nick there is a Nathan Tinkler.

You make a good point. Even if things remained the same in terms of Tigers ownership and board structure we have one of the wealthiest supporter groups. I'm not just talking about Harry but other very wealthy supporters who are tiger mad. Yet we cannot seem to compete in the field of 3rd party agreements for contract top ups. The Storm, Broncs, Roosters and Eels have it down perfectly, there seems to be some form of disconnect at the Tigers, I'm assuming for Harry it's because of feeling betrayed over the Balmain leagues development, but the club need to start to look into and rectifying the issues that hold our wealthiest supporters from backing the club either financially or in player future endeavours.

 

[liltiger]

Individually Brooks does good things most games - doesn't translate to being an effective 7

Can't blame him when we are starved of ball and dominated but there was no better opportunity for a seasoned FG 7 to take that game by the scruff of the neck and not only win but give his players some direction to destroy the opposition. Think DCE Hunt Reynolds Hinds Townsend Cleary Hughes Moses -.that's what they get the big bucks for.
You either are happy to see Brooks do good things in games and see that as reason to persist it wasn't his fault and all, or you are past that and want the team to win - with or without him.

He is awesome in defence, can pass left to right and is quick. If I'm coach he is left centre. Or not in the squad

 

[Halbrowne61]

Nathan Brown reportedly signs with Roosters.

Will be very interesting to see what that does for his career. Robinson obviously sees him filling a role but to me he’s another Garner.

 

[hugh1954]

every time the bomb goes up it is a worry

Every time a pass is made it's a worry at the moment

 

[finnzo]

Does every 1 agree we lacked organisation on the weekend? Hastings would have supplied that and we would have won

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Does every 1 agree we lacked organisation on the weekend? Hastings would have supplied that and we would have won

It’s hypothetical. Don’t really get why people say that crap. He left, it’s done, pointless thinking about it.

We may of not been within 2pts either based off his track record.

Just FYI - Last year when Hastings was halfback or chief playmaker (at lock he was playing organizer role) when we had an extra man 3 times (30mins) we were totally out scored.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Will be very interesting to see what that does for his career. Robinson obviously sees him filling a role but to me he’s another Garner.

think Garner is totally out of his depth at Penrith. Brown will fill a role at present given injuries

 

[tony soprano]

Does every 1 agree we lacked organisation on the weekend? Hastings would have supplied that and we would have won

I think if Lee and Justin did a half time spray to the players we would of won.

 

[earl]

You could afford to have a Hastings if you also have a big threat at #6 or #1, which Newcastle really don't have (Ponga in theory, but he's always hurt and goes missing anyway).

I think Newcastle have the ideal set-up for Hastings to work. Ponga at his best is one of the best players in the game and Miller offered a lot from the back against us.

I like Hastings. He is that organizing halfback that we don't have. I still think Brooks was better on the weekend. I thought he had a good game. The concern with Hastings to me is that he gets like that fullback we had for a while who was positionally really good but he was so slow he just couldn't compete in the NRL. I forget his name - he played for I think Parra and the Warriors before us.

Some players can get away with being slow if they have a huge amount of play balling ability - Jason Smith is the best player I can think of in that category.

 

[earl]

Just FYI - Last year when Hastings was halfback or chief playmaker (at lock he was playing organizer role) when we had an extra man 3 times (30mins) we were totally out scored.

He made basically no difference to our results at all. I'm skeptical the organizing halfback is the solution to our problems. I think it's just a way to have a go at Brooks who is an average running half.

 

[earl]

Does every 1 agree we lacked organisation on the weekend? Hastings would have supplied that and we would have won

Like last year ?

I'm not sure we lacked organization either. We looked poorly drilled. We have halves that simply are very poor in the opposition attacking zone. We dropped a lot of ball. Hastings wouldn't have made the same amount of mistakes as Doueihi but I'm not sure that turns the game for us.

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

I think Newcastle have the ideal set-up for Hastings to work. Ponga at his best is one of the best players in the game and Miller offered a lot from the back against us.

I like Hastings. He is that organizing halfback that we don't have. I still think Brooks was better on the weekend. I thought he had a good game. The concern with Hastings to me is that he gets like that fullback we had for a while who was positionally really good but he was so slow he just couldn't compete in the NRL. I forget his name - he played for I think Parra and the Warriors before us.

Some players can get away with being slow if they have a huge amount of play balling ability - Jason Smith is the best player I can think of in that category.

agree, and remember that Hastings was asking 700k + to stay with the WT!??
I would pay 700k for A Reynolds, Hynes or even Johnson but not for Hastings.
IMHO, his value is somewhere between 300k and 400k.

 

[earl]

agree, and remember that Hastings was asking 700k + to stay with the WT!??

I can understand letting him go based on his salary expectations. The real problem is though there are so few quality halves playing NRL.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

Another +15 pages of Signing Suggestions & Rumours …..
you guys are just brilliant in recycled waffle.

Nothing will change until we get few key positions that we so obviously lack, filled and a few wins on the board and then the sun will shine again.

 

[Halbrowne61]

I think Newcastle have the ideal set-up for Hastings to work. Ponga at his best is one of the best players in the game and Miller offered a lot from the back against us.

I like Hastings. He is that organizing halfback that we don't have. I still think Brooks was better on the weekend. I thought he had a good game. The concern with Hastings to me is that he gets like that fullback we had for a while who was positionally really good but he was so slow he just couldn't compete in the NRL. I forget his name - he played for I think Parra and the Warriors before us.

Some players can get away with being slow if they have a huge amount of play balling ability - Jason Smith is the best player I can think of in that category.

He could have been the ball playing 13 we needed. Sheens knew that but didn’t work out, for whatever reason.

 

[earl]

He could have been the ball playing 13 we needed. Sheens knew that but didn’t work out, for whatever reason.

If that works. I'm skeptical a team can carry Hastings in that role all season. You basically go in with 2 middle forwards rotating all game and Hastings playing 80 minutes. Even if the team can handle that can Hastings handle it over the course of the season.

I think Hastings biggest problem may be he gets on the nose of some people. I don't know this for a fact but it just comes across that way a little.

 

[DJG]

Another +15 pages of Signing Suggestions & Rumours …..
you guys are just brilliant in recycled waffle.

Nothing will change until we get few key positions that we so obviously lack, filled and a few wins on the board and then the sun will shine again.

Your man, Paul Momo is up for grabs, would you want him back?

If you didn’t want him, who would you want to fix our team?

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

Does every 1 agree we lacked organisation on the weekend? Hastings would have supplied that and we would have won

On the point in bold absolutely, but you can't blame Brooks for that you're committing treason. Almost any other HB in the comp bar Flanagan and maybe the Titans HB and we win by a country mile on Sunday.

On the other point i dont think Hastings is what we needed in the halves he has the footy brain but is too slow, i thought he played his best footy at lock for us.

 

[earl]

On the point in bold absolutely, but you can't blame Brooks for that you're committing treason

Au contraire Coastie. The exact opposite is true. If you don't blame Brooks you are committing treason.

Off topic but I love the phrase Au contraire. It makes me feel smart and classy sort of like when everyone blames Brooks but doesn't actually watch the game.

 

[earl]

Another +15 pages of Signing Suggestions & Rumours …..
you guys are just brilliant in recycled waffle.

Nothing will change until we get few key positions that we so obviously lack, filled and a few wins on the board and then the sun will shine again.

Long term I agree.

Short term our spine have their moments and they'll step up at some point and we'll think everything is good but we'll be back in this position not long after that.