With the Eels possibly in the market for a quality five eighth I have been thinking about past #6 signings and the huge hopes us fans had . Adam Dykes came to the Eels with massive expectations. Unfortunately it didn't work. Another massive signing was Kieran Foran and for different reasons that didn't go well. I guess we could say the Jason Smith and Jim Dymock signings worked out successful, however, those signings were related to the ARL - Super League war. I have probably missed a few more horror five eighth signings. I guess the times have changed from when I was playing junior league. As a kid, players like Brett Kenny, Wally Lewis and Terry Lamb had most kids wanting to wear the #6. These days you rarely see the best juniors playing five eighth. Half-back, fullback and Hooker have become the glamour positions. From the early 80's and into the 90's your best attacking player was generally your five eighth. Now that player is usually at fullback. Today's five eighths aren't even your best ball players. These players are at half-back and if you have a second ball player he will be either hooker or lock.
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And??? They are not great players. They are 'do a job' players. Cogger left to start, he failed now going back. Schneider now venturing out the same way.
Schneider is onto, what, his 5th club now? And he's off to the Dolphins thinking he'll get a crack at first grade.
Cogger has a ring and then immediately left to find a starting spot before realising he's not at that level.
Well as Super said, why would Katoa leave Penrith? Why would Iongi leave Penrith?
Penrith's culture is better than anyone's at the moment.
So if you are a Fullback, and the fullback in front of you is signed til 2030, 5 years til they are off-contract. Would you wait to just play Fullback in 2031 if the culture is great? Explain Iongi? In quite possibly the best culture team in all of sport. He leaves to come to Parramatta to play week in week out?
Rep halves mean even more likely they play, what 1-2 games a year at best? Just happy to be there mentality? Every player wants to play every week.
What you are saying is not real world. What about Ryles? Went to Melbourne to coach first grade thinking Bellamy would give it a miss. After 2 or so years he took Eels job as Bellamy wasn't leaving anytime soon.
What about those who leave to play certain positions? Matt Burton could have stayed to play Centre in Penrith dynasty, chose to leave to play 5/8.
It is like saying you work at a company and want to be the manager, earning an extra $300k a year, but then the company say "Oh it is just your friends and family saying you should get a promotion, stay where you are it is a great spot for you" More likely after a while you will think screw this.
How is it not if you have 2 players signed til 2029 at least in the position you play? Granted Brown had options but still was signed til 2029 at least.
Pezet stayed despite Munster and Hughes being there he still had clauses if path is blocked which he is exploring now, plus Munster could go in 2027.
Pezet would've left 2 or 3 years ago if he was as misinformed as Sanders was.
Misinformed on what? Pezet was given a sweet deal where he could leave if those who will block his path re-sign. If blocking path is a lie then why did Pezet have it in his deal that if Hughes signs he can leave?
Added to that 2-3 years ago Pezet had a few bad injuries so Melbourne could have kept him cheap anyway.
If anything, foresight wise, the way Parra should have went with it to keep both Sanders and Brown happy is give Sanders a similar deal to Pezet where he is signed long term but if Brown activates his deal, Sanders is free to go.
Pezet is currently on the market courtesy of his get out clause and don't forget he tore his ACL last year, which meant he wouldn't have been in a position to go to market in 2024 or early 2025.
Both Pezet & Fa'alogo have getout clauses if Hughes & Papy are resigned, blocking their path to first grade. Even if Dynasty's theory & assumptions are correct, players' perceptions differ in reality.
Katoa, Jonah Glover, Luke Metcalf, Sanders, Tallyn Da Silva, Talagi, Iongi, Hopgood...
You are right, being 3rd in depth is not blocked. However, it can be if 1st string is signed long term. Someone like Ryda Talagi has a clear sense of where he could end up. De Belin signed til 2027, Paulo 2026. He will replace one of them. But right now he is not close to playing NRL, he would understand that. Now if you sign Hopgood, Tuivaiti and another Prop til 2030, then you might see it shrink. Difference is each squad has 5-6 middles in their 17 so there are bench spots at least.
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