Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Horsburgh is one of the hardest running guys available. His previous 2 seasons in Canberra were outstanding.

Hetherington & Horsburgh, combined with Klemmer, Sam Fainu & Seyfarth represent a hard edge in defence. I'm far more concerned about the soft underbelly of our middle than our ability to make metres.

An upgrade out wide generates more overall game metres through Turuva & Skelton- putting our middles in better position from their first hit up.

Sione Fainu & Pole would be the hard running middles that people get excited about.

But it's holding the middle together & making it an uncompromising place to run that I'm more focused on right now. Look how the Roosters forward pack is built. The Dolphins are similar. It's more about taking away the opposition attack than it is about generating our own.

The consensus is that Horsburgh & Hetherington are lunatics. I disagree. I think they are tarnished by a couple of 'sensational' penalties- but in general, rarely give penalties away- unlike the current crop of forwards we have. It's about being imposing, without being dumb.

Dylan Walker (or Jazz Tevaga) offer position flexibility. Why have him over Da Silva? Is Da Silva going to develop more in the 20 minutes he might get a game in 1st grade or from a full game, surrounded by a more experienced & competitive KOE pack? I'm not saying we don't use Da Silva. Just that a season of sitting on the bench for 15-20 minutes when Koroisau is weary isn't going to have him ready to go.

The Liam Knight reputation is completely overblown. He's dominated at KOE level all season- but again, tarnished by a couple of moments that people believe are his "every moment". Again- I'd have him in the mix, pushing for inclusion in the squad. Not handed a spot.

People don't want to take risks on guys like Horsburgh but want to buy in on perennial 20 minute bench guys like Royce Hunt.
I think you're over selling Horsburgh. He's serviceable, but no team is shaking in their boots thinking of him.

He'd be ok, but we would still need a top prop.
 
The club… which has talked it about on the Tim Johannssen episode of Behind The Roar and also at the end of the signing announcement of Jeral Skelton: “Further signings will be announced in the coming days.” Haven’t heard much on the signing front, just figured if your gonna say it at least make it worth it or just keep your mouth shut about signings.
Yep... even as someone who's defended this current admin needlessly putting out that statement on the end of the Skelton signing announcement & then almost a week later still not announcing anything is a very poor look.
 
Spot on....
Considering where we are at, we hang onto anything positive to look forward to and if it was not locked in or unsure you just don't say anything..

Pretty sure Richo goes on about the MEMBERS and how important we are, but this is pre-school stuff getting the fans excited for nothing.
All we can do is speculate until the club feeds us some signings.

I've had a good look at our roster & I'm fairly certain we won't be making any signings to our top 30 until the end of the season & we have formally freed up more spots. By that I mean, club has advised situations for Tumeth & Sezer moving forward and anyone we want to move on has taken up a deal elsewhere (hopefully Naden & Bud).

However what the club could be set to announce are extensions (Pole, Galvin ... fingers crossed) or pathways upgrades (Makasini, Large, Godinet, Hodges, Aho/Herman, Haywood into development or T&T etc) or external recruits into T&T contracts.

The BTR last week alluded to depth signings in key positions & Richo has spoken about more experience in NSW Cup so I reckon we could be getting a triple announcement of T&T recruits ...

Tristan Hope (hooker)
Reuben Porter (backrow)
One of Liam Knight, Jordan Grant* or Peter Hola (middle)

* I'm thinking someone like Jordan Grant (his brother Tim is working at the club) might be one as he is a player who knows he won't be getting a Top 30 contract anywhere so a T&T deal at this point is good to lock in.
 
You actually make my point. You remember sensational moments. Horsburgh got sent off, yes. But how many penalties has he given away this year?

Hetherington was, I think, nearly 200th in the penalties given away this season. You talk about him being sin binned & sent off. Cool. When was the last time?

You know what they don't do? Give drive killing penalties away on the regular.

You remember one or two moments (and in Hetherington's case- from 2-3 seasons back) and assume they are ill disciplined.
I'm okay with conceding penalties as long as they are smart. Bryce Gibbs gave away quite a few penalties, but often they were when the team was on the back foot and effectively slowed things down.

