Youth v Experience ? The New Transit Lounge ?

T

Tigerdazz

New member
Before I start everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have always been of the opinion that the WT have erred in signing to many older players ( especially backs) over the years. Also they have held on to too many players that needed to be let go. I firmly believe to this day , that Darren Senter was kept to long , and held Robbie Farrah back, and I honestly think Mark O'Neill was only in the 2005 teamdue to club politics ( Dont jump on me Simon the Tiger :wink: ). Letting go of Hodgo was probably done at the right time, and as much as I love Skando , would have rathered him coaching in some form last year , rather than playing.

The signing of players like Terry Hill , and Craig Field among others ,( at the time ) was supposed to bring "Experience" to the club. IMO we should not sign ANY back over the age of 27 ( unless already at the club prior…and still in form ) or any forward over the age of 29 ( ditto )

We have signed Tiquiri and welcomed back Fitzy. This would definately put a lot of talented , younger , faster , keener backs noses out of joint. We are in danger of becoming the next 'transit lounge' club. I would rather leave that honour to the Roosters. It really saddens me to see ex -Tiger/Magpie juniors , bought for a song , killing it in other clubs colours. There are too many to list !!
 
Speaking of players let go I honestly believe Luke Harlen will see some first grade time at the Sharks this season
 
You cant put Tuqiri in the same boat. He's a marketing tool. How many players in NRL can boast that record. This is absolute marquee signing. Put him in the businesss lounge.
 
@Tigerdazz said:
Before I start everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have always been of the opinion that the WT have erred in signing to many older players ( especially backs) over the years. Also they have held on to too many players that needed to be let go. I firmly believe to this day , that Darren Senter was kept to long , and held Robbie Farrah back, and I honestly think Mark O'Neill was only in the 2005 teamdue to club politics ( Dont jump on me Simon the Tiger :wink: ). Letting go of Hodgo was probably done at the right time, and as much as I love Skando , would have rathered him coaching in some form last year , rather than playing.

The signing of players like Terry Hill , and Craig Field among others ,( at the time ) was supposed to bring "Experience" to the club. IMO we should not sign ANY back over the age of 27 ( unless already at the club prior…and still in form ) or any forward over the age of 29 ( ditto )

We have signed Tiquiri and welcomed back Fitzy. This would definately put a lot of talented , younger , faster , keener backs noses out of joint. We are in danger of becoming the next 'transit lounge' club. I would rather leave that honour to the Roosters. It really saddens me to see ex -Tiger/Magpie juniors , bought for a song , killing it in other clubs colours. There are too many to list !!
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I agree with some of what you say re some players but I don't when it comes to O'Neill or Senter. Field, Hill and others were potentially good signings that didn't work out and I can't criticise the club for those.
 
I think you need experience in some key positions but like you I really dont see the value in having someone like Fitzy holding down a spot in front of a kid with a ton of pace and ability and if he is seen mainly as a no9 back up, I would much prefer to see the next generation Farah get that gig. On Lote, I think he could be pretty handy and his experience will be a big asset if we get to the big games at the end of the season.

I think we get a false impression on some of the kids playing in the lowers, both are light years away from the standard required for the nrl. Although if never given a chance at the higher grade we will never know
 
You are entitled to your opionion but I don't think WT have that much of a track record signing older players. On the contrary I think there has been a lack of experience that has cost us during close games over the past few years. Craig Field was 27 when he started at Balmain and I couldn't fault the way the club brought Robbie into first grade.

As for juniors "killing it" for other clubs, I'm not sure the list is that long, especially over the last few years. Ryan Hoffman was disappointing but there were good reasons why others left and it wasn't normally because they were stuck behind older players.
 
If we have Fitz on one wing and Lote on the other we would nearly have the oldest wingers in the comp for combined age, useless point thow lol
 
IIRC Ben Galea started 2005 at hooker and by before Rd 10 Farah was starting in the 9 and was one of the key players who lead us to the premiership and has dominantly held onto the 9 jersey for the last 5 years including playing Origin and for Australia. Cant criticise that.

I disagree about not signing forwards who are over 29\. The thing about playing in the forwards is you dont reach your peak til the 2nd half of your career. Most backs excel early on, forwards are the opposite.

You can talk of a "transit lounge" but in reality some of the exciting promising juniors just aren't ready for first grade. It's a fact. Robert Lui was solid in first grade when he played last year, but you could tell he wasnt 100% ready. Same deal as with the FC this year. We've got enough first grade experience in the forwards this year with Gibbs, Galloway, Ellis, Heighno, Fulton, Payten, Moors, Cayless, Shirnack etc etc to give guys like Fifita, Woods, Dwyer and co some time in the State Cup to further enhance their game against a tougher opposition. Theyre not holding them back, it's merely creating a suitable pathway for the juniors so theyre properly trained to perform at the top level and not thrown in too early. While there's juniors we've let go who have gone onto bigger and better things, there are plenty of juniors who had all the potential in the world but just didnt cut it in first grade.

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I pretty much disagree with everything in your post haha
 
Craig Field was signed by Balmain….pre WT.

I will never forget his first game against Manly ( his old club) at Leichhardt. I have rarely seen such a game where one player beat an opposition on his own.

Glenn
 
And to address the OP, I think THIS year is the opposite of what you are complaining about. Sheens cut a LOT of deadwood holding others back in Morris (opens the door for Taumata, Lui, Lazarus), Collis (Ayshford), Payne (Mataka, Moops) and he has signed a fair bit of young talent to supplement our juniors in Moops, Taumata, Daniella.

Don't get hung up on Fitzy, I'd be suprised if he plays too much of a part this year.

Glenn
 
@Glennb said:
And to address the OP, I think THIS year is the opposite of what you are complaining about. Sheens cut a LOT of deadwood holding others back in Morris (opens the door for Taumata, Lui, Lazarus), Collis (Ayshford), Payne (Mataka, Moops) and he has signed a fair bit of young talent to supplement our juniors in Moops, Taumata, Daniella.

Don't get hung up on Fitzy, I'd be suprised if he plays too much of a part this year.

Glenn
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Hope you are right on Fitzy,surely he will line up for the Magpies,where he started out.
 
If we didn't have Skando last year we would have lost more games. Skando was our 3rd best prop last year, behind Galloway and Gibbs, and Galloway was out for a long time.
 
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