What’s your Signings preference

[manlyfan76]

You are certainly entitled to your opinion but I respectfully disagree.

Melbourne have debunked this theory for years now. When you have a good spine, the rest just falls into place. Forwards are just pawns in the game now. They are big bodies that are required to simply take the 3-4th and sometimes 5th hit up in a set after the modern winger has got a roll on in the first two rucks the set.

When you have good spine, you win the big games based on game management. Your hooker gets your forwards over the ad-line (a la Cameron Smith), your halves use backrowers on the edge to get the defence nervous and the fullback is your second option in attack. The halves guide the team around the park and tell the forwards what to do.

Felise Kaufusi is a classic example of how a good spine can make a backrower look like a world beater. He was a nobody before he started running off Cronk. Bryan Norrie was a career nobody before he started running off Cameron Smith.

The Dogs struggled because their spine was rubbish and a player like Klemmer looked like a reserve grader.

Sign Piss and move Green on. Green is adequate but Piss can take our left side to another level. He puts players into space on the edges, takes the line on, plays fast and direct, and knows how to lead a team around the park.

Of course a player like Thompson wouldn't hurt on the edges, but Pearce will transform our team more so than any forward could.

Dogs were rubbish because they were coached poorly with poor structure and players not knowing their roll ( a lot of their players have said as much)
While the storm forwards may not all be future immortals they all did their role with close to perfection. Quick play the balls, running the right lines at the right time and getting the ball to the part of the field that smith and co need it. Defensivley they slow teams down and choke them with defence.
Hard to do that without good forwards who know their roll, can do their roll and are good at doing it. Even more they own their roll. If they dont do that cronk aint going to win a game for you.
But even with the storm under the right pressure they can be rattled.

 

[KNUCKLES]

If I could choose 1 player to come to manly it would have to be Sam burgess he and taupau would be an awesome combo and he can cover lock for Jake come origin and with afb off the bench

how bout this pack. tough as nails
8.taupau
9.mccolough
10.burgess
11.tapine
12.mau
13.trbojevic

 

[Snake]

Dogs were rubbish because they were coached poorly with poor structure and players not knowing their roll ( a lot of their players have said as much)
While the storm forwards may not all be future immortals they all did their role with close to perfection. Quick play the balls, running the right lines at the right time and getting the ball to the part of the field that smith and co need it. Defensivley they slow teams down and choke them with defence.
Hard to do that without good forwards who know their roll, can do their roll and are good at doing it. Even more they own their roll.
But even with the storm under the right pressure they can be rattled.

Parramatta rattled the Storm in that semi-final and their forwards got on top but the Storm big 3 stayed composed and got them over the line.

Jason Taumalolo is the best forward in the world and he couldn't do much in that GF other than run hard at the opposition...Smith, Slater and to a lesser extent, Cronk, were the stand out players in that game.

Anyway, I am not saying that I am right and you are wrong, it's just one man's opinion. I guess the best teams are the ones with a great spine AND great forwards. Maybe it comes down to a value judgement that our spine is already good enough and we just need to add some better forwards for it to really shine?!

 

[manlyfan76]

Parramatta rattled the Storm in that semi-final and their forwards got on top but the Storm big 3 stayed composed and got them over the line.

Jason Taumalolo is the best forward in the world and he couldn't do much in that GF other than run hard at the opposition...Smith, Slater and to a lesser extent, Cronk, were the stand out players in that game.

Anyway, I am not saying that I am right and you are wrong, it's just one man's opinion. I guess the best teams are the ones with a great spine AND great forwards. Maybe it comes down to a value judgement that our spine is already good enough and we just need to add some better forwards for it to really shine?!

I suppose my point is that a well drilled team ( forwards) esp Melb. Are so good at sticking to their roles that even if they have are getting beaten, badly, they know that it will work out for them. Stick to the system and the Smiths and slaters will convert the opportunities.
With lesser forwards i cant see melb winning so much. I once heard a player say bellamy hires you for attitude and coaches the skills.

 

[mave]

Signings preference: blue chip
Not signings preference: potato chip

 

[The Eagle Eye]

how bout this pack. tough as nails
8.taupau
9.mccolough
10.burgess
11.tapine
12.mau
13.trbojevic

We're not the Roosters bud but that is a strong forward pack.

 

[madmax]

BUY

Angus Crichton
Gideon-gela-mosby
Nathan Brown

SELL

Frank Winterstein
Sean Lane ( would like to keep)
Jonathan wright
Lewis Brown
Akuila Uate




That's my Christmas list

Over to you Mr Penn!!

Why get rid of Uate? One of our better players throughout the year!!!

 

[Simonmyers11]

You are certainly entitled to your opinion but I respectfully disagree.

Melbourne have debunked this theory for years now. When you have a good spine, the rest just falls into place. Forwards are just pawns in the game now. They are big bodies that are required to simply take the 3-4th and sometimes 5th hit up in a set after the modern winger has got a roll on in the first two rucks the set.

When you have good spine, you win the big games based on game management. Your hooker gets your forwards over the ad-line (a la Cameron Smith), your halves use backrowers on the edge to get the defence nervous and the fullback is your second option in attack. The halves guide the team around the park and tell the forwards what to do.

Felise Kaufusi is a classic example of how a good spine can make a backrower look like a world beater. He was a nobody before he started running off Cronk. Bryan Norrie was a career nobody before he started running off Cameron Smith.

