Anybody want to take a stab and guess how much cap space we have next year?
We need another big bopper imo, somebody who can bend the line.
Hollis and Hughes are both untested at this level, we have lost Evans, and probably the Polar Bear(no real loss there).
Hughes has been added to top 30 which is good, but i dont see that as a replacement for Evans.
We need a few new signings to keep things fresh.
Anybody have any recruitment news? Who would you be buying? what do we need?
Replies
That is why I posted about Shannon Boyd. Apparently retiring due to injuries but that may be an overstated reason. He has been a representative prop and if trimmed down and worked I think BA could get good value out of him off the bench/depth signing. I am assuming that Titans would be paying quite bit of freight and if we could get him for $200-$300k then he could be good value.
TPJ is an option but even now he would still demand too much money and a starting position, which would rule him out. Ignoring these, maybe BA could set his attitude issues straight in an environment with good role models.
As others have posted JH is playing well. Hopefully he is mates with RCG.
The starting props are tied up and we have good juniors coming through. So an older prop who would be happy with a bench position and not getting in the way of our juniors would be ideal. Someone like Shannon Boyd. Someone posted about Tamou the other day but he would probably be too expensive. Maybe better to target someone from a team doing poorly. Eg Korbin Simms.
The Titans have released Boyd upon his request, the Titans don't owe him anything. I think it's more than injuries with him though, I think he is mentally over it. I also think the speed of the game has moved past him.
I think Korbin Sims would be ideal, assuming we couldn't get Hetherington.
Agree was not especially promoting Boyd - just that we needed a bench prop and this may be an opportunity
I reckon Kaufusi replaces Evans, and Hughes takes on the rookie on the bench. Still have Hollis as backup. I imagine we are probably still on the lookout for a fringe first grader with experience.
If Terepo is not there 2021 (no idea) then we will have lost five props
Stephano, Evans, Alvaro, Gower (assume he is retiring?) and Terepo. We wil have no depth. I doubt Hollis will be ready for anything meaningful in first grade and Hughes should get a run but would not be expect too much. Kafusi may step up but not sure he will be ready to replace the job Evans is doing next year. Even so Props 2021 are
Junior,RCG
Nuikore, Kafusi
Stone is a good middle forward but does not fit the role that Evans plays.
Hughes will be there but not really ready to be relied on.
As Snake said we need a bench prop to replace Evans but I would add one who will not impede progress of our juniors.
We also need depth props
Snakey boy I completely agree regarding front rowers, I think we need two.
I'd be sniffing around the Dragons roster as I'm sure the new coach will have his own ideas, also their might be some movements at the Chooks with their roster.
I think we've done very well recently looking for unwanted seasoned players who just need a fresh start at a good set up, and even better if the other club pay some of the freight.
I like that ranga on loan to the Warriors Hetherington, but it would be great to snare a real old hardhead like JWR or Bromwich
I think we are now entering a new phase of our roster development. We pretty much have the core of a potential premiership team in place for the next 5-7 years. I don't see us being major players in the free agency market for at least the next 3 years, I think we are now more in the retention & development phase.
Our depth chart as I see it looks something like this.
Fullback ... Gutherson (2022), Rankin (2021), Will Smith (2020)
Right Wing ... Fergo (2021), Haze Dunster (2020)
Right Centre ... Waqa Blake (2023), Taka (2020)
Left Centre ... Jenko (2022)
Left Wing ... Sivo (2021), George Jennings (2020),
Five Eight ... Dylan Brown (2023), Jaemon Salmon (2020)
Halfback .... Mitch Moses (2022), Jai Field (2020)
Middle Forwards ... Junior (2022), RCG (2024), Nathan Brown (2021), Niukore (2022), Kaufusi (2022), Alvaro (2021), Stone (2020), Terepo (2020), Hughes (2021)
Right Edge ... Matterson (2022 - PO), Davey (2020)
Left Edge ... Lane (2023)
Hooker ... Mahoney (2022), Rhys Davies (2020)
Development ... Schneider, Hollis, Heleta
Confirmed departures ... Evans, Gower, Utoikamanu
So based on that list I would say we probably need at least one more experienced middle forward, preferably one who is mobile, athletic & ideally has an offload in him, but is happy to come off the bench and be relatively inexpensive.
A back up left centre would be nice also.
The rest should then be filled with young development players.
Agreed Brett. Ideally a junior edge forward as well.
I think you are a bit clueless on how much players get paid. 450k for a prop fowards means they are one of the best props in the game not a average player like Hetherington who also gets suspended regularly. So Hetherington is probably worth maximum 250k but I think that is still way to much. I would give him 200k. 750k for Staggs is also ways to much for a centre despite how good they are. A centre should earn a maximum of 600k but also that is a bit too much. I would offer staggs 500-550k.
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