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I never really understand this. I mean, if it was just a question of doing a really hard pre-season surely everyone would just do that? It's not like it's a trade secret or something. I suspect Melbourne are actually doing lots and lots of things right, it's just that the ones that involve...

Presumably they're thinking about what Utoikamanu might be if they can get him to put a bit of effort in.

So he's not a benefactor, then - he's a (potential) investor. That's a different thing.

Fair enough, I'll leave it up as a testament to not thinking that one through. I stand by my argument though: if Harry Triguboff was a "great supporter" of Balmain or Wests Tigers neither would be in the mess they are now.

You'll notice that none of the actual club benefactors in the NRL - Politis, Laundy etc - are actually club sponsors. Why? Because being so expressly rules them out from providing the kind of assistance that actually gives the club an advantage ie topping up player salaries. "Players can earn...

There used to be Balmain members on the board all the time and... silence. And Balmain ain't coming back, whatever vague hints a nonegenarian might make about supporting them. If he was that bothered about Balmain he could have helped them out when they needed it, but... silence. Face facts...

Harry Triguboff has been the great white whale for this club for decades, always the supposed answer to any financial problems. In that time, Balmain has gone bust with its club falling into ruin, we’ve nearly been run out of Leichhardt half a dozen times because the place is falling down, we...

Not sure why letting Sezer go means anything about Sullivan. We don't have to keep either of them.

Like I say, there's no trick to it: you have to find players who contribute more than they cost in salary cap. If a club is obviously desperate to offload a player (or, more accurately, a player's contract) it stands to reason that they're less likely to be a superstar. But maybe the desperation...

You can't just name players who aren't available and say we ought to sign them.

Picking up useful players that aren't wanted by their current clubs is something all good teams do. Luke Garner won the grand final with Penrith last year, for one that's close to home, and they were also happy to pick up Papali'i. Melbourne have a list as long as your arm of players other clubs...

Off the top of my head: the NBL, Premiership Rugby, Top 14 Rugby, Super Rugby, Superleague, A League, Super Netball. EuroLeague basketball may be about to introduce a salary cap. None of these have a draft.

Penrith? The club that has let Koroisau, Burton, Kikau, Crichton, Fisher-Harris, Genius, Turuva and Luai go to manage their cap? Penrith is the best possible example of a salary cap working.

This is the most significant point by miles. We all obsess about free agent signings but if competent clubs like Penrith start mining "our" junior nursery we might as well pack up and move to Christchurch.

You're a lunatic. James Roberts at the Tigers was so far past past it that he couldn't see it in the rear view mirror.

We're coming last and aren't too bothered about losing the players who have contributed so much to getting us there. Seems rational to me.

It's time you did. He hasn't been good since 2020. It's a crude measure but look at his try scoring rate: Bradford, 2011-12: a try every 3.9 games Wigan, 2014-18: 3.9 Canberra, 2019-20: 4.3 Wigan, 2021-22: 8.4 Tigers, 2023-24: 16 He was past it when he got back to England, let alone when we...

A lot of people on here just cannot accept that there are no quick fixes. They want to sign eight first grade players and either have no idea who those players might actually be - as in, who is off contract or otherwise available - or they want to sign anyone who happens to be available...

I'd take top four of the bottom half. 9th-12th seems like rareified air from down here.

All this thread makes me think is "oh Christ, are there really still four games to go?"