Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

So you are saying that he is fast?

Genuine question, I haven't seen enough of him in space to be able to determine whether he is some sort of speedster or not, the general impression I have been getting on here is that he doesn't have genuine pace.
 
hank37w said:
Agree with much of what you say, but for me the most disappointing thing about him is his spruiking about standards and the fact that he is not living up to those standards himself.

Very reminiscent of Nofo the way he was vocal about the errors and defensive issues of players around him while being guilty of those very things himself, while at the same time refusing to acknowledge that he was part of the problem.
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I think Benji is getting a lot of our players offside cause he is actually trying to cause change and force new standards on everyone. He is very forward in his approach and doesn’t sugar coat, similar to Madge in that regard.

You saw it with the Bulldog players last year, a lot of them were put off by the harsh methods of Cameron Ciraldo to the point many left if they didn’t want to buy in. We are seeing the same thing here.

And in my opinion it doesn’t matter if you’re experienced or not, if you aren’t living up to the standard and putting your best foot forward you don’t deserve the treatment reserved for experienced players. A 20 year old in Samuela Fainu should not be showing you up week in week out in all facets of the game and the fact he has a problem with Benji treating people to the truth means he isn’t a fit for us.
 
WestsTigers4VR said:
I think Benji is getting a lot of our players offside cause he is actually trying to cause change and force new standards on everyone. He is very forward in his approach and doesn’t sugar coat, similar to Madge in that regard.

You saw it with the Bulldog players last year, a lot of them were put off by the harsh methods of Cameron Ciraldo to the point many left if they didn’t want to buy in. We are seeing the same thing here.

And in my opinion it doesn’t matter if you’re experienced or not, if you aren’t living up to the standard and putting your best foot forward you don’t deserve the treatment reserved for experienced players. A 20 year old in Samuela Fainu should not be showing you up week in week out in all facets of the game and the fact he has a problem with Benji treating people to the truth means he isn’t a fit for us.
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difference between dogs and tigers is that dogs can cut the deadwood lose and signed better than average first graders.

Perhaps calling out Bateman and him walking out this season will work out in our favour…but chances are we will be paying big $$ for him to play in England next year. Or worse, ressies for us.
 
The difference between the Dogs and Tigers I see, is their Coach and Co know what they are doing and it’s not about them. Our Coach and Co have no clue how to improve us and unfortunately it’s all about them at the moment.
 
Tiger-ferret said:
difference between dogs and tigers is that dogs can cut the deadwood lose and signed better than average first graders.

Perhaps calling out Bateman and him walking out this season will work out in our favour…but chances are we will be paying big $$ for him to play in England next year. Or worse, ressies for us.
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He's not a million a year player though, so paying a small amount for him to be elsewhere isn't that big of a deal.

Reportedly, $670k is what his contract is worth. By releasing him early, we retain $150k of his 2024 salary.

This effectively makes his '25 salary $520k, or, his combined 25/26 salary an average of less than 600k (around 595k). This makes both moving him easier and the amount we'll need to chip in, less.

For instance, teams, including in the NRL, might not want a $670k/yr, 30 year old Bateman for 2 years, but, may be interested in a circa $500k/yr Bateman for a couple, meaning we'd only have to throw in around 100k, given what we've saved on him this year.

Spending $100k a year to free up a spot and moving an underperforming player is not the worst outcome, especially as that amount represents less than 1% of the salary cap. In fact, it's closer to 1/125th of the cap.

An almost irrelevant amount.
 
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What is pissing me off is that they are saying he will be back next year.

So what do we do, do we wait to see if he turns up by round 4 and if he doesn't we finally find out that we have a top 30 spot to fill and then have to use it to promote another junior with "potential" because no one else is available on such short notice?

I don't want him to come back, I want it confirmed now so we know that we have a spot to fill and how much cap money we have so we at least have some sort of a chance to sign someone now that can actually do a pre-season with us and be ready to go when the season kicks off.
 
hank37w said:
What is pissing me off is that they are saying he will be back next year.

So what do we do, do we wait to see if he turns up by round 4 and if he doesn't we finally find out that we have a top 30 spot to fill and then have to use it to promote another junior with "potential" because no one else is available on such short notice?

I don't want him to come back, I want it confirmed now so we know that we have a spot to fill and how much cap money we have so we at least have some sort of a chance to sign someone now that can actually do a pre-season with us and be ready to go when the season kicks off.
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They'll know early preseason, if not sooner, I'd say.

Seems to me like both parties are proper off each other. So this hiatus acts as a chance for him to cool down and reassess and (hopefully) be motivated to head back to ESL.
 
Bigscreentv said:
Darby Lancaster debuted for wallabies on the weekend as a 21 year old. We were never going to sign him but looks like he’s going to get locked up there for a while.
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He played rubbish lol, a lot of people are questioning how he even got picked for that wallabies squad
 
This article sheds alot of light on how Melbourne manage their salary cap:

www.smh.com.au

The four Storm bargains that strike a perfect balance with Munster’s $1.25m deal

As has been Craig Bellamy’s calling card for more than 20 years, an unheralded low earner will be punching well above his wage outside returning superstar Cameron Munster.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

It wont be like this forever, when Bellamy leaves, all of a sudden Melbourne isn't quite as appealing for everyone.
 
