The Cleanout

[Alf_Duguid]

Recently HRH Tim Sheens re-signed for another few years at Camp Concord which was greeted with mild enthusiasm by the learned minds of WT Forum.

A few weeks’ later rumours abound about players being released, players not happy, and the band of brothers being ripped apart. This was on the basis of Adam ‘Cameron’ Blair being signed on big bikkies along with receiving the keys to the city of Camp Concord.

This cleanout is all about Sheens and him keeping his job for another few years. He knows that he cannot take this group any further and is slowly but surely rebuilding the team from the ground up. It has nothing to do with the salary cap, this is just a convenient scape goat from Mr. Humphreys. When Wayne Bennett does a cleanout at St George and Newcastle, he is hailed as a messiah but when HRH Sheens does it he is accused of being disloyal and heartless.

This is the cleanout that needed to happen. When we take off our rose coloured glasses, Heighnington, Ryan, Fifita, Gibbs, etc are all solid first graders at best. I am happy to argue with anyone about Fifita as he is nothing more than a media myth. He has potential no doubt but so did Karl Filiga (the next SBW) who coincidently went to the Sharkies as well. You cannot count metres across field as metres gained and he shirks the hard stuff

Our last great batch of juniors was the Wests SG Ball team containing the likes of Fulton, Collis, Gibbs, Hoffman, De Gois etc. They were given their chance but their time has now been and gone.

We now have a more impressive list of juniors coming through – Groat, Begovich, Sironen, Tedesco etc. BMM & Miller weren't originally ours but I will put them in there as well. I want this group to be given the same opportunity to come through together over the next few years
From the end of this year, let us build the team around Benji and Farah and let the cleanout continue…

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I agree with all your points except Fifita, I think he will be class and I'm convinced the club would have liked to keep him.

As for the rest, you are right, they are nothing but solid first graders and have not progressed how we've liked.

This is the cleanout we needed two-three years ago.

 

[Spartan117]

Great post Alf

Firstly I Dont want Heighno to go, However I am sick of the rest of the squad who really have no excuse for not being more than regular 1st graders.

Adding Moors, Flannagan, Daniella to the names above and possibly Brown (Hopefully not) should see room for a lot of the Cubs to stand up.

We should now be able to see if our learned colleagues on the WTForum calling for players to get their chance are right.

 

[larrycorowa]

Agreed. Too few have been carrying this side for too long. A few years ago Sheens said he wanted to sign a world class player each year. Last year he didn't sign anyone at all. Previous signings of Lote and Ellis were enough to take us to within one game of the premiership last year. The recruitment of Blair is this strategy in action.

With the salary cap you can't afford to have a team full of potential or pay long-time honest servants above the odds (we have tried this).

Would rather have a a sprinkling of champions supplemented with up and coming juniors and some solid first graders.

Sheens is readying the list for his last tilt over the next 3yrs before Benjii and Robbie start to move beyond their best.

Have faith people!

 

[Alf_Duguid]

Great post Alf.

Firstly I Dont want Heighno to go, However I am sick of the rest of the squad who really have no excuse for not being more than regular 1st graders.

Adding Moors, Flannagan, Daniella to the names above and possibly Brown (Hopefully not) should see room for a lot of the Cubs to stand up.

We should now be able to see if our learned colleagues on the WTForum calling for players to get their chance are right.

Spartan, , it will be interesting to see how many more agree

 

[Spida]

Recently HRH Tim Sheens re-signed for another few years at Camp Concord which was greeted with mild enthusiasm by the learned minds of WT Forum.

A few weeks’ later rumours abound about players being released, players not happy, and the band of brothers being ripped apart. This was on the basis of Adam ‘Cameron’ Blair being signed on big bikkies along with receiving the keys to the city of Camp Concord.

This cleanout is all about Sheens and him keeping his job for another few years. He knows that he cannot take this group any further and is slowly but surely rebuilding the team from the ground up. It has nothing to do with the salary cap, this is just a convenient scape goat from Mr. Humphreys. When Wayne Bennett does a cleanout at St George and Newcastle, he is hailed as a messiah but when HRH Sheens does it he is accused of being disloyal and heartless.

This is the cleanout that needed to happen. When we take off our rose coloured glasses, Heighnington, Ryan, Fifita, Gibbs, etc are all solid first graders at best. I am happy to argue with anyone about Fifita as he is nothing more than a media myth. He has potential no doubt but so did Karl Filiga (the next SBW) who coincidently went to the Sharkies as well. You cannot count metres across field as metres gained and he shirks the hard stuff

Our last great batch of juniors was the Wests SG Ball team containing the likes of Fulton, Collis, Gibbs, Hoffman, De Gois etc. They were given their chance but their time has now been and gone.

We now have a more impressive list of juniors coming through – Groat, Begovich, Sironen, Tedesco etc. BMM & Miller weren't originally ours but I will put them in there as well. I want this group to be given the same opportunity to come through together over the next few years
From the end of this year, let us build the team around Benji and Farah and let the cleanout continue…

gotta agree 110%
football clubs are businesses.Theres no room for emotion.we have a great bunch of players to build around.if we leave our "wests tigers" glasses on we will continue to be a middle of the ladder team.
"if nothing changes,nothing changes" BRING ON THE CLEANOUT!!!!!!

