Opinion Karl Oloapu

[D- voice]

If we've paid a transfer fee of any kind, then there goes any doubts about us signing George Williams or any other ESL player under contract because of a transfer fee.

I remember asking about Williams over couple of months ago...
We weren't interested then...???

 

[Grunthos]

I have slept on this one.
I felt a bit off about this one.
My issue with it all.
A young kid trying to forge a career in the NRL throws his toys out of the cot before his career even gets started at the club who identified him and began his development.

I hate the broncos, but this kid shows an attitude I just don't like, and we see it more and more with the new generation coming through.

The fact we have Burton who is our long term 5 8th, I just don't see where this kid with the bad attitude fits in.

If reports are true that we paid 500k transfer to the donkeys for a kid with a bad attitude to come to our club where his position is locked up with Burton

I just don't think it's the right fit for anyone.

This kids bad attitude could be an expensive cancer on the playing group.

I hope Gus can manage this kid and his bad attitude.

What I really want to know is
Where do we intend to play this kid?
Won't be 5 8th.

Does he have the skillset and ability to play fullback?

Is he prepared to play a different position?

From what I can see of his highlights against other stupid kids is he has a good running game.
How often do we see that skill amount to nothing in the NRL against men and professional defensive lines.

I'm all for getting the best young kids
But I'm not convinced this kid will work out.

Arena Tamana vibes for me.

Hope I'm wrong.

I in trust Gus and the coach, and I'm sure the leadership group will knock any bad attitude out of him.

 

[CQDog]

He plays good on a right side attack. I think he could easily play 7 but just stick to his play style on the right edge. Can we f off this idea of a ‘game manager’. As long as the halve can set up his outside men with kicks/passes into holes and dig into the line with a good running game and good passing then its all that matters.

 

[CroydonDog]

I in trust Gus and the coach, and I'm sure the leadership group will knock any bad attitude out of him.

He's also an 18 year old moving to a new city presumably without his family (I don't know where he's from originally).

I assume he'll be placed with the right people. Does that older couple around belmore house the kids that come from outside Sydney?

 

[D- voice]

The halfback pipeline is looking solid.
With Oloapu, BBO, Rajab, Hayward and even younger ones like Aza Mautairi, it's just a matter of waiting for the pipleine to deliver. Moses or some other overpaid 7 are not needed.
That just leaves another one or two quality front rowers to be signed to complete the puzzle.
Amazing how quickly Gus turned the squad around.
And Reynolds may return to his best and grab the 7 jersey.
How good is this!

music to my ears...
Still don't mind an experienced half to take the lead.

 

[Lynchpin]

Maybe the Broncs are the winners here

Maybe.
"The terms of the release are to remain confidential between the parties."
They sound like "winners" don't they? Keen to tell everyone how hard they won.

Just picked up a cool half mill

Did they?

 

[Grunthos]

My only concern is the "Barba disease" where he gets so full of himself that he self-destructs.
Barba could so easily have been an immortal but his own hubris destroyed his career, I think he's driving trucks now to make ends meet...

 

[Grunthos]

Great stuff, keep them coming!

 

[wendog33]

Hooker def no.
Lock def no (at this stage)
Running 7, off Reed's passes.
That pickup behind his back, at his feet, was very skilfull but he won't have that much time in NRL or prob even Cup.

But hard to knock the guy, or temper the enthisiasm for what he could turn out to be.

Well done Gus for recruiting him. Up to him now.

 

[B-Train]

I remember asking about Williams over couple of months ago...
We weren't interested then...???

Now that we've signed Oloapu, we're probably not looking at halves.. Who knows if we were ever interested in Williams. He's a good player though. I'd like to see him back in the NRL soon.

 

[CMP]

He plays good on a right side attack. I think he could easily play 7 but just stick to his play style on the right edge. Can we f off this idea of a ‘game manager’. As long as the halve can set up his outside men with kicks/passes into holes and dig into the line with a good running game and good passing then its all that matters.

We 100% need a game manager. This is the main reason we have struggled in recent seasons.

That being said with the lack of experienced organising halves available out there. I believe Mahoney is the key to that puzzle.

If we can get one of these young guys to step up and play as a running 5/8 on the right side. (Wearing the number 7)

If CC can get a system to work with Reed controlling the ship in the middle. Being the organiser. It might just work. One thing that would help with this also would be running with a ball playing lock. I’m not sure we have this player in our squad.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

After looking at more highlights I definitely get Schuster (before he blew up) vibes from him.

 

[Gene Krupa]

I highly doubt we paid $500,000 transfer fee. I am hearing that they put the price on him, so the Dolphins couldn't sign him. The Dolphins are doing questionable things trying to sign players. Old Benny isn't as popular as they thought he was.

 

[spscand]

Guessing our reserve grade spine will look like this to start the year?

1. Rajab
6. Oloapu
7. Hayward
9. Clarke

Rajab 6 no doubt. Proven world cup performer. Oloapu is a fullback. Too much of a ball hog to be a good half.

 

[CMP]

I highly doubt we paid $500,000 transfer fee. I am hearing that they put the price on him, so the Dolphins couldn't sign him. The Dolphins are doing questionable things trying to sign players. Old Benny isn't as popular as they thought he was.

We are a wealthy club whatever the transfer fee was doesn’t matter to the football team. It’s all outside of the cap so as long as the people that are paying it are happy to do it. It’s all good.

From how I understood it was there was no transfer fee at all for the Dolphins. They were just point blank not releasing him to them.

 

[Phalangist]

Rajab 6 no doubt. Proven world cup performer. Oloapu is a fullback. Too much of a ball hog to be a good half.

I didn’t see anything in rajab today to think he will play first grade this year and I can say the same about Hayward.

 

[Lynchpin]

If we can get one of these young guys to step up and play as a running 5/8 on the right side. (Wearing the number 7)

Must they wear the #7?
Why can't/won't Burton wear it? He is, after all, listed on the Bulldogs website as a "Halfback".
He can and will still play on the left (or he may start to play both sides).

* 12 months ago: Burton was an unproven NRL #6 (Sure, he's a Dally M Centre of the Year, but he's not a #6 - plenty said).
* End of last season: Well, yeah he did okay at #6, but he isn't elite and isn't a ball player...
* End of this season: Well, yeah he's an elite #6 and an excellent ball player, but isn't a game manager.
* Start of '24: Now that he's a top-notch #6, top ball player, and has handled game management pretty well, there's nothing stopping him from wearing the #7 and enhancing his game control skills.

I think Burton is (and will be that good). He will be a marquee 6 but I don't think that will stop him playing as a #7 also, if we need him to, and still being amongst the top half dozen in that position as well.

It allows us a lot of flexibility for what type of player we choose to play down the right edge.

At the end of the day Burton is a footy player, and a gun one at that. He will offer this team things we have had since Shifty was running the side.

 

[Gene Krupa]

We are a wealthy club whatever the transfer fee was doesn’t matter to the football team. It’s all outside of the cap so as long as the people that are paying it are happy to do it. It’s all good.

From how I understood it was there was no transfer fee at all for the Dolphins. They were just point blank not releasing him to them.

They weren't releasing him to the Dolphins. When Opoapu said he would never play for the Broncos again, they knew he was going. They just knew it wasn't to the Dolphins. There have been secret talks behind closed doors with a few clubs.

 

[D- voice]

We should pay DOUBLE for them to take him off us.

Imagine he comes out and prove himself and plays well...
I know it's hard to imagine

 

[spscand]

I didn’t see anything in rajab today to think he will play first grade this year and I can say the same about Hayward.

Today? Also this comment was in reply to the nsw cup lineup. Not first grade.