So watching yesterday it is evident we are in dire need of a Centre/Winger and a Middle forward/Edge player. Fill two spots with players outside of the team and give Hands the other spot, make sure we keep him til 2025 at least to take over from Hodgson.
With what is out there, not much available, unless we are willing to give up another player for the sake of it. We tried for Dom Young and rumours of Frizell. So we can see their intent. With Greig only playing 20 mins yesterday shows that BA sees him as nothing more than an impact, short minute player. We need more, if RCG and/or Paulo are out, we had Kaufusi and Niukore trust worthy enough to come in and do a job. Now? Greig and Makatoa are ok players but better suited being squad players, there if needed. But we need more impact. In terms of backline, well it is more difficult. Middle forwards jobs are a lot more simple, there are names that i will put up that we can all say "Yeah that will be good", though with the backline we need pace, defensive capability, experience and ability to play different positions. Sean Russell is one that can play Fullback, Wing and Centre. He looked good yesterday considering he has not played Centre in a top level before, plus he only played his 4th NRL game. He needs to bulk up but can be a good player for us. Dunster was not great but 2021 showed him to be a decent player without being special. Though from BA and O'Neill's current shopping it shows Dunster and/or Russell are not in their plans moving forward.
So let's go through some options realistically this year, starting with forwards. These are players either off-contract or out of favour with their current clubs.
Emre Guler (Canberra): Currently in the 17 with Canberra. Can play Prop and Lock, played 63 NRL games and can play big minutes. A forward that has not reached their potential. Would he come to Parramatta this year? Well he would be playing the same role as at Canberra, though he would be earmarked to replace RCG in 2026. At Canberra though they have Papali'i coming to an end also, though Canberra have Pasami Saulo on a deal til 2024 and Ata Mariota that they love, with Guler not yet signed and Ricky looking for a clean out in 2024, Guler could be expendable.
Josh Kerr (St. George Illawarra): Was on the outer in 2022, but has featured in all of the Dragons 5 games this season off the bench. Tall, has an offload, can make metres, can play on an edge and in the middle. Seems like a BA player, also i feel his potential has not been realised either. Only difference is he is not that hard working middle, more flamboyant.
Liam Knight (South Sydney): Coming off an ACL, not back til Round 10 the earliest but this would be a massive get if we could pull it off. Souths might need him with their middles ageing and getting banged up, though they also have some decent juniors and fringe players that are cheaper like S. Mitchell, Moale, Sele, Suluka-Fifita, Lovett and Duncan. Could make Knight expandable. Only issue also is it seems he adores the club, plus Bennett who really got him on the straight and narrow. He could go to Dolphins with Bennett. But if we could get Knight, who we were interested in when he left Canberra for Souths in 2019, he is exactly what we need off the bench, plus young enough to take over from RCG and Paulo in the future.
Curtis Sironen (St. Helens): First out and out edge player mentioned, rumour circlated that this was a Moses mention and makes sense. Sironen is massive, could work well off the bench as a middle. Injuries have always been issue and is the problem when thinking of him as a full-time edge for us as oppose the bench. Sironen would be a nice signing, leave Carty at 12 and Sironen comes in as a Matterson type role could work out.
Chris Patolo (Canterbury): Also coming back from a serious knee injury. Only young, played only 21 games though potential is there and Canterbury looking at freeing up cap space. Could Barrett lure him over? Patolo in 2021 had a decent start averaging 86 metres in 6 games. In 2022, he only average 40 metres in 15 games before his injury. He is not 22 til July, coming off an injury could hamper his development but he could be a nice added forward to look at, even for 2024.
Fletcher Baker (Sydney): He has been getting decent game time for Easts, now with Crichton coming back and Brown at the club, could see him shift back to NSW cup. Baker would be a great signing, tall and can play middle and edge. He seems to be middle of the road but looks to be a worker, wouldn't mind starting him either. Roosters do not use him for big minutes, but we could get him into that mold.
Toafofoa Sipley (Manly): Not off-contract til 2024, but he has not been played by Manly this year. He is averaging 150 metres in NSW cup, has experience, reletively young still and in 2021 had his best year with 26 tackle breaks in 21 games. There are a few errors in his game but he is a player that can rack up big minutes also, think of Greig but fitter.
Mat Croker (Newcastle): Also signed til 2024, but if we are looking at Newcastle, get this bloke over. Just a workhorse and averaging 94 metres in 4 games.
Jaydn Su'A (St. George Illawarra): This only depends on Griffin and what the club does in terms of their squad and coach. Talk is Dragons are rebuilding and ditching most of their squad. Su'A could be one and one i would happily look at.
