Building for the Future - Off Contract Players

[The Who]

The first priority is to lock up our junior stars. While they may be years away from first grade I still believe promotion from within is better than chequebook recruitment. We could have a dozen budding Beaver's in the Under 20s and younger. It's disheartening for local juniors to be overlooked for outsiders of no greater talent.

 

[Loobs]

Plus if Foz walks, Hiku can excel at 5/8 and take his spot in the Kiwi side haha!

Whatever happens with Foz now, don't forget in two years he's sining with the second kiwi team that doesn't exist now for five billions future dollars

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

... What did you think of my changes?
...
I also think we'd then have a team of players who WANT to be here.

I think your changes look fine. We need aggression and power added.

The halves are problematic (captain Obvious comment, of course). I haven't forgotten what a rabble a team can be without expert halves, no matter how big and aggro their forward are.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

I say we chase Lui.

Yes, its times like these we need to go the whole hog and completely trash our rich 69 year old club culture

 

[Stiffi]

These players are all on the market end of season

7
Trent Hodkinson, Chris Sandow, Michael Morgan, Robert Lui, Isaac John, Jeff Robson and Mitch Cornish
6
James Maloney, Aidan Sezer, Chad Townsend, Kris Keating, Ray Thompson, Kyle Stanley

I say we chase Sezer and Sandow or Sezer and Lui.

Massive No to Sandow & Lui. Chase Sezer or the other young bloke from the Titans who was the player of the Under 20's last season. Hopefully one of Littlejohn or Rudolf step up in Forans absence over the next few rounds!!

 

[Ryan]

No-one likes the idea of Lyon at 5/8, and Gutherson in the centres?

 

[God]

No-one likes the idea of Lyon at 5/8, and Gutherson in the centres?

As Lyon Slows up a bit it's not a bad idea to move him, The other kid needs to learn to tackle before thats an option - Hiku is an international player and deserves a crack in the centres before Gutherson (though he probably wont get one)

 

[Andrew..]

No-one likes the idea of Lyon at 5/8, and Gutherson in the centres?

I think Gutherson is gone for the season.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I think Gutherson is gone for the season.

Yep, won't be back until 2016

 

[Mavin]

What's the issue with Sandow? Did you not see him play last night?

Yes but we have all seen him play for the last 6 years. 1 good game doesn't make a good player.

 

[mozgrame]

Watch him this year. Don't worry about the past. It's gone.

 

[Mavin]

Watch him this year. Don't worry about the past. It's gone.

If Sandow is our plan b then we have no plan b

 

[Daddycool]

Surely they aren't irresponsible enough to sign Sandow. He's the epitome of rocks or diamonds. Last night was a diamond but those nights are few and far between.

 

[mozgrame]

If Sandow is our plan b then we have no plan b

I'm sure the club has a plan b. Well I hope they do anyway. In saying that, right now is all about options. I wouldn't be turning my back on any particular option at this point in time.

Everything and everybody is a possible right now. I hope we don't just panic and grab the very first half decent half we come across. Sandow is tough, skilful, experienced and now looks fit and settled, meaning he may have finally put all his crap behind him.

At this stage that we are at, I'd be considering him another option. Not saying sign him at all costs...but I'd be having a yarn with him, along with all the other "maybes".

He was given the player of the year award at Parra last year. Probably wouldn't get him here anyway though. He attributes his return to form to Brad Arthur...

 

[eagle66]

For mine, withdraw offer to Foran. I assume Ballin may retire. We'd have an absolute war chest of riches to spend. My focus would be:-

+ Acquire Kane Elgey (on the cheap if possible, or at least ramp up the Titans offer on him)
+ Acquire JWH from The Roosters
+ Acquire Tom Burgess from Souths
+ If we have spare cap, throw a bit at Darcy Lussick

01. Brett Stewart
02. Jorge Taufua
03. Steve Matai
04. Clinton Gutherson
05. Peta Hiku
06. Jamie Lyon
07. Kane Elgey
08. Tom Burgess
09. Matt Ballin / Jayden Hodges
10. Jared Weara-Heargraves
11. Feleti Mateo
12. Tom Symonds
13. Jamie Buhrer

14. Luke Burgess
15. Brenton Lawrence
16. Josh Starling
17. Darcy Lussick / Jake Trbojevic

Also, make plays to sign these guys now. All of them (or as soon as we withdraw from Foran's contract).Teams have done that to us, lets repay the favour.

+ Still think that's the best backline in the game.
+ That forward pack would be monsters, and would destroy most opposition.

One other thing I'd do is openly offer Will Hopoate an absolute bundle, as Parra will re-sign him at any costs. If they pay a mill a piece for foran and Hoppa, we are totally bottle necking them - especially if we also make a play for Lussick.

Agree with a fair bit here. Management need to have the smarts about them. When you have freed up some of the cap, make it work by upping the ante on other team's essential players and make them pay an extra $100k to keep them and knock them out of chasing any other players. The "other" Burgess will become a priority as the season goes on, as well as the obvious, fixing up the halves.

 

[mozgrame]

How much time do Manly spend looking at the Q-Cup? They should scour through the ranks of the Qld sides for some halves, and maybe a big forward or 2. There is some quality playing in Qld each week. Look at Leary for example....

 

[manly1972]

Assuming that we loose foran to parra, and after last nights performance we should use that money to sign some gun forwards and some good halves. This is the team we should try and build for 2016:
1. snake
2. Hiku
3. Lyon
4. Matai
5. Gutherson
6. Maloney or Lyon
7. Hodkinson or Sezer or Elgey
8. T. burgess - possibly sign George the following year, as he is off contract
9. Ballin maybe Hodges
10. Starling
11. Sika manu
12. mateo
13. Burher
14. JSL
15. Lui/Jake T
16. Lussick
17. possibly sign, Matagi or Tagatese for aggression
Sign few more forwards the following years and maybe a back or two. By 2017 Tom T, Jake T and Gutherson will be ready for first grade and hopefully by 2018 we will have a strong team with a strong pack of forwards that will put fear into the opposition, while challenging for another title

 

[seaeagles4life]

There is some talent in the superleague in the UK, even a quick look can show some potential take this guy for example http://www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/20567

24 year old Prop in his 4 games this year 567m (just under 150m a game) with 24 tackles a game avg. 17 tackle busts and 13 offloads.

 

[mickqld]

How did Des rebuild us after the N.E days. Mostly from juniors but added some toughness Ben Kennedy Brent Kite & class Jamie Lyon. Those 3 built our forward toughness and back line class. We need 3 top line signings. 2 tough hard nut forwards and a class back when killer retires.

 

[mickqld]

Unfortunately because of these 2 greedy pricks we've missed out in Taumalolo.