Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Tom Shines said:
So they can’t give Bud away even paying $300k of his $500-550k wage?

Surprised that no club would take a chance on him at $200-250k a year … this would be the norm for a reserve grade half wouldn’t it ? maybe the three years left on his deal is the real problem, and that he is not viewed as even NRL player depth level ..

Looks like they are going to be stuck with him at least another year …

Excluding some of the medical failures they have signed …This deal might actually be the worst in WT history …
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Our only hope is that Bud gets pissed off stuck in KOE or RM Cup and asks for a release....
 
crazycat said:
I recall "unkle Nick" saying that Robbo when he walked into Easts it was like he owned the place (in a good way). 2010 from memory that was the Fittler year where they went from Spoon to almost making the finals?

As for is Robbo a "top 3 coach". The problem is the top 2 are:
Craig Bellamy
Wayne Bennett.

Des Haslier won't be top 3 for 2024, but I could see him coming back. Robbo making the finals with the team he had, is a fair-ish claim. in a few years I suspect Craig Fitzgibbon will be a top 3-5 coach. ...

2025 will prove it for me. Easts are going to face a rebuild in many areas. However I can say top 5 coach definately.

Robbo can claim to be a top 5 coach.
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I didn't check,. But pretty sure they won the Spoon in 09 - Freddy might have started that year as coach and been Bounced.
Brian Smith was the coach in 2010 - Robbo was the Assistant, That was the year they had the Run and beat us in the Semi.

Roosters and the playing Group were so Impressed with Robbo in 2010
- They got him back from France a couple years later for the top job.
Won the comp in his first year....
 
Tigerstigerstigers said:
so we are supposed to believe hunt is playing at a big discount for the broncos on his dragons contract and NRL is accepting it ?
Lol
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Of course the NRL are accepting it,the main part of the deal with the donkeys is the continual leg ups.It is an unwritten but esential part of their license with the NRL
 
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Tom Shines said:
So they can’t give Bud away even paying $300k of his $500-550k wage?

Surprised that no club would take a chance on him at $200-250k a year … this would be the norm for a reserve grade half wouldn’t it ? maybe the three years left on his deal is the real problem, and that he is not viewed as even NRL player depth level ..

Looks like they are going to be stuck with him at least another year …

Excluding some of the medical failures they have signed …This deal might actually be the worst in WT history …
Click to expand...
I don't see the logic in paying him $300k to play somewhere else. Yeah he's surplus, but by all reports he's not a toxic influence like Bateman and covers the halves and hooker.

In round 1 we don't have Api so IMO the bench hooker is either Bud or an unfit Latu.

I'd keep him for next year unless a club is paying at least 2/3 of his salary. Create roster spots by moving easier to move players like Doeuihi and toxic guys like Bateman. Maybe someone goes down at another club during the season and they get desperate.
 
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Tom Shines said:
So they can’t give Bud away even paying $300k of his $500-550k wage?

Surprised that no club would take a chance on him at $200-250k a year … this would be the norm for a reserve grade half wouldn’t it ? maybe the three years left on his deal is the real problem, and that he is not viewed as even NRL player depth level ..

Looks like they are going to be stuck with him at least another year …

Excluding some of the medical failures they have signed …This deal might actually be the worst in WT history …
Click to expand...
Not sure it tops packer and Jrey. But yeah, it's bad.

I'm too am actually not sure why a club wouldn't take a punt at that price
 
supercoach said:
To me the real champion coaches are the ones who changed the way to play the game and forced other teams to follow. Jack Gibson and Wok Ryan are two who come to mind.

Anyway the bottom line, footballers need good coaches and good coaches need good footballers
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I think you can add Bellyache to the list for changing the game through the introduction of wrestling. Apart from that there hasn't been a great deal of transformation in the game from the coaching ranks. The NRL has introduced rules to speed up the game and induce fatigue but there haven't been too many transformative coaches.

So what would it take to unlock the game again?

I have been thinking about this for a while; given league is a pretty simple game what would it take?

Firstly, I think it is difficult for coaches to imagine change because they serve long apprenticeships under established coaches and repeat what they have seen to be successful. They may have a tweak here or there to make incrimental improvements but nothing that is transformational - like the introduction of the nautilus machine and professionalism by Jack Gibson.

The players are the heart of the team, the coach is its mind. So to challenge the norms a coach would need to reimagine how the game is played. To me this requires three things:
  • A significant cultural shift. The first requirement, before even looking at tactics is the development a team culture that breeds innovation and resilience. The key is to establish an environment that encourages creativity and adaptability. Structure is essential, it is a key enabler, but it should be nothing more than a framework. What happens within that framework is limited by imagination. Block plays and sweeps are old hat - what is next? Why can't we execute our attack form a different point on the field; eg, expand the Lockwood/Pringle manoeuvre to include two additional support runners on an edge from mid field.
  • Tactics beyond tradition. I hinted at it above but we tend to incrementally evolve attacking and and defensive structures to cater for what the oppositon is doing. How do we get beyond tradition and re-think defensive structures or introduce pioneering attacking shapes. This would take a visionary coach that can redefine how teams approach the game. A coach that might emphasise risk-taking, unpredictable offloads, or strategic kicking to exploit space.
  • Player Evolution: Under a transformative coach, players can break their perceived limits and roles can blur—imagine a forward with the agility of a back or a half that is the size of an edge.
The right coach at the right time isn’t just a leader; they’re a game-changer. The question isn’t whether a coach can change rugby league; but who will be bold enough to do it next.

