Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

jirskyr said:
I'm sorry I agree with Earl, this is a load of ancient baloney.

No offence but I am going to guess you are comfortably older than 22 years old and were a long-term Magpies supporter. I'm 42, I supported Balmain in my formative years.

Every kid in the Magpies and Balmain junior ranks knows they are in the feeder system for Wests Tigers. Not one of these kids is pinning their final hopes on being a Magpie - that is merely a stepping stone to first grade. Most of these kids are only in Magpies jerseys for a few years anyway, because prior to this they were playing for Eaglevale or Minto Cobras.

Case in point: Tedesco himself said was a fan of the Roosters because Camden Rams wear Roosters colours, even though his family supported Tigers and he's a local kid. Although Tedesco emerged via Wests Tigers pathways and gave us many good seasons of play, in hindsight we also know he manoeuvred to leave the club every time his contract was up. He wasn't a Magpie, he was a Tedesco - he's only interested in his own brand.

The idea of kids aspiring to play for their local club - I honestly think that idea is mostly dead. Geographical boundaries for clubs are not what they used to be. Maybe if the family were club supporters it adds some charm to play for their childhood club, but we also know such things are easily discarded once young kids become young men within the first grade club they first join. For example there are countless examples of people who supported Balmain as a kid who are instead deeply associated with other first-grade clubs - the Johns brothers, Ivan Cleary, Josh Addo-Carr etc. etc. There are also countless examples of Balmain stalwarts who did not grow up in the Balmain districts - Blocker Roach, Garry Jack, Olsen Filipaina, Arthur Beetson etc.

Furthermore, any kid who is a decent footballer knows they may have up to 9 potential suitors for senior contracts without having to leave Sydney, and 11 if they stay within NSW. They will take the best deals available to them.

Not one of these kids was close to being alive when Wests Magpies last played in the top tier competition.

We also have countless examples within our own club to illustrate how it is more important to develop your first-grade culture, than have unrealistic expectations that local kids are died-in-the-wool club supporters. For example Stefano and Alex Twal - Parramatta juniors. Zane Musgrove who is a Kiwi. Tamou who is also a Kiwi and came to Sydney to play in the Roosters juniors. Laurie and Blore from Penrith. Jake Simpkin is from QLD and Jacob Liddle is from Terrigal. Jackson Hastings is a Wollongong junior.

There are only a handful of legitimate all-Tigers juniors - Nofoaluma and Doueihi are the prominent ones. It must be supremely evident that whilst the local districts are very important, more important than this is to sign the best players from anywhere, and then develop a first grade culture that encourages those players to stay and contribute.
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x a gazillion! Well said. Keith Barnes from Wales says hi!
 
So @THE_POM advised us about Angus C and the offer we plan to give him.. Now that the media is all over this and saying others will be interested I wonder how confident we are now? I personally think we might have to increase our offer and unlikely now to land him.
Does anyone know of a timeline of him making a decision?
Interesting to hear peoples thoughts.
 
hsvjones said:
So @THE_POM advised us about Angus C and the offer we plan to give him.. Now that the media is all over this and saying others will be interested I wonder how confident we are now? I personally think we might have to increase our offer and unlikely now to land him.
Does anyone know of a timeline of him making a decision?
Interesting to hear peoples thoughts.
Click to expand...
Doesn't usually go well once the media are involved eh.
 
hsvjones said:
So @THE_POM advised us about Angus C and the offer we plan to give him.. Now that the media is all over this and saying others will be interested I wonder how confident we are now? I personally think we might have to increase our offer and unlikely now to land him.
Does anyone know of a timeline of him making a decision?
Interesting to hear peoples thoughts.
Click to expand...
Every team would know about Angus. Only few can afford him.

Think we would be in the conversation.
 
hsvjones said:
So @THE_POM advised us about Angus C and the offer we plan to give him.. Now that the media is all over this and saying others will be interested I wonder how confident we are now? I personally think we might have to increase our offer and unlikely now to land him.
Does anyone know of a timeline of him making a decision?
Interesting to hear peoples thoughts.
Click to expand...
Madge may be the key to this signing, as Crichton has played under him previously.
 
Angus added would 100% make us real strong with Papi and Appi , then Hastings , Brooks , Adam , that’s pretty solid then you add Naden who I think will shine I can’t think neg as I was a supporter of his when we tried to get him from penrifff , then we still,have a host of young guys coming along withour current
Nofo , Big Ken , and Daino , ffff. We ok just add another hard prop , and centre , we good to go
 
hsvjones said:
So @THE_POM advised us about Angus C and the offer we plan to give him.. Now that the media is all over this and saying others will be interested I wonder how confident we are now? I personally think we might have to increase our offer and unlikely now to land him.
Does anyone know of a timeline of him making a decision?
Interesting to hear peoples thoughts.
Click to expand...
It's not as if, I dunno, Brad Arthur was reading the Telegraph at the breakfast nook and suddenly spat out his coffee saying "Aye caramba - you mean Angus Crichton is available! Fetch the cheque book!"
 
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