He won't be coming for bus fare
Not sure where it leaves Simm and Batchelor.
Just don't understand the logic of Hurrell especially alongside Hopoate and Sironen who are both gambles for different reasons.
Are three big signings have question marks over form/heart , injury and weight respectively .
This recruitment will go down as either inspired or be a car crash of hohaia Perry and LaFrank proportions.
One gamble signing in an off-season is one thing. Saints have gone all in on longshots
Wait and see.
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I mean I am not sure how many teams would consider NRL regulars as longshots...
Your concerns seem very contrary. If Hurrell/Sironen/Hopoate dont perform, then they get replaced by Simm/Batchelor/Wingfield. Having a competitive squad where kids who are ready can step into a squad and replace a senior player, without having to be dependent on them (like Wigan have been for this season for example). The role of Simm and Batchelor is to make sure Hopoate/Sironen/Hurrell put the work in, and if there are injuries that theyre ready to step in.
Its entirely possible all 3 of Hurrell/Sironen/Hopoate dont work out for one reason or another, and Simm/Batchelor/Wingfield arent ready to step in, and we have a car crash season (labelled quickly as "transition") but the liklihood of all of those risks materialising is unlikely.
Nrl is no guarantee but longshot is probably not the best term.
All three will be on six figures plus and 3 year deals if options are in their favour.
Thats a risk and a lot of cap tied up.
One high end signing with a risk is one thing. We will have three.
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Any signing you make is a risk.
There's no guarantees whatsoever and we have signed players in the past with great reputations who have been fantastic and some with great reputations who have failed. Same with players with very limited reputations, some great some flops.
Ultimately I trust the current coaching staff and our recent reputation of bringing players in has been good under Rush for the last 3 or 4 years now. If Woolf has trust in these players, and given his success here so far, I've no reason to doubt him (playing style or not) then I'm happy to go with it.
I think we'll be very strong again next year with the players we are bringing in, along with the excitement that Dodd and Welsby will bring as younger players playing in the spine of our team. It's all about balance and I feel we've had that right in recent years.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
Understand and respect the logic but don't quite have the same degree of confidence
Even if you start the clock at Holbrook and ignore Douglas and Morgan, there have been paulo, Thompson (wrong type of player and busted).
I like Passi and mautauia and they have the capacity to come good but as of yet have not ripped up many trees.
Wait and see.
I am looking forward to seeing sironen.
My thoughts on hopoate are well documented.
Hurrell I'm just scratching my head.
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2018
In: Batchelor, Naiqama, Paulo, Coote
Out: Wilkin, Smith, Barba
2019
In:
Out: Swift, Douglas, Morgan, Richardson
2020
In: J Thompson, Graham, Paasi, Mata’utia, Norman
Out: Graham, L Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Paulo, Costello, Ashworth
2021 (so far)
In: Hopoate, Sironen
Out: Coote, Naiqama, Bentley, Thompson
Not too many duff players in there. There is an argument around Thompson but he’s been very good since a couple of weeks before the challenge cup final
This is my view of things. Woolf knows the Tongan boys really well and is obviously very confident that they will fit in, Sironen is as good a 2nd row as we can get I suppose, far more experienced with a better skill set than Bentley & much less likely to cost you a game through stupidity. As you say, our home grown players have time & again stepped up & we have to believe that they will push the established players for the shirt.
I think we have hedged our bets quite well, hopefully it will work out.
I think we need to get the kids on good long term contracts. When you look at the Canterbury Bulldogs team it appears the NRL doesn’t have enough talent for 16 teams, and they’re gonna bring in a 17th! They will be poaching plenty top British players i worry. Players like Knowles will be top of the shopping list. With the money in the NRL they could even take a punt on players as young as Welsby or Dodd. The Raiders took on Turner a few seasons back and he never even played a game.
Never mind worrying about the quality of Sironen and Hurrel. Our biggest concern should be tying down the youngsters long term.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Agree with all of this, we absolutely must tie Knowles down, a long term deal including being captain. Welsby & Dodd also crucial to us. Wingfield also looks to be a real prospect, Grace only signed a 1 year deal so that needs extending too. The NRL wil be coming calling as we all know.
I was talking overseas. When we have signed well we have signed very well but there are a few who haven't gone well. The argument from another poster was all recent overseas signings have been hits.
Thompson good player as he was was the wrong type of player to replace taia and his body is shot. His renaissance has still not included a pass or an offload and has merely added to lomax attacking difficulties.
The current recruits are neither barba or coote in nature they each have a major obstacle to overcome be that recent form injury or weight
That a gamble for 20 % ish of the cap for upto 3 years..
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I'd throw the book at Knowles. We need him. Wouldn't worry about grace to nrl. He wouldn't make it there
Looking around, Wire are signing half of the Cas team that have done nothing more than Salford in the last 5 years (1xGF and 1xCCFinal) but some people think they will be world-beaters!
Wigan are losing Hastings, Gildart and Manfredi has gone and they don’t seem to be replacing those three.
Leeds? Their best business is signing Bentley (as a proven winner) compared to Their choice of half backs.
Then there’s us…..
All signings are a gamble, but we seem to have the odds stacked more in our favour than against.
Can't stop the spirits when they need you.
This life is more than just a read through.
Still no mention of this on the BBC website.
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-202...2-62847488affc
Interesting Piece.
You just assume NRL clubs have the best medical care for players not always the case.