Trent Merrin - RUMOUR !

[GNR4LIFE]

For a SW team, the Panthers don't have any trouble attracting elite players. Just pointing that out cos so many have used the excuse of us not being able to attract players if we based ourselves in the SW.

Good coup for the Panthers. They're well on their way to becoming a powerhouse thanks to Gus and Cleary.

 

[NT_Tiger]

Quote Flippedy "haven't signed a marquee player for a hundred years!!!" To me, that depends on your definition of 'marquee'. I'd argue that Woods and Farah are marquee signings. Tedesco is a home grown, marquee of the not so distant future, as are Brooks and Moses.
It's easy to look at our team and say the 'grass is greener' but I think we look OK. I think many teams would be looking at our roster with envy. With a bit of experience under our belts we will be marquee!

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Some of these teams just go from strength to strength, replacing one class player with another, without even the slightest hiccup. Yeah alright, I admit I'm jealous - I wouldn't mind so much, but we haven't signed a marquee player for a hundred years!!!

Look at the way the club is run. People hate Gus, but if we had someone like him, we'd be on our way up like the Panthers.

 

[NT_Tiger]

We are on our way up!

 

[GNR4LIFE]

We are on our way up!

We will be when we start seeing the results on the field.

 

[NT_Tiger]

Maybe I'm too one-eyed but I have faith. I think we've already seen an improvement in commitment and resolve in the training runs. There are still bugs to sort out but I reckon we're on the right track.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Maybe I'm too one-eyed but I have faith. I think we've already seen an improvement in commitment and resolve in the training runs. There are still bugs to sort out but I reckon we're on the right track.

I see where you're coming from, but every club every yr trains the house done. If they don't there's something seriously wrong. We can't truly get a good gauge until the season kicks off imo. Fingers crossed.

 

[Tigermama]

Some of these teams just go from strength to strength, replacing one class player with another, without even the slightest hiccup. Yeah alright, I admit I'm jealous - I wouldn't mind so much, but we haven't signed a marquee player for a hundred years!!!

Look at the way the club is run. People hate Gus, but if we had someone like him, we'd be on our way up like the Panthers.

I don't mind Gus, he has a soft spot for the Tiges….

 

[newtiger]

Maybe Phil Moss is the guy that will sort out our salary cap problems.

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

IMHO, Merrin would be a version of Blair, big money - small value :frowning:
If we could get him for 250 max I would say OK, anything over that cannot be justified.
We have a number of young 2nd rowers: Santi, Sue, Sironen, Akauola, Liolevave, Funaki
they would be lost if we buy primadona that must play because we paid him 700k +.
With Simona, Save, Milone LC position shall be covered.
Competition for the RC are: Naiqama, Fine, Peni, not bad.

IMHO, our biggest problem is depth at FB (unfortunately Rowe is not it, which means will need to choose between SImona or Hoeter.

Another problem is 80%+ goal kicker, if Richards is injured our next best goal kickers are
Drinkwater and Moses, if we are lucky they would be as reliable as Benji :slight_smile:

Go Tigers :sign:

 

[GNR4LIFE]

IMHO, Merrin would be a version of Blair, big money - small value :frowning:
**If we could get him for 250 max I would say OK, anything over that cannot be justified.**
We have a number of young 2nd rowers: Santi, Sue, Sironen, Akauola, Liolevave, Funaki
they would be lost if we buy primadona that must play because we paid him 700k +.
With Simona, Save, Milone LC position shall be covered.
Competition for the RC are: Naiqama, Fine, Peni, not bad.

IMHO, our biggest problem is depth at FB (unfortunately Rowe is not it, which means will need to choose between SImona or Hoeter.

