Wakeham??

DT

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Is that his preferred position ?
No but I think that's where they will play him mostly this year anyway...he was to be hooker for that game as a sub to Lichaa but Forans injury changed that
 

Spoonman84

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I doubt Wakeham will get another NRL game this year anyway. Brown, JMK and Lewis all had to be injured for him to get a run and most of them will be returning after the bye. Long term Wakeham and Averillo could be solution to the halves.
 

2ndphase

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Because we need to see how Wakeham and Cogger can play alongside each other in as many games possible to see if they are the future.
Thats not going to happen because they're both halfbacks.
 

2ndphase

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and yet the club sees them as our future in the halves.
And yet the club seen Meaney as our fullback now moved to the wing because they bought Dwz to play fullback!
 
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Mr Invisible

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And yet they buy Meany to play fullback then buynow move him

And yet the club seen Meaney as our fullback now moved to the wing because they bought Dwz to play fullback!
Meaney was a panic purchase. The club knew we wanted signing news and panicked and signed him up. Newcastle weren't in a hurry to retain him (as they had Crossland and a few others coming through) and Ponga on the way.

Hence signing DWZ.

Same might apply to Cogger although he is getting better.
 

TwinTurbo

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Meaney was a panic purchase. The club knew we wanted signing news and panicked and signed him up. Newcastle weren't in a hurry to retain him (as they had Crossland and a few others coming through) and Ponga on the way.
Hence signing DWZ.
Same might apply to Cogger although he is getting better.
DWZ is only signed till the end of next year, which gives Meaney time to develop. If Meaney looks the goods then no need to resign DWZ. If Meaney doesn’t make it then he’s the one who doesn’t get resigned. Looks like a pretty good plan to me, one that is also cost effective, as Meaney isn’t exactly expensive and Penrith are paying for some of DWZ.

Go Dogs
 

wendog33

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Meaney was a panic purchase. The club knew we wanted signing news and panicked and signed him up. Newcastle weren't in a hurry to retain him (as they had Crossland and a few others coming through) and Ponga on the way.

Hence signing DWZ.

Same might apply to Cogger although he is getting better.
I tend to agree.

For such an important position in an inexperienced spine, we really needed an established fullback IMO. Not a skinny lightweight kid for FG (no offense).

It's time to more thoroughly assess the body shapes of these guys we buy. Meaney will take 3 years to build up to handle regular FG.

To me it seems we are far more conservative, and less supporting of our own guys in Flegg and CCup than we are of guys they buy in....who probably aren't any better anyway....remains to be seen I guess.

I'll probably get howled down but...Bergamin should have got a chance at least at FG fullback (at least before we bought a Tom Carr look alike in Meaney).

I know you win some, you lose some with these signings, but body shape and a determined playing style should be uppermost when assessing players who will make it. Haven't seen that with Meaney at this stage but maybe with him seeing how Dallin plays, he might decide to put in a bit more.
 

vegny

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Meaney actually had 2 tries and 2 try assists in 5 games for knights. This was before they bought klemmer, gladsby and gavet. And ponga was out with injury at the time.

May be the team has not given him the platform this year or the game plan isnt suitable or he has just gone backwards in attack.
 

TwinTurbo

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I tend to agree.
For such an important position in an inexperienced spine, we really needed an established fullback IMO. Not a skinny lightweight kid for FG (no offense).
It's time to more thoroughly assess the body shapes of these guys we buy. Meaney will take 3 years to build up to handle regular FG.
To me it seems we are far more conservative, and less supporting of our own guys in Flegg and CCup than we are of guys they buy in....who probably aren't any better anyway....remains to be seen I guess.
I'll probably get howled down but...Bergamin should have got a chance at least at FG fullback (at least before we bought a Tom Carr look alike in Meaney).
I know you win some, you lose some with these signings, but body shape and a determined playing style should be uppermost when assessing players who will make it. Haven't seen that with Meaney at this stage but maybe with him seeing how Dallin plays, he might decide to put in a bit more.
OK, so Thurston gets rejected, too small, too skinny, a lightweight not suitable for NRL. Not in any way suggesting that Meaney is the next Thurston, just pointing out that picking a book by its cover is not a good idea.

