Recruit options - Big & Small ??

[Bearfax]

Bevan French is the speed we don't have in the backline. Not sure the Oates gamble is worth it though.

Im not real sure who is available for up front but a no frills tough ****er with a heap of energy is what i would like to see.

Maybe an Ethan Lowe or similar. There arent manly big name forwards off contract.

We have the speed in the backline. As well as Turbo and Walker we have Tom Wright and Anderson. But we're not using the latter two are we, at least not in the appropriate spot at this stage for one of them. As usual Barrett likes safe and slow. .

 

[KNUCKLES]

This Corey Oates can bust defensive lines more than most and is a little quicker in the open than I gave him credit for....personally like him on the wing - this backrow spot he wants is a different workrate and unsure on tackling and making good defensive reads 3 & 4 off the ruck.
At the right price would have him on the wing which a spot is 10% needed.

French wants out at Eels and forget his lacklustre 2018 - can score a try and has massive speed.
Depending on the price a consideration also...will cop flack, but after he hits 15 tries the fans would be happy to have that bloke who gets into space and does the road runner....

Also be great to land another forward - maybe vulture the struggling Dogs with either a Klemmer/Jackson would be nice.....heck I'd take that young backrower who kicks goals for them too!!

Hard knowing the cap situation and what can be spent, but being realistic - who are the best targets ?

French wants out for a fullback position. Od rather gutho

 

[KNUCKLES]

The way I see it our team before we start getting into fringe players and potential is below (with Taufua needing to step it up)

1. Trbojevic
2. Taufua
3. Kelly
4. Walker
5.
6.
7. DCE
8. AFB
9. Api
10. Taupau
11. Thompson
12. Sironen
13. Trbojevic

14. Fainu
15. Paseka
16.
17.

Now if we take https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/players/off-contract-2018/ as the off contract list

Brown, Aku, Lane, J Wright will definitely be gone, Croker I could have been happy for depth but we have Hodko for another year so he can go. Maybe shop Winterstein around too

I assume money is tight so I see some decent options as

Ryley Jacks
Jarome Luai
Ken Maumalo
Jake Mamo (on the cheap)
Alex Walmsley (probably too expensive)

Not much in the way of forwards

A team I'd love to see

1. Trbojevic
2. Taufua
3. Kelly
4. Walker
5.Maumalo
6.Luai/Jacks
7. DCE
8. Walmsley
9. Api
10. Taupau
11. Thompson
12. Sironen
13. Trbojevic

14. Fainu
15. AFB
16.Paseka
17.Haumole Olakau’atu (what is going on with him....looked great in Holden cup last year)

Hodko, M Wright, T Wright, Suli, Anderson, Cust, Parker (backrow) Gosie, Siply, Tanginoa, Perrett and a few other forwards for depth

We need a speedy winger good under the high ball. Tupou would be my pick

 

[Top End Eagle]

I don’t think we need another prop. Chances are the interchange will drop to 6 next year - meaning backrowers who can play good minutes and play in the middle will be of great value. Regardless, I think our props are very good and we have enough depth there.

We need a quality backrower and a 5/8th. Walker back to centre, Suli at wing provided he gets fit and can get back some of that speed he showed a year or two ago, otherwise keep Taufua.

Anderson to be promoted to the other wing.

New coaching staff and a quality replacement for Ferris from a high performing team (throw the extra money in to entice them over).

Release / don’t renew Siro, possibly Taufua, Croker, Brown, Matt Wright and Winterstein

I’d like the goal kicking backrower from the Dogs.

Interchange is not dropping unfortunately. Amone needs a shot. Would be tempted to lure heighington out of retirement.

 

[Top End Eagle]

We have the speed in the backline. As well as Turbo and Walker we have Tom Wright and Anderson. But we're not using the latter two are we, at least not in the appropriate spot at this stage for one of them. As usual Barrett likes safe and slow. .

We use our centres like forwards and our second towers like centres. Worked last year but everyone has worked that **** out now. Why am I back on here. I gave myself a ban. Too many NT public holidays.

 

[bob dylan]

Corey Norman is our 5/8th fix. Brad Arthur hates him, he is moving on from the Eels.

Pushes Walker to the centres permanently.

 

[Tomay]

Yes yes tigers we should go for nofoluma hes a gun. Who else you talking about?

Masters is going to be an absolute gun. Thompson is no-frills and reliable.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Corey Norman is our 5/8th fix. Brad Arthur hates him, he is moving on from the Eels.

Pushes Walker to the centres permanently.

I agree. Would be ideal, plays the dominant play making role and has a great kicking game. Walker and Kelly in the centres. Siro returning to the back row and the side looks way stronger. Tom wright on the bench as a utility. Hopefully anderson gets a crack at a wing spot, he has the goods from the games i have watched blacktown play.

 

[Eagleman]

With Nth Qld chasing Valentine Holmes for the fullback position what about Lahlan Coote to fullback(good positional play, safe under the high ball, good passing Game) and move Tom T to the centres. Although that would mean Kelly or Walker into the halves which isn't ideal.

 

[Holmsey]

With Nth Qld chasing Valentine Holmes for the fullback position what about Lahlan Coote to fullback(good positional play, safe under the high ball, good passing Game) and move Tom T to the centres. Although that would mean Kelly or Walker into the halves which isn't ideal.

