Can we please buy a backrower Seibs

[Stewbojevic]

Wholeheartedly agree with Haumole to be moved to our middle. A lot easier to find hard working edges than to have a middle third that can dominate the ruck on a weekly basis. As you say, a prop rotation of Nella, Haumole, Bully, Moale can become consistently top 4

If it’s so easy to find good edges why don’t we have any?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

And then also Manlys edge backrowers get really thin

It's a fine line.

Too thin and they get steamrolled, too fat and they get tired quick

🤷‍♂️

 

[Rafferty]

Maybe down the track, but not yet. Has agility and x factor and manly need that in spades. Playing 40 mins a game just bashing it up is a waste I feel.

And then also Manlys edge backrowers get really thin

I think Quac would get 30 and that may let us use our bench more effectively, also think his agility and X factor means he can play a similar role to Hass, big minutes, ball playing, damaging running FR, Hass doesn’t just bash it up for 20, Quac doesn’t have to play like the stereo type, say a Leota, mould his game off Hass. Let Tent, Moale and Bull hit up for their 20.

Our edges are thin, but if the rumours are right, we are actively looking, Fermor, now the Lucas chat, if true. Those guys won’t cost 3.5m for 3 years, there’s others, Billy Burns and Nikora, 2 don’t go in 1 and Wilton’s no going anywhere, there out there without putting to much effort in.

Anyway games changing up all the time and we need to at least move with it, a mobile working FR, with speed on the edge, particularly one who can cover our outside backs as we don’t have that and have been exposed numerous times, which is why we should at least be looking at all our options.

 

[Cochrane]

Fair enough, looking at options is good. I just don't see this happening but we will see!

 

[Rocky]

Haumole is the most destructive edge in the comp, and that is achieved by targeting other edges and backs in the defensive line.

That would be nullified by playing him in the middle.

 

[The Wheel]

Knowing our luck we will get Millie’s husband instead of Lucas

 

[double hoops]

Knowing our luck we will get Millie’s husband instead of Lucas

Yep seems about right another lock.

 

[Pepi]

Knowing our luck we will get Millie’s husband instead of Lucas

You may be onto something..

Ex-Knights Watch

technically ex players now, don’t have new clubs confirmed yet. But will be interesting to see where some of our leaving players go, a few guesses: Annan - Union Hastings - SL Hetherington - SL? he’d kill it over here in the uk Elliott - Rabbits? or has that deal died Teague - ?? Bryan - Manly...

marathonstadium.com

 

[TheEagle]

Wholeheartedly agree with Haumole to be moved to our middle. A lot easier to find hard working edges than to have a middle third that can dominate the ruck on a weekly basis. As you say, a prop rotation of Nella, Haumole, Bully, Moale can become consistently top

You may be onto something..

Ex-Knights Watch

technically ex players now, don’t have new clubs confirmed yet. But will be interesting to see where some of our leaving players go, a few guesses: Annan - Union Hastings - SL Hetherington - SL? he’d kill it over here in the uk Elliott - Rabbits? or has that deal died Teague - ?? Bryan - Manly...

marathonstadium.com

Doubt we sign Elliot. Have Jake, Hetherington and Navale to play lock.

 

[Pete W]

If it’s so easy to find good edges why don’t we have any?

We seem to be in a bit of a bottleneck in terms of our depth in this position but with a more balanced roster even guys like Talau (although not with us any longer), Schoupp etc could do a job. But moving forward, we should have some genuine talent coming through in Hart, (Dunford?), Baruani, Oldfield.
If we have strike in our centres and spine, then we don't necessarily need it in spades in our 2nd row as well. Especially when you consider that it is our lack of mobility and aggression in our middle third, consistently behind in our ruck play, that is the principle cause of our on-field struggles. A mobile and aggressive Ola leading the middle would transform our team despite the loss on the edge

 

[manly al]

Surprised with some of the sentiment that an upgrade on Burbo should be some sort of a priority ,.
Never will be an explosive type edge but surely now doing all that would be expected or required with useful go forward and defence measuring up for some time now to a better or sufficient level
Not to sure what the emphasis may be for 27 with individual position considerations and with some higher profile contracts anticipated to reduce combined with an increased cap allocation but will still have the Shu 's co - payment on the books as a bit of a drawback
Always the outside possibility of somehow getting in a really capable and unheralded backrower from somewhere on some money ball deal but especially with the new sides coming in soon , harder for this outcome for most clubs .
in any case again , no reason to think that Burbo can not still maintain a good , competitive level and Hart can develop to i st grade level and do well before not too long

 

[Rocky]

Surprised with some of the sentiment that an upgrade on Burbo should be some sort of a priority ,.
Never will be an explosive type edge but surely now doing all that would be expected or required with useful go forward and defence measuring up for some time now to a better or sufficient level
Not to sure what the emphasis may be for 27 with individual position considerations and with some higher profile contracts anticipated to reduce combined with an increased cap allocation but will still have the Shu 's co - payment on the books as a bit of a drawback
Always the outside possibility of somehow getting in a really capable and unheralded backrower from somewhere on some money ball deal but especially with the new sides coming in soon , harder for this outcome for most clubs .
in any case again , no reason to think that Burbo can not still maintain a good , competitive level and Hart can develop to i st grade level and do well before not too long

Agree that Burbo is fine and we don't need to spend our available money upgrading him. The priority should be props and hooker. But we do need a better back up edge than Waddell.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

If the answer to this thread title really is "Jack Bird - Come on Down!", we are in trouble.

 

[Buddy Love]

Jack bird for brown... I dont know how to feel about this

 

[Ohgeez]

Jack bird for brown... I dont know how to feel about this

Brown was good for us in 2024 but didn’t do much this season & would have been down the pecking order behind Laiafi, Jake, TKO, Paseka, Lodge, Bryan, Navale, Bullemor, Moale & Hetherington in 26.

Bird at least gives injury cover for centre or back row from the bench until Schoupp is back mid way through next year. Even if he doesn’t work out it’s not like we’ll be losing much Brown gone

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

If the answer to this thread title really is "Jack Bird - Come on Down!", we are in trouble.

You were expecting Angus Crichton perhaps?
No wonder you're underwhelmed 🙂

 

[double hoops]

Seems Seibs responded to this thread with a, "Ask and you shall receive."

Someone did ask nicely and said please.

 

[eaglebuzz]

In terms of the balance of our squad the swap of Brown for Bird works well for us. Hopefully he finds that extra gear he's been missing at his last two clubs.

 

[Stewbojevic]

In terms of the balance of our squad the swap of Brown for Bird works well for us. Hopefully he finds that extra gear he's been missing at his last two clubs.

It’s a nothing trade IMO… Both broken down bodies with minimal game impact these days. At least Bird can play edge, that’s the only positive I see.

It would appear we’ve been shopping Brown around and this was the best deal we could get

 

[Cliffycomeback]

Seems Seibs responded to this thread with a, "Ask and you shall receive."

Someone did ask nicely and said please.

I think Seibs will have done a good bit of business if this deal goes through. Bird offers us so much more than Brown does.