The " Back up Plan"

[Mark from Brisbane]

Let's assume if the pundits are correct that neither of this years halves are with us in 2016.

Big Willie is probably in his last year, Mateo is on a one year deal and we have a few off contract ourselves .

Potentially that's about 2.5 Million in cap spare, now that's some serious shopping.

Some of the big names are gone already ( Merrin as an example) but there's lots more out there.

Personally I believe we have to keep and develop some of the young guys, Gutho ( such bad news for 2015), the Turbo kids and no doubt a few more but we will get smashed off the park in 2016 if we continue buying just " journeymen" to fill in gaps and not give the kids time to develop without a heap of pressure.

From the list available ( @Ryan maybe you can repost ), and our current players how about we have a go at assembling a decent 2016 team that will be competitive but with an eye to building for a Premiership tilt within 3-4 years.

 

[Snake]

I would like us to purchase a couple of front-rowers, and a half. It's stating the obvious, but we really need Foran to re-sign as the talent off contract next year is not flattering.

Give me Tom Burgess, JWH, Dylan Napa or Darcy Lussick
Maybe Sika Manu for aggression.
Throw in Elgey or Sezer (not both please; we are not the Manly Titans).

A team like this could compete for a premiership.

Snake
Tom T
Hiku
Matai
Taufua

Lyon
Foran

Tom Burgess
Ballin
Dylan Napa
Buhrer
Symonds
Lui

Starling
JSL
Lawrence
Hodges

I strongly believe you cannot overemphasise just how important it is to win the battle in the middle in the opening 20 minutes. Most games are won and lost in the first 20 when the tempo is set and ruck dominance is established; it has a bearing on how the referees interpret the ruck as well. I watched the Melbourne/Saints game last night, and the Storm forwards dominated the ruck and the referees let them slow the play-the-ball down all match, because a precedent had been set early on.

 

[lsz]

Napa signed another deal with the rooters

 

[lurker]

I would like us to purchase a couple of front-rowers, and a half. It's stating the obvious, but we really need Foran to re-sign as the talent off contract next year is not flattering.

Give me Tom Burgess, JWH, Dylan Napa or Darcy Lussick
Maybe Sika Manu for aggression.
Throw in Elgey or Sezer (not both please; we are not the Manly Titans).

A team like this could compete for a premiership.

Snake
Tom T
Hiku
Matai
Taufua

Lyon
Foran

Tom Burgess
Ballin
Dylan Napa
Buhrer
Symonds
Lui

Starling
JSL
Lawrence
Hodges

I strongly believe you cannot overemphasise just how important it is to win the battle in the middle in the opening 20 minutes. Most games are won and lost in the first 20 when the tempo is set and ruck dominance is established; it has a bearing on how the referees interpret the ruck as well. I watched the Melbourne/Saints game last night, and the Storm forwards dominated the ruck and the referees let them slow the play-the-ball down all match, because a precedent had been set early on.

Agree. That was such a badly reffed game. It's like they let melbourne play the old rules

 

[Mavin]

Mateo is on a 2 year deal sadly.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

All of those are off contract as well @Snake .

Id be surprised if the recruitment team, which I understand to be Dave Warwick, Steve Gigg, Geoff Toovey and one board member (not sure which one) wouldn't be sitting down with that exact scenario right now.

Its certainly a rebuild BUT all isn't lost.......I sincerely hope that what the club does is IF Fozzie goes they get into the market and go hard right now, make a few announcements of their own, cheers the fans and sponsors up AND make sure the other clubs / fans and the No Real Leadership know that we are NOT going to roll over and go away.

 

[the mauler]

Mateo is on a 2 year deal sadly.

A bit harsh. He's only played 1 game.

 

[the mauler]

Id target Burgess twins and Darcy Lussick. We need size and aggression.

 

[Mavin]

A bit harsh. He's only played 1 game.

Watched him at Parra and the warriors and he has had 1 good season. He was worth a punt for 1 year and if he played well offer him another. it's not like we had competition 2 sign him

 

[Snake]

Id target Burgess twins and Darcy Lussick. We need size and aggression.

Absolutely.

I don't think we should discount the Manly culture either, which extends beyond the current set up, and means we will rise above teams with better players on paper. We just need a better frontrow rotation (because let's face it, that's where the game is won and lost more often than not) and we can be a force again.

 

[Mavin]

Id target Burgess twins and Darcy Lussick. We need size and aggression.