Tom is fine at fullback and we have two great centre's plus Coote is pretty much done, he has lost all he had back when he was playing his best. He is a quarter of that player or less now.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Whilst I rate Corey Norman a good half I do not consider him a player worthy of a large chunk of our salary cap. His lifestyle choices make a large financial investment a risk. However the way that Walters used DCE in origin III confirms my belief that we need another dangerous half to manage our left hand side attack. Corey Norman is a dangerous when he is on. Kane Edgely is a talented half but not in Corey Norman's class. It's a question of dollars really.

 

[Budgie]

Corey Norman is our 5/8th fix. Brad Arthur hates him, he is moving on from the Eels.

Pushes Walker to the centres permanently.

Just heard him on radio. He wants to go to a team with a shot at finals. Hard to believe, after all these years of finals contention, that that won't be us.

 

[eaglebuzz]

He'll go back to the Broncos. Their halves are a mess and they will pump up his contract with Thoroughbreds TPAs.

 

[Disco]

Just heard him on radio. He wants to go to a team with a shot at finals. Hard to believe, after all these years of finals contention, that that won't be us.

I don't necessarily agree, things change quickly in the NRL,

Souths finished 12th last year, change of coach and philosophy and they are 2nd

Dragons made a key signing or two and have gone from missing the 8 to top 4

Warriors have gone from 13th to the 8

Cowboys grand finalists to 15th

We have the bones of a good squad, we need work absolutely, coaching and game plan, I think so, some smart recruitment sure but mainly in my opinion in the mental side of our game, players lack confidence and are second guessing themselves........I see it most in two of our biggest stars in Turbo and DCE.

Jack Gibson said "talent is secondary to whether players are confident"

We can bounce back to the finals next year (not saying we will) just need the pieces to come together

 

[double hoops]

I'd be happy just to get some of our junior stars back and build.

Luke Garner
Jesse Martin
Billy Bainbridge
Mickael Chee Kam
Clint Gutherson

Outside of that these guys are all unsigned who are worth giving a go.


Sauaso Sue
Sitaleki Akauola
Shaun Nona
Greg Eastwood
Justin Olam
Billy Walters
Javid Bowen
Peni Terepo
Eloni Vunakece

 

[Supreme Leader]

I'd be happy with French, at fullback. He is a great attacking player. Not so good in defence.
He is a try scorer and has the pace a backline player needs.
Unless I'm wrong Suli has scored just one try for us in First Grade, and that was from five metres out. That's not good enough for a centre who should be one of the top try scorers in a team.

Are you suggesting swapping Turbo to wing or outside centre? The problem with plan is that the new fullback needs to be defensively great. French I'm unsure about the defense

 

[bob dylan]

Just heard him on radio. He wants to go to a team with a shot at finals. Hard to believe, after all these years of finals contention, that that won't be us.

Makes me wonder why he was talking to the Titans then.

 

[The Who]

Are you suggesting swapping Turbo to wing or outside centre? The problem with plan is that the new fullback needs to be defensively great. French I'm unsure about the defense

I'd have Turbo in the centre with Kelly, Tom Wright on one wing. I'd persist with Walker at 5/8. Our performances are better with him in that position.
I agree that French is suspect defensively, but so many on here tar Turbojet with that same brush.
I'd be banking on French adding more points than he leaks.

 

[madmax]

I'd have Turbo in the centre with Kelly, Tom Wright on one wing. I'd persist with Walker at 5/8. Our performances are better with him in that position.
I agree that French is suspect defensively, but so many on here tar Turbojet with that same brush.
I'd be banking on French adding more points than he leaks.

We have our own speedster & better defender in Jade Anderson.....& he can play fullback if required. Don't understand why we are buying when we have our own!

 

[manly al]

Definitely think that back line positions are sufficiently covered with existing players and even with guys like Fanu making progress and even with Hodko and Croker in reggies as half"s depth . Just trying to compensate for the loss of Lane .. Hopefully a fit Sirro and Tanga maybe a more match fit Sipley but someone with a good work rate and ability and some skills.

 

[Not Paul Kent]

Alex Walmsley - Plod Myles
Zac Hardaker - Uate (fullback cover and wing)
Joel Moon - Jono Wright (backline depth)
Bryce Cartwright - Poo Brown (potential to be great)
Suaso Sue - Shaun Lane
Kane Elgey - Lachlan Croker
Reuben Garrick - Tevita Funa
Jamie Buhrer - Frank Winterstein
Jade Anderson - Brad Parker
Tom Amone - Lloyd Perrett

 

[The Who]

We have our own speedster & better defender in Jade Anderson.....& he can play fullback if required. Don't understand why we are buying when we have our own!

That is true; Anderson is reasonably promising. But from what I've seen of him he is not a stand-out in reserve grade. On paper our Workers team looks impressive but they have been very disappointing.
I'm ambivalent to recruiting French; I just want to see our backline with more pace and spark like our backline of yesteryear.
I can't imagine there are many clubs who would guarantee French the fullback spot in First Grade, including us. Perhaps the Dogs with Hopoate moving to the centres, or the Tigers. He is not that good to be dictating where he wants to play. But he does have an X-factor which we don't currently have.