Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Man , this is nonsense ! Sean Keppie has a not better than Alex twal . And it’s a roll of the dice between him and seyfarth .
If I was Benji I’d be pushing back against the manly invasion as well . Pluck the eyes out , sure , but replace the team with manly reserve graders . Who haven’t proven they can win a chook raffle without turbo , well that’s just insane .
HTF can Fulton be upset about Sezer ? Honestly I don’t get it , if he’s the pathways guru ?
You have a 22 year old ready to take a leap in Sullivan , you have the gun junior waiting in the wings , needing more seasoning , and just off in the distance you have Galvin , AD and really far off you have Large and those gun halves at Balmain not named Conti .
If we are serious about building from the ground up , you have to and I can’t emphasise the word HAVE in this situation enough , you HAVE to have an old head around the traps , who on his best day is good enough to steer you around , but can very easily , no politics , get punted to Reggie’s if Fainu is absolutely gunning it .
If you sign a Cogger , he’s barely a first grade player , spending years shitting the bed at Newcastle and the bulldogs , who’s now won a premiership with the panthers . So he’s gonna have an ego , and want to be given the keys . So what happens when he gets dropped ? Chaos ! It’s so risky for not much reward in my opinion . Benji is right on this one !
 
Also if Fainu was a the gun everyone thinks he is , why would you put someone in his way ? Which is what you’re doing by signing cogger .
It’s like in NFL you draft a number 1 quarterback . He’s your future . Your franchise . No one’s debating it . So what’s the next smart thing you do ? You go out and sign the best veteran backup you can get , who can start the season and create some angst in the quarterback room . It not too much angst where the kid loses confidence . Just enough to humble him , give him some adversity , and buy some time . I just don’t understand the issue here , unless it’s pure ego , and “but I wanted him “ nonsense .
 
Lestronge said:
Man , this is nonsense ! Sean Keppie has a not better than Alex twal . And it’s a roll of the dice between him and seyfarth .
If I was Benji I’d be pushing back against the manly invasion as well . Pluck the eyes out , sure , but replace the team with manly reserve graders . Who haven’t proven they can win a chook raffle without turbo , well that’s just insane .
HTF can Fulton be upset about Sezer ? Honestly I don’t get it , if he’s the pathways guru ?
You have a 22 year old ready to take a leap in Sullivan , you have the gun junior waiting in the wings , needing more seasoning , and just off in the distance you have Galvin , AD and really far off you have Large and those gun halves at Balmain not named Conti .
If we are serious about building from the ground up , you have to and I can’t emphasise the word HAVE in this situation enough , you HAVE to have an old head around the traps , who on his best day is good enough to steer you around , but can very easily , no politics , get punted to Reggie’s if Fainu is absolutely gunning it .
If you sign a Cogger , he’s barely a first grade player , spending years shitting the bed at Newcastle and the bulldogs , who’s now won a premiership with the panthers . So he’s gonna have an ego , and want to be given the keys . So what happens when he gets dropped ? Chaos ! It’s so risky for not much reward in my opinion . Benji is right on this one !
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You're making some wild assumptions here. First is that the Sezer vs Cogger argument was true. I'll say this assumption is fair enough given the reporting around it. But...
2nd that Sezer is the type of old head that can help mentor others. This takes a very specific personality and skill set. Sezer may have it, he may not.
3rd Cogger will suddenly have an ego. Is there actually any sign of this? He isn't even assured of a starting spot at Necastle.
4th that even if Cogger did have an ego that dropping him would result in chaos. Plenty of players with egos have been dropped before without chaos ensuing.

I didn't want Cogger at the club. I also didn't want Sezer at the club. But I understand there is a role either of them could play so don't hate the signing of either one. IMO Cogger could perform that role better but he probably wants more than 1 year. Sezer the lesser option but the 1 year deal the preferred result.

Either way I think that discussion between coach and recruitment manager about the available options is actually a good thing. It should lead to greater consideration of all options and pursuing the best fit. If those discussions become heated I don't care as long as they can show up, move on and work together the next day. That remains to be seen but it seems more likely than unlikely to me, at least in the short term.
 