 

[Ed_Reschs]

Alf,

What time does Mr Sheens come in for his one on one massage with you? As for Gary Bakerloo he posts on the Manly forum as well so i am not sure of his true credentials.
I'm with you though, let the clean out continue.

ER

 

[Alf_Duguid]

Alf,

What time does Mr Sheens come in for his one on one massage with you? As for Gary Bakerloo he posts on the Manly forum as well so i am not sure of his true credentials.
I'm with you though, let the clean out continue.

ER

Ed, Doctor patient confidentiality forbids me from giving out that info re: one on one massages
As for Gary, I have seen some of his rants on the Manly Daily website so I take what he says with a grain of salt

 

[batboy]

MATE!! Great Post…
I agree... I'm sorry for Gibbs (I feel he is starting to play his best football) BUT that is when he is on the track Which is becoming alarminly less and less. Fifita is a Rock Star and was always gonna chase big dollars, Heighno is getting to the end of a great career, Beau is... well... Beau!! Although he has been impressive of late. But it is definately about moving forward... We would have most long seving players in the game or close to it... We had a clean out in 03, 2 years later its all peachy!!
I believe there is some guys that ARE solid 1st Graders, But we have never had money!! So it seems we are a little better off financially... (We now have sponsors I have heard of) So why not move some dollars and get some proven superstars... Lets face it, We can't be any WORSE OFF!!

 

[softlaw]

Slight disagreement with original poster on Fifita but there's no way we should/could have matched what the sharks offered.
Otherwise agree completely!

 

[russelldp]

Well said, Alf. At first, I was sorry to see Fafita go, but culture and attitude is just as important as ability. Rock Star behavior erodes at team performance. One finals appearance in six years is simply not good enough and dead wood must be disposed of before it burns the place down.
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[Gary_Bakerloo]

Alf,

What time does Mr Sheens come in for his one on one massage with you? As for Gary Bakerloo he posts on the Manly forum as well so i am not sure of his true credentials.
I'm with you though, let the clean out continue.

ER

Divide and conquer Ed, divide and conquer.

 

[Gothetigers]

I agree with most of your post, however I would prefer to keep Heighington. I think he is better than a solid first grader.

I think there are a couple of points to remember here before we shoot the management. Which are that Heighington and Ryan have not left yet and also we have not announced any signings

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I agree with most of your post, howeber I would prefer to keep Heighington. I think he is better than a solid first grader.

If he was he would have played rep football by now.

I like Rhino but he is a notch below rep standard, and he is also at the back end of his career.

 

[everett]

100% agree with all comments posted.

Let's build a side around Lawrence, Marshall, Ellis, Blair, Galloway and Farah.

The other thing I would add is to me Farah is not captain material and would love
to see Ellis given the role next year. (Marshall has too much on his plate for the gig).
Maybe Farah will improve when he doesn't have to captain the team.

 

[Gothetigers]

I agree with most of your post, howeber I would prefer to keep Heighington. I think he is better than a solid first grader.

If he was he would have played rep football by now.

I like Rhino but he is a notch below rep standard, and he is also at the back end of his career.

Being chosen for the NSW team doesn't not necessarity mean you are a wonderful player. There are a number of players who have played for NSW over Chris who are not as good a player as he is (IMO).

If you don't think he is the one our our bettter performed players you must be watching a different game to me.

Heighington is 28, whilst no spring chicken he still has a number of good years left in him.

 

[hammertime]

Great Post! We did get close last year with this team, but it was the first time in 5 years. We have some great juniors and some core guys like Benji, Robbie, Lawrence, Ellis, Lote and Galloway that we should build around.

The only downside I see with a clean-out is the cap concessions we get for long serving players. It's a good strategy that will allow us to squeeze more players under the cap, but we have to develop the right juniors in the first place.

I agree with your post everett, but I don't think you can take it from him. Ellis would be the ideal captain. Great leader on the field and much better in the media than Robbie. But Sheensy would have a hard time taking it from Robbie… I don't think that would go down well for team harmony.

 

[SCOB]

I reckon your 80% on the money!

Fafita though come on man! He attracts defenders because they get palmed off, this makes for oportunity for the zippy guys to go for a bolt upfield, and he can score meat pies at close range. I know we can't have everything but average 1st grader is a bit harsh he is better than that!

The other one I would argue for is Heighno, this one i reckon your half right :slight_smile: I see him as an honest 1st grader as well. However, he has the heart and guts of superstar, google "give it your all" or "never stop" and you will get back a picture of Heighno. I want him in my team every week. Even it is just to push or shame the blokes with more ability. He is a keeper.

 

[hammertime]

The other thing I would add is to me Farah is not captain material and would love
to see Ellis given the role next year.

Further on this, I completely agree about Ellis. It's such a shame to see a player like him, who would be the ultimate captain, not being able to get the opportunity for his club or country during his career.

I actually do hope Sheens finds some way to make it happen.

 

[bp_tiger]

i believe ur on the right track, the only prpblem been is that at present we as supports are been kept in the dark about other signings, we dont even know that we have blair yet, but we let players go.may be if management release some information we would be less hostile to whats going on.i think we need a couple of grunt forwards to go forward with and young groat is in that elk, big and aggressive.