Watchful Tigers keen to snare Blair

[happy_tiger]

Am I reading right? We want to sign a NZ international forward, probably the best forward currently off-contract in the NRL, and people are complaining? Are you serious?

Blair is EASILY worth 300K. Perhaps even more. Forget the 500K figure that was bandied about in the press, that is rubbish.

If we can fit him in we should go for it without question - Blair brings one thing that our forwards are desperately lacking (with the exception of Ellis) - mongrel, and aggression.

Totally agree at $300000 and we can fit him under lets go for it .But that is not the figure on report it was $500000 and on those figures I disagree too much money . I would be surprised we had $300000 left on this years cap

 

[CocaCola]

As already said, he won't get 500k in the NRL.
There is a few players I'd consider dropping to free up cap space to make a play for him.
( McKinnon, Utai, Fulton, Flanagan, Moors, Payten-sorry guys, he's nearly finished anyways)

+1

I would trade a few decent players for 1 elite player any day.

McKinnon - his former glory days are past him, Brown or Moltzen to replace him..
Utai- as above, past his best, few can replace his spot on the wing.
Fulton - Over rated player on this forum, like to see him gone.
Flanagan - We should be a team of champions, not a team of average players.. needs to go.
Moors - Waste of time.. Bye bye
Payten - Please no, skandalis went around 2 years to many.. lets not go through that again.
\
\
Time for fresh faces, new spark to the club.. people who wont just fill spots, but bring along some flair.. Lote was the perfect example.

 

[happy_tiger]

As already said, he won't get 500k in the NRL.
There is a few players I'd consider dropping to free up cap space to make a play for him.
( McKinnon, Utai, Fulton, Flanagan, Moors, Payten-sorry guys, he's nearly finished anyways)

+1

I would trade a few decent players for 1 elite player any day.

McKinnon - his former glory days are past him, Brown or Moltzen to replace him..
Utai- as above, past his best, few can replace his spot on the wing.
Fulton - Over rated player on this forum, like to see him gone.
Flanagan - We should be a team of champions, not a team of average players.. needs to go.
Moors - Waste of time.. Bye bye
Payten - Please no, skandalis went around 2 years to many.. lets not go through that again.
\
\
Time for fresh faces, new spark to the club.. people who wont just fill spots, but bring along some flair.. Lote was the perfect example.

Leave Skando out of this He only did we he did because he thought he could help club out Coca Cola and he did not play that bad Fulton is pound 4 pound one of the best back rowers in game . Payten still has something to offer where would we be this weekend without him . Mackinnon is slowly improving Do what you want with others

 

[bigsiro]

Spartan, thanks for the welcome and I have to agree with you that Blair's stats aren't remarkable… but fantasy value doesn't always tell the true story. Corey Parker is a statistical animal but is not a better player than Burgess/Tupou/Bird for example.

If you take out the stats, then it is a subjective judgment and I think Blair is one of the best forwards going. He came off the bench for a lot of his career in Melbourne, but what an impact. Enough to make him VC of NZ. I have to be honest here, if you don't think Blair is one of the best then we just are not watching the same game.

And yes, the team was poor against Canterbury. But once again the way we rate players is subjective and hate to say it but sometimes individuals ARE to blame. Lui had an important role to play and IMO was well below par.

Is Blair worth $300k? Bloody Oath he is. Is James Graham? Is Ellis? And are either of them better than Blair? Maybe, Maybe not.

I don't really know anymore...it just seems like monopoly money to me as player valuations don't make sense at all. It's all a circus. I just figure you have to pay for quality, and sometimes it's over the odds. Please don't bring up Fernando Torres, rather look at Lote.

Bottom Line...GET BLAIR

 

[Geo]

I'd rather have James Graham

 

[hybrid_tiger]

**Am I reading right? We want to sign a NZ international forward, probably the best forward currently off-contract in the NRL, and people are complaining? Are you serious?**

Blair is EASILY worth 300K. Perhaps even more. Forget the 500K figure that was bandied about in the press, that is rubbish.

