TBH, I really don't understand why you didn't go for Albert Kelly. That guy is DESPERATE to prove he belongs in the NRL. He's always had talent. But his professionalism was lacking for many years. He fought his way into the Broncos first team and deserved his spot. Then he got injured and they dumped him. I don't know what the Dolphins are paying Kelly - but I'd say it's a far better investment than Brooks over the short term while you find a younger player.
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
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Yeah na. Left the game a top 10 player, if he returns he would still be a better player than Moses. 2 years would be perfect
Then there must be some other RTS. Because the guy I watched in his final season was a shadow of that other RTS. The agility. The burst. Just wasn't there.
finnzo
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It’s amazing what a win does even if it just a trial match if this news had come out last week it would have been the end of the world. But after the great weekend performance we’re all like stuff him who needs him stupid parra paid overs hahaha. I’m not fussed we can all continue to hate him👍🏽👍🏽
Tigerstigerstigers
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Nailed it
also im not trying to be totally negative but kind of tempering any amazing vibes off one trial ...
everyone saying sheens has done an amazing job with recruitment... we signed Klem and Bateman for 4 years. Let's see how those pan out long term.
i agree things are way better than when we had madge.... but if we extend brooks for 2 years like pom says than i think thats a big red flag.
i remember sheens saying when he sacked madge "you don't let the coach control the salary cap because you wont have one left"... well if Pascoe is leaving it to sheens who is controlling him?
we should wait until mid way through the year before we do anything else unless people have proven themselves.
Yes we will be better than last year - but if we stuff it up halfway through - we'll quickly find ourselves in that bottom of the ladder mediocre shit we have been for the last 9 years. not quite 8th - not quite last. which is the worst place to be.
everyone saying sheens has done an amazing job with recruitment... we signed Klem and Bateman for 4 years. Let's see how those pan out long term.
i agree things are way better than when we had madge.... but if we extend brooks for 2 years like pom says than i think thats a big red flag.
i remember sheens saying when he sacked madge "you don't let the coach control the salary cap because you wont have one left"... well if Pascoe is leaving it to sheens who is controlling him?
we should wait until mid way through the year before we do anything else unless people have proven themselves.
Yes we will be better than last year - but if we stuff it up halfway through - we'll quickly find ourselves in that bottom of the ladder mediocre shit we have been for the last 9 years. not quite 8th - not quite last. which is the worst place to be.
I'm not sure that tangible data and facts have any place on this forum.
NRL Premiership Players Statistics | FOX SPORTS Lab
Players Statistics Table for NRL Premiershipwww.foxsports.com.au
Fox Stats says it was only 2.
I saw a lot of Tim Sheens when he was up at Hull Kingston Rovers. It was a real mixed bag. Two steps forward, two steps backward - all the time. Admittedly, Hull KR isn't one of the bigger clubs in SL. But I just didn't see the week-to-week progression I've seen with other coaches at similar sized clubs. Look, you're always onto a hiding when you have to play Saints, Wigan and to a lesser extent (lately) Warrington & Leeds twice a season. On the other hand, when Tony Smith (Brian's brother) took over I saw at least some semblance of progression.
But you got fleeced on that Bateman contract. Absolutely taken to the cleaners. Ask anyone - ANYONE in SL who has watched Bateman since he returned from Canberra. He's just not the same player. Too many injuries. The Jon Bateman I knew would never have allowed the tiny James Bentley to literally manhandle him twice in successive games. I think his shoulder never recovered from the operation he had in his final season at Canberra. I did warn you ...
this is what i am afraid of.
even watching Klem in the trial - in 4 years time what's he gonna be like?
No one was giving them a 3 year contract and somehow the tigers get fleeced for 4 years.
ALL I WANT is for Pascoe to fall on his sword if the Sheens experiment fails.
if he's right im happy to eat my words and apologise
Ive posted it a few times and every week there is some dickhead on here complaining about Brooks kicking dead. There are plenty of reasons to not be happy with Brooks. Game management is poor. Kicking game lacks variation. Can drop off tackles. Is on massive overs. All genuine complaints but we get the same false narrative of kicking dead repeated over and over again.
