Both these guys need to be heading to the exit doors as soon as they can to maximise their money making ability. They have been struggling to make the 17 for years now and it doesn't look like any of the spine is going anywhere. Not sure why storm are just holding them hostage
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We are moving him to accomodate Fa'alogo as we are weakening one position to try and strengthen another. Market is not as bare as many think. We can get away with a good 5/8. Sandon Smith would be fine. Jonah Pezet would be fine. Hell Te Maire Martin for a year til Talataina is ready would be fine. They are fine as we have Moses at 7 and Iongi at 1.
To suggest this isn't an option is dumb? As Coryn said Ryles has brought Iongi to the club to play 1. Moving him to 6 is desperate as what if he doesn't work and you spend money on Fa'alogo and he works? Back to square one having a great Fullback and no 6. Ryles is not reactionary as a coach, this would be reactionary. The best team has Iongi at 1, no guarentees Fa'alogo even works out, he is a different style Fullback to Iongi and who is to say he is a Ryles type Fullback. The fact we went for Galvin as you said shows where Ryles is heading with his 6 selection. Iongi was Ryles' first signing, the man he wanted from day 1 at the club and that was to play Fullback, moving on Gutho for him. The kid is getting better and better each week, why slow down his development.
I appreciate the debate AE, it is fair to bring up, but to suggest it is dumb to say this is not an option is asinine with all due respect.
We do not need a marquee 6. If you get 1, 7 and 9 done well, a good 6 is passable. So far Moses, Iongi and now Smith look to be good future spine pairing.
Sorry mate but I'm not being asinine at all. Players move positions all the time in order to fit the best 17 into the squad, admittedly not always with great success. Munster, Hughes, Hynes, Wighton, Campbell, AJ Brimson, Inglis, Hayne just to name a few. Class players are class players. Faalogo is absolute class and is languishing in reserve grade much like Walsh was before the warriors nicked him. Now when I look at a 17 that can make a tilt at a title do I think Faalogo and Iongi could bring us to glory? Yes. Can Sandon Smith, Te Maire Martin or Brooks lead us to glory? Fuck no. Fortune favours the bold. I'm not saying run out and sign Faalogo tomorrow, we have time to consider everything in my opinion. As I said, if we lose to dogs tomorrow, I'd be having a look at Iongi at 6, if he brains it, than the possibilities become exponentially greater. I understand both you and Coryn both rate Iongi as a fullback as do I. I understand we just see it differently and that's ok. Same with Poppa rating Smith, I just don't agree but appreciate he may see things differently to me. Either way I believe in Ryles. He's made some bold decisions and I reckon he has the ability to coach whoever he decides to put there and make it a success so we'll wait and see I guess
As you say admittedly not to great success, Hayne being the prime example there out of them who failed at 6. Munster was an established first grader as was Campbell and Wighton when they moved. Brimson went between both 1 and 6 in juniors and Inglis had Slater in front of him pushing him to 6 but lasted 2 years before Finch came in and moved him to Centre, Hynes played a heap of Five-Eighth and Fullback in Q Cup before Melbourne and Cronulla. Class players are class players but doesn't mean they are quality in every spot. Hayne was one of the great Fullbacks, not a great 6. Campbell is a great Fullback and a pretty good 6, is he better than Hayne overall? Definately not.
I am not saying Iongi cannot make a great 5/8, he has the skill set for sure in the future to be.
But to suggest we put him there now is a mistake for him and the club. He is a class Fullback, came through the grades as a Fullback. The best way for the kid to develop is to leave him alone where he is comfortable. If you move him now, you'll have a an inexperienced Fullback with him, that wont help. Better off either getting an experienced Fullback or wait til he is expereinced himself to make the move to 6 if it is to happen. As a club we are not in the position to muck around with that, we have something good at Fullback let's keep it simple.
Though AE, i do love the passion. You have what Coryn and i do as well, justifications to make this club better. Your idea of Iongi at 6 is not stupid, but right now is not the time, later in the future if we have 6 problems and a kid like Bamblett or Bloomfield are banging down the door at Fullback then do the best of both worlds .
As for external options. I am fine with a stop gap until someone like Talataina or even Lincoln Fletcher is ready. I do like Fa'alogo he is a talent and i wonder where he fits but i reckon he will be the Perth Fullback come 2027. Thankfully we have Iongi.
Had we still had Gutho i would be saying get the kid now.
AE, I do want to say though, credit to you for being civil in your responses. You had every right to lose the plot but kept your responses civil and quite frankly reasonable. Respect my friend.
We don't need a marquee 6 going foward and it's why you trust JR as I believe if he can find a fullback like Iongi to replace Gutho why would you not trust him to make the same decision around talent to replace DB.
I think it's unrealistic because by making a move like this your second guessing your original decision around Iongi.His best position is fullback he's really starting to show signs right now and is coming along well in that position.As mentioned I think without one shadow of a doubt that JR thinks Iongi's best position going foward is in the #1 jersey at Parra.
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