Kelce68 said:
He's not a million a year player though, so paying a small amount for him to be elsewhere isn't that big of a deal.

Reportedly, $670k is what his contract is worth. By releasing him early, we retain $150k of his 2024 salary.

This effectively makes his '25 salary $520k, or, his combined 25/26 salary an average of less than 600k (around 595k). This makes both moving him easier and the amount we'll need to chip in, less.

For instance, teams, including in the NRL, might not want a $670k/yr, 30 year old Bateman for 2 years, but, may be interested in a circa $500k/yr Bateman for a couple, meaning we'd only have to throw in around 100k, given what we've saved on him this year.

Spending $100k a year to free up a spot and moving an underperforming player is not the worst outcome, especially as that amount represents less than 1% of the salary cap. In fact, it's closer to 1/125th of the cap.

An almost irrelevant amount.
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Don’t disagree with your hypothetical numbers. $100k probably isn’t much, but at the same time, it’s almost half a minimum wage contract. So 2 batemans is a young next best thing with 250k extra to sign a better than average player.

It’s all about who you replace him with. (and Ipap and Steff). And also trying to remotivate or cut lose Klemmer. Most our pack is gone. Every dollar counts. Restarting the rebuild again.
 
I know for a fact that Jermaine Hopgood went to eels after having lunch with Brad Arthur and apparently they hit it off, and now Brad ain’t there. I also know that he was never coming here even though we spoke to him. But that was before we sacked Sheens, sacked most of the board, signed Richo, signed Luai and Turuva, and his former Api Captain is here?
Hopgood is not a game changer on is own but he’s definitely not a bludger, and we need a set and forget lock until the next gun ball playing lock comes along. Also gives our younger locks at the club time to develop their game in reggies bcoz they ain’t ready.
He is not available to talk till November 1, but since when has that stopped anyone from talking to our players. Gould does it while calling a game, right in front of everyone.
 
king_sirro said:
So your sacking Benji off the back of a rumoured comment made by the worst player in the team (all things considered) when that said player was going to get dropped? This week's actions strengthens Benji's position as coach. Don't get me wrong, I still feel it's a long shot Benji will turn us around, but axing underperforming highly paid senior players is the right move. It's also a really big and significant move.
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Whatever Batemans problem was, it's completely unprofessional to refuse to go to the press conference and throw your toys out of the pram by abusing the coach in front of the team. Allegedly...

In saying that, if Benji walked into the sheds at full time and called him out in front of everyone, that shows poor judgement from Benji too. Allegedly...
 
weststigers said:
Whatever Batemans problem was, it's completely unprofessional to refuse to go to the press conference and throw your toys out of the pram by abusing the coach in front of the team. Allegedly...

In saying that, if Benji walked into the sheds at full time and called him out in front of everyone, that shows poor judgement from Benji too. Allegedly...
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Agree if the alleged story is true ..than it could have been handled better and more privately …hopefully a lesson learnt there for BM

I don’t mind though that they aren’t just going through the motions … normally they are sleepwalking by now through the last couple of months of the season ..
 
Buttface said:
I know for a fact that Jermaine Hopgood went to eels after having lunch with Brad Arthur and apparently they hit it off, and now Brad ain’t there. I also know that he was never coming here even though we spoke to him. But that was before we sacked Sheens, sacked most of the board, signed Richo, signed Luai and Turuva, and his former Api Captain is here?
Hopgood is not a game changer on is own but he’s definitely not a bludger, and we need a set and forget lock until the next gun ball playing lock comes along. Also gives our younger locks at the club time to develop their game in reggies bcoz they ain’t ready.
He is not available to talk till November 1, but since when has that stopped anyone from talking to our players. Gould does it while calling a game, right in front of everyone.
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Hopgood is a wep.....

He is only getting better to.
Yes please.
 
mtd#2 said:
This article sheds alot of light on how Melbourne manage their salary cap:

www.smh.com.au

The four Storm bargains that strike a perfect balance with Munster’s $1.25m deal

As has been Craig Bellamy’s calling card for more than 20 years, an unheralded low earner will be punching well above his wage outside returning superstar Cameron Munster.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

It wont be like this forever, when Bellamy leaves, all of a sudden Melbourne isn't quite as appealing for everyone.
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NRL needs Melbourne to remain competitive. Even if Bellamy goes, they will have some clone come in and do the same thing. The game won’t grow there if they are shit.

It’s like what the AFL do with the Swans and are trying to with GWS.
 
rugbygoated said:
If Coffs Harbour has the Big Banana, Belmore has the Big Sombrero!
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Of all the clubs, not sure how Dogs come under scrutiny for a 'sombrero'.
They would have the cheapest 1 and 7 (Sezer aside) in the game. A largely unheralded forward pack outside of Kikau which typically features 2 first year rookies every week. And there big money centre and wing is balanced by Xerri bought on the cheap after his drug ban and Kiraz who they got after he wasn't offered a contract at Knights.
There'd be a dozen clubs I'd question before the Dogs. Though I'd admit outside looking in perhaps they got away with some shenanigans with Jackson early retirement and Pangai walking away, however no evidence of any actual wrong doing.
 
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