And although ive just listed a bunch of issues with Brooks, i think the other side of the argument is valid. Halves cant perform behind a beaten pack, gets shit service from his 9. the positions outside him get chopped and change every couple weeks. he produces attacking stats at a rate that is well above what all other Tigers stats suggest he should be capable of. Shouldn't move him on without a better option.
hammertime
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That's a decent list. I think it's about time we stopped blaming the agents and get smarter.
Here's the thing - I could perhaps accept that Bateman was suffering from some kind of niggly injury which affected his performance. But the sample size of games is just too large. Any acute injury would either have healed or been corrected via surgery. Which means it's chronic. Which means its manageable rather than fixable. I've no idea what the hell Sheens was thinking. If he wanted a top British back row forward he could have saved the money and paid Wigan a transfer fee for young Morgan Smithies. The type of guy who immediately stiffens up your pack and comes with a real attitude. Guy recorded 70+ tackles in one game before he was twenty. Bigger than Bateman. Younger. Hungrier. But most importantly - fit.
happy_tiger
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Well mate I agree ...but it will never work ...so if you can't beat the cheaters ...cheat yourself
THE NRL are still so fearful of what happened with Super League that they won't take the players on ...the dirty clubs ...the dirty player managers .....
I know this isn't PC ...but an eye for an eye if you ask me .......learn to cheat as well as the cheaters cheat
Would I prefer it fair ...of course .....
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damn.
I havent watched any of Bateman in SL so i dont know.
My concern is this feels very Ivan Cleary "Get on the bus" feel - where we signed a bunch of representative veterans on 4 year contracts and over paid them , sprouting that they would be good for "culture", our juniors, have a winning attitude etc - and for the first half of Ivan's season all the vibe was great and we did well and then the eventual wheels fell off when you get back to being realistic. Cream always rises to the top.
And the board and Pascoe should have learnt something from Ivan's tenure - but alas - no.... Veterans on 4 year contracts to help with culture and bring through juniors here we come.
happy_tiger
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I know who Brooks is in many eyes .....Curtis Armstrong .....BOOGER ..even probably the same height
jrtiger
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anyone who thinks the club are going to sign a halfback between the ages of 19-23 after this is deluded. they will not block the pathways of the juniors.
with a far better forward pack, an attack-minded coaching staff and his confidence returning I think we’ll see a far improved version of Luke Brooks. IF that goes to plan, he steers the ship for 2-3 more years and then either Conti or Isdale take the seven jersey and partner Large in the halves long term.
the best plan B at this point (if Brooks fails) would be George Williams on a three year deal, but do not expect Ethan Sanders, Jonah Pezet, Lewis Dodd or Thomas Duffy to head to concord if it doesn’t work out when Isdale and Conti (in particular) are tearing up junior reps as we speak. the club won’t allow for another Mitchell Moses to slip through the cracks.
with a far better forward pack, an attack-minded coaching staff and his confidence returning I think we’ll see a far improved version of Luke Brooks. IF that goes to plan, he steers the ship for 2-3 more years and then either Conti or Isdale take the seven jersey and partner Large in the halves long term.
the best plan B at this point (if Brooks fails) would be George Williams on a three year deal, but do not expect Ethan Sanders, Jonah Pezet, Lewis Dodd or Thomas Duffy to head to concord if it doesn’t work out when Isdale and Conti (in particular) are tearing up junior reps as we speak. the club won’t allow for another Mitchell Moses to slip through the cracks.
I do wonder how often Guns hit their peak and cannot come back to past performance.
I mean for every SBW, Cooper Cronk, etc. We have a stack of people like James Roberts, who was a Gun previously.
It's best to buy players in their off year, not their hasbeen year. That's an incredibly hard difference to tell.
It really depends on how much their contracts are worth and if it's backended, frontended or consistent throughout.
Klemmer should be fine for atleast first 3an probably all 4 Batemans more of a mystery but we do have other options at 2nd row so depending on contract not fatal
There are about thirty players in the NRL I'd consider handing a four year contract. The Jon Bateman of 2017/2018 would fall into that category. Look, I really like Jon. He's a very honest player who will give absolutely everything. I certainly don't believe he's coming over to the Tigers solely for the money. I just question how much is left in the tank to give. Wigan certainly weren't thinking of offering him a four year deal. As far as I know no one else is SL was considering it either.
Plenty are sweating on 2019 Bateman, and just as many are concerned those days are gone. Its got a stench of the Josh Reynolds deal about it and if he lasts the four years here I will be very surprised.