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wendog33

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Meaney actually had 2 tries and 2 try assists in 5 games for knights. This was before they bought klemmer, gladsby and gavet. And ponga was out with injury at the time.

May be the team has not given him the platform this year or the game plan isnt suitable or he has just gone backwards in attack.
"May be the team has not given him the platform this year or the game plan isnt suitable or he has just gone backwards in attack".

That may well be it and those factors probably highlight his lack of intent, aggression and size. Too small for fg at this stage.

For instance Thurston was never put straight into first grade and traditionally the position he plays in is suitable for a small nippy player. The following year at the Cowboys he thrived.

Fullbacks are a completely different scenario. It was obvious my premise is pick a body type suitable for the position and in Meaney's case he is just not robust or big enough for fg at this stage and probably not for a few years...every indication he is an Abbey type player so we should have been very cognisant of not going that way again. An experienced fullback was necessary for this year.

He has the pace so I hope he comes good and seems a nice kid. As I said, perhaps seeing how DZW chimes in he will realise what's required in fg.
 

TwinTurbo

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Maybe it has faded into memory for some but Slater was labelled too small at 178cm and 85kgs (later 89kgs) and Meaney is 187cm and 90kgs already. It's not as simple as size and weight it's core strength, leg drive, upper body development etc. That's what he is working on.

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albatross

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Meaney actually had 2 tries and 2 try assists in 5 games for knights. This was before they bought klemmer, gladsby and gavet. And ponga was out with injury at the time.

May be the team has not given him the platform this year or the game plan isnt suitable or he has just gone backwards in attack.
Agree he hasn't been getting great service but his positional play in attack is still pretty ordinary for someone with his pace. Backing up through the middle and finding space doesn't seem to come natural. I agree coaching could be a problem there but he should be better through the middle. Melbourne have 2 young fullbacks in Hughes and Papenhuyzen that both do it brilliantly. DWZ is an improvement.

Accelleration is also a problem for Meaney - he always seems to get caught before he hits top pace. I don't think he's finished though. He could still have a big career but needs to develop more and a stint in NSW Cup wouldn't hurt.
 

Dawain87

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I may be wrong but Meaney is the only fullback that hasnt scored a try this year.
 

wendog33

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Even at this early stage of their careers putting Meaney and Sater in the same sentence to evaluate is foolhardy.

Comparing the 2 Melbourne fullbacks is closer to the truth.
 

wendog33

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Original premise was that Meaney is too frail, not determined enough and not robust enough in body shape at this stage, whilst an experienced fb was necesssrily of more value this year.

Slater had the robustness, agility, passing game, nous to negate his size and took that negative out of the equation.
 

TwinTurbo

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Even at this early stage of their careers putting Meaney and Sater in the same sentence to evaluate is foolhardy.
Comparing the 2 Melbourne fullbacks is closer to the truth.
I was simply comparing Slater's height and weight in 2003 with Meaney's in 2019. That's all, nothing else, no other comparison, just size, for those writing Meaney off simply because of his size today.

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Mr Invisible

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I'll probably get howled down but...Bergamin should have got a chance at least at FG fullback (at least before we bought a Tom Carr look alike in Meaney).
Tom Carr should have been given an NRL run. Bloke had a massive stride, was decent under the high ball, and had one of the highest vertical leaps I've ever seen. Him and Smith could have been our wingers this year, with Bergamin at fullback.

Even Cerruto was going well before injury and appear to have been cast aside by the club.
 

diddly

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Tom Carr should have been given an NRL run. Bloke had a massive stride, was decent under the high ball, and had one of the highest vertical leaps I've ever seen. Him and Smith could have been our wingers this year, with Bergamin at fullback.

Even Cerruto was going well before injury and appear to have been cast aside by the club.
Everyone has a different view of player ability - carr and bergamin were not first grade quality - im sure if they were first grade quality other clubs would have signed them rather than them playing park footy or ron massey or canterbury cup. Maybe im wrong.
 
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