The Dogs struggled because their spine was rubbish and a player like Klemmer looked like a reserve grader.

Sign Piss and move Green on. Green is adequate but Piss can take our left side to another level. He puts players into space on the edges, takes the line on, plays fast and direct, and knows how to lead a team around the park.

Of course a player like Thompson wouldn't hurt on the edges, but Pearce will transform our team more so than any forward could.

Have to disagree with you there big time snake.

For mine, storm had the best pack and bench in the nrl. They are defensively perfect, run perfect lines, wrestle and make plenty of meters. Bromwich brothers, Dale Finucane, Glasby, Tohu Harris, Jordan Mclean, Nelson Asofa Nelson etc. No weak players.

I know what your saying about pierce, but look at the semi final against the cows. Roosters were overwhelming favourites and keary and pierce couldn't do a thing as the big strong cows forwards ran over them, napa was useless.

Green and DCE had a great year, we scored points but edge back rowers were lacking, and needed another couple of real quality rep forwards to get us being a consistent top 4 side imo.

 

[ShakeySeaEagle]

Ideally a great goal kicker (probably a 5/8) and a hole running second rower.
A centre/winger, someone in the mould of a Hiku, who can fill most spots in the outside backs other than Matt Wright.

 

[Snake]

Have to disagree with you there big time snake.

For mine, storm had the best pack and bench in the nrl. They are defensively perfect, run perfect lines, wrestle and make plenty of meters. Bromwich brothers, Dale Finucane, Glasby, Tohu Harris, Jordan Mclean, Nelson Asofa Nelson etc. No weak players.

I know what your saying about pierce, but look at the semi final against the cows. Roosters were overwhelming favourites and keary and pierce couldn't do a thing as the big strong cows forwards ran over them, napa was useless.

Green and DCE had a great year, we scored points but edge back rowers were lacking, and needed another couple of real quality rep forwards to get us being a consistent top 4 side imo.

Glasby, Harris and McClean are some serious no frills footballers who would struggle outside the Storm system.

Look at how good Proctor (who was arguably the best edge runner in the competition two year ago) performed at the Titans this year! My point is the Storm's pack were the best in competition because of the systems and the key players around them. On paper, the don't look that formidable, but they are because of how and where they are used by the likes of Smith and Cronk.

I will again use the Bryan Norrie example. He was a journeyman and career reserve grader before winning a competition with Melbourne and rising to heights never expected of him.

I think the $$$ value placed on the players in the spine is also an indicator of their inflated importance over the likes of props and backrowers who earn 300-600k less per year.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Slothfield ( answering someone) just said “ Crichton to Souths, Roosters or Sharks”.

So count him out as well!!

Looks like Croker is the man!

 

[manlyfan76]

Glasby, Harris and McClean are some serious no frills footballers who would struggle outside the Storm system.

Look at how good Proctor (who was arguably the best edge runner in the competition two year ago) performed at the Titans this year! My point is the Storm's pack were the best in competition because of the systems and the key players around them. On paper, the don't look that formidable, but they are because of how and where they are used by the likes of Smith and Cronk.

I will again use the Bryan Norrie example. He was a journeyman and career reserve grader before winning a competition with Melbourne and rising to heights never expected of him.

I think the $$$ value placed on the players in the spine is also an indicator of their inflated importance over the likes of props and backrowers who earn 300-600k less per year.

$$$ is arbitrary. This is a good read:
https://www.booktopia.com.au/legacy-james-kerr/prod9781472103536.html

 

[Holmsey]

Id love Pearce this year but I think its unlikely. Next year though we should make some big plays for big names.

My preference would be Lowe (Hole running backrower and top goal kicker), May (Big running Five-Eight with a clever kicking game and ability to take a load off the halfbacks shoulders) and either Liu or Kikau for the front row.

 

[Snake]

$$$ is arbitrary. This is a good read:
https://www.booktopia.com.au/legacy-james-kerr/prod9781472103536.html

I'm sticking solid with my opinion...

I don't know many (if any) coaches and experts that place a greater emphasis on anything more so than their spine...that's why it's called a spine; it's the basis for everything else. Get the spine right and fill in the blanks around it...not the other way around.

 

[manlyfan76]

I'm sticking solid with my opinion...

I don't know many (if any) coaches and experts that place a greater emphasis on anything more so than their spine...that's why it's called a spine; it's the basis for everything else. Get the spine right and fill in the blanks around it...not the other way around.

I'm sticking solid with my opinion...

I don't know many (if any) coaches and experts that place a greater emphasis on anything more so than their spine...that's why it's called a spine; it's the basis for everything else. Get the spine right and fill in the blanks around it...not the other way around.

Fair enough, but in my opinion it's the forwards who do the bulk of the defence, and make the tuff meters that open up for the spine. Without good forwards ( organs and muscle) the spine isnt much.

 

[manlyfan76]

Fair enough, but in my opinion it's the forwards who do the bulk of the defence, and make the tuff meters that open up for the spine. Without good forwards ( organs and muscle) the spine isnt much.View attachment 6956

P.s. It is a really good book.

 

[Dan]

My preference is a black pen, but on occasions I would also use a blue one

 

[Kevinward777]

Pearce and Thompson would be very nice.

 

[Bearfax]

Pearce and Thompson would be very nice.

That's all we need. The young players coming through will meet the rest of our needs.

 

[wescliffy]

And Nappa,
Pierce and Nappa might come as a pair like DCE and Myles