Trying to keep up with all the changes - I know there will be more before the season starts but thought I would try to get my head around where we stand now
Below is the depth with a possible top 25 numbered 1-25 (not in order of price) and possible starters in bold.
Middle forwards
1. MANNAH, Tim
2. WICKS, Danny
3. VAVE, Siosaia
4. BROWN, Nathan
5. TEREPO, Peni
6. ALVARO, Daniel
7. PRITCHARD, Frank????
8. MATAGI, Suaia?????
9. GOWER, David ???
PULU, Leivaha ???
O'BRIEN, Rory
HASSON, James
TWAL, Alex
Edge Forwards:
10. SCOTT, Beau
11. MA'U, Manu
12. MOEROA, Tepai
13. EDWARDS, Kenny
TANGINOA, Kelepi
NELSON, Cody
WOODS, Matthew?
Hooker:
14. DE GOIS, Isaac
15. PRITCHARD, Kaysa
KING, Cameron
Halves:
16. NORMAN, Corey
17. GUTHERSON, Clinton
18. ROBSON, Jeff
FOGARTY, Jamal
Backs:
19. FRENCH, Bevan
20. JENNINGS, Michael
21. TAKAIRANGI, Brad
22. RADRADRA, Semi
23. HOFFMAN, Josh
24. AUVA’A, Kirisome??
25. SMITH, Will
JENNINGS, George
FOLAU, John?
TUHA, Honeti ?
SCHULTE, Scott?
Replies
CP, there was a report a couple of months ago that Gower was going to SL, nothing from this end as yet perhaps still working on the details.
Trouble with blogs like this one is that it includes players that are situated in the rumour, perhapsers arena and are as a result listed in the top 25.
It is too early at the moment to accurately work out who is in the top 25 as some players may haven been downgraded to second tier. What we do know is the following:
- 6 top 25 players have left (Gordon, Watmough, Foran, Peats, Paulo & Morgan) and they will be replaced.
- French has been upgraded to top 25, therefore there is 5 positions left.
- We have signed 6 new signings (G.Jennings, Brown, Vave, Hoffman, Fogarty & Smith). Seven (7) if you include Auva'a, but he has not been formally announced and/ or been given NRL approval. At a minimum Brown, Vave and Hoffman will be top 25, therefore 2 top 25 positions are left. It is possible that the 5 remaining top 25 positions come from this group of 7 new players.
- Hasson, Faraimo, Folau, Toutai and Robson were all top 25 this year. Folau still has another year running on his top 25 contract. We know that Hasson and Robson has resigned but we don't know if they are now second tier. We currently don't know whether Faraimo and Toutai have been resigned and if so have they been downgraded to second tier. If I had to guess Toutai is gone and I'm not sure about Faraimo.
- O'Brien got some fanfare when he resigned and that usually only happens if someone is top 25 and the unknown question is, is O'Brien upgraded or still on second tier money?
- To date Fogarty has not been formally acknowledged as signed by the club therefore you can assume he is second tier and not top 25. Conversely, as G.Jennings got fanfare when he signed you can assume he is top 25.
- There has been a lot of rumour that Gower was tapped on the shoulder and has been asked to move on, but this has not been confirmed.
- As we lost Peats we now only have one top 25 hooker. As all NRL clubs carry at least 2, sometimes 3 hookers in the top 25 squad we can bank on it that we have another top 25 hooker and I would guess that K.Pritchard has been upgraded from second tier to top 25 to take that second spot. Unless Robson has taken that second top 25 hooker spot?
- If I had to guess "today" this would be our top 25 for next year:
1. French
2. Radradra
3. M.Jennings
4. Takairangi
5. Hoffman
6. Gutherson
7. Norman
8. Mannah
9. De Gois
10. Wicks
11. Ma'u
12. Moeroa
13. Scott
14. Pritchard
15. Edwards
16. Brown
17. Vave
.....
18. Terepo
19. Alvaro
20. Gower
21. G.Jennings
22. Auva'a
23. Folau
24. Robson (Utility - backup hooker and half)
25. One more new signing (Hunt or Frank the Tank)?
.....
Therefore, my guess is the following with regards to second tier:
- Hasson has been downgraded from top 25 to second tier.
- O'Brien is still second tier even though he got fanfare.
- Toutai has been released or is second tier.
- Faraimo has been released or is second tier.
- Fogarty is second tier.
- Smith is second tier.
- Twal is second tier.
- Nelson is still second tier.
Radradra may get suspended for most of next season which would effectively open another spot
This post was not so much trying to predict what we would look like next season but just trying to get my head around where we are at now with all the substantiated rumours
Am I right?
BD, you say we know that Robbo has resigned, seems another one not announced.
However top 25 has implications for playing in first grade without affecting the cap
So clubs may manage this to ensure the players planned to play are in the top 25
A journalist listed Robson staying on (6 to 8 weeks ago) in an article referring to other signings. If I had to guess he has replaced King at hooker with Wenty and will be a back up hooker/half for the top 17. The article stated words to the affect that Robson had decided to go around for one more year. I'm assuming this article is correct as it was very specific.
If Semi is proven guilty he could be blacklisted for years as it is "alleged" in the newspaper he kicked his pregnant partner in the stomach. If the offence that Semi did actually kick his partner in the stomach when heavily pregnant was proven he could get a custodial sentence and go to goal for 6 to 12 months (very serious matter).
Great blog, but too early as the squad could still change a bit over the next 3 months. Things such as Hoppa's settlement could affect the cap, Auva'a may not be registered by the NRL, Semi could be suspended or go to goal, a number of players could be upgraded and or further new signings.
The top 25 is based on salary, NOT selection in the top 17 and or form. The base salary for a top 25 player this year was 85K. I'm pretty sure next year the base salary for top 25 is increased to 88K. Hasson was top 25 this year even though O'Brien (second tier) was selected in front of him.
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