First off, let me start by saying I couldn't really care less about Zac leaving. There's enough red flags about decsions he's made off field and on it to show he might not be the full package. Being 1 year into a 4 year deal and letting this crap totally derail his form the back end of his first year should tell you all you need to know about how committed Zac is to fully maximising his own value and potential to a team. Some fully buy in , some don't - its their career end of the day who are we to argue. The job for us as a club is to recruit the right type of character and person to represent our club and respect the organisation, people in the organisation, fans / members etc.. which is what I feel Ryles has been making a priority since he came here. I don't think Zac ever arrives at our club in the first place if Ryles made that decsion. Shane Flannagan didn't rate him and it appears Ryles doesn't either. That being said, his skill set is going to need to be replaced.
That aside, let's get to Clinton Schifcofske. One must wonder how he could be still welcome in this sport by 9am Monday.
He was welcomed back after his drug ban as a player, and he's code hopped during his career to now earn a living as a player manager and rugby league commentator post career . Rugby League has been great to him. But there's no coincidence the players he managers are the ones being linked to this R360 rubbish. He's fully bought into it early and he's taken his players to discuss their futures with it. Rugby Union has tried to totally distance itself from R360 and nations have banded together. Rugby League is trying to do the same. Then this dingbat is taking every one he can in to try and fill his own pockets.
The argument is that its hard to say no to that sort of money and its life changing. Sure, it is. But Zac should never have been shopped to them less than a year into a 4 year deal in the first place. I find it hard to believe they head hunted all Clintons players and Zac was highest on their priority list of all players in the comp. Stephen Crichton is a better, higher IQ version of Zac and he re-signed with Canterbury and hasn't been linked at all. There's a reason why he's had ultimate success as a player, is maximising his potential and having a club built around him. And there's also a reason why Zac underachived in his league career , never fulfilled his potential and aside from an Origin series never had much success.
Clinton Schifcofske can be argued to be doing his job as a manager but shopping guys on contract to rival codes is treating all in Rugby League with contempt. It's just like he did the Crushers when he decided to get on the gear. Hopefully, he's out of the game ASAP, and I would love if he loses his commentary gigs on top of it. Ordinary stuff, Clinton.
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Everyone's entitled to their opinion . Dylan Brown for mine is a pretty limited player with the ball. Maybe the best defensive 6 in the comp and when he's on he's a great runner of the ball and competitor . I think we saw for the kiwis in a side that's running downhill with 61% of the ball he can be as dangerous as anyone .
The problem which Newcastle will find when push comes to shove is he has trouble knowing when and where to get himself into a game and he doesnt have the vision of top flight halves. Having watched him closely for 6 or 7 years he's fine when he's clear with what he's doing . When he has options and isn't clear things start going wrong . When things start going wrong he gets in his head and you don't see him for a month or footy .
He's had litterally hundreds of chances to grow into his role and grab it here and he's done it here and there but overwhelmingly he goes missing . Our attack didn't miss a beat when he didn't play for us back end of the year.
After watching him play so well for the Kiwis people will buy into him again but that contact is going to be a disaster at NRL level . I'm glad we're not on the books for $1mil plus for him for the next 6 years . It's a real chance to balance out the roster .
Every 5/8th or halfback requires possession to do any damage. It was lost on a lot of fans in 2024 when the Eels were lucky to win 45% of the ball due to the insane amount of errors.
Every half relies on a pack for field position, and relies on outside backs to finish opportunities & space they create.
DB might be a limited player and is reliant on his halfback, but he dominated for NZ behind those essentials - possession, field position, and his teammates doing their job.
Whatever Dylan is or isn’t, we have replaced him with a 12 month rental in the hope we find a genuine solution - that is a massive step backwards & surely even the DB stalkers can now see this was always the concern.
Watch our attack with Joash at 6, then watch the Eels last game with DB at 6, the difference in how DB straightens the attack and creates space for the outside backs is very evident.
As he should, he is a natural & experienced 5/8th, but point is we definitely skipped a beat with not having a genuine 6 in the team, whether thats DB or someone else.
Find it very hard to believe Ryles doesn't want one of the best wingers in the game in Lomax at the club, when we have no replacements incoming, and no juniors in that position looking overly likely.
Maybe Ryles signed off as Zac has checked out, and he feels there is no advantage to keeping him here unhappy, as opposed to not wanting him?
If reports are true, and we land Kaeon, there is some silver lining to letting go a player who isn’t mentally here.
As Mutts said, our one and only goal should be premierships, whether that be 2026 or 2028/2029, every step we make should be leading in that direction, is it?
