Some Help please:-

[Ryan]

1. Will George Rose be right for round 1 next year? (Douggie will probably be the best to answer I guess).
2. If not, how long does that disastrous break take to fully heal?
3. WILL it ever fully heal?

4. Steve Matai. Should he be playing AT ALL with bulging discs? Surely there's a duty of care to not allow this to happen? I might be wrong, but that's like playing roulette with the spine is it not?

5. Now that Jesters Pies has commited, what do people HONESTLY feel about his signature.

6. You look at out prop / backrow depth for next year, and the new under 20's comp. Surely we have to let players go from this point. Who do we think that may be?

 

[Corso_Pete]

4. Steve Matai. Should he be playing AT ALL with bulging discs? Surely there's a duty of care to not allow this to happen? I might be wrong, but that's like playing roulette with the spine is it not?

He was examined on the field last Sunday by Dr Bloomfield and presumably a thorough examination at halftime. Unless you are doubting his credentials than I think it is safe to say that he was not at risk of further injury

5. Now that Jesters Pies has committed, what do people HONESTLY feel about his signature.

You can never have too many front row forwards, particularly those who have a proven track history

6. You look at out prop / backrow depth for next year, and the new under 20's comp. Surely we have to let players go from this point. Who do we think that may be?

The U20's comp is a joke. I am surprised that supporters have been so quite about it. I doubt it will last 2 years.

 

[willstyles]

1. Will George Rose be right for round 1 next year? (Douggie will probably be the best to answer I guess).
2. If not, how long does that disastrous break take to fully heal?
3. WILL it ever fully heal?

4. Steve Matai. Should he be playing AT ALL with bulging discs? Surely there's a duty of care to not allow this to happen? I might be wrong, but that's like playing roulette with the spine is it not?

5. Now that Jesters Pies has commited, what do people HONESTLY feel about his signature.

6. You look at out prop / backrow depth for next year, and the new under 20's comp. Surely we have to let players go from this point. Who do we think that may be?

1/2/3. Rose will in no way shape or form by ready for round 1 next year. Zero chance. Isn't the usual recovery time for a broken leg roughly a year? And that's just to get to the point where you can do full training and that sort of thing. In George's situation he's going to be giant by the time he starts training again. I'm almost prepared to write 2008 off for the big man. He won't be doing full training until mid-year (going by the 'one year' theory), so that will basically be when he is starting his pre-season. His weight issue will really hold him back in this case.

4. No idea. There are a number of players in the NRL with bulging discs in their necks and backs. It doesn't sound safe to me, but the players play through a lot of dangerous injuries. As Pete says, he got cleared by the docs, so I'll have to go with their judgement on this one. Mind you he won't be playing for a number of weeks from the sound of things.

5. Perry is a fat tub of potential. He can make 5 great runs in a game, but that will be all he does. If Manly can lift his workrate to the point where he makes 15 good runs a game then he'll go far. I'm not holding my breath, but I wouldn't be surprised if he comes off as a very good signing. It'll take a lot of inspiring performances from him to change my opinion of him however.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

No idea on 1,2 3, but all the best to Rose, hope he makes a good return

4, will leave that in the Docs hands

5, I think it is a great signing. Don't give a **** about his weight at all, i am not into all the front rowers having to have this athletic bulid. I also think that BK's opinion would have been asked and he must have endorsed Perry, so that is good enough for me.

6, I agree with Pete, this under 20s thing is a stupid. Would rather see a full reserve grade under the NRL than this under 20 rubbish, which is being marketed as 2nd tier but for me should be 3rd behind NRL and PL

 

[Jatz Crackers]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Perry will be very good for us. especially in the first year. My only doubt about him will be when he is faced with his second off/on season with us, will his desire burn as brightly.

 

[willstyles]

5, I think it is a great signing. Don't give a **** about his weight at all, i am not into all the front rowers having to have this athletic bulid. I also think that BK's opinion would have been asked and he must have endorsed Perry, so that is good enough for me.

I'm not trying to say that he has to get the same physique as Kite, Mason or Ryles. But he has to manage his fitness to the point where he can have an effective workrate. I dont think he has that at the Knights.

As for the under 20s comp thing, I just got an email about the comp that will be replacing Premier League.

It's an"open-age" comp, it already has ten teams signed up (Manly, Auckland, Newtown, Dogs, Cronulla, Norths, Balmain, Wests, Central Coast Storm and Windsor - who are the Panthers PL team).

Newcastle, Parra and Saints are still working out what to do (I think Parra are going to try and get one of the Jim Beam Cup teams in a joint arrangement, like Penrith are doing with Windsor).

 

[Garts]

So effectively there will still be PL, no change really.

 

[willstyles]

That's what I thought? Seems a bit bizarre.

PL appears to have been replaced by a comp that seems really similar, and Flegg (under21s) has been replaced by an under 20s comp.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Fair enough on Perry, wait and see time i guess

It is bizarre, i guess that they want a 2nd comp that comprises all the NRL sides. A good old fashioned reserve grade would have been better imo
On game day i guess that the Open Age will play 1st, the 20s 2nd and NRL 3rd, for me it should be the 20s 1st.

 

[jamesie]

The new U20's is really just a rebadged Jersey Flegg comp marketed for Foxtel puposes.

They had to have something between NRL and U20's, the jump is too big.

 

[Guest]

4. Steve Matai. Should he be playing AT ALL with bulging discs? Surely there's a duty of care to not allow this to happen? I might be wrong, but that's like playing roulette with the spine is it not?

5. Now that Jesters Pies has commited, what do people HONESTLY feel about his signature.

It might be a blessing in disguise for us if Mattai is out for a few weeks. If I was dessie I would put Beaver at 5/8 (especially against Carroll this week) ands Lyon to left centre. This is a better backline.

Obvciously the club loves a challenge in regard to its front rowers. We turned Rose almost into a footballer this year and look what miracle the club did to princess.

Obviously they see jester as the ultimate challenge. Turning a fat lazy spongecake into a front rower. If we can do it then we could have a good front rower on our hands. If not then we will need to reinforce our bench for next year.

 

[Canteen Worker]

I am not a doctor but the issue for a long injury break like Rose's is that there is wastage of muscle and the rehab is long and slow. Who knows what nerve and blood vessel damage he took in that bad break. Eventually his leg will be stronger than every but he has some hard work and physio, training ahead of him. He may surprise as Drs are generally conservative with this sort of injury.

It is hard to know with Matai - however the Docs will not let him do anything that might impact on his long term future.

As for Under 20 comp this is a money saving measure - based on incorrect assumptions re the pathway to first grade.

A big problem at the moment is that we have a media company running the game and clubs themselves have too much say. There needs to be an independent steering committee to plot the direction of the game.

At the moment it is like letting alchoholics run the beer factory, thieves run the prison or psychos run the looney bin.

 

[weneedacement]

can someone remind me why we re-signed matai?

 

[Corso_Pete]

It is my recollection that there will be only 2 matches next season, the U20's & the NRL with the PL or whatever it will be called to be played at other venues.

I simply do not understand the need for an U/20 comp, isn't that what Jersey Flegg really is in any case?

 

[clontaago]

All depends on the individual Rhino.

Nathan Brown (Richmond AFL player) and Djibrell Cisse (Soccer) are 2 good examples.

Cisse's break was so bad that the doctors actually considered amputating his leg. 8 months later he played in the Champions league final for Liverpool. Absolutely remarkable recovery.

Nathan Brown, was one of the better players in the AFL, probably top 5, when he broke his leg in 2 places, he has never been the same since. He has also had a lot of related injuries since his return.

As others have stated, Rose's weight will not help at all.