Brandon Smith contract news: Storm grants star early release

[DoggyStyla]

Cheese is the NZ Hooker, player Hooker most of his life! All you fools don’t want him? Y’all dumbcunts

 

[hoody06]

Brandon Smith, plays like a bulldog, tenacious like a bulldog, looks like a bulldog, let's make him a bulldog!

Every team needs character, he brings it in spades, he's tough and can play. He along with Burton, Flanagan, Averillo and potentially JAC could form our best spine in over a decade.

Make it happen!

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Hahaha, so you’re not a fan of JMK. He never came to the club as a hooker he was the best option we had at the time. Has done quite well since coming over from the Tigers and can play in the halves or lock if need be. Yes there are better options than him in the way of hookers, B Smith being the most sought after but all clubs need players like JMK who at least put in unlike some others.

In this moment, he's a good utility option. But am I worried about keeping him moving forward? Absolutely not. Worrying about players like him now is how you end up with extensions like Lewis and Smith.

 

[2144superman]

Cheese is the NZ Hooker, player Hooker most of his life! All you fools don’t want him? Y’all dumbcunts

"y'all" ok then ...

 

[Papa Joe]

People going on about brandon smith being a loose cannon fmd he had a bender after winning a gf what’s wrong with that

Agreed.
Sometimes you need to take a gamble on a loose cannon.
If Munster was available would you want us to have a crack at him???

 

[SPEARTAKVIDREFS]

It seems a new and regular thing with Melbourne. They want to offload a player early that no longer suits their purpose but want to be given a player and position of their choice. That's 2 players now that don't want to be there and they want to customize how the other clubs should accommodate their requirements.

Smart recruiting/managing cap I think. Where as we on the other hand let a bargaining chip in Klemmer walk without return at a time when we were nose diving. Hopefully those days are behind us now and in a couple of years we will have the power to negotiate with a team of quality players.

 

[COVENS]

Agreed.
Sometimes you need to take a gamble on a loose cannon.
If Munster was available would you want us to have a crack at him???

The analogy doesn't work tbh. Munster is a proven performer at this point, he wouldn't be a gamble.

 

[albatross]

Don't see how playing in a spine with Brooks and Mbye would be very attractive. Flanagan, Burton and Averillo, maybe JAC, looks much better. We should make sure Hanson gets in his ear to talk up Baz and the club. Our problem will be finding a player that Melbourne want.

 

[2144superman]

The analogy doesn't work tbh. Munster is a proven performer at this point, he wouldn't be a gamble.

Spot on. Munster is a proven performer and considered the best player in the world atm if not just behind Tedesco.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Smith was average @ hooker for the Storm this year but has previously killed it playing there internationally. Hopefully he just needs a good pre season knowing he will be playing hooker and he can work on polishing his game, conditioning himself, etc.

 

[bullanth]

Would actually prefer Cam McInnes, very very smart individual and with his head screwed on. Captain material and a real leader on the field.

Spot on,McInnes is a very versatile player,and as u say he leads by example,defensively very good,and would come to us cheaper than Smith,

 

[Spoonman84]

The problem with McInness is we don’t know how serious he is about leaving St George. The worst possible outcome is missing the boat completely on both we know Smith is available and he is the one we need to get. We aren’t in a position to wait around for McInness.

 

[BULLDVGS]

The problem with McInness is we don’t know how serious he is about leaving St George. The worst possible outcome is missing the boat completely on both we know Smith is available and he is the one we need to get. We aren’t in a position to wait around for McInness.

I had a read of this (https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/14/the-most-important-phone-call-of-cameron-mcinnes-career/) today, seems like he loved Mary and now that Marys gone, he might not feel any need to persist in an unsuccessful jumper.

 

[oldpuppy]

Smart recruiting/managing cap I think. Where as we on the other hand let a bargaining chip in Klemmer walk without return at a time when we were nose diving. Hopefully those days are behind us now and in a couple of years we will have the power to negotiate with a team of quality players.

I think we are on the improve in recruiting players to improve key positions.
We're still struggling in trading. Reimis was let go to give Melbourne a player they needed yet till now there's nothing recipricol. If we don't get anyone, JAC or cheese off them, then we're down a backline player that would of been handy regardless.