Another problem is 80%+ goal kicker, if Richards is injured our next best goal kickers are
Drinkwater and Moses, if we are lucky they would be as reliable as Benji :slight_smile:

Go Tigers :sign:

Sorry to say but its attitudes like this that keep us floundering at the bottom yr after yr. Doesn't matter how good our juniors are, Merrin is better than all of them. You can't rely solely on your juniors, you need good recruiting to compliment it. The Panthers are a perfect example of that. As for only wanting to pay 250 max for Merrin, that's insane only being willing to pay that much for a guy who is in the top 5 forwards in the competition. You have to pay what they're worth. Blair wasn't lazy, he just couldn't live up to being the player people wanted him to be in their heads cos of his price tag. Merrin is significantly better than Blair.

If anything over 250k cannot be justified for you, then you must not be willing to pay many players more than that at the risk of them bludgeing

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I think the Pamfers have paid well overs for him.

Don't get me wrong he's a very good player but his purported price tag (yes, I know they're never right but still probably indicative,) is insane money.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Some of these teams just go from strength to strength, replacing one class player with another, without even the slightest hiccup. Yeah alright, I admit I'm jealous - I wouldn't mind so much, but we haven't signed a marquee player for a hundred years!!!

Look at the way the club is run. People hate Gus, but if we had someone like him, we'd be on our way up like the Panthers.

Ain't nothing wrong with Gus. He knows his stuff.

I don't get the hate for him…

 

[bigsiro]

GNR4LIFE I Couldn't agree more.
I have always thought that it is our fans who should demand more of our recruitment staff, not less. This was the exact same story when there were discussions on these forums regarding the potential free agency of Folau, Inglis, Cronk etc. People whinging that they cost too much. FFS they are worth every penny. Not just for their playing ability but that they will make our club more attractive to hot free agents. Good players like to play with other good players.

If we end up paying more than expected then so be it. We obviously want/need him more.
If it doesn't materialize into success then so be it but at least we are showing the league our intent. Not every signing for Manchester United made them winners. Same for LA Lakers, NY Yankees etc. They take gambles with big signings and many of them work out, but some don't. That's life. I'd rather be the team that at least attempts to sign big players rather than watching the same old clubs sign the big names while we flounder.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

If the comment about focusing on our juniors was in relation to the Adam Docker thread i could understand, but instead it was on the topic of attracting one of the games elite forwards to the club. Sorry, but any club that has a policy of paying nothing over 250k for the games elite players will always be cellar dwellers.

To add on to what you were saying Siro, you're paying these guys a truckload, but you're getting value for money. Your goal should be that these players you pay top dollar for get your club into such an attractive position, that soon players will be willing to play for you for less.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Some of these teams just go from strength to strength, replacing one class player with another, without even the slightest hiccup. Yeah alright, I admit I'm jealous - I wouldn't mind so much, but we haven't signed a marquee player for a hundred years!!!

Look at the way the club is run. People hate Gus, but if we had someone like him, we'd be on our way up like the Panthers.

Ain't nothing wrong with Gus. He knows his stuff.

I don't get the hate for him…

Me either. Besides the grumpy old man routine with Rabs, (which mainly is Rabs tbf) Gus is alright. One of, if not the best rugby league brain in the game.

 

[Geo]

I think it's his self serving agendas he pushes people can't cop…

Personally I think he's great ....done a wonderful job at resurrecting the Pamfers..

 

[NT_Tiger]

I've got no problems with Gus although I agree with Geo about him driving his own agendas. I think he is a very astute observer of the game and I value his opinions.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I think it's his self serving agendas he pushes people can't cop…

Personally I think he's great ....done a wonderful job at resurrecting the Pamfers..

When you're grating at league mental "giants" like that germ Phil Rothfilth you're doing something right.

 

[Spartan117]

Getting back to paying Overs to attrract decent players

Tigers have tried that, Remember Adam Blair. A solid and decent player but in truth lost his edge and menace with our club.

I'm sure there are a few high priced flops that can be mentioned..(Please don't it is depressing)

I wonder how Big money Merrin will fair in 2016/17