Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[fibrodreaming]

Marshall likely retiring, Brooks is out of form and Reynolds and Walters aren’t good enough.

You'r making an assumption about Benji, and Brooks is not a 5/8. JRey is first grade standard - he may not be good enough for you, but we are stuck with him for another year. Mbye has played 5/8 and Douihi, Momo and Talau played 5/8 in the juniors. Not to mention Walters who has only played 2 games at 5/8 for us.

We can't keep spending big money on a position that is already covered and ignore glaring weaknesses in the roster in other positions.

Personally, I think our halves cop too much flack for our losses. Against the Eels, we had 40% possession in the second half and most of it was in our own territory. We had no field position. And yet, people expect the halves to pull something out of their you-know-where and magically win us the game.

We have proved, even against the top sides, when we get our share of the ball and field position we are capable of scoring tries - we are very competitive. Our problem so far has been poor execution and poor discipline. Fix that up and suddenly our halves will go OK.

 

[Tigers_Tale]

For a low cost I would rather Kieran Foran over Green or Lewis

How many 5/8s do we need ? We have a backline stacked with them. I think we have other priority areas to address.

Marshall likely retiring, Brooks is out of form and Reynolds and Walters aren’t good enough. I think upgrading our halves should be one of our main priorities

We have currently Marshall, Brooks, Reynolds, Walters, Madden, Mbye and Douhea, as well as Camroux in future. I think we have a decent side already. We do need a marque player in the spine. I think the hookers and the halfs are fine, we need a top line fullback. So I think we should save our spending and go all out for Tedesco in 2021

 

[Geo]

Marshall likely retiring, Brooks is out of form and Reynolds and Walters aren’t good enough.

You'r making an assumption about Benji, and Brooks is not a 5/8. JRey is first grade standard - he may not be good enough for you, but we are stuck with him for another year. Mbye has played 5/8 and Douihi, Momo and Talau played 5/8 in the juniors. Not to mention Walters who has only played 2 games at 5/8 for us.

We can't keep spending big money on a position that is already covered and ignore glaring weaknesses in the roster in other positions.

Personally, I think our halves cop too much flack for our losses. Against the Eels, we had 40% possession in the second half and most of it was in our own territory. We had no field position. And yet, people expect the halves to pull something out of their you-know-where and magically win us the game.

We have proved, even against the top sides, when we get our share of the ball and field position we are capable of scoring tries - we are very competitive. Our problem so far has been poor execution and poor discipline. Fix that up and suddenly our halves will go OK.

I just watched the Knights/Dogs game and for 40mins the Dogs didn't get a tackle in the Knights half let alone with in cooee of the 20m line...

Pearce and Pongo came up short..Mann was their best player..

 

[avocadoontoast]

Marshall likely retiring, Brooks is out of form and Reynolds and Walters aren’t good enough.

You'r making an assumption about Benji, and Brooks is not a 5/8. JRey is first grade standard - he may not be good enough for you, but we are stuck with him for another year. Mbye has played 5/8 and Douihi, Momo and Talau played 5/8 in the juniors. Not to mention Walters who has only played 2 games at 5/8 for us.

We can't keep spending big money on a position that is already covered and ignore glaring weaknesses in the roster in other positions.

Personally, I think our halves cop too much flack for our losses. Against the Eels, we had 40% possession in the second half and most of it was in our own territory. We had no field position. And yet, people expect the halves to pull something out of their you-know-where and magically win us the game.

We have proved, even against the top sides, when we get our share of the ball and field position we are capable of scoring tries - we are very competitive. Our problem so far has been poor execution and poor discipline. Fix that up and suddenly our halves will go OK.

I don’t agree but that’s just my opinion. I think to be real contenders we need to upgrade our halves.

 

[fibrodreaming]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

 

[JC99]

Again, don’t know why people think Foran would be expensive. He’s off contract and bulldogs are offering him a fraction of his Current contract. He was the best half on the field today

 

[JC99]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Played golf with Blake Greens mate he will end up at a sydney club but i doubt us most likely Dogs

 

[bathursttiger1]

Again, don’t know why people think Foran would be expensive. He’s off contract and bulldogs are offering him a fraction of his Current contract. He was the best half on the field today

Bulldogs have offered Foran $400K for next year, do you want to pay more than that to sign him?
If you do I have an old Toyota that I'll sell to you for $100K.

