@jirskyr said in [Signing Suggestions & Rumours](/post/1347326) said:
@teddy23 said in [Signing Suggestions & Rumours](/post/1347280) said:
Well, both Newcastle and Gold Coast are pushing for top 8 and the projection they look to be upon shows they’ll likely be consistent top 8 sides for the next decade, my argument is that they’re on the rise while we aren’t. One team has Ponga, one team has Fifita and they have them players due to there aggressiveness in the recruitment sector like it or not.
Ponga, Pearce and Klemmer came in when they were dead last struggling to win a game, took them 2-3 years to turn it around and make the finals… we’ve been waiting 9 years and counting - which situation would you prefer to be in as a fan… us or Newcastle/ Titans in terms of there rosters, easy answer for me
>And no, the bulldogs haven’t signed rejects if you look closely at it. Cotric is no reject, Canberra wanted him badly so did a few clubs but didn’t wanna play him in the centre preferred him on the wing doesn’t mean he’s a reject still a player teams wanted in the squad. Burton is the furthest thing from a reject that you’ll see, had multiple teams after him Penrith also wanted him to stay badly too and still pushing for him to backflip, let’s not be biased complete different situation to Daine Laurie
>While we continue to sit back and sign rejects, some reject players are smart to bring in like a Luciano and a Laurie but it’s equally important to bring in proven marquee players also like Gold Coast, Newcastle and Bulldogs have done in order to compete.
You are projecting Titans and Newcastle will be Top 8 sides for the next decade? That's not proof of or an argument for anything, that's just your guess. We all had high hopes for Wests Tigers in 2012 too.
re Newcastle, you make the point yourself, that rebuild has been 2-3 years in the making; the current Tigers situation isn't 9 years and counting, it's about 2 years in the making.
Bulldogs have been aggressive in the market - aggressive and reckless. I think the signings have been poor and generally misjudged. I don't have any confidence in their new coach. I think they struggle badly in the forwards and haven't done anything to sure that up. Bulldogs distinctly lack class in the juniors and are currently relying solely on importation.
I didn't say Burton was a reject, I said he was a good young player who left for an opportunity. Tigers have definitely done that with the likes of Laurie, Simpkin, Stefano - every bit as comparable to Burton.
Yes Cotric is a centres reject, he could have stayed on the wing for Canberra but he moved to get a bigger salary and play centre... still ends up as a winger.
And your last paragraph, I don't really know what you are saying, it's all over the place. "We continue to bring in rejects, but actually some rejects are good". You reckon Tigers aren't aware of the "importance" of signing proven marquee players? You reckon there's an NRL club that is not clear about this? You speak about marquees as if they grow on trees and everyone gets a pick / turn.
The facts are that Newcastle made the 8 last year and have a chance to do likewise again, Titans are more likely to make the 8 this year also are good indicators for me to form that opinion.... while we are equal last on the ladder 7 weeks in, a constant cycle that’s been 9 years and counting and if anything we’re performing worst right now than ever before.
Let’s not act like the club hasn’t been rebuilding and following the same direction ever since Sheens left 9 years ago trying to replicate the success we had in 2012, it certainly has not just been going on for 2-3 years it’s the same circus and same direction just with a different scapegoat (being the coach) which comes every few years and right now we’re in the Madge period which is now slowly crumbling, while the new victim awaits.
Instead of signing marquee players we sign Daine Lauries and Luciano’s while expecting them to be our saviours, most players who weren’t giving consistent football at other clubs but you bring them in here and immediately expect them to be the main culprits for our top 8 push, I like them as inclusions to our squad and think they’re great signings, however the expectations we have put on them is unfair and is quite frankly the clubs fault to begin with. Look where that got Brooks, a young player who got pushed into the spotlight and as a kid was expected to take this team back to the glory lands it’s derailed his career heavily, when the good teams have these young stars they make that transition as slowly and as comfortable as possible with the least amount of pressure, Harry Grant was playing reserve grade at a first grade standard for nearly 2 years and are brining him in with Munster and Papenhyzen, not expecting him to be the main man yet even bringing him off the bench which will help with his growth for sure just allowing him to ease into it.
Ponga and Fifita are the same, they brought in Ponga but didn’t just say “hey win games for us” they brought in Pearce an experienced 7 with 2-3 GF’s under his belt, along with a forward leader in Klemmer and a great player in Frizzell also - they were aggressive in the market and didn’t sit back expecting this young kid to be the main reason for there success.
David Fifita another, they also are bringing in other forwards like a Tino, while having Fotaiuka, Wallace, Procter and Lisone to help carry the load, while also having Brimson and Ash Taylor there too in which will also help there growth having a player like Fifita there to help carry the load for themselves and vice Versa - didn’t stop them from pursing Cam Smith heavily and Katoni Staggs until only recently... I respect there aggressiveness in the market and is most certainly the catalyst for there successful position rn
And I think we can agree none of our youngsters have or are close to having the ability that both Ponga and Fifita possess.
While we sign Doueihi’s, Lucaino’s and Joffa’s expecting them to the the main reason for our push, when they weren’t getting even regular football elsewhere let alone with the pressure and responsibilities expected.
My last paragraph basically is highlighting that yes at moments and for some particular players it’s smart to bring in rejects like Laurie and Luciano who I love as players, however you need that balance between rejects and marquee players in order to be a competitive team, we sit back and wait for these rejects to develop and harp the pressure on them and if we hit gold on any of them they’ll leave regardless as most of them have there confidence ruined in the process cause we aren’t winning games and frustrations grow strong until they leave and have success while we watch on and wonder what went wrong ... and we’re in the same boat as usual, we should be watching how Knights and Titans handled there recruitment when we were all the worst clubs in the comp and watch them all flourish now while we sit back and watch from the bottom of the ladder.
Stop relying purely on young reject players to be the reasons for our success it’s not working and honestly isn’t fair on them, give them every best possibility to win games in the process surrounding them with quality proven players and be aggressive when targeting them. It’s clear our current approach isn’t working and hasn’t been working, bring in a Flanagan and be aggressive in the market for proven stars and surround our young pubs with quality and watch them flourish and most importantly watch us win games