If we can fit him in we should go for it without question - Blair brings one thing that our forwards are desperately lacking (with the exception of Ellis) - mongrel, and aggression.

i was thinking exactly the same

i remember since 06 people didnt want backs signed.. they wanted FORWARDS… and mungerl forwards at that.. someone who is TOP LEVEL..

Now they dont... go figure

but by them going for Blair i assume that they are not going as hard for GRAHAM from the UK

Completely agree. Graham would command massive $$$ as well, probably more than Blair. I would be over the moon if we managed to get either of them, and I'm not fussed who it is.

No forward is earning $500K right now, those figures quoted are absolute rubbish. There would only be a handful of players in the NRL earning that kind of money, and I'd be willing to bet not one of them is a forward.

 

[Guest]

And yes, the team was poor against Canterbury. But once again the way we rate players is subjective and hate to say it but sometimes individuals ARE to blame. Lui had an important role to play and IMO was well below par.

That's interesting since Sheens has come out publicly and said that Lui has been one of the Tigers standouts in the games they have played this season.

Aside from that, the Tigers should have enough cash to make a decent play for Blair by releasing Flanagan, Moors, Daniela, Brown and Utai. Whether they keep the Schirnack brothers is another matter but there's enough talent coming through the Toyota Cup squad to replace Payten and Tuqiri when their contracts run out in 2012 so they could potentially backload Blair's contract for the first year.

 

[Goose]

I'd rather have James Graham

dont think you can go wrong with either….

I'd love Blair, but depending on the cost (not dollars, but who we had to let go)

There is no point dropping a heap of players on minimum contract (or close enough to) you need 25 in your squad, so they are replaced in the cap by other guys on the minimum, so we'd prob have to cut at least 1 decent player, prob back end a deal once Payten goes.

If he does want $500k, see ya later, I'd rather buy Billy slater or Cooper Cronk, they are the types of players worth $500k, their isn't many of them in the comp!!

 

[guesty123]

mongrel, and aggression.

^^^oh god yes.^^^

Never been a fan of Simon Dwyer and when we resigned i was [This word has been automatically removed]ing pissed.

Saying that, fifita wont be gone, with the retirement of Cayless and tuaiki this year (and surely payten soon) im sure it freed up a bit of cash, cant see him keeping moors, Flanagan and daniella.

I can honestly see this happening the buying of Blair that is considering we have so much depth in our youngsters coming through like woods, the shirnacks, tagive, Murdoch-Mesila plus a lot more that i most likely don't know of.

 

[Goose]

And yes, the team was poor against Canterbury. But once again the way we rate players is subjective and hate to say it but sometimes individuals ARE to blame. Lui had an important role to play and IMO was well below par.

That's interesting since Sheens has come out publicly and said that Lui has been one of the Tigers standouts in the games they have played this season.

Aside from that, the Tigers should have enough cash to make a decent play for Blair by releasing Flanagan, Moors, Daniela, Brown and Utai. Whether they keep the Schirnack brothers is another matter but there's enough talent coming through the Toyota Cup squad to replace Payten and Tuqiri when their contracts run out in 2012 so they could potentially backload Blair's contract for the first year.

I think Sheens has been giving Lui wraps publicly as he believes Lui will respond to love, others need to be revved up. I agree with Big Sirro, altho Lui made some good runs, he came up with some crucial errors, and his kicking game along with benji was poor.
We were disorganised, runners getting in each others way, clearly no plays called at some points, he must take some (not all of course) of the blame for that as the half back. Lui has potential, but imo along way from a finished product. I hope he goes on to become a champ, but have doubts.
If we have $500k I'd love to have cooper cronk calling the shots :slight_smile:

 

[happy_tiger]

I'd rather have James Graham

dont think you can go wrong with either….

