One prop + one halfback = premiership contender

[cnx_tigers]

We are a hell of a footy team when it all cicks. Pretty much unstoppable. We've al crtiicised Sheens, but the young guys coming through + Galloway's massive improvement + Benji's return to pivot + Ellis being outstanding all add up to next season looking really good.

But it also highlights how bad our recruitment is. Right now, we are clearly a couple of players short. With the way the comp is, being so even, two or three players are the difference between first and ninth.

Right now, we are about where Parramatta is…a couple of real stars (Benji, Robbie...Hayne), some realworkhorses in the pack (Ellis...Hindmarsh) and a lot of good young kids coming through.

Yet for next season they've added:
POORE
TAHU
SHACKLETON

Three rep level players...two of them potentially Origin players.

And we've added:

Cronulla and Penrith's discards + a kid who four clubs have sacked and can't be relied on.

I just don't understand how our CAP can be so tight that we can't add anyone decent / Parra can add rep class players.

Last night showed, yet again, that we CANNOT rely on Benji + Robbie to steer us around the park for an entire season. They are to "hit and miss". Kicks out on the full, bad options taken etc etc. Both are SENSATIONAL ad lib / off the cuff players. The best in the NRL almost.

But we need an organising half back with a strong kicking game.

Galloway and Ellis together all season in 2010 = we will have a top class pack. However...it's obvious we need more depth at prop. Whenever Big Red was out injured or off the field, we were clearly a worse team. Payten doesn't have a lot of good footy left / Skando is the same. We NEED an aggressive young prop.

If we could just add a top number 7 + a prop we'd be a legitimate chance at winning the comp in 2010.

As it stands, we are not even in the market for either.

**It's time the recruitment team got their act together**.

 

[fergiefurr]

i think its really only a prop needed.

this year has reminded me a lot of 04\. it wouldnt surprise me at all if we won the comp next year.

 

[cnx_tigers]

i think its really only a prop needed.

this year has reminded me a lot of 04\. it wouldnt surprise me at all if we won the comp next year.

We don't need a 7 if Lui can develop (likely IMO) or Tamatau can become a reliable player (who knows?).

Props though…..........we desperately need some props.

I've got a massive wrap on Aaron Woods, but he's still very young..........as are the Fifita brothers.

IMO we can't rely on Payten / Skando again. We need some younger legs.

 

[jasetiger]

We will go backwards next year and would not surprise if we end up with the spoon.

Gone from the first grade squad are Morris, Halatau, Gallant, Collis ,Payne ( more than likely), Galea ( more than likely),Skando (???), yet we have bought reserve graders in Browne, Daniela to fille the void. Something doesn't add up here , does it?

No depth and no further signings in the pipelines = NO HOPE!

 

[punter]

My opinion is that Lui at half back creates the same problem as Morris did . ie, whilst both are quite strong players they do not compliment benji at half back as thay are franky too slow to place the oppositon in 2 minds. Moltzen on the other hand is very quick and for sure Tim will have these 2 as the PREFERED combination for next yr. Get on theTiges early as they can go all the way next yr. The line up is much stronger than 05\. cheers

 

[AusTigers]

For an all out attacking side

1\. taumatu/ Mullaney

6\. benji
7\. Moltzon

13 Lui (Jim Dymock type role)

 

[Ghostdogg]

Tim Sheens = 9th

 

[alexaki]

For an all out attacking side

1\. taumatu/ Mullaney

6\. benji
7\. Moltzon

13 Lui (Jim Dymock type role)

I like the look of that!…Lui is too slow to be an attacking half...

 

[gallagher]

We will go backwards next year and would not surprise if we end up with the spoon.

Gone from the first grade squad are Morris, Halatau, Gallant, Collis ,Payne ( more than likely), Galea ( more than likely),Skando (???), yet we have bought reserve graders in Browne, Daniela to fille the void. Something doesn't add up here , does it?

No depth and no further signings in the pipelines = NO HOPE!

Most fans demanded a clean out and we have finally got one, please dont complain about most of the guys we got rid of. At the end on '04 we were heading into a bad year apparently because we had lost about 500 games of experience. Moody,Senter,Buttner,Mears etc. We didnt miss those guys and wont miss any of the ones you mentioned. Although I would have liked Gallant to stay.

 

[alien]

For an all out attacking side

1\. taumatu/ Mullaney

6\. benji
7\. Moltzon

13 Lui (Jim Dymock type role)

I like the look of that!…Lui is too slow to be an attacking half...

Lui will need to improve his defence if he is going to play Lock in firstgrade. He is still very young. I think he can still play Toyota Cup next year. We shouldn't rush him into firstgrade.

 

[T91]

We will go backwards next year and would not surprise if we end up with the spoon.

Gone from the first grade squad are Morris, Halatau, Gallant, Collis ,Payne ( more than likely), Galea ( more than likely),Skando (???), yet we have bought reserve graders in Browne, Daniela to fille the void. Something doesn't add up here , does it?

No depth and no further signings in the pipelines = NO HOPE!

Most fans demanded a clean out and we have finally got one, please dont complain about most of the guys we got rid of. At the end on '04 we were heading into a bad year apparently because we had lost about 500 games of experience. Moody,Senter,Buttner,Mears etc. We didnt miss those guys and wont miss any of the ones you mentioned. Although I would have liked Gallant to stay.