Lestronge said:
Man , this is nonsense ! Sean Keppie has a not better than Alex twal . And it’s a roll of the dice between him and seyfarth .
If I was Benji I’d be pushing back against the manly invasion as well . Pluck the eyes out , sure , but replace the team with manly reserve graders . Who haven’t proven they can win a chook raffle without turbo , well that’s just insane .
HTF can Fulton be upset about Sezer ? Honestly I don’t get it , if he’s the pathways guru ?
You have a 22 year old ready to take a leap in Sullivan , you have the gun junior waiting in the wings , needing more seasoning , and just off in the distance you have Galvin , AD and really far off you have Large and those gun halves at Balmain not named Conti .
If we are serious about building from the ground up , you have to and I can’t emphasise the word HAVE in this situation enough , you HAVE to have an old head around the traps , who on his best day is good enough to steer you around , but can very easily , no politics , get punted to Reggie’s if Fainu is absolutely gunning it .
If you sign a Cogger , he’s barely a first grade player , spending years shitting the bed at Newcastle and the bulldogs , who’s now won a premiership with the panthers . So he’s gonna have an ego , and want to be given the keys . So what happens when he gets dropped ? Chaos ! It’s so risky for not much reward in my opinion . Benji is right on this one !
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Knowing the sort of fella Cogger is, he won't go anywhere with that sort of ego as you mentioned. I worked with his brother, and Jack Cogger is a really lovely humble young bloke
 
Lestronge said:
Also if Fainu was a the gun everyone thinks he is , why would you put someone in his way ? Which is what you’re doing by signing cogger .
It’s like in NFL you draft a number 1 quarterback . He’s your future . Your franchise . No one’s debating it . So what’s the next smart thing you do ? You go out and sign the best veteran backup you can get , who can start the season and create some angst in the quarterback room . It not too much angst where the kid loses confidence . Just enough to humble him , give him some adversity , and buy some time . I just don’t understand the issue here , unless it’s pure ego , and “but I wanted him “ nonsense .
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Fainu isn't a 7
 
Three NRL clubs are set to fight out a battle to sign boom English superstar Jack Welsby.

Welsby, who became England's youngest ever Test captain at 22 in the current series against Tonga, is on the radar of the Tigers, Dragons and an out-of-Sydney club.

Welsby starred in St Helens' upset win over Penrith in the World Club Challenge earlier this year.

The brilliant fullback is the hottest name in English league at the moment and under contract to St Helens.

But the Saints may be willing to allow Welsby to test himself in the NRL if they get a hefty transfer fee for his services.

The Tigers already have a superb fullback in Jahream Bula but Welsby can play virtually anywhere in the backline.

The Dragons also have a talented fullback in Tyrell Sloan, although he has had his ups and downs over the past couple of years.

Welsby already has three Super League premiership wins to his name and may be tempted to step up to the NRL.

Welsby has won a fan in former Test halfback Cooper Cronk, who said when he was in Australia earlier this year, "I think he has that ability to predict where the ball is going to be. There was a line break through the middle (in a trial against the Dragons) where he knew the play was coming back this way and he hit the accelerator.

"The guy has been unbelievable in Super League and had a really good World Cup.

"He has that rare ability as a fullback to create tries through his passing game but also bob up for the offloads as well. He is very impressive." (The Mole)
 
doubt we're after Welsby and I doubt he'd look at us as a viable option anyway. Bula is our long term 1 with Laulili'i and Karnib as other potential options coming thru the grades and Fainu, Galvin and Large all gunning for the 6 jersey. we'd only be able to offer Welsby 2 or so years at five-eighth, which I don't think he'd take.

Dragons need a 1, they'll have a look at him. Parramatta I feel will as well, Redcliffe probably will too. he won't be with us.
 
Camel2281 said:
Fainu isn't a 7
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not right now he isn't, but he has the tools to become a 7. brilliant passing game both sides, slight of hand, classy short kicking game, defends very well. some of the controlling / game managing aspects he needs to pick up, but those things can be taught over a few preseasons.

don't be surprised if he’s our halfback in a few years time once he is 50-60 games into his career with Onitoni Large outside of him.
 
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jrtiger said:
doubt we're after Welsby and I doubt he'd look at us as a viable option anyway. Bula is our long term 1 with Laulili'i and Karnib as other potential options coming thru the grades and Fainu, Galvin and Large all gunning for the 6 jersey. we'd only be able to offer Welsby 2 or so years at five-eighth, which I don't think he'd take.

Dragons need a 1, they'll have a look at him. Parramatta I feel will as well, Redcliffe probably will too. he won't be with us.
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I agree. Probably just his manager throwing our name out there to highlight the demand in him. He'll end up at the Dolphins under his old coach Woolf!

I reckon the only backs we are interested in atm are Luai, Olam, Meaney & Addo-Carr. All conditional on players exiting our club. i.e. JAC only if someone takes Nofa. Benji wants experience & a certain profile type (not a Suli I reckon).
 
Just remember any external signing is due to fulton not benji. If you think benji can attract recruitment you should look at his track record. Fulton is the guy to attract players. They signed fulton because the club had a long history of not being able to attract players and losing players.

