Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Todd Packer]

I dont understand why the members of WTF keep bagging Benji.
Its like you blame him for last place probably being ours, and in a few years you all probably will be kissing his arse.

It's the remnants of the Maguire cult. They enjoy death riding.

 

[Todd Packer]

At least Sezer will be comfortable with the ref screwing us every week.
This ref is handing St. Helens the game.

 

[tony soprano]

At least Sezer will be comfortable with the ref screwing us every week.
This ref is handing St. Helens the game.

Is that a recent game mate?

 

[twentyforty]

How is it that Mbye is playing for St Helens one week after leaving Saints but it took us 5 months to get Bateman to Australia?

Saints have a fastrack acclimatising procedure (FAP).

 

[Vicious]

Just watched the Turkish Tiger Seizure in the first half do three things for Leeds that I haven't seen our halves do for a decade.
He talks, thinks, and puts his outside men in good position with good ball.

How’s his kicking game and does he still look to have enough speed ti threaten to take on the opposition or make a line break himself ?

 

[Todd Packer]

How’s his kicking game and does he still look to have enough speed ti threaten to take on the opposition or make a line break himself ?

His kicks were good.
He's not speedy but has the occasional run.
He really dropped off in the 2nd half but that was mainly due to Blake Austin hugely overplaying his hand trying to get a contract. You could see Sezer getting frustrated.

 

[Vicious]

I can't believe that people still think the problem is the coach/s - and I'm not singing their praises. The squad lacks the quality to compete against better quality players/teams. Api demonstrates what it takes - he doesn't play tonight we get slaughtered.
He is so far above every other player in our team the bloke deserves a medal for turning up.
We are treading water with this squad regardless of who coaches them.

Api was a 10 out of 10 in a beaten side last night.
The effort and class he brings us as our captain keeps me hopeful we can turn things around in the near future once we find a team full of players as committed as he is.
Twal and Papali’i were not too far behind him, both continue to give their best and worry the opposition also.
Big Stef is going ok without being great, but for a young 23y.o prop I’m more than happy with how he’s going.
Similar Pole is very young, but his ability is evident.
Blore and Seyfarth over the past month have proven their talent and value.
James continues to impress with his strong carries, we can’t let him go.
Klemmer has been good for us most of the season, so hard to be critical of him, but I was disappointed he didn’t fire up a lot more last night.
In the backs Staines was very strong on his first game back from a serious injury.
Despite still having a lot to learn Tupou and To’a at least give us attacking threat, they can become very good players with a bit more class around them.
I’m concerned with Nofa’s lack of size and lack of speed moving forward, but you cannot doubt the heart he plays with. No idea how many blame him for Johnston scoring 3 tries, the edge defenders Bateman and Laurie were nowhere to be seen and left their centre and winger constantly trying to defend 2 on 3.
Bula has been a great find, but was very disappointing last night, let’s hope it’s a one off and bounces back next week.
Apart from a couple of defensive lapses I thought Brooks and Laurie were decent, disappointing Laurie didn’t get NRL time in our halves much earlier in the season.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Lol

Benji looked nervous as hell in my opinion

Didn’t speak any where near as confident as I thought he would

Asked the media to go east on him, mouth twitched, had a nervous smile etc

If that’s what players are getting in the sheds they I can see why we suck

He wasn’t the calm, strong, voice he was on NRL360.

Maybe first interview nerves but still very nervous

Can’t agree , yes first interview and maybe some nerves but the little take it easy on me was just a bit of light work he shut them

 

[426Tlgerland]

Seems that way. It's not like I'm offering a guarantee here, just passing on what I heard.

Appreciate anny info Yoss. , contracts are nothing

 

[426Tlgerland]

Don't understand the tactic of doing four short drop outs in a row to a attacking team like souths handing the ball ten metres out when you're trailing 20 to 18 seems like madness to me

100% it should have been 60 mtrs down field , we just punished ourselfs x 4. We should never do short drop outs we never win the contest

 

[Vicious]

100% it should have been 60 mtrs down field , we just punished ourselfs x 4. We should never do short drop outs we never win the contest

The ones late in the game were when we were 8 or more points behind, we needed the ball back.
Nothing wrong with the tactic, it’s our taller players not having a go and not putting themselves in a position to catch the high ball like a good player should,

 

[twentyforty]

I can't believe that people still think the problem is the coach/s - and I'm not singing their praises. The squad lacks the quality to compete against better quality players/teams. Api demonstrates what it takes - he doesn't play tonight we get slaughtered.
He is so far above every other player in our team the bloke deserves a medal for turning up.
We are treading water with this squad regardless of who coaches them.