Now let's go over some wingers and centres:
Brian Kelly (Gold Coast): Possibly the best player available now in the back-line. I say available in that he is off-contract, Gold Coast just signed Maumalo, have Schoupp, Sami, Khan-Pereira, Fifita, Campbell, Brimson, Spry and young gun Keano Kini. Kelly ain't staying past 2023, even with Fifita's new deal to take up some cap space, plus got to look at keeping Tino and Brimson. Kelly is not special but he is FG quality. One knock is he is strictly a Centre, which BA doesn't really want as he wants versatility. Though if Russell stays fit on the wing, he can slot into 1 if need be. Kelly is what we need right now to stablise that left side. Get a proper Centre in there who needs a change of scenary from Gold Coast who are lets be fair not the greatest team to fulfill your potential.
Enari Tuala (Newcastle): Not a Centre that will knock your socks off but will do a job. Can play Centre and Wing, wasting away in NSW cup, he could be a handy and cheap player to slot into the Centres and we can win with him there.
Braidon Burns (Canterbury): Can play all across the back-line, even at Fullback. Injury issues and not the safest in defence but is an option.
Declan Casey (Canterbury): Signed til 2024 i believe, but Alamoti and Averillo are the dogs Centres, with Crichton coming could make it harder. Casey can play Centre and Fullback, defence wise is sound, still young enough to develop also. Canterbury are a club you can get some value due to their cap position and need in top positions.
Kayal Iro (Cronulla): Signed til 2024, but is not getting close to top grade with Ramien and Talakai there. Is solid, could be a diamond in the rough looking for a chance, held his own playing Fullback for the Cook Islands in the WC. He has the body to move into the back-row eventually. Is that the player we want? Perhaps, he is worth a look.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (NZ Warriors): Hear me out, as a Winger could be a nice get. Experienced and not getting a run with the Warriors. Could do worse, we looked at him before signing Waqa Blake.
So overall not much out there if we are to improve our squad for 2023, which we badly need to do with 3 spots open, possibly 4 if Waqa leaves early. If i had to choose and all were willing to come, i would get Kelly as a Centre and Knight as the middle forward, if not Knight i would go Guler. If we could offload Blake for another top 30 spot i would also go for Patolo as depth in the middles as Rodwell and Ogden are not getting it done.
Who would you sign? Has anyone heard anything in terms of who we are after?
Replies
That's a pretty ordinary list LB. All those backs are no better than what we already have.
As for the forwards, Sironen or Sipley might be handy.
I did mention it was, the backs are limited. I would argue Kelly is better than all our centres bar Penisini.
Watched the first part of the Titans game on the weekend and Kelly was rubbish.
Piss poor positioning of his winger bombed 2 tries.
He may have got better but I went to the pub instead
Guler, Kerr and knight are all better than our current bench front rowers, I would take any of them. Even sipley would be an upgrade. Sua would be an handy edge forward.
Kelly or Dalan would be the pick of the backs.
Realistically, that bunch of players aren't really that much of an improvement over what we already have.
I think most of those Props are better.
Backs not so much with Kelly being the only one straight away that is better. Not leaps and bounds better but better. We are not going to get anyone of note anyway at this point of the season.
A good 3rd Prop is our only major need. EG and Siro would be perfect.
I'd like and edge player too but I think they are getting overpaid on the market so better off investing elsewhere.
Croker unwanted after next year would be good as a back up. Proved he still has something to offer but would have to be on minimums.
Current plan is that Guthos replacement long term is Russell but I would rather Preston's boy. He is a freak.
Daine Laurie is so much better than his latest performances would have you believe.
Hopgood and him could really light it up when opposition forwards tire.
All in all we aren't beggin for anything except that additional prop, would rather save the coin to hold onto our young emerging players.
It's all about defence from here, our attack is potent and dangerous.
Just an extra forward, maybe 2 Jed we are desperate for. Hell Nathan Brown would have been better.
I do think a Centre also is needed. Get those sorted and we are a better team. Look at Opacic, if he was in our team now we are better, he is not a world beater either.
Re watching games from last year, Nathan Brown is no good.
But yeah mate 100% need 2 forwards. I think Mattos brother has been good for Workers.
Big Siro is perfecto think, aggresive, can play edge or middle, similar body type to RCGand Lane. I'd also sign his brother and play him at 9 for the first 15 of each game.
Siro Siro and Guler. Sounds like a good off-season to me.
I'd trade JH to Newcastle, maybe for Enari Tuala if I was in charge
Not sure what happened to ikuvalu at sharks and jordan periera at broncos havnt watched them play in a while so not sure if legitimate options there. Does cini need to be upgraded to get a run? Surely would've been a better option then dunster after an ACL, they must have high expectations of dunster considering he was rushed back In.
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