A lot has changed in a short space of time though with regards the narrative about the tigers. Team on the up with a bullet, Benji factor with player environment, players improving within the system ( Pole, Twal) and players coming improving as well (KPP for example). We don’t need to pay overs...
The worst of them are Read, Riccio, Weidler and Dobbin who are basically just mouthpieces for clubs and agents who throw them the occasional exclusive. At least Read can be funny.
Ash Taylor springs to mind. That ended well! I remember commentators saying Tigers would rue Luke Brookes leaving. How’s that turned out. If anything he’s been even less effective at Manly. Galvin will be the same. For all the hype, I could name 5 young halves already a level better than him.
Let’s make a distinction between Galvin and Bula for a start. Galvin wanted out of the club for ages. Yes, Moses brought it to a head and used gutter tactics to orchestrate, but we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking he turned Galvin. He had already decided he was too good to be in a struggling...
No. You don’t have to deal with him. At least not on his terms. If players work out their managers behavior cuts off access to enough clubs, less will sign on with him over time. He’s not an honorable or honest man. Eventually every club that allows him to have too much influence over roster...
For the benefit of the international game beyond the pacific I would love this to a highly competitive series. Unfortunately, if John Bateman is considered one of the best 24 players England have available to select from, I fear they will have 50 put on them in every test. He is not even NRL...
He didn’t drink schooners. Vodka and orange was his drink of choice. The 15 is about right though. Hard to judge harshly the high shot. It’s the way the game was back then. Play on.
There is not a team in the comp that would pay Purdue or Nawaqanitawase more than Bula. Bula is probably fair value at around $800K per, the other two would be lucky to get within $50k of that.
No club has bought a premiership since the 70’s when Manly silvertails raided Western Suburbs and Roosters raided Souths. Most premiership clubs identify talent early and develop them into a winning squad. Buying a Monte Burns all star team hasn’t worked in the NRL era.
I think Pat Richards, Loti Tuquiri, Taniela (too briefly unfortunately) might have something to say about that, but he has been a great signing and worth the coin we paid for him. One of our best all year, consistently starts sets well for us and goes looking for a ton of work. He’s not perfect...
Only place he’s getting $1M per is back with ARU. He’s potentially an elite winger, which at best gets him to $650k, a possible centre option which maybe gets him to $750k, but who’s gunna sign him as an untried fullback?
Pretty sure Jerome has won 4 NRL premierships as a key spine player. Pretty sure Dylan Brown has won none. Similar players in some regards, but objectively JL is the more accomplished and at $1.2M is better value than DB at $1.3M.