 

[Spoonman84]

I had a read of this (https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/14/the-most-important-phone-call-of-cameron-mcinnes-career/) today, seems like he loved Mary and now that Marys gone, he might not feel any need to persist in an unsuccessful jumper.

McInness strikes me as the type of player Griffen would have a hard on for though. I’m not the biggest McInness fan but we need to get either him or Smith.

 

[DinkumDog]

Lol not fussed about the bender at all but he plasters himself all over social media about it, does interviews while off his chop and makes an absolute fool of himself doing it.. is this the type of flog you want playing for the Dogs??

His non-dairy nickname is ‘the little Bulldog’ so he’s kind of a natural fit...

Seems no different to Terry Lamb back in day, Baa was often on the sauce when not playing and having some fun. Yes I know times have somewhat changed but the key difference is social media and the ‘sharing culture’ which is the bigger problem in my view.

I’m not convinced Smith is a full time hooker - that’s the bigger question to me regarding suitability (and price tag). An upgrade on what we have, yes, but crucial we get our next #9 right given we haven’t had a quality #9 since 2014. I’m not worried if he likes a drink and a good time, as long as he doesn’t splash it all over the interwebs or hurt anyone and keeps his head down and plays good footy he seems OK.

 

[Howie B]

The problem with McInness is we don’t know how serious he is about leaving St George. The worst possible outcome is missing the boat completely on both we know Smith is available and he is the one we need to get. We aren’t in a position to wait around for McInness.

When you are down the bottom of the table I think you should recruit players from the top teams where possible. There's a reason that teams are down the bottom of the table. Top teams have better systems in place and the majority of their players have been in those systems for a while. They can recruit from the bottom and back themselves to make it work. Hopefully that will be us in a few years when we have changed things around.

Of course there are exceptions but i think we should focus on trying to get players from good teams who have been in good systems. Already we have done that with Cotric, Flanagan and Burton.

Back in 2008 when we went through our last rebuild we got blokes like Ennis, Hannant and Stagg from the Broncos, Kimmorley from the Sharks and Josh Morris from the Dragons. All 3 of those clubs were in the semi's that year whilst we finished last.

Mcinnes is a good player but just remember the calibre of player around him and the system he has been in for a while now.

 

[Cujo]

Agreed.
Sometimes you need to take a gamble on a loose cannon.
If Munster was available would you want us to have a crack at him???

Good point!
Both seem like real characters, true footballers & not just athletes who have been taught how to catch, pass & hopefully where to run...if i was playing i would love to have both on my side!!
As a long term & recently suffering supporter i would be happy with Smith (or McInness), just some punch & drive from the 9..

 

[Malla]

His non-dairy nickname is ‘the little Bulldog’ so he’s kind of a natural fit...

Seems no different to Terry Lamb back in day, Baa was often on the sauce when not playing and having some fun. Yes I know times have somewhat changed but the key difference is social media and the ‘sharing culture’ which is the bigger problem in my view.

I’m not convinced Smith is a full time hooker - that’s the bigger question to me regarding suitability (and price tag). An upgrade on what we have, yes, but crucial we get our next #9 right given we haven’t had a quality #9 since 2014. I’m not worried if he likes a drink and a good time, as long as he doesn’t splash it all over the interwebs or hurt anyone and keeps his head down and plays good footy he seems OK.

Could not agree more with bolded mate...

Issue is not about his drinking habits, was never that, its plastering it all over social media and how that can and will effect out younger guys as well as the Doggies brand. Just not the right time for it.

 

[bradyk]

So many clubs interested in the cheese. Seems like everyone wants a good hooker these days and there aren’t enough to go around.

Yeah, so we should pass on him because instead of being the AUS hooker, he's the NZ hooker... I can't fathom some people. We're in top eight contention with a signing like this, but nah, let's pass because he celebrated winning a grand final... this is a common trend with any good player we're linked too. The next best at this stage (if even available) is a massive step down from B. Smith (McInnes, B. Brailey, whoever).