That's my biggest fear re Benji calling the shots..a quick sugar hit of PR particularly if we lose Moses announcing that we managed Brooks career into a one club player with a x year extension blah blah...when in fact most want Brooks to actually earn it
Gotta be the luckiest to ever play the game
What convinced Brooks to stay(and Sheens to support him)in 2023 was a heavily back ended contract worth around a $1mill this year...he will never earn anything like that again in his life
Reckn I cld be miserabe for that!!
Really up to him now to stand and deliver...but no more loyalty BS from...
Not seeing the vision,nor the line breaking capability ,nor the playmakng abilitities for Brooks to become an elite no7
He is a solid defender,but thats not his main job
These are simple facts
The proposition that Sheens needs to "protect"a 28yo 10 season veteran is embarrasing for both...
Id be astonished if AD and Brooks make it injury free thru the first 6 rounds tbh...so then were looking at back ups..and smith struggles at this level
So its an unproven (at 6 )Laurie as our saviour...
Were just lite on re quality halves,which will bite us in 23
Sharks/Raiders/Broncos /Dogs/Tigers to go forward...improved rosters and /or good coaches
Eels/Rabbits/Dragons /Manly and Knights to go backwards(some from a low base)..same reason
Panthers still the team to beat
Dessie H to have a full time gig at Knights ,Dragons or titans by 1st July...
He was never going to leave a GF team to join the same wooden spooners who shunned him all those years ago unless there was a $500k pa difference
Hes just too insecure to prove himself again at WTs unless he was miserable at Eels IMO..Dogs were a chance but dont have the $$ to incentivise him...
Nofo missed several critical tackles,buthis biggest issue was he cldnt keep up when Olam made clean breaks...dunno whether he was asleep..or whether he lacked pace..or some combination of both
Bellyache likes his finishers fast ..so he was never gonna be offered a contract
With both halves off contarct,plus both full back options,u can bet they will all be putting in thi coming year.
Suspect only one or two of this 4 will be retained,but it is contingent on who else we can attract with the $2mill plus which we are paying these guys atm....
RTS,who is 29 btw,wld...
Bennys not smart enuff to know what thatmeans
Totally consumed by self interest ,so as much cred as Gould
But suspect hes being used ny MMs management as the "herald"to let us down softly
Much as Id like to support Gildart..he(and his family whom we flew out for the first game) seemed decent and articulate ..but he was simply terrible for WTs tbh.
Defence was non existent...awareness of touchline negligible...he just didnt work out for us.
And the few minutes he played with...
His surname doesnt help
Has created huge expectations..like Pearce/Hastings..which are often fulfilled a little later in their career
If we were to lose Douhi and Brooks end 23,as expected ...hed be in the mix of 3 halves I wld buy to replace them..butnot my first choice which is Williams
All about the results,which Gould only owns if theyre positive.
4th wasnt good enuff for Gould with Cleary
Gould has to be sensitive to his growing reputation as a demanding tyrant,which wld only be further enhanced if Ciraldo were to fail and be ultimately punted
May possibly make both of...
Gould wld be one of the most opinionated and challenging "managers"to work for, in any industry,and its testimony to Clearys temperament that he survived so long working for him
Possibly a one-off.
Dunno whether Ciraldo has the same temperament tbh
Gould(via Laundy)has got the cattle,but It...
Know her..very ,VERY sharp and very sweet..
I thought JT was much maligned tbh..did a great job developing the big 4 to put them in a marketable position to do what they did...got WTs to 9th...was very aware of the history of why and how his very able predecessor failed ...and saw history...
Spot on..and if he thinks hes worth $900k he'll give it a red hot go at 6 with us next season to attract suitors,which is a position where the $$ are rather than the forwards.
And he has the ability to do so as we saw in 21 pre injury.
Brooks will try and do the same at no7,but...
I have another prediction...Laurie,Staines,Douhi and Brooks will all bust their backsides in 2023 which is their audition year to progress to much bigger $$ if things go well
This will be to the Tigers benefit surely
But only 2 will be resigned regardless...
PS Shld have said Brooks cant...