Benji alone does not change this.

I think when it comes to recruitment too many are letting their personal feelings get in the way with what is best for recruitment.

Again, recruitment has been an issue for 10 plus years and fulton the only guy at the club presently that can change that. That's why I don't think benji involvement in recruitment is good for the club
 
jrtiger said:
not right now he isn't, but he has the tools to become a 7. brilliant passing game both sides, slight of hand, classy short kicking game, defends very well. some of the controlling / game managing aspects he needs to pick up, but those things can be taught over a few preseasons.

don't be surprised if he isn't our halfback in a few years time once he is 50-60 games into his career with Onitoni Large outside of him.
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Large is looking larger and larger in recent higights. Starting to look like a 12
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
I agree. Probably just his manager throwing our name out there to highlight the demand in him. He'll end up at the Dolphins under his old coach Woolf!

I reckon the only backs we are interested in atm are Luai, Olam, Meaney & Addo-Carr. All conditional on players exiting our club. i.e. JAC only if someone takes Nofa. Benji wants experience & a certain profile type (not a Suli I reckon).
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I think Turuva, Gagai and Tass would be on the list as well, but as you say Welsby wouldn't be on it. Suli sounds like a Fulton/Marshall power struggle.
 
tony soprano said:
Just remember any external signing is due to fulton not benji. If you think benji can attract recruitment you should look at his track record. Fulton is the guy to attract players. They signed fulton because the club had a long history of not being able to attract players and losing players.

Benji alone does not change this.

I think when it comes to recruitment too many are letting their personal feelings get in the way with what is best for recruitment.

Again, recruitment has been an issue for 10 plus years and fulton the only guy at the club presently that can change that. That's why I don't think benji involvement in recruitment is good for the club
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so you don't think that Benji Marshall, a 300 game, premiership winning, future Hall of Famer and true innovator of the game doesn't have any pull? give me a break. you also think that a coach with that kind of standing in the game should sit on the sidelines when you have players tour the facilities? Benji is a drawcard and should be used as such.

Fulton has runs on the board, yes, but he should be overruled by the coach he works for, that's how it works. how can a coach get his side to play how he wants if he doesn't have the cattle he needs?
 
gregjm87 said:
You're making some wild assumptions here. First is that the Sezer vs Cogger argument was true. I'll say this assumption is fair enough given the reporting around it. But...
2nd that Sezer is the type of old head that can help mentor others. This takes a very specific personality and skill set. Sezer may have it, he may not.
3rd Cogger will suddenly have an ego. Is there actually any sign of this? He isn't even assured of a starting spot at Necastle.
4th that even if Cogger did have an ego that dropping him would result in chaos. Plenty of players with egos have been dropped before without chaos ensuing.

I didn't want Cogger at the club. I also didn't want Sezer at the club. But I understand there is a role either of them could play so don't hate the signing of either one. IMO Cogger could perform that role better but he probably wants more than 1 year. Sezer the lesser option but the 1 year deal the preferred result.

Either way I think that discussion between coach and recruitment manager about the available options is actually a good thing. It should lead to greater consideration of all options and pursuing the best fit. If those discussions become heated I don't care as long as they can show up, move on and work together the next day. That remains to be seen but it seems more likely than unlikely to me, at least in the short term.
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Wtf are you talking about ? He’s 34 , and was recruited to be the old head ? Literally why he was recruited .
As for the cogger stuff. Once again WTF are you talking about ? You credit a guy who comes off a premiership to the wooden spoon team , and he’s not going to have an issue riding the pine or reserve grade ? That’s literally nonsense , and lacking any insight .
And it would have taken a 3-4 year deal , so you’re literally giving Jack Cogger the keys to the team if you do that .
Of course he has an ego! He’s a first grade footballer . How many have you met that even play reserve grade that don’t have one ! It’s a virtue in sports to have irrational confidence .
do you just naysay for the sake of it ?
 
Camel2281 said:
Knowing the sort of fella Cogger is, he won't go anywhere with that sort of ego as you mentioned. I worked with his brother, and Jack Cogger is a really lovely humble young bloke
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Bull shit dude ! You don’t get to first grade being humble . He may be a good bloke , but humble , in a halfback is a death warrant . Even someone like Luke brooks the epitome of a “humble good bloke” is anything but .
Some of the shit said on here is arm chair I swear . I never played a game of football in my life where the halfback was humble .
Of course the star halfback recruited from a premiership team would have an issue playing reserve grade for the wooden spoon team . How is this debatable ?
 
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