With the season ending injuries to Kaysa, Scott and IDG (most likely) we would have salary cap dispensation to sign replacements for the end of the season.
To make things worse Frank the Tank and Terepo are still several weeks away from returning and when they do they will be down on fitness. O'Brien has been out for a few weeks (for some reason) and now we have just lost Twal.
Therefore, we urgently need some replacements and I would chase these the below 3 Coast players:-
(1) Willis Meehan - He gives us size and aggression at frontrow.
(2) Paul Carter - Genuine first grader and can play hooker, lock, secondrow.
(3) Liam Knight - Very good lock forward. He is stuck in Wyong's team at the moment but is a first grader with a very big motor. I'd think Roosters would release him if he asked.
These three guys would come cheap and plug some holes for us.
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Knight is not unknown to me. Liam was the best Holden Cup middle forward in 2015 when Manly Holden Cup played in the GF (80 minute frontrow/lock). In 2016 Liam injured his ankle and had off field issues and he moved to the Roosters. At the Roosters he is stuck behind a representative NRL pack, but at Parra he would be very helpful.
I don't know what happened with Meehan but Snake has indicated it won't happen this year?
NRL clubs are not going to release top 17 NRL players who value add their rosters. Therefore, you have to think outside the box and money ball to find players that can do the job at a budget price when season ending injuries occur to top 25 NRL squad players.
You can't not replace guys injured.
Hi Zip Zip. Are you the Zip Zip who played with the Eagles on the Central Coast as I think I know you?
Unfortunately, our Wenty team have been struggling and are currently running 10th (equal second last).
My blog was more about risk management and plugging holes due to long term injuries we currently have. One of the loop holes in the top 25 salary cap is if a player sustains a long term/ season ending injury a replacement player outside of the original 25 squad can move up into the top grade without financially impacting the NRL cap. Most, if not all clubs take advantage of this loop hole.
As the June 30 deadline is looming up we need to move quickly if we were thinking of signing another player like Knight. Players off contract such as Meehan and Carter can be signed after June 30.
There is nothing wrong with the recruitment and development of our second tier back up players. The issue we have is we are missing a lot of players and if we lose any more our push for September footy will be gone.
Hi Baz, I watched Knight play from 15yrs to 20yrs as he played in the same rep teams with one of my family members. Very talented guy (like Meehan, same age) but has had off field issues that held back his career. Knight was a centre and moved into the secondrow. In his first u20's season Manly sustained injuries to 6 frontrowers and he ended up in the frontrow by default.
Soon after he was playing 80 minutes in the frontrow and obtaining Klemmer like stats each and every week in the Holden Cup. In 2015 he played in the Holden Cup Grand Final and played 80 minutes in the frontrow even thought it was 36 degrees heat. He was very, very sort after by many clubs as there was a strong push to reduce the interchange from 8 to 6. As he can play big minutes in the middle many clubs were looking at lighter more mobile middle forwards and Liam fitted that Bill.
As the drop in interchange wasn't and won't now occur the Roosters went cold on him and were more interested in bigger and heavier frontrowers (he is built like Moeroa, more backrower then frontrower).
The salary cap is a budget and if we can get guys like Knight, Meehan and Carter on minimum wage I think we would have good depth.
Paul carter name even not on south list on zero tackle
He is playing for the Seminyak Bar Stools now....apparently.
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