Could a 6'4" 5/8 change the way we play on an edge? What if we had another "half" play at 13? What if we broke with tradition and executed attacking plays three wide from within our red zone?

Could Benji and our coachings staff's "lack of experience" be to our advantage?

I trust that Benji and Co don't fall into the trap of trying replicate the Riff/Melbourne. We are going through a significant cultural shift in the club and our coaching staff all came from a team that did not play a traditional style in 2005. Can the youth of our team be harnessed off the back of all this?

The scene is set; our club has the potential to change the way the game is played. I'm looking forward to 2025; what will it hold for us long suffering fans?
 
weststigerman said:
I don't see the logic in paying him $300k to play somewhere else. Yeah he's surplus, but by all reports he's not a toxic influence like Bateman and covers the halves and hooker.

In round 1 we don't have Api so IMO the bench hooker is either Bud or an unfit Latu.

I'd keep him for next year unless a club is paying at least 2/3 of his salary. Create roster spots by moving easier to move players like Doeuihi and toxic guys like Bateman. Maybe someone goes down at another club during the season and they get desperate.
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normally I would agree with you … but they are obviously desperate for the roster space it seems ….

anyway ..looks like they are likely stuck with him, so let’s hope he can contribute in some way in 2025
 
Tom Shines said:
normally I would agree with you … but they are obviously desperate for the roster space it seems ….

anyway ..looks like they are likely stuck with him, so let’s hope he can contribute in some way in 2025
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If it comes to a heavy subsidy to get a long contract player gone (Bateman / Sullivan), I'd rather take the hit with Bateman and retain Sullivan for at least the coming 25 season. Bateman has done his dash here whereas Sullivan is just surplus.
 
hammertime said:
Not sure it tops packer and Jrey. But yeah, it's bad.

I'm too am actually not sure why a club wouldn't take a punt at that price
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It’s debatable that he is even behind those two at the moment …. Packer was an international and still ended up playing 33 NRL games for the club before he turned it up the last 2 years and preferred to be paid to show up for training whilst concentrating on studying for his law degree .. Reynolds was worse than Packer… but can point to injury as an excuse …but he might be worse agreed when all is said and done with Bud ..

Bud is in the prime of his career and injury free but the entire League is just happy for him to sit in reserve grade …
 
Tom Shines said:
It’s debatable that he is even behind those two at the moment …. Packer was an international and still ended up playing 33 NRL games for the club before he turned it up the last 2 years and preferred to be paid to show up for training whilst concentrating on studying for his law degree .. Reynolds was worse than Packer… but can point to injury as an excuse …but he might be worse agreed when all is said and done with Bud ..

Bud is in the prime of his career and injury free but the entire League is just happy for him to sit in reserve grade …
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I don't think Bud is much worse than Ilias tbh not much between them both are pretty ordinary, Ilias will likely struggle at St Merge
 
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Tom Shines said:
It’s debatable that he is even behind those two at the moment …. Packer was an international and still ended up playing 33 NRL games for the club before he turned it up the last 2 years and preferred to be paid to show up for training whilst concentrating on studying for his law degree .. Reynolds was worse than Packer… but can point to injury as an excuse …but he might be worse agreed when all is said and done with Bud ..

Bud is in the prime of his career and injury free but the entire League is just happy for him to sit in reserve grade …
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Fair call. I was looking at the impact on our cap. I think both were a much heavier burden than Sullivan is. Plus, we've had a few first grade games out of him.

The difference being i think we can still make s competitive side with Sullivan on the books. Those two really hurt us.
 
batboy said:
Yeah..... Right.

Well, he's 1 of 3 Coaches that's coached in the NRL for the last 10-12 years
- And not been sacked.

Additionally,
He's also 1 of 3 Coaches in the game that in that same period, That's won the comp 3 times.

Not near the top 3 you say, Plenty would disagree with you.
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I love listening to him talk football...could do it for hours.
A bit like Sheens 15 years and more ago... Very very interesting and I always take something away from his comments.
Good coaches have the luxury of being able to choose good teams
 
Jedi_Tiger said:
I don't think Bud is much worse than Ilias tbh not much between them both are pretty ordinary, Ilias will likely struggle at St Merge
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bud cant tackle - and has a bad attitude and has a worse kicking game.

bud a better runner and more spark.

But bud is not a 7. he's a poor mans luke brooks #6 -- lazy and no backbone.
 
innsaneink said:
I love listening to him talk football...could do it for hours.
A bit like Sheens 15 years and more ago... Very very interesting and I always take something away from his comments.
Good coaches have the luxury of being able to choose good teams
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Exactly....
Complaining about the good cattle cracks me up.....

Imagine the best Players wanting to play for the best Coaches.....
Crazy!!
 
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