Losing Dylan, losing Zac, two representative players who are both reportedly very good behind the scenes for juniors, these are steps backwards in the pursuit of a premiership unless you replace with like-for-like or better players, or are able to upgrade BIG elsewhere.
If the Eels are pursuing Kaeon strongly, we really need to be successful in landing a target.
Bluey’s list, no matter how many excuses we cook up, is awful reading.
We can’t keep excusing, justifying, or showing a lack of accountability for missing in such a vital area in the pursuit of that goal of premierships.
Hopefully, we have good news on the horizon & instead of being the club with the best looking savings account, we have a club with some of the best players.
💯
So now Schifcofske & Gillis have pulled Paps,Lomax to R360. Looking at their list of players under them, can see there will be few more. Missed out on Jye Gray though. Koula from manly will be next
Strange both Melb & eels did the same process, let the players from the contract early so they didnt cop a ban
They have a few waratahs players too, can see them goin
I get the feeling Ryles was never a huge fan of Zac.
Sounds like he couldn't grant the release soon enough.
It kind of seems that way! Lomax different seem to be in the game mentally for awhile especially during and after Origin. Seemed like he lost interest. So leaving is probably the best option for both parties
I have read this blog so far and can see the points made by Snottie and also Coryn.
I respect Snotties views but don't agree with them. Coryn is saying nothing that he has not already said.
Bluey disappoints me as he has list that saddens him and unfortunately an attempt to apportion blame. The reality is at last half of those views he listed worked in our favour.
I don't know what people expect from R&R but lets agree more!
Now back to the issue. Zac Lomax is irreplacable in the make up of our team, comparisons with Bailey and Russell are almost ludicrous.
Schifcofske is a manager arguably doing his job as a player manager. That said he is accredited by the NRL in that role in dealing with NRL players and placements. Why would he not be banned?
My guess is that the players recognised, Pap and Zac have made no public comments as to where they have gone. I can understand Melb releasing him, good service long term injuries....cashing in! Yes.
Zac 1 year into a 4 year contract, no way he should be released. Why has he?
Snottie thinks Ryles doesn't think much of him, I cannot imagine that. A people issue between him and Ryles, yes that could happen, but Ryles is not stupid and too good a people manager.
So I am left with no more opinions until the next chapter evolves......we are missing something.
I did not think this RC360 would work out until recently I was seeing Tindall the princess's husband in Australia, watching games and obviously talking to players....he is not a "fly bye nighter" he is very well known within the RU Industry......he gives credibility where previously there was none. His contacts in the Rugby World would be endless. One of Englands greatest players!
PS If Paas goes to RC360 it was rummoured he would play the season out this year with Broncos? Are there timelines invloved at this point?..... IF this is so why isn't Zac looking at that as an alternative as well.....More to this!
"We are missing something" - Nailed it, I think!
The only thing that makes sense is Ryles has something very good brewing and needed the coin from the salary cap to pull it off. He must have a new signing in the works that is just more then a dream, and is worth letting a class player leave.
P.S don't worry about me dissapointing you, it's bound to happen again, I just can't let this one go. You got me to let go of Matterson was a bad egg very early on, that's still playing out, , you got me to let go of my Dylan over rated opinion, that ended up not as we expected.
I can't let this one go. Our R and R are just missing too many targets. It just has to improve, the only way I can push it along is to not let it go. Sorry to disappoint again. 👍 your also right a some of those decisions may turn out for the better, a lot of that is still in play. it's their judgement i am concerned about, sign today your a great player - leave your contract early your crap now.
Simply put JR has pushed his chips into the middle and his system is what brings this all together talent regardless.With that in mind it's about pulling the best and worst closer together and never beating yourself ie 2024 error ridden performances.
I liken it to being the Melbourne Storm during SoO period they aren't top tier Melbourne but best believe you've got to beat them as they won't give you a leg up.I think that's what JR wants us to be with the talent we have.
We've lost key guys now it's upto those juniors who've been promoted to excel and the JRs system to get us over the top.The only flaw to this plan is depth any key players out for lengthy stints buries us.
Blue Eel Ah! Bluey, do you realise how many times I have disappointed myself.
You know the more I have thought about this, the more convinced I am that he should never have been released from his contract. If Moses said he wants a release, would we say yes, because we don't want players here that dont want to?
No there is something missing. I think Jim is in the proverbial "hard rock"process and I must admit the Chairman doesn't come out of this smelling with Roses either.
We all support Ryles and believe in him BUT why would he grant a release, rhetoric aside?
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