I'd love Blair, but depending on the cost (not dollars, but who we had to let go)

There is no point dropping a heap of players on minimum contract (or close enough to) you need 25 in your squad, so they are replaced in the cap by other guys on the minimum, so we'd prob have to cut at least 1 decent player, prob back end a deal once Payten goes.

If he does want $500k, see ya later, I'd rather buy Billy slater or Cooper Cronk, they are the types of players worth $500k, their isn't many of them in the comp!!

Talking about Melbourne players off contract one who has really caught my eye this year is Gareth Widdop he can play 1,6 or 7 good player also

 

[happy_tiger]

I'd rather have James Graham

dont think you can go wrong with either….

I'd love Blair, but depending on the cost (not dollars, but who we had to let go)

There is no point dropping a heap of players on minimum contract (or close enough to) you need 25 in your squad, so they are replaced in the cap by other guys on the minimum, so we'd prob have to cut at least 1 decent player, prob back end a deal once Payten goes.

If he does want $500k, see ya later, I'd rather buy Billy slater or Cooper Cronk, they are the types of players worth $500k, their isn't many of them in the comp!!

Talking about Melbourne players off contract one who has really caught my eye this year is Gareth Widdop he can play 1,6 or 7 good player also

 

[AndTheKungFoSing]

Would be a GREAT signing! What a team and what strength… although surely we don't have too much room in the cap?

 

[CocaCola]

If he does want $500k, see ya later, I'd rather buy Billy slater or Cooper Cronk, they are the types of players worth $500k, their isn't many of them in the comp!!

+1
You would want a superstar in a key position for that kind of money..

Spending 350k on forwards of the likes of Blair, Graham is definitely worth the money. We need more grunt in our forward pack.. I only rate Ellis and a couple potential youngsters including Fifita who will develop into a machine.. We should get another great signing as we did with Eliis & Lote.. They have done wonders for us.

 

[Tigerdave]

yeah the 500k is a bit much

 

[hammertime]

The thing that interests me is the sudden offer from us…

Is it possibly because we wanted to wait until the Lawrence deal had been done? or is Payten's ongoing injury more serious that he first thought and he might finish a year early?

I really thought with buying Utai on 2nd tier that we were out of cap.

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[innsaneink]

Havent read the whole thread….this is outta the blue.
**I take it we're talking about next season???**
....article didnt really clarify. Just said "could be next 2 weeks???"

I doubt we'll get him....doesnt seem the type of player Sheens likes.

 

[Captain_Awesome]

500k is inflated by the media. 450k tops but more likely 400k. Melbourne can't offer him much cause they will have upgrade all there nuffies.

I'd prefer James Graham but he may be staying in England.

Some of the lesser players like Daniela, Moors and Flanagan could potentially be playing regular first grade by the end of the season so they won't nesscessarily be the ones cut.

Contracts don't mean too much these days so I wouldn't be suprised if some players on longer contracts leave, especially if sheens heads to souths.

 

[happy_tiger]

Havent read the whole thread….this is outta the blue.
**I take it we're talking about next season???**
....article didnt really clarify. Just said "could be next 2 weeks???"

I doubt we'll get him....doesnt seem the type of player Sheens likes.

Good Question Ink I thought it was this year as had thought maybe issues with Storms salary cap still ??Could someone clarify that please Repeat what I said before can't believe we would still have even 300 k left in cap let alone 400 k or 500 k

 

[Granto87]

Havent read the whole thread….this is outta the blue.
**I take it we're talking about next season???**
....article didnt really clarify. Just said "could be next 2 weeks???"

I doubt we'll get him....doesnt seem the type of player Sheens likes.

I heard Sheens say in an interview a season or two ago after playing the storm that Blair is the sort of player every club needs and he likes his agression and niggling tactics. Sheens isnt going to souths either they are now chasing Maguire and Brown is they're second choice.