Also Pauli Pauli from the eels

 

[mickqld]

Buying won't work. Our decade of success was built on development whilst adding a couple of top liners. Kennedy, Kite Lyon, Orford, Bell. It's going to need a plan in place to develop over the next couple of years. Do we actually have a plan ?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Please consider we would need TWO halves and not just a monster pack.

I think Sezer might be one (and apparently wants to come to Sydney), I don't get to watch the NSW Cup up here so what about those guys, any future stars down there other than the two Turbo kids??

 

[tookey]

Mateo is on a 2 year deal sadly.

We will happily grant him an early release. He will go well at the titans

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Buying won't work. Our decade of success was built on development whilst adding a couple of top liners. Kennedy, Kite Lyon, Orford, Bell. It's going to need a plan in place to develop over the next couple of years. Do we actually have a plan ?

Probably not Mick but we sure as hell need one!!

We certainly need a forward leader, such as Kite when he came, and if both halves go (which I expect) then that leaves a gaping hole

 

[lurker]

Buying won't work. Our decade of success was built on development whilst adding a couple of top liners. Kennedy, Kite Lyon, Orford, Bell. It's going to need a plan in place to develop over the next couple of years. Do we actually have a plan ?

Mick we bought then developed. Not many were juniors

 

[Mavin]

Buying won't work. Our decade of success was built on development whilst adding a couple of top liners. Kennedy, Kite Lyon, Orford, Bell. It's going to need a plan in place to develop over the next couple of years. Do we actually have a plan ?

I'm sorry but that is incorrect our 2008 team had 12 out of the 17 players. who I would consider were developed by other clubs I'm not saying anything is wrong with that but targeted recruitment is needed and it is something we have slipped up on in the past few seasons. I'll name the players. M Robertson (can) S Bell (qld Storm) S Matai (NZ) D Williams (eels) J Lyon (eels) B Kite (can) J Perry (new) G Hall (cant) H L'Estrange (eels) M Bryant (can) also Ballin and Orford could be included. Yes we added the polish but it is wrong 2 suggest we developed them. It was wonderful targeted recruiting as a lot of those players were cheap but delivered great stuff.

 

[the mauler]

Please consider we would need TWO halves and not just a monster pack.

I think Sezer might be one (and apparently wants to come to Sydney), I don't get to watch the NSW Cup up here so what about those guys, any future stars down there other than the two Turbo kids??

I wouldn't mind just having a monster pack and bashing teams. I'm sick of our pack getting belted.

 

[StuBoot]

I'm sorry but that is incorrect our 2008 team had 12 out of the 17 players. who I would consider were developed by other clubs I'm not saying anything is wrong with that but targeted recruitment is needed and it is something we have slipped up on in the past few seasons. I'll name the players. M Robertson (can) S Bell (qld Storm) S Matai (NZ) D Williams (eels) J Lyon (eels) B Kite (can) J Perry (new) G Hall (cant) H L'Estrange (eels) M Bryant (can) also Ballin and Orford could be included. Yes we added the polish but it is wrong 2 suggest we developed them. It was wonderful targeted recruiting as a lot of those players were cheap but delivered great stuff.

I beg to differ,
Robbo was a nobody at Canberra
Matai came from Q Cup as a youngster
Wolfie was a nobody at Parra
Hall & Stranger were journeymen at best ( and kind of still are )
Bryant was a nobody
Ballin came from Q Cup I think ( not rated by the Broncs)
Orford was a Central Coast junior during the Beagles days that we let go to get Kimmorley and then got him back at three times the $$ that he left on.

Targeted recruiting v development
I'd say we developed 6 out of those 8 ( and put the polish on Hall and Stranger )

 

[Mavin]

I beg to differ,
Robbo was a nobody at Canberra
Matai came from Q Cup as a youngster
Wolfie was a nobody at Parra
Hall & Stranger were journeymen at best ( and kind of still are )
Bryant was a nobody
Ballin came from Q Cup I think ( not rated by the Broncs)
Orford was a Central Coast junior during the Beagles days that we let go to get Kimmorley and then got him back at three times the $$ that he left on.

Targeted recruiting v development
I'd say we developed 6 out of those 8 ( and put the polish on Hall and Stranger )

I agree they were nobody's but they were still developed by them not us. It's a bit like saying the roosters developed JWH they didn't we did.