Send offs and sin bins is what costs the most and they are both guilty of it this season (not 2-3 seasons ago).

I'm confident Richo agrees and is smart enough not to sign them both. We'll see.
 
I'm okay with conceding penalties as long as they are smart. Bryce Gibbs gave away quite a few penalties, but often they were when the team was on the back foot and effectively slowed things down.

Send offs and sin bins is what costs the most and they are both guilty of it this season (not 2-3 seasons ago).

I'm confident Richo agrees and is smart enough not to sign them both. We'll see.
I agree in theory but you need to be able to defend the penalty, we struggle to do that most weeks. I think you're right if he we had tigher defence, so if we bring in players who might give away a few we have to be sure they will also work hard to defend the ensuing set.
 
There is a couple of posts about us “losing” Will Craig

Apparently that is all bullshit and he never signed with Penrith and we never signed Harrison Hassett

Looks like the whole story was just a load of shit
If we are going off stats, Hassett is not any better than the players we already have in and around our NSW Cuo and Jersey Flegg teams.
He makes about 5m per hit up and very rarely breaks a tackle.
Hopefully we can find better.
 
I'm okay with conceding penalties as long as they are smart. Bryce Gibbs gave away quite a few penalties, but often they were when the team was on the back foot and effectively slowed things down.

Send offs and sin bins is what costs the most and they are both guilty of it this season (not 2-3 seasons ago).

I'm confident Richo agrees and is smart enough not to sign them both. We'll see.
Agree, when the 7 tackle set first came in, you saw Melbourne would consistently just concede a penalty after conceding a 7 tackle set. Then take an age to walk back and get onside. Gave them time to get that little breather get everyone on side and stop the opposition going on a role.
I actually think John Bateman was pretty good at giving away tactical penalties earlier in the year, can remember 2 occasions where we conceded 2 point instead of 6 because of seemingly smart gamesmanship.
 
I'm okay with conceding penalties as long as they are smart. Bryce Gibbs gave away quite a few penalties, but often they were when the team was on the back foot and effectively slowed things down.

Send offs and sin bins is what costs the most and they are both guilty of it this season (not 2-3 seasons ago).

I'm confident Richo agrees and is smart enough not to sign them both. We'll see.
That's fair enough.

The names are mostly inconsequential. It's the idea of creating a middle in defence that teams don't dominate so easily. We don't seem physically capable of stopping the opposition without throwing 3-4 bodies into the tackle. We don't seem physically or mentally able to impose our will defensively. If the club can find a handful of guys that can do that, not named Hetherington or Horsburgh- sign me up.

But names like Royce Hunt etc don't fit the bill. Unable to play decent minutes, never been a good defender with regularity. I'd be ok with Siafiti. Oregon Kaufusi on a deal half of what Utoikamanu was offered. Sure.

I settle on Hetherington, Horsburgh etc simply because they have proven to be that intimidating force in defence already.
 
That's fair enough.

The names are mostly inconsequential. It's the idea of creating a middle in defence that teams don't dominate so easily. We don't seem physically capable of stopping the opposition without throwing 3-4 bodies into the tackle. We don't seem physically or mentally able to impose our will defensively. If the club can find a handful of guys that can do that, not named Hetherington or Horsburgh- sign me up.

But names like Royce Hunt etc don't fit the bill. Unable to play decent minutes, never been a good defender with regularity. I'd be ok with Siafiti. Oregon Kaufusi on a deal half of what Utoikamanu was offered. Sure.

I settle on Hetherington, Horsburgh etc simply because they have proven to be that intimidating force in defence already.
Broncos now throwing their hat in the ring for Horsburgh, being a Queenslander it’s highly likely he will end up with them.
 
I think you're over selling Horsburgh. He's serviceable, but no team is shaking in their boots thinking of him.

He'd be ok, but we would still need a top prop.
And yet after Pole and Fainu he would be a top 3 forward at our club. Thats how soft and pathetic our current forwards are. Hes a miles upgrade on the current shit that wears our jersey.

Get it done Richo
 
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