It's not so much about the players that are leaving but the players Wests have chosen to replace them, I think that's the point he is trying to make… and I agree.

 

[anderson_silva]

from what ive heard in the media from sheens this will be the team barring injuries in rnd 1

1.moltzen
2.tuiaki
3.ayshford
4.Lawrence
5.Ryan

6.marshall
7.Lui

8.Gibbs
9.farah
10.galloway
11.Ellis
12.payten
13.heignington

and the bench spots are up for grabs id personally go with

gower
skando
woods
and a utility since we dont have one now, we may see ayford to the the bench as a utility with pritchard, daniella or brown in the centres in place of him, also im assumin galea and payne wont be retained

 

[Yossarian]

We will go backwards next year and would not surprise if we end up with the spoon.

Gone from the first grade squad are Morris, Halatau, Gallant, Collis ,Payne ( more than likely), Galea ( more than likely),Skando (???), yet we have bought reserve graders in Browne, Daniela to fille the void. Something doesn't add up here , does it?

No depth and no further signings in the pipelines = NO HOPE!

Most fans demanded a clean out and we have finally got one, please dont complain about most of the guys we got rid of. At the end on '04 we were heading into a bad year apparently because we had lost about 500 games of experience. Moody,Senter,Buttner,Mears etc. We didnt miss those guys and wont miss any of the ones you mentioned. Although I would have liked Gallant to stay.

It's not so much about the players that are leaving but the players Wests have chosen to replace them, I think that's the point he is trying to make… and I agree.

Bear in mind our U/20s team came 4th. We have some great talent coming through so its smart not to waste money on quick fixes and lose players like the Fafitas, Woods, Dwyer etc.

 

[tiger05]

I reckon we mainly need a prop or two.

I'd prefer Moltzen & Marshall in the halves as they give us real good attacking options - I'm not sure if Lui is quick enougth just yet.

Is Gallant gone yet ? I'd probably start him at fullback unless a better option comes along.

We have a good squad. The question will be injuries, Sheens ability to pick the right team & the players to perform as well as they can.

 

[gallagher]

We will go backwards next year and would not surprise if we end up with the spoon.

Gone from the first grade squad are Morris, Halatau, Gallant, Collis ,Payne ( more than likely), Galea ( more than likely),Skando (???), yet we have bought reserve graders in Browne, Daniela to fille the void. Something doesn't add up here , does it?

No depth and no further signings in the pipelines = NO HOPE!

Most fans demanded a clean out and we have finally got one, please dont complain about most of the guys we got rid of. At the end on '04 we were heading into a bad year apparently because we had lost about 500 games of experience. Moody,Senter,Buttner,Mears etc. We didnt miss those guys and wont miss any of the ones you mentioned. Although I would have liked Gallant to stay.

It's not so much about the players that are leaving but the players Wests have chosen to replace them, I think that's the point he is trying to make… and I agree.

He's only listed our new signings and ignored the replacements from within the club.
Moltzen,Taumata or Lui for Morris. All are far better than Morris at half.
Ayshford for Collis. Much better result.
Mataka,Gower,O'Dywer,Shirnack for Galea and Payne.
An old tennis ball attached to a rope for Halatua.
Moltzen for Gallant. I'd prefer Gallant had of stayed.

We are loosing only Gallant in my eyes.

 

[Snake]

Yes i agree we need to settle on a half..But after watching over the last couple of months reality for me is 1 or 2 Go foward front rowers that will not be dominated and will see us in the top 4 ..these guys don't have to know how to pass/step or anything fancy ..just hit it up HARD and hurt in defence.. that's how simple the equation is for me really.

 

[cnx_tigers]

He's only listed our new signings and ignored the replacements from within the club.
Moltzen,Taumata or Lui for Morris. All are far better than Morris at half.
Ayshford for Collis. Much better result.
Mataka,Gower,O'Dywer,Shirnack for Galea and Payne.
An old tennis ball attached to a rope for Halatua.
Moltzen for Gallant. I'd prefer Gallant had of stayed.

We are loosing only Gallant in my eyes.

GREAT post.

We have the talent coming through…..........Gallant is a genuine loss, but LAZARUS is real talent.

We just need PROPS!!!!!!

 

[dimitri]

We got good young props coming through in the Fifita boys, Woods and Schirnack.

Add Laurie to the existing list of Galloway, Gibbs and Payten then maybe, just maybe, we may be alright in the front-row. A gamble relying on juniors but rewarding juniors is a better proposition than buying players. Instills a sense of loyalty and hunger amongst the team as they feel they belong rather than being the outsider.

It's up to the youngsters to step-up to the NRL level when need be.

2010 will be a year where we need the injury gods to be kind and the juniors step-up to the mark. The last group of juniors fell a bit short (eg Harrison, Teo, Lima, Collis etc etc).

It looks promising regardless.

 

[Rorko]

for cheap money you can have Little Mad Dog(Luke Macdougall) and Tim Natusch both from newcastle who are off contract Doogs i have no idea why he hasn't got a game for the knights this season and timmy is a gun forward who cant fit under the cap for next year will go on to reps if given game time

 

[sjtiger]

I read through a local paper (in newcastle) that Natusch was probably going to Broncos.