 

[westy81]

The cupboard is pretty bare as far as quality halves go (young or off-contract) that you can build a club around.
Our best bet would be to recruit a real solid experienced half that knows how to give our young pack a bit more of a chance, in game and can turn a game with his kicks even if the forward pack is being dominated. Marshall tries but really is not a kicking halfback and especially with having to play another young Hooker next year whilst also bloody Doueihi in the fullback role (for the time being) we are really crying out for a half with a strong kicking game.
A 2 year contract with the idea of blooding Madden or recruit a future star half that has a long career ahead of him. (Sam Walker or Flanagan)
I hear calls for Burton but despite his skill, he’ll suffer the same fate as Brooks without having that game experienced.
Green is the only one that stands out at this stage.
Townsend is another possibility but I don’t rate his long kicking game, Johnson’s is much stronger.
As mentioned the cupboard is pretty bare.
Despite trying to pry Michael Morgan from the cowboys I can’t think of too many other experienced halves that fit that bill.

I think I read today in the top paid players in the NRL article that Keary comes off contract with the roosters this year

 

[fibrodreaming]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

 

[JC99]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

There’s a reason we lose the close games majority of the time

 

[JC99]

Again, don’t know why people think Foran would be expensive. He’s off contract and bulldogs are offering him a fraction of his Current contract. He was the best half on the field today

Bulldogs have offered Foran $400K for next year, do you want to pay more than that to sign him?
If you do I have an old Toyota that I'll sell to you for $100K.

I heard it was less than that. $400k for him is a good price

 

[Geo]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

There’s a reason we lose the close games majority of the time

Yep we drop the football a lot..

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

Cooper Cronk, Luke Keary, Cameron Smith, Nathan Cleary, DCE probably the best & most recent examples of game managers.

 

[Needaname]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

There’s a reason we lose the close games majority of the time

Yep we drop the football a lot..

Can I like this comment more than once?
It’s like it’s conveniently ignored.
Everyone loves what Josh Aloiai brings to our pack but forgets that he has hands for feet at crucial stages of the game!
But unfortunately that’s the half’s or the hooker or whoever isn’t organising a cleaner pass to forwards.
Then there’s the knock on’s in general play or at the play the ball. But once again the it’s the spine that is giving out ‘hospital balls’ to our solid young forwards.

 

[Lauren]

Isn't game management more response based?
I'm not overly familiar with all the footy terms but I believe Benji and Harry have already shown a certain ability of game control. Therefore I just want to see someone in the team who has the vision and ability to pick other(opposition) teams apart.

I want to see a team of players who show commitment. Backs that chase and commit. Where everyone is committed in their defence. That doesn't make one half arsed attempt in anything. Any potential recruitment target should not be on the decline in age, speed or agility and reputation.

 

[Tiger_Steve]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

There’s a reason we lose the close games majority of the time

Yep we drop the football a lot..

Can I like this comment more than once?
It’s like it’s conveniently ignored.
Everyone loves what Josh Aloiai brings to our pack but forgets that he has hands for feet at crucial stages of the game!
But unfortunately that’s the half’s or the hooker or whoever isn’t organising a cleaner pass to forwards.
Then there’s the knock on’s in general play or at the play the ball. But once again the it’s the spine that is giving out ‘hospital balls’ to our solid young forwards.

Not ignored by everyone. I must mention this after nearly every game. Unforced errors have been killing us for a long time

 

[Russell]

For a low cost I would rather Kieran Foran over Green or Lewis

How many 5/8s do we need ? We have a backline stacked with them. I think we have other priority areas to address.

Marshall likely retiring, Brooks is out of form and Reynolds and Walters aren’t good enough. I think upgrading our halves should be one of our main priorities

We have currently Marshall, Brooks, Reynolds, Walters, Madden, Mbye and Douhea, as well as Camroux in future. I think we have a decent side already. We do need a marque player in the spine. I think the hookers and the halfs are fine, we need a top line fullback. So I think we should save our spending and go all out for Tedesco in 2021

He wouldn't come back here if you offered him 2 mill a season. That's a nice little joke you slipped in there.

 

[mike]

Pearce and Pongo came up short

But...but - they are "game managers" surely with all that field position (and 7 set restarts to 1) they must have got the Knights home.

Ponga ain’t a game manager. Pearce is a choker. Cameron Smith is a game manager. DCE too

"Game Management" is such an intangible quality, I'm not sure I would recognise it when I see it. All I know, based on what I read on this Forum, is that Brooks and Benji can't do it.

There’s a reason we lose the close games majority of the time

Yep we drop the football a lot..

Can I like this comment more than once?
It’s like it’s conveniently ignored.
Everyone loves what Josh Aloiai brings to our pack but forgets that he has hands for feet at crucial stages of the game!
But unfortunately that’s the half’s or the hooker or whoever isn’t organising a cleaner pass to forwards.
Then there’s the knock on’s in general play or at the play the ball. But once again the it’s the spine that is giving out ‘hospital balls’ to our solid young forwards.

Not ignored by everyone. I must mention this after nearly every game. Unforced errors have been killing us for a long time

If we can fix that our win rate will be on the correct side of the ledger.