While I agree that good players can make coaches look good, there’s probably a variety of reasons for our players’ hesitation and looking lost.
One possibility is micro managing, complex plays, or positional instability, players getting rearranged because coaches are looking for combinations?
Early in the season we saw some on field manoeuvres, like the run around, the show n go, the scrum play etc. we don’t see them now?
The good teams have a strong reliance on structure and shape, which never seems to become unfashionable.
Anyhow, I think when you have a novice coach, he’s gonna want to try a few things, that’s to be expected.
Sheens is a very good coach. He will see someone reinventing the wheel and enjoy walking with them through their learning experience. But he’s coaching the coach as I see it.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

How’s his kicking game and does he still look to have enough speed ti threaten to take on the opposition or make a line break himself ?

kicks well but very slow

 

[Vicious]

kicks well but very slow

We cannot afford a slow halfback or 5/8 as our edges and wider players need players inside them that are a genuine attacking threat.

 

[Pbulk]

I was just having a look at South and their squad and it blows my mind how NRL is not looking into them..

Arrow - 700K
Burgess 750k (400k next year)
Cook - 750k
C Graham - 850K
Latrell - 1 Million
Murray - 950k
Tatola - 650k
Walker - 750k

Thats $6.4m on 8 players
Now add
Wighton - 750k next year and players like Ilias, Johnston, Koloamatangi (SOO player and been upgraded and extended) and Tass would NOT be on min wage.

How do they fit 30 players under the cap ???

Sorry but the game needs an overhaul.

I can see why they are in top 8 every year now so it's extremely important we keep the best juniors and set ourselves up for the future.

There's a bunch of players in that squad who are on low to minimum wage, the depth they have isn't great. I have a feeling Ilias is on the market also, next year you'll probably see Walker and Wighton in the halves

 

[bptiger 0]

I hear Xavier Willison is heading our way.

Is he the brute from the donkeys , and where did u hear this or is it just another rumour

 

[bptiger 0]

Also any update on the rumour that we signed the dogs winger Skelton or has that ship sailed , if we could get a few good signing it would lift our spirts

 

[Tom Shines]

Also any update on the rumour that we signed the dogs winger Skelton or has that ship sailed , if we could get a few good signing it would lift our spirts

File that one with the other rumour that we signed Metcalf from the Warriors …

 

[Telltails]

While I agree that good players can make coaches look good, there’s probably a variety of reasons for our players’ hesitation and looking lost.
One possibility is micro managing, complex plays, or positional instability, players getting rearranged because coaches are looking for combinations?
Early in the season we saw some on field manoeuvres, like the run around, the show n go, the scrum play etc. we don’t see them now?
The good teams have a strong reliance on structure and shape, which never seems to become unfashionable.
Anyhow, I think when you have a novice coach, he’s gonna want to try a few things, that’s to be expected.
Sheens is a very good coach. He will see someone reinventing the wheel and enjoy walking with them through their learning experience. But he’s coaching the coach as I see it.

Players set the standards on the field during the game - and the bar for 90% of our players is very low. Can guarantee most of them have the end of season in sight. The loser mentality is ingrained as a squad - and makes it near impossible for coaches/clubs to break the cycle without a complete overhaul, or some mental miracle that drives the players you have to find something extra. Toa is a classic example of a player who completely dominated and outplayed arguably the best centre in competition with a stellar performance in attack and defence and has gone missing since - coaches nightmare. Barring that he may be carrying some sort of injury - explains why he is in a team running last.
I don't know if Benji can coach but would never measure him by this current squad. Api is a quality player and still is - that explains to me a lot more about our predicament.

 

[BalmainJnr]

How is it that Mbye is playing for St Helens one week after leaving Saints but it took us 5 months to get Bateman to Australia?

And even longer for Sheens.