Ryan
Journey Man
1st of all lads. Anika Jewel Winter born Anzac Day (gets public holiday on her b'day for the rest of her life !!!). She's gorgeous etc. I'm a very happy father !!!
In regards to recruitment, and the million threads about Monnas / Burns etc etc, this is what I'd do with the team:-
01. Brett Stewart - signed for a few years yet - no brainer.
02. Michael Robertson - I'd offer a two year contract. He hasn't put a foot wrong.
03. Steve Matai - Young, and a contingency in the centres for Bell when Bell retires (I would anticipate 2-3 years?). I wouldn't throw him in the backrow, because he's a great player, and will play centres for a long time to come.
04. Steven Bell - Signed until the end of 2008 - no brainer
05. Chris Hicks - I'd re-sign Hicks for an additional 2 years. I'd bring Bani along slowly, to replace Hicks in the long term. I would also give Bani a shot if any player 1 through 5 gets injured, or plays rep football.
06. Jamie Lyon - I'd actually play Jamie Lyon @ 5/8 up until Bell retires. That would mean Burns immediately plays 5/8 at that time. Burns would also get to play 5/8 when Lyon plays rep, or 1 to 5 get injured, and Dessie doesn't want to play Bani. Lyon is tied up for ages - and he's a no brainer.
07. Matt Orford - Tied up for a fair while yet - no brainer.
08. Jason King - Going great guns. I also now believe he is playing himself into rep (SOO) contention like Mata believes. He's tied up until the end of 08, so again - no worries here.
09. Matt Ballin - I'd extend his contract for another 3 years (until the end of 2011). He's a thoroughbred Hooker, and an 80 minute Hooker that adds the same amount of value minute one through minute 80. I believe Monnas may play elsewhere next year, which stinks in my opinion, because he is a handy, solid utility player - that can single handedly win matches (like Orford). I'm actually pretty dirty to be honest he's going.
10. Brent Kite - some are saying he's already re-signed until the end of 2011. If so, brilliant. Absolute leader and top gun. Taken over as my favourite player.
11. Anthony Watmough - he's a junior, he's a great player (I'm concerned about his OFF field antics to be honest), but I guess that doesn't sway me from wanting him re-signed for another 3 years. Young, damaging, and turning into a leader, as well as what appears to be a chanhe in the positive in his OFF field issues.
12. Feleti Mateo - I'd sign Mateo up to a deal for 3 years. He's very young, and very damaging, as well as confident. Cutting out his errors would make him a great player, and I'm anticipating after 50 games, that he'd be a gun - much like David Kidwell as a player. I'd also get him to bulk up muscle wise a little.
13. Glenn Stewart - He's a real improver, and may become a rep player in front of players like Gallen maybe !!! He's re-signed for another 3 years, so this is a no brainer.
14. Travis Burns - I'd have a discussion with Burns about growth as a player, and patience. I'd re-sign him for FOUR years, on a pretty lucrative offer. I personally believe that he may be the QLD Origin 5/8 after Lockyer along with Thurston at 1/2, and that may mean at a very, very long shot, he'll be the Australian 5/8 - and as soon as he meshes with these types of players, his ON field game will improve exponentially. As seen above @ 5/8, any chance at all (which will be a lot) to put him into 5/8, I would. As soon as Bell retires, Burns has a mtg on the 5/8 spot.
15. George Rose - Rose is signed for another year. No brainer. He's getting fitter and fitter, and better, and better. I'd actually try him to do a Kane Clealisk off season to lose more bulk, and gain more mobility (but not so much as to lose his impact).
16. Glenn Hall - I'd re-sign Hall for another 2 years, on around $110k per season. He's proven to me that he's more mobile than Bryant, and has more impact at the line. For this reason, I'd have him on the bench as a prop AND 2nd rower. We need to remember all second rowers from 11-13 above are 80 minute players.
17. This is the up for grabs spot. This season (mid season), I pull in Mark Bryant, Luke Williamson, Jack Afamsanga, Sione Fenefekai, Adam Cuthbertson & Jason Wells. I know they are already trying to do so, but I issue a challenge for them to prove they deserve this last spot. What this means, is a re-sign Willow for another 2 years.
This would then mean I consider:-
1. Steve Menzies - to retire
2. Michael Monghan - to be released (again - Bah Humbug !)
3. Shayne Dunley - let go (Willow to be replacement Hooker worst case scenario)
When you consider that the cap went up $700k this year, we lost Bk and Leuluai, and only replaced them with Lyon at $450 + Orford's increase in salary by $250k, you's assume we have PLENTY to hrow around.
Add that to Beaver retiring, Monaghan leaving, and Dunley playing in the ESL, and the fact were are after O'Donnell, one would assume we may be placed to make an offer to - oh - say - Mark O'Meley.
I'd then go for:-
8. King
9. Ballin
10. O'Meley
11. Watmough
12. Kite
13. Stewart
14. Burns
15. Rose
16. Hall
17. Mateo
Thanks for your time lads...
In regards to recruitment, and the million threads about Monnas / Burns etc etc, this is what I'd do with the team:-
01. Brett Stewart - signed for a few years yet - no brainer.
02. Michael Robertson - I'd offer a two year contract. He hasn't put a foot wrong.
03. Steve Matai - Young, and a contingency in the centres for Bell when Bell retires (I would anticipate 2-3 years?). I wouldn't throw him in the backrow, because he's a great player, and will play centres for a long time to come.
04. Steven Bell - Signed until the end of 2008 - no brainer
05. Chris Hicks - I'd re-sign Hicks for an additional 2 years. I'd bring Bani along slowly, to replace Hicks in the long term. I would also give Bani a shot if any player 1 through 5 gets injured, or plays rep football.
06. Jamie Lyon - I'd actually play Jamie Lyon @ 5/8 up until Bell retires. That would mean Burns immediately plays 5/8 at that time. Burns would also get to play 5/8 when Lyon plays rep, or 1 to 5 get injured, and Dessie doesn't want to play Bani. Lyon is tied up for ages - and he's a no brainer.
07. Matt Orford - Tied up for a fair while yet - no brainer.
08. Jason King - Going great guns. I also now believe he is playing himself into rep (SOO) contention like Mata believes. He's tied up until the end of 08, so again - no worries here.
09. Matt Ballin - I'd extend his contract for another 3 years (until the end of 2011). He's a thoroughbred Hooker, and an 80 minute Hooker that adds the same amount of value minute one through minute 80. I believe Monnas may play elsewhere next year, which stinks in my opinion, because he is a handy, solid utility player - that can single handedly win matches (like Orford). I'm actually pretty dirty to be honest he's going.
10. Brent Kite - some are saying he's already re-signed until the end of 2011. If so, brilliant. Absolute leader and top gun. Taken over as my favourite player.
11. Anthony Watmough - he's a junior, he's a great player (I'm concerned about his OFF field antics to be honest), but I guess that doesn't sway me from wanting him re-signed for another 3 years. Young, damaging, and turning into a leader, as well as what appears to be a chanhe in the positive in his OFF field issues.
12. Feleti Mateo - I'd sign Mateo up to a deal for 3 years. He's very young, and very damaging, as well as confident. Cutting out his errors would make him a great player, and I'm anticipating after 50 games, that he'd be a gun - much like David Kidwell as a player. I'd also get him to bulk up muscle wise a little.
13. Glenn Stewart - He's a real improver, and may become a rep player in front of players like Gallen maybe !!! He's re-signed for another 3 years, so this is a no brainer.
14. Travis Burns - I'd have a discussion with Burns about growth as a player, and patience. I'd re-sign him for FOUR years, on a pretty lucrative offer. I personally believe that he may be the QLD Origin 5/8 after Lockyer along with Thurston at 1/2, and that may mean at a very, very long shot, he'll be the Australian 5/8 - and as soon as he meshes with these types of players, his ON field game will improve exponentially. As seen above @ 5/8, any chance at all (which will be a lot) to put him into 5/8, I would. As soon as Bell retires, Burns has a mtg on the 5/8 spot.
15. George Rose - Rose is signed for another year. No brainer. He's getting fitter and fitter, and better, and better. I'd actually try him to do a Kane Clealisk off season to lose more bulk, and gain more mobility (but not so much as to lose his impact).
16. Glenn Hall - I'd re-sign Hall for another 2 years, on around $110k per season. He's proven to me that he's more mobile than Bryant, and has more impact at the line. For this reason, I'd have him on the bench as a prop AND 2nd rower. We need to remember all second rowers from 11-13 above are 80 minute players.
17. This is the up for grabs spot. This season (mid season), I pull in Mark Bryant, Luke Williamson, Jack Afamsanga, Sione Fenefekai, Adam Cuthbertson & Jason Wells. I know they are already trying to do so, but I issue a challenge for them to prove they deserve this last spot. What this means, is a re-sign Willow for another 2 years.
This would then mean I consider:-
1. Steve Menzies - to retire
2. Michael Monghan - to be released (again - Bah Humbug !)
3. Shayne Dunley - let go (Willow to be replacement Hooker worst case scenario)
When you consider that the cap went up $700k this year, we lost Bk and Leuluai, and only replaced them with Lyon at $450 + Orford's increase in salary by $250k, you's assume we have PLENTY to hrow around.
Add that to Beaver retiring, Monaghan leaving, and Dunley playing in the ESL, and the fact were are after O'Donnell, one would assume we may be placed to make an offer to - oh - say - Mark O'Meley.
I'd then go for:-
8. King
9. Ballin
10. O'Meley
11. Watmough
12. Kite
13. Stewart
14. Burns
15. Rose
16. Hall
17. Mateo
Thanks for your time lads...
. Glad both